Time is Forever

Chapters

The Enemies of Harmony (Pilot Part 2 - 2)
A Story of Bubbles
A Twist in Time
Tugging at Heartstrings (Musical Dreams Part 1 - 2)
The Fairy-Tale of Mythology
Fairground for Ponies
The Cutie Mark Crusaders Crumble
A World Adventure
Ponyville's Shadow (Pilot Part 1 - 2)
The Vinyloctave (Musical Dreams Part 2 - 2)
The Rainbow of Darkness (Midseason Finale)

The Enemies of Harmony (Pilot Part 2 - 2)

The Enemies of Harmony

Pilot Part 2 of 2

“Once your enemies stand united, so does your fate."
~ Star Swirl the Bearded

Once again the ponies of Ponyville were made to suffer.

The town had been ravaged. Lightning crackled from a maelstrom of black clouds above and everypony ran and hid as their homes were being wrecked, ruined and decimated.

Injured ponies lay unconscious across the town square and everypony else was unable to see if the others were still alive. Some helped their friends to the hospital; others ran to find shelter and to hide within their frail cottages which were occasionally blown to pieces by stray bolts of magic. Many other buildings leaned on the verge of collapse, perilously beyond repair. Most were left to cradle themselves as they sobbed. They rocked in the darkness from side-to-side without escape or respite. Ponyville was utterly devastated around them all.

The billowing smoke could be seen for miles. Neighbouring towns witnessed the smoke from beyond and took it as a warning to pray for their loved ones in Ponyville.

Dark Plague smiled with gratification.

The girl’s glanced down on the tall cliffside. They stood in awe as all their old foes and frenamies had united against them. The enemies of harmony stood united, they had all been recruited by none than Dark Plague who was strangely distant. She refused to attack, refused to even fight. Perhaps she was merely a coward. The mysterious Dark Plague teleported away without a word. She held her head in pain as if she had a headache. Was there something wrong with her? Dark Plague quickly disappeared into the whit of black clouds that swirled above.

“Ya won’t get away with this!” Applejack shouted and gritted her teeth She charged like a head down like a bull towards Dark Plague and with one fair swoop she nearly grabbed the pony. Her assault was to no avail... Applejack charged straight off the cliff and tumbled right off the edge when Dark Plague teleported away. She slid down the steep cliff and splayed her hooves forward to take the brunt of the friction and soften the fall.

“Let’s go,” Pinkie Pie said seriously and was the next to slide down the cliff. Pinkie Pie was closely followed by the others, all except for Fluttershy with her injured hoof simply fluttered gently down in Ponyville.

“Split up and stop as many as you can,” Twilight commanded and looked all around frantically. Ponyville was being destroyed by the enemies of harmony and now they had to stop them. They had to face their enemies one last time. The bad news was they had to stop them all at the same time. The only good news in this bleak scene was that they were only attacking the town of Ponyville. But once they’ve levelled the town, one can only wonder where they would strike next...

Canterlot: golden and glamorous. The walls of the city surrounded by a battery of battlements; a wall also separated the royal castle from the main city below. At each section of the city was set a series of ivory spires the tops of which were like golden flames.

Rainbow Dash flew down into the castle and landed with a stumble on a balcony She galloped through into the furnished royal chambers without delay. It was brightly lit, but the castle was utterly empty. Her ears rang from the silence, she bit her lower lip and kept glancing behind her back.

“Princess Celestia, Princess Celestia?!” She shouted but nopony replied, neither princess sat in the throne. “She’s gone...” Rainbow Dash’s voice croaked as she spoke to herself. Instead of Celestia sat in the throne was the quaint blue chest which contained the Elements of Harmony. A trap? Rainbow Dash thought, she approched slowly and found a small note attached to the little chest. It simply reads:

It was nice to know they had the support of the princess... Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. Why was Princess Celestia never here when they used the Elements? She thought and quickly besieged the Elements of Harmony and placed all the jewels on herself, four snapped around her ankles, one around her neck, and the crown she placed on her head. She could bear the weight. She flapped her wings without delay until a faint chuckle subdued her by making her freeze on the pot. It was the same laugh she heard in the thunderclouds, before she was struck by lightning.

“Rainbow Dash...” it whispered.

“Discord! Where are you?” Rainbow Dash said and stood in a defensive position.

“I’m not afraid of you anymore,” she said without a hint of fear. She analysed the four corners of the room but the royal chambers were empty. Only the voice of anarchy filled the hall.

“Neheheha, it seems you’ve got yourself into trouble yet again. My, my, my...” Smoke filled the royal palace which dimmed all eyesight. With a large display of magical colours and disco lights Discord hovered out of the smoke. He did a twirl before bowing infront Rainbow Dash, when he looked back up he had a smug grin.

“You should see the look on your face. Ha.” Discord burst into mischievous laughter. It’s at this moment Discord decided to lighten up. He clicked his fingers and a beach deck chair with a striped umbrella magically appeared in the hall. He sighed, sat with a pair of sunglasses on and decided to lecture the pony.

“Dark Plague released you as well?” Rainbow Dash questioned. Was Discord working for her as well. What made Dark Plague so special?

“Ha, 'Dark Plague'. She gave herself that name you know? She's really called the Greymare, the only artificial life in Equestria. Dark Plague enjoyed my... entertainment and chose to release me. I do say it is a blast to watch you all,” he said when his brilliant crimson and light yellow eyes brimmed into an impish scowl. Of course all this was all just a game to him. He clicked his fingers again and without delay all the doors in the royal castle slammed and sealed shut one after the other…

It's a trap! Rainbow Dash was cornered. Discord waved one of his maladroit fingers and tuts thrice. She knew the spirit of chaos, she knew his tricks and wasn’t going to fall for them again. He was going to try and get her to be disloyal to her friends; by stopping her from leaving with the Elements.

“Ah, but I see you already have your precious Elements; ooohh how we laughed and cried over the many adventures we had with them. How many years has it been since we last met?" Discord snapped his finger and a giant fob watch appeared, it ticked around until it stopped on 'VII'. Discord winced at the device.

"Seven years, has it really been that long? The amount of times I've been placed in stone only to be released and redeemed time and time again, urg, the horror! Time is too slow for my liking, I should speed it up sometime, how does forty-eight frames per second sound?" Discord said and sipped some milk from a coconut etched with a wicked pumpkin smile.

“Stop stalling, Discord!” Rainbow Dash shouted and backed away until her back met with the wall. She looked for a way out of the trap.

“I just want to have some fun, is all. Have I ever really harmed anypony?" Discord said with puppy-dog eyes. "That's why I'm up here, and not down there in Ponyville with all the rest." He pointed down. "I just wanted you to know that I won’t be sticking around to see the fireworks this time. Oh no... I've suffered from too many defeats with you over the years that I've almost strained my beard.” Discord spoke and placed the coconut down. Then he made a pyramid shape with his maladroit fingers and tapped them together lightly.

“When you dash around and save the day, I’ll be gone from here; out of your way.”

Discord recited an arrivederci and sat back into the deck-chair. Does this means he isn’t in league with Dark Plague and the others?

Rainbow Dash couldn’t care what happened to the draconequus, he had his own ulterior motive: to cause utter anarchy. She had to get out of here and fast. She had to be loyal to her friends, they were depending on her to recharge the Elements so Ponyville won’t be utterly destroyed.

In a rash move, she found her escape. She closed her eyes, flapped her wings at full pelt and held her hoof out in front of her face. She headed straight for one of the stained glass windows...

The window shattered with a clash, colourful but equally sharp glass shards flew out into the open air before they descended below. Flying straight through the stained glass window, the pegasus hissed in pain as glass shards penetrated her body. One such shard had stabbed her directly under her eye, drawing blood around her eye. Slight blood trickled from her deadening wound, it was painful but not unbearable. For a brief moment she lost the wind under her wings as she bursts through.

“Whoa,” she said in panic and quickly extended her wings to catch the wind again. She brushed her face off of any glass and zoomed off away from the castle with all six Elements on her, leaving the chuckling Discord behind. The devious Discord always has a plan somewhere, so why did he just let her go? Discord never made any sense, perhaps he was just toying with he and not causing trouble just so he can escape later. For now she had given him the slip. She had done it. It was still up to her, she had to continue onwards. She gained the wind under her wings once more and threw a glance over to the south. The smoke that curled up from Ponyville could be seen for miles around.

Ponyville was burning.

Ponyville was once a small beautiful and fruitful land beloved by its inhabitants. Now it was a battlefield for the enemies of harmony and the six best friends that tried to defeat them...

Rarity ran headstrong through the haze. Her charge shortened when she embarrassingly tripped over a stone and fell down into a makeshift hole.

“Ewww. Why did it have to be dirt?” Rarity brushed herself off. It was increasingly obvious that this was the work of the Diamond Dogs leaders. Amidst the chaos, they had used their expertise and hurriedly dug a series of tunnels mixed with stone. But why? What was underneath Ponyville? Rarity decided to follow the tunnels, she took utmost care not to trot in any muddy puddles or brush up against the dirty tunnel walls.

“Hurry, hurry, we must finds it,” Spot said and could be heard snickering in the tunnels below. Rarity never thought she would have to face such beasts again. When ponynapped by these creatures she remembered being kept as a slave to dig and carry gemstones about their crafty tunnels. They were unintelligent enough, perhaps she could outsmart them again. Although surely they wouldn’t fall for the same trick twice?

Her entrance was both flawless and silent. The Diamond Dogs had discovered a crystal cavern beneath Ponyville. The Dogs hadn’t noticed her, even with their acute hearing. Preoccupied, they dug at the far end of the cavern wall. Nopony knew why these creatures dug for such gems, perhaps they ate them as dragons did, or perhaps they were too unintelligent to know their true purpose. All along the cavern wall were many loose crystals which glittered. Rarity – blinded by their beauty – immediately fell in love with them as they reflected in the whites of her eyes. But something else caught the white unicorns’ eye...

Fluttershy had been captured and tied to a minecart. Those monsters had captured Fluttershy. She had already been injured from Dark Plague’s attack. Now her wound had reopened as the tight iron shackles around her hooves. Rarity thought her pain must simply be unbearable. Fluttershy panted irregularly while she pulled the mine cart with her head hung low.

Rarity looked at her friend and then back at the gorgeous... beautiful... gemsto— No! In that instance she made the decision that Fluttershy was more important than a load of inanimate gems. Using the element of generosity Rarity decided to give the Dogs what they want. She hastily casted a weak magic spell to loosen all the crystals. The crystal silently popped out of the wall behind the dogs, and Rarity levitated several of them behind them. As soon as they stepped back...

“Ow, ow, owwie,” the Diamond Dogs groaned and waved their arms. Several of the crystals had spiked their back paws. Another crystal relentlessly struck them upon the noggin’. They tried to fling them away while at the same time they held their heads in pain. While hidden behind a large boulder, Rarity flung the crystals out of the cavern and up the tunnel passage. The Diamond Dogs in their greed chased after them, in their unintelligence failed to realise they had just left their prisoner unattended.

“Ha, take that you ruffians!” Rarity shouted triumphantly out of earshot of the pursuing dogs.

As the Diamond Dogs ran off with a snarl and signalled for the other guards to follow them out. They whimpered loudly as they chased after the gemstones through the tunnels. In their panic to chase their stolen goods, Fido kicked over one of the wooden beams which held up the makeshift cave in vengeance. The piece of wood leaned and fell to hit the next like a lane of dominoes. It triggered a chain reaction across the entire tunnel.

The ground shook violently underhoof. The whole cave rumbled and it collapsed around them. Huge piles of dirt descend from above, the wooden beams snapped under the pressure to send splinters in all directions. Rarity ran across the cavern and avoided the boulders of rock which crashed down from above. She lost her balance several times as she rushed to her friends’ aid.

“Oh Rarity you saved... me?” Fluttershy spoke softly; she nearly believed Rarity was going to choose the gorgeous gemstones over herself.

“Of course I did, you’re my best friend. No amount of gems can come close to our friendship. Now stand back!” the chain snapped with a magical explosion that echoed endlessly across the dirt-filled tunnels. Rarity unclipped her friend from the burnt iron shackles. Then the two friends made a mad dash toward the escape of the grimy tunnels. Were they going to make it? Explosions of dust threw up into their faces making it impossible to run. Even with the painful dust in the corners of their eyes they kept going. Their scalps pricked with the sweat of fear, it always came when they had to run. Run for their lives. They gasped for breath as the cave walls enclosed on all sides. It wasn't that much further—

Their lungs filled by the cool night air just as they dived on the ground. The cave collapsed behind them and exploded dust thirty feet into the air. The cavern had enclosed and sealed the crystals away in a wisp of smoke and rubble.

Twilight ran across the burning streets and old alleyways. Her ears continued to pick up on the panicked screams and sounds of destruction. It’s only then she encountered a blue-coloured unicorn pony. She wore a pointed hat dotted with gold n’ silver stars and a cape to match...

“Trixie? What are you doing here?” Twilight said flabbergasted by the sudden encounter.

“Ah Twilight, you’ve remembered my face as I suspected you would. Trixie has come to amaze ponies with my splendorous magic. I assure you, this is no jest, I have improved much since we last met, such is the way of the great and powerful Trixie!” Trixie snapped with a confident grin. She held her head up high because she was above the simple commoners.

Twilight rolled her eyes.

Trixie’s horn soon flashed aquamarine and absorbed arcane energies. When enough energy built she flicked her horn forward. An orb of magic zoomed forward at Twilight, she dived out of the way and landed into the dirt. The magic orb zapped overhead and exploded into fireworks and firecrackers. The magic completely destroyed a nearby market stall, the wood torn asunder.

“You are ignorant to challenge my magical ability,” Trixie said snidely.

Twilight got up on all four hooves, and grunted in disgust. Trixie was really trying to harm her. Was this the day she took takes Trixie seriously? She wasted no time and retaliated by casting a seemingly harmless anthropomorphic spell. The felt the magic flow through her and used it to make a simple rope nearby come alive. The rope acted independently but adhered to her every command as it silently and tightly coiled itself around Trixie. She didn’t want to harm Trixie.

Trixie struggled enough to break the rope off her...

“You will have to try better than that to stop the great and all powerful Trixie," she said and discarded the rope as the two rivals encircled each other.

“Why are you doing this Trixie, I thought we had a truce?” Twilight said with a hint of confusion.

“Try object humiliation,” Trixie snarled in reply. Was the Ursa Minor incident something Trixie had yet to forgive and forget?

It’s at that moment Twilight saw that Trixie’s eyes were green. Certainly not their natural colour. Could she be a changeling in disguise? Even if she was a changeling they wouldn't be an egomaniac like her.

“No. Trixie will salvage her career. For this day, will be known as the day I vanquished Twilight Sparkle. I will be the greatest equine that ev—”

Heat consumed their faces. A sudden explosion blasted through a nearby cottage and swept both ponies off her hooves. Trixie became engulthed in fire which burnt her fur; her hat was flown from her head revealing her white mane and horn. Her body swirled through the air and her unresponsive limbs crunched as she collided with the ground face first. The cottage which exploded now creaked above her; it loomed above her ready to crush her motionless body.

Half of Twilight's face was burnt, her fur black and bruised by the tearing explosion. In a torrent of pain she pointed her horn down to cast a spell, as her horn glowed bright the spell continued to grow in power. She used her magic hold the entire house up. Splinters and slabs of wood fell around Twilight. She gritted her teeth, sweat dropping from her brow.

“Get out... of the... way...” Twilight groaned behind her gritting teeth. Indubiously concentrating. Trixie lifted up her aching head her eyes see Twilight fighting to save her life. With a loud yelp Trixie dived out of the way just as Twilight’s magic failed and the house fell collapsing into a heap between them. Ruined furniture and other debris spat out from the house and spilt out from the wreckage amongst other parts. Now it was only a heap of wooden rubble and destruction filled with pointed and jagged wooden planks.

On one side, all Trixie could see were a series of blurs, her eyes had gone from brilliant green back to their usual violet colour. It was like waking from a dream, made evident by her sudden realisation of the chaos around her. Trixie stopped still, the shock from the collapsing house must have snapped her into reality.

“Where am I? What is—” She said and glanced down at her shaking hooves and wondered how much pain she could’ve caused; she placed them down and propped herself up.

“T-this... d-doesn't count towards anything... I was possessed. You haven’t seen t-the last of Trixie,” she said while spinning around in a daze. Her defeat had done nothing to quell her gloating. Her hooves wobbled as she gradually recalled all that had happened in the past few hours. Covered and in scratches and scars and paralyzed in pain, her head throbbed. She picked up her hat of silver and gold stars and planted it firmly on her head with a slight twist. With one final quick flick of her horn, she summoned a smokescreen and fled in desperation and possibly... regret.

On the other side of the wrecked cottage Twilight coughed as she inhaled the black smoke that layered Ponyville with dread. Worn from using so much magic. She had just saved Trixie life and that's the thanks she got? Then again if the cottage hadn’t exploded she would’ve had to fight. She whimpered under her breath, it was over now. She limped forward and glanced skyward. Whether it be day or night, she couldn't tell as the smoke had layered the town in a haze so strong the sky itself could no longer be seen. As she glanced skyward the rain slowed, the last few gentle droplets splashed her face.

She muttered into the air with great concern...

“Where are you Rainbow Dash?”

“C’mon you... and you, get some!” Pinkie Pie shouted as she threw a series of colourful cupcakes through the air at a pack of Timberwolves on the prowl. She was stood defending Sugarcube Corner, or at least she was trying. With an arm of hoarded cupcakes she flung them at the Timberwolves in aid of trying to stop them. It was such a waste of perfectly baked cupcakes: the cup of flour, the teaspoon of vanilla... all the ingredients only served to anger the wolves as the treats exploded on their bark-like skin. They were unharmed.

But it’s too no wonder how these creatures remained in the Everfree Forest unseen for all these years. Their skin blends in with the trees, their eyebrows which looked like leaves lower as the beasts all scowled. With hungry grins their yellowish eyes gleamed in the dark haze. Slowly the wolves turned to face her and growled as they were completely covered in sponge and icing...

“Uh oh. Mr and Mrs. Cake, I’m out of ammo. We need more cupcaaaakes!” Pinkie shouted and hoped those hiding inside would help. She bashed on the door to Sugarcube Corner but to no avail. The Timberwolves darted upon their paws, ready to feed. Pinkie Pie screamed and flung herself down the streets. The haze of ash across the entire town inpeded her eyesight, but Pinkie Pie had little concern in the direction she ran when galloping for her life. Her hooves shook when backed into a shadowed alley where a lamp-post above flickered with broken light. The wolves had cleverly hounded her right down into an alley. She turned and slowly stepped backwards, the darkness did nothing to quell her fear. The Timberwolves slowly and tauntingly padded around the corner with drool that dangled from their mouths. Their bark-like skin creaked as the flickering flames fell upon it. Pinkie backed away until her back met with the wall. She was about to be eaten alive.

Pinkie Pie twitched, then shook and wobbled like jelly. Her pinkie sense was tingling.

“Ah... twitchy tail, twitchy tail! Twitcha-twitch!” Pinkie gasped loudly, what does twitchy tail mean again?

Her ears flopped down, her eyes widened. She looked up at the thunderous roaring sky and thought: was this it? All those many things she never got to do, she never even got to see Pound and Pumpkin cake grow up. Pinkie Pie hastily braced herself to be eaten and covered her face with her pink hoof.

The Timberwolves dived forward with their mouths gaped open. Then a hefty chunk of rubble broke off from a nearby cottage above. The rubble landed directly on top of Timberwolves and crushed them in a tremendous puff of smoke and eruption of noise.

Pinkie Pie coughed then opened her eyes with a chirpy smile.

“Ooohh, that’s right, twitchy tail means stuff’s going to start falling. Just a twitch here and there and it should come all truie-dewie!” Pinkie Pie innocent giggled and bounced out of the alleyway. She had survived another encounter because her pinkie sense never failed.

With a trusty lasso within her mouth, Applejack charged through the streets of Ponyville. Her eyes sparkled as she chased after a group of Timberwolves which in turn, hungrily chased an innocent filly.

“Hey!” Applejack shouted and spat the lasso by her side with a smirk. “Why don’t y'all pick on somepony yer own size?” The wolves ears all pricked upward as they turn in attention towards the earth pony. Applejack stood bravely against the group of ten Timberwolves. She had rounded up hundreds of animals before; surely these wolves were no different.

“Granny Smith might be scared of ya’. But am’ not." Applejack suddenly grabbed the lasso in her mouth and swung it around. The Timberwolves rushed toward her, their open mouths revealed their sharp teeth. They jumped forwards towards Applejack. She fearlessly slid out of the way and into the dirt. She had avoided the wolves. She quickly picked herself up, swung the lasso ‘round and flung it out. It skillfully wrapped around the beasts. Then it was a simple case of tugging on the rope hard enough to drag both the lasso and the beasts together.

“Yee-haw— uh oh,” Applejack said. She was too soon to celebrate as the Timberwolves were hardly fazed and gnarled at the lasso. Applejack knew if they escaped, Ponyville would be put in peril again. Applejack quickly stomped her hooves and raged like a bull and charges towards the group and rolled them like a ball through Ponyville until they descend down a steep hill. They rolled right out of Ponyville like a wrecking ball with a final defeated yelp.

“An’ don’t come back,” She cheered—

“Goooo Applejack!” a gleeful pony said and jumped up from nowhere.

“Cricket’s an’ jam, Pinkie Pie! Where’d you come from?” Applejack said as she jumped off her hooves, fur on edge.

“I came from my mother and father, who came from their mother and father, oh... who came from their mother and father!” Pinkie Pie went on indefinitely.

“That’s not what ah meant...” Applejack rolled her eyes.

“Roll-up... roll-up everypony for your doom!” Flam said in a sales pony tone of voice. He twitched his moustache and ran a spare hoof through his moderate red hair. The brothers were snakes whom tricked and conned money from the heartfelt ponies of Equestria. They were the epitome of satire. Flim and Flam rode on the top of the Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000, leisurely hung on by one hoof each. The brothers were nearly identical except for their bacon hair and the fact one had a moustache.

Their iron monster, clad in crimson armour, had a pointed plow attached to the front, forged from a single piece of corrugated iron as opposed to weaker versions where the blade and shank may only be wielded together. Once used to harvest in farms the plow now protected the vehicle from frontal attacks.

Ponies hid anywhere they could when the vehicle rolled past, taking upmost care not to fall into the brothers line of sight.

“Come and take a sneak-peak at some of our delectable cider bombs young fillies’ nonpareil,” Flim said, his eyes flashed greener than usual. Their automated contraption modified to create sordid cider bombs with each one encased in a plastic wrap. Six golden funnels modified to fit on the side of the machine shot out the bombs.

As their vehicle gently strolled through into a large open field covered in muddy puddles from the torrents of rain, Flim noticed a pony that had ran them out of Ponyville before: Applejack. She was stood joint in the distance with Pinkie Pie. Flim grinned deviously and lined up one of the trumpet extensions of the machine. He pointed it towards the nearby Applejack. The machine fired with a bang.

“Uff,” Applejack groaned in pain. She was unexpectedly knocked off her hooves as the bomb exploded on her. She tumbled across the ground and her limbs flailed. She splashed into a muddy puddle. Applejack held her hooves out to either side, they dripped with mud, covered in the rancid smelling sticky cider. The bombs themselves were harmless other than their velocity, though that didn't stop them from destroying the homes that everypony had worked so hard to establish.

“Well gosh darn it, that does it!” Applejack uttered, her words gritted from betwixt her teeth. She picked up her hat out of the mud and planted it firmly upon her head with a determined face. She never thought she’d have to face these crooks again. She turned to face her old rivals just as a familiar voice pierced the air.

“Pinkie Pie, Applejack, we need to work together,” Rarity quickly called alongside with Fluttershy who cowered by her side. Relieved to see her friends alive the four friends charged toward each other across the field. Rarity took extra care to avoid the mud puddles that covered the field as she ran. The ponies were in near touching distance until a huge explosion erupted between them, it made every pony screech to a halt.

“Let’s show these ponies the true power of the Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000.” The Flim Flam brothers said in unity. The four friends stood defensively ready for a fight. The vehicle slowly and threateningly turned in their direction, like a creature circling to face its prey.

Flim and Flam pointed their hooves forward in sync, the machine fired.

Each shot sounded akin to cannon fire as the assortment of bombs fired towards the four friends. They ducked, dodged and dived out of the way of the barrage of bombs. Each cider bomb exploded into soggy musk upon impact much to the dismay of everypony, especially Rarity. The four friends dived behind some barrels for cover in a dark alleyway...

“Good grief what is that infernal stench,” Rarity rambled and then realised it was Applejack who was still completely covered in sticky cider. “Oh... sorry.”

“Well y’all, what now? We ain’ safe ‘ere,” Applejack said, everypony knew hiding behind them wouldn’t provide much more shelter for long. "Flim and Flam are obviously back to their old business of running ponies and families out of Ponyville," Applejack said with a peak over a barrel. Why are they drawing ponies out of Ponyville? Applejack thought.

Pinkie Pie's eye gleamed with an idea when she noticed a discarded old skateboard that lay in the midst of the alleyway.

“I know, I know!” Pinkie Pie said and gleamed with ideas, she craftily glanced over the brownish barrels with her eyebrows down. She glanced side to side, before she sneakily planned something. The ponies then gathered together slyly as Pinkie whispered to them her most insane plan yet.

“Go!” Pinkie Pie shouted and as the four friends dived from behind the barrels. A bomb shot straight through the barrels and shattered them into splinters, the hoop rivets of the barrels spin across the ground.

“Hey, o'er here ya big luggin's,” Applejack said in her most tentative tone of voice. She ran across the open field as another round of bombs were shot, each one exploded on the ground. Applejack stylishly out manoeuvres them she dashed from left to right as the bombs continued to fall.

Suddenly, Flam pulled out a bazooka wired into their vehicle. "Introducing... The Flim Flam Brothers Super Cider Shooter Slider 6000," he and before aiming it right at them.

“Well ain't that a mouthful,” Applejack replied and rolled her eyes.

Flam shot the bazooka which exploded with white smoke as bombs were shot from it. The device then slid back open to reload.

With the brothers distracted, Fluttershy silently flew over to the vehicle and descended gracefully from above. Scorching hot steam erupted from the top of the chimney connected to the machine.

“May I borrow this please?” Fluttershy quietly asked with a gentle smile. She shyly grabbed a nozzle and pulled it from the machine.

