To Fulfill My Destiny

Chapters

Prologue
Chapter 1: Clarity
Chapter 2: At the Gala
Chapter 3: Outcast (Part 1)
Chapter 3: Outcast (Part 2)
Interlude the First: Uprising

Prologue

To Fulfill My Destiny

By Helljumper117

Prologue

The fresh grass greeted Princess Celestia’s hooves gently with every step as she traversed the endless field. She closed her eyes as a soft breeze wrapped itself around her face. There was no moon; only tiny dots of blinking constellations as far as the eye could see.

The blatant lack of any life in every direction told Celestia that she was dreaming. Peace seemed to settle all around her, and moments of stillness like this- uninterrupted by the rhetoric of politicians and sudden national crises- were extremely rare in the waking world.

“Ahh...” Princess Celestia breathed as the cool night air exited her lungs.

She noticed that the air often seemed fresher at night, even if this was just a dream. For some time, Celestia simply walked. Perhaps she would run into Luna as she guarded the dreamscape land of Equestria’s citizens. It would be nice to have someone to talk to.

Suddenly, Celestia stopped. Something was... off. Someone else was here. At first, she thought Luna had entered her dream.

Luna would have announced herself by now. Celestia thought

The feeling of someone, someone powerful, being close by sent uncomfortable tingles up Celestia’s spine. Despite it only being a dream, she unfurled her wings and lifted a hoof defensively, scanning the immediate area.

“Hello, Celestia.” came a soft, vibrant voice.

Celestia whirled around and squinted as she was suddenly hit with a bright light.

That voice... Celestia thought, caught in the wondrous glow before her. I know that voice.

“Yes, you do know me.” It said, as if reading her mind. “I hope you had not forgotten me?” The voice now sounded very clear, and became more normal. The light dimmed some, but remained formless and free-moving.

With eyes widened in realization and in a deep gesture of respect, Celestia knelt low before the entity.

“I- It- Its good to see you!” she stammered out.

Although she could not see a face, Celestia could detect a smile, and returned it with one of her own. She felt a rush of excitement not felt in a long time.

“Care for a walk?” it asked.

“Of course!” Celestia replied enthusiastically.

A moment later, the entity of light was replaced with a pony; an alicorn like Celestia. This one, however, was taller. A white aura still surrounded the alicorn, distorting it’s physical appearance. It’s eyes were hardly eyes at all, but vats of pure white. But now, it could quite literally ‘take a walk’.

“I assume you are doing well?” Celestia queried as they took positions beside one another.

“Well enough.” it responded flatly.

For a few moments, the two continued in silence. Celestia shifted uncomfortably as she kept glancing over and seeing her companion facing straight ahead, emotionless. Celestia could tell that there was something serious on the light-embodied alicorn’s mind.

After Celestia’s neck began to become slightly sore from glancing over so much, her companion stopped. They were now on the beach of a rather large lake. The bright alicorn gracefully sat down. Celestia followed suit.

“Equestria is happier than I ever remembered.” It commented.

Celestia looked over, relieved that the figure had finally spoken.

“We’ve had our fair share of trials over the past few years. But each time, we have managed to overcome.” Celestia stated.

“Yes, she has.” The alicorn replied, still staring out over the water. “Twilight Sparkle has certainly been quite the instrument in keeping Equestria safe. She has grown and learned more than others dare to dream over the past three years.”

Celestia was caught off guard at the glowing alicorn’s statement.

“So much so that you deemed her ready.” It continued. “You deemed her ready for the crown you have bestowed upon her.”

“Y-yes...” Celestia began uncertainly. “Twilight was destined for this. Her abilities in magic, leadership, and friendship are well beyond what I expected. I have every confidence in her, if that is what you are here to question.”

The alicorn looked away, her face betraying nothing. A “Hm...” Was all that escaped her mouth. A moment later, it stood up. Bowing its head and neck low, the tip of its horn tapped the water below. Ripples of disturbed surface tension expanded across the lake.

“Look at the water.” It said. It voice was harsher than before.

Celestia raised an eyebrow in confusion, but obeyed. She stood and gazed into the clear water. Suddenly, her eyes widened.

The images that reflected back into her eyes lashed out at her very soul, yet she was drawn to them as if she needed them to survive. Anyone standing nearby would have seen flash after flash of bright light sear into the sun princess’ eye’s.

“No... Not again... stop it... STOP IT!” Celestia screamed.

She jerked herself away from the water, shielding her eyes like someone would after staring at the sun for too long. It took her a few moments to compose herself.

“Why?” Celestia asked simply. “I’ve already seen those images once; too many times for anypony to have seen them.”

“Do you remember why I showed them to you the first time?” the figure inquired.

Celestia thought for a moment. She knew the answer, but was not certain how to put it into words.

“To... Prepare me.” she replied finally. “Yes, to prepare Luna and I for the thousands of years we would spend as leaders of Equestria.” She paused, and tried to think of more reasons. “You told us all those years ago that this knowledge would serve us well, and it has. It hasn’t been easy, but it has helped, despite how horrible it was to experience it.”

“And you think it wise to deprive Twilight of this knowledge?” the figure asked.

Celestia stopped and thought for a moment.

“I did not think it necessary for her. She has come a long way, learned, fought, and faced down more than anypony would in a hundred lifetimes.” she replied finally.

A sigh elicited from the creature’s unseen mouth.

“A week ago, I would have agreed. But now...” the creature bent down and touched the water with its horn again. “Look into the water again.”

Celestia obliged. For some time, the two remained silent as her eyes took in a series of distorted images. Suddenly, similarly to before, Celestia’s eyes grew large and her mouth dropped open in shock.

“What is- no... This is...” she stuttered out after some time. “This can’t be true... It just can’t.”

She did not panic like before, but the shock was still present. She ripped her gaze from the water and stared desperately at her companion.

“Tell me it isn’t true.” she begged. “This spells our doom...”

“I cannot.” the figure replied. “Nor can I prevent it.”

“So you’re saying there’s no hope? Are we talking about the end times or some kind of armageddon? What about-”

The creature lifted a shining hoof for silence.

“You did not let me finish.” it began. “For one thousand years, Equestria has been spared from the chaos that still envelops much of the world around you. But look now. Everything that has happened within the past few years are signs of things yet to come. You, I, or anyone else would be powerless to stop it. I cannot tell you when it will begin but make no mistake; it will.”

It paused, letting the words sink in.

“But,” it began again. “There is hope. Why do you think I brought Twilight into this? You have told her that it is time to fulfill her destiny. You are right, but you are misguided. Her destiny extends beyond that of Equestria, and even beyond the destinies of you and Luna. The whole world will be affected by this.”

Celestia did a head tilt combined with a halfway nod of understanding.

“What must I do to prepare Twilight for this?” Celestia asked.

“Have you not been listening?” the glowing creature replied. “This is not something you can do, Celestia.”

Celestia took a breath of realization.

“You want me to send Twilight... To you.” she concluded.

The creature nodded.

“Yes. I will teach her and prepare her, just as I once taught and prepared you and your sister. For now, however, her own abilities will be enough for her to start.”

“Then I will bring Twilight immediately-”

“No.” it interrupted. “Again, you cannot do this. If Twilight is to truly fulfill her destiny, she must come alone and be willing to move heaven and earth to get to me. This journey is hers, and hers alone, just as you and Luna once traveled alone.”

“But there were two of us then. There is only oneof Twilight.” Celestia countered. “Is it really wise to send her alone? The world is so different now! How will she know the way?”

“You are right that the world has changed... And as such, so has the path. Let me ask you: what was Twilight’s mission when you sent her from Canterlot, three years ago?”

“She knew the prophecy of Nightmare Moon. I knew she would be the one to stop her.” Celestia replied.

Suddenly, the light-being broke out into a hearty laughter. Despite not having a visible face or mouth, Celestia could plainly hear the inflection and the deep breaths it took to fuel each shockwave-like crackle. It took several minutes for the illuminated being to calm itself.

“Ah, Celestia. So ancient, so wise, and so strong... Yet, you are still the learning, carefree, and intelligent, but forgetful, young mare I knew all those millennia ago.” it said, after collecting itself. “You forget your own reasons for Twilight’s mission. Let me ask you, what did Twilight do that helped her accomplish her goal? What needed to happen?”

Celestia was still slightly put off by the being sudden bout of laughter, but let out an “oh...” of understanding.

“You mean her friends: Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie. The bearers of the other five Elements of Harmony.” The sun princess answered. “She made friends, and began to understand the magic of friendship.”

The being nodded.

“Now, you see it. Everything Twilight has learned, and how she choses to use it, will be her greatest ally; and allies will be found on her way.”

Suddenly, the being turned to the still water beside them and looked into it. Celestia followed her gaze, bracing herself for what she might see.

The water turned red as if it had caught fire, and many shadowy creatures of all shapes and sizes suddenly materialized into view. Some had eyes that blazed with black flames. A few laughed; not hearty or joyful laughter, but the laughter of villainous victory. The last few did nothing, but only stared ahead with no emotion leaving their faces. No matter what their actions, Celestia felt evil staring her right in the face.

“And alongside her allies, Twilight will find enemies; some more obvious than others. She could very well give her confidence to an enemy and not know it until it is too late.” the creature continued, its voice slightly shaky.

Celestia looked over to the being, and found that it hung its head. Sadness was clearly present in her voice as it continued.

