> Sky Tear
>  by BeefPie
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Complete 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sky Tear

The day drew to it's end, as it had done for hundreds of years. The sun waving it's final goodbyes over the horizon before its counterpart claimed the throne of the sky. The stars emerged from their slumber into the dark sheet - sparkling in the darkness. A faint glimmer. One being brighter than the rest.


Chapter 1 : Secret

The grass shuffled in the cold night breeze, buffeted by the icy flakes. It was verging on Heart's Warming Eve again, and you could tell. Faint multicoloured lights lit up Canterlot on the mountainside, while Ponyville was sitting in the valley - glowing like a lone star. A lone pony was trodding through the snow, away from Ponyville. In between the capital and Ponyville, there was a small hill in the centre of the snow covered plain. Completely unilluminated, the pony ventured into the hill an disappeared. A faint light came on out of a small window.

"Oh, Celestia. I can't keep doing this!"
"I know, I know. I'm sorry. We just need a few more nights."
"Twilight, honestly. It's just a few stars!"
"Rarity, I understand completely. But it's not. If my calculations and studies are correct, over the next few evenings there will be a cosmic event."
"Any kind of event?"
"I... I don't know. But something big. I just want some company while I watch through the telescope."
"Why couldn't you watch from Ponyville?"
"Light pollution."
"Of course, what else? Well, element of generosity at your service. Again. For the 4th night. In a row."
Rarity hung her cloak up on the peg by the door and flopped onto the sofa. Twilight was watching intently out the larger back window - it was usually hidden behind a wooden sliding door.
"So. What makes you think this is so special anyway?"
"Well. It's the 1000th anniversary of the banishing of Discord and evil from Equestria. That's one. Another is that it's Heart Warming's Eve in two weeks. And it's clear right now."
"Ugh. Fine. Just let me know if you need anything." Rarity lay back and closed her eyes.

"Rarity!! Rarity! Wake up!" A rushed whisper awoke her. She rolled over to Twilight hopping about giddily like a filly.
"What?"
"It's started."


Chapter 2 : It

The night sky had lit up like a diamond, with all the colours of the known world fired at it - all bouncing off in different directions. Nebulae and thousands of brighter stars had all simultaneously turned night to dusk.
"Woah...."
"What just happened?" Rarity was awestruck - so shiny. So colourful. So-
"It's exactly as described!" Twilight didn't for a second break her gaze on the sky, making sure she didn't miss a second. "My books were right!"
"Sorry Twilight, but I'm not quite as amazed by this as much as I'm terrified and confused. What is it? How-"
"THE END IS NIGH!" Twilight ignored Rarity completely and ran past and out the door, grabbing some saddlebags on her way.
"Okay then. I'll just... Sit here." Rarity went over to the telescope. A silver bound book was sitting on the windowsill - completely nondescript. She flipped the cover over and looked at the first page. Celestia's seal, and a signature. A list of contents. And a note.
"Reader,
By now it will be much too late, but I urge you to read on anyway. This book will be given to my student at the time. You, student, are needed urgently. Watch the night sky for your message on the week before the 1000th Heart's Warming Eve. You'll know what to do.
Good luck, student. Have Faith."
Rarity glanced up and stumbled back slightly. The sky had a message alright, faintly outlined by debris of dead stars and galaxies.
I'm Back.

Twilight slammed the library door behind her and rushed up to her room, brushing past a confused and scared Spike.
"What does the message mean? Twilight!"
"We don't have long. Quick! Find me all you can on-"
*SMASH, RUMBLE*
"What the.... Calm, Twilight. It was probably just an earthquake."
"Just an earthquake she says." Spike curled up in the corner.
"Spike! I need everything on Heart's Warming Eve. And the Princesses. Get it to me as fast as possible."
"Can't I just send a letter to Celestia?"
"Oh, she knows alright. We can't involve her. She doesn't know that I know. I took the- book? WHERE'S THE BOOK?! Oh Celestia. Am I bucked..."
"What? The silver one?"
"Yes the silver one! I can't let anyone know I stole from the princesses. T-this is phase 1. I need the book! Equestria relies on mortals yet again to save her!"

"A week before Heart's Warming Eve? But it's not... It's about 12 days away yet. A week before would leave 5 days." Rarity skipped through more of the book, mumbling to herself. A scream from outside distracted her.
"Heeeeeeelp!"
"Who is it? What's wrong?"
"Evil sky!" Fluttershy came smashing in through the window, narrowly missing the telescope. She flew straight into the darkest corner and started shaking.
"Fluttershy? Darling. It's fine. Twilight has it all under control. it says so in this boo-"
"Stop! Don't touch anything else." Twilight stepped breathlessly into the doorway. "I need that book. Now."
"Sure, Twilight. You just had to ask." Rarity hovered the book into Twilight's bag.
"What? Really? Just like that? No questions?"
"Why should I? It's your book and you seem to know what you're doing."
"Oh. Well... About that." Twilight ran, leaving a faint musk of her shampoo.
"Fluttershy?" Rarity turned to face her. "It's okay to come out now."
"Bu-but the sky. Evil!"
"Come on. Let's go home." Rarity draped her cloak over Fluttershy and helped her up.


Chapter 3 : Evil
*knock knock*
"Oh for sugar's sake! If tonight couldn't get weirder. We have a visitor - at midnight!" Sweetie Belle opened the door. "Yes,-" Rarity barged through and put Fluttershy on the sofa.
"Rarity?! But you're-"
"Not upstairs. Well deducted." Rarity took her cloak off Fluttershy and replaced it with a blanket.
"Okay, okay. Care to explain what is actually happening tonight?"
"Sweetie. It's just a little prophecy fulfilling. That's all."
"Oh really?"
"Yes. Now get some sleep. We'll talk more in the morning."
"Ugh. Fine." Sweetie eyed them angrily all the way upstairs... Backwards.
"It's okay, Fluttershy. Honestly. Twilight has it under control."
"I-I don't know this time. She was... Scared. She's not normally scared."
"Let's hope so, okay? Get some sleep. We'll probably need it tomorrow."

The Cloudomium shuddered as the lightning continued to hit all around. Rainbow Dash had holed up in the corner, behind an overturned table. She was wrapped in her Daring Do duvet around her face.
"Who's there?!" She quickly glanced around. "I know you're there!"
"Rainbow?"
"Who is it! Name yourself!"
"It's Twilight! Don't attack! I need your help."
"Oh... Well. What is it?"
"I get that you're unnerved but I really need your help. The train isn't running and trees are scattered all along the road to Canterlot. I need-"
"To get to Canterlot. Fine. I'll do it - if you promise you can save us and stop this madness."
Twilight hesitated.
"If it's the last thing I do."

The wind was swirling around them, buffeting them with massive continuous gusts.
"I'm really only just surviving this! If I wasn't me, we'd be dead!"
"Just get us to Canterlot!" Twilight yelled back over the wind. She was holding on for dear life as the thick black cloud in front of them started to pass.
"Keep going! The cloud is thinning!" Twilight flipped open her book one last time. Student. It must be her, surely? The rain and wind suddenly stopped as they passed through a purple bubble. Canterlot. Her brother must have been drafted in from the Crystal Empire to maintain the shield again.
"Drop me off at the tower. I'll go from there." Another beam of light shot up from one of the buildings, strengthening the shield. Rainbow came to a halt on the north tower and shook herself dry.
"Ugh. How am I meant to get back?"
"You're right, sorry. I wasn't thinking about our friends... Just myself. Come with me."

Twilight stopped at the exit of the corridor, coming out into a courtyard. So many paths. Another beam of light. It came from the north east, so she'd go that way. Rainbow trailed behind. She needed to find her brother. Maybe they'd know where Celestia is, if she isn't in her throne room.

They entered a domed building which she was pretty sure wasn't there 3 months ago. The ceiling was very high and towered over most of Canterlot alone. In the centre of the dome was a small opening, for the light to escape. Beneath it... A crystal. Her brother, Cadence and Celestia were standing around it.
"...we need the book. Without it we've lost."
"But it's a book! What help could it possibly be?"
"It contains-"
"Instructions for the End Times." Twilight interrupted their conversation and approached the crystal.
"Twily!"
"Twilight Sparkle. What are you doing here?! With the book?!"
"Princess! I can explain! I... Took it. To study the stars. And there was the message in the front. It... Was a coincidence that I was there at that time."
"You don't understand! That wasn't my book! Nor are you the student mentioned!"
"But... Who's is it then?" Twilight dropped onto her hind legs and glanced around the 4 others.
"We don't know. But we know who's student it is." Cadence spoke up this time.
"The King."


Chapter 4 : King

"King? Like, Princess Celestia's father king?" Twilight was confused and amazed. Nobody ever spoke of the King.
"No. The usurper king. Long ago, long before Discord there was just Equestria in its two halves. Ponies... And griffons."
"Oh, the tale of that King! So what are we doing about it?" Another beam of light shot up from the crystal.
"As long as the crystal holds up, we're staying here." Shining Armour stared into the the crystals surface, losing himself inside.
"Luna is sending guards and scouts out to see if we know where the King actually is." Celestia turned to leave the dome. "We really need to get his help on this one. Without it, all of Equestria is gone. Not just the pony half."
"But who's returning?"

Rarity glanced out the window again from behind the blinds.
"Still raining!"
"No shi-"
"Sweetie Belle! Where did you learn such words?! Weren't you meant to be asleep, too? Yes, it's still raining. I'm just optimistic, that's all." She put the blind back down and returned to see what Fluttershy was doing. She had recovered slightly, to the extent she was no longer a shaking wreck. But still jumpy.
"Fluttershy? Have you got any information on Twilight yet? We've accounted for everypony but Twilight and Rainbow."
"The birds say they can't see out there. One of the bunnies does say he saw a blue Pegasus fly towards Canterlot. That's all."
"Canterlot, eh? I hope she knows what she's doing."

"We don't know, dammit! We just know that there is a near apocalypse coming and we're all defenceless!" Shining Armour slammed his hoof onto the table. They had left the domed crystal hall for the smaller, round table'd room.
"We can't help that!" Cadence yelled back.
"Well, find a solution."
"Guys! Shut up! Yelling at each other won't help. We'll just work slower." Twilight glanced up from her book to lecture her sister-in-law and brother. The silver bound book was still as useless as ever. The only strange bit was in the message at the front. 'Have Faith' was capitalised - why would you capitalise something that wasn't a name? Her understanding of grammar and language baffled her sometimes.
"Twilight. Found anything?" Luna poked her head around the door frame.
"Only this. 'Faith' is capitalised. Which goes against his past way of writing. He is intelligent and well spoken - why would he do that?"
"Faith?" Luna's eyes widened and she disappeared - teleported.