“Absolutely not!” Flim shouted in distaste. He wasn’t going to let these ponies defeat them again. The twin brothers climbed up to the top of their machine and tried to grab Fluttershy who hovers above.

“Oops. Too slow,” Fluttershy teased and flew out of reach.

Meanwhile the Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000 spun out of control. The wheels violently screeched across the grass and caused white plumes of smoke to rise up.

Then another sound of wheels ensued. Pinkie Pie, who had borrowed the striped skateboard she saw, rolled across the battlefield. A yellow helmet upon her head she was laid on her stomach with a determined face. She adroitly swerved through the steady barrage of bombs, she darted left and then right! The bomb exploded around her. She had timed it perfectly and she swivelled around to lay her back as the skateboard skillfully rolled to a halt underneath the vehicle.

“Right then! Just rearrange this, and pull this out, yes!” Pinkie Pie grumbled to herself she was quite the engineer and she gradually dismantled the vehicle removing the more important parts of the machine.

As Pinkie Pie discarded the metal shrapnel over her right shoulder. Rarity stood in defensive position. She was the last part of the plan and if she failed, they all failed. Her horn glowed with magical arcane energies that gathered around her horn.

“C’mon Rarity... you can do this...” she said to herself. She stood still and waited for a bomb to hurtle through the air. Aimed at her. Rarity took a deep breath, she was not a specially gifted unicorn like Twilight’s but nevertheless she conjured everything she had. The bomb came right in front of her face and then it came to a levitated halt. She had cast enough energy and grabbed the bomb in midair.

“Phew,” Rarity exhaled. She watched the liquid inside the bomb pulsating. The vehicle spun out of a control in the distance, she had to aim it precisely right. She fired... The bomb hurtled through the air, wedged inside one of the funnel extensions and blocked the nozzle.

All four of the friends leapt away from the machine as the cider bomb wedged in the funnel exploded inside the machine. Sordid liquid got caught in the machines mechanical guts. Sparks of electricity jolted through the machine as it wheezed faster and faster. The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy spitted and spat violently, the wheels of the machine then all collapsed to one side.

"Everypony get down!" Applejack shouted as she hit the deck. The machine was going to blow. Flim and Flam turned to look at each other worried.

“Well, we should take this opportunity... to ruuuun,” Flam suggested with a flair of panic as the two brothers dived from the machine.

A fiery explosion spread heat, everything on the machine burnt, the blast wave sent metal shrapnel that flung in all directions that pierced the flesh of its victims. Then everything went orange. The fire could be felt against their fur even from a distance away. Then, the deafening explosion rang in every ponies’ ears with painful noise. The smoldered smoking parts of the vehicle landed close by like small comets, they bounced steadily across the grass. The blast shook several residents’ homes. Now the smouldering fireball lit up the sky. Flames as high as two-hundred feet plumed into the air.

The golden Elements of Harmony were still dim and grey, their power had been lost. Each element encrusted with a different gemstones carefully attuned to the element type of its wielder. Rainbow Dash flew through the sky with all six artefacts placed upon her body. She felt strange when carrying the most powerful magic known to ponies all for herself. She couldn’t use them all. She was only her own. Rainbow Dash was on route to Ponyville, or what was left of it. A fair rainbow streamed behind her. She flew low underneath the storm clouds this time and even lower than the trees. She took heed not to make the same mistake. The rain had stopped in her absence but her goggles were still affixed firmly upon her eyes that glinted with anticipation. Nothing could stop her now as she followed the smoke trails back home. She descended down toward the town.

“Hey Dash,” a hoarse voice said and rang in her ears. A voice that was strongly arrogant. Rainbow Dash stopped in midair with a jolt and looked slowly over her shoulder to see Gilda the Griffon. The air went deathly still and silent as they encountered each other again.

“Gilda? What are you doing here?” Rainbow Dash said anxiously. Within a moment she put as much distance between her and her ex-friend as possible.

“Tsh, destroying loserville of course,” Gilda snidely replied, “so just stay outta our way.” Gilda pointed her sharp golden finger upon her ex-friends chest. The griffon felt like she owned the skies and she didn’t concern herself with the ponies she had hurt. Her thirst for vengeance was unquenchable.

“Knock it off Gilda! We were once friends.”

“Not anymore,” Gilda threatened, her anger was one of her more ambitious traits.

Rainbow Dash winced, it was just as she feared; any shred of their friendship that remained had being torn apart.

“You’re boring me to death already, so let’s liven up the skies,” Gilda said, reared-up and spread her massive wings outward. A lightning bolt struck behind the griffon making her seem more terrifying than ever.

Without a single word of regret she charged towards and bashed into Rainbow Dash. The griffons shoulder crunched into the ponies abdomen. Rainbow Dash plummeted through the air, her world spun around until she found the wind under wings and hovered. Now she had the higher ground. Could she fight a griffon nearly twice her own size? Perhaps it’s not the physical size she was really worried about, but the emotional conflict of fighting her ex-friend. How could they have been so many moments — which warmed their hearts as friends — for them to end up like this? All those moments of happiness now fleet from her heart. She couldn’t, no... she didn’t want to fight. Perhaps she had no choice.

A surge of lightning shot at the very moment the two rivals flew at eachother, one with hatred and the other with regret. They collided into each other and gripped to each others fur before they spiralled through the air. They flew skyward and into the black clouds. Gilda threw a punch but in their close proximity it was no use. So the griffon played dirty and heartlessly kicked Dash in the abdomen. The two figures separated. The kick had winded Dash and now. She shook off the pain and charged with a scream toward her enemy. The pegasus was quick, she could easily dodge the griffons blows. In mid-flight Dash turned before kicking Gilda right in the face with her back hooves. This time it was Gilda’s time to spiral through the air.

“I didn’t want to have to do that.”

“Liar!” Gilda shouted, turned and then disappeared into the black storm clouds.

Surrounded on all sides by the storm, Rainbow Dash watched carefully the clouds which pulsated with thunder. At any moment and from anywhere Gilda emerge. Griffons had perfect low-light vision, so she could see in the dark clouds. Rainbow Dash was now at a disadvantage.

“Just like you lied to me about our friendship—”

With a thunderous explosion Gilda flew into Rainbow Dash and crashed into her, crunching their bones with the blow from the massive griffon. The griffon disappeared into the clouds again...

“Just like you chose that lame-o ‘stinky pie’ over me—”

Another blow from the beyond clouds. This one much more merciless. Her skin had bruised and she was now covered in scuffs and scratches. With this blow, the Elements of Harmony slipped from her body, they slipped from her hooves and her head. They descend one by one and disappeared into the black clouds below.

Gilda growled like a feral beast and exploded out of a set of clouds. Her sharpened claws honed to kill. She swiped the claws at her ex-friend. Dashie’s ear perked up and she quickly ducked underneath the griffon swipe. She wanted to explain the truth: that she treated all her friends equally but she knew Gilda was too delusional in her rage. So instead Dash turned to fly downward through the canopy of clouds to try and catch the Element's that descended below.

“Almost... got... them...” The wind bashed against Rainbow Dash's face and fur. She stretched far. She had nearly reached the Elements until a golden claw grasped her tail and pulled her back through air. Rainbow Dash can only watch the magical artefacts fell even lower.

They came to a rest on a safe grey cloud. Here she breathed heavily and took a briefs moment respite. She stood nearly ready to collapse. Gilda looked unharmed but both of them panted heavily as the standoff continued. They saw the hate that burnt in their eyes. One question remained, could either one slay the other?

Rainbow Dash snapped the goggles from her face and threw them to one side. Gilda roared loudly and stood up on her hind legs lifting herself upward. A huge lightning bolt erupted behind her as she does. She smashed her front paws down but Dash rolled to one side. All the more time Dash was here the Elements were falling further and Ponyville remained in dire peril. It had to be now.

Rainbow Dash closed her eyes. She remembered all she learned from flight camp...

Then she grabbed Gilda ‘round the stomach to make the griffon choke. Dash then flew them both higher and higher. They exploded up beyond the canopy of thunderous clouds. Gilda struggled, but she had the perfect grip upon her ex-friend.

They flew beyond the sky. Until they were straddling the stratosphere and arrived into the boundless space above.

The air was empty and silence consumed all. The temperature plummeted to freezing. Rainbow Dash let go of Gilda and they floated weightlessly away. Her eyes pried open. Equestria in all its might was laid out before her. A truly beautiful sight especially since the sun was setting; its bathing light glistened upon the world. It was peaceful. Much different to actual flight, for even in flight you still felt the weight of your limbs. The air was cold and thin, thin enough to become unconscious, but she held. There was just enough air to hover, and just enough to barely breath. The cold embrace of space filled her lungs with each breath, it chilled her innards. When her mind adapted to the orientation and lack of gravity, Dash adjusted herself and revolved to face upright...

“Well... that was... pointless,” Gilda said, her voice was muffled. The stratosphere was less dense and made sounds propagate less, mainly from the lack of particles and water vapour in the air.

“You’re so consumed with looking cool that you forgot one thing Gilda. You should have learnt this in junior speeders flight camp: Griffons can’t fly this high up,” Rainbow Dash said and pointed a hoof upward.

Gilda’s eyes suddenly widened as she tried to flap her enormous wings, but to no avail. She descended in the air, back to Equestria. The air was too thin for the massive girth of her wings. The larger the wingspan, the more air needed to fly.

“No! Dash, help me...” Gilda slowly descended, she desperately tried to catch the air under wing and desperately begged for help, but there was none. Rainbow Dash turned away, she wasn’t going to help. The more Gilda descended the more gravity pulled her down, until she was caught in its grip. Surely the uncontrollability and speed of the fall would kill her.

The arrogance faded in Gilda and for the first time she felt true fear. She felt it burning in her chest even in the cold embrace of space. It was in that one moment she realised the folly of her actions.

Then she lost control...

“Ahhhhhhh!” Her scream was loud. Unable to get her wings to hover on the thin air she spiralled downward. Her limbs flailed violently as did her wings. She disappeared into the canopy of the black thunderous clouds. The clouds erupted in a flurry of dangerous lightning and thunderous explosions. Gilda’s skeleton appeared as a silhouette in the blackness of the clouds. She was getting fatefully shocked with thousands of life threatening volts...

Rainbow Dash couldn’t look. Her smile slowly died and despair ached in her heart. That was the end of Gilda the Griffon. All those heartfelt feelings, the pranks, the flight camp were now all just old memories. But even after everything the griffon had gone.

She still felt sad... she still forgave her.

“The Elements!” Rainbow Dash shouted with a gasp as she suddenly remembered them! She hastily turned downwards; she dived down to chase the artefacts. Her hooves out in front of her, she pushed the limits of speed and acceleration. Surely they must have reached the ground by now and they could be smashed to pieces or utterly destroyed. She burst through the storm clouds and spotted the Elements of Harmony, they were still falling! The jet stream of wind blew against her face; her eyes squinted to protect themselves. Got them! She grabbed all six Element's in one fell swoop and swivelled around on her back as she does. She cradled the Elements as their importance came first, but instead of flying, she was now falling backwards. She gritted her teeth for impact.

An explosive shockwave erupted outwards and the ground shuddered as she crashed straight into the ground. With a flash of light, a rainbow nuke exploded outward into a mushroom cloud. The dazzling display of colour and power erupted. It wasn't unbearably hot, the rainbow was mildly warm, like a soft embrace. That did nothing for the surrounding were a however which was now littered with a giant smouldering crater.

“Uargh...” Rainbow Dash groaned and emerged from the smoking crater, grateful to be alive. Covered in bruises, scuffs and scrapes, she rolled out of the crater. Her loyalty knew no bounds. The Elements of Harmony were safe.

Dark Plague's eyes narrowed, encircled by a row of angry voices stood in a clearing on the outskirts of Ponyville.

"You all wanted revenge... didn't you?" Dark Plague said and looked in fear, threatened by their angry voices.

“No, you’re wrong. We never wanted to harm anypony and we never did until you came along. You manipulated us, possessed us and coaxed us into committing crimes,” Flim fretted. The explosion of the Super Speedy Cider Squeezy had covered both the brothers in bruises.

“Any damage we caused was against out own actions. We still follow Celestia’s own law. You promised we could make Ponyville into the biggest apple orchard in Equestria,” Flam said with a hoof stomp. The twins too had been possessed however nopony had noticed as the brothers already have green eyes.

“How dare you make the great and powerful Trixie do something against her will. To think I was nearly bested by a group of those hideous Timberwolves you released,” Trixie said.

“This is what you wants not what we wants. We wants crystals, not this. Cruel pony hurts us. Cruel pony lies to us,” Spot said with an angry glare. He was stood alongside the other Diamond Dog leaders, Rover and Spot. Suddenly Spot lashed out at the unicorn and scratched her right across the nose. Dark Plague snarled and moved her head away... when she looked up again clear red blood trickled down her nose.

“See... she bleeds as we do. If we stand together we can beats her.” Spot stepped forward.

“You really shouldn’t have done that...” Dark Plague said and scrunched up her nose from the pain. Twilight and her friends had defeated everyone she had amassed. She had failed... but only because they could not fulfil their duties.

“You’re all useless!” Dark Plague shouted and silenced all the protests. Her horn glowed with green arcane energies. She flicked her horn upward. The six that surrounded her suddenly levitated into the air simultaneously, each one of them glowed with a green aura. The magic left them floating in the air weightlessly.

"Arrrghh," Dark Plague screamed as she struggled to maintain them all in the air. Several drops of sweat slivered down her forehead.

"Put us down... you monster!" Flam retorted.

“What were any of you... b-before I came along? You have hurt ponies, yes, but this was n-never about revenge nor was it about harming anypony. This whole charade was about unearthing the ultimate darkness which lies beneath Ponyville... and you all failed.” Her green magic curled like a slippery snake and wrapped around each of their necks.
Dark Plague then let them go, to relieve herself of the struggle.

Each of their bodies fell got caught on the taut lasso's of magic. Their bodies grew tense, strangled by the green magic pulled taut around their frail necks. Their choked and gasped for breath. The Flim Flam brother’s flailed their hooves, the Diamond Dogs snarled as flem rose up in their mouths, Trixie held her neck trying desperately to pry the magic free. Their breath left their lungs until their muffled protests quietened. Their eyes were bloodshot with red as oxygen and blood was cut from their upper bodies.

Murderous intent in her eyes. Dark Plague glared as she watched every groan of pain and watched every sign of life fade from their bodies... she watched them carefully until they struggled no more.

For a brief moment they hang by their necks. Their bodies motionlessly swung...

Dark Plague’s head pounded. She felt... compassion? Until now she had only felt anger. Turmoiled with inner conflict she held her throbbing head. This wasn’t the first time this had happened. Her entire demeanour changed in that instant and she looked up to see the abstract of her anger through the horror of her own eyes.

Their bodies surrounded her, hung by their necks.

She quickly cancelled her own magic with a quick shake of her horn and immediately released them. As each victim fell to the ground they rolled on the floor motionlessly. None of them got back up, not Trixie, nor the Diamond Dogs, nor even Flim & Flam. Am I a murderer? She thought.

Then, they gasped for breath. Each one greedily guzzled the fresh equestrian air then only to choke once more from the suddenly inhalation. With no strength to raise their legs, they crawled along the floor. Their necks marked with choke bruises and their bodies bruised and bloodied. Nevertheless the mental scars were far worse than the physical. It took several moments for them all to recover from their asphyxiation.

"No... it is you who has failed," Rover said between the guzzles of breath.

“I... I...” Dark Plague stammered. Her heart ached with pain and hate billowed for herself and her own master.

“W-who are you working for?” Trixie snapped. “If it’s not any of us, and it’s not Discord, then it could only be... that grey fur... that green gleam in your eyes.”

She staggered forward. “I... can assure you all. I work for a ‘him’, not a ‘her’. Now, all of you... to the four corners of Equestria.” The magic lingered into a copious green mist. Each victim glowed with green magic once more. This magic was warmer and more delicate as opposed to the magic that nearly killed them before. After a few moments to build strength the teleportation spell unleashed itself. Green magic disposed of the enemies of harmony. With a quick flash their bodies vanish, all of them teleported athwart the furthest reaches of Equestria.

Ponyville had survived another vicious attack, the streets were no longer a battlefield... however the town had lost its luster. Things once beautiful now crumbled. Blocked by rubble, many of the streets were now inaccessible. Many cottages destroyed completely and those left to stand now creaked and crumbled.

Those injured were now under the care of Nurse Redheart in the hospital on the outskirts of town, which has now become a temporary shelter for those whom have lost their homes.

"Ohh... what would Nurse Sweetheart do if she were still here?" Nurse Redheart mumbled as she darted across the hospital, she tended to numerous injured ponies. Everypony hoping to be protected within the hospital walls. Each group of ponies inside the hospital cradled their families and their friends as they were all tallied for attendance.

The centre of Ponyville was now deserted. In front of the library Twilight and her friends gathered. After all their various ordeals, their bodies riddled with cuts and their eyebrows furrowed in pain. But despite their worst fears, they were all still alive.

“All the injured have safely made it to Nurse Redheart,” sweat covered Pinkie’s brow as she reported in with an army salute.

“And the Elements?” Twilight asked with worry.

“Right here,” Rainbow Dash replied and brushed through the others with all six Elements intact. She proceeded to dish out the artefacts. Twilight breathed a sigh of relief. The Elements made her feel safe. Perhaps now she could relax...

“How quaint. My own personal send-off,” a voice said piercing the air. Everypony drew their attention skyward. Dark Plague levitated down to join them. Her mane was messy, pale and sickly from the preceded battles. The cut across her nose from the Diamond Dog had done nothing to heighten her facial appearance.

With her arrival. Everypony stood defensively and glanced anxiously amongst each other. The Elements of Harmony were tightly held with their hooves.

“You have made yourselves more than a match for the enemies of harmony. But I cannot let you stop me!” Dark Plague shouted with a menacing grin, her scarred nose scrunched up once more. She didn’t hesitate for a moment, she used her horn with a simple flick. The surrounding area exploded into flairs of green magic, each bolt of magic struck at the ground around all six fillies. The magic built until – with a flair of light and eruption of sound – the lightning struck all six fillies simultaneously and flung them off their hooves. Their bodies cascaded across the ground. The Elements scattered, they clanged against the grass and bounced slightly before coming to a rest in the mud, separated from their counterparts.

“Without the Elements of Harmony you are useless. You are nothing without them!” Dark Plagues hissed as the lightning subsided. But she was in pain, her hooves visibility tensed. She tried desperately to not let the pain show. But her demeanour gave it away.

"It's all about the Elements with you. At first I wondered what you had against us using them... but now I understand," Twilight said. As everypony laid vulnerable on the ground she stood up, with wobbly hooves, and faced Dark Plague. "Not only are you made from our badness. But you have a connection with us also... each time we use the Elements of Harmony you feel that, don't you? It hurts you."

Dark Plague hissed.

"That's why you leaded us away from Ponyville to destroy it. That is why you never once struck us down when you had the chance. Because we're connected to the Elements... you share our pain," Twilight said.

Dark Plague could not deny it, Twilight was right. "You want pain, Twilight? I’ll show you pain," Dark Plague said as flick of green magic then enfolded around Twilight. It grabbed her and immobilised her. The magic entered her body through her eyes and nose.

“A-a-ahhhh!” Twilight growled in agony. Her head falls low, her teeth gritted from the pain, her body grows tense. The magic flowed inside her and burnt as it did. It flared up from her body like thin waves of flame. It was i if her very life force was being drained from the inside. Everypony propped themselves up only to be greeted by the frightening screams of Twilight.

Dark Plague also shared in Twilight’s pain. Both ponies grovelled in excruciating sharp pain.

“Make any move and Twilight Sparkle d-dies!” Dark Plague addressed the other friends, she tried to keep the agony from her voice, tried to keep weakness from showing.... but show it did. Dark Plague was having trouble containing this amount of magic and pain at the same time. The sheer amount brought sweat to the unicorns brow.

“Let her go you big meany," Pinkie Pie said, she edged her way forward in hopes of freeing Twilight.

“Are you willing to risk it? Are you willing to risk your friend’s life?” Dark Plague’s horn maliciously glowed even brighter. Deep inside Dark Plague knew if she killed Twilight, part of her would die as well. But she would never show them that, even if it meant harming herself, she still had five others keeping her alive. Murderous intent gleamed in her emerald eyes and showed the others that she wasn't bluffing, one flick from her horn could do it...

“She’s killing her!” Rarity shouted in distress, the fillies watched distressed as magic flowing inside Twilight caused her harm. They wished they could gallop forward to save her, but they can only stand. They hoped it would Dark Plague who buckled under the pain first. But they were powerless to do anything without risking Twilight's life.

Twilight remained standing but with her head hung low. Her mind filled with thoughts of failure, failure to stop Dark Plague, failure, to impress Princess Celestia, to the find the answers. What really mattered was the protection of Ponyville, she could die knowing she helped save her home, one last time.

Then Twilight's melancholy faded. This can’t be the end. Happy memories of herself and her friends, Princess Celestia and Spike filled her with renewed hope. If she could just withstand the pain a little more...

"Let her go, Greymare!" Rainbow Dash called out above all over noise.

Dark Plague's ears pricked up, her eyes softened. "How do you know that name?" she said vulnerably. Her magic weakened as she turned her head to face Rainbow Dash, distracted and haunted by her true name.

Suddenly a beam of Twilight's magic surpassed that of Dark Plague’s with a flash and a spark. Dark Plague somersaulted through the air and into the dirt with a crash. “G-guess I’m... not as strong as I thought,” Dark Plague said with a whimper.

But Dark Plague's green magic was still inside Twilight. “N-no...!” Twilight gritted her voice from betwixt her teeth. She wasn’t going to let it end like this. Twilight raised her head. The green magic could be seen flowing like snakes through her arteries and her skull — lit up like neon — could be seen underneath her fur and skin. Twilight remembered: she was the element of magic. She was stronger than this. Her magic grabbed the Elements of Harmony from the mud and levitated them to each of her friends who caught them. The element of magic levitated upon Twilight’s head and filled her with warm magic. The green magic released itself from Twilight’s body, her head was thrown backwards, her body shook with a shudder as the magic snaked out of her eyes and nose.

She was not uninjured from the ordeal either, her fur was singed, a burst blood vessel colours her left eye completely red. She could still feel a burning sensation inside her very veins.

"Discord told me you're really the Greymare," Rainbow Dash said as everypony surrounded Dark Plague.

Dark Plague stewed in the mud she looked up at them with a hint of jealousy. "I gave myself the name Dark Plague... it was my chance of being normal in Equestria, because let's face it... I'm not."

"But you can... you just have to choose to be," Twilight said as she limped forward.

“This is your last chance, Dark Plague. It doesn’t have to be like this. You're all of us put together, right? But what is stopping you from just walking away? Why do all this?"

"All I ever wanted... was a purpose," Dark Plague said in the mud.

Twilight looked at Dark Plague's flank... it was empty, the same as she saw in the ruined castle in the Everfree Forest. Twilight’s eyes softened when she said, "I understand now."

The thought had occurred to Twilight that Dark Plague could infact be Queen Chrysalis, only younger and more inexperienced. However they were two major flaws in her theory. First, Dark Plague had to be a changeling, and second, it was only possible if she added time travel to the equation. Her theory had yet to be proven wrong...

"I understand," Twilight repeated, "your master is just using you for your powers. So just stop, just think: 'what do you want?'”

I'm just being used? Dark Plague thought and staggered backwards. Was she alone in the magnitude of her spite? She had been using others to do her bidding but yet she was the one being used all along. She wasn’t big, or strong, she was just been used. She stood up out of the mud and looked at the surrounding ponies. She was them. Even some their flaws broke through into her personality: Applejack and her willingness to uphold her self-pride. Twilight Sparkle’s sense of failure, she had a sense of insanity from Pinkie Pie. The sense of perfection at any cost came from Rarity, Dark Plague even avoided the mud. The sense of fear from Fluttershy came through when Dark Plague felt fear from the pain. Lastly, she had the foolishness of Rainbow Dash, just like when Rainbow flew into a thunderstorm unprotected, Dark Plague was foolish enough to act before she thought things through.

Yet their eyes were so kind, unlike hers. They stared at her with concern rather than disgust or fear. They cared so much for their little town, and so much more for each other.

"You'll... just let me go? After all I've done?" Dark Plague said, now she questioned her own purpose. Inner conflict billowed inside her once again.

"You can't be serious. She ponynapped Applejack, attacked Fluttershy and destroyed Ponyville," Rainbow Dash complained.

"You might dislike her. Yet everypony has the will to be good inside of them," Twilight replied. Only a truly forgiving pony would let such a treacherous one walk free. Twilight pitied this unicorn, even now, and that's because she understood.

“Dark Plague... or the Greymare... is a vessel filled with the will of another. I don't believe she's really like this. Imagine if you were a filly and you had only been filled with taught destruction... you would be the same. She's a blank flank and she follows her master blindly because she wants to find her cutie mark, all she wants to do is to have a purpose. To fit in. But Dark Plague... you can fit in, you can make your own purpose other than that of destruction and hatred."

Dark Plague ignored them, instead she stood frozen. She thinks independently, possibly for the first time since her inception. All she has known in her short life was violence. All she has known was to follow orders. Infact she knew little about Equestria in its entirety. Now she could actually find her cutie mark. She could be free.

"I want freedo— AARGH!" Dark Plague abruptly growled in pain. A magical halo appeared around her head and shocked her head with bolts of lightning. For a brief second she felt true happiness. But now she held her temples in pain and her ears rang with a high pitched sound.

"I don't want this anymore!" Dark Plague screamed into the air. "I will not be used any longer!" Dark Plague screamed into the air. Dark Plague struggled as her absent master tightened his grip upon her.

"You can fight it. Just let go..." Twilight said. She looked around, but could see no sign of anypony trying to control her. Instead, Twilight had one last attempt are trying to save the unicorn: "I know it feels like you're not real, that you're just an extension of us. But you have thoughts and feelings and... compassion. You don't have to be this, Dark Plague. You make your own purpose in life because you have free will, because you breathe and laugh and learn and because... you're alive!"

"ARRGH!" The shadow pony reeled in agony on the ground. She smashed her hooves against her head and held her temples as she screamed like a banshee. Her head felt like it would explode. As the pain subsided Dark Plague was winning her inner battle...