“One in particular will leave a gaping wound that will bleed Twilight’s heart and spirit.” it finished, its voice almost mournful.

At this point, Celestia wanted to tell the being to shut up, pack itself up, and leave. A large part of Celestia’s mind wanted to shield and protect Twilight from whatever this being had planned for her...

“Remember that I am not responsible for this.” the being stated suddenly as if reading Celestia’s thoughts. “I can see and reveal these things yet to come, but I am powerless to stop them. I can take action, but if I intervene too much it will have all been for nothing; Twilight will fail, and evil will triumph.”

“Can’t I at least point her in the right direction?” Celestia asked, sounding desperate. “I can’t be thrown under the chariot and just watch.”

A headshake of dissent came from the creature.

“You cannot show her the way,” it started. “But you can nudge her, or rather, push her out the door. However, I cannot promise that doing so will be easy.”

“What exactly do you mean?” Celestia inquired. “Twilight has never refused a request from me.”

“She will this time. I have a plan in place, but it is not one she, or you for that matter, will particularly like.” the creature paused, considering how much it wanted to reveal. “Know that she must lose what she loves and die to herself, and become lesser than she is. Only then can she rise even more glorious than before, ready to face what will befall the world.”

“‘Die to herself’...” Celestia repeated. “You’re right. I’m not liking this at all, if you’re saying what I think you are saying.”

“Celestia... Princess of the Sun, I am not asking for your approval, only for your trust. Do you trust me?”

A few minutes passed by in silence, as Celestia took in everything the luminescent being had said to her. Dreamscape insects and animals traversed the area, livening up the lonely night. At long last, Celestia noticed the being begin to fade.

“The night wanes, Sun Princess.” it said distantly. “Soon, you must raise the light for the new day.”

Without warning, the white spirit reverted once again to the free-floating entity of light. Slowly, it faded completely from Celestia’s view.

“Wake up...”

* *

A cold sweat had soaked the bed sheets beneath Celestia as she jerked awake, flinging her upper-body forward. It was dark, but a nearby clock told her she was on the verge of being late for the sunrise. Her breathing was unnaturally heavy, as though she had just woken up from a nightmare. Of course, that had not been the case. At least, not directly.

Part of Celestia wanted to forget the dream, as most dreams were naturally forgotten in the depths of a pony’s mind. Not this one, however. The images were still there, constantly rolling in a film just in front of her eyes. With a shake of her head, she attempted to focus.

Celestia left her mattress, opened a set of nearby doors and gracefully stepped out onto the balcony, surrounded by the early morning dark. From this high up in her tower, and the mountain on which Canterlot resided being fairly tall, she was almost able to see the curvature of the earth. With a slight grunt, her horn was suddenly encased in a golden-yellow. For several short minutes she remained, focusing on her delicate task.

The first rays of the morning sun touched her face, signifying that her task was complete. She let go with a heavy exhale, and stared out into the horizon. The yellow fireball in the distance took over in its task, waking Equestria into sharing the day with the rest of the world.

Celestia did not move for quite a while. Something, some unseen force forced her to stare at the rising sun. A cool morning breeze flowed through her hair, which flowed in compliance with the wind’s direction.

Then she heard it.

It was like a song, but not one she had ever heard before in her life. The lyrics were not quite sung, but were spoken as though each syllable had a beautiful melody of its own.

One life you will send,

And anew will rise.

She will outlast the stars

Even if the world dies.

* * *

Chapter 1: Clarity

The sudden ringing of her alarm clock made Twilight question, for a moment, the ethical dilemma of destroying an inanimate, defenseless object with a swift strike from her hoof, and then throwing said object against the stone wall with extreme prejudice and no remorse. She raised her hoof threateningly, tensing her muscles for the blow. Despite her overwhelming desire to go through with it, Twilight exhaled heavily and slowly silenced the bell, leaving the clock intact.

The sound now gone, Twilight wanted nothing more than to close her eyes and return to her dreams. Her day-to-day activities in Canterlot sometimes led to late nights, and last night had been a particularly busy one. Preparations for this year’s Grand Galloping Gala had been underway for a good portion of the week, and organizing such an event was a tedious process. Not that Twilight minded of course, considering that she had volunteered to oversee the preparations herself.

Last night, after a fire in the royal kitchen and a long-winded argument over whose fault it was, Twilight did not get to sleep until several hours past midnight. Unfortunately, with the Gala itself approaching later tonight, sleeping in this morning was not an option.

Despite her body’s protests and the warm blankets trying to drag her back into their soft embrace, she slid out of bed. Once out, she gathered herself together and made her way to the mirror above her dresser. The windows that lined the walls of her room revealed a dim light just over the horizon filling the streets of Canterlot with a low glow, just enough to provide visibility. Twilight took a moment to stare out at the rising sun, its dim, yet refreshing light woke her up a bit more.

As she approached the mirror above her dresser, she flinched the purple alicorn that stared back. Her hair was nothing short of a royal mess. She imagined, with a smile, Rarity’s screams of disgust at the locks of hair that stuck straight out, while the rest of it lay crumpled and scrunched in uneven mayhem.

With a yawn, Twilight took a moment to stretch and unfurl her wings. Luckily, the two feathery appendages looked halfway decent. She then set to work repairing the damaged done by last night’s restless sleep.

As her mane began to look like its former self, there was a knock at her door.

“Come in.” Twilight said drowsily, as she fought the last strand of uncooperative mane.

The large wooden door opened, and out of the quiet castle hallway walked in a small purple and green dragon. He held a clipboard in one hand, and a pen in the other.

“Morning, Twilight.” he began. “Sleep well?”

Instead of answering, Twilight turned and gave him full view of her face. Despite fixing her mane, Twilight’s eyes were still extremely droopy and small indented bags formed beneath them.

“That bad, huh?” he observed.

“Pretty much.” Twilight replied. “Spike, this year’s Gala is going to be the death of me.”

“Oh yeah?”

Spike looked nervously at his clipboard.

“Then you’re probably not going to like what I have here.” He held it up for her too see. “Just sign at the bottom of each page.”

Twilight sighed, gripped the clipboard and pen in a purple aura, and levitated them over towards her.

“Where’s the fire this time?” She asked sarcastically, beginning to flip through the pages, signing each one methodically. “Lets see here... Kitchen update, security report, guest list, decorations complete, weather team report, events itinerary... Everything looks good. Anything else?”

“Oh, yeah!” Spike said, as if just remembering. “Princess Celestia is holding a mandatory meeting with the Canterlot nobility in two hours about the Gala.”

“She is?” Twilight looked at Spike in surprise. She immediately turned to a nearby desk, levitated a calendar notebook on the top towards her, and began flipping through it.

“Spike, I didn’t plan for a meeting this morning! The final Gala meeting was two nights ago.” she said, not taking her eyes off the pages. “I’m doing final inspections throughout the entire city! That’s going to take all morning as it is! Did she say what it was for?”

“Only that it was mandatory.” Spike informed her. “She called it last night, during the whole fire escapade. I was supposed to tell you then, but you looked like you were seriously in need of sleep. When’s the last time you had a full night’s rest?”

Twilight sighed wistfully, looking up. Despite having lived in Canterlot for a better portion of the past year, Twilight deeply missed controlling her own sleep schedule at the Ponyville library. With the Gala being her primary focus for the past few weeks, Twilight had not had a restful night’s sleep for some time.

“Two? No... Three weeks ago?” She replied. “Anyway, I guess I’ll have to rearrange my schedule to include the meeting this morning. Hmm... Maybe I could work in a few inspections early, but I don’t know if anyone else will be up right now...”

Twilight’s voice derailed into incoherent mumbles as she attempted to deal with the unexpected change. After a few awkward seconds of standing in her room, completely ignored, Spike slowly turned to leave, snapping back to look at Twilight every so often as she buried herself deeper and deeper into her notes.

“I guess I’ll see you later?” he asked uncertainly.

Twilight only half-acknowledged her assistant, her eyes locked on the page.

“Mmhm... Oh! I could inspect the... No, they won’t be up yet. I’ll just have to push it all back... But that’ll cut into my own preparation time and make me late too the opening ceremony... Darn it all...”

* *

Order and clear process revolved around Twilight more tightly than the moon around the earth. A meeting like this would usually have her eyes glued to the pony speaking as she jotted down everything important said. However, as the meeting began, it quickly became clear that there was absolutely nothing important being said.

The attendance, as Spike had told her, consisted of the entirety of the Canterlot nobles. As such, the meeting was essentially just each one standing up and saying how excited they were for this year’s Gala, big events they planned on attending that night, or making known their contributions.

Twilight’s notebook was turned into page after page of incoherent doodles, each seeming to originate from the void between being entirely asleep and barely awake. The pointlessness of it all frustrated Twilight to the point of nearly falling asleep at her seat in the castle’s council chamber. The wooden desk where she rested her head on her hooves seemed all too comfortable...

A firm nudge into her side jerked Twilight awake. She looked over, and was greeted by the smiling face of Princess Celestia, who was seated at the desk right next to her. Celestia’s eyes twinkled in understanding. It was easy to admire her patience.

With a deep, silent yawn, Twilight attempted to at least pretend she was listening. Prince Blueblood was speaking at this point, droning on about some imperfections he experienced at last year’s Gala that required immediate fixing, so the pretend part was quite easy.

Two hours dragged on, and Twilight was ready to burst in desperation to get on with the day’s plans. The fact that she was now two whole hours behind in her final inspections sent twitches of unease throughout her body.