Pinkie Pie and Applejack were in the barn at Sweet Apple Acres, hoping the storm would pass.
"Ah hope it passes. This barn wasn't made for this - we were gonna knock it down in a month or two and replace it!" Applejack yelled over the wind.
"I hope it warms up a bit! Brrrrrr!" Pinkie dug herself deeper into the haystacks. A bunny came running in through a gap in the wall, wearing a small yellow anorak.
"Bunny!" Pinkie saw the rabbit move in front of her. It had a message in its hands.
'Applejack,
Bring yourself, family and as many others as possible to central Ponyville. We need to ensure everyone's safety while Twilight is gone.
Rarity and Fluttershy at Carousel Boutique'
"Eurgh, boutique. That place makes me sick. Anyway, we'd better go." Applejack fixed her hat, picked up the bunny and ran out of the barn, Pinkie trailing behind.

"Transport arrangements?! What the hay do you call this?! It's not a service station!" Rarity slammed the landline down, and slumped over the desk. "Damn ponies thinking we owe them some shelter." She'd moved the sewing machine off the table and made it her temporary office. After all, ponies needed keeping track of. Sweetie Belle was cooking... Breakfast. And Fluttershy was herding the animals inside... From INSIDE the boutique. She was doomed to a slow and tiring demise unless Twilight returned quickly.

"What's so important about Faith?"
"Twilight. You need to go back. Get the other 5 together with you and teleport back here in 10 minutes." Luna turned towards her.
"But-" Twilight vaporised.

Rarity looked up from her desk at the sound of... A teleport spell? Had Sweetie mastered it yet? She got up and walked into Twilight.
"Thank Celestia you're here! I rounded up as many ponies as possible! We are all here now - you know, the 6-"
"Good." Twilight closed her eyes and braced.

The 6 appeared in the dome room with the crystal.
"What in tarnation?!"
"Wh-why are we... Somewhere else?!" Fluttershy curled up and sobbed.
"Twilight! Those ponies need us! We can't just leave!"
"Rarity, if I don't take you all now, there will be nopony left."
"What's going on in here?!" A Royal voice boomed through the dome, stopping all conversation. Luna stepped in from a side room and approached them in the centre. "Twilight Sparkle. That was a quick journey. But I see you have the rest, so I will not waste time."
"What is Faith?! Answer me, please!"
"All in good time. For now, you are going to travel to the griffon king. All will be made clear."
"You bitc-"


Chapter 5 : Unknown

Twilight and the others appeared in a low lying valley between 2 mountains. It wasn't particularly green or forested, but vegetation was in abundance.
"-ch!" Twilight stumbled back. "Why?! Why can I never find anything out?"
"All in good time, Twilight." Applejack mimicked Princess Luna, receiving a few laughs.
"But seriously - where do we go from here?" Rainbow looked around the group.
"The spire with the birds around it." Twilight looked eastwards (towards the sun) at the tower. Surely that was it?
"Guys... Guys. Guys!" Everypony turned to Rainbow Dash. "Cool ride!"
A carriage was sitting next to them, complete with 4 mechanised wheels. It had windows (with curtains!) and a small step ladder lowered from the door. A small balcony or ledge was at the front, with a small steering wheel on a pole.
"What.... How?! But.... What?!" Twilight rushed around it looking for a note or a message. Anything that could explain what the hell they were meant to be doing.
"Erm... Sorry to distract you from the wonderful set of wheels, but I'm pretty sure that isn't normal."
"What is, Rarity?"
"That." Rarity stared up at the sky. A dark wave of, what looked like smoke, swept across the sky, blocking the sun and bringing the stars out.
"Nighttime. Luna?" Twilight turned to her friends. "Can anyone see Luna?"
"Wait! I know what to do!" Rainbow Dash stood deadly still leaving the other 5 in a slight daze. Then she collapsed and started snoring.
"Anyone care to explain what the actual hay that was?" Applejack tapped Rainbow's face, but no response came back.
"I... I don't know. We should head off. The tower is still visible, so help me get Rainbow in the carriage." Twilight took charge and helped Pinkie and Applejack pick up Rainbow Dash. Rarity took the wheel with Fluttershy and off they went towards the only possible destination.

Rainbow dash got up and stretched.
"Aaaaaaaaaah." Her arms clicked as she started overhead stretches. She looked around - Nopony. She was in a desert, devoid of all life. The moon was brighter than usual and a small blue light lit the eye on the Mare.
"It worked! Thank Scootaloo!" Rainbow lifted herself up and hovered about 100ft off the ground.
"Luna! Luuuna!" A small blue orb appeared next to her. "Luna?"
Princess Luna materialised in the air and began to speak.
"Your friends are trying to get you awake, so I'll be quick. It's nighttime because you will be spotted by the dragons. And griffins. And potentially renegade ponies... Just keep moving to the tower. Use the telescope and go from there. She'll understand. You'll understand once you're there."
"What?!"
"Just remember what I said." Luna vaporised and Rainbow's dream began to dematerialise around her.

"Rainbo-"
"Argh! Water!" Rainbow sat up spluttering. Twilight blushed slightly and tried to hide the bucket. "Help! I have help!"
"Rainbow... Maybe you need sleep."
"No no! Luna told me what to do. We need to get to the tower. Use the telescope and all will become clear."
"Ok...." Twilight moved through the cabin towards the front. "Rarity! Fluttershy! Keep on going till the tower. Rainbow says Luna told her."
"Yes Captain!" Fluttershy turned around with some steam punk style goggles on and holding a pencil and some paper.
"What's the paper?"
"Oh, I'm mapping the area. It'll come in handy if anything. If not, it doesn't matter. I'm drawing the road we go along, and other forks in the road and major landmarks. Like that bigger tree... That's glowing."
"Alright. Sounds like you know hat you're doing." Twilight went back cabin to Pinkie, Applejack and Rainbow. They were arranging the mattresses that came in the carriage so that they could all fit.
"...we'll need a rota. Rarity and Fluttershy can't do it all day."
"It's fine. We can organise it as we go along. For now, focus on the tower and getting ourselves there safely." Twilight flopped down onto a mattress and pulled her saddlebags off her back. A silver glint faintly peered out of them.
"What the-" Twilight flipped it open and saw the silver bound book. "But..."
A message was taped to the front.
"Twilight,
Keep up Faith and keep moving. The tower is your destination. Think about your affiliation before you approach my father's castle though. Otherwise things may get bloody.
-C & L & F"
"What you got there Twilight?"
"Woah jeez. Don't do that Pinkie! To be honest... I don't know." The original message was still inside the book and a small second note said that the book was a copy. So Celestia and Luna won't execute her when she gets back... Good.
"C, L and F? That's got to be Celestia and Luna. Who's F? Why is it 'my father's'? What does it mean Twilight?!"
"Calm down Pinkie. I don't know. I have a theory, but we can't do anything till we reach the tower. Now we should all get some shut-eye."

The night went relatively uneventfully - a few swap overs for driver and passenger but besides that the biggest event was the small rock in the road. The sun began to creep over the horizon and awoke the carriage. Pinkie was first awake, just a minute before she burst into a cockerel's morning song.
"Aaaaah! What the hay, Pinkie?!" Applejack jumped up with the rest of them in shock.
"Sorry, internal clock. Goes off at 7:30 every day on the dot." Pinkie casually carried on her strange life by putting her head out the window like a dog.
"Celestia... My head. I didn't even drink anything!" Rarity sat up an quickly dropped back down.
"Yeah, me too." Twilight and Rainbow both agreed.
"Wait - who the hell's driving?!"

The carriage continued on down the road and parked itself at the base of the tower.
"Wat?" Rainbow just sat there confused.
"No time to be confused. We've got some stairs to climb!" Twilight tried to take lead again.
"No I don't." Rainbow flapped her wings smugly.
"Neither do I!" Rarity shined her horn.
"Guys! We're a team! We all teleport with me in 3... 2... 1..."


Chapter 6 : Faith

The 6 appeared at the top, on a balcony. The spire continued on up for a while, but a telescope sat in front of them.
"Well. Here goes nothing." Twilight stepped forward and peered in. It was pointed at a distant castle or fort - it was huge. A fortress on a mountain about 10 miles away. It was circled by massive dragons and fleets of what could be birds.
"Wait - did Luna say why she made it dark yesterday?" Twilight didn't break her gaze on the fortress.
"Huh? Oh yeah. Dragons. Renegades. Griffins. The lot really." Rainbow seemed unmoved until a roar ripped through the sky.
"Welp, it was nice knowing you all." Rainbow began a lap of her friends, shaking hoofs. Flaps of massive wings were heard, and another roar.
"Wait..." Twilight pulled away from the telescope. Another roar.
"That isn't a threatening roar."
"What?! Are you crazy?!" Fluttershy grabbed Twilight and started shaking her about.
"I'm serious. Spike taught me that. That's a-"
"Friendly Black dragon. Fully matured and capable of torching whole towns in a day." Someone else finished her sentence. "A beauty really." The dragon lowered itself in front of the balcony - a white alicorn stood on top.
"F-Faith?"
"Yes, Twilight Sparkle. It is. Your reputation precedes you too. The royalty has great plans for you. I'm  currently on another trip away from the castle. "Father" really is a bastard." Faith stepped off into the tower. Her cutie mark was similar to Luna's - only rather than stars it was a nebula, with about 100 different colours.
"You know my name?"
"Yes! Your exploits and efforts to please my sister don't go unheard of outside of Equestria - let alone Canterlot!" Her golden name shone beautifully in the rising sun.
"You have the book?"
"Uh, yes. I don't know how. I think it's a copy."
"It should be. I went to great lengths to copy it. And get it to you. There are times when courier pony isn't enough - altering space and reality worked well though."
"Do you mind me asking... What does your cutie mark symbolise?"
"Control and mastery of reality. My sisters are night and day an everything that comes with it. Our domains are all separate."
Rarity asked the next question, breaking the back and forth conversation. "And how do you get your mane like that?"
"Simple really. Sunlight and the rarest gem extracts."
"G-gems?!" Rarity's eyes lit up more.
"Rarity! We have more important things to do-"
"-Why yes. I see your cutie mark is about gems. Another gem fan?"
"Am I!"
Faith suddenly realised when she glanced over at Twilight.
"Sorry. I get distracted. I'll show... Rarity around the castle once we've liberated it."
"We?"
"Yeah? Why else do you think me and my sisters wanted you lot to come kill the griffin king? He killed father. He forces me and my sisters to call him 'father' in public as the current generation has lost all knowledge of his usurping. And we can't touch him with his barrier up. Only you 6 can get through as it is. Simply take it down and - BAM! We win."
"You're not like your sisters." Rainbow quite rudely commented.
"What? Not stuck up and all powerful for you? I'm more powerful than both of them and like to have fun. What's wrong with that?"
"Nothing! Nothing. I'm just surprised."
"Anyway. Back onto the plan. Open the book." Twilight pulled it out and flipped it open.
"That page wasn't there an hour ago..."
"Funny, isn't it? You see this? This is a map. All you need to do is follow the red line and beat my father. Then I'll grant you all one wish in my domain. As in, I may not be able to do it."
"Do we need the elements of harmony?" Twilight asked.
"Seriously? Did you actually just ask that? Of course - but they aren't physical. You are the elements. I don't get what's so hard to understand about that."
"Oh..."
"Off you go! I'll see you there!" Faith jumped back on the dragon and zapped the 6 back to the carriage.
"Well okay then." Pinkie continued as usual, carrying the map onto the carriage.
"I guess we just follow the leader for now." Twilight followed, slightly disappointed with how that turned out.