But then a grin crept its way upon her lips. Her nose scrunched up and hate harrowed inside her again. She made her final choice—

“I cannot join you... he won't allow it," Dark Plague whispered harshly. She harrowed in pain. She was unable to comprehend what true freedom was. "What purpose could I possibly have in a world such as this? I do not belong. Tell me... what other purposes are there?"

“We all have a purpose... and today we've learned that your friends will be there for you in your times of need...” Twilight said.

“They’ll help you if you’re hurt," Fluttershy said, her bandage finally fell from her wound, her element of kindness recharged itself.

“They’ll be there to catch you when you fall," Rainbow Dash said and remembered never to fly in a thunderstorm again. She was loyal to her friends through all adversity. Her lightning shaped element of loyalty shone brightly.

“To help find ye when you’re lost,” Applejack said and winked to those who saved her from the temple of the moon. Her element of honesty lit up orange.

“To show you that there’s no more value than friendship,” Rarity said and smiled over to Fluttershy. Rarity's element of generosity beamed with new energy.

“And to give you hope in times of hopelessness,” Pinkie Pie finished and remembered how she came up with a plan to defeat Flim and Flam. Her element of laughter exploded with a blue aura.

Finally – after all the others – the element of magic shone brighter than ever around Twilight's neck. The Elements of Harmony glowed as one and powered back to life, they lifted the six bearers into the air. Twilight’s eyes dilated to white as she filled with magical energies. Her friends levitated around her until they all shone together, engulfed in a warm white light.

Dark Plague winced at them, they had a purpose. Was that something she could have? No that it mattered anymore... She feared the fabled Elements of Harmony. She watched them as they glowed with a white aura. She couldn't believe they were the true wielders... she thought they didn't deserve that honour, but she was the reason they can use them. Now... they were going to be used against her. Dark Plague hated the irony of it all. The Elements of Harmony were not a force of destruction, but they could still easily turn her to stone or worse, banish her on the moon for a thousand years. She stood in a defensive position. She knew what came next: her destruction via the inevitable rainbow—

"Know this Twilight Sparkle. Although you may have helped me today and although it goes against my masters wishes telling you this,” she said and paused briefly. All went silent for a few moments.

“The gate will open... for you.”

The rainbow of light launched out of the Elements, aimed by Twilight. Twilight knew The Elements of Harmony were not a force of evil or destruction, so instead she was going to try and save Dark Plague... she was going to try and give Dark Plague freedom.

The rainbow twisted towards Dark Plague and wrapped itself around her until the outside world was a fleeting memory. She glanced skyward. Every second her anger grew, it burnt with an unnatural passion inside of her. She was a lonely but equally spiteful puppet who had failed to complete her plan. The rainbow gathered into a swirling tornado and consumed her at the centre. Blinded by the colours of the rainbow, the tornado enclosed around her. The walls got smaller and smaller until her body burst. It didn't hurt, rather, it was warm... was this Twilight? What she helping her?

Just when the last drop of happiness had faded from Dark Plague... everything went white.

The magic exploded with a loud pop of confetti and with a flash of intense light. When the brightness faded a gentle calm breath blew through the air. Its warmth parted the black clouds over Ponyville and disposed of the copious haze across the battlefield. This allowed the light to shine across the town. The battles had come to a close. It was over...

Each bearer of the Elements of Harmony came to gentle rest as their hooves met with the ground once more. All of them smiled at each other warmly. The magic faded from their bodies and the gemstones around their necks glowed softer. The Elements of Harmony had not only stopped the sin but their warm light had healed everypony as well. Their scuffs and bruises faded and their wounds closed. As always the Elements of Harmony made them feel rejuvenated.

“Ohhh! Look confetti!” Pinkie Pie cheered and happily bounced up and down around her friends. The confetti from the rainbow fell all around them as they celebrated their victory. Everypony shared a brief sense of a relief.

“I’m mighty glad yer okay, Twi’” Applejack said with a toothy smile upon her lips. She nuzzled her friend. A warm summer breeze brushed through their manes as the best friends came together to stand as one in front of the library.

Ponyville was saved. Dark Plague was gone.

Back to where it all started. The Canterlot royal chambers. The furnished halls were no longer empty but beamed with the happy faces of ponies. They chatted and conversed among themselves, ready for a celebration of harmony. Hosted by none other than Celestia herelf. The princess sat in the prominent throne, lost in thought. Surrounded by friends her deep loneliness no longer consumed her heart. Celestia had found the answer to her question: ‘What have I ever done, to justify my life’? She had her friends, she had her sister but most of all, harmony justified her life and she was the keeper of harmony. She vowed to protect the balance of Equestria until her dying breath. Satisfied with such an answer Celestia smiled, for without her the kingdom would've fallen into disarray and disharmony. Still, that didn’t explain why she was so cold to Twilight and why she is never there whenever the Elements of Harmony are used. Nopony had noticed yet that something was amiss with Princess Celestia...

In a alternate rear room in the royal palace furnished with red royal curtains and surrounded with tall stone pillars which curled at the top. Hooves echoed and merry voices chatted as everypony prepared for the celebration. Most of the six best friends had already been fitted into their shining gowns. Friendly faces gathered at Canterlot to wish them well, as well as some me not-so-friendly faces who came out of spite.

“Rarity.” Royal lips spoke. It was the voice of Vladimir Blueblood. With his perfectly trimmed golden mane and tail. The white stallion flicked his fringe back out of his eyes and gave an awkward smile to the darling Rarity whom he addressed with a bow. Perhaps Prince Blueblood had learnt some chivalry after all.

“Prince Blueblood...” Rarity replied and tried to remain regal.

“We meet again…” he replied.

“Quite right—”

“Like this isn’t awkward,” Rainbow Dash interrupted, she rolled her eyes. Her loud voice cut short the conversation of the awkward heart-throbbed lovers.

Then at that moment Rainbow Dash noticed the Wonderbolts at the far side of the royal room. They were conversing in the corner near the food table. There she saw Soarin’ greedily eating pies, he was stood with a much younger Wonderbolt. As usual all of the Wonderbolts are wearing their uniforms which protect their bodies from lightning strikes. Were they here for the celebration, or were they here to see her? Rainbow Dash permed her mane checked her stunning dress was shining and strutted towards them, as cool as a cucumber.

“Hey Soarin’, where's Spitfire?” Rainbow Dash said as she nodded to greet both the Wonderbolts. Soarin' had his goggles hanging around his neck.

"Training the new recruits of course," Soarin' replied, "and speaking of new recruits." Soarin' was stood next to a Wonderbolt Rainbow Dash had never seen before. He had a light-blue coloured mane which looked like cold fire; it was also spiked up and choppy. He wore a large unique helmet with orange tinted goggles on them which can be slid up or down. He was certainly the youngest Wonderbolt she had ever seen. His fur colour and cutie mark covered by his Wonderbolt uniform. As the younger Wonderbolt turned to Rainbow Dash, he nervously lifted up his goggles, his eyes were a deep grey.

“The n-names Comet... I-I just joined the Wonderbolts,” Comet said, introducing himself. His voice was young. He was incredibly nervous, even more so than Fluttershy which was incredibly awkward for Wonderbolts were usually filled with confidence.

“Comet may be young, but he flew through all the Wonderbolt training in style, with help from me of course. Oh and great work out there today.” Soarin' nudged Rainbow Dash with his hoof, he had essence of blueberry pie all around his lips.

Rainbow Dash wasn't really listening as she found herself staring into the younger Wonderbolts eyes.

“Hehe,” Soarin’ chuckled faintly.

“Hey! What’s so funny?” Comet protested.

“She has a crush on you,” Soarin’ said bluntly and nudged Comet with his hoof.

“W-what? I do not!” Rainbow Dash protested and snapped out of her stare.

“It’s cool. I knew anyway,” Comet said with a nervous twitch.

As Rainbow Dash continued to harass the Wonderbolts with stories of her daring deeds, Twilight was stood by a small vanity table. By the purple unicorns side stood Amethyst Star, an active pink coated unicorn with purple colourised eyes to match. Amethyst Star let her scarlet magic surge. She used a magical spell to light up the encrusted diamonds on the gown.

“Thanks Amethyst Star,” Twilight said with a smile, she looked more radiant than ever. Amethyst Star’s occupation was to make diamonds shine. Each time there’s a celebration or grand galloping gala, she would be here. She shined the diamonds on the dresses.

“No problem,” she replied, “If you need anything else, I’m always here.” She bid adieu and left Twilight to comb her mane into the nearby mirror on the vanity table.

Within the royal chambers everypony from the community were in attendance. They turn to face the centre aisle covered with the red royal carpet. The guards of the Solar Empire with their spears stand in austere attention, they never even blinked. All eyes faced forward as the doors swung open. Twilight and her five best friends entered the royal palace. Their thoughts changed to those of happiness. Unable to control their joy they found new reason to smile. They gently trotted down the aisle with their best friends in tow, all in their most beautiful shining gowns. They fit well up there with their magnificence of their gowns. Stood at either side of the prominent throne were both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. The regal princess Celestia nods at Twilight in appreciation and Luna winked cheekily.

Stood at the back of the crowd behind everypony else was Spike. He jumped up and down and tried to get a view behind the crowd. But he couldn’t see anything. He was holding a quill and paper and was ready to jot down the note of the lesson learnt by Twilight. Alas during the battle in Ponyville poor Spike stayed hidden inside the library the entire time. He kept his head down from the trouble which raged. Now, he already knew he wasn’t going to be needed today.

“Urg,” Spike grunted to himself. He couldn’t even see Twilight and her friends behind every pony, he was too tiny. He waved his arms but to no avail. He gave up.

“Well I don’t need this anymore,” Spike said and threw the quill and paper over his shoulder, they clattered against the stone. He then goes to approach a random yellow pony standing in the crowd to grab her attention...

“Hey! If you manage to see Twilight Sparkle, tell her I’ll be in the Library,” Spike snapped and trundled off to return home. The yellow pony said nothing in reply and turned around silently...

It was her...

Unbeknown to Spike, it was the yellow coloured pony with the fairy-like wings. The one from the ruined castle in the Everfree Forest. She was also stood behind the crowd as a ghost and the feather in her mane blew in the gentle wind amidst the back of the royal chamber. Nopony had recognized or even noticed her behind the excited masses of the crowd. Even if she could speak her voice would be a quiet whisper in the thunderous chorus of shouts from the crowd. Whilst they all cheered happily for the six friends this yellow pony had great sadness in her unclear eyes. Overcome with grief even in a moment of happiness she stared at Twilight in particular. She remembered precious memories and tried to forget the memories which were yet to come. Somehow she knew that this was only the beginning, perhaps the beginning of the end. The end of all things in Equestria. But who was this pony? What was her name? With a sigh of great sadness she turned to face away from the crowd and leisurely walked away; unseen. Before she faded away into thin air...

Sometimes when you are sad enough, your soul becomes a ghost for you...

Twilight had a lot to think about, a lot to consider: her warm smile slowly died. With all this excitement she had forgotten that soon she would have to leave Ponyville. Twilight realised that ‘coming events’ Celestia told her about were not Dark Plague, no, something much worse was on the horizon and Twilight’s time to leave Ponyville was not just yet. Dark Plague was stopped, but the darkness Celestia spoke of still sleeps beneath Ponyville. Now was not the time to tell everypony she had to leave Ponyville for it would ruin the celebrations for sure. Twilight decided it would be her little secret.

Then were was ‘Time is Forever’ and the spell inside its pages she overheard the princesses talking about. Neither princesses would remember the book due the enchantment they put on it, but Twilight remembered it. The enchantment didn’t effect her because she only overheard the princesses conversation, they didn’t know she heard them. Could the spell really be a time spell? Where did Luna hide the book? What was it’s purpose? Twilight thought as she brushed her mane.

Now she wondered and worried about what Dark Plague had said: 'The gate will open... for you'. Just what does that mean? What gate? What evil ‘master’ would create a pony simply to hate others? It was logically impossible, somepony must be incredibly strong to have created artificial life like that. But now Dark Plague was gone... and all her questions remain unanswered.

Twilight never had the chance to get the name of Dark Plague's master... but if she ever found him, she vowed to make him suffer.

Discord was still out there, after his encounter with Rainbow Dash he escaped from Canterlot like a coward and there was no way to accurately find him. But if everypony knew him he would come back with an even more devious plan to break up their friendship. But how did he escape from stone, especially if everypony was still connected to the Elements? How did the Elements of Harmony lose their power?

“Argh! Too many questions,” Twilight complained to herself and rubbed her forehead in annoyance. All the questions wished around in her head without any hope to be answered. Twilight came the conclusion that she would need more time to find the answers she wanted. She cleared her thought, made her mind go blank and focussed on happier times. The celebration of harmony. While the battles were won and the enemies of harmony were defeated; there was still much more work to be done.

The trumpets rang loud and proud upon the lips of the royal guards. After a momentary pause the cheering of the crowd roared ever onwards. Princess Celestia then turned to address her subjects and raised her hoof for silence with a wavered smile.

“Once again it is thanks again to Twilight Sparkle and her friends that we are safe once more. They have bested the enemies of Ponyville, ceased a great darkness from spreading and stopped Dark Plague, all with togetherness.” Celestia turned to Twilight personally and said, “because togetherness is a valuable lesson indeed.”

Everypony cheered in the crowd again. Then Celestia gave the nod to two armoured guards stood near a window covered with a red linen curtain. The guards dragged the regal red curtain from its perch to reveal a brand new stained glass window. Rainbow Dash blushed soon after, the new window was in the place of the one she smashed to escape Discord.

This new window depicted Twilight and her friends using the Elements of Harmony to stop Dark Plague. She surrounded with a rainbow and smiled, it was a smile of contentedness, not one of evil...

“Let this glorious window be an epitaph to Dark Plague, and wherever she may be now, may she be free. Although you saved Ponyville, they are still many more enemies of harmony out there. Discord regrettably escaped our grasp.”

Twilight turned to address the crowd herself and replied, “don’t worry Princess Celestia, our purpose is with our friends and with them beside me... we can do anything.”

The crowd cheered in jubilation knowing they were safe once more with Twilight, her five best friends and the Elements of Harmony.

To be continued...

My Little Pony: Time is Forever™ will return...

'A journey of one brave pony… to find where she belongs.'

Notes:
With each new story element that comes up, it should feel somehow official, as if these new iterations are the definitive iterations. But don’t ever believe that somepony or character is dead or gone forever. They will return infrequently.
Bringing together all of the minor antagonists was one of the first ideas for this fic. The reason I used most of the villains from the show in this one chapter is because they are new villains on the way...
All the OC’s should be considered supporting-actors and temporary characters because of the lesser number of episodes that they appear in.
Trixie will return...
Discord will return...

A Story of Bubbles

“Our tears are words which the heart cannot comprehend."
~ Star Swirl the Bearded

“Mommy! Don’t let me go... mommy please!”

“Whatever happens my precious one. Fly away, fly away and never return. Remember, I will forever love you—”

“Noooooooo!”

An impulsive jolt awakened a grey-coloured pegasus laid among a lakeside. The wind blew through the trees but there was a slight chill in the breeze. This was her favourite spot; Winsome Falls. The refreshing waters of Cloudsdale formed a relaxing rainbow waterfall that would overhang above and pour below. The grey filly had spent to entire afternoon carelessly laid underneath the waterfalls, free from the worries of the world.

This peaceful place always got her to sleep. But each time she awoke, she felt her heart that pounded against her rib cage even in this beautiful environment. Her sleep wasn’t peaceful; the nap had done nothing to quell her headache either. She bolted upward in utter silence and held her hoof to her head. Most fillies awaken from a nightmare, but not this filly, she always awoke into a nightmare.

She stared up at the sky and she watched the white clouds shift and the birds sour. Her heart still hammered in her chest. Why did her anxiety always peak after a nightmare? Neither the shifting soft clouds nor the roar of the relaxing waterfall could cleanse her anxiety this time. She feared for a moment that this fear would never leave her heart...

Like magic, a cluster of bubbles floated upwards to greet the filly. One such bubble popped on her nose. She could see straight through them, the spheres reflect bright and happy patterns inside the bubbles. Bubbles were mysterious objects which are said to hold words which the heart cannot comprehend... It is said that when they pop the secrets kept inside them are released unto the world. These bubbles floated and bobbled in all different directions in the gentle breeze. She turned her attention to this cluster of bubbles and watched take their journey in the sky. Something about them made her smile and calm. Her heart rate slowed, her headache faded. Perhaps it was the way they bobbled, or perhaps it was the colours. Only the bubbles filled her with optimism.

Then she felt something silent and cold trickle down her cheek. She held her hoof under her amber eyes... they were leaking. Salty droplets trickled down out of her eyes. Those few shining seconds that only happen when you awake, where you are oblivious the world, had faded from her. Now it all came flooding back. Her heart dropped in her chest and sadness billowed inside. It happened often, but yet, she had never gotten used to it: the sadness, the leaky eyes. Even when awake her inescapable nightmares still clung to her soul, they haunted her with reflections of the past, they made her throat dry and her smile weaken.

Enough, she thought and took a deep breath. Sometimes she wished she could just stay asleep and never feel again. When she got up, she was reminded that there was a missing piece in her life, today was the day she was going to find it.

She took flight into the clouds to journey alongside the bubbles...

She is Derpy Hooves.

Ponyville was once again filled with beloved inhabitants; the town was once again a fruitful place with opened markets stalls filled with ponies buying, selling and bartering.

The events of Dark Plague didn’t leave the town entirely unscathed. The spoilt ruins of Ponyville smoldered even now. Alas, the town was littered with wooden beams which swung from the highest housetops, destroyed market stalls and sordid mud puddles. Everypony simply avoided the rubble as they trotted around town however nopony was just going wait idly as their homes remained destroyed. A cleanup operation was scheduled to begin tomorrow.

News had travelled quickly about the defeat of Dark Plague, but one pony still remained troubled by it all...

Twilight Sparkle was laid in solidarity, her hooves were folded inwards. The library was quiet, as it should be. She laid within the centre of the main hall. It had been two days since Dark Plague’s defeat, but yet there was still no sign of the Shadow Pony anywhere in Equestria. When Twilight had requested for search parties to be sent, everypony thought she was mad. Maybe she was mad. She took a deep sigh of guilt. Now Twilight was finally able to relax from the events past. Perhaps a good book would take her mind off it...

Soon the book ‘Gillian’s Theory: i=us3’ was laid before her and a levitated red apple floated alongside her head. The book was written by the late Star Swirl the Bearded and was all about... physics! Twilight had purposely extinguished all other candles to increase her solace. She took a bite into the juicy fruit and read the research amidst candlelight. Reading was her personal favourite hobby, Twilight smiled to herself as she read upon the pages of the gaily book. It was to be a peaceful afternoon without any distractions...

Then the door to the balcony swung ajar. It clattered against the wall as the figure of a pony flew into the library uninvited, the figure of the pony spun around and crashed on the floor of the hall. Plumes of dust curled in all directions.

Twilight Sparkle coughed and held her hoof up against her face to cover her eyes, it didn’t help. Has Dark Plague returned? Was she better? Eventually the dust clears to reveal a mail carrier pony with a bubbly expression laid under a heap of varying books.

“I gots you a letter!” The cloudy-coloured filly spoke with certain unevenness. She merely wriggled the dust off her fur with a gently shake. She was unmistakably unfazed from the crash. Everypony needs their mail. Without Derpy and the post-master’s office, surely Equestria would fall apart. Of course there is the dragon’s way of transporting letters, but as everypony knows, burping up letters can be quite tiring, not to mention, informal. That never stopped Twilight Sparkle mind you, but this time the letters had to be delivered personally. Derpy proceeded to rummage through her mail saddlebag wrapped firmly upon her shoulder. From the sack she produced two items: a sealed letter, stamped with the personal crimson seal of princess Celestia and a complex riddle:

“Uhhh, thanks?” Twilight Sparkle said. She didn’t know if she should be thankful, baffled, or both. Since when did princess Celestia have her mail carried by ponies anyway? She threw the riddle away and placed the letter to one side upon the davenport. This mail carrying pony wasn’t completely estranged to her. Grey fur, blonde mane, crossed amber eyes and a cutie mark of bubbles and finished the ensemble. There was no mistaking her...

“You’re... Derpy, right? I remember you. You helped with the celebrations by repairing the town hall with Rainbow Dash.”

“Yup, heeee.” She tittered in reply with a goofy smile. “Oh um... Can I help you clean up?” Derpy, always happy to help, could only offer after all she had just made a mess of the entire library.

“Uh, Twilight. I really don’t think that’s such a good ide—”

“Quiet Spike,” Twilight replied firmly at her friend Spike who had proceeded downstairs after the clatter of noise Derpy created. He gives a slight grumble and grabbed a sweeping broom weaved from the oak of the Everfree Forest and bristled yellow hay. He silently proceeded to clean up the dust.

“Helpful is my middle name,” Derpy said warmly and plopped her mail saddlebag down.

“Alright.” Twilight said with a smile.

Together the ponies studied and cleaned. Twilight trotted around the library and idly putting away books, she knew where they all went, the placed them all back onto their respected shelves. As each book went on the self, Derpy flicked through each one hoping to find a book she would enjoy reading. After tidying was complete they laid alongside one another by candlelight with their chosen paperback books. While Twilight read about magic, Derpy was delving into the journey of ‘Daring-Do and the Left Hand of Hades’. Derpy couldn’t really read that good so she just smiled at the colourful illustrations and pointed at them with her hoof. Derpy really admired Twilight Sparkle; she was intelligent and always so full of life. Whenever they needed a new reading book Derpy kindly offered to fly up to retrieve it.

“Uh oh.”

The uppermost bookshelf shook with a clack, Derpy had accidentally crashed into it. The shelf creaked with a nasty clack. Then the shelves buckled. A chain reaction unfolded as the ceiling high books fell from above every single book in the library falls with them, taking all books on the shelves underneath along with them. All the books crashed into a heap right on top of both Twilight and Derpy. The sound of breaking wood ensued; another layer of dust covered the library.

The library was in tatters. Derpy pushed her way through the sea of books until her head popped up out of the mountain. Twilight was also swamped by colourful books alongside the pegasi. Twilight's right eye twitched, she was about to explode in rage.

“I-I just... alphabetised every b-book...” Twilight said and tried to contain her rage; she held it in for the sake of Equestria.

“I just cleaned this place,” Spike said and groaned. He snapped the sweeping broom down over his knee in protest.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to... I—” Derpy didn’t want to cause any more chaos. “Uh... I’ll just go.” She hastily picked up her saddlebag among the reading books. She then took flight out of the library via the open balcony door she crashed through. She did not lift her eyes to meet with either the libraries inhabitants. Instead she hung her head low in humiliation.

Sugarcube Corner, an entanglement of a structure made to look like a delight of colourful chocolate, candy and cake. Just looking at this infectious bakery made Derpy’s mouth water and her stomach groan for food. This was the location of her next delivery. The building was surely bigger inside than it looked from the outside.

Derpy marched through the door. Inside, business was booming. Some ponies were sat at tables drinking juice and chatted among themselves. Others were buying and selling the cakes in the stands from Mr. and Mrs. Cake; they hurriedly made the transaction of bits. Derpy hovered quietly into the kitchen...

“Afternoon!” Pinkie Pie said and jumped up out of nowhere. She beamed with a welcoming smile. She had startled Derpy, but only slightly. She proceeded to silently rummage through her saddlebag and handed the cotton-candy pony another letter with the crimson seal of princess Celestia, but also a brown paper parcel. Pinkie Pie squealed in delight and ripped it open, she loved receiving presents. She teared through the paper with the toe of her hoof and it was revealed that inside was an apron and a tall white chef’s hat. Pinkie Pie gleamed with a smile and placed them on her body.

“Perfect!” she said. “Saaayy, you should help out Derpy!” Pinkie Pie suddenly dragged the cloudy pegasus into the kitchen...

“Uh, I don’t know if I should—”

“C’mon, it’ll be fun. What could possibly go wrong?” Pinkie Pie interrupted, she was determined to let her help. As they entered the kitchen proper Pinkie barked orders. “Okay, you go there and watch those, when they’re crisp brown, notify me and when the heat burns over make sure that the bread is nice and brown so check it regularly at different intervals, then you come over here to check if the boogleloops are slippery enough—” Pinkie Pie forgot to breath she took an abrupt deep breath before continuing with her gobbledygook. Derpy stands utterly baffled and puzzled as she found herself helping another pony.

As they dance around the kitchen and flipped pans to make chocolate treats galore. Derpy stands in front of an oven. She was puzzled by all the dials and the oven so instead the bubbly pony just stared at the bread. As the bread rose in the heat she suddenly realised what they were baking: muffins!

“It’s a muffin... within a muffin...?” Derpy said and then her jaw dropped as she happily gasped. “Muffinception!” She shouted and got giddy. She spread out her wings in her excitement and accidently turned the dial on the oven sending it into overheat. The oven ticked over, the muffins melt to a pulp and then flames burst forth from the oven.

Smoke engulfed the whole room in black haze. Sugarcube Corner was on fire!

Aghast by the flame Derpy quickly jumped back. The muffins inside the oven explode. Derpy ducked. Yeast and icing exploded onto the walls and ceiling. The black smoke thickened and filled the room with poisonous gasses and the fire spread quicker than they first anticipated. As the fire alarm bell tolls everypony evacuated the building. Derpy and Pinkie Pie were about to make a mad dash to the fire exit until a sound or terror stopped them...

It was the sound of crying fillies.

“Pound and Pumpkin Cake!” Pinkie Pie screamed! She screeched to a halt. They were upsets. Alone. Pinkie Pie turned and charged into a mad gallop. She coughed wildly from the fumes which didn’t help her breathing. The smoke made her home even more catastrophic than it usually is. She exploded through the door and knocked it off the hinges as she does. In their small cot the two baby fillies wept loudly. They were surrounded by smoke. In a desperate attempt to escape they had tried climbing out of their own cot but had failed several times. Pinkie Pie, their saviour, grabbed them both with one fell swoop and dived out of the upstairs window.

Everypony burst into the daylight...

Everypony was safe and had fled Sugarcube Corner just in time. They were safely outside but now they stood in shock. Some of them were covered in black scruffs from the fumes and others were covered in the melted chocolaty treats that they had tried to purchase. Pinkie came from around the back of the building with Pound and Pumpkin held safely under each hoof. She trotted to stand alongside everypony else, including Derpy, as they all watched Sugarcube Corner burn.