Finally, after the endless talking ceased, Princess Celestia stood up.

“Thank you all for coming. Your insightful input on this year’s Gala is most appreciated.” she said with a seemingly genuine smile. “I’m sure you all have lots of preparation before tonight, so I declare this meeting adjourned.”

With that, and after an exchange of bows between the princesses and the rest of the nobles, the council chamber began to empty. Twilight saw her opportunity and made a beeline for the doorway out.

“Twilight, wait.” Celestia commented as the last of the nobility left the room, leaving only the two of them. “I wish to speak with you.”

Twilight cringed inwardly. Already she was running late.

“Yes?” Twilight asked. She moved closer to Celestia, and the two were face-to-face; though Twilight was still noticeably shorter.

For a few moments, Celestia remained silent, and her eyes seemed to glaze right over Twilight’s figure. Twilight cleared her throat in anticipation.

“I don’t want to be rude but I really need to get going, so if this is important...”

Celestia suddenly snapped out of her trance. She focused back on Twilight.

“My apologies. I know this meeting was very sudden and rather pointless, but I have not had the chance to speak with you privately in some time and, with your schedule, as of late, you would not have met with me otherwise.”

Twilight was confused as to where this was going, but she was still itching to get on with her plan.

“That’s... Nice. But I need to get to my inspections-” she began.

Celestia raised her hoof, signaling for silence.

“I’ve already dispatched inspection teams in your stead. They will report to you when they have completed their task.” she assured her former student.

Twilight relaxed slightly, but was unsettled that she would not be able to take part in the inspection; she had to make sure everything was running smoothly. All the same, it took some weight off her mind.

“So, why did you want to meet me?” Twilight asked.

Celestia remained silent for a few more awkward seconds, as if trying to find her words. Twilight wondered what would cause her former mentor to blank like this.

“I...” Celestia began, uncertainty clear in her voice. “I just wanted to say... Thank you.”

With a blink, Twilight raised an eyebrow, still confused. “What for?” she asked.

Celestia, again, looked at a loss for words, her face seemingly stupefied.

“For becoming such a dedicated and smart leader.” she said after several spacious moments passed. These past months you have learned and mastered every aspect of ruling over Equestria. I hope you are excited for tonight; your first Gala as princess of all Equestria.” she finished with slight bow.

“Uh... Thank you.” Twilight said.

Celestia was not done. Not waiting to lose her fellow alicorn’s attention, she stood back up. The beginnings of a smile formed at the edges of her mouth.

“I just want you to know that, no matter what should happen, I know you will make the right decisions and become the great leader Equestria needs you to be.” she said plainly.

“Well, I had a great mentor.” Twilight replied.

Celestia nodded, looking extremely distant once more.

“Twilight...” she began, her voice preparing as if leading up to something important.

However, much to Twilight’s frustration, nothing Celestia said revealed anything.

“I’m proud of you.” Celestia finished.

Well thats... Anticlimactic. Twilight thought, thoroughly puzzled.

She could tell something was off. There was something swimming around in her former teacher’s brain that was not being said. Whether it was because Celestia did not want to vocalize it or could not find the words for it, Twilight did not know. Either way, the white princess did not say any more or expand upon her vague words.

However, Celestia did a small chill-shake of her body and immediately changed the subject.

“Are you ready for tonight?” she inquired.

Twilight was still trying to figure out what Celestia was going on about a moment ago. She decided, despite her hatred for procrastination, to worry about it later.

“I think so.” she replied. Suddenly, her eyes lit up. “Actually, I’m more than ready! It’s been so long since I’ve seen any of my friends. Tonight will be the perfect time to catch up on things. I wanted to make sure everything was perfect for my friends at this year’s Gala.”

“And you’ve done a stupendous job.” Celestia commented. “I look forward to having you at my side; as a princess, rather than a student. Tonight, the whole world will see how far you have come, and know that you are truly ready for your destiny.”

The way she spoke made Twilight slightly uneasy. Celestia’s long-winded words on her ‘stupendous job’ and ‘destiny’ seemed as though she were not listening to a word Twilight was saying. She also completely ignored her excitement at seeing her friends again that night.

Celestia seemed to catch onto this, and added, “And I hope your time with your friends tonight is a memorable time indeed. You deserve tonight to truly be the best night ever.”

“Believe me, it will.” said Twilight, putting her reservations aside.

She let out a quick laugh.

“Though, we won’t be causing a riot like we did a couple years ago. I think I’m looking forward to a peaceful, but fun evening.”

“Indeed.” Celestia droned.

For a few moments, neither alicorn said anything.

“I guess I’ll go get myself ready, then.” Twilight said, breaking the silence. “See you tonight.”

“As will I.” Celestia agreed.

Twilight moved for the chamber doors, and pushed them open with her hoof. She was just about step into the hall when Celestia, who still had not moved, spoke up again.

“Remember,” Celestia started. “You are a great leader, Twilight. The future holds many things for you.”

She held yet another pause before concluding her thought.

“But, know this: Fate rarely calls upon us at the moment of our choosing.”

Twilight remained in the doorway for a moment longer before nodding in acknowledgement, and entering the large hallway. As she walked she tried to focus on her excitement at seeing her friends for the first time in months, but her head swam in confusion at everything said to her in the past few minutes. Celestia was trying to tell her something; something important.

But what could it be?

* * *

Chapter 2: At the Gala

Anticipation is defined as ‘looking forward to a pleasant expectation’. For Twilight, this meant seeing her friends for the first time in well over two months. Her duties as princess, her time set aside learning about leading the country, and preparation for the Gala had pushed all other priorities aside.

That would soon change, at least for the duration of the night. A few hours was enough time to hear about her friend’s lives and to tell them all about her own adventures and learnings. First, however, she would take her place at Princess Celestia’s side in the great hall as they greeted distinguished guests from all over Equestria and, in a change from the normality, representatives from several different nations.

Canterlot elite showed great courtesy and etiquette as they bowed to their rulers. Twilight found it interesting to note that they dressed and acted like today was a normal day. Their dresses and tuxedos, while maybe more pressed and glossy than normal, would have been their daily attire. Twilight saw little to none of the actual royalty at the greeting. Most were probably already skulking throughout the city; not that Twilight minded. She saw enough of them daily.

In a change from the normality of the Gala, Twilight had taken it upon herself to invite guests from beyond Equestria’s borders. Some she had met before when they visited Canterlot, but others were strangers to her.

The first foreign guests were King Gwandoya and Queen Abena of Zebrica, flanked on either side by a pair of massive bodyguards. After an exchange of bows from the Zebras and the alicorns, King Gwandoya spoke.

“Maamkizi, kale Malkia wa ja.” he said, uttering in his native tongue. “It is good to see you, ancient one.”

He spoke this to Celestia, who accepted his complimentary words, before turning to Twilight. “Mpya Salamu, first greetings to you, Malkia Twilight Sparkle. Your face tells of youth and determination.”

“Thank you, your highness.” Twilight replied with a slight blush. “It is an honor to meet you face-to-face.”

“We were honored that you would invite us.” Queen Abena said to Twilight. “I look forward to observing Equestria at its best.”

With another exchange of bows, the two Zebras and their guards headed off toward the rest of the castle.

Next, an elderly representative from the Griffon Kingdom stepped forward. He bowed, though not as deeply as his predecessors. He was dressed in a ceremonial black military uniform, completely covered in commendations, ribbons, and medals that reflected his dedication and loyalty to his homeland. On is lower neck, he bore a deep red crest that showed the silhouette of a griffon in the background, stretching out his claw over the globe in the foreground.

A set of words below the crest was written in the ancient griffon tongue, which translated read, “Honor in Life. Victory in Death.”

“Greetings, Princess Celestia, Princess Twilight. I bring tidings from his majesty, Lord Sharpbeak the Third.” the griffon said courteously. “I am High General Swiftfeather, member of Lord Sharpbeak’s court, and head of the Griffon infantry.”

Princess Celestia nodded, acknowledging his words.

“Is Lord Sharpbeak well?” Twilight asked. “When he replied to my letter I assumed he was coming himself.”

General Swiftfeather did not hesitate to answer, but Twilight noticed a slight scrape of his claws on the stone floor as he shifted around.

“His majesty has been very busy since his coronation three months ago, after his honorable father’s passing. He has... duties he needs to carry out. I’m sure you understand, being fairly recently coronated yourself.” the General stated. He narrowed his eyes ever so slightly. “And at such a young age...”

“Well, we hope you enjoy your visit to our capital.” Princess Celestia cut in.

“As do I.” he agreed, looking up. “My lord and I hope to eventually grow closer as two great nations in the future.”

General Swiftfeather finished with a quick bow, and moved on. Once he was out of earshot, Twilight opened her mouth to speak to Celestia.

“Not much of a charmer.” she commented.

Princess Celestia chuckled. “No, most griffons aren’t. Especially the ones in high places. I’m honestly surprised King Sharpbeak sent anyone at all. His family tree has a history of completely ignoring our existence.”

“Maybe he wants to become more involved with us and open up relations, like General Swiftfeather mentioned.” Twilight commented.

“Maybe.”

After a few more greetings and thanks from Equestria’s high class, Twilight craned her neck towards the pair of open doors that lead into the great hall, staring intently.

“Hmm.” she expressed with a frown.

“Hmm?” repeated Celestia. “What’s hmm?”

Twilight stopped staring and returned to her normal posture.