Chapter 7 : Journey

Fluttershy continued to transpose the real map onto hers. Turns out she wasn't that far off, just a bit lacking in detail. Twilight had taken the helm, although it was basically pointless. The carriage went into auto-pilot once they were all on, so it was merely a waiting game.
"I spy, with my little eye..."
"Celestia, Fluttershy! All we've seen so far is trees, road, sky and a deer! I get your bored but-"
"-DRAAAGGGOOONNNN!"
"What?! Oh... My..." Twilight grabbed Fluttershy and hauled them inside. "Code Red!"
"What's a code red?" Rainbow looked up from her book. A dragon roar followed. "I see." She calmly closed the book and sat up, and then broke. "AAAAAH!"
"People! We need to fight it with something!"
"No, Applejack!" Fluttershy silenced them all with a medium volume voice. She walked out to the front and just stared at the dragon.
"Well, Fluttershy's insane. We need a backup plan. Anyone got any rope?"
"Guys! Stop!" Twilight yelled for the first time in a year, silencing them all. "Thank you." Twilight pushed past Fluttershy and stood on the balcony. The black dragon looked back - Faith popped over the top.
"Sorry about that! He was just investigating the strange dragon smell around you."
"Oh that? That's Spike-" Twilight was cut off by Faith teleporting Spike into the air. "That one!"
"Huh?!" Spike fell through the air down onto Twilight. "Dragon! Aaah!"
"Haha. Small dragon." The black drake had a very deep voice - croaky too.
"Yeah?! Yeah?! Well... You'd be right." Spike hung his head. "How did I get here?"

INTERLUDE

Twilight awoke in her library, on the bed. It was still pitch black, bar for the moonlight drenching the countryside. Her sides ached slightly, but she decided to get up anyway. Last thing she remembered, they were travelling to the Griffin King. She stretched, and started to move forward, off the platform. Before she could even think about falling, she stopped. Hovering. She had grown wings overnight?! To avoid freaking Spike out, she continued to hover over to a small letter on to her bedside table.
"Twilight,
You may suffer slight memory loss tonight. Becoming a princess isn't easy on the mind or body. You fulfilled your destiny yesterday, once we took a slight detour from your road trip to the Griffin King. Anyway, yeah. You're currently reading this in your dream. If you look outside you'll see me and Luna playing tennis on the moon!
Faith"
Twilight peered out from behind her curtain. Sure enough, she was asleep. Maybe if she focused, she could wake up...


Twilight bolted upright to the sound of wheels on rocks and small, pony talk.
"Twilight! Sorry... Princess. You're awake!" Applejack sat down next to Twilight's mattress.
"I don't remember anything." Twilight rubbed her eyes.
"Ah, darn it. It was real good. Shame... Anyway, we're nearing the castle boundaries now. It'll get interesting - hold onto your hat."
"Don't tell me I got a hat too?!"
"No, silly! That's just a saying. I can get you one though."
"We may need more than one. Has anyone considered how we're getting in?"
"Erm, no. Princess. We assumed you could just write some magic or something. Rarity came prepared though." Applejack led Twilight over to the balcony area. Sure enough, Fluttershy was acting co pilot (steam punk goggles) and Rarity was watching the wheel turn itself.
"Ah! Princess! How are we today?"
"Good?"
"She doesn't remember anything. Poor soul." Applejack sniffed. "She thinks we are, and always have been, hunting the king."
"You missed the best bit, darling! Don't worry though, I'm sure you'll watch it being projected via magic once we get back."
"Hmm. I actually came to you because Applejack here told me you were prepared for 'getting into the castle.'"
"Oh! Of course." Rarity shuffled past Fluttershy, who was still scribbling away at her map, and led then back into the interior.
"I have brought these monstrosities!"


Chapter 8 : Princesses

"What is it?"
"These. Are genuine hooded robes. I made them earlier."
"Why are they monstrosities?" Twilight could see what was coming.
"Why?! Look at them? So bland! Black! Empty! Where's the boldness?!"
"Oh, fashion wise. Gotcha." Twilight took one and slid it on.
"We'll look like genuine priests. Or executioners..."
"THEY HAVE EXECUTIONERS?!" Twilight's hood fell back off her head.
"Well... Yes. They have technologies from almost 200 years ago. They are time trapped because the king won't allow it. Now they know no better, as those who remembered what it was are now dead."
"By Celestia, Luna and Faith - I will free these peoples. If necessary I will claim the throne myself." Twilight had a small glint in her eye. Something had snapped, or popped into place. She had meaning there now. Before, she was just there because the princesses requested it.
"How many robes are there?"
"Well, 6, Applejack. Why would I do anything else?"
"I dunno. I was just curious. They'd make nice tableclothes on the farm-"
"TABLECLOTHES?! MORE LIKE A WELCOME MAT! Why don't you people see these atrocities as atrocities? They're appalling! I had to cut bits out so we looked more authentic! This went against everything I work for. Somebody had to think ahead last week..."
"Last week?" Twilight curiously asked.
"Why yes, Princess." Twilight grimaced slightly. "Sorry. Twilight. Last week was the week we were teleported back and achieved your destiny. It turned out we started this 'adventure' first, as you needed to have met Faith first, to write the magic. She was a... Prerequisite."
"Okay. What about-"
"LAND HO!" Fluttershy screeched from the front. The 6 rushed over to see. Sure enough, the gates were about 150 feet away.
"Okay, ponies. We have to leave the carriage somewhere. We can't go inside with it if they are time locked..." Twilight glanced over to the city to see a pony fling a bucket full of something out a window. "Which they are. Grab a robe and stay with my lead-"
"Yes, Princess!" Rainbow Dash squeaked.
"What's with the Princess name? You don't need to. Anyway, don't say it here. It's more likely that 'Princess' will draw attention than 'Twilight'. But you never know. Refer to each other in code.
Pinkie - Balloon.
Fluttershy - Butterfly.
Rarity - Diamond.
Rainbow - Well, Rainbow.
Applejack - Apple.
If any of these words need a common usage, as in 'not code', then follow it with 'Twilight'. But why you're talking about apples - I don't know. Our warning word is 'Ship'. Our urgent help word... 'Faith'."
"Leadership, right there. That's why they made you Princess."
"Can I get that written down?"
"No, Pinkie. It'll be slightly obvious if you walk around with 'CODE' everywhere. We get one shot at this. Else our heads will roll. No flying, teleporting or other shenanigans."

The guard looked up briefly from his battlement. Nothing ever happened. Ever. This place was dead and dusty. He looked back down at his newspaper - in time for him to miss 6 black robed objects rush inside.
"One shot." Twilight whispered back at them before creating a formation. They began to slowly trot towards the actual castle's general direction. It was atop a hill, so would be pretty ridiculous to infiltrate. They had just got through the walls surrounding it.
"Ponies!" Twilight turned and shoved them all down an alleyway. "We are not getting in there. We need a distraction. Rainbow?"
"Got it." Rainbow stretched, yawning as she did. She then collapsed.
"We need to hold here until she wakes up. If anyone looks down here, ignore it."

Rainbow woke up in a flowing meadow, the wind blowing slightly. It was dusk, and the sun was setting.
"Ooh. Pretty." Rainbow jumped up and continued to hover up another 50 feet.
"Luna? LUUUUUNNAAAA! Faith? Celestia? Anypony?"
"Yes?" Rainbow freaked out a little as she span on the spot to see Faith.
"Oh... It's you. We need your help."
"I can see that. I'll send my dragon over to scorch a few buildings. It'll divert everyone either out or towards that spot. Then, when I'm sure it's empty I'll teleport you into  the castle throne room."
Rainbow's world slowly collapsed and closed in on her.

"Wait here!" Rainbow bolted upright. "Here. Wait for the-"
RAWWAAAARRRRRR!
"Dragon."
"That's Faith's dragon!" Twilight watched in awe as a huge black beast flew over. Screams and yells were heard before a loud yell.
"INTRUDERS!" A pony was standing at the only exit end of the alleyway, staring at the purple unicorn. "ALICOOORN!" The pony ran as Twilight suddenly realised her hood had slipped as she watched the fly past.
"Well. We'd better run." Rarity flicked her hood off.
"No! Faith said wait here." Rainbow rushed to the end of the alleyway, blocking it.
"Come back into the alleyway! They'll just get you first. We'll wait - but if they find us I won't hesitate to teleport us away. Why was it Faith rather than Luna anyway?"
"Faith has control of reality. And she came down from the moon too. In my dream. I'm guessing she just decided to come first."
"But Luna could shroud us in darkness! We could have been invisible!"
"I didn't pick! I-"
"THERE THEY ARE! GET THE ALICORN! THE REST CAN GO TO THE DUNGEON BEFORE A TRIAL IN FRONT OF THE KING!"


Chapter 9 : Reality

Twilight flashed into the castle, followed by 5 consecutive other flashes.
"Horseapples!" Twilight smashed her hoof on the floor. "We've blown our one shot. There's no way they won't find us-"
"Ahh. Princess Twilight Sparkle." The 6 spun around to see the throne. "I've been expecting you."
"We've come to remove you from your seat, usurper!" Twilight stepped forward. She signalled that the rest should follow.
"HAHAHAHAA! You fools! I'm behind a shield! I'm invincible!"
"Oh really? What if somebody was to... Pull the plug?" Twilight used her magic to pull off everypony's robes. Their Elements shone gently in the vicinity of each other.
"What?! You're joking? They entrusted you rag tag team with those?! HAHAHAAH! They do nothing? Have you not worked that out?"
"Oh, we have." The other 5 looked panicked at Twilight. "Or I have."
"We are the elements!"