“Well... not bad for a first try I guess,” Pinkie Pie said with a sly shrug. Then the sound of the windows bursting out from the heat silenced Pinkie Pie’s optimism.

“Well... not bad for a first try, I guess.” Pinkie Pie said with a shrew shrug. Then the sudden sound of the windows bursting out from the heat silenced Pinkie Pie’s optimism.

A dozen ponies charged down the street. They wore red fire gear, and blue plastic helmets each with red a siren-light that flashed on the top. They galloped fearlessly to the fire.

“Everypony stand back! We’ll handle this!” One of the fire fighter ponies shouted, he was the courageous leader, with a cutie mark of a set of flames, carrying a hose pipe in his hooves, connected by the nozzle to the nearby water tower. He aimed it at the building.

“Wait, wait, waaaiiit!” Pinkie Pie shouted as everypony was still stood in the firefighters way. The hose was directly aimed at them! She waved her hooves up in a futile attempt to stop them—

A jet stream of water blasted gallons of water upon everypony, before shooting into Sugarcube Corner. The water splashed inside the shop ruining the shops furnishings. The water proceeded to destroy all the chocolate treats stored inside the shop. They were all left to melt and grow soggy from the jet stream of water. But at the same time, the fire was extinguished.

“My shop!” Mrs. Cake hollered in hurt. Her voice louder than that of her customers.

“Uh oh, I’m in big trouble now” Pinkie Pie said regretfully and ran to comfort Mr. and Mrs. Cake. She dropped her chef’s hat and apron into the mud on approach. “Mr. and Mrs. Cake, I can explain!” She shouted in the distance.

The fire was slowly extinguished with the stream of water. Clean white smoke now rose from the building instead. Sugarcube Corner was destroyed, but not by some great villain nor an evil mastermind... but by Derpy.

Malevolent glares were thrown at Derpy. She stood and twiddled her hooves in embarrassment. She had put everypony in danger and even endangered two baby fillies! Everypony glared at her, they were angry, angry at her. Their scowls burnt into the back of her mind. She kept finding herself in these situations, perhaps it was just her helpful personality. It never worked out. Once more she hung her head in humiliation and took flight silently up into the clouds...

As the whit of white clouds came to bypass, there stood a serene and peaceful cottage on the outskirts of Ponyville. It was overlooked by a tree which carried a small house for little birdies, at least that’s what Derpy thought it was for as she playfully tapped it with her hoof. Literally but unknowingly terrifying the little birdies inside. This was her final delivery for the day.

Her heavy hoof knocked against the wooden door to the cottage. The sound of unlocking and clanking can be heard as the inhabitant unlocked the numerous metal locks on her door. The occupant inside must have had at least twenty locks on the inside of her door. Eventually the door opened ajar.

“H-hello...”

“Delivery for Fluttershy!” Derpy bellowed at the top of her voice.

“Oh... oh my... um, there’s n-no need to shout,” Fluttershy squealed in reply. The wooden door swung open to let the mail carrier pony inside. It isn’t often she got guests visiting her cottage. Everypony knew Derpy in some way; however they all remembered her for been that ‘clumsy pony with the mail sack’.

The visit was not something her pet bunny rabbit Angel was happy about. The rabbit’s arms were crossed and he had a glum frown upon his face. He was not impressed with Derpy's demeanour. He had heard the tales of the wave of destruction Derpy had caused in recent memory...

This let Derpy get a good look around in that brief moment of silence: her cottage was roomy, warm and welcoming. But perhaps it was also a cottage with many great and terrible secrets. The floorboards creaked and a grandfather clock ticks quietly in the back and the fireplace burned brightly, however the mantelpiece above the fireplace was utterly empty. Alas, Fluttershy opted not to reside in the floating city of Cloudsdale but preferred the solace of her cosy cottage with her creature companions. Fluttershy didn’t even keep photos of friends or family in her home which was strange for a pony that seems to be so warm and welcoming...

Then for the last time Derpy rummaged through her mail sack. There was one last letter left among the empty space of her sack. After accepting the letter, Fluttershy shyly opened it and peered at the contents...

Dear Fluttershy.

As you are well aware Dark Plague left most of the fair town of Ponyville in a state of utter ruin and unrest. While she was acting under the influence of another and has received a full pardoning under my wing, the damage still remains to be extensive. Henceforth, I formally request you to join the seventh cleanup operation of Ponyville at the 70th sunrise of the fourth month of C.R. All ponies must do their duty to allow the town to recover from such a devastating attack.

PS: Thank you also for the wonderfully-shaped butterfly brush.

~ Princess Celestia.

“It's about the cleanup tomorrow. Dark Plague’s attack left most of the town in ruin.” Fluttershy said. Of course Fluttershy couldn’t blame Dark Plague after realising she was under the power of a puppeteer but she still remembered the glaring green eyes of the shadow that attacked her. Perhaps this is the reason why she had installed twenty iron locks on the inside of her door.

“Oh... is that what I’ve been delivering?” Derpy said.

“You mean you didn’t know what you’d being delivering this whole time?” Fluttershy replied.

“I guess everypony gets a personal request to attend. I got’s mine this mornin’... but I think I lost it.” Derpy twiddled her hooves and hung her head down in embarrassment. Usually, any form of pamphlets or invitation letters would be dropped from the sky like wavering petals upon Ponyville. On rarer cases they would be sent from Celestia via Spike the dragon. But why did Princess Celestia give her the special task to deliver the post personally this time? Nevertheless while delivering all the crimson sealed letters, she had lost her own.

Fluttershy could sympathise with this pony. In some respects they’re one and the same. Both of them preferred to live in solace and both of them preferred to keep to themselves above all else.

“Um... well. Maybe you can come along with me tomorrow?” Fluttershy said.

“R-really?” Derpy said and lifted her head up. Her eyes shone like a young fillies would after seeing an open candy stall. “Oh boy! Are we having a slumber party and everything?” She said excited as ever.

“Uhhh...” Fluttershy mumbled and then paused to think, but by then Derpy had brushed past the meek Fluttershy and let herself in. Fluttershy's cottage was cozy and small, there was a grand fireplace with pans that swung on small hooks above. There was a birdcage in the corner and a brand new grandfather clock next to a green couch.

Angel tapped his foot against the floorboard impatiently and shook his head repetitively in disagreement.

“Okay... I guess you can stay...” Fluttershy inadvertently agreed. Angel gasped and fell backwards to faint. Even Fluttershy didn’t understand what she’d just let herself in for.

As Derpy investigated she found in the birdcage within a small bed of hay, an endearing baby dragon. It only had two legs, a dragon’s head and a long tail.

“Why do you keep a keep a dragon in your house?” Derpy said and tilted her head to one side...

“Oh... um, that’s not a dragon... it’s a wyvern.” Fluttershy mumbled and ferried Derpy upstairs.

“Does it have a name?” Derpy said as she was pushed upstairs. “Oh, I know... you should call him Bubbles!”

“Actually 'he' is a 'she' but um... nevermind.” Fluttershy said and began to regret their arrangement.

Derpy had stumbled upon another awkward situation.

Night crept into the town of Ponyville like a silent ninja. The illustrious moon loomed up high into the sea of velvety black clouds. Only the sound of crickets that chirped cheerfully stirred in silence of the night.

The interior of the cottage was warm with an amber glow from the candles that lit the halls. Derpy hadn't caused any disaster... yet. She slept upside-down in a bedroom opposite Fluttershy's. Fluttershy’s bed was shaped like a butterfly and the soft covers were patterned green. Derpy had never seen such an act of kindness. Usually she just drifted through the town without a care in the world. But tonight even in the soft and comfy bed she struggled to sleep. She tossed and turned and broke into a hot sweat. Whilst down the hallway, Fluttershy slept soundly snuggled inside her blanket. She was like an angel and her breaths were a gentle purr on a sea of dreams. Of course Fluttershy was scared of the dark and always slept with a tiny nightlight on by her bedside. A smaller bed had been placed next to her own to accommodate her pet Angel. Not a sound stirred.

...

“Mommy! Why did you leave me? Please no! Don’t leave me!”

“Follow the bubbles.”

“Noooooooo!”

...

“Huh?” Fluttershy groaned. She awoke slowly after been disturbed from her gentle sleep by the sound of a pop. It was followed by a monstrous groan erupted from the opposite hallway.

She squealed loudly and pulled the blanket over her head. It sounded like... zombies?! No... worse, it could be... brainless zombies! Fluttershy trembled from fear under the covers.

“W-who’s there?” She muttered and gained enough courage to lower the bedclothes. Her eyes were still closed however, she dare not opened then. Then something tickled Fluttershy’s nose. She screamed and accidentally rolled out of bed this a thud. She dared to opens her sleepy eyes... infront of her was a bubble that bounced up and down. It popped in her face.

It's not Angel and it's not Bubbles... oh no, now I'm calling her Bubbles, Fluttershy thought with a meek whimper. The name Derpy gave her new pet Wyvern had caught on. Still half asleep Fluttershy decided to sleep on the floor. She laid down and nestled in her blanket until she was wrapped-up warm. Another round of bubbles bounced to her side and all around her entire bedroom.

Fluttershy got up. Bubbles weren’t that scary... right? She reassured herself but it was hardly enough. What if there was a monster in her home? What if there was a monster in her house with terrible teeth... a monster which blew bubbles?! No, that was stupid. She eventually got up and tiptoed over Angel’s bed and to the bedroom door. It was groaned again from across the hall. Her eyes were unsteady and still partly wedged together from sleepydust. Huge bags were under her eyes but still she trotted with trepidation. She left the safety of her bedroom and walked across the hall with the bubbles that guided her. The last bubble popped away as she nudged the door open with her nose. The door opened slowly with a shrill squeak. Derpy was sat on the bed and wept openly.

“I had a bad dream” Derpy said sadly without enticement and twiddled her hooves. She up at Fluttershy in a way she would at a parent or carer. The cloudy-fillies nightmares often ended the same way: with her shocking screams. Fluttershy breathed a warm sigh of relief and dismissed the mortified groaning as Derpy’s terrified reaction to the nightmare. The kind yellow pegasus sat on the end of the spongy bed with a warm collective smile.

“Wanna talk about it?” Fluttershy quietly said, the least she could do was comfort her.

“Well... I was sad; really sad. Mommy told me to fly away and never return home. She never even taught me how to fly. I guess that’s why I always crash into things. I’ve never known why she told me to leave. But I remember standing in the rain, desperate and alone and when I opened my eyes I saw them; the bubbles. They were funny and tickled when they popped on my nose. I followed the bubbles and they led me to Ponyville. Without realising it I had a cutie mark and a new home. Now I’m only sad when I have nightmares.” Derpy said with a small silver tear in her crossed eye.

“You miss your mom?”

“Yup...” Derpy sniffled.

“If it helps, I don’t know my parents either.” Fluttershy replied and then tried to remember to a time in her own life when she was a young filly. To a time when she must of had parents. But she had no mother and no father to remember. No images, no photos, nothing... Perhaps all these years of living in solace does that to a pony.

Derpy never had another pony to talk to about her nightmares before. Usually a mother would do that. Comfort a crying filly, warm them when they’re cold, love them when they're lost. Perhaps the kindness of another pony was all it took to feel better. However there is always a time when a daughter must leave home to live their own life something Fluttershy had been doing for so many years all by herself. That was something Derpy admired about her.

“Thank you, Fluttershy,” Derpy said sincerely with a sniffle and wiped her leaking eyes.

Fluttershy opened a book to read her a story that night. It was a fairy tale about a lonely filly, a great kingdom of gold and all the kindness of the world. That precious little filly had lived a sheltered life, until she was thrust into the unknown by herself. When she finally came out and talked to them, she was called names and told she couldn’t be a part of their games. But in the end that brave filly became a great legend. She came out of the shadows and out of the darkness to become something much greater than anypony could imagine.

Fluttershy was like a mother to Derpy that night. As the fairy tale was read, Derpy’s heart calmed in her rib cage. For that brief moment after the nightmare she thought it would burst out. Nightmares are always so real when you’re dreaming them. Even when you awake you believe they’re still real, until that realization crept in and you find yourself safe in your bed.

Their night of storytelling and discussion ended when the grandfather clock downstairs chimed for dawn. Without a moments delay the sun reached its zenith on the horizon, no doubt the work of Princess Celestia who must have decided it should be another bright and warm day. The morning sky dazzled amethyst. The sun rays shone brightly inside the bedroom as both ponies gazed out the wooden window.

“It's morning already. We should get ready.”

The morning arrived. In the town square everypony was gathered in groups of lines. Some of them were chatting, others were doing stretches while preparing. This was not the first time they’ve had to clean up their fair town; Ponyville had been attacked numerous times before. The Elements of Harmony had restored most of the town on many occasions but this time the magic was not enough and the street were still laddered with remaining debris. Days like this had become procedure just like Winter Wrap-Up. Fluttershy and Derpy hastily trotted up to join at the back of the crowds. Fluttershy even brought her own custom sweeper and was eager to help.

“Good morning everypony!” The Mayor said into a small microphone as she gently pushed her glasses onto her nose. She was stood on a small wooden stage erected in the town square. The Mayor cleared her throat before speaking again: “Apparently Twilight Sparkle was supposed to be organizing this event. But unfortunately she informed me that she will be delayed due to ‘rearranging her books’.” The Mayor shrugged her shoulders and Derpy blushed bright red in the crowd. Stood next to the mayor on the stage was ‘Commanding official’ Rainbow Dash. She was a fiercely loyal and devoted pegasus who Derpy had met before. Derpy always admired how Rainbow Dash was so cool and awesome even into the direst of times. She and Rainbow repaired the town hall together during the Applejack charade but unfortunately Derpy singlehoofedly caused the destruction of the town hall.

“Alright!” Rainbow Dash said and stridently stood up to take command with Wonderbolt goggles which loosely hung around her neck. “We have three task forces: cleaners, removers and repairers. The cleaners will clean the streets of any and all rubbish. The removers will proceed to remove any broken or irreparable pieces of rubble to the skip tip outside of Ponyville. The repair group will repaint and repair the houses.” Rainbow Dash continued to bark orders to the other ponies and organized them.

“I declare the seventh cleanup of Ponyville to commence!”

With the speech finished the three groups disembarked, they trotted, flew and teleported in all different directions, leaving only Derpy stood in the centre.

“Alright then Derpy, you’ll be in charge of... something far away that isn’t flammable. You can be part of the cleaner group.”

“You can count on me, Rainbow Dash!” Derpy said with a childish grin and without further enticement fluttered off into the town.

Everypony worked as a team as piles of rubble were meticulously lifted and removed. The entire town was filled with helpful ponies. High above earth ponies laid on raised wooden walkways where the ponies below would levitate the tubs of colourful paint upward. The Pegasus ponies swayed paintbrushes across every building in several lines to give the town a brighter shade. New panes of glass that served as windows were placed in the holes left by the previous battles. Ordinary cold water was splashed upon the windows to clean them, except not for very cold water as it would freeze upon the glass. Working their way down the buildings, as down below in the streets other ponies removed and picked-up any rubble. Ponies came together and collectively lifted the heavier pieces of rubble before the pegasus flew the rubble to the skip tip on the far side of town. It was a team effort.

Derpy flew in a zigzag among the streets and soured around and she tried to help. Eventually she lands on one of the wooden walkways as ponies dance around as they painted and cleaned. Derpy confusingly picked up a sweeping brush in her mouth and began cleaning. The pony to the side of her wore yellow rubber gloves and had a yellow gas-mask by her side as standard.

“You do it like this,” the white unicorn said and perfectly cleaned the nearby window, washing it water first and then showed her how to properly clean. Everything she did was so perfect in detail. The white unicorn was Rarity, who had got involved in this operation despite how much she hated dust and dirt among other things, she was quite good at cleaning. Perhaps she was even the queen of clean. She directed Derpy with simple commands and showed her how to properly tidy.

“Roger!” Derpy replied and grabbed a duster. She then rapidly brushed the entire roof with little care for detail. In the process she sent dust particles in all directions.

Rarity sneezed, even her sneezes were somewhat composed.

“Gazunteight.” Derpy giggled. Rarity wafted away the dust with her hoof in disgust of the stuff. She liked to be clean even when cleaning. Without realising she was going overboard Derpy took off and moved to the next house. She dusted rapidly as she flew-by which got many stern looks from the ponies who were showered in dust below. She had made a mess of the town again.

Unfortunately, everypony knew of Derpy’s mishaps from the day before. Now they all went to great lengths to try and avoid her for their own protection, like Derpy was an infectious disease to be avoided. The stories of disaster in Sugarcube Corner spread across the gossiping lips of everypony as quickly as the fire did but Derpy just helped out, oblivious to the nearby stern looks and groups that tried to avoid her.

Derpy landed on the ground with an ungracious wobble and placed the duster to one side.

“Yo Derp!” An arrogant voice addressed her. Derpy turned around to find, a coat of blue? She followed the coat of fur upwards, her neck arched back to peer at the pegasus that loomed over her. She was Hurricane, known as the storm as the sky because she could generate whirlwinds just by spinning through the air. She had a mohawk-styled blue mane with bleached-white tips and a tornado for a cutie mark. She looked more like a stallion than a mare as she was heavily built and even had a stubble. But the most alluring of her attire was a skull she wore as a necklace, it was like a prize of death that swayed around her neck.

“What the derp are you doing? Hahaha.” Hurricane taunted above her with little remorse.

“I’m helping clean the town.” Derpy said with a chirp.

“Hear that guys? She’s too stupid to even know when she’s been insulted... and way too stupid to know when she’s not wanted,” Hurricane said, alongside her were two other bullies from Cloudsdale who Fluttershy knew from her past.

“I... I...” Derpy sputtered. Not wanted, what was she talking about?

“Is everything okay over here?” A deep voice said. It was Thunderlane. His coat was dark grey and his mohawk mane matched that Hurricane’s. He descended from above and his hooves pounded hard against the ground upon landing.

“Of course it is baby,” Hurricane lied. “Everything’s going to be okay from now on... that’s why I married you.” Hurricane flew happily around Thunderlane in an aficionado ballet; her whole demeanour had changed around her husband.

When Thunderlane soured off to continue his cleaning tasks. Hurricane landed with a thud and then glared evilly back at Derpy.

“See how successful I am? I have a husband, a loving and caring family. But what do you have, Derp? Know what I think? I think you’re a worthless retard. You were born a retard, you’ll die a retard, and you’ll be remembered as a retard.” Hurricane said with a heartless laugh.

Hurricane spun around the hapless Derpy until the wind gathered around her. A whirlwind erupted in the centre of the town and then aimed at Derpy. The gust caught the filly inside it as Derpy was spun around and around and was blasted out of the whirlwind to spin through the air. She smashed straight into a building, her body smashed straight through the wall and caused immeasurable damage. She smacked her head hard against the stone pavement with devastating impact...

The building shook with a gradual creak.

As the whirlwind dispersed from afar Derpy got up. Her head was dizzy and her ears were flopped down. All she could hear was the haughty laughter of Hurricane and her bullies. She turned skyward to see the building she crashed into. It was the town hall. Now it was peerlessly creaked as the wooden supports holding the town hall snapped and buckled under the weight. The stone pillars inside the town hall smashed and leaned to crash into the next set. The town hall leaned over. Within the interior building the curtains fell from the windows and the marble tiles on the floor break and the roof caved in. All the windows smashed and burst glass outward.

She gasped and trotted forward out of the pile of rubble. Roof tiles fell of the top of the town hall and smashed all around her, sending sharp parts of marble into her skin and fur. She limped forward as the building collapsed around her, the building would crush her if she didn’t get out quickly. She rushed to the doors to find they were locked from the outside so she turned to make a dash to the hole in the wall she smashed through.

“H-help me...” Derpy tried to shout but the dust from the collapsing walls only filled her lungs. She coughed uncontrollably but still she limped forward. She noticed Hurricane and the other bullies. They were the only ones who knew she was in here, but they flee the scene without helping her. Nopony was coming to help her now, why would they? Derpy just thought they were accidents, only now did she realise that she had done wrong by everypony. They all laughed in her face, avoided her, secretly wished she was gone. Now they would get their wish...

The town hall collapsed. But she didn’t make it, Derpy was still inside.

A plume of smoke shot up as the tremendous collision was heard across the entire town. The town hall was utterly destroyed and with it a part of Ponyville’s history. Now only its ruins were splayed out infront of everypony. Ponies of all kind saw the destruction from afar and now they gathered in groups around the wreck. Most of them stood in shock with their hooves over their mouths.

“What happened here?!” Rainbow Dash said. She had seen the damage from above like a hawk and arrived with Thunderlane alongside. Nopony stepped forward to claim responsibility.

Then the smoke cleared. Laid in a defeated pile in the centre of the wreckage was Derpy. She was safe. She checked her body, it was completely covered in splinters and glass and scars. Her mane was a now a ruffled mess and was grey to match her body as both were covered in dust.

None of them helped her. None would dare greet the destructor. Most just stared down at her.

“Derpy... what have you done?!” Rainbow Dash’s voice croaked. As her blurred vision focused she looked up at them all dazed and defeated. Everything Hurricane said... it was all true.

“That pony is a menace!” One pony shouted.

“Yeah! She causes more harm than good.”

“She shouldn’t be in Ponyville!”

Rainbow Dash glanced around nervously at the steadily growing crowd of ponies as a riot occurred around the town hall. Derpy was scared and alone and was only greeted by the angry and annoyed faces of all the ponies she’d ever come to love. Their chants pierced her hearing like nails.

“It wasn’t me. I-I didn’t mean to...” She said but her muffled voice was disquieted by the thunderous chants of ponies that wanted her to leave. She was cornered. They all thought it was her fault, maybe it was her fault. She did the only thing she could...

She cried.

After a brief moment of quiet she suddenly spread out her bleeding wings and took flight into of the freedom of the sky. She left only a single trail of silver tears...

Bitter was the night, the wind chilled their bones and all in the air a solemn stillness held.

“Derpy? Deeerpppy!” Pinkie Pie covered in mashed up muffin bread and paint stains shouted into the night. “Please... come home!”

“I just let her go. It’s all my fault.” Rainbow Dash said and regretted not helping the cloudy-filly.

“It’s going to be okay... I think.” Fluttershy quietly tried to comfort her fellow pegasister.

“What’s going on everypony?” Twilight Sparkle arrived late after she rearranged all her library books.

“It’s Derpy.” Rarity explained stood next to Applejack.

“She’s run away from home...”

Lantern lights swung from side to side in the black of night. They shone vivid in a futile attempt to fray against the darkness. Panic filled Ponyville and questions filled everyponies mind. Had they done this? Was this their fault? Have they bullied her out of her own home?

In their utmost regret everypony was out in hordes and searched for the Derpy. Missing posters were slapped on every lamp post. Ponies’ even followed tracks and chased leads; to no avail. All the shouting in Equestria could not help. Every home, market stall and cottage was searched from top to bottom. Drawers were upturned, floorboards removed, the cleanup operation had become one to search for a missing filly.

Alongside a forlorn hill on the outskirts of Ponyville, the lone Fluttershy who carried a small flickering lantern in her maw came across a mail saddlebag that she once carried proudly upon her shoulder. Fluttershy held it in her hoof and clutched it to her chest tightly. Somewhere today she had gained true feelings for her. She remembered that bubbly personality of a filly who even in times of trouble, still stood strong. Now gone. Fluttershy glanced out upon the horizon but despite her hopes, only the silent wind greeted her.

Ripples of bitter water ring out across a lake. She had returned to her favourite spot under the overbearing waterfalls that fell from Canterlot. As the gushing waterfall endlessly trickled water down into the lake from afar. She stared down at her reflection in the water, it danced upon the ripples. She stared for hours in the dark, hoping her reflection had answers, answers to where she really belonged, answers to her nightmares, answers to why she can’t be normal. ‘Why me? Why only me?’ Her psyche screamed at her reflection. Her eyes leaked again, they had been leaking for quite some time. The salty droplets fell into the water; they fell down like rain and created the small ripples across a peaceful lake, much like the ripple of destruction she felt solely responsible for. She felt ashamed... ashamed to have stood among those who were so normal.

“I can’t do anything right and nopony believes me. I-I don’t cross my eyes on purpose, it just happens,” she said to her own tearful expression. She looked at her chromatic eyes which were always crossed. Now she looked at those eyes with regret and disgust. Even her nightmares brought those same eyes to leak salt. The nightmares were always about her mother, and always ended in the same way. Derpy reflected back to when her mother sat with her amidst a warm fireplace and would sing the same soothing lullaby. Perhaps that same sombre lullaby could cheer her up as she would reminisce about the old times with her family. She sung a sad lullaby with a lump in her throat...

“I don’t mean to break stuff, I don’t mean to crash,
I wish I could be awesome, just like Rainbow Dash.

I wish I could bake chocolate and cupcakes galore,
then I would be like Pinkie Pie for muffins, I adore.

I wish I could speak clearly to make sure you knew,
that I don’t do everything, as wonderful as you.

I can’t sow any dresses and I’m hardly ever neat,
unlike that pony Rarity, who is noble and perteet.

I wish to be Applejack, so strong and really fast,
but when I fly in races, I’m slow and always last.

I wish I could be clever and really rather wise,
I wish there was a way I could fix these funny eyes.

I haven’t got a magic horn, and I’m always cause strife,
I wish to be Twilight Sparkle, who’s always full of life.

I wish to be like Fluttershy, all cute and calm and quiet,
but instead I’m always crashing, enough to start a riot.

"I just don’t know what went wrong...
Now I ask: where do I belong?”

A silver tear dropped into the lake.

“Wow Derpy. That was... um... really beautiful.”

“Fluttershy?!” Derpy gasped as she heard Flutterhy's quiet voice from afar.

“You heard all that?” Derpy asked and quickly smeared her tears upon her face with her grey hoof. She didn’t want anypony to see her cry; she didn’t them to know she felt unworthy to be part of Ponyville.

“We all did,” Twilight Sparkle’s voice replied. Suddenly all of Twilight and her five best friends come from behind the bushes around the lakeside. They proceed to comfort Derpy; everypony hugged the filly tightly like they would their own child. Each of them were gravely concerned by the fillies disappearance and they had all worked so hard and searched more than half of Ponyville.

“H-how... did you find me?” Derpy sniffled.

“We followed the bubbles.” Fluttershy replied with a smile. Fluttershy then handed Derpy her mail saddlebag which she had left on the moor. Together they had all followed the trail of bouncing bubbles which had leaded them directly here.