“I was just thinking. What’s taking everypony so long? I thought they would be here by now.” She said, a hint of worry in her voice.

“You mean your friends.” Celestia replied with an understanding nod. “I’m sure they’re on their way as we speak. They probably just wanted to be sure they were absolutely ready to see you tonight.”

Twilight continued to frown, and did not reply.

Its not like them to be late. She thought. I hope nothing happened along the way.

As the night went on, Twilight was pleased to see and meet a few more leaders and dignitaries from lands beyond Equestria’s borders. The tall and dignified representatives from Saddle Arabia presented themselves in an impressive show of color and dance that induced impressed “oohs” and “aahs” from the gathered crowd.

Still no show from her friends.

Chief Thunderhooves, the leader of the buffalo from out west, was dressed in ceremonial paint and an exotic feathered hat and accompanied by Little Strongheart. Both greeted the princesses cheerfully and reported cooperation and a solid friendship between their proud nation and the settlers of Appleloosa.

The crowd was still void of the five familiar friendly faces.

At this point, worry began to quickly creep up along Twilight’s spine. She constantly glanced about, hoping to see the five familiar faces. The outside world became less and less important, as thoughts of concern and worry raced through her head.

“Excuse me!” a rough voice interrupted her thoughts.

Twilight shook her head into focus and realised that her eyes had been glazing over the large, dog-like figure of King Stor; leader of the Ahuizotl people of Ahuizotlis. He was wearing a particularly annoyed expression on his face, which emanated through his eyes that stared directly at Twilight from their position at the end of his snout.

“My apologies, your majesty.” began Twilight. “I was lost in thought.”

“Hmph!” King Stor breathed out heavily.

His beady eyes spouted contempt as he bored directly into her own.

“I did not know ignoring your guests was customary in Equestria. I was simply congratulating and commending your majesty on being elevated to such a lofty position, but I suppose it can wait until you feel like listening to my lowly voice.” he finished sarcastically.

Without waiting for a reply, King Stor did an about-face and walked out, flanked by two bodyguards. Twilight was left with her mouth hanging open and with wide eyes. The great hall was filled with an awkward silence as the Canterlot elite shared in Twilight’s expression. As soon as the ahuizotl left, however, conversation slowly crept back to its normal volume.

Princess Celestia looked at Twilight with a raised eyebrow. Twilight looked back with an awkward smile.

“You seem... distracted.” Celestia commented.

Twilight sighed. “I am. Its been way too long. Where is everypony? They should have been here hours ago.”

Twilight hoped to find either reassurance or explanation in her former mentor’s face, but Celestia only held an emotionless stare. It was not often that Twilight saw Celestia at a loss for words, but something was clearly on her mind as well. Something she was not telling Twilight.

She was about to inquire on Princess Celestia’s thoughts, but did not get the chance.

“Ten-Hut!” came a sudden voice, echoing across the hall.

A pair of pegasi clad in shining silver armor had taken positions at each side of the door, wearing serious expressions almost completely identical to Equestria’s Royal Guards. However, their coats and manes shone in a crystalline pattern, filling Twilight with a sudden excitement at whom would be walking through next. With a snappy salute, one of the guards began to speak in a loud voice.

“Announcing their majesties-”

“Shining Armor! Cadence!” Twilight said with a smile, leaving her position and trotting over toward the door.

She did not go too fast as to disrupt the professional attitude of the hall, but fast enough to turn a few heads from the clusters of ponies and guests scattered all around.

“-Rulers of The Crystal Empire.” The guard finished.

Sure enough, a familiar pink alicorn and large white unicorn strolled in a few moments later.

“Cadence!” Twilight exclaimed again. Instinctively, she began their salutatory dance. “Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs-”

She cut off as she suddenly realised the serious expressions Cadence and her brother were wearing. Her worry flooded back to her. Shining Armor looked like he had just lost a major battle, and Cadence held a concerned face that rivaled Twilight’s own.

“Um... Is everything okay?” Twilight inquired.

The Crystal Empire monarchs seemed as though they had something important to say, but glanced at one another, hoping the other would say it.

“What is the problem?” Celestia asked, trotting up behind Twilight. “What is going on here?”

“Its good to see the two of you.” Shining Armor said, breaking his and Cadence’s silence. “I’m afraid its not under positive circumstances, though.”

“Something’s happened.” added Cadence. “It’s about your friends, Twilight. I’m sure you’ve been waiting for them to show up, but there’s a reason they have not.”

Twilight’s coat suddenly grew damp with a cold sweat. A million worst-case scenarios ran through her head. Maybe they had gotten into an accident. Or ponynapped. They were probably lying in a hospital bed somewhere, unconscious. Maybe a crazed madpony had gone to ponyville and- she stopped herself short. Whatever had happened, panicking would not help now.

“Why?” Twilight asked simply, her voice betraying her distress.

Again, Shining Armor and Cadence hesitated.

Twilight was on the brink of raising her voice to demand answers.

“I will answer this.” A new voice spoke.

Princess Luna, who had been absent the entire evening, slowly approached the crowd. Her expression mirrored the austere attitude that filled the air. Draped over her back were a pair of satchels, one filled with carefully crafted charts of the night sky, and the other with small cartography and astronomical instruments.

“Your friends are gone, Twilight.” Luna stated with an eerie simplicity. “And we have absolutely no idea where or why.”

* * *

Chapter 3: Outcast (Part 1)

Chapter 3: Outcast

Part 1

Twilight watched from the room behind the two-way mirror as Captain Frostbite, a pegasus and the new commanding officer of the Royal Guard in Canterlot, brought his hooves up and down his face, trying clear his head. He was seated across a table from another guard, another pegasus who was shifting around in his seat.

His name was Private Oasis. Their voices were muffled, but Twilight could hear everything being said. Princess Celestia, Luna, Cadence, and Shining Armor all stood next to her, as well.

“Lets go through it again, Private, just to make sure we didn’t miss anything.” Captain Frostbite said in a frustrated tone.

The captain nodded to a unicorn guard sitting in the corner of the room, who levitated a quill and paper to take minutes of the interview.

“Tell me what happened when you and your team went to Ponyville to escort the other five Element Bearers.”

“Sir... I-I really don’t know. Am- Am I in trouble for this?” the private asked nervously. “I swear we-”

“Private, you are not in trouble, but it would behoove you to make this process easier on all of us and calm down.” Captain Frostbite interrupted. “Now, please; tell me what happened.”

Private Oasis nodded, sat up a bit straighter, and cleared his throat.

“Well, sir, we had made arrangements to meet the five at Ponyville’s local bakery, Sugarcube Corner. It was probably about an hour and a half before sundown. Lieutenant Dusk arranged the six of us in two lines, in front of the carriage doors, to welcome them. I think there were a few newspaper photographers there, as well. A small crowd had gathered to watch the departure, and the owners of the store even offered us a few treats while we waited-”

“Only mention what’s important, Private.”

“Right. Sorry, sir.”

Private Oasis cleared his throat again.

“Anyway, we waited for about forty-five minutes before we saw the five of them walking down the main road. The sun was already beginning to set, and the LT stepped forward to greet them. I remember the pink one got all weird and gave the Lieutenant a really, really big hug-”

“Important details, Private.”

“Sorry. Corporal Blaze opened the carriage door, LT ordered a salute, they started walking toward it, and then...” he paused, as if trying hard to remember.

“What then, Private?” Captain Frostbite asked, leaning in slightly.

“White, sir. Nothing but white. It was like the sun itself had popped up right the buck out of nowhere. My first thought was ‘bomb’, but honestly I’m surprised I could form any kind of thought at all.”

“Why is that?”

“The light, whatever it was, felt like it was boring right through my armor and frying me. I think I felt some pain, but it was as if the pain was too high for me to feel. I don’t know how else to describe it. And then there was the voice.”

“You mentioned ‘the voice’ last time. Try to elaborate on it. What exactly did you hear?”

“I heard screams of panic in the background, but that was from the Ponyville civilians. Over that, there were words. It sounded like someone was singing them. Freaking singing them. Each one was just... Beautiful.”

“Could you make out anything being said, or sung?”

Private Oasis began to gaze off into the distance.

“No offense, sir, but you were not there. LT, Sarge, and the other guys will tell you: that voice would have hypnotized anypony who got within a mile of it.”

He paused for a breath and looked Captain Frostbite in the eye once more.

“But I do remember one word from the song...” the Private began.

“Tell me.” Captain Frostbite ordered.

The Private breathed in heavily through his nose before continuing.

“Destiny. That was the only word I remember.” Oasis concluded. “After that, the light faded. The five Element Bearers were gone, there was no visible injury or damage to anything, and no trace as to where they might have gone. LT locked down the scene with the local law enforcement and sent the rest of us to inform the Princesses immediately. On the way, we ran into Princess Mi Amore Cadenza’s and Captain- I mean, Prince Shining Armor’s escort as they approached the castle. We informed them of the situation as best we could and they passed on the message to Princess Celestia and Princess Twilight. That is all I know, Captain.”

“Thank you, Private. You are dismissed.” Frostbite ordered.

The guard quickly stood up, saluted, and walked out of the room.

Twilight turned away from the glass and to the rest of the ponies gathered around her. Her eyes were in a widened state and her body subtly, yet visibly, shook as she stared at nothing; lost in her own world. A few moments later, Captain Frostbite entered the room behind the two-way mirror.

“Captain.” greeted Celestia

“Ma’am, majesties.” he replied, nodding to the others.