"H-hey! Be rational here! No need for a rash decision - right?! I'll give you land! Houses!" The 6 edged closer to him and each other every second.
"Please! I'm sorry for everything I did-"
"No you're not." Faith materialised behind the 6. "I call horseapples!"
"N-no! Not you too!" Luna and Celestia followed.
"No! No no no no! What is this?! It was originally a fight, now it's a murder!"
"Two wrongs make a right, jackass." Rainbow stepped a little faster, the rest following. "You've committed your fair share to wrongs."
"No! Stop!" By now the King was nearly in tears, pushed up against the throne. The 6 reached the edge of the force field.
"Ready girls?"
"As always!"
"Abso-lutely dutely!
"Ahm always ready!"
"I guess..."
"I'll destroy you!"
"Bye bye!" Twilight ignited herself in the white light, the others slightly glowed. A beam shot out of Twilight's tiara, which in turn set of the other 5's Element's. The joint 'mega beam' arched and smashed through the forcefield, before heading straight for the King.
"STOP!" Celestia fired a light bolt into the beam, stopping it in it's tracks.
"What the hell?!" Rainbow tapped her amulet.
"Princess! You know that really takes all my energy to do - why?!"
"We're better than him. And we can't let your friendship become a weapon. We only wanted his shield down." The trio of original Princesses walked towards the King, who was half stunned and half terrified at the same time.
"I'm alive! Hahahah- oh dammit." He watched the trio slowly approach him.
"Hello, 'jackass'. It's been a while hasn't it?" Faith spoke first.
"You're charged with high treason, murder, murder of a reigning monarch and numerous accounts of indirect manslaughter via your regime, and finally - a personal one. You killed our father AND in turn betrayed the country." Celestia boldly said without hesitation. "You have the right to rot in a dungeon for the rest of your life."
"What?! You're joking? I'd rather die than go back to your bastard country!"
"Is that your final answer?" Luna leaned in slightly. "We'll honour your request."
"Yes! Just hit me! Fire your damned laser and have it over with!"
"Twilight. We'll do this one." Celestia looked over to the 6 and gestured for them to move back to the door.
"By the power vested in us - we commit you to eternity in the Aether."
"What?! That's not death!"
"It is. You'll be trapped with everything else that's been banished from this land via our order. Think of it as a 'Survival of the Fittest'." Faith smiled falsely at him while they stepped back down. The 3 sisters all joined together in closing their eyes. Cadence appeared next to them.
"Yes, sisters?"
"Mind lending a hand?" Faith smiled. The 4 all stood in a line, and started a similar laser the 6 did, only it was white, night blue, pink and Faith's - nebula. The multicoloured beam joined together from their horns and hit the King. He screamed in what could be pain or despair, before vaporising. All that was left was a crown, which fell to the floor. It rolled down the carpeted steps to the feet of the 4 Princesses.
"Twilight." They all chimed in unison.
"Oh nononono. Faith can have it. I'm not ready to give up my life and adventures to sit on a throne."
"Very well. What about a joint ruling?" Celestia queried, looking between Faith and Twilight. "Faith can rule properly, as well as from her realm, but you are still royalty. What do you say, Princess Twilight?"
"Yes?"
"So it's settled-"
"Wait! None of this explains what has happening with the stars! "Who's returning?" Twilight realised what she'd just said. "When? Why?"
"Oh damn! I'd forgotten about that!" Faith and the other 3 turned to Twilight.
"His master, of course. We just don't know anything about him, duh." Luna playfully responded, before getting serious. "Yeah, we're pretty much apple pie right now. We need to hunt him down and... Do something."



Chapter 10 : Hunt

The sun was beaming down on Ponyville and the surrounding fields. The slight summer breeze had helped create a joyful atmosphere that everypony shared. A small cupcake sat on the table, under the shade of the parasol. A cup of cloudy lemonade sat next to it. For some, life in Ponyville had been, and still was, care free. For Twilight - never. Behind her curtains and in the depths of the library, a purple alicorn sat reading. Stacks and stacks of books were already processed, but many more still lay untouched. While your ordinary pony was hunting down where next to eat or have a nap, Twilight was hunting down someone so infamous in history, yet so unknown. How could such a notorious pony be so... Invisible? Assuming it was a 'he' as the princesses said, and was a pony. They might as well be hunting a deity. Despair began to influence Twilight's mind and thoughts. Why bother? It's a glorious summer's day! Maybe Discord could help...

Fluttershy tended to her garden patch, desperate to get something exotic and in-season to grow. The princesses had given them all 1 week's leave after a few months of hunting. It wasn't solid work, but still tiring. Twilight had refused to not work, so she'd shut herself away. Fluttershy just didn't want any part of it. Frantic knocking at her front door awoke her from her daydream.
"Yes, Twilight?"
"Fluttershy! Do you know where Discord is?"
"Either in Canterlot somewhere or out in one of the fields. Last I saw he liked being in the shade under a large tree in the less used fields."
"Thanks! I bought you a cupcake!" Twilight put a paper bag onto Fluttershy's doorstep and ran off.
"What flavour?..." Fluttershy trailed off to being inaudible, after realising Twilight was gone.

A draconequus lay in the field furthest to the west. Under a large canopied tree, he sipped at a chocolate milk. The sound of rustling leaves and fast hooves forced him to take his sunglasses off.
"Oh, here we go."
"Discord! I need your help!"
"I'm sorry? You? Me? Impossible! You wrote magic. I'm a novice in comparison." He slipped his shades back down.
"Not like that! Do you know where the King is?" Discord almost choked on his glass.
"What?! The one you recently murdered or the elusive recluse that is the actual 'King'?"
"Funny. We didn't kill him! The princesses banished him-"
"You being one of them."
"No! Look - I just need to find the actual King."
"Easier said than done I'm afraid. I may have been there when he brutally seized the throne, but it doesn't mean I know where he is." Discord lay back onto the grass. "I appreciate that you came to me, but I can't really help. All I can do is give you his address-"
"What?! He has an address? And you spend 5 minutes explaining why you can't find him?"
"No no no! Listen! If I finished you would have heard that I was going to say that he has a sort of... business location. He sends out mail ponies who have submitted to his power to find others and pick up offers etc etc."
"Where is this?"
"In the sewers underneath the Crystal Empire. Here's the actual place." Discord clicked his talons and a note fell onto Twilight's face. "That's all I've got. Be careful though, Twilight. He's not to be trifled with. I should know..." Discord looked sadly down at his patchwork body.
"Oh my... I'm so sorry! I'll free you from this curse! You and everypony else deserve to live a normal life."
"... Here's a spell. Cast it once you've seen him in person. It'll summon me to you, and we can take out this son of a- Anyway. You'd better go soon. The world is upset and stirred - more chaos is coming." Discord slid his sunglasses back down and lay back against the tree, before slowly fading into the background, like a chameleon. Twilight, invigorated with her new found reason, rushed towards Ponyville to retrieve her friends. Within 10 minutes they'd be on the next train out of town.

"What?! You fools! I should have expected it earlier. You mortals can't do anything right! I gave you one simple job!"
"S-sorry master. The princesses arrived. They just vaporised him-"
"Princesses? Ooh this is too rich. Was there anything else you had to tell me?"
"The princesses brought 6 ponies. From Equestria. They-they had the Elements."

"Pinkie! Come on!" Twilight yelled from the train window. Pinkie had got distracted by a small cupcake in the train station cafe window.
"B-but!"
"No! I'll buy you one later! For now we need to leave!"
"Oww. Okay..." Pinkie looked back wistfully over her shoulder as she boarded the train.
"Finally!" Rainbow Dash was flexing her muscles and stretching. "I'm so pumped for this!"
"Rainbow. I need you to talk to a princess. Not me, one of the other 3 in Canterlot. Cadence will find out anyway. They need to know we're going on this journey - we may need backup."
"Got it!" Rainbow dashed over to the nearest seat and collapsed onto it.
"I still don't get that." Applejack commented from the opposite seat.
"Me neither." Rarity scoffed from behind a newspaper. "These ponies really want lower taxes?! Preposterous I say. We already pay nearly nothing!"
"No! I meant Rainbow Dash sleeping."
"Oh. Tired?" Rarity glanced over to see, but quickly went back to reading.
"I really hope Angel's okay..."
"Fluttershy, it's fine. Spike volunteered again. He's such a gentlepony."
"Oh..." Fluttershy sighed and turned to look out the window.

"Luuuuna! Celestia! Faith? I have a message!" Rainbow was hovering over an ocean, seemingly endless below in every direction.
"Yes?"
"Woah. Okay." Rainbow turned around to face Luna. "We're going to the Crystal Empire."
"And?"
"We know how to get to the King-"
"Do you ponies have a death wish?!" Luna bellowed. "No! Not alone. Who gave you the information to do it?"
"Uhm, Twilight said. Maybe it was Discord-"
"This trip ends here." Luna faded, causing Rainbow's dream to collapse.

"Twilight!" Rainbow bolted up. "Luna said-"
"Stop." Luna appeared at the end of the carriage.
"What?!" Twilight spun to face her fellow Princess. "Seriously?"
"Yes, seriously. This has to stop. He's too powerful and could easily destroy you all, thus claiming the elements for himself."
"Discord offered to help."
"I'm sure he did-"
"Why didn't you say he wasn't always evil and looked like a patchwork abomination?! Any more secrets and facts you don't want me to hear?!" Twilight cut Luna off. By now, all the other passenger ponies had left the carriage in fear.
"*sigh* Very well, Twilight Sparkle. But only because I was in the same situation. Celestia kept me in the dark till about 600 years ago..." Luna stepped closer and sat down on an empty seat. "The King is actually the King. He's our father and teacher. The rightful monarch of all of the known world. He disowned everything he knew and loved in a rage. A few thousand years ago... He had started experimenting with magic. All spells we use today were originally created by him. From the teleport to telekenesis. But his knowledge came at a cost..."
"He went insane..."
"Yes... He started creating dark magic - magic with dark intent and power. Discord was originally an Alicorn. He was transferred into the body of pure Chaos, created by the King in the early days, after he opposed the King in person for creating bad magic." The train entered a tunnel. Luna lit her horn and continued.
"He punished Discord and warped him. The Chaos that he was merged with drove him insane too-"
"WAS merged?"
"Indeed. Fluttershy here reversed it. When Discord lost his chaotic side, Chaos escaped. That is why the world is in turmoil. Why the sky tore open a few months back. Fluttershy is not at fault here - we are one step ahead. But we need to stop and store Chaos before approaching the King. Only then do we stand a chance."
"B-but he wrote magic. Writes magic. What's to say he doesn't have a 'instant death' spell? Or one to turn us against each other?" Rarity out the newspaper down. "We simply can't take him on. We'd be dead in minutes. Or hours if he tortured us."
"You have approximately 1 month to store and stop Chaos before the world starts to physically become warped. Like Discord did. The world would break and lose all sense and meaning. Then, Celestia, Faith, Cadence, you six and myself will strike. With Discord and Chaos at our side."