“I... I’m sorry. I just want to be like you... I-I just want to be normal! I promise I’ll stop breaking things even when I don’t mean to.” Derpy stammered.

“But it’s who you are Derpy. I think Princess Celestia made you deliver the mail in that special task on purpose, to help find yourself. You see nopony is perfect; we all have our own flaws and things we don’t like about ourselves. For me, sometimes I feel like a failure. But you are who you are, and you shouldn’t change that because of other ponies expectations.” Twilight kindly explained.

“We like you for who you are.”

“Absolutely.”

“T-thank you everypony... thank you.” Derpy said and suddenly found herself at the centre of a warm and welcoming friendly group hug. Her heart warmed. For the first time she belonged. For the first time her missing piece was filled in that one moment by the lakeside. She looked at the six best friends and suddenly realised that even they all had their flaws. Pinkie Pie tends to talk too much like she did when she tried to explain the cooking. Fluttershy was terrified of everything, even her own shadow. Rarity always went over the top with things, even when it came to cleanliness. Twilight sometimes felt like a failure. They all had flaws and this proved in Derpy’s mind without a flash of doubt or a twinkle of mistrust: nopony was perfect.

After Derpy's ripple of destruction, the accidents weren’t as worse as everypony thought. You see Twilight Sparkle actually enjoyed alphabetising all her books. It was busywork she was accustomed to. Once she even purposely de-shelved every book in the library herself. So arranging the books one more time didn’t hurt.

When sugarcube corner exploded into flame Pinkie Pie just wore a smile and continued. Besides, cleaning up involved eating all the leftovers and that meant licking the walls from chocolaty treats. Mr. and Mrs. Cake shop was repaired in no time at all, especially since the cleanup operation was underway.

With the help of her pegasisters Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy and without any more interruptions, all Ponyville’s cleanup was complete. All the buildings stood stronger than ever all of them were and repaired in no time at all and all was completed. Even the town hall was sturdier when everypony rebuilt it. Ponyville shone on the horizon as beautiful and bright as can be. This was her home now... she belongs here.

The following sunrise Derpy was welcomed back with open hooves. Everypony despite whatever they had said and done earlier were glad to see her alive and well. She got many cuddles and snuggles that morn. However there was one spiteful pony that wasn’t so glad to see that she had returned. Derpy took a deep breath to puff up her chest and mentally prepares herself for the following encounter.

She marched towards Hurricane. She took one last breath and stood up to Hurricane, as brave as can be.

“Not breaking anything today, eh Derp?” Hurricane sarcastically said. She turned to loom over the cloudy-filly with a snidely grin. Even though Hurricane was stronger Derpy still hung her head high and showed no fear. This time the bully Hurricane stood alone and without the others to make Hurricane look cool, she was as another vulnerable pegasus.

Derpy scowled from ear-to-ear and swayed to one side. She then accidently crashed into an oaken beam stood alongside. The beam creaked and suddenly collapsed on top of Hurricane.

With a slight whiff of white smoke, Hurricane was revealed to be trapped underneath the oaken beam of wood. The bully was unharmed but humiliated nevertheless.

“Oops,” Derpy tittered sarcastically; that showed her. But Derpy didn’t feel right, she knew this wasn’t her. She couldn’t repeat what Hurricane did to her, she couldn’t leave her under the beam, that would make her no better than Hurricane. Derpy wasn’t a bully and wasn’t about to become one. Instead, Derpy was going to deal with Hurricane in her own way...

“The difference between you and me is that I’m not a bully and I never ever will be.” Derpy looked into Hurricane’s amethyst eyes to show that she was serious. Then in an act of madness the she offered Hurricane her grey hoof. She was going to help this bully, even after all she had done. But Hurricane turned away and refused to be helped by this cloudy-filly; even in defeat she still disliked her. That was her chance wasted. Derpy then turned without another word and took flight to leave Hurricane to think about her actions.

Hurricane was left alone to wallow and wince under the oaken beam; trapped. In this one moment she was given time to think about her distasteful behaviour. Underneath the beam perhaps Hurricane learned that it isn’t right to intimidate or bully others for whatever reason.

Derpy had done it. She had faced up to her bully in her own way and she did so without changing who she is, without becoming a bully herself. Perhaps her utter clumsiness can be used for good in future. She vowed from that day forward to be more aware and more careful.

Now there was just one last thing to do...

She had to find her mother.

On a white field of snow which stretched on the horizon like sandstone, trifling devilish whirlwinds formed and dispersed across the landscape. A copious white haze of swirling snow spun its way across the rippling dunes of the mountain. Frozen winds battered her face as she travelled through savage hilltops and isolated mountains. She had told everypony that she was going travelling and she also told them that she might not return. It all depended on what lied in wait for her at the end of her journey. The cold winds gave no care to the purpose or value of the souls it claimed. But she had wrapped-up warm, a snow-coloured scarf wrapped around her neck blew in the air and pink earmuffs covered her ears. Her hooves however remained exposed to the snow as they left small imprints that marked the road she travelled...

Why had her mother told her to fly away and never return? What really happened that night? Why did her mother abandon her? These were all questions that burnt in her psyche, questions which determined her to continue. She was not ignorant of the danger, which is why her mail saddlebag had been filled with supplements and luxuries, food and fruit which bulged out of the sack among other refreshments to appease her thirst. But where was she travelling to? After she was shown such kindness from her new-found friends, a memory had triggered in her mind. A memory of home. Why did she live in such an unforgiving landscape? It was difficult to even see ten feet infront of her, but she continued ever onwards without a single word muttered from her mouth. She had almost entered an emotionless perpetual limbo.

This was the very farthest reach of Equestria, beyond any town ever known. Yet through the haze was a little cottage stood in its isolation and loneliness. Its old age could be told from the vines that grew up the crumbling walls and the roof that was made from layers of yellow straw and hay. There was white smoke billowing from the chimney. Her mother must be inside. She passed a congregation of dead flowers, their blackness stood out in the white plain. This was it; the answers, the end...

The grey wooden door creaked open. Derpy was greeted by a gust of warm and welcoming air when she entered. Inside, it was familiar and warmly. There was a huge fireplace which was lit and burnt brightly; they were photos on mantelpieces and carpets of grey which had illustrations of bubbles on them. It told Derpy of what she had missed and she remembered it well. As the wooden door closed itself behind her she looked to the far end of the cottage. In a small wooden rocking chair was an elderly pony that was knitting a blanket.

“...M-mommy? Is that you?” She said in her most innocent voice. Could it really be?

“Oh... my dear...” The elder pony looked up with a sweet smile. “You must be Derpy?” She said and slowly got up out of the rocking chair and approached the door. “Come, your mother has been waiting for you for a very long time.”

On the short walk outside Derpy felt proud that she had completed her journey. After years of uncertainty, years of mishaps, nightmares and false hope, she finally stood before her own mother in the frozen wind. Then she suddenly realised...

It was a gravestone.

A lonely old grey rock that stood frozen on the mountain. The answers she sought may have to wait a little longer—

“She’s sleeping now. She’s at peace.” The elder pony explained.

“I came so far and I was too late,” Derpy said as she kneeled in the shallow snow to weep. Sadness crept in at the same time the realization crept in. With her hoof she wiped away the ice that had congregated over the stone.

There was no more doubt. It was her mother. Derpy will never know the truth. Has everything lead to this?!

“You seem like a good pony. Honest and true. I think you feel like you’ve been through so much.” The elder pony put her hoof on her shoulder. “You feel that life is harsh and cruel... and anything that lies ahead is uncertain. But there comes a time in everyponies life when the world goes quiet and the only thing left to listen to is your heart. What does your heart say?”

“It says I failed... It says my journey was a waste.” Derpy sobbed, her silver tears marked the snow.

"I had a daughter once who was born deaf, she struggled through the whole life that she had.” She paused, "my point being that sometimes the journey is hard and the hardest part of any journey is believing you’re worthy of it. I think your journey has just started and it will go on no matter how hard it seems. I believe, you were sent to me... because I’m sick. You were sent to me for the truth.” The elder pony was wrapped up warm inside the blanket she had knitted herself.

“I need answers. To my mother...” Derpy asked and then cradled the cold gravestone like it was flesh and blood.

“I knew your mother. We were friends back when you were just a wee fragile filly. She gave me this house after she passed away and told me to wait for you. Your mother only wanted a better life for you.”

“Why couldn’t I have a better life with her?! Why did she abandon me?!”

“She owed a great debt of many bits to an organization. They chased you and your mother to the ends of Equestria to get those bits. She even moved to this cottage on this forlorn mountain because she was hiding from them. But then they found you, then they came in their white chariots to take her. The day she told you to fly away was the day she was killed. She saved your life by telling you to fly away.” The elder pony coughed uncontrollably as there was a cold shiver.

“Why couldn’t she come with me?”

“Because they didn’t know she had a daughter. To protect you she stayed behind... and they got her,” she paused. “All this time you thought she abandoned you? You've lived with a false guilty burden of all this time thinking she left you? She saved you from the same fate. Your mother didn't abandon you... she saved your life.”

...

‘Mommy! Don’t let me go... mommy please!’

‘Whatever happens my precious one. One day I hope you will have it in your heart to forgive me. But you must fly away, fly away and never return.’

“Please no! Don’t leave me!”

‘Remember, I will forever love you— no matter who you are.’

‘Nooooooo!’

‘Follow the bubbles.’

...

With her memories finally pieced together Derpy could let go. She stood up from the gravestone and wiped her silver tears away. For the first time in a long while; she smiled. Her mother told her to flee from ponies coming to hurt them. She saved her life. She was a hero. Derpy felt absolved from her past. All the sadness and all the unanswered questions were also absolved. Now she felt free from all those terrible nightmares of that dreadful night.

Like before, a magic cluster of bubbles floated upwards to greet the filly. She could see through them yet these perfect spheres reflect rainbows of light. She could see bright and happy patterns of the bubbles. She knew that bubbles were mysterious objects which are said to hold secrets. It was said that when they pop the secrets kept inside are released into the world.

Then she felt something silent and cold trickle down her cheek. She held her hoof under her amber eyes... they were leaking. Salty droplets streamed down out of her eyes. She smeared them with her hoof, all she felt was sadness within. A missing piece which made her throat dry and her smile weaken...

But the bubbles bobbled in front of her; they bounced and popped when touched. They stopped her tears because the bubbles were her tears. That was her special talent. Her tears were healing waters or a stream a joy. Her special silvery tears magically altered to bubbles to bounced back up to make her smile, to make her laugh. Her teary bubbles reminded her to wipe away that leak from her eyes and to cheer up when she is sad back.

“You said you knew my mother... w-who are you?” Derpy asked, she didn’t even know the elder ponies name, yet everything she had said resonated in Derpy like nothing she had ever heard before.

“My name is unimportant as is the life I have lived. This is about your life now, your journey. You must continue it, as I’m afraid mine has come to an end,” the elder pony said weakly.

A quiet slosh in the snow caused Derpy's ears to perk up.

“Huh?” Derpy said, when she turned back she saw that the elder pony had passed away. It was peaceful, the only sound she made was the gentle fall into the snow. Now the snow had become a bed of white to comfort her. The elder pony laid next to Derpy’s mother. There was nothing that could have been done. The elder ponies sickness had taken its toll. But the elder ponies last words rang true in Derpy.

Derpy picked up her nearby knitted cloth and placed it over the elder pony in respect. It’s as if this elder pony waited for her, waited to help her; to tell her the truth that her mother couldn’t. And for that, Derpy was truly thankful.

After a return journey home, Derpy hung her head up high with her new sense of fulfillment. She took a deep breath. Her mane blew in the billowing chill of the wind. A single set of bubbles bobble behind her as she overlooked her home. She is Derpy Hooves, a brave pony who took a long and tough journey, she found her missing piece and bested the nightmares.

Around the back of the cottage now stood two gravestones; side-by-side. The silent stones watched the breathtaking snowy peaks and Ponyville that shone dimly in the distance...

The empty cottage remained there on the mountain. The wind clattered the wooden door open. Inside remained all the old photos and memories of growing old, Derpy as a small filly who laughed with her mother. Both her and her mother playing games in the snow and Derpy getting a piggy-back ride. Another showed Derpy been read a bedtime story while wrapped in a warm blanket. There was one final photo of Ditzy Doo, she stood without her daughter and smiled for her final photograph.

Underneath the photos on the mantelpiece: the fireplace gently flickered out.

Dear Princess Celestia.

‘I thought I’d take the time to write about what I’ve learned today, if that’s okay. Today I’ve learned that nopony is perfect, we all have things about ourselves we don’t particularly like, but that’s what makes us ourselves. We should never be ashamed of that fact or estranged to our flaws and we shouldn’t be any different than who we really are. Be one pony. Be yourself.

Take opportunities that arise. Don’t be frightened you will not succeed or they don’t work out. The only failure is not attempting. Always respect yourself and others too, but make sure there is always room for fun and laughter. Everypony has setbacks in their life, it is how we deal with them and overcome our difficulties that makes us stronger.

I completed that special task you gave me and I found something I wasn’t looking for: a home.
I will continue my journey for Ditzy Doo...’

~Durpy Derpy

To Be Continued...

My Little Pony: Time is Forever™ will return...

'The only one who can save them now... is a Doctor.'

Notes:
Derpy will frequently join the main cast to feature in the adventures to follow.
Derpy buried the elder pony next to her mother.
Ponyville has been destroyed several times since the shadow began, this includes both the Ursa Minor and Parasprite incidents. This is referenced by the mayor of Ponyville declaring the seventh cleanup of Ponyville to commence.
If you’ve ever bought a (Pinkestia) Princess Celestia toy, you’ll know she gets a hair/mane brush along with her. This is referenced in the letter in which Celestia wrote to Fluttershy.
The next four chapters will be going through the canon characters: Derpy, Doctor Whooves, Lyra Heartstrings, Bon-Bon, Vinyl Scratch and Octavia.
Hurricane will return...

A Twist in Time

"Time is truly fickle."
~ Star Swirl the Bearded

Not a sound stirred upon the quiet moors of Ponyville. Moonlight shadows were cast on ripples of the water from the nearby snaking river. Along this river sat a cottage connected to an observation tower. A water wheel turned in the river and churned the water alongside the structure. No light shone through the benighted moss-covered windows within the cottage.

A nameless earth pony remained in a darkened room, which was more like a laboratory than an actual abode. Wires hung from the ceiling and ran along the floor like silent snakes. Computers buzzed and whirred on the walls. Silence and solitude remained until the pony flipped a metal switch and a cyan coloured central column lit. The dim light from the column revealed this pony to be brown in colour and that of the earth, with a spiked brown mane cut and light-blue eyes. The central column was the centre of his home and the conduit to all of it's light and electrical power.

The remarkable proceeded to press switches and pulled handles upon a console of colourful buttons that flashed with flair.
“There and there, oh yes!” The earth pony said with glee, he grabbed a metal hammer and knocked it upon the mechanism. His gauche method had worked. Sparks and flashes of light erupted from the central computer as it whirred into action...

The grains of sand drained in the hourglasses of Ponyville. It was nearly the crack of dawn now and far from the silence and solitude of the mysterious cottage, pegasi were gathered together under the twilight sunrise. They were all getting ready to practice racing. They were to race into the rising sun and continue until the mid morning. The objective was to tag several checkpoints along the way. This was the only time of the day they could practice such a race in Ponyville since it was only morning everypony still slept soundly in their beds. The weaving alleyways and oblique buildings were the perfect training ground for all of them. They would have to use all their stamina and agility to twist and turn through the course. As they all prepared, Rainbow Dash trotted on the spot.

‘You can do this Dash, you can do this... you just have to concentrate, consseeenntrate.’ She thought with a look of determination. Before every race it always helped to encourage herself.

“Rainbow crash, what’re you doing ‘ere?!” Hurricane, storm of the skies, suddenly spoke with a snarl. Her hoarse voice pierced through the stillness.

“Duh! I’m training for the Equestrian Five-Hundred,” Rainbow Dash said in reply as she did some hoof-ups. There was a cyan and white sweatband was firmly wrapped upon her head. “It’s like the... biggest race around and it... starts really, really, soon.” She only spoke in between each hoof-up, when sweat dripped from her brow she got up to rest. “I gotta be in tip-top shape; ‘cause I’m gonna win it.” She boasted and posed to that of victory.

“Tsh, yeah right. We’ll see ‘bout that.” Hurricane gave a faint laugh at the optimism of her rival. Hurricane was a simple mare, stronger than most with a certain mean streak and competitiveness, a trait she had retained from fillyhood. Rainbow Dash did seem to be in physical peak, but Hurricane had a devious plan, she turned to leave the others to their preparations...

The rehearsal race began as soon as the sunlight peeked into Ponyville. The town had been littered with circular checkpoints made of cloud; they each had to be tagged in quick succession.

The mayor of Ponyville stood ready for the race to start as everypony prepared themselves in their own ways. She watched as Rainbow Dash and Hurricane nudged each other at the starting-line.

“Only they could make a competition out of a rehearsal.” The Mayor snorted to the pony next to her. Stood next to the mayor was the time turner poised and prepared. He held a decorated hourglass, an hourglass which precisely matched that of his cutie mark. The namless earth pony threw a strange look over at Rainbow Dash in particular. He ignored her bickering with Hurricane and just stared directly at her. He knew something about her nopony else knew. The air grew tense as the Mayor then picked up the checkered flag in her maw.

“On your marks...”

Everypony stood at the starting line. Their hearts pumped with tense energy. Rainbow Dash poised herself. Hurricane also got ready with a wicked blue eyes affixed upon the first checkpoint.

“Get set...”

All the racers lowered their hooves and posed, ready for that initial and crucial jump into the sky. The sun peaked above the mountaintop; then line of sunlight crept across the grass until—

“Go!”

The hourglass is skillfully turned. All the pagasi including Hurricane took flight as the sand in the hourglass trickled down. Rainbow Dash took flight also but suddenly something tugged on her hoof.

“What the? — WHOA!”

Rainbow Dash flung backwards mid-air straight into the dirt with a crash. As the dust cleared, she discovered a piece of elastic had being attached to her hoof via glue, it had twanged her back to the starting line. She must of stepped into it... but that means somepony purposely placed the glue exactly where Rainbow Dash was going to start.

“Hurricane!” Rainbow Dash suddenly snorted. “That no good cheat!” She retorted and quickly ripped the elastic from her hoof with a squeal and shot into the burning heavens.

The first checkpoint was directly infront of them; it was the easiest one to tag. Leading the group was Hurricane. She was buff and larger than all the others that made her tire easily. All the other knew she wouldn’t be leading for much longer. The laps around Ponyville were simple for Rainbow Dash who twisted and turned among the many houses with only a trail of rainbow to mark the route she had taken. As the pegasi soured Rainbow Dash suddenly darted past them as the two rival pegasi were neck-and-neck.

“Too slow Hurricane,” Rainbow teased her fellow pegasister as she flew backwards; she even had time to check the rim of her hoof! She tagged every checkpoint along the course in style. Hurricane retorted with a grumpy snort, she was quickly getting out of breath. She would never beat Rainbow like this because she was way too hulky. This was only a rehearsal; most ponies weren’t too bothered about winning. But Hurricane wanted to win, now more than ever. It was time to drag Rainbow Dash down into failure. In a sly move she hastily leaned to the left and smashed straight into Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash gave a faint cry before she rolled through the air.

“Whoa... whoa... whoa...” Rainbow said dazedly in time to the spins as she rotated around. By the time she adjusted herself she was in last place. After her eyes rolled from the dizziness she took off again before she fishtailed around the back of the schoolhouse, and tagged the second checkpoint. She came up behind the group as she trailed behind. Next, they had to fly over the river, then the third and last checkpoint was high in the clouds above Ponyville. Hurricane was nearly there however she stopped at the river. She panicked as she saw the water and refused to fly over it. Instead Hurricane took the long way around. Rainbow Dash mustered everything she had, this was her chance, She jetted up and away until her speed was unmatched, she passed most of the other pegasi as the town becomes a small spec. One of Rainbow Dash's famous sonic rainboom a pulse of prism light to erupt from the epicentre.

“A sonic rainboom!” The Mayor shouted with delight.

Rainbow Dash had magically broken the sound barrier again, the supreme light forced everypony to cover their eyes. After the initial flash of white light Rainbow Dash landed with style at the finish line... only to see Hurricane had already beaten her.

“Ha! I won; in yer face failbow crash!” This time Hurricane boasted and snarled in Rainbow’s face when she did. With a grand grin on her mug she celebrated. But to Hurricane's utter surprise; nopony celebrated with her. Was it because she cheated? No. Hurricane was unaware of the resulting event. She followed the gaze of everypony else as all eyes turned upward to the sky. Something was terribly wrong...

“Dash... look at the sky.” Hurricane said as she pointed up with her hoof.

“Yeah I know it’s just my sonic rai— what the?!” Rainbow Dash gawped. That’s when she saw it. Something else had appeared from the centre of the sonic rainboom.

Then they felt it under their hooves... the ground was moving, pounding! It was strong. It was an earthquake. No. A skyquake! Everypony stopped still, it immobilized them in fear. Until the pounding got so ferocious that they could no longer stand. Everypony bent their hooves to avoid falling. The cottages trembled, their walls shrieked. Awakened from their sleep ponies of all kinds rushed into the dawn. Shaken out of their cosy beds and broken out of their angelic dreams, they looked up.

Crrzzzzrooommm!

It teared across the sky. An eruption of red light unlike anything ever see. A fracture then tore across the sky in jagged movements. It looked like the aurora borealis as it snapped across the skyline. Eventually the rumbling came to a slow halt. After the pounding slowed, the only thing that pounded more than the ground were the hearts of everypony. The red fracture remained in the silent sky ominously above Ponyville. The air around Ponyville tinted to a shade of red.

“This is it... everything changes now.” The brown earth pony said and left his post beside the hourglass. He galloped away from the location of the race and into the sunrise just as the last grain of sand dropped from the hourglass. He knew the time was now.

Elicited screams came from within Ponyville. A heavy crowd filled the town square with noise.The mayor stepped up infront of a podium with an attached microphone.

“No pony panic!” Her voice erupted on the speakers and deafened all the ponies in the crowd below.

“Sorry about that.” She apologized and waited as the volume was turned down. Everypony quickly gathered in front of the recently rebuilt town hall. All had worried looks upon their faces, some of them had younger fillies that cried and some still even had their night clothes on.

“Today,” the mayor cleared her throat, “we face an unprecedented emergency.”

“What’s going on?”

“What is that thing?”

“Is it dangerous?!” Ponies in the crowd blazed questions of all kinds in rapid succession. Their hopes were for an explanation from the mayor. She did not have the answers to the questions posed upon her. Infact, nopony knew what it was that had just opened above their fair town. Considering all this the mayor had only one option.

“We must evacuate Ponyville.”

The mayor attempted to maintain the panic at all costs. But her speech only brought more unrest: ponies rushed in all directions, they grabbed their belongings and hoarded them into makeshift bags and baskets before they flung them over their flanks. Within a few moments it was chaotic. Nearby a young filly placed her hoof upon her ribcage in fear. Soon the mother ran and grabbed her filly before flinging her onto her rump.

There was a yellow unicorn with a short light-blue mane, she had a cutie mark of a microphone and she was remarkably calm for all the panic that was happening around her. She wore a large pair of technical headphones on her head.

“This is P & E News reporting from Ponyville. You join us today at the precipice of disaster. As you can see, chaos has erupted across Ponyville as ponies mercilessly push past each other in a stampede to escape the town. Nopony knows what fate awaits them as an unknown tear in the sky is now gaping open above this peaceful country town. Seven ponies died. This is Sunny Rain, reporting.”

Twilight walked into camera shot in the background, she shook her head from the reporters’ lies. Twilight then stared upwards at the red pulsating fracture in the sky above as ponies rush in a panic around her. In all her life, with all the magic in the world, she had never seen anything like it. She do galloped off among the crowd as she rushed home, to the Library. She burst through the door with little care for the hinges.

“Twilight! What is going on?” Spike climbed out of his cosy circular bed before he gazed out of the window. Headstrong ponies rushed in all directions, some with suitcases and some with their filly children on their backs. Twilight ignored all the shouting outside and used her magic to unlock a door she doesn’t open very often: The door to the library basement...

“Uh, Twilight?” Spike asked as he cautiously followed her down the stairs. The basement of the library contained many metal machines which bleeped with sound. Many strange devices and computers Spike hadn’t seen. It had roots which perturbed from the tree above. The entire basement was dimly lit with a cyanic coloured light that reverberated.

“Shouldn't we be getting out of here?” Spike asked and plonked himself down on top on one of the computers.

“Ponyville is being evacuated because of a something that... Uh, I don’t know how to explain it. Something that has never happened before.” said Twilight, she didn’t even look up from the computer console when she spoke. Twilight quickly swept everything off of a nearby desk with her hooves, documents and vials clashed on the floor. What was she clearing room for? She was flustered and out of breath from her panic. She could even feel her own beating heart in her chest. Spike knew when she got like this she must be really onto something special.

Twilight returned to her own devices as she tried to discover the source of the fracture. One of the machines printed loads of wavy lines on a long piece of paper. Wavy lines Twilight could translate into date, they were a frequency. Twilight tore the paper from the machine and slammed them onto the desk and read the contents.

“The source of the fracture was... Rainbow Dash?!”

Crrzzzzrooommm!

The fracture rumbled with unnatural energies. All across Ponyville, legions of ponies sprinted out of the town to find any form of safe haven outside its boundaries.

Scared and alone the intrepid Fluttershy headed for the library. She knew Twilight would know what to do, she always knew what to do. Fluttershy squealed as the chaos unfolded around her. But then something caught her eye. She turned to look to see an inexplicable yellow with a pink mane and tail pony that started at the ground. She froze; then Fluttershy realised, as impossible as it may be, she was looking at herself. She was looking at something that had already happened. Fluttershy watched herself staring into a puddle, she was angry... really angry. Her eyes soffened and her eyes filled with tears. This had happened before, when she was under the training of the Minotaur Iron Will.

Pinkie Pie had a similar experience on the way to the library. Her past self wore strange goofy glasses and was playing many instruments of all sorts. She wore the instruments and danced away as a line a Parasprites followed her every whim.

“Hehe, silly me.” Pinkie Pie giggled. She thought it creepy at first, but then danced and bounced around with her the apparition toward the library.