He took the minutes from the interview with his wing and set them on a nearby table.

“I haven’t had this job very long, but I’ve never seen or heard about anything like this in my life. I can’t make heads or tails out of any of it.” he said with a sigh.

“What about the other guards?” Celestia inquired.

“Same story. Big bright flash, vanishing ponies, and a weird voice floating through the air.”

“A singing voice.” Celestia corrected.

Captain Frostbite nodded.

“Lieutenant Dusk has yet to tell his part of the story. I’ve already sent three squads to Ponyville to relieve him so he can get back here to report.” he commented. “Though, I doubt it will be all that different.”

“If they all didn’t mention the voice, I’d have called them crazy.” Shining Armor mused.

“True.” Princess Cadence agreed. “It’s still all very confusing either way, though.”

“Then we can definitely rule out normal crime in this scenario.” Shining continued. “Whatever spell made them vanish was most likely a very powerful teleportation spell. Somepony planned this out perfectly. But the question does remain of why.”

“You are correct that this was not normal crime,” Princess Luna cut in. “But I think we should be open to a variety of possibilities.”

Princess Celestia turned to her sister.

“Do you know something about this, Luna?”

The night princess did not betray her thoughts with any sort of body language, but took her time in answering.

“No. I do not.” she said finally.

Princess Celestia nodded, though she was visibly not fully satisfied with the reply.

“We’re going to need testimony from every Ponyville resident. We need to know if there was anything suspicious at all. We needsome kind information to start a proper investigation.” Captain Frostbite commented.

“How can Shining and I help?” Cadence asked.

Princess Celestia angled herself to answer.

“Well, for now, I would ask that you and Shining Armor go to the great hall and give some answers to our foreign guests. They will want to know why we left so abruptly.”

“Should we tell them everything?” Shining asked.

Princess Celestia looked thoughtful for a moment.

“We don’t know enough about this ourselves. Answer what you can; just don’t mention that five of the six Elements of Harmony have vanished.” she replied.

“We’ll do what we can.” Cadence said, turning to leave.

Shining Armor was about to follow, but stopped for a moment to talk to Twilight, who had been silent the entire time.

“Twilight... I can’t imagine what you’re thinking right now. I swear, we’re going to get them back.” he promised.

Twilight continued her staring contest with the floor, as if no one had spoken at all. Shining sighed in sympathy, and left to join his wife.

“Luna, perhaps you should join them.” Princess Celestia remarked. “It will help to have an Equestrian representative.”

Luna nodded slowly and exited as well. Only Celestia, Captain Frostbite, and Twilight remained. Captain Frostbite had been staring at the interview minutes for some time, but looked up at Celestia to speak.

“Your Majesty, I recommend we send word to every city’s leadership and inform them of this situation before the press finds out and causes a panic attack. I can guarantee the Ponyville paper won't keep this quiet. We need to stay on top of the situation.”

Celestia was about to agree, but suddenly, Twilight snapped out of her trance and interjected her thoughts. She had finally stopped shaking, but a damp collection of sweat had formed above her brow and in the front of her mane. Her face was a collection of many different emotions at once.

“Yes, do that immediately. After that, call an emergency military meeting. I will coordinate with our generals to mobilize search teams across Equestria by sundown tomorrow.” She ordered. “And Captain, lock down the castle. I want to set up separate meetings with our... international guests about this. Make certain that I can speak with General Swiftfeather of the griffons first and foremost.”

Captain Frostbite raised his eyebrows in surprise and glanced at Celestia, who held a similar expression.

“Well? Was something confusing about that?” Twilight said forcefully.

She stared directly into the captain’s eyes, waiting for his response.

“Uhh...” was all he managed to say.

“Belay that order, Captain Frostbite.” Celestia cut in.

It was Twilight’s turn to be shocked. She turned to face her former mentor.

“‘Belay that order’? My friends are gone to who knows where, and you’re saying ‘belay that order’?!” Twilight nearly shouted.

“Twilight, we’re going to do everything we can, but that does not include detaining representatives and leaders; leaders, mind you, of other nations. They have nothing to do with this.” Celestia stated.

“How do you know that? We need to explore every possibility! Think about it: You said yourself that the griffons have ignored us for a long time! But now, they could have robbed us of our first line of defense, in preparation for a preemptive attack! General Swiftfeather could have been a spy, or a distraction. We need to interrogate-”

“Listen to yourself, Twilight! You’re not thinking here! It would do us ill to incite vengeance from another nation- let alone the Griffon Kingdom!” Celestia interrupted. “Your friends have not been taken by the griffons, or anyone else for that matter! They-”

She stopped herself short, as if she had said too much. Twilight picked up on this and leaned in closer toward her former mentor.

“How would you know that?”

“Twilight-”

“You’re hiding something.”

“Twilight-”

“You know where my friends are, don’t you?”

“TWILIGHT!” Celestia yelled, silencing her fellow princess. “You’re scared for your friends. You want answers, and so do we. But I cannot give you answers right now.”

Celestia paused and took a moment to breathe.

“You haven’t had proper rest in weeks. If we’re going to figure this out, you need to have a clear mind.” she continued. “Go to your chambers. Try to rest. I can’t have you making rash decisions that affect this entire country.”

Twilight had her heart set on protesting, but only managed to hold her mouth open as she stared back. Eventually, she caved.

“Fine.” she said reluctantly. “But we’re not done with this conversation.”

Turning around, Twilight left with her head down and her eyes furled in frustration. Captain Frostbite still held his shocked expression from before. He shook his head and blinked several times.

“What should I-”

“Send everypony home, Captain. We’re ending the Gala early this year. Inform the foreign representatives that they are free to stay in the castle for the night, or leave for their homeland if they wish.” Celestia directed. “Consider yourself under oath to not reveal anything you have heard in here.”

“Yes ma’am.” Captain Frostbite said with a salute.

He made a move for the door, but stopped before leaving.

“Your majesty... You really don’t know anything about this, right?” he queried.

“Of course not, Captain. Carry out your orders.” Celestia said simply.

Captain Frostbite looked as though he were about to follow up on his question, but clearly thought better of it.

“By your word, Princess.”

With a quiet clunking of his golden armor, the captain left. Now alone, Celestia let her head drop between her shoulders in a sudden exhaustion.

“You’re right, Twilight. This isn’t over.” She mused to the empty room. “And I’m afraid it has only just begun.”

She threw her head up and breathed in and out through her nose heavily, her mane falling to her sides as if it had admitted defeat. Suddenly, a subtle voice filled Celestia’s ears.

Do not fear. I will guide Twilight’s hoofsteps as I once guided your own. Your task, now, is to begin her journey; begin her destiny.

“How?” she asked quietly. “I feel as though I have lost her confidence. She will not listen if I simply tell her what to do now. She thinks that I know more about her friend’s disappearance than I am letting on. But, if I tell her anything about you, or try to convince her that you are not going to harm her friends, she will not believe me.”

Celestia sighed and tried to shake off her mounting worries and reservations.

“If anything, I will only fuel her resolve that one of our guests, particularly the Griffons, are responsible. What can I do at this point?” she asked again.

Go to her. Any words will become useless, even before you can utter them. Understand that you will be faced with a single action to take. When you do, a sword will pierce your heart and you will suffer. Tears will be shed. Pain will be felt. A harsh winter will destroy the bond of mentor and friend.

The voice allowed a moment for Celestia to take in the words that resonated over and over in her head.

But, winter does not last forever. Just as the spring makes all things new, so will Twilight be made new. Be mindful of the inevitable threat revealed to you as I walked in your dreams. If hope is to live, this must happen. This pain must be felt.

“You know that I trust you.” Celestia said. “But it does not mean I have to like this.”

She sighed and closed her eyes.

“I only pray that, if Twilight’s destiny is to save us, she is not lost as well.”

* * *

Chapter 3: Outcast (Part 2)

Chapter 3: Outcast

Part 2

Twilight could almost feel the steam of frustration radiating from her head as she walked the empty halls of the castle. She could have gone straight to her room and been there within a few minutes, but she elected to ignore Princess Celestia’s request.

She should have been extremely sleepy, but Twilight knew that any kind of rest was an impossibility, at this point. Her head felt ready to explode, or melt, or, both. She wanted to feel some kind of strong emotion; some kind of feeling to let her know this was all real.

Her head needed to be cleared. She allowed herself to wander the seemingly abandoned castle, and immersed herself into thought.

The last time her friends were lost to her, Twilight could remember her sadness and distraught at it. She recalled Discord, and how he had corrupted them and left them as the opposites of their true selves. She recalled the events from a few months ago, when everything about her friends was jumbled and confused.

Each time, Twilight was there. Each time, she witnessed the horrible effects, firsthoof. Emotions were in high supply, then.

Now, however, she did not know what to feel. Actually, she knew what she should feel: Loss. Sadness. Emptiness. Fear for her friends. But, at this moment, she felt nothing. It didn’t feel real at all.

Its been so long. she thought to herself. I haven’t seen any of them in so long that I can’t even think of them as gone. I haven’t even written them.

Twilight soon found herself in one of Canterlot Castle’s many courtyards. She made her way to the fountain in the center and took a seat on the cold, weathered marble.

It’slike reading the news of a tragedy far away. She continued in her head. You want to feel sorry or feel bad for what happened, but you can’t know the pain of the people involved because you are not there. Nothing has changed, for me...