> Chapter 1, 2 and 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sky Tear

The day drew to it's end, as it had done for hundreds of years. The sun waving it's final goodbyes over the horizon before its counterpart claimed the throne of the sky. The stars emerged from their slumber into the dark sheet - sparkling in the darkness. A faint glimmer. One being brighter than the rest.


Chapter 1 : Secret

The grass shuffled in the cold night breeze, buffeted by the icy flakes. It was verging on Heart's Warming Eve again, and you could tell. Faint multicoloured lights lit up Canterlot on the mountainside, while Ponyville was sitting in the valley - glowing like a lone star. A lone pony was trodding through the snow, away from Ponyville. In between the capital and Ponyville, there was a small hill in the centre of the snow covered plain. Completely unilluminated, the pony ventured into the hill an disappeared. A faint light came on out of a small window.

"Oh, Celestia. I can't keep doing this!"
"I know, I know. I'm sorry. We just need a few more nights."
"Twilight, honestly. It's just a few stars!"
"Rarity, I understand completely. But it's not. If my calculations and studies are correct, over the next few evenings there will be a cosmic event."
"Any kind of event?"
"I... I don't know. But something big. I just want some company while I watch through the telescope."
"Why couldn't you watch from Ponyville?"
"Light pollution."
"Of course, what else? Well, element of generosity at your service. Again. For the 4th night. In a row."
Rarity hung her cloak up on the peg by the door and flopped onto the sofa. Twilight was watching intently out the larger back window - it was usually hidden behind a wooden sliding door.
"So. What makes you think this is so special anyway?"
"Well. It's the 1000th anniversary of the banishing of Discord and evil from Equestria. That's one. Another is that it's Heart Warming's Eve in two weeks. And it's clear right now."
"Ugh. Fine. Just let me know if you need anything." Rarity lay back and closed her eyes.

"Rarity!! Rarity! Wake up!" A rushed whisper awoke her. She rolled over to Twilight hopping about giddily like a filly.
"What?"
"It's started."


Chapter 2 : It

The night sky had lit up like a diamond, with all the colours of the known world fired at it - all bouncing off in different directions. Nebulae and thousands of brighter stars had all simultaneously turned night to dusk.
"Woah...."
"What just happened?" Rarity was awestruck - so shiny. So colourful. So-
"It's exactly as described!" Twilight didn't for a second break her gaze on the sky, making sure she didn't miss a second. "My books were right!"
"Sorry Twilight, but I'm not quite as amazed by this as much as I'm terrified and confused. What is it? How-"
"THE END IS NIGH!" Twilight ignored Rarity completely and ran past and out the door, grabbing some saddlebags on her way.
"Okay then. I'll just... Sit here." Rarity went over to the telescope. A silver bound book was sitting on the windowsill - completely nondescript. She flipped the cover over and looked at the first page. Celestia's seal, and a signature. A list of contents. And a note.
"Reader,
By now it will be much too late, but I urge you to read on anyway. This book will be given to my student at the time. You, student, are needed urgently. Watch the night sky for your message on the week before the 1000th Heart's Warming Eve. You'll know what to do.
Good luck, student. Have Faith."
Rarity glanced up and stumbled back slightly. The sky had a message alright, faintly outlined by debris of dead stars and galaxies.
I'm Back.

Twilight slammed the library door behind her and rushed up to her room, brushing past a confused and scared Spike.
"What does the message mean? Twilight!"
"We don't have long. Quick! Find me all you can on-"
*SMASH, RUMBLE*
"What the.... Calm, Twilight. It was probably just an earthquake."
"Just an earthquake she says." Spike curled up in the corner.
"Spike! I need everything on Heart's Warming Eve. And the Princesses. Get it to me as fast as possible."
"Can't I just send a letter to Celestia?"
"Oh, she knows alright. We can't involve her. She doesn't know that I know. I took the- book? WHERE'S THE BOOK?! Oh Celestia. Am I bucked..."
"What? The silver one?"
"Yes the silver one! I can't let anyone know I stole from the princesses. T-this is phase 1. I need the book! Equestria relies on mortals yet again to save her!"

"A week before Heart's Warming Eve? But it's not... It's about 12 days away yet. A week before would leave 5 days." Rarity skipped through more of the book, mumbling to herself. A scream from outside distracted her.
"Heeeeeeelp!"
"Who is it? What's wrong?"
"Evil sky!" Fluttershy came smashing in through the window, narrowly missing the telescope. She flew straight into the darkest corner and started shaking.
"Fluttershy? Darling. It's fine. Twilight has it all under control. it says so in this boo-"
"Stop! Don't touch anything else." Twilight stepped breathlessly into the doorway. "I need that book. Now."
"Sure, Twilight. You just had to ask." Rarity hovered the book into Twilight's bag.
"What? Really? Just like that? No questions?"
"Why should I? It's your book and you seem to know what you're doing."
"Oh. Well... About that." Twilight ran, leaving a faint musk of her shampoo.
"Fluttershy?" Rarity turned to face her. "It's okay to come out now."
"Bu-but the sky. Evil!"
"Come on. Let's go home." Rarity draped her cloak over Fluttershy and helped her up.


Chapter 3 : Evil
*knock knock*
"Oh for sugar's sake! If tonight couldn't get weirder. We have a visitor - at midnight!" Sweetie Belle opened the door. "Yes,-" Rarity barged through and put Fluttershy on the sofa.
"Rarity?! But you're-"
"Not upstairs. Well deducted." Rarity took her cloak off Fluttershy and replaced it with a blanket.
"Okay, okay. Care to explain what is actually happening tonight?"
"Sweetie. It's just a little prophecy fulfilling. That's all."
"Oh really?"
"Yes. Now get some sleep. We'll talk more in the morning."
"Ugh. Fine." Sweetie eyed them angrily all the way upstairs... Backwards.
"It's okay, Fluttershy. Honestly. Twilight has it under control."
"I-I don't know this time. She was... Scared. She's not normally scared."
"Let's hope so, okay? Get some sleep. We'll probably need it tomorrow."

The Cloudomium shuddered as the lightning continued to hit all around. Rainbow Dash had holed up in the corner, behind an overturned table. She was wrapped in her Daring Do duvet around her face.
"Who's there?!" She quickly glanced around. "I know you're there!"
"Rainbow?"
"Who is it! Name yourself!"
"It's Twilight! Don't attack! I need your help."
"Oh... Well. What is it?"
"I get that you're unnerved but I really need your help. The train isn't running and trees are scattered all along the road to Canterlot. I need-"
"To get to Canterlot. Fine. I'll do it - if you promise you can save us and stop this madness."
Twilight hesitated.
"If it's the last thing I do."

The wind was swirling around them, buffeting them with massive continuous gusts.
"I'm really only just surviving this! If I wasn't me, we'd be dead!"
"Just get us to Canterlot!" Twilight yelled back over the wind. She was holding on for dear life as the thick black cloud in front of them started to pass.
"Keep going! The cloud is thinning!" Twilight flipped open her book one last time. Student. It must be her, surely? The rain and wind suddenly stopped as they passed through a purple bubble. Canterlot. Her brother must have been drafted in from the Crystal Empire to maintain the shield again.
"Drop me off at the tower. I'll go from there." Another beam of light shot up from one of the buildings, strengthening the shield. Rainbow came to a halt on the north tower and shook herself dry.
"Ugh. How am I meant to get back?"
"You're right, sorry. I wasn't thinking about our friends... Just myself. Come with me."

Twilight stopped at the exit of the corridor, coming out into a courtyard. So many paths. Another beam of light. It came from the north east, so she'd go that way. Rainbow trailed behind. She needed to find her brother. Maybe they'd know where Celestia is, if she isn't in her throne room.

They entered a domed building which she was pretty sure wasn't there 3 months ago. The ceiling was very high and towered over most of Canterlot alone. In the centre of the dome was a small opening, for the light to escape. Beneath it... A crystal. Her brother, Cadence and Celestia were standing around it.
"...we need the book. Without it we've lost."
"But it's a book! What help could it possibly be?"
"It contains-"
"Instructions for the End Times." Twilight interrupted their conversation and approached the crystal.
"Twily!"
"Twilight Sparkle. What are you doing here?! With the book?!"
"Princess! I can explain! I... Took it. To study the stars. And there was the message in the front. It... Was a coincidence that I was there at that time."
"You don't understand! That wasn't my book! Nor are you the student mentioned!"
"But... Who's is it then?" Twilight dropped onto her hind legs and glanced around the 4 others.
"We don't know. But we know who's student it is." Cadence spoke up this time.
"The King."




> Chapter 4,5 and 6
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 4 : King

"King? Like, Princess Celestia's father king?" Twilight was confused and amazed. Nobody ever spoke of the King.
"No. The usurper king. Long ago, long before Discord there was just Equestria in its two halves. Ponies... And griffons."
"Oh, the tale of that King! So what are we doing about it?" Another beam of light shot up from the crystal.
"As long as the crystal holds up, we're staying here." Shining Armour stared into the the crystals surface, losing himself inside.
"Luna is sending guards and scouts out to see if we know where the King actually is." Celestia turned to leave the dome. "We really need to get his help on this one. Without it, all of Equestria is gone. Not just the pony half."
"But who's returning?"

Rarity glanced out the window again from behind the blinds.
"Still raining!"
"No shi-"
"Sweetie Belle! Where did you learn such words?! Weren't you meant to be asleep, too? Yes, it's still raining. I'm just optimistic, that's all." She put the blind back down and returned to see what Fluttershy was doing. She had recovered slightly, to the extent she was no longer a shaking wreck. But still jumpy.
"Fluttershy? Have you got any information on Twilight yet? We've accounted for everypony but Twilight and Rainbow."
"The birds say they can't see out there. One of the bunnies does say he saw a blue Pegasus fly towards Canterlot. That's all."
"Canterlot, eh? I hope she knows what she's doing."

"We don't know, dammit! We just know that there is a near apocalypse coming and we're all defenceless!" Shining Armour slammed his hoof onto the table. They had left the domed crystal hall for the smaller, round table'd room.
"We can't help that!" Cadence yelled back.
"Well, find a solution."
"Guys! Shut up! Yelling at each other won't help. We'll just work slower." Twilight glanced up from her book to lecture her sister-in-law and brother. The silver bound book was still as useless as ever. The only strange bit was in the message at the front. 'Have Faith' was capitalised - why would you capitalise something that wasn't a name? Her understanding of grammar and language baffled her sometimes.
"Twilight. Found anything?" Luna poked her head around the door frame.
"Only this. 'Faith' is capitalised. Which goes against his past way of writing. He is intelligent and well spoken - why would he do that?"
"Faith?" Luna's eyes widened and she disappeared - teleported.