“Crickets an’ jam!” Applejack shouted when scared out her wits. She just opened the barn door, about to depart from sweet apple acres when she saw herself playing Horseshoes with Rainbow Dash. Sweet Apple Acres were known to be haunted being built on an ancient burial ground and all, but this was ridiculous. Applejack tilted her head at herself, and then she waved her hoof right through the apparition. It was all just an illusion.

Several of these apparitions appeared across the now abandoned town. They were harmless illusions and only reflected things that had already happened. There was even an apparition of Twilight Sparkle carrying the enchanted doll Smarty Pants. Ponies’ that had fallen in love with the doll that fought each other to try and claim it all for themselves. However all these apparitions only added to the chaos that came from within Ponyville.

Eventually everypony came to meet in the library basement after all their various encounters.

“It’s like it’s mocking me.” Twilight snorted in anguish in reply to the red light in the sky. She knew it was just more than just a simple red light, it was dangerous. But no matter how dangerous it was, the six friends and Spike were the only ones to have remained in Ponyville.

“I thought I was seeing double!” Pinkie Pie spoke first while waving her hoof infront of her own face.

“I don’t s’pose ya know what’s goin’ on Twi? I coulda sworn that a just gone and seen... ma’self.” Applejack spoke with great concern.

“I...” Twilight stammered. “I don’t know, I just don’t know.”

“What?!” Everypony blasted in unison.

“But Twilight, you always know what’s going on.” Rarity exclaimed.

“There’s a first time for everything... I guess.” Twilight parted with a nervous laugh. She was almost disappointed to admit that she couldn’t understand what was happening. “Whatever that thing is up there. I believe it’s dangerous and I think what we’ve been seeing are side-effects of it.” Twilight tried her best to explain it, but all her friends just gave her blank expressions.

“It’s my fault. I know it was. It was my sonic rainboom that caused it.” Rainbow Dash suddenly said with regret, she sat sorrowfully in a darkened corner. Was all this because of her? One minute she was enjoying the race like it was any other ordinary day, then suddenly their town was turned upside down.

A computer behind Twilight printed out more lines of data. Twilight had worked tirelessly to get this far... it was time for the results.

“Apparently not.” Twilight said at the same time she read the data on the print document. She looked up with a grin on her face. “There’s another source to the fracture.”

“Then let’s goooo!” Pinkie Pie said cheerfully waving her hoof into the air.

“No.” Twilight sternly said. “Only me and Rainbow Dash will go. The rest of your need to get out of Ponyville.”

“Twilight dearest, are you absolutely sure?” Rarity asked.

“I... I couldn’t live with myself if anything happened to you because I kept you all here.” Twilight nodded to her friends.

With those parting words the six of them took off from the Library. Fluttershy carried Spike upon her back as they rushed out of the derelict town and headed for the moss-covered hills on the outskirts. Spike watched with a sour face as Twilight and Rainbow Dash galloped off in the opposite direction.

[img] http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2012/247/2/f/2f72a29316e236e1655efeb29c0f45d4-d5dkat6.png[/img]

The fracture crackled with even more energy as it tore wider.

The pathways of Ponyville felt eerie without life to fill them. Usually at this hour ponies would be selling and buying in the market stalls, enjoying the sunshine with picnics or just genuinely conversing. But today not a creature nor sound stirred in the derelict town. A lone tumbleweed bounced silently across the grass. Then through the silence was the sound of trotting... Twilight Sparkle ran with Rainbow Dash in flight behind her. Their short trek brought them both to the outskirts of Ponyville.

Unheard and unseen they sneakily approached a small cottage. It had a large observation tower connected to it with an even larger golden telescope for stargazing that pointed up from the circular roof. The cottage was near a stream and had a water wheel churning the water. The red colour of the fracture reflected on the rippling water. Unusually the door the abode was ajar, as if its occupant was inviting them inside...

Twilight Sparkle opened the door, it squeaked as it opened. As they let themselves in they saw a brown earth pony sat in a black leather chair, his hooves were folded. He evilly scowled his eyebrows down at them.

“So... you’ve found my lair, have you?” He said and tapped his hooves together like an evil genius. A tense pause followed as Twilight and Rainbow glanced at each other.

“Baaah, only kidding,” The earth pony joked. Suddenly all the lights in the room switch on all at once blinding both Twilight and Rainbow Dash.

“Could you imagine if I was really like that?” The brown earth pony spun round in his spinning chair for awhile. Then he jumped out of his chair and danced around his cottage. He had a spiky mane and the cutie mark of an hourglass.

“Who the hell are you?” Twilight grunted and pointed her hoof at this weird pony with a stern look on her face.

“Well, aren’t you a bundle of fun. Hello! I don’t believe we’ve met, I’m the Doctor.” He enthusiastically shook the hoof Twilight pointed at him. Perhaps he mistook it for a hoof shake?

“Doctor… doctor who?” She asked and then snatched her hoof from his.

“Just the Doctor... ooowh!” He swooned like a school-aged filly. “You must be Rainbow Dash. I’ve heard many great things. Come in... oh— it seems you’ve already let yourselves in, splendid!”

“Who is this pony Twilight?” Rainbow Dash asked and tilted her head in confusion. The interior of his cottage was more like a laboratory than an ordinary abode. Flashing machines that whirred with electrical power covered the four walls. The water wheel outside generated the electrical power as the wheel was connected via wires to the inside the house. At the epicentre of the residence is a dimly lit central column. Everything here rivalled that of what Twilight had in her basement.

“Well... how do I put this? I suppose I should start at the very beginning. I am a lord of time or a time lord, whichever you prefer really.”

“Are you kidding me?!” Rainbow Dash’s voice cracked up.

“My special talent is time. See?” The Doctor said. Rainbow looked at the earth ponies’ cutie mark to see an hourglass. Rainbow Dash recognized him now; it had become increasingly obvious during their conversation the Doctor was the one that turned the hourglass at the race this morning.

“Whoa... wait... what?” Rainbow Dash suddenly snapped back into reality. She was amazed and confused at the same time. The Doctor spoke so quickly about things she couldn’t quite understand.

Twilight scowled at this pony. That brown coat to match his mane, those sapphire eyes and a cutie mark that certainly was an hourglass.

“Wait a minute, I know you! You were one of the ponies who laughed at me when I said that I’d seen my future self.” Twilight Sparkle said and remembered back to that time. It was back when she snuck into the Star Swirl the Bearded wing of the Canterlot archives to find a time spell.

“Ah... I do remember that. I heard you created your own paradox. Unfortunately I have to keep up appearances. I am undercover as it were as the official timekeeper and time turner of Ponyville. Sorry about that.” The Doctor said and pulled a lever then he darted to the other side of the cottage and connected two wires together.

“I am the last of the time lords. All the others were lost in a war. I’m a miracle in itself. But imagine if every pony knew time travel was possible. If they knew about the time lords and the time spells in the Canterlot archives. There’d be mass panic Twilight, everypony would want to go backwards and forwards and all over the place. It would be a right old mess. But we can’t let that happen now, can we?”

“O-of course not.” Twilight stammered. This wasn’t the first time she had heard about the time spells. She had overheard Celestia and Luna talking about a spell a few days ago, although Twilight was still in doubt if that was a time spell.

“Wham!” The Doctor suddenly shouted as he popped up infront of Rainbow Dash. She jumped out of her fur and spread her wings out to hover back away from him. “Might I say Rainbow Dash, I’m a big fan of your work.” The Doctor said and winked at Rainbow Dash; making her grin. He then continued to dart around the many machines of his abode.

“I don’t know who he is Twilight, but I like him.” Rainbow Dash jumped onto a nearby beanbag to chill.

“Well I don’t. He’s totally crazy!” Twilight replied back with utter detest. Twilight couldn't help but a sense that the Doctor enjoyed the thrill of danger, something she has never been able to relate to. “Listen Doctor, the fate of Ponyville is at stake and you’re swooning like a little school filly at Rainbow Dash! We know it was you who caused that... red fracture to appear in the sky.” Twilight pointed her hoof at him as she accused this strange pony.

“You really have no idea what that ‘‘red fracture’' is do you?” The Doctor pulled some levers on a big machine in the centre of the house.

“Look we need some serious answers, is it dangerous?” Twilight said with a stern look on her face.

“Of course it’s dangerous! It’s a big twisty-swirly thing in the sky. You see Rainbow Dash; every time you do a sonic rainboom you break the sound barrier. Now that sonic rainboom is totally unique to you, but that alcubierre drive, your unique ability, opened it! It’s a fissure ripped open in the sky! A fissure in time itself. I’m sure by now you’ve been seeing your past selves, a side-effect of the fracture I’m afraid.” The Doctor paused to swing around the central column.

“Pretty soon everypony will be seeing things in the future and I don’t know about you, but I really wouldn’t like to know my future.” The Doctor waffled on at a hundred miles-an-hour. “But if there’s a fissure of time above Ponyville that can only mean one thing...” he paused to give a look of seriousness. “The walls are broken... two instantaneous times that should’ve never have touched. This event changes everything. Isn’t that just wonderful?” The Doctor said with a cheeky grin.

He was, in a word, crazy. Despite the impending danger this pony danced around with his tail between his legs. It was like he was enjoyed all the adventure and danger. Twilight, on the hood, had heard enough. She grabbed Rainbow by the hoof.

“C’mon Rainbow Dash, we’re leaving! We’ll use the Elements of Harmony. That’d stop it.” Twilight demanded as she tugged on Rainbow Dash tightly, she didn’t budge. Something about the Elements of Harmony made the Doctor’s ears erect. It was like a trigger word which made a his spine tingle and his fur stand up on end.

“But I...” Rainbow Dash looked at Twilight and then at Doctor Whooves. “I’m staying.” She decided. Afterall, it was their fault the fracture opened.

“Urgh. You want to stay here? Fine!” Twilight grunted and walked out. She slammed the door with her magic.

“Did somepony just slam my door?” The Doctors head popped up through a pile of wires.

“I think she’s just jealous some pony is a bigger egghead than her.” Rainbow said and rolled her eyes. Even the machines in the library were inferior to better and bigger gadgets that the he had.

“Well nevermind that; all in good time. C’mon Rainbow Dash... you know what? I’m just gonna call you Skittles. Onwaaaards!”

The hellish ripples of the fracture could be seen for miles. It was only above Ponyville, for now at least. All the ponies that had come from the town had arrived as temporary refugees outside the gates to Canterlot. Campfires burnt brightly and tents were erected. Princess Celestia, wise and true, was overseeing the refugees and provided sustenance and fresh clean water. But just what does that red fracture mean? What has happened to time?

Stood anxiously upon a hilltop among watching the event unfold. It was a strange yet sorrowful sight to see the red fracture hanging above their fair town. From behind Princess Celestia the four friends and Spike had arrived.

“Princess Celestia, we need the Elements of Harmony,” Rarity explained as she arrived. They stood alongside the Princess as the wind blew through their various manes. Each of the best friends had their own concerns and worries, all this talk of fractures above Ponyville and refugees, it was beyond them...

“I feared as much,” Celestia replied sombrely. She turned to look at them with a smile but her smile was only the hide the true burning concern within her. Soon after, her horn glowed bright and with a simple flash of light, the blue gemstone chest containing the Elements appeared before them.

“Princess Celestia!” Twilight's voice called out. Behind everypony else Twilight dashed up the hillside toward them. She trotted as fast as her hooves could take her. Her teleport spells got her here in half the time it would normally take on the Friendship Express. But she was utterly exhausted from all the magic she had cast.

“Twilight? Where is Rainbow Dash?” Princess Celestia replied.

“She... she isn’t coming.” Twilight huffed.

“Doesn’t that mean we can’t use the Elements? They has to be all of us here.” Pinkie Pie said. She wasn’t wrong either, with one of their friends missing the Elements of Harmony were much less powerful and much more unpredictable. All of them had to be here to complete the link.

“Princess Celestia...” Twilight said as she snatched the Element of Loyalty linked to Rainbow Dash and gave it to the princess. “You can still use it.”

“Twilight.” Princess Celestia protested. “I can do nothing of the sort.”

“Please! You’ve used it before, you can do it again.” Twilight pleaded now as she held it infront of the Princess. Celestia just stared at the jewel before her while it pulsated with energy like a faint heartbeat. It was almost as if the jewel had something living inside of it. Her eye twitched slightly. It had been one-thousand years when she had to last used the Elements of Harmony to stop Discord, turning him the stone. But was she really considering using it again? When Celestia thought about it she became weak at the knees as if the Elements were somehow making her feel ill. She held her head in ache.

“I understand the situation is d-desperate.” She groaned. “However I cannot. The Elements of Harmony are connected to you six now. If I were to use one of them once more it would sever the link; forever.” Celestia hastily backed away from the red jewel and recomposed herself. Twilight had noticed the weakness in Celestia but thought nothing of it. Twilight felt so powerless, she couldn't stop this. Never had she faced something without knowing what to do, without some plan of action. This red fracture was beyond her knowledge, beyond them all. In her madness and desperation she placed the Element of Loyalty upon herself.

“Twi’...” Applejack said.

“We can do it. We can still do it.” Twilight bounced in determination.

“Twilight... ” Rarity said.

“Uargh! You’re right.” She succumbed to their concerns and slammed the Element upon the ground. They were right. They couldn’t stop this. Not even the Elements of Harmony could stop this. Even if she did use two of the elements the sheer power of the magic could fry her brain entirely. Twilight curled-up to sob on the hillside. Her friends, Celestia and even Spike immediately came to comfort her.

The only one who can save them now... is a Doctor.

“Skittles!” The Doctor shouted in distress from upstairs as the central column to his house shook with life. Several electrical sparks exploded from the computers and white smoke billowed from within the cottage.

“Nope, that’s no good. Try the blue one,” The Doctor commanded from upstairs. He was laid on his back and gazed at the fracture from his telescope.

Rainbow Dash tried her best to understand the machines laid out before her. They were all mocking her with their various colours and sounds. She pressed any and all of the switches coloured blue. She didn’t know which one it was.

“Nope, that’s not it either,” The Doctor said and got himself up. He jumped onto a modified swing set. The wooden contraption was connected to a rope pulley system with then abseiled him down via a winch.

“I don’t think whatever it is you’re trying to do is working.” Rainbow Dash said as the Doctor descended next to her.

“There is another way... But I’ve being trying to avoid it because it’s too dangerous.”

“What is it? Tell me, there’s nothing I can’t handle.” Rainbow Dash said with a wry smile.

“It, it involves you, Skittles, we’ll need—”

They were four knocks at the door. Both Rainbow Dash and Doctor Whooves accidently bumped shoulders beside the computer as they swivelled around to look at the door. Silence had fallen. The only problem that they faced was that there were no ponies still in Ponyville; they had all evacuated. So who or what was at the door? The Doctor calmly and politely trotted to the door, he opened it ajar with a creek.

Suddenly the door swung open and a grey pegasus burst into the abode.

“...Derpy?” The Doctor said as the cloudy-filly flew into the abode.

“Derpy?!” Rainbow Dash repeated with surprise.

“Where is everypony? They're ghosts running around everywhere. They're funny.” Derpy spun around confused and finally landed with a slight wobble. She couldn't have fully understood when the evacuation came into effect...

“You know Derpy?” Rainbow asked.

“Oh yes!” The Doctor swooned. “Old friends, me and her, didn’t I ever tell you? It’s a story involving the collapse of time, a jammie dodger and Jim the fish! Although neither of us can remember it all though...”

“And one of these days I’m going to get you to eat a pear, Doctor.” Derpy joked with a giggle.

“Oh, you can try, but I hate pears! You’ll never get me to eat a pear. Never-never-never...”

“Doctor? Aren’t you forgetting something...?” Rainbow Dash said indubiously as she watched the old friends get reacquainted.

“Sorry. Yes! There are more important things to deal with. Alright then Skittles, hold that button rriigghhtt there!” The Doctor commanded and pointed with his hoof.

“When the all the computer screens display the number eighty-eight, you can let it go. Now then, Derpy... um... no-no-no, Derpy, no, not you, you just... stand there.” The Doctor moved Derpy away from the computers before she touched anything. Rainbow Dash held the button. The Doctor stood on the modified swing set and used his hoof to tap the switch. He is then winched back up to gaze into the telescope again. The fracture was getting wider and louder despite all their original efforts.

The button soon flashed sporadically, the computer screens displayed eighty-eight. When Rainbow Dash quickly removed her hoof the whole cottage whirled into life. The computers shook from processing so much electrical energy. Sparks flew from the central column as screeched up and down. The ground rumbled violent from another earthquake that ensued.

In the stratosphere above, the fracture slowly sealed itself. It got thinner and less noisy as it closed. It groaned as it closed, almost as if it was alive and screeched in defeat. The and skyline around Ponyville change from the faint haze red into their regular colourful brightness.

It was working!

The machines sparked and gave strange readings. They printed out a single-lined message:

The doctor ruffled a hoof through his mane as he read the data, but he didn't have time to fully translate it.

"Doctor, what is that?" Rainbow Dash asked over the console.

"It's nothing." He replied coldly.

"You're lying, I can tell."

"Alright fine, it's the most important thing ever—"

Thick black smoke covered their faces and spread around the cottage, covering it in dust. All three ponies inside were blown off their hooves and into the opposite corners of the room. As the smoke cleared, all three of them covered in ash and burn marks lied defeated. It was all going so well! Two guesses who messed it all up...

“Derpy...” Rainbow Dash and Doctor Whooves said in unison. They were clearly disappointed.

“I’m sorry!” Derpy apologized. “I only wanted to help and the big colourful button said doughnuts.” She twiddled her hooves shyly.

Rainbow Dash looked down. "Urg, Derpy. It's says 'do not touch', not doughnuts!"

“We were so close,” Doctor Whooves tutted in disappointment. “All the machines have powered-down, they've lost their juice." The Doctor said between his gritted teeth and checked all the dials on the computers. “We can’t do it, we can’t do it!”

“Anypony in need of a little... magic?” A new voice was heard, everypony looked to the open doorway.

“Twilight!” Everypony shouted in unison. There stood Twilight herself infront of sun rays which shone behind her. She banished the smoke and ash from the room with a simple flick of arcane magic her horn.

“You came back.” Rainbow Dash said and whizzed over to hug her best friend in mid-air. Rainbow nearly thought her friend had given up all hope in rescuing Ponyville.

“I had to. We couldn’t use the Elements of Harmony without you and I don’t think they can be used for this sort of stuff anyway.” Twilight said as their hug finished.

Then Doctor Whooves and Twilight Sparkle slowly trotted toward each other and came face-to-face once more.

“Twilight...” He said.

“Doctor...” She replied.

“I think I know what’s bothering you Twilight: You honestly believe that machines are better than magic... am I right?” He said with sympathy and great kindness, a kindness he showed to all creatures in Equestria.

“The Elements of Harmony couldn’t close the fracture even if they could be used... so maybe you’re right.” Twilight said with regret and twiddled her hooves. Was the Doctor right all along?

“Wrong!” The Doctor suddenly shouted and jumped up infront of Twilight making her jump out of her fur. “Neither machines nor magic could close it on their own. But maybe together.”

“That might just work!” Twilight shouted back. Now they were on the same level! Derpy and Rainbow Dash stood aghast as both the Doctor and Twilight whizzed like maniacs around the residence. Twilight used her magic to seal two wires together, powering up the computers. The Doctor flipped switches and levers galore. Within moments; they were ready to go again.

“Before we do this.” Doctor Whooves addressed his three friends. “I suppose I should explain the whole truth. This red fracture is more than it appears. It is called the Edge of Forever. Look up.” The Doctor pointed his hoof upward. All three ponies gazed through a small hole in the roof of the cottage. Through the hole they could see the red fracture directly above them.

“They're ripples in time, emanating from some point in the past. It’s a tunnel in effect, a tunnel to another world. A line between then and now. Go through it and you can see to the beginning and end of all time, hence it's name, the Edge of Forever. That is what has been unleashed above Ponyville...”

“You certainly know a lot about this.” Twilight scowled at him with mistrust.

“I should know... I was there when it first opened at the Timeless Hour.” He replied.

Twilight’s eyes widened as she spoke, “how old are you?"

"Uhh... you know you stop counting after about a couple of thousand years."

"That’s incredible." Twilight wondered just how old a Time Lord could become...

“But the Edge of Forever, it's very bad; you could be facing the end of civilization as you know it.”

“Then Doctor. If that is your real name; promise me you can fix this... promise me we’ll be safe.” Twilight throws a paranoid glance over at the time lord.

“I promise. We can fix this, I promise. I didn’t want to have to do this but it’s the only option left. Skittles. It’s all up to you. Only your sheer speed can break the sound barrier. We need a Double Rainboom.”

"But Doctor, wouldn't the sheer power of double rainboom destroy Ponyville?" Twilight inquired.

"I dunno, one has never been seen before. We'd better make sure we're not at ground zero when it happens." The Doctor remarked.

Rainbow Dash stood aghast for just a moment before a grin came upon her lips. “No worries! There’s nothing I can’t handle.” Rainbow Dash said as she cracked her hooves.

“We must be vigilant. Time is delicate. Imagine a series of strings, if you trip one of them they might all trigger. Any sort of time travel into the past creates a paradox. You should know Twilight; you created your own paradox once. A paradox is where time is forever, because it can never be changed. Certain moments in time are fixed, moments which if a pony went back to try and change, they would only kill themselves. This is one of those moments. If we made the biggest mistake right here, right now and that mistake lead to the end of civilisation. We will not be able to change it, no matter how many times we tried...” He paused again so Twilight can take in all the information he had just bellowed at her at a hundred miles-an-hour.

“So the short explanation would be: we only have one chance. Heh... no pressure then?” Twilight replied under an awkward smile.

Rainbow Dash affixed the elastic around her head. Her trusty goggles snapped onto her face. Her amethyst eyes were a blur behind the glass. Another sonic rainboom, it was no biggie, after all she had done plenty of them before; one more wouldn’t hurt. Then again she had never done anything quite like this; her hooves had heavy metal rings around them which flashed with electricity. Her goggles has been kitted-out with a tiny microphone and a tiny camera so those on the ground could see where she was from the ground.

“You know Twilight, when you first came to Ponyville you said we were all crazy. So if I don’t make it—”

“You will.” Twilight interrupted.

“But If I don’t make. You can trust him. I think you should give him a chance.” Rainbow Dash placed her hoof on her friends shoulder.

“I’ll try.” Twilight replied with a wry smile. “Ready?”

“As I'll ever be!” Rainbow Dash replied at her friend. She closed her eyes and made peace with both herself and Equestria. Her wings flapped as fast as jet propellers, then she jumped up and soured into the red stained sky.

“Good luck Rainbow Dash!” Derpy shouted from below as she waved her hoof in goodbye. She was stood outside also and stared at the pretty red light in the sky, almost mesmerized by it.

As Derpy remained outside doing... nothing, both Twilight and the Doctor sprung into action. The plan was set into motion; machines sparked louder than ever before. Rainbow Dash flew faster than ever before towards the Edge of Forever. It pulsated within and red light shone out. It was a tunnel to another world, and she was going to fly right into it. There was a silent pause.

“Now!” The Doctor shouted. Magical energy exploded from Twilight’s horn, the magic spiralled onto the machines and engulfed them in red light. The machines were powered into overkill by the magic.

Rainbow Dash appeared as a single spec on the skyline for those stood watching Ponyville.

Far from the epicentre of the fracture stood the inhabitants of Ponyville outside of Canterlot. They were all there including the mayor, Hurricane and even Princess Celestia. Most watched in awe and trepidation and gazed up from their campfire in hopes that this could end their fear.

Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and left the mundane world behind.

She was gone.

Everything went white. Then after bief moment of peaceful silence.

Crrzzzzsssssttttrooommm!

The Edge of Forever erupted against an enormous double rainboom that exploded in the sky. From Canterlot everypony had to avert their gaze as the light was so powerful nopony could look at it with the aid of protection for their eyes. Pinkie Pie put on a pair of sunglasses on and held up some popcorn which popped from the heat emitted from the epicentre.

Down in Ponyville, all the glass within a two hundred metre radius was blown out. Both the lights of the rainbow and red light of the fracture pressed against each other. A rainbow coloured light rippled across the stratosphere of Equestria in the shape of a ring around the entire world.

Twilight and Doctor held onto whatever they could in the cottage. All the computer screens around the cottage displayed the number eighty-eight, as they all flashed with a red alert light. The strain on the computers was too much...

“Something’s wrong...” the Doctor groaned. "It's going into overload!"

Twilight dodged the sparks that exploded from the machines and rushed to look at the computer screen. It displayed whatever Rainbow Dash could see from the small camera attached to her sweatband. All the computer screen continued to show was a bright red light. The machines bellowed alarms and sparked with treacherous lightning. She continued to just stare at the monitor until it cut-off and flashed with static.

“N-no... no... she can’t be gone... she just can’t!” Twilight said and shook the computer screen. Is this the paradox Doctor Whooves spoke of? Had one of them made a mistake? Could they never fix this?!

“Twilight, we need to get out!” The Doctor shouted. But Twilight was affixed to the monitor. Did she just watch her friend die? "Twilight, it's coming!"

“No... NO!” She cried.

“Out... out-out-ooouuut!” The Doctor demanded and dragged Twilight by the hoof, they rushed out into the daylight.

Doctor Whooves cottage burst into flames. Both Twilight and the Doctor dived from the explosion and into the dirt as the house erupted into an inferno. Bricks, wood and fire flared out in all directions, the wooden water wheel exploded from the side of the wall and crashed into the river, the telescope melted from the heat and then collapsed in on itself to fall into the rubble. All the machines inside were destroyed as a mushroom cloud of fire curled up into the air. The entire cottage had been leveled by the Double Rainboom.

The two ponies landed safely on the grass and quickly gazed over their shoulders.

“Well, there goes the house,” the Doctor said with a wince. The inferno of his home reflected in his sapphire eyes.

“What about Rainbow Dash?” Twilight said. She looked at the sky and felt more vulnerable than ever as she brushed herself off from dust and mortar. With assistance from Derpy they both stood on their own two hooves and watched the sky.

“There she is!” The Doctor interrupted and pointed upwards as Rainbow Dash flew overhead. She was safe. She descended from the skyline as quickly as possible. The Edge of Forever shrunk thinner and thinner as it collided against the Double Rainboom with unnatural light.

This was it. This was the moment that if they failed they could never change. The ground rumbled and shook with powerful tremors. Loose tiles fell from the roof of the cottages. The apparitions of everypony from the past faded from view without a flicker like ghosts. It sealed once and for all with an almighty beam of light.