The moon gave only a sliver of light from its visible crescent surface. A multitude of innumerable stars bathed her face in a soft glow and reflected beautifully off of the fountain’s surface. Twilight looked into the small pool of rippling water at her distorted reflection. With a sigh of frustration, she yanked herself away and began pacing about the small courtyard.

What was I thinking; accusing the other nations, especially the Griffon Kingdom, like that? I’m feeling so little that I’m overreacting. I think I was forcing myself to emote something back there... either that, or I went insane as soon as I heard the news. Maybe I should just force myself to sleep and-

Twilight never finished the thought. Suddenly, her ears twitched at the sound of voices on the far side of the courtyard. She looked over and saw two shadowy figures partially hidden by pillars of a covered walkway. She strained to get a clearer image, and was almost certain that she could see a beak moving up and down, talking.

Griffons... she mused inwardly.

Her better judgement told her to either announce herself, or trot back into the castle. However, her better judgement was quickly suppressed by a spiking curiosity as to why a pair of griffons were meeting secretly in the middle of the night, under the cover of darkness.

Luckily, they had not noticed Twilight. She lowered herself and slowly took up a strategic position behind a thick bramble bush, just a few dozen hooflengths from the pillars. She thought about casting a spell to enhance her hearing, but the light from her horn would give her away quickly. She would just have to make do.

With her neck stretched to the limit, she was able to understand the distant chatter. She recognised the first voice as General Swiftfeather’s.

“...And you’re certain you were not followed?” The griffon General asked the other figure. “These ponies have a very intricate security network around this castle, if a bit outdated by our standards.”

“No, sir.” came a younger male voice. “They never saw a thing.”

Twilight’s interest began to heighten at their secretive tones. She longed for a stationary set to record everything they would say.

“What information do you bring, herald?” Swiftfeather inquired.

Twilight could not see anything, but she heard the second griffon reach into a bag under a large black cloak and bring out a scroll.

“From the Glorious Lord Sharpbeak the Third, to General Swiftfeather, Commander of the entirety of his majesty's infantry.”

The griffon’s voice was clear and concise, but he uttered every syllable very quietly. He cleared his throat before continuing.

“General, I hope that your trip was an informative and productive one, but the time has come to act. Our armies are in position, and we need you on the frontline to lead the charge with me as soon as possible. The primary invasion will commence in two weeks. Our scouts say we must strike swiftly if were are to prevent our enemy from quickly organizing a counter attack. Return immediately to Valstòn, so that we may finalize our plans with the other Generals. We will drive our enemies straight into the ground and ensure Griffon dominance once and for all.

Sevella guide your blade,

Lord Sharpbeak the Third.”

General Swiftfeather held an emotionless silence for several moments. Neither griffon said a thing, the younger waiting patiently for orders, while Swiftfeather appeared to analyze and process it all.

“Thank you.” he said, finally, a bit more rasp in his voice. “Return to Lord Sharpbeak and tell him that I will return within three days. Do not get caught on your way out.”

The second griffon snapped his head down, brought his front right claw across his chest in a salute of respect.

“By your word, General.”

With that, Twilight watched as the second griffon secured his hooded cloak and quickly slunk into the shadows that lead into the castle.

Invasion? Twilight commented in her head when he had gone. No. There’s no way. There is no way I was right about this...

General Swiftfeather remained for a few more moments, looked around suspiciously, and then set off into the castle, undoubtedly to his guest room. Twilight debated on what to do next.

I must warn Princess Celestia immediately. An invasion from the Griffons would be devastating! But why, now? Why would they invade, now, of all times?

Suddenly, another thought crossed her mind.

If an invasion is on the way, then the Griffons truly are responsible for kidnapping my friends! Of course they would take out our most powerful defense first. There is no other explanation. Which means Swiftfeather must know where they are! Wait...

Twilight suddenly realised something. At the same time, reality started to set in: her friends were gone, and the Griffon Kingdom, General Swiftfeather in particular, had just become her primary suspect.

If I turn him in now, she thoughthe will not feel any pressure to reveal my friends’ location, safe behind a jail cell. No; I need to get answers now. It’sthe only way.

As soon as Swiftfeather had entered the castle, Twilight activated her horn, concentrated, and, after a series of muffled grunts, was covered in a temporary aura of invisibility. It would not last forever, but hopefully long enough to shadow Swiftfeather to his quarters.

Attempting to subdue the sounds of her hoofsteps, Twilight set off after the General.

No matter what it took, she would get answers, tonight.

* *

General Swiftfeather stifled a yawn as he approached his guest quarters. The humid atmosphere was very different from the dryer air in his homeland. The elevation was no bother, as he was used to thinner air during flight, but the change was still noticeable.

Two stern-looking griffons stood at attention outside his room. They wielded deadly-looking spears in one claw, while their other three appendages supported them. Both bore the same red crest on their neck as the General, with the silhouetted griffon in the background reaching over the world in the foreground.

Silver plate armor was strapped over their shoulders; the openings supplemented by a collection of chain mail that ran from their lower neck across the foremost section of their figure. Red cloth ran down their backs and converged in a triangular shape. Rear legs were strapped in armor, as well, consisting mostly of leather straps and steel over their knees.

Both guards continued to stare straight ahead, but stood up a bit straighter as the General approached.

“At ease.” Swiftfeather said to them, nodding as he opened the door and walked into the room.

Swiftfeather admitted that he was impressed by the Equestrian guest accommodations. The silky bed, well lit candles and lamps, private bathroom with running water, which was a rare luxury in his homeland; even for a General, like himself; and bookshelf containing hundreds of pages that may or may not have been worth reading rivaled the Griffon Lord’s royal estate in the great capital of Valstòn.

With a quick glance to make sure he was alone, he took out the letter given to him by the messenger. He absorbed the information several times before placing the letter under his wing again.

After washing his face, removing his uniform, and extinguishing the lights, he carefully lifted the silk sheets that covered the bed. As he entered and closed his eyes to rest, he let out a small sigh of comfort and enjoyed the quiet atmosphere.

It was impossible to know how long he lay there, attempting to sleep when, suddenly, the voice of one of the guards outside caused his eyes to shoot open.

“Hey, you! Stop right- ooof!”

A short vibration shook through the stone walls. Swiftfeather heard a spear swoosh through the air several times before another impact hit the wall. Instinctively, he jumped out of the bed and reached for a small dagger on the nightstand.

As he turned to face the threat, Swiftfeather saw the door blast right off its hinges, land on the floor with a loud thunk, and a thin cloud of dust fill the air. He took up a fighting stance and prepared to leap on his aggressor.

However, as the dust settled, his eyes widened as he realised who was at his door.

“What are you doing in here?!”

* *

Twilight felt the sweat drip profusely down her face. She was no longer invisible, and her horn was charged in a threatening purple light. The griffon guards outside were motionless from their encounter with the wall. The shock on General Swiftfeather’s face told her that she was the last thing he expected to see.

“Princess Twilight! What is the meaning of this?!” he demanded, taking up a defensive stance and unfurling his wings threateningly.

“Save it, general.” Twilight said coldly. “I heard everything.”

She approached him with a menacing stare. Swiftfeather responded by circling her, his dagger still at the ready.

“What in Sevella’s name are you talking about?” he demanded. “What did you hear?!”

“You know exactly what I’m talking about, general. I heard every word in that letter.” Twilight replied. “You must be off your rocker if you think I’m going to let you, or anyone else in the Griffon Kingdom to get away with it!”

General Swiftfeather looked as though Twilight had just smacked him across the face.

“How dare you spy on me! That did not concern you!”

“With all due respect, general, I think it does. It’s one thing to want to invade my country, but kidnapping my friends?!”

Twilight’s horn began to charge even more. General Swiftfeather opened his mouth to speak, but Twilight quickly cut him off.

“You’ve messed with the wrong pony.” she voiced venomously. “Unless you want to end up worse that your guards out there-”

She pointed to the unconscious griffons lying on the floor.

“-or worse, then you will tell me exactly what you did with my friends.”

Twilight was sure to put extra emphasis on those last words.

“Your friends?” General Swiftfeather questioned in surprise. “What are you going on about now?! You’re insane! What would the Griffons want with the other Element Bearers?”

“That’s what you are going to tell me.” Twilight replied, stepping forward in a challenge.

Twilight saw General Swiftfeather tense his muscles.

“With all due respect, your highness, I may be old, but I can make sure that you don’t get out of this room in one piece.” he taunted.

Twilight had enough. With a yell, she lunged forward head first, charging up her magic even more. As she got close, Swiftfeather jumped to the side with a grunt, landing on his side. The battle-set alicorn landed gracefully, and swung her head to aim at the downed griffon.

With what sounded like a high pitched whine, Twilight let loose her attack. Within a millisecond, Swiftfeather was struck squarely in the chest by a powerful bolt of magic and sent crashing into the bed, which scooted back from the force.

Miraculously, the general quickly stood back up, but looked extremely disoriented. He looked at Twilight, who was charging another attack. With a powerful burst of his wings, Twilight saw him maneuver away from her second bolt.

Before she could react, Swiftfeather jumped toward her exposed side, the sharp dagger and claw gleaming in the dim light. Twilight skirted the the side, but suddenly felt the tip of the dagger draw itself across her flank.

“Aaah!” she cried out.

However, the searing pain only made her more angry. She faced him once more, her eyes now glowing white and spots of red blood dripping on the floor.

“Had enough?” Swiftfeather taunted.