Pinkie Pie and Applejack were in the barn at Sweet Apple Acres, hoping the storm would pass.
"Ah hope it passes. This barn wasn't made for this - we were gonna knock it down in a month or two and replace it!" Applejack yelled over the wind.
"I hope it warms up a bit! Brrrrrr!" Pinkie dug herself deeper into the haystacks. A bunny came running in through a gap in the wall, wearing a small yellow anorak.
"Bunny!" Pinkie saw the rabbit move in front of her. It had a message in its hands.
'Applejack,
Bring yourself, family and as many others as possible to central Ponyville. We need to ensure everyone's safety while Twilight is gone.
Rarity and Fluttershy at Carousel Boutique'
"Eurgh, boutique. That place makes me sick. Anyway, we'd better go." Applejack fixed her hat, picked up the bunny and ran out of the barn, Pinkie trailing behind.

"Transport arrangements?! What the hay do you call this?! It's not a service station!" Rarity slammed the landline down, and slumped over the desk. "Damn ponies thinking we owe them some shelter." She'd moved the sewing machine off the table and made it her temporary office. After all, ponies needed keeping track of. Sweetie Belle was cooking... Breakfast. And Fluttershy was herding the animals inside... From INSIDE the boutique. She was doomed to a slow and tiring demise unless Twilight returned quickly.

"What's so important about Faith?"
"Twilight. You need to go back. Get the other 5 together with you and teleport back here in 10 minutes." Luna turned towards her.
"But-" Twilight vaporised.

Rarity looked up from her desk at the sound of... A teleport spell? Had Sweetie mastered it yet? She got up and walked into Twilight.
"Thank Celestia you're here! I rounded up as many ponies as possible! We are all here now - you know, the 6-"
"Good." Twilight closed her eyes and braced.

The 6 appeared in the dome room with the crystal.
"What in tarnation?!"
"Wh-why are we... Somewhere else?!" Fluttershy curled up and sobbed.
"Twilight! Those ponies need us! We can't just leave!"
"Rarity, if I don't take you all now, there will be nopony left."
"What's going on in here?!" A Royal voice boomed through the dome, stopping all conversation. Luna stepped in from a side room and approached them in the centre. "Twilight Sparkle. That was a quick journey. But I see you have the rest, so I will not waste time."
"What is Faith?! Answer me, please!"
"All in good time. For now, you are going to travel to the griffon king. All will be made clear."
"You bitc-"


Chapter 5 : Unknown

Twilight and the others appeared in a low lying valley between 2 mountains. It wasn't particularly green or forested, but vegetation was in abundance.
"-ch!" Twilight stumbled back. "Why?! Why can I never find anything out?"
"All in good time, Twilight." Applejack mimicked Princess Luna, receiving a few laughs.
"But seriously - where do we go from here?" Rainbow looked around the group.
"The spire with the birds around it." Twilight looked eastwards (towards the sun) at the tower. Surely that was it?
"Guys... Guys. Guys!" Everypony turned to Rainbow Dash. "Cool ride!"
A carriage was sitting next to them, complete with 4 mechanised wheels. It had windows (with curtains!) and a small step ladder lowered from the door. A small balcony or ledge was at the front, with a small steering wheel on a pole.
"What.... How?! But.... What?!" Twilight rushed around it looking for a note or a message. Anything that could explain what the hell they were meant to be doing.
"Erm... Sorry to distract you from the wonderful set of wheels, but I'm pretty sure that isn't normal."
"What is, Rarity?"
"That." Rarity stared up at the sky. A dark wave of, what looked like smoke, swept across the sky, blocking the sun and bringing the stars out.
"Nighttime. Luna?" Twilight turned to her friends. "Can anyone see Luna?"
"Wait! I know what to do!" Rainbow Dash stood deadly still leaving the other 5 in a slight daze. Then she collapsed and started snoring.
"Anyone care to explain what the actual hay that was?" Applejack tapped Rainbow's face, but no response came back.
"I... I don't know. We should head off. The tower is still visible, so help me get Rainbow in the carriage." Twilight took charge and helped Pinkie and Applejack pick up Rainbow Dash. Rarity took the wheel with Fluttershy and off they went towards the only possible destination.

Rainbow dash got up and stretched.
"Aaaaaaaaaah." Her arms clicked as she started overhead stretches. She looked around - Nopony. She was in a desert, devoid of all life. The moon was brighter than usual and a small blue light lit the eye on the Mare.
"It worked! Thank Scootaloo!" Rainbow lifted herself up and hovered about 100ft off the ground.
"Luna! Luuuna!" A small blue orb appeared next to her. "Luna?"
Princess Luna materialised in the air and began to speak.
"Your friends are trying to get you awake, so I'll be quick. It's nighttime because you will be spotted by the dragons. And griffins. And potentially renegade ponies... Just keep moving to the tower. Use the telescope and go from there. She'll understand. You'll understand once you're there."
"What?!"
"Just remember what I said." Luna vaporised and Rainbow's dream began to dematerialise around her.

"Rainbo-"
"Argh! Water!" Rainbow sat up spluttering. Twilight blushed slightly and tried to hide the bucket. "Help! I have help!"
"Rainbow... Maybe you need sleep."
"No no! Luna told me what to do. We need to get to the tower. Use the telescope and all will become clear."
"Ok...." Twilight moved through the cabin towards the front. "Rarity! Fluttershy! Keep on going till the tower. Rainbow says Luna told her."
"Yes Captain!" Fluttershy turned around with some steam punk style goggles on and holding a pencil and some paper.
"What's the paper?"
"Oh, I'm mapping the area. It'll come in handy if anything. If not, it doesn't matter. I'm drawing the road we go along, and other forks in the road and major landmarks. Like that bigger tree... That's glowing."
"Alright. Sounds like you know hat you're doing." Twilight went back cabin to Pinkie, Applejack and Rainbow. They were arranging the mattresses that came in the carriage so that they could all fit.
"...we'll need a rota. Rarity and Fluttershy can't do it all day."
"It's fine. We can organise it as we go along. For now, focus on the tower and getting ourselves there safely." Twilight flopped down onto a mattress and pulled her saddlebags off her back. A silver glint faintly peered out of them.
"What the-" Twilight flipped it open and saw the silver bound book. "But..."
A message was taped to the front.
"Twilight,
Keep up Faith and keep moving. The tower is your destination. Think about your affiliation before you approach my father's castle though. Otherwise things may get bloody.
-C & L & F"
"What you got there Twilight?"
"Woah jeez. Don't do that Pinkie! To be honest... I don't know." The original message was still inside the book and a small second note said that the book was a copy. So Celestia and Luna won't execute her when she gets back... Good.
"C, L and F? That's got to be Celestia and Luna. Who's F? Why is it 'my father's'? What does it mean Twilight?!"
"Calm down Pinkie. I don't know. I have a theory, but we can't do anything till we reach the tower. Now we should all get some shut-eye."

The night went relatively uneventfully - a few swap overs for driver and passenger but besides that the biggest event was the small rock in the road. The sun began to creep over the horizon and awoke the carriage. Pinkie was first awake, just a minute before she burst into a cockerel's morning song.
"Aaaaah! What the hay, Pinkie?!" Applejack jumped up with the rest of them in shock.
"Sorry, internal clock. Goes off at 7:30 every day on the dot." Pinkie casually carried on her strange life by putting her head out the window like a dog.
"Celestia... My head. I didn't even drink anything!" Rarity sat up an quickly dropped back down.
"Yeah, me too." Twilight and Rainbow both agreed.
"Wait - who the hell's driving?!"

The carriage continued on down the road and parked itself at the base of the tower.
"Wat?" Rainbow just sat there confused.
"No time to be confused. We've got some stairs to climb!" Twilight tried to take lead again.
"No I don't." Rainbow flapped her wings smugly.
"Neither do I!" Rarity shined her horn.
"Guys! We're a team! We all teleport with me in 3... 2... 1..."


Chapter 6 : Faith

The 6 appeared at the top, on a balcony. The spire continued on up for a while, but a telescope sat in front of them.
"Well. Here goes nothing." Twilight stepped forward and peered in. It was pointed at a distant castle or fort - it was huge. A fortress on a mountain about 10 miles away. It was circled by massive dragons and fleets of what could be birds.
"Wait - did Luna say why she made it dark yesterday?" Twilight didn't break her gaze on the fortress.
"Huh? Oh yeah. Dragons. Renegades. Griffins. The lot really." Rainbow seemed unmoved until a roar ripped through the sky.
"Welp, it was nice knowing you all." Rainbow began a lap of her friends, shaking hoofs. Flaps of massive wings were heard, and another roar.
"Wait..." Twilight pulled away from the telescope. Another roar.
"That isn't a threatening roar."
"What?! Are you crazy?!" Fluttershy grabbed Twilight and started shaking her about.
"I'm serious. Spike taught me that. That's a-"
"Friendly Black dragon. Fully matured and capable of torching whole towns in a day." Someone else finished her sentence. "A beauty really." The dragon lowered itself in front of the balcony - a white alicorn stood on top.
"F-Faith?"
"Yes, Twilight Sparkle. It is. Your reputation precedes you too. The royalty has great plans for you. I'm  currently on another trip away from the castle. "Father" really is a bastard." Faith stepped off into the tower. Her cutie mark was similar to Luna's - only rather than stars it was a nebula, with about 100 different colours.
"You know my name?"
"Yes! Your exploits and efforts to please my sister don't go unheard of outside of Equestria - let alone Canterlot!" Her golden name shone beautifully in the rising sun.
"You have the book?"
"Uh, yes. I don't know how. I think it's a copy."
"It should be. I went to great lengths to copy it. And get it to you. There are times when courier pony isn't enough - altering space and reality worked well though."
"Do you mind me asking... What does your cutie mark symbolise?"
"Control and mastery of reality. My sisters are night and day an everything that comes with it. Our domains are all separate."
Rarity asked the next question, breaking the back and forth conversation. "And how do you get your mane like that?"
"Simple really. Sunlight and the rarest gem extracts."
"G-gems?!" Rarity's eyes lit up more.
"Rarity! We have more important things to do-"
"-Why yes. I see your cutie mark is about gems. Another gem fan?"
"Am I!"
Faith suddenly realised when she glanced over at Twilight.
"Sorry. I get distracted. I'll show... Rarity around the castle once we've liberated it."
"We?"
"Yeah? Why else do you think me and my sisters wanted you lot to come kill the griffin king? He killed father. He forces me and my sisters to call him 'father' in public as the current generation has lost all knowledge of his usurping. And we can't touch him with his barrier up. Only you 6 can get through as it is. Simply take it down and - BAM! We win."
"You're not like your sisters." Rainbow quite rudely commented.
"What? Not stuck up and all powerful for you? I'm more powerful than both of them and like to have fun. What's wrong with that?"
"Nothing! Nothing. I'm just surprised."
"Anyway. Back onto the plan. Open the book." Twilight pulled it out and flipped it open.
"That page wasn't there an hour ago..."
"Funny, isn't it? You see this? This is a map. All you need to do is follow the red line and beat my father. Then I'll grant you all one wish in my domain. As in, I may not be able to do it."
"Do we need the elements of harmony?" Twilight asked.
"Seriously? Did you actually just ask that? Of course - but they aren't physical. You are the elements. I don't get what's so hard to understand about that."
"Oh..."
"Off you go! I'll see you there!" Faith jumped back on the dragon and zapped the 6 back to the carriage.
"Well okay then." Pinkie continued as usual, carrying the map onto the carriage.
"I guess we just follow the leader for now." Twilight followed, slightly disappointed with how that turned out.