Everything went white...

When Doctor Whooves opened his eyes again, he was no longer in the present. Instead of seeing a past apparition of himself, he was gifted with seeing the future. He opened his eyes to what the future held:

The vision was incredible, he could feel, smell and see in such detail. Above him the sky burnt blood red. He looked towards the horizon and Canterlot was seen in flames. It crumbled from its post upon the cliffside. Burning, everything in Canterlot was burning, every room, tower and building. The smoke swirled into the air with little remorse for the souls the fire claimed.

The moon hung dangerously out of the sky, blood red in colour. It was a lunar eclipse, the moon was in the shadow of Equestria, and the silhouette of Princess Luna was once again etched onto the moon. But why? What happened?

The Doctor turned to look at ground level, there was Rainbow Dash. She clutched her own body tightly in tears, as if something terrible had just happened. It was strange considering Rainbow Dash rarely cried. The scene burned through his deep eyes. Of all ponies in the world he was the only one who never wanted to see the future but by a cruel twist of fate, he was the only one who could.

The vision felt so real because he was actually there, the doctor was in the future! Then, the minute he released where he was, he felt like he was being called, like a silent cry pulled him back to reality...

The future faded...

A high-pitched buzzing rang in his ears.

“Doctor?” A distorted voice cried to him.

“Doctor!” The concerned voice rang again.

“Uargh, where am I? What happened?” The Doctor groaned as he sat up.

“Ha! You’re alive! Look! We did it, look! We did it!” Twilight Sparkle jumped up and down on all four hooves as the Doctor Whooves readjusted himself. He landed on his head.

As the Doctor’s blurry vision readjusted itself, he saw that the sun shone brightly in the clear blue sky. Ponies of all kinds merrily walked Ponyville once more, and Twilight stood with her five friends plus Derpy as they all smiled brightly at the Doctor.

It was at that moment he realised he was holding something in his hoof; a letter. His eyes widened as the Doctor realised he had brought back a letter from the future. It must have fluttered through the Edge of Forever just before it closed and he must have picked it up with his hoof. He hastily screwed it into a ball and hid it away before anypony could see it. Knowing that if anypony read it; it would create a most terrible paradox.

The Doctor then unexpectedly found himself at the bottom of a group hug. Everypony was joyful again. It was almost as if the Edge of Forever was just a fleeting memory, or a cataclysmic event nopony dare remember.

And so it came to pass, after talk of fractures in time, sonic rainbooms and the collapse of civilization that this chapter in Ponyville’s history came to a close...

That night fireworks shot into the sky above Ponyville. Displays of colour and flair erupted with a variety of dazzling colours, shapes and sizes much like the variety of ponies merrily drinking Perry and Cider. They all sang and cheered to the success of another disaster averted.

But this journey came to an end on the edge of a lonely, dusty and dimly lit train station. The only source of light was a lonely lantern that swung from above in the bitter wind. Doctor Whooves waited for the Friendship Express to come rolling down the train-track. He was headed to Hoofington, for his next big adventure.

While he waited he produced the letter from the future. He unscrambled it to view the contents. It wasn’t just any letter, it was a letter entrusted to Celestia, the pony who had written it had learnt a valuable lesson about family.

‘dead...’

...

‘my foal sis...’

...

‘she looked afte—’

Doctor Whooves was interrupted by the hiss from the wheels of the the Friendship Express. It had made port in the station and slowly came to a halt and steam flared from behind the wheels. He screwed up the letter into a ball and put it away in a saddlebag attached to his rump. But just before Doctor Whooves stepped on board the train, he was delayed by the goodbyes of Twilight and Rainbow Dash.

Doctor Whooves turned to his new-found friends and spoke first. “Well, in the end magic that was greater than machines. It was your magical abilities from your unicorn horn and your sonic rainboom that closed the fracture; my machines just gave you a little help along the way.” The Doctor said and then paused. But then he gave a stern look as he remembered well what he had seen in the future. When will it happen? How could something so horrible come to pass? The Doctor could reach only one logical conclusion:

“There’s something about the Elements of Harmony that you keep using Twilight. There is something wrong with them which I can’t quite understand yet. You should mindful when and where you use them from now on.” The Doctor said sternly. Twilight Sparkle gave a look of complete understanding. Infact she remembered back to when she tried to give Princess Celestia the Element of Loyalty. The jewel itself made the princess weak at the knees. Like some unnatural force still bound her to its magic.

“But enough of foreshadowing. Happy days!” The Doctor cheered with a grand old smile. If he wore a fez he would surely tip it to them in respect. In the end he and Twilight had worked quite well together. Both him, Twilight Sparkle and Skittles had all learnt a valuable lesson, that the ability of mortal machines will never best that of good and honest magic.

"It's strange, Doctor. We've just saved all of Ponyville and yet I still feel like I don't know anything about you," Twilight looked into his unfamiliar blue eyes. "You hide so much, even your own name."

"It's for the best. I don't like looking back, too many broken hearts and unfulfilled promises. Besides, information is dangerous Twilight, too much of it and you could be making all the wrong mistakes." The Doctor looked serious. He wanted to say more, but only a withheld sigh parted from his lips.

“Where will you go?” Rainbow Dash said.

“Anywhere and everywhere. Perhaps I’ll just... travel for awhile.” He looked up to the brightest stars in the sky as he spoke. It was certain now that the Doctor had nothing left in Ponyville; his entire cottage was destroyed in the resulting closure. But even though he had lost everything and never felt mundane towards anything he owned; it still felt like he was leaving home. He had taken it on the chin; he felt it was time to move on anyway. He had all of Equestria to adventure across.

“Oh but Doctor.” Twilight spoke again. “Promise me you’ll find someone, to travel with I mean. I feel you’re lonely, on the inside. You hide it with spirit for adventure but deep down inside it’s still in there. I feel you need somepony by your side.”

“Nah! Same old life for me, last of the Time Lords. Alone.” The Doctor replied cockily.

“Promise me Doctor.” Twilight repeated more sternly.

“Alright-alright,” he paused to sigh sincerely “...I promise.”

The Friendship Express tooted its high-pitched horn, the sign that it was about to depart. This was goodbye, but it didn’t need saying. Perhaps this wasn’t the end of their team. Perhaps somewhere down the tracks of fate their paths were destined to cross again.

“Well Doctor, it’s been a blast.” Twilight said and smiled. Everything was back to normal, but for that one beautiful moment, she found herself enjoying the chaos. It was a grand adventure filled with both excitement, and danger.

“Always a pleasure Twilight Sparkle... Skittles.” He nodded to both of them in turn. “I’ll be seeing you again. One day.” The Doctor said with a wink before he boarded the Friendship Express. The train puffed and slowly chugged down the line, steam plumed from the funnel on top of the front carriage and the pistons spun and gradually increased their speed.

The Doctor waved from the window and took off on his newest adventure. Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash stood on the station and waved back as the train departed toward the horizon. With a heartfelt smile and the whistling wind that blew through their manes, they watched the train roll off into the elegant sunset.

To Be Continued...

My Little Pony: Time is Forever™ will return...
Soon...

'Heartstrings will be pulled...'

Notes:
This episode was a special wibbly-wobbly-timey-wimey storyline.
They're loads of references to Doctor Who in this chapter: four knocks, the silence, Jim the fish etc...
Doctor Whooves will return... when you least expect it.

Tugging at Heartstrings (Musical Dreams Part 1 - 2)

Tugging at Heartstrings
Musical Dreams Part 1 - 2

"Music has the power to weave friendships... and destroy them."
~ Star Swirl the Bearded

“They were four of us in that big old music school. Oh yeah, there was me, back then I was a teacher’s pet, always at the front of the class, eager to learn. Heh, I always used to give Miss Hackney fruit each morning, not that there’s anything wrong with that. Then there was Vinyl, she was always the most popular with all the other students, she was outspoken, colourful and boisterous. She was always getting told off for putting her rear hooves on the desk. Of course there was Octavia too, the quiet one, never really spoke and always sat at the back of the class, silently. Lastly, there was know-it-all Melody; I'll never forget that evil green gleam in her eyes. Mel was always listening to music, obsessed by song. She was only there to learn the ability of casting magic from a musical instrument. She went on to join a rock band called ‘The Rockin’ Beats’. Heh, I miss those days, our musical dream was to form our own band, but it never happened... not after that night—”

“Lyra! Are you coming or what?!” The proverbial snooty tone of voice came from Bon-Bon, who called from downstairs. Lyra Heartstrings groaned, the annoying hum of her roommares call was enough to drive anypony mad. She was laid in bed, on her front, her back hooves dressed in her favourite black bed socks dangled in the air behind her.

Lyra levitated her quill and placed it down, she had just written the newest entry in her diary, the book was etched with a linen aquamarine swathe and blazoned with a golden lock which covered the front. She always spoke aloud while writing; it helped her to reflect her inner-most thoughts.

In Lyra's bedroom there was mirror fashioned into the shape of a musical eighth note; there was even a large queen-sized bed with a sanitary green sheet. There was a davenport next to the bed that had a golden lyre that leaned ajar against it; its white strings sparkled in the light from the single window on the far wall. It was her favourite instrument of choice and it matched that of her cutie mark. The lyre was the only item she took any vanity in, for it was shining and spotlessly clean while the rest of her bedroom was a downright mess. The walls were lined with song ideas upon small sticky notes connected with red fraying string. The red string stretched around the bedroom like a web. Finally, there was a solitary golden photograph frame with a picture of Lyra sat on the davenport.

Lyra bounced off her bed, she fell on the floor with a thud and then stylishly rolled until she met with the wall. She rolled off her favourite black bed socks, flicked her mane back out of her eyes and ran for the door.

The diaries last page remained open, there was space left for one final entry.

It was the day before Nightmare Night and all through the town, ponies arranged for the one night of the year filled with haunts and cheer. Ultraviolet lights were connected to the roofs of the houses and strung transversely above the streets; they were even skull jack-o-lanterns attached to the woodentops of some cottages.

Lyra sipped on some juice through a straw while she awaited for her roommare Bon-Bon to finish a conversation with Shoeshine. Bon-Bon despised Nightmare Night in it’s entirely, it was primarily because Bon-Bon could never understand why they’d name a holiday after the dreaded Nightmare Moon and facilitate nightmares. Personally, Lyra figured it was because of a nasty scare Bon-Bon had with a clown as a filly.

Lyra was the opposite, she loved Nightmare Night, she never felt too old to go trick or treating... although nopony was ever impressed with her costumes because she had never ordered one from the Carousel Boutique; she always hoof-stitched her own. Last year — the night Princess Luna graced them with her appearance — Lyra was dressed up as a mummy. She got a fair few laughs when she was wrapped entirely in grubby grey bandages. This year will be different. This year she will impress everypony with her brand new costume.

Lyra impatiently sipped on the straw to get her juice, even though there was clearly none left. Eventually a heavy crowd gathered in the town square.

"Mornin' Bon-Bon, you took your time," Lyra joked.

"Hello Lyra," Bon-Bon responded coldly.

They stood alongside each other in the town square among all the other ponies. The crowd continued to converse among themselves and chatted about what might be under the tall red curtain that covered a tall structure. Perhaps it was a new statue of Princess Luna, or the profoundly feared Nightmare Moon? It had been a whole week since the events of the Edge of Forever. Maybe it was something to do with that? Lyra remembered the disaster well and chuckled in the middle of the crowd. Whenever there was a disaster they always seemed to get involved... somehow. It wouldn't be such a problem if Bon-Bon had just let her sleep in. Bon-Bon can be liability especially because she fusses over everything.

The mayor of Ponyville cleared her throat as she marched to the podium. She spoke in a clear and prominent voice: “They have been several... disasters of late and it has come to my attention that we should be improving the security of our fair town. So it is my pleasure to introduce...” She held her hoof outward as the huge red curtain was pulled from a tall metal structure. “...New noisemaker sirens for Ponyville. This system is a collaborated warning system for impending and imminent danger.” The Mayor had a slight spark of excitement in her voice. There stood a metal megaphone siren, a device usually used to alert for danger, the perfect warning system. “This system is just one of several now installed athwart Equestria.” The Mayor of Ponyville continued to clarify that these sirens were in every village, town and city in Equestria.

“Are you listening to this?! What nonsense, what an anticlimax! All that money, for nothing, nothing! How many bits do you think they’ve wasted on this Lyra? Erh... Lyra?!” As Bon-Bon turned to her roommare, Lyra wasn't there.

Lyra was long gone from the town square. She was sat in the park on her favourite timber-framed bench close to the wishing well. She was getting her hind-hooves shined by a regular friend and close neighbour, Shoeshine.

“There you go, your hooves are nice and... simply sparkling. I also made them appear to look brazen-hoofed for you, at no extra charge for a friend like you of course.” A pony with light blue coat and greyish cornflower mane spoke. She had a pail of polish placed next to her.

“Awesome! Thanks Shoeshine...” Lyra responded and checked her hind hooves. They were all glittery and shone like bronze. As Lyra paid her friend in bits a stroke of inspiration suddenly hit her...

“A-Minor!” Lyra suddenly shouted much to the utter surprise of all the other ponies in the park. When she shouted, she accidentally kicked over the pail of polish which washed all over Shoeshine. Shoeshine gave a small squeal as she was covered in golden glitter. She shook her fur with a groan but even with her effort it would not come out. She went all shiney, even more so than Lyra’s hind hooves.

“Heh... sorry. But look on the bright side. Heh... bright side... get it?” Lyra joked and scratched the back of her neck embarrassed. She always seemed to say stuff she regretted immediately after saying it.

Soon after the shiny Shoeshine departed Lyra hummed a peaceful tune to herself. She was working on something. She had a new quill levitated nearby using the magic from her horn. Lyra carefully controlled the quill to draw several simple music notes along the brown parchment. She was writing a song. She tapped the quill on the paper impatiently. Even the most remote and peaceful part of Ponyville couldn’t clear her mind enough to write this song. She placed the quill back down and sat with her back against the bench.

Lyra was aghast when something whooshed past and tickled under her nose. She looked up and squinted at a blue stream of magic suddenly came up to her face. It swirled with sparkly magic and appeared to have the faintest trace of stars inside it. What confused Lyra was that they’re no ponies in the vicinity. So who was casting it? It pulsated with strange energies; it was certainly more charismatic than any other cloud of magic she had ever seen. Could it be alive? Then, without a moment of respite the mischievous magic stole the song.

"Hey!” Lyra screamed and flailed her hooves in the air, she jumped up on the bench, but the magic flew up out of reach and Lyra — who still flailed her hooves — fell flat on her face. Lyra spat her mane out of her mouth comically with an annoyed groan. Then she quickly darted out and gave chase!

“Excuse me, oops, sorry!” Lyra called as she tripped over a can of yellow paint and ran under a ladder, she knocked the pony off the ladder who was attaching a lantern on a rooftops. The chase continued as she maintained eye contact on the magic at all times. It moved too speedily for her to catch like this, but then as the chase neared an end, it turned suddenly and left Lyra to crash straight into a market fruit stall.

A watermelon squished on her head and covered her with red juice. Even the fruit stall owner laughed at that. Lyra shook her head of all the fruit and saw that the magic had flown down an alleyway; an alleyway she knew was a dead-end. She wasn’t going to be outsmarted by it again! After prizing herself from the market stall she galloped down the alleyway to corner the magic. However to her surprise, it had disappeared. Only her music medley remained on the ground at the end of the dark alleyway. Was it a trap? Was it only to ploy her into another trap? Lyra took her chance as she strolled down the alleyway to her song unaware of the danger. She slowly took back her music and picked up the parchment from the ground... nothing happened.

“What was that?” Lyra questioned and scratched her head.

“There you are—”

“Arabillyawhatsagindy!” Lyra spat gibberish and jumped out of her fur ten feet into the air as a cream coloured hoof touched her shoulder.

“It’s only me Lyra for goodness sake. What are doing messing around back here anyway?” Bon-Bon gave a coy chuckle.

“I wasn’t scared.” Lyra boasted and strutted. As Bon-Bon looked over her roommares shoulder she worked it out: “Still working on your song huh?” Bon-Bon said before she directed Lyra back into the brightest part of the sunshine. Lyra on the other hoof seemed lost in thought. Had she imagined it? Apparently not, she was soon greeted by two angry ponies. One was covered in a light shade of yellow paint and the other was covered in watermelon juice.

“Heh, sorry about that everypony.” Lyra said dimwittedly and scratched the back of her neck embarrassed.

After their brief separation the two roommares were not en route to the other side of the town. “Alright, here’s the deal: I have to write this new song for the presentation of the Tour De’ Cloak, which is scheduled for the day after Nightmare Night.” Lyra explained.

“Meaning?” Bon-bon tilted her head as she replied.

“Meaning I only have only one night left to finish the song, Bon-Bon! The presentation could be a night of history, all the important celebrities will there; I mean it is a very important da—”

“Don’t give me any of that nonsense. Now chop-chop! We’ve got much to do before nightfall.” Bon-Bon interrupted. “Like getting my costume from the Carousel Boutique. Since you never decide to place an order for yours.”

Lyra sighed.

Two impeccably groomed vampires greeted them as they entered the Carousel Boutique.

“Vrelcome, to the Carousel Boutique!” Rarity said skilfully with a vampiric smile.

Lyra Heartstrings and Bon-Bon both gawped at the amount of detail Rarity had gone to decorating her home. Cobwebs hung from the corners of the room, candles were lit on every table and an image of Nightmare Moon’s eyes glared at them from inside the mirror.

“Whoa Rarity you’ve really outdone yourself this year.” Bon-Bon greeted Rarity.

“I vrelped!” Sweetie Belle said, then she spat out her fake fangs: “Puh! I mean... I helped!” She was dressed in a black cloak. Both the sisters’ eyes were red, how they achieved such a feat was unknown. Perhaps a eye-colour spell, or perhaps the magical world of makeup played a part?

“Here we are.” Rarity handed Bon-Bon her costume. A small blue sack of bits were exchanged. Lyra couldn’t see what the costume was; it was concealed in gleaming plastic. But she couldn’t wait to tease the hell out of Bon-Bon because of it.

“I’ve almost finished the song for you.” Lyra then suddenly spurted out after she had gazed silently at the Nightmare Night decorations.

“Wait... the song for the presentation of the Tour De’ Cloak is for you?” Bon-Bon posed the question to Rarity.

“Of course, who else would have the noble sophistication to knit a cloak... for a princess?” Rarity stood in a pose of victory. Bon-Bon was struck in awe; she wondered which princess would order a dress from the Carousel Boutique. However such concerns did not bode high on her to-do list.

“Come along Lyra, it’s nearly nightfall.” Bon-Bon said and headed for the door.

“...I’m not a dog y’know.” Lyra replied to her roommare and followed her out with a humiliated groan.

“Bye!” Sweetie Belle said and waved her hoof with great exaggeration, she nearly fell over in the process.

Nightfall came much quicker than expected, as the sun disappeared behind the mountains the full haunted blite of the moon rose into the black sky. The intrepid songwriter Lyra, collapsed on her bed with a soft bounce. She sank into the fluffiness of the blankets, and allowed her hooves to dangle over the edge.

“The song... it shouldn’t be too hard... right?” Lyra spoke to herself a she grabbed a quill with her magic without a single glance behind her. Once again she used her horn the control the quills movements upon the parchment she collected earlier. As time ticked ever onwards, several rolls of paper balls formed on the floor of Lyra’s bedroom. She kept screwing up the pieces of parchment and starting over from scratch. Now her room was littered with first drafts. Why was it so hard to come up with new and original melodies? Inspiration had faded from her and now she was only getting angry at herself. She was determined until the last second. Only then did Lyra grunt and throw the quill to the floor.

“Knock knock, guess who?” It was Bon-Bon. “I made us some coffee to get us through the night.” She smiled in the doorway, “what the hell— Lyra! You’ve worked yourself ragged again?” The cream pony could see the black bags under Lyra’s bloodshot red eyes even from the doorway. Bon-Bon tiptoed among the many paper balls on the floor on her route toward the bed.

“Urg. I must have dozed-off for a minute... is Princess Luna here yet? Did I miss Nightmare Night?!” Lyra blurted questions by the dozen at her roommare, she was dazed at best.

“Did you forget? Princess Luna has a rota, each and every year she goes to a different town on Nightmare Night. This year she’s at Las Pegasus. I bet she’s bursting her bit balance on the slots. But why would you want her here? Last year was almost a complete and utter disaster because of her.” Bon-Bon said and quickly handed her roommare the coffee when in reaching distance.

“You’re only saying that because one of her magically animated spiders jumped on your face!” Lyra said with a coy grin and a slight giggle. Lyra was sat with her back placed against the wall and her hooves splayed out on her bedclothes.

“Shoeshine's done your hooves again, huh? I think she may have gone just a little bit over the top this time.” Bon-Bon said with a wry smile and tapped her roommares shiny hooves which caused Lyra to shift it away quickly.

“Heh, sitting like this helps me loosen up.” Lyra replied and took a short pause as she sipped her warm and calming coffee, it was candy flavoured, Lyra’s favourite. “I’m sooo overworked though. I don’t think I have the inspiration to write this song. It’s just too short notice not to mention its waaay too formal for the style of the lyre...” Suddenly Lyra sobbed under her words. She did that a lot, not because she was sad, but just because she was over-emotional. “I just can’t,” she said before an overdramatic sob.

“Here come the waterworks,” Bon-Bon sighed and patted her roommare on the back while she rolled her eyes.

“Go get some fresh air, maybe it will help, it is Nightmare Night afterall.” Bon-Bon said and directed her sobbing friend towards the bedroom door and past the photo of Lyra on the davenport and then out of the main doorway. As Lyra breathed the fresh air she suddenly stopped crying, controlled her emotions within seconds, she trotted off into the night...

Ponyville was a completely different town on Nightmare Night. They were numerous market stalls all decorated with skulls and symbols of the night. Ponies on the stalls were selling fruits and jelly sweets shaped as spiders and bats among other creatures considered scary to ponydom. Skull lanterns and decorative and colourful lights swung from all the housetops.

Events of Nightmare Night included apple bobbing, concert music and other activities such as the story of Nightmare Moon, to scare the younger fillies.

“I totally wasn’t scared.” Lyra Heartstrings spoke to herself as she walked down the main street of the town. She had completely lost her focus; her song would never get written now because she was overexcited. Fillies were already out and about running around laughing and trick and treating with their families and relatives. The town had never being such a hive of activity.

There was a concert stage erected infront of the town hall with ponies playing folk music. Lyra joined the back of the crowd to see what all the fuss was about. In a puff of light green smoke a zebra magically appeared on the stage; Zecora. She was accompanied by a small group of trick or treaters. She was wearing voodoo earrings and a skull mask combined with a cloak of black to finish the ensemble.

“Celebrate the holiday of tricks and treats.
There’s only silence in Ponyville’s streets.

Shrieks of laughter break the still.
Down your spine you get a chill.

Something spookies in the air;
turn around but no one's there.

When the Jack-o’-lanterns swing.
Trick or Treaters come knocking...”

“Nightmare Night.
What a fright.
Give us something sweet to bite.

So everypony have a fright,
It’s Nightmare Night tonight!”

“For only one night in the year,
Ghosts and ghouls will appear!

So everypony come outside,
put your candy bag to one-side.

“For as the bells of midnight ring;
All the spooks come out to sing...”

“Nightmare Night.
What a fright.
Give us something sweet to bite.

So shake it left and shake it right,
It's Nightmare Night toniiight!"

The song finished with a brilliant flair of magic which caused confetti to gently shower everypony. Everypony in the audience stomped their hooves and cheered loudly. Lyra gave a small cheer as well, although she half expected to see Octavia playing a fiddle or even Vinyl Scratch up there on the stage. Her old friends, they kept on recurring through her thoughts but they both work in Canterlot now, they were too ''high and mighty'' for the simple folk of Ponyville. All her thoughts of her musical friends had only reminded Lyra that she had to write her own song.

Lyra marched up a silent and adorn hilltop with a single solitary tall tree on top. She decided to take a break from trying to invent an entirely new song, and decided instead to relax a little.

Lyra’s creative abilities weren’t just limited to songwriting. Lyra could also draw, she was an artist. Without a moment to lose she produced a drawing she has personally been working on. It was drawn with pastel paints and had over-colourful segments. Lyra always came prepared; she quickly unfolded her black pencil-case to reveal the full colour of the rainbow in pastels. She used the orange and yellow pastels to colour in the twilight sky, just like an image from her imagination.

Her eyelids sagged, but she didn’t notice she was nodding off until her head drooped. She jerked back upright with a quick glance at the town below, but her head bowed down to nap... she tried desperately not to, but the tiredness overtook her and she drifted away into angelic sleep...

“Lyyyrrraaa...”

...

“Lyyyrrraaa...”

“Urg. What— who’s there?” Lyra opened her tangelo eyes. Was she dreaming? Something familiar brushed under her nose.

It was the blue starry stream of magic from before. Is it following me? Did it just speak? Am I dreaming? She thought as questions filled her mind. She could still feel the wind in her mane, so she definitely wasn’t dreaming. For how tired Lyra was it was miracle she could even think logically. Judging by the alignment of the moon in the sky, the amount of time she had napped was less than an hour. The magic swirled and she followed it with her gaze making sure it wouldn’t outsmart her this time, she also made sure to keep her pastel crayons and picture under her hoof at all times. The magic shimmered with sparkling stars and now the same questions from before still swam in her mind. Was this strange magic... alive? Who was casting it? All her answers it were about to be answered as the mischievous magic hovered around a decorated wooden cabin.

The wooden cabin must have stopped right here... that was a strange coincidence. A pony who wore a yellow cloak emerged from behind it and came around to stand infront of the portable cabin. Under the shadow of the yellow hood were greyish mulberry eyes that gave no light, but still seemed to pierce Lyra with their gaze.

The blue stream of magic was caught as the pony suddenly retracted it inside of a vial and quickly sealed it with a cork. The magic belonged to her.

“Magic in a bottle.” The female pony said under the hood. “The pesky little bastard always manages to escape, per my prior knowledge. Usually takes me hours to capture it again. Hm, it seems to have taken a liking to you however...”