Instead of replying, Twilight focused on the griffon’s figure, and encased him in a purple outline of magic. She slowly approached him and began lifting him up into the air.

“Hey- What is this?!” he struggled to say. “Release me!”

Despite the general’s age, his muscular limbs put up a power protest against Twilight’s spell. The more she tried to suppress him, the harder he fought to get out. She managed to dislodge his firm grip on the bloody dagger, and held it close to his face, but his struggles did not cease. In fact, he only grew more bold.

“I did not -ungh- realise you ponies liked it so rough.” Swiftfeather spat, though he was quickly growing weary. “Perhaps- uh- I could show a pretty face like you a thing or two sometime.”

Despite his brave words, Twilight could see the effects of her spell as she applied more and more pressure. Grunts of pain escaped his mouth, and his menacing eyes began to close on the brink of unconsciousness.

“Where. Are. My. Friends.” Twilight demanded, voice echoing of hundreds more, and eyes glowing like the sun.

“Twilight! NO!” someone yelled behind her.

Twilight whirled around, just in time to feel her own body become encased in a yellow aura. Before she could get a clear look at the new attacker, she was flung across the room effortlessly.

“No!” She yelled in protest.

Her back hit the wall first, knocking the wind out of her and causing her to wheeze and cough as she attempted to catch her breath.

When she finally looked up, Twilight saw Princess Celestia helping up a nearly unconscious General Swiftfeather. He coughed and gasped for breath as well, and looked at Twilight with a fiery hate.

“General, are you alright?” Celestia asked.

“I-”

He nearly collapsed into a coughing fit. Celestia quickly levitated a cup of water over from the bathroom and gave it to the general to drink. He took it graciously, and downed the liquid slowly.

“I will be.” Swiftfeather said between coughs. “I may be old, but I’m not too fragile, yet.”

Celestia nodded in acknowledgement, and swung around to face Twilight, approaching her with a deep look of disappointment and anger in her eyes.

Twilight braced herself.

“Just what in Equestria are you doing?!” she demanded. “You could have killed General Swiftfeather!”

“Were it so easy.” Swiftfeather muttered as he continued to collect himself.

“You attacked guests of the royal castle! Guests! What were you thinking?!”

Twilight, though still slightly dazed from the gash in her side and Celestia’s attack, gathered up her bravery and looked her former mentor in the eye.

“He knows where my friends are!” she accused. “The griffons captured them to prepare for a preemptive strike, leaving us defenseless! I was right about it all!”

With pure fury beaming from her eyes, she flung her head around to stare General Swiftfeather directly in the eyes.

“And, I have proof.”

She glanced over at the General’s nightstand, and levitated a scroll over to herself. She unfolded it and held it up for Celestia to see.

“Here.” Twilight stated, a bit of a smirk in her voice. “The General received this from a griffon messenger who snuck into the castle. It tells of an impending all-out war with Equestria!”

At first, Twilight felt proud of herself as she exposed the contents of the letter for Celestia to see. She felt that she had genuinely stopped a national crisis before it even started. She began to fill with hope that her friends would be returned from their Griffon captors soon... Yet, those feelings quickly faded as she noticed that Celestia did not even look at the letter, and continued to hold her gaze at Twilight.

“Twilight... did you not hear the guards’ report from when they were to retrieve your friends? They did not say there was an attack. They saw a bright flash, and your friends were gone. How could the griffons have done something like that?”

“Who knows!” Twilight insisted, shocked that Celestia would dismiss her accusation so easily. “Everypony knows that they are a warmongering nation. They probably have countless powerful weapons we don’t know about! I doubt it would be hard for them to make a ‘bright flash’!”

Celestia stared at Twilight as if she did not know her anymore.

“Words have failed, Twilight.” The angry white alicorn commented, almost to herself. “I taught you better than this. I was wrong this whole time... I didn’t wish for it to come to this...”

Her last sentence sent a sudden confusion through Twilight.

Wrong? Wrong about what? she thought to herself. Come to what?

Before she could ask, Celestia cut her off.

“Canterlot library. Now.” Celestia commanded.

“I’m not your student anymore. You can’t order me-”

Before Twilight could finish, Celestia swiftly grabbed her in a rough winghold and held tight.

“General, I am sorry for all this. Medical assistance will be here shortly to treat your guards. I will be back soon as well.” Celestia apologized ruefully.

With that, Celestia teleported the two of them out of the General’s quarters.

* *

The quiet library was suddenly lit up in a flash of white, and two figures appeared in the middle. Celestia released Twilight from her winghold and walked over to a large window overlooking canterlot as the last of the Grand Galloping Gala was shut down for the night.

“This is not you, Twilight.” she commented as Twilight attempted to pick herself off the ground. “You are beyond reason, now.”

“Why did you take Swiftfeather’s word over mine?” the smaller alicorn demanded. “I overheard him talking about invasion! The Griffons are planning to invade Equestria!”

For some time, Celestia did not respond. To Twilight, she looked as stiff as one of the many marble statues that lined the castle halls.

“I had proof!” she continued. “The letter-”

“Why does it have to be this way?!” Celestia suddenly yelled toward the ceiling. “I can’t do this!”

Twilight was taken aback. Out of nowhere, Celestia dropped to the ground into a sobbing fit. Her cries were muffled, but they were many and filled to the brim with emotions that Twilight did not understand.

“Celestia? Ar- Are you okay?” Twilight asked, slowly approaching.

As soon as she got close, Celestia stopped her sobbing. Twilight was about to touch her with her forehoof when-

“This is the way it must be.”

The voice came from Celestia’s mouth, but it was not hers. Twilight scurried backwards defensively. The white alicorn was now glowing; not just her eyes, but her entire body. She spread her wings, and suddenly became suspended in mid air. Shockingly, her wings did not flap.

Twilight was at a loss of what to do, and suddenly became very frightened. She turned to run, but felt her own self lifted up into the air, and brought toward Celestia.

“C-Celestia! What are you doing to me?!” she cried out in fear.

Celestia replied, and this time it was in her own voice, yet it was accompanied by a chorus of a thousand voices.

“What I am about to do, Twilight, is for your own good; and for the good of not just Equestria, but the entire world.”

Each word penetrated Twilight’s very soul. Each syllable was painful to register.

“I did not want this for you, Twilight. I thought you had proven to me time and time again that you were ready for your place as ruler over Equestria.”

Twilight cried out in surprise as, suddenly, her wings were unfurled against her will. Then the real pain started. An agonizing scream left her lips as an electrifying force pulled at the feathery appendages, overwhelming her.

“But there is more you must learn. I did not want to believe it at first, but your actions tonight show your immaturity; as a princess, and an alicorn.”

“No... It hurts!” Twilight managed to yell. “Stop, please!”

“And now there is a greater evil on its way as we speak that you alone will be able to stop. An evil beyond the scope of imagination.”

“Uuugghhh!... What are you- gah- talking about?!” Twilight called out, her pain now seeping through every vein and nerve in her body. “What evil?!”

“The true time to fulfill your destiny has come, Twilight Sparkle.”

“AAAAAH! You told me I had fulfilled my destiny! Why now- AAARRRGH!”

The agony was too great for Twilight to even speak anymore. She knew she was on the verge of blacking out. Through the pain, her eyes now saw that Celestia had tears running down the length of her illuminated face.

“I was wrong.”

Nothing registered to Twilight’s senses anymore. With a final, agonized breath, Twilight surrendered to the darkness.

* *

“What have I done... Twilight...”

“You know it had to be done. Do not fear. I will guide her from now on. Your mission is complete.”

“But.. It all seems unreal to me. I feel as though I have abandoned her...”

“No. From this, I will help Twilight, and you, bring about a greater good.”

“Please... Just protect her. Guard her every step. Let her know that she does not face this alone.”

“You know I will. Remember what I told you before, Celestia. Twilight will not face this journey alone, just as you did not. All this has happened before, and will happen again, even if a bit differently.”

“May I have a moment with her?”

“Hmm... I suppose.”

“Twilight, I don’t know if you can hear me, but I am sorry. I’m sorry that I could not foresee this. Sorry that you were dragged from the life you knew. Sorry that there is so much confusion that has shrouded your mind. And above all, I’m sorry that I will not be there for you. Be strong. Never give up... This path is yours.”

“Time to leave, Celestia.”

“Goodbye... My friend.”

Twilight opened her eyes into an endless dark...

* * *

Interlude the First: Uprising

A single stallion shivered and breathed out a visible cloud of warm air against the cold night as the heavy rain began to soak through his cheap cloak. The dark alley he stood in provided little respite from the large droplets and chilling wind, and only a little light shone into the alley; provided by a dim lamp post.

He slowly pivoted about, lightly splashing in a shallow puddle that had formed in the pavement. Impatience seeped under his skin alongside the wet and cold. Suddenly, his ears perked up at a noise behind him.

“Hey, you!” a gruff, aggressive voice shouted. “Turn around, and don’t try anything funny; I’m armed!”

“Good evening.” the stallion replied calmly, not complying with the request. “A bit wet to be out and about, don’t you think?”

“Shut up! We can do this the easy way, or the hard way, and trust me, you want the easy way! Now, slowly turn around, and empty your cloak pockets!”

“Friend, I’m afraid you are wasting your breath. I have nothing to share with you, tonight.” he replied.

“I ain’t asking you to share! Now, I’m warning you one last time: turn around and empty your pockets, or I’ll-”

“You’ll what?” the stallion interrupted, his voice soothing.