> Chapter 7, 8, 9 and 10
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 7 : Journey

Fluttershy continued to transpose the real map onto hers. Turns out she wasn't that far off, just a bit lacking in detail. Twilight had taken the helm, although it was basically pointless. The carriage went into auto-pilot once they were all on, so it was merely a waiting game.
"I spy, with my little eye..."
"Celestia, Fluttershy! All we've seen so far is trees, road, sky and a deer! I get your bored but-"
"-DRAAAGGGOOONNNN!"
"What?! Oh... My..." Twilight grabbed Fluttershy and hauled them inside. "Code Red!"
"What's a code red?" Rainbow looked up from her book. A dragon roar followed. "I see." She calmly closed the book and sat up, and then broke. "AAAAAH!"
"People! We need to fight it with something!"
"No, Applejack!" Fluttershy silenced them all with a medium volume voice. She walked out to the front and just stared at the dragon.
"Well, Fluttershy's insane. We need a backup plan. Anyone got any rope?"
"Guys! Stop!" Twilight yelled for the first time in a year, silencing them all. "Thank you." Twilight pushed past Fluttershy and stood on the balcony. The black dragon looked back - Faith popped over the top.
"Sorry about that! He was just investigating the strange dragon smell around you."
"Oh that? That's Spike-" Twilight was cut off by Faith teleporting Spike into the air. "That one!"
"Huh?!" Spike fell through the air down onto Twilight. "Dragon! Aaah!"
"Haha. Small dragon." The black drake had a very deep voice - croaky too.
"Yeah?! Yeah?! Well... You'd be right." Spike hung his head. "How did I get here?"

INTERLUDE

Twilight awoke in her library, on the bed. It was still pitch black, bar for the moonlight drenching the countryside. Her sides ached slightly, but she decided to get up anyway. Last thing she remembered, they were travelling to the Griffin King. She stretched, and started to move forward, off the platform. Before she could even think about falling, she stopped. Hovering. She had grown wings overnight?! To avoid freaking Spike out, she continued to hover over to a small letter on to her bedside table.
"Twilight,
You may suffer slight memory loss tonight. Becoming a princess isn't easy on the mind or body. You fulfilled your destiny yesterday, once we took a slight detour from your road trip to the Griffin King. Anyway, yeah. You're currently reading this in your dream. If you look outside you'll see me and Luna playing tennis on the moon!
Faith"
Twilight peered out from behind her curtain. Sure enough, she was asleep. Maybe if she focused, she could wake up...


Twilight bolted upright to the sound of wheels on rocks and small, pony talk.
"Twilight! Sorry... Princess. You're awake!" Applejack sat down next to Twilight's mattress.
"I don't remember anything." Twilight rubbed her eyes.
"Ah, darn it. It was real good. Shame... Anyway, we're nearing the castle boundaries now. It'll get interesting - hold onto your hat."
"Don't tell me I got a hat too?!"
"No, silly! That's just a saying. I can get you one though."
"We may need more than one. Has anyone considered how we're getting in?"
"Erm, no. Princess. We assumed you could just write some magic or something. Rarity came prepared though." Applejack led Twilight over to the balcony area. Sure enough, Fluttershy was acting co pilot (steam punk goggles) and Rarity was watching the wheel turn itself.
"Ah! Princess! How are we today?"
"Good?"
"She doesn't remember anything. Poor soul." Applejack sniffed. "She thinks we are, and always have been, hunting the king."
"You missed the best bit, darling! Don't worry though, I'm sure you'll watch it being projected via magic once we get back."
"Hmm. I actually came to you because Applejack here told me you were prepared for 'getting into the castle.'"
"Oh! Of course." Rarity shuffled past Fluttershy, who was still scribbling away at her map, and led then back into the interior.
"I have brought these monstrosities!"


Chapter 8 : Princesses

"What is it?"
"These. Are genuine hooded robes. I made them earlier."
"Why are they monstrosities?" Twilight could see what was coming.
"Why?! Look at them? So bland! Black! Empty! Where's the boldness?!"
"Oh, fashion wise. Gotcha." Twilight took one and slid it on.
"We'll look like genuine priests. Or executioners..."
"THEY HAVE EXECUTIONERS?!" Twilight's hood fell back off her head.
"Well... Yes. They have technologies from almost 200 years ago. They are time trapped because the king won't allow it. Now they know no better, as those who remembered what it was are now dead."
"By Celestia, Luna and Faith - I will free these peoples. If necessary I will claim the throne myself." Twilight had a small glint in her eye. Something had snapped, or popped into place. She had meaning there now. Before, she was just there because the princesses requested it.
"How many robes are there?"
"Well, 6, Applejack. Why would I do anything else?"
"I dunno. I was just curious. They'd make nice tableclothes on the farm-"
"TABLECLOTHES?! MORE LIKE A WELCOME MAT! Why don't you people see these atrocities as atrocities? They're appalling! I had to cut bits out so we looked more authentic! This went against everything I work for. Somebody had to think ahead last week..."
"Last week?" Twilight curiously asked.
"Why yes, Princess." Twilight grimaced slightly. "Sorry. Twilight. Last week was the week we were teleported back and achieved your destiny. It turned out we started this 'adventure' first, as you needed to have met Faith first, to write the magic. She was a... Prerequisite."
"Okay. What about-"
"LAND HO!" Fluttershy screeched from the front. The 6 rushed over to see. Sure enough, the gates were about 150 feet away.
"Okay, ponies. We have to leave the carriage somewhere. We can't go inside with it if they are time locked..." Twilight glanced over to the city to see a pony fling a bucket full of something out a window. "Which they are. Grab a robe and stay with my lead-"
"Yes, Princess!" Rainbow Dash squeaked.
"What's with the Princess name? You don't need to. Anyway, don't say it here. It's more likely that 'Princess' will draw attention than 'Twilight'. But you never know. Refer to each other in code.
Pinkie - Balloon.
Fluttershy - Butterfly.
Rarity - Diamond.
Rainbow - Well, Rainbow.
Applejack - Apple.
If any of these words need a common usage, as in 'not code', then follow it with 'Twilight'. But why you're talking about apples - I don't know. Our warning word is 'Ship'. Our urgent help word... 'Faith'."
"Leadership, right there. That's why they made you Princess."
"Can I get that written down?"
"No, Pinkie. It'll be slightly obvious if you walk around with 'CODE' everywhere. We get one shot at this. Else our heads will roll. No flying, teleporting or other shenanigans."

The guard looked up briefly from his battlement. Nothing ever happened. Ever. This place was dead and dusty. He looked back down at his newspaper - in time for him to miss 6 black robed objects rush inside.
"One shot." Twilight whispered back at them before creating a formation. They began to slowly trot towards the actual castle's general direction. It was atop a hill, so would be pretty ridiculous to infiltrate. They had just got through the walls surrounding it.
"Ponies!" Twilight turned and shoved them all down an alleyway. "We are not getting in there. We need a distraction. Rainbow?"
"Got it." Rainbow stretched, yawning as she did. She then collapsed.
"We need to hold here until she wakes up. If anyone looks down here, ignore it."

Rainbow woke up in a flowing meadow, the wind blowing slightly. It was dusk, and the sun was setting.
"Ooh. Pretty." Rainbow jumped up and continued to hover up another 50 feet.
"Luna? LUUUUUNNAAAA! Faith? Celestia? Anypony?"
"Yes?" Rainbow freaked out a little as she span on the spot to see Faith.
"Oh... It's you. We need your help."
"I can see that. I'll send my dragon over to scorch a few buildings. It'll divert everyone either out or towards that spot. Then, when I'm sure it's empty I'll teleport you into  the castle throne room."
Rainbow's world slowly collapsed and closed in on her.

"Wait here!" Rainbow bolted upright. "Here. Wait for the-"
RAWWAAAARRRRRR!
"Dragon."
"That's Faith's dragon!" Twilight watched in awe as a huge black beast flew over. Screams and yells were heard before a loud yell.
"INTRUDERS!" A pony was standing at the only exit end of the alleyway, staring at the purple unicorn. "ALICOOORN!" The pony ran as Twilight suddenly realised her hood had slipped as she watched the fly past.
"Well. We'd better run." Rarity flicked her hood off.
"No! Faith said wait here." Rainbow rushed to the end of the alleyway, blocking it.
"Come back into the alleyway! They'll just get you first. We'll wait - but if they find us I won't hesitate to teleport us away. Why was it Faith rather than Luna anyway?"
"Faith has control of reality. And she came down from the moon too. In my dream. I'm guessing she just decided to come first."
"But Luna could shroud us in darkness! We could have been invisible!"
"I didn't pick! I-"
"THERE THEY ARE! GET THE ALICORN! THE REST CAN GO TO THE DUNGEON BEFORE A TRIAL IN FRONT OF THE KING!"


Chapter 9 : Reality

Twilight flashed into the castle, followed by 5 consecutive other flashes.
"Horseapples!" Twilight smashed her hoof on the floor. "We've blown our one shot. There's no way they won't find us-"
"Ahh. Princess Twilight Sparkle." The 6 spun around to see the throne. "I've been expecting you."
"We've come to remove you from your seat, usurper!" Twilight stepped forward. She signalled that the rest should follow.
"HAHAHAHAA! You fools! I'm behind a shield! I'm invincible!"
"Oh really? What if somebody was to... Pull the plug?" Twilight used her magic to pull off everypony's robes. Their Elements shone gently in the vicinity of each other.
"What?! You're joking? They entrusted you rag tag team with those?! HAHAHAAH! They do nothing? Have you not worked that out?"
"Oh, we have." The other 5 looked panicked at Twilight. "Or I have."
"We are the elements!"