“Huh...” Lyra grumbled and then realised something important. “Wait, I recognize that voice...” Her vision and hearing adjusted. The voice was of a female earth pony, but not just any old voice; it was the voice of pony she had met before, a pony from her the music school, she recognized it instantly. Lyra bobbed her head down to try and get a look under the hood but the earth pony simply moved her head away. The sneaky glance wasn’t entirely in vain as she saw the earth pony had a grey coat of fur. Could it really be her?

“I heard you might need some help with a certain song,” the hooded pony seemed to sing her words. She bashed her hoof on hard on the wooden exterior of the cabin and without a moments warning the entire cabin unfolded. The wood folded open to reveal a huge market stall inside.

“Whoa!” Lyra gasped at the sudden sight of the unfolding market stall. It was vast and has many shiny instruments. They were also other objects on sale, the magic in the bottle, a metronome and even a device which artificially created lightning between two metal orbs. It was no coincidence that the sales pony was here afterall; she only wanted to make a sale.

Lyra stared at a strange yellow cloak that glowed like starlight.

"The infamous yellow cloaks of the Cistrine Sisterhood. It's a shame what happened to them." The salespony explained. She was wearing one of the yellow cloaks. The sales ponies cloak however had become torn and had lost it's sparkle. It looked like it hadn't been washed in an eternity.

Lyra gazed at all the shining instruments before her. She was spoilt for choice.

“Why work so hard? Then these instruments can do the work for yooouuuu...” The female pony smiled under the hood.

“So. If I buy one of these instruments, I won’t have to work?” Lyra asked with a raised suspicious eyebrow.

“Of course not, let the instrument do the talent for you. Each and every instrument here is infused with magic, some are even said to be infused with the spirits of ancient creatures, but that’s just an old ponies’ tale. The lyres will play music all by themselves even without a player. No more sleepless nights.” She said coaxingly.

Lyra looked at all the instrument on the back of the market stall. One lyre stood out. It wasn’t golden; it was a murky poison green. The strings of the lyre matched that of her aquamarine fur. There it was, sat right before her eyes. Lyra looked at the label attached to it.

The label said it was named 'Kerit'. Totally enthralled she continued to stare at it almost as if it called to her, like it was enchanting her to take, to use it, to play it.

“I’ll take it!” Lyra suddenly boomed and pointed at the Kerit. But best of it, it was cheap.

“Excellent, nine bits it is then," the sales pony said with a grin. Nine bits were exchanged.

Lyra held the might of the new lyre, it was a perfect weight. As she held it, she felt compelled to play it immediately. She plucked the many aquamarine strings on it with the toe of her hoof. It sounded enchanting, better than any instrument she’d ever played.

“Pleasure doing business with you Lyra. Aehehe...” The earth pony gave a gentle and subtle chuckle, not loud enough for Lyra to actually hear. Then she jumped into the cabin. The contraption of the market stall suddenly refolded up into a cabin complete with haphazard wooden wheel. The nameless cloaked pony jumped onto the roof and tapped the cabin as it magically sailed away down the hilltop with great speed and without any filly to pull it.

Without her roommare to disturb her, Bon-Bon had the entire cottage to herself. Sure, it was only a small cottage with four rooms. One flight of stairs and one kitchen, but it was home. The kitchen was where she now hummed a peaceful tune to herself while she baked goodies for the trick and treaters. The kitchen was like your average kitchen; the only difference was that Bon-Bon had kitted it out with the latest and greatest baking accessories. There was pink, pink everywhere! Steaming kettles and ovens and cabinets complete with pink and white polka dot patterns painted on them. The kitchen was her domain. She mercilessly rolled the yeast and the unbaked bread together with a rolling pin.

Now the bread was in and baking steadily, she had heated it to over one thousand degrees Celsius. When ready she would use her star-shaped cookie cutters to make pretty patterns in her buns. She could’ve used the spider cookie cutter but Bon-Bon prepared the... nicer slice of life. The fillies always come to her cottage to get her fantastic tasting treats; some cheeky mares even come more than once. Bon-Bon had already slipped into her costume. She wore a nice white apron to make sure none of it was tarnished by her baking. She was dressed as a witch with a black pointy hat which lopped to one side and stunning cape to match, she also wore a red and black ribbon bow in her mane. Bon-Bon was always fond of ribbons and bows; even her cutie mark was a set of three ribbon bows.

There was a knock at the door and Bon-Bon squealed with delight. She swung open the door with a grand smile.Bon-Bon squealed with delight. She swung open the door with a grand smile.

“Nightmare Night! What a fright! Give us something sweet to bite!” Two fillies, brother and sister, sang together. The younger brother was wearing a spider costume while the older sister was dressed as a filly princess.

“There we go, fresh out of the oven.” Bon-bon said and placed some candy in the fillies’ trick or treating bags. Bon-Bon always made custom sweets, it’s one of her many special talents. All the fillies seemed to enjoy baked candy, it apparently tasted like toffee.

“Thanks Mrs Bon-Bon.” The fillies said in unison.

'Mrs'?! Strange, did they think she was married? Certainly they didn't mean to Lyra... such a notion would be preposterous.

The first trick or treaters of the night, that went smoothly. Bon-Bon closed the door and trotted back into the kitchen. It had never felt so quiet... Lyra wasn’t snoring or causing a ruckus or even teasing her about her real name of Sweetie Drops. Surely she couldn't miss being teased? Tonight she could enjoy herself in peace. It still felt wrong, and she was clueless as to why...

Most of the Nightmare Night passed without toil or trouble, many trick or treaters came and went and sang their tunes with their smiling faces. As the moon made its zenith in the violet-lit night sky there was a final knock at the cottage door...

There was another, less powerful knock at the door. It swung open.

“Lyra? Um... Hi.” Bon-Bon said as Lyra strutted into the cottage with the green Kerit riding on her back.

“That’s weird...” Lyra commented and gave a strange look to her roommare as she entered. “No, ‘what time do you call this?’ or, ‘where in Equestria have you been?’. You’re not a changeling are you? Lyra clonked her heavy hoof on her roommares forehead just to be on the safe side.

“Yes-yes I’m not a changeling. Now hurry up and get changed into your costume, the night is almost gone!” Bon-Bon said in her most snooty voice.

“There we go.” Lyra joked; Bon-Bon was back to normal. Lyra did a twirl and then departed upstairs with great haste to play the Kerit.

Bon-Bon couldn't believe just minutes ago that she actually missed Lyra in the slightest. Bon-Bon had noticed the new lyre her roommare had on her back; it was strange in colour for an instrument of beauty.

...

“Do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti...” Lyra lulled and cleared her throat as she did. She got a glass and water and gargled before spitting it back into the cup. She strung the strings of the lyre just once to get a feel for the instrument. As she cleaned the lyre with her hoof the instrument hovered magically into the air. It spun around and shimmered with the faint pale aura of magic. Then strings played all by themselves. Lyra found it incredible. She simply laid back levitated her quill and noted down the music that the Kerit played. The sales pony was right afterall, the instrument did do all the work.

Bon-Bon stood silently in the doorway unnoticed... she was spying on Lyra, but for a good reason of course. Lyra had become enchanted by the Kerit. Her roommares eyes had turned green and hypnotic. The music of the Kerit was the most haunting melody Bon-Bon had ever heard. To Lyra however it was the most beautiful music she'd ever heard. Lyra herself hadn't noticed she had become enchanted as she wrote down the music like a puppet on a string. She wasn’t playing the lyre... the lyre was playing her. Bon-Bon's back sunk down against the wall of the upstairs corridor...

It was at that moment she got an idea.

While fillies and mares alike were out trick or treating, Bon-Bon, still in her costume, galloped through the town. She was flustered and in a hurry, she had no time to stop to buy pies or bob for sweet tasting apples. Her friend was in danger and time was of the essence. She headed for the one place in Ponyville, to the one pony that could help get her the information she needed...

The door to the library burst open with little care for the hinges. Bon-Bon jumped right into the main hall starting the pony sat inside the main hall. He was a unicorn with a white beard and a hoof-stitched cloak with bells on it. As he turned Bon-Bon realised, it was only Twilight Sparkle in her unique Nightmare Night costume.

“Can I... help you?” Twilight said as she turned, one eyebrow raised...

“I know it's late... but... hang on—" Bon-Bon paused herself and huffed out of her breathe for a few awkward minutes. "I need a book.”

Twilight’s eyes lit up like fire. “I can’t believe it!” She said perkily and bounced up off the floor. The bells that hung from her cloak rattled inconsistently. “Nopony ever uses the library for its actual intended purpose.” Twilight charged to get a tall wooden ladder and pushed it along the bookshelves, she climbed up the ladder in search for books. “What do you need? History of the Crystal Empire? Lobotomy for Beginners?”

Bon-Bon dived and dodged as books were discarded her way.

“Equine mythology.” Bon-Bon said. Twilight dishevelled many more books and threw them over her shoulder, with little care as to where they landed. “Aha! Here we are.” Twilight teleported off the ladder and right infront of a perplexed Bon-Bon.

“Who are you supposed to be anyway, the oldest pony in Equestria?” Bon-Bon chuckled at Twilight’s costume while she picked up the wizards hat and returned it to Twilight.

“I’m— Gah. It doesn’t matter. Nopony ever knows. Perhaps you need a book on obscure unicorn history.” Twilight replied with a groan and slammed the wizards’ hat back on her head. As soon as Bon-Bon got her hooves on Ancient Equestrian Mytholog she remembered why she was in such a hurry. She slammed the book down and opened it with a stylish flick of her hoof.

“Hippocampus?” Bon-Bon read to herself as she flicked through the book.

“A larger type of sea-horse, a creature of melody and song, the sirens of the equestrian sea. It is said their magical songs can enchant sailor ponies to crash their water-bound ships on the rocks of the silver coast close to Fillydelphia. Reports said that the sailor ponies were said to have lost their minds and in rare cases ponies were even paralysed, a condition which simulates death. These hybrid creatures are normally drawn by brazen-hoofed ponies that walk on the surface. Although one has never been seen, they have typically been depicted as a horse in its forepart with a coiling, fishlike hindquarter.” Bon-Bon read aloud. Then she lifted her head up from the book with a look of realization.

‘There you go, your hooves are nice and... simply sparkling. I also made them appear to look brazen-hoofed for you, at no extra charge for a friend like you of course.’
‘Shoeshine has done your hooves again huh? I think she may of gone just a little bit over the top this time.’
‘Each and every instrument here is infused with magic, some are even said to be infused with the spirits of ancient creatures, but that’s just an old ponies’ tale.’

A trail of dust was all that remained when Bon-Bon departed from the library. The book bounced on her rump as she galloped into the night to return home until her legs burnt with pain.

“The book has to be back by tomorrow!” Twilight shouted at the top of her lungs.

...

Bon-Bon smashed her body into Lyra’s bedroom door. “Lyra, Lyra you’re in danger, open the damn door!” In her fury Bon-Bon smashed her heavy hoof completely through the wooden door and fumbled with the circular handle to burst into Lyra’s bedroom. For once she did not care about the poor state it was in. However only the cold breeze greeted her, the window was half open and the aquamarine curtains blew in. Lyra was already gone.

Atop the hilltop, back against the tree at the top of the hill, she strung the notes, as if the music flowed through her. It was almost as if the music notes jumped in her head and melodies of all kinds wished around in her thoughts. Without any effort Lyra had a song for the presentation of the Tour De’ Cloak. She could imagine it, she played it, the more she plays the Kerit, the more she cannot pull herself away from it, it becomes almost as if... the Kerit is playing her instead. Lyra’s eye dilated yellow as they filled with an overbearing amount of magic... streams of magic flew out of Kerit and swirled around her. A drab of spit fell from Lyra’s mouth; she was an in state of empty mindedness. The melody filled her mind. The melody itself sounded like the haunting melody of an enchantress.

Bon-Bon burst outside into the night. She looked around. Everypony had stopped, like they were statue, everypony in Ponyville, even the fillies and the trick or treaters. Something was wrong; Bon-Bon couldn’t believe it. All the ponies nearby mindlessly turned and marched towards the hilltop against their will.

“What in the name of sweet Celestia—?!” Bon-Bon watched them march as she followed them. She waved her hoof infront of the brother and sister fillies that had come to her house for baked candy before. They trotted with smiles etched on their maws, as if in ecstasy. They had little care for candy anymore as both of them had dropped their collecting bags. Nothing Bon-Bon did could stop them from moving, even if she grabbed them; they simply prized themselves free of her grasp. Bon-Bon noticed they are not the only ponies in a trance. Silently, everypony in the whole town all marched toward the same direction: the hilltop.

Then Bon-Bon heard it, the melody, the evil melody being played somewhere in Ponyville. Most ponies had already been enchanted. So why wasn’t it effecting her? Nightmare Night seemed to have being cancelled. The enchantments affected ponies in different ways, the vampire Rarity was now arguing with Twilight Sparkle about whose costume was the best. During their scuffle they both exclaimed their friendship to be over. Is music so powerful that it can even destroy friendships?

“Bon-Bon!” Shoeshine suddenly shouted.

“Shoeshine? What in the sanity of Equestria is going on?!” Bon-Bon replied.

“Something is enchanting everypony, can’t you hea—” Suddenly Shoeshine’s eyes grew wide; she turned and walked like a zombie, enchanted by the melody of the evil song. Chaos erupted in Ponyville, as everypony either marched or argued, some were even fighting each other. Plumes of smoke rose from the town, riots erupted in the streets. Bon-Bon watched it all unfold with worried eyes. Perhaps soon even she could be enchanted by the evil Kerit. Bon-Bon followed everypony to the hilltop where Lyra strung the evil song from the lyre.

“Lyra!” Bon-Bon shouted in concern. While everypony was enchanted and overtaken by the beauty of the corrupt song, Lyra had gone mad with the power.

“Yes, yeeesss. Come to me.” She spoke, but her words were not her own they were distorted in ton and sounded unnatural. Yellow coloured arcane magic shot out from the instrument and formed an unnatural maelstrom of clouds which formed in the sky.

Bon-Bon dashed among the many ponies including Rarity, Twilight and Shoeshine whom have all been enchanted and now walk mindlessly atop the hill. Bon-Bon looked up; there her roommare magically hovered in the air, at the eye of the storm. Bon-Bon could see from the hilltop the physical effects it was having on Lyra, her body grew weak and her mind slowly drifted away...

“Oh no...” Bon-Bon mumbled as the evil melody rang louder and louder, the maelstrom spun dangerously in the sky. It seemed Bon-Bon was the only pony left in the whole town who has not been enchanted. She had to do something, but there was no way Bon-Bon could get up there to stop her, she was earthbound.

Then amidst the chaos, something twirled down from Lyra and onto the grass infront of Bon-Bon. She bent down to pick it up. It was a piece of parchment, with a picture coloured with pastels. It was the picture Lyra had been drawing and working tirelessly on all day. It was a picture of them, Bon-Bon and Lyra, walking into the sunset with their hooves together. Bon-Bon’s heart melted, Lyra really did care for her and all this time Bon-Bon thought she was just a roommare. Her feelings could be denied no longer...

“I didn’t want it to come to this but... Lyra, you’re my friend! There I said it, okay?” Bon-Bon mumbled.

“What?!” Lyra boomed above, her voice distorted by the dark magic. She was still possessed by the lyre and in the chaos she couldn’t hear the insignificant pony below her...

“Alright... listen here Lyra Heartstrings!” Bon-Bon stomped a hoof and screamed at the top of her lungs into the maelstrom of chaos. “Do you remember that photo, of you, the one on the davenport in your bedroom? I don’t want to look at that in a year’s time and say that you died today, here, on Nightmare Night. Because you’re... my best friiieeeeennddddd!” Bon-Bon billowed the words from the bottom of her heart.

Lyra’s eyes suddenly saddened. Suddenly she shook violently like she was about to be sick. All four of her hooves stretched outwards, like they were being pulled by the force of magic. If they were mercilessly pulled any tighter they were sure to be dislocated.Lyra’s head suddenly jolted upwards and beams of yellow magic streamed from her eyes and mouth. The magic gathered and then exploded in the sky and caused a ripple of light to erupt all across Ponyville. Lyra was let go from the power of the Kerit, she fell thirty feet on the grass. The maelstrom slowly disperses; everypony came to their senses and gaze with puzzled looks among themselves in utter confusion.

The yellow light that emitted from Lyra suddenly gathered into a giant image of a mythical Hippocampus.

“Vrroar,” the giant spirit roared with such power it shook the ground. Even its roar sounded more like a majestic haunted melody then that of a beast. To think that such a beautiful melody could come from such a beast. It uncoiled its fish-like tail and lifted its head up to the sky. After the roar subsided the image of the spirit exploded into a thousand dazzling white lights which blasted outwards across the sky.

“Lyra!” Bon-Bon pushed her way through the crowd and rushed to Lyra. She cradled Lyra in her hooves as the thousands of lights harmlessly descended into the town and around the hilltop around them. Bon-Bon placed a hoof on Lyra's chest... she was unresponsive, she wasn’t breathing.

“Please wake up, please, PLEASE!” Bon-Bon nudged the lifeless pony in her hooves.

“Don’t you dare give up on me!” Bon-Bon said in her most snooty voice hoping that familiar tone of voice would awaken her friend. Liquid salt streamed from her eyes as all hope drained from her... She felt all life leave the body she clung to. The ponies in the crowd held their hooves to their mouth and gasped. Bon-Bon dug her head into the fur of her friend and sobbed with denial and shame.

Lyra's hoof lifelessly fell to the grass...

“We’re here for you dear, if you ever need us for anything.” Rarity said as she removed her hoof from Bon-Bon's shoulder. She was stood next to an extremely worried Shoeshine.

“Thank you both... very much.” Bon-Bon replied glumly and blew her nose into a hoofkerchief. She had only just this minute stopped crying. The cream pony was sat on Lyra’s bed in the bedroom and clutched the pastel coloured picture she which she had discovered in the chaos.

“She must have really seen you as a friend, that’s why the enchantment didn’t affect you. Friendship is most certainly magic.” Twilight Sparkle said as she entered the room and placed the Kerit lyre down on against the davenport. “The Kerit is harmless now. There was a magical spirit of a Siren trapped inside. Sirens can possess ponies to change them into Siren Ponies. I think that’s what it attempted to do. But both it and all the magic trapped inside were drawn out by your friendship for—”

“I just... need to be alone for awhile.” Bon-Bon interrupted with a depressed look. She didn’t want to hear the name of her dead friend, she couldn’t bare it. Rarity, Shoeshine and Twilight all threw concerned looks at each other before leaving the bedroom.

‘What now?’ She thought, it was such a horrible question, how could she return to normality after this? She had just watched her friend die in her hooves. She gazed up at the bedroom, it was empty, just how she felt on the inside. She leisurely trotted around the room, hoping for something to find comfort in. Unfortunately all the room did was bring dark and painful feelings to her aching heart. She opened the wardrobe and there she saw Lyra’s hoof-stitched costume. She had cut holes into her favourite black bed socks and hand-crafted a pair of insect-like wings because Lyra’s costume was a changeling. It was actually good, for a change. Bon-Bon had teased her several times about making her own costume and now Bon-Bon herself burst into tears knowing her friend would never wear it. The guilt burnt inside her, it was soul-hurt, something which crushed to a pony heart and never let go. It was at that moment an idea struck her...

Nightmare Night, it didn’t quite feel right without her best friend stood by her side. Lyra would usually come out with some snidely preloaded comment about Bon-Bon herself or something silly happening around her. Bon-Bon sat on the Lyra’s favourite park bench and watched as the night faded away, the very last of the trick or treaters still scurried around for any remaining candy, the concert players were playing their last songs and two stallions were packing-up the decorated market stalls. One of them gave a cheeky wink to Bon-Bon, but she couldn’t bring herself to reply in the slightest.

“Try to have some fun Bon-Bon, it always cheers me up.” Rarity said as she appeared with a warm and honest smile. “Nice costume design by the way.”

“I’ll try.” Bon-Bon replied “and... thank you.” This time Bon-bon wasn’t dressed in her costume as a witch. No, in memory of her best friend and for the sake of old times, she had worn Lyra’s changeling costume. After much encouragement and confidence-building Bon-Bon was convinced to join her new-found friend for some apple-bobbing. Shoeshine went first and then Rarity, but Bon-bon couldn’t bring herself to have a go. She felt guilty, even when she had fun. Was it always going to be like this? Could she never feel happy again? So instead of playing along with her friends, she turned and walked up towards the hilltop with the tree. This was where they put the gravestone...

She took a deep breath before she approached it. It was a desolate hilltop with a single solitary tree and only a cold stone for Lyra to be remembered by. Years from now, even the gravestone would mould and be forgotten. Only the cold night breeze was there to greet Bon-Bon, it blew through her mane. There was the grave, freshly dug ahead of her. Perhaps she was here to make peace with the events that had unfolded this Nightmare Night, a life extinguished by a simple mistake. Did she feel guilt for the way she had treated Lyra? Perhaps the guilt could be absolved with time. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. An inkling made her remember something... something from the book, Ancient Equestrian Mythology.

‘A sea-horse, a creature of melody and song, the sirens of the equestrian sea. It is said their magical songs can enchant sailor ponies to crash their water-bound ships on the rocks of the silver coast close to Fillydelphia. Reports said that the sailor ponies were said to have lost their minds and in rare cases ponies were even paralysed, a condition which simulates death.’

A heartbeat later, Bon-Bon eyes jetted opened and she stared down at the grave. Paralysed?! How could she have missed that?! But that means— Lyra had been buried alive! With a renewed optimism and in a moment of madness, Bon-Bon dug her hooves into the ground and burrowed back the dirt. Each time her hooves touched the grubby soil she immediately prized them back to fling the mud behind her.

“Come on... come on damn you!” She screamed as she pushed every muscle she had to exhume Lyra. Her desperation was made evident by the cold sweat than ran down her forehead. Salty tears streamed down her cheeks from the horror of her own actions.

Lyra could’ve still being alive and they could’ve killed her— no, she couldn't think like that. Bon-Bon did not care for the mud on her hooves, for once, she only want Lyra back, to quench her guilt, to tell her the truth!

Lyra's muddy form arose from the grave as Bon-Bon lifted her up and out. Lyra’s head went limb and fell back like a rag dolls would. Of course the thought had occurred to Bon-Bon that she had just dug out a corpse and that Lyra was never paralyzed. Right now she needed to hold onto the hope that she may wake up. She wiped the dust and sand from her friends face to allow her to breath, when the time came. She could’ve already have suffocated under all that dirt. So Bon-Bon waited... was Lyra really dead? The lack of breathing from her chest and no response from her pulse denied that assumption. She had never seen Lyra in such a state of... discontent. Dirt tarnished her eyelashes; mud soiled her once bright aquamarine fur and mane. It was a sorrowful sight, none more so than for Bon-Bon. She closed her eyes and took another deep breath...

“Bon-Bon...”

“Wait a minute...” Bon-Bon said and opened her eyes to see Lyra... had awoken.

“Urg...” Lyra groaned as she spat dirt out of her mouth. She was... alive. But every breath had become a chore and many of Lyra’s ribs had broken under the weight and pressure from the dirt. Bon-Bon hugged her tighter than ever before. It was a miracle... a Nightmare Night miracle.

“You were dead, I was absolutely sure you were dead... Don’t you dare do anything like this to me ever again, d’you hear?” Bon-Bon dug her face into her friends’ fur.

“Alright... Mom.” Lyra said weakly, barely on the edge of life as they broke the hug. But even Lyra couldn’t joke her way out of this. “I think it let me go. The Kerit, I was allowed to live after it saw how painful you reacted to losing me. Did... did you really mean what you said, Bon-Bon?” Lyra said with a groan and a wry smile at her roommare.

“Weelll...” Bon-Bon held her hoof out. “Of course I did. All those times I was worried... I was protecting you because I really care about you Lyra, even if I don’t always show it. We’re more than just roommares, we’re friends.”

“I’m sorry,” Lyra apologized and accepted Bon-Bon's hoof.

“But...” Lyra stuttered as she could've sworn that her changeling outwit. “Why are you wearing my Nightmare Night costume? Heh... it looks like you turned out to be a changeling afterall.” Lyra gave a cheeky smile and clonked her best friend on the head again. Bon-Bon blushed but said nothing in return, instead she savoured the moment that her friend was still alive.

At that moment the sun peaked its way just above the horizon turning the sky a faint orange colour. Was it only a coincidence that they now stood just like in the pastel picture Lyra drew, with her and Bon-Bon as they walked off into the sunrise with their hooves together. The sight of the sun and the thought of gaining a new friend wrought Lyra to burst into even more tears...

“Here come the waterworks,” Bon-Bon sighed again with relief and patted her friend on the back.

For the first time in Ponyvillian history, Nightmare Night was extended into the daylight hours. It wasn’t common protocol, but one little pony named Lyra Heartstrings deserved to have the best Nightmare Night ever! After a quick costume swap, Lyra finally got into her costume as a changeling. The insect wings and her favourite black bed socks with the holes cut into them. Bon-Bon returned as the wicked witch and finally joint everypony in playing the Nightmare Night games. Bon-Bon examined the trow full of green water and then took and deep breath...

She whooshed and chomped her maw around in the green water as she bobbed for apples. She couldn’t see but that was the whole fun of it, she chomped and chomped but couldn't find an apple. When she lifted her head back, one of the apples were on the top of her head. That got a fair few elicited laughs from everypony, even from Bon-Bon herself and especially from Lyra who decided to give Bon-Bon the new nickname of ‘Applehead’.

In the end everypony thought the Hippocampus was just another bright and dazzling display of pyrotechnic magic for Nightmare Night. Twilight Sparkle got her book, Ancient Equestrian Mythology, back on time and the Kerit became another lyre to add to the collection. Lyra kept it even though the lyre had almost killed her, she almost lost herself completely. After events past Lyra, returned to her bedroom, to her pride and joy. She opened the last page of her aquamarine diary. Instead of writing on it right away she tore the page out and folded it into a square. Lyra could never write good endings, and now she had literally less then twelve hours to write a new song for the presentation of the Tour De’ Cloak. Because of tonight’s events Lyra had all the inspiration she ever needed to complete her song. She bounces to the end of her bed and quickly slipped something new into the golden frame on the davenport, the pastel picture she drew. Today she lost a roommare, but she had gained a new friend. She smiled—

Lyra's window smashed inwards sending hundreds of glass shards all over the bedroom. Lyra covered her face as the shards shattered upon her. A grey pony had flown into the bedroom, could it be the hooded pony returning for revenge? She had a grey coat of fur and she had sold her