He turned around slowly, his grey face hidden within the shadow that engulfed the entire alleyway.

“What will you do, friend?” he continued, approaching the bandit slowly. “Will you cut out my throat? Gouge out my eyes? Slice my ears from my head? Stab my chest with a sword? And then, what? Calmly walk away with what little possessions I have on my person? Let me ask you something-”

“Hey, stay back! I’m warning you!”

The robber suddenly drew a small metal dagger from its’ sheath and held it threateningly in his mouth. The grey stallion still continued forward, closing the gap between them; his voice suddenly growing menacing.

“Are you certain that you will be able to follow through on your big mouth and empty threats? Allow me to give you some advice: when you rob somepony in the middle of the night-”

“That’s it!” the thief yelled, angrily, through his clenched teeth; preparing to charge.

With a subtle click and a quiet wisp through the air behind him, the thief’s eyes suddenly widened in surprise and fear. Shortly after, he splashed to the ground with a horrible gurgling sound coming from his mouth.

Not batting an eye, the stallion approached the dimly lit alley entrance. He saw a pool of dark red mingle with the rainwater as it flowed into a drain, beginning from the thief’s neck where a short, deadly-looking arrow was lodged in; dead center through the spine.

“-always be absolutely sure that you are alone. Rest in peace, friend.”

Looking up, another cloaked and hooded, significantly larger figure approached from across the street and stood next to him.

“Trouble?” the towering figure asked, holding up a rather complex cylindrical device that was secured around his right forearm. It appeared to be loaded with more of the short arrows.

“Hardly, brother. Although I appreciate the gesture, I could have handled him adequately on my own.”The small stallion replied as he revealed his own arrow weapon secured to his own grey forehoof.

“Hmph.” the brother grunted. “Well, I’ve gotten used to doing the dirty work, by now, and you were too busy monologuing, like normal. Besides, if you wanted to take care of the problem right away, you would have shot him, instead of waiting for me.”

“Perhaps.” the grey stallion replied. “But, that is of no importance, right now.”

“Whatever.” he mused. “What in heaven’s name are we doing out here, anyway, and this late at night?”

“One of our agents sent word of important information that she claims to be of vital importance.”

“She?” the brother inquired as he attempted to shake off some of the rainwater from under his drenched cloak. “Which agent?”

The grey stallion flinched slightly at the extra water that detached from his brother and landed on his face, causing him to blink a few times before continuing.

“Ahem... Surprisingly enough, the Ponyville agent. I received an encoded note by carrier pigeon that she was on her way, that it was important, where, and when, to meet.”

The smaller pony took out a damp note from under his cloak and offered it to his larger counterpart. Raising an eyebrow in curiosity, the larger stallion took it and began reading it in his head, mumbling a phrase or two under his breath.

“What could our agent in Ponyville, of all places, have to report that couldn’t be sent by carrier pigeon as well?”

“I suppose we shall find out.” the grey stallion replied. “Do not be so presumptuous, brother. Remember: Ponyville does house a select few... Important ponies. In the meantime, would you kindly dispose of this body?”

“Hmph.” his brother grunted, clearly annoyed.

After the body had been silently disposed into the city sewage system, the two stallions continued to wait for some time, getting all the more drenched. Both were growing impatient, but the larger was having trouble containing it. He paced about, staring daggers into the ground and shivering.

“It is downright freezing, out here.” The grey pony pointed out, shivering involuntarily.

The large pony stopped; turning his impatient glare onto his brother.

“Oh, don’t even start.” he said, beginning to shiver as well. “I could have been home, getting the sleep that I need. Some of us do have actual paying jobs, you know.”

The smaller brother looked offended at the comment.

“Actual jobs? Need I remind you, brother, of the work we are doing, here? A lack of bits in my pocket, now, will pay off in the long run, when we have accomplished our goals.”

“Pfft.” the larger retorted. “Your pocket? What about my pocket? I mean, seriously, now, how long do you think we can keep this up? Your ‘brilliant plans’ and ‘long-term goals’ are providing little of the return that you said they would.”

“So, what, then? Are you going to abandon everything we have worked for?” the smaller confronted. “Do we settle back into our ‘normal lives’, instead of fighting for what is right and just?”

“Of course not.” the larger replied, attempting to calm his impatience. “I’m just saying, if we don’t get a stroke of good luck soon, it might be time to rethink this whole... thing we have going on, here.”

“We make our own luck.” the grey stallion rebutted.

The two stood in silence for about another minute, the only sounds splashing around them were from the rain as it continued to bombard them from above. Their eyes scanned the empty street, looking for any sign of movement. They remained barely visible; hidden in the dimmest reaches of the light from the lamp post.

Suddenly, the larger of the brothers snapped his hooded head up and raised his hoof to signal for silence.

“What is it?” the smaller asked in a whisper.

“Someone is nearby...” he observed.

“Where?”

Before the question could be answered, two small arrows swiftly struck into each cloak of the brothers’ and lodged themselves into the ground. They flinched, attempting to pull away from their newfound prison, but found no freedom.

“What the-” began the larger brother as he was interrupted by a swoosh that cut through the rain at an alarming speed. An aqua-coated and golden-maned pegasus swooped lowly through the air from behind them, landing in front of them with a splash.

“Relax, boys: It’s just me.” the pegasus informed, shaking water from her wings and reloading her own arrow weapon.

The grey stallion breathed out heavily in relief.

“Ah, Miss Lightning Dust, you’ve finally arrived.” he greeted courteously. “I trust your trip was a safe one?”

“I got here a while ago.” Lighting Dust replied nonchalantly. “I’ve been watching you two bitch and moan at each other from the rooftop, up there. Too bad you ended so quickly: I was about to get popcorn.”

The larger brother took offense to Lighting’s rude words.

“You watch your mouth-”

“Calm down, brother.” the smaller replied. “I assume you have not met our Ponyville agent, yet.”

“No, but I think I've learned all I need to know.” the larger replied, glaring from under his hood.

“Aww, nice to meet you too!” Lightning Dust replied in mock kindness.

After a brief staring contest, to which the larger brother eventually yielded, Lightning Dust turned her attention back to the smaller brother.

“As much as I’d love to stay here in the rain and chat, I’d rather get straight to the matter-at-hoof.” she began, shaking more water from her wings. “Unless you want me to get Captain Tough Guy over here a ruler.”

The larger stallion looked ready to crush Lighting Dust between his hooves, and he probably would have attempted to, had his brother not given him a restraining look. The two stallions finally turned their full attention to the waiting pegasus, though the larger kept an icy stare trained on Lightning Dust.

“Of course.” the smaller stallion agreed apologetically. “What ‘important news’ do you bring us, all the way from Ponyville?”

The mare smiled, pausing for a few moments before revealing what she knew.

“The bearers of the Elements of Harmony have disappeared, and there is rumor that Princess Twilight has, as well. Equestria is now totally defenseless.”

At this, the smaller stallion’s eyes widened and he held his mouth open, attempting to conjure up the words to voice his thoughts. The larger, however, did not change his glaring expression. Lightning Dust did not react to this and held her smile.

“And you’re sure...” the smaller mused.

“Positive. I was there when the five disappeared.” she confirmed. “They’ve attempted to lock down the town to prevent the news from spreading, but I slipped away before the Guard detachment could account for everypony. That was four days ago. Three days ago I met with our mutual friend in Canterlot to learn more: apparently, Twilight left in the middle of the Grand Galloping Gala and hasn’t been seen, since. Neither Princess Celestia, nor Princess Luna, have said anything. That’s when I sent the message ahead to meet with you; It was too sensitive to send in the message itself.”

The smaller brother was lost in thought, as if he had shut the entire world out as Lightning Dust tapped her hoof impatiently and rolled her eyes.

“So, yeah. I’m happy to bring this to you, and all, but I don’t work for free.” Lightning Dust pointed out. “Where’s my bits?”

The larger was still burning with resentment, and her demand nearly made him lose control. He raised his voice considerably as he continued.

“If you know what’s good for you, you’ll shut your pretty little-”

“Peace, brother.” the smaller interrupted, awaking from his trance. “Miss Dust has provided us with information that, well, to put it in your terms: brought us a ‘stroke of good luck’.”

“I thought we made our own luck?” the larger challenged, reiterating his brother’s words.

“Sometimes, it is given to us, and we should be grateful, for that.” he rebuked, before turning back to the still-waiting pegasus. “Miss Dust, I need to know everything you saw, and all that you have learned in these past few days, but not here.”

He reached into his cloak and pulled out a small pouch of golden bits, quickly tossing it over.

“Find yourself a room at the Magic Carpet hotel, downtown. We will meet there, tomorrow night, and discuss this, further. After that, I will have another job for you.”

Lightning Dust looked at the small pouch in disgust.

“That’s it? You promised a heck of a lot more for information like this when I agreed to work for you!” she accused. “What the buck are you trying to pull?! ”

“Yes, I promised more.” the smaller agreed. “But, if you agree to take this new job... Well, lets just say that your finances will not be of concern for the rest of your life. And, seeing as you have had a difficult time finding work after your escapade at the Wonderbolt academy, I think you may want to consider my offer, further.”

Lighting Dust held a challenging, but intrigued stare. “What exactly are you asking?” she inquired.

The grey stallion walked closer to Lightning Dust, pausing before continuing.

“I need to know where Princess Twilight has... disappeared too. Find her.”

* * *