"H-hey! Be rational here! No need for a rash decision - right?! I'll give you land! Houses!" The 6 edged closer to him and each other every second.
"Please! I'm sorry for everything I did-"
"No you're not." Faith materialised behind the 6. "I call horseapples!"
"N-no! Not you too!" Luna and Celestia followed.
"No! No no no no! What is this?! It was originally a fight, now it's a murder!"
"Two wrongs make a right, jackass." Rainbow stepped a little faster, the rest following. "You've committed your fair share to wrongs."
"No! Stop!" By now the King was nearly in tears, pushed up against the throne. The 6 reached the edge of the force field.
"Ready girls?"
"As always!"
"Abso-lutely dutely!
"Ahm always ready!"
"I guess..."
"I'll destroy you!"
"Bye bye!" Twilight ignited herself in the white light, the others slightly glowed. A beam shot out of Twilight's tiara, which in turn set of the other 5's Element's. The joint 'mega beam' arched and smashed through the forcefield, before heading straight for the King.
"STOP!" Celestia fired a light bolt into the beam, stopping it in it's tracks.
"What the hell?!" Rainbow tapped her amulet.
"Princess! You know that really takes all my energy to do - why?!"
"We're better than him. And we can't let your friendship become a weapon. We only wanted his shield down." The trio of original Princesses walked towards the King, who was half stunned and half terrified at the same time.
"I'm alive! Hahahah- oh dammit." He watched the trio slowly approach him.
"Hello, 'jackass'. It's been a while hasn't it?" Faith spoke first.
"You're charged with high treason, murder, murder of a reigning monarch and numerous accounts of indirect manslaughter via your regime, and finally - a personal one. You killed our father AND in turn betrayed the country." Celestia boldly said without hesitation. "You have the right to rot in a dungeon for the rest of your life."
"What?! You're joking? I'd rather die than go back to your bastard country!"
"Is that your final answer?" Luna leaned in slightly. "We'll honour your request."
"Yes! Just hit me! Fire your damned laser and have it over with!"
"Twilight. We'll do this one." Celestia looked over to the 6 and gestured for them to move back to the door.
"By the power vested in us - we commit you to eternity in the Aether."
"What?! That's not death!"
"It is. You'll be trapped with everything else that's been banished from this land via our order. Think of it as a 'Survival of the Fittest'." Faith smiled falsely at him while they stepped back down. The 3 sisters all joined together in closing their eyes. Cadence appeared next to them.
"Yes, sisters?"
"Mind lending a hand?" Faith smiled. The 4 all stood in a line, and started a similar laser the 6 did, only it was white, night blue, pink and Faith's - nebula. The multicoloured beam joined together from their horns and hit the King. He screamed in what could be pain or despair, before vaporising. All that was left was a crown, which fell to the floor. It rolled down the carpeted steps to the feet of the 4 Princesses.
"Twilight." They all chimed in unison.
"Oh nononono. Faith can have it. I'm not ready to give up my life and adventures to sit on a throne."
"Very well. What about a joint ruling?" Celestia queried, looking between Faith and Twilight. "Faith can rule properly, as well as from her realm, but you are still royalty. What do you say, Princess Twilight?"
"Yes?"
"So it's settled-"
"Wait! None of this explains what has happening with the stars! "Who's returning?" Twilight realised what she'd just said. "When? Why?"
"Oh damn! I'd forgotten about that!" Faith and the other 3 turned to Twilight.
"His master, of course. We just don't know anything about him, duh." Luna playfully responded, before getting serious. "Yeah, we're pretty much apple pie right now. We need to hunt him down and... Do something."



Chapter 10 : Hunt

The sun was beaming down on Ponyville and the surrounding fields. The slight summer breeze had helped create a joyful atmosphere that everypony shared. A small cupcake sat on the table, under the shade of the parasol. A cup of cloudy lemonade sat next to it. For some, life in Ponyville had been, and still was, care free. For Twilight - never. Behind her curtains and in the depths of the library, a purple alicorn sat reading. Stacks and stacks of books were already processed, but many more still lay untouched. While your ordinary pony was hunting down where next to eat or have a nap, Twilight was hunting down someone so infamous in history, yet so unknown. How could such a notorious pony be so... Invisible? Assuming it was a 'he' as the princesses said, and was a pony. They might as well be hunting a deity. Despair began to influence Twilight's mind and thoughts. Why bother? It's a glorious summer's day! Maybe Discord could help...

Fluttershy tended to her garden patch, desperate to get something exotic and in-season to grow. The princesses had given them all 1 week's leave after a few months of hunting. It wasn't solid work, but still tiring. Twilight had refused to not work, so she'd shut herself away. Fluttershy just didn't want any part of it. Frantic knocking at her front door awoke her from her daydream.
"Yes, Twilight?"
"Fluttershy! Do you know where Discord is?"
"Either in Canterlot somewhere or out in one of the fields. Last I saw he liked being in the shade under a large tree in the less used fields."
"Thanks! I bought you a cupcake!" Twilight put a paper bag onto Fluttershy's doorstep and ran off.
"What flavour?..." Fluttershy trailed off to being inaudible, after realising Twilight was gone.

A draconequus lay in the field furthest to the west. Under a large canopied tree, he sipped at a chocolate milk. The sound of rustling leaves and fast hooves forced him to take his sunglasses off.
"Oh, here we go."
"Discord! I need your help!"
"I'm sorry? You? Me? Impossible! You wrote magic. I'm a novice in comparison." He slipped his shades back down.
"Not like that! Do you know where the King is?" Discord almost choked on his glass.
"What?! The one you recently murdered or the elusive recluse that is the actual 'King'?"
"Funny. We didn't kill him! The princesses banished him-"
"You being one of them."
"No! Look - I just need to find the actual King."
"Easier said than done I'm afraid. I may have been there when he brutally seized the throne, but it doesn't mean I know where he is." Discord lay back onto the grass. "I appreciate that you came to me, but I can't really help. All I can do is give you his address-"
"What?! He has an address? And you spend 5 minutes explaining why you can't find him?"
"No no no! Listen! If I finished you would have heard that I was going to say that he has a sort of... business location. He sends out mail ponies who have submitted to his power to find others and pick up offers etc etc."
"Where is this?"
"In the sewers underneath the Crystal Empire. Here's the actual place." Discord clicked his talons and a note fell onto Twilight's face. "That's all I've got. Be careful though, Twilight. He's not to be trifled with. I should know..." Discord looked sadly down at his patchwork body.
"Oh my... I'm so sorry! I'll free you from this curse! You and everypony else deserve to live a normal life."
"... Here's a spell. Cast it once you've seen him in person. It'll summon me to you, and we can take out this son of a- Anyway. You'd better go soon. The world is upset and stirred - more chaos is coming." Discord slid his sunglasses back down and lay back against the tree, before slowly fading into the background, like a chameleon. Twilight, invigorated with her new found reason, rushed towards Ponyville to retrieve her friends. Within 10 minutes they'd be on the next train out of town.

"What?! You fools! I should have expected it earlier. You mortals can't do anything right! I gave you one simple job!"
"S-sorry master. The princesses arrived. They just vaporised him-"
"Princesses? Ooh this is too rich. Was there anything else you had to tell me?"
"The princesses brought 6 ponies. From Equestria. They-they had the Elements."

"Pinkie! Come on!" Twilight yelled from the train window. Pinkie had got distracted by a small cupcake in the train station cafe window.
"B-but!"
"No! I'll buy you one later! For now we need to leave!"
"Oww. Okay..." Pinkie looked back wistfully over her shoulder as she boarded the train.
"Finally!" Rainbow Dash was flexing her muscles and stretching. "I'm so pumped for this!"
"Rainbow. I need you to talk to a princess. Not me, one of the other 3 in Canterlot. Cadence will find out anyway. They need to know we're going on this journey - we may need backup."
"Got it!" Rainbow dashed over to the nearest seat and collapsed onto it.
"I still don't get that." Applejack commented from the opposite seat.
"Me neither." Rarity scoffed from behind a newspaper. "These ponies really want lower taxes?! Preposterous I say. We already pay nearly nothing!"
"No! I meant Rainbow Dash sleeping."
"Oh. Tired?" Rarity glanced over to see, but quickly went back to reading.
"I really hope Angel's okay..."
"Fluttershy, it's fine. Spike volunteered again. He's such a gentlepony."
"Oh..." Fluttershy sighed and turned to look out the window.

"Luuuuna! Celestia! Faith? I have a message!" Rainbow was hovering over an ocean, seemingly endless below in every direction.
"Yes?"
"Woah. Okay." Rainbow turned around to face Luna. "We're going to the Crystal Empire."
"And?"
"We know how to get to the King-"
"Do you ponies have a death wish?!" Luna bellowed. "No! Not alone. Who gave you the information to do it?"
"Uhm, Twilight said. Maybe it was Discord-"
"This trip ends here." Luna faded, causing Rainbow's dream to collapse.

"Twilight!" Rainbow bolted up. "Luna said-"
"Stop." Luna appeared at the end of the carriage.
"What?!" Twilight spun to face her fellow Princess. "Seriously?"
"Yes, seriously. This has to stop. He's too powerful and could easily destroy you all, thus claiming the elements for himself."
"Discord offered to help."
"I'm sure he did-"
"Why didn't you say he wasn't always evil and looked like a patchwork abomination?! Any more secrets and facts you don't want me to hear?!" Twilight cut Luna off. By now, all the other passenger ponies had left the carriage in fear.
"*sigh* Very well, Twilight Sparkle. But only because I was in the same situation. Celestia kept me in the dark till about 600 years ago..." Luna stepped closer and sat down on an empty seat. "The King is actually the King. He's our father and teacher. The rightful monarch of all of the known world. He disowned everything he knew and loved in a rage. A few thousand years ago... He had started experimenting with magic. All spells we use today were originally created by him. From the teleport to telekenesis. But his knowledge came at a cost..."
"He went insane..."
"Yes... He started creating dark magic - magic with dark intent and power. Discord was originally an Alicorn. He was transferred into the body of pure Chaos, created by the King in the early days, after he opposed the King in person for creating bad magic." The train entered a tunnel. Luna lit her horn and continued.
"He punished Discord and warped him. The Chaos that he was merged with drove him insane too-"
"WAS merged?"
"Indeed. Fluttershy here reversed it. When Discord lost his chaotic side, Chaos escaped. That is why the world is in turmoil. Why the sky tore open a few months back. Fluttershy is not at fault here - we are one step ahead. But we need to stop and store Chaos before approaching the King. Only then do we stand a chance."
"B-but he wrote magic. Writes magic. What's to say he doesn't have a 'instant death' spell? Or one to turn us against each other?" Rarity out the newspaper down. "We simply can't take him on. We'd be dead in minutes. Or hours if he tortured us."
"You have approximately 1 month to store and stop Chaos before the world starts to physically become warped. Like Discord did. The world would break and lose all sense and meaning. Then, Celestia, Faith, Cadence, you six and myself will strike. With Discord and Chaos at our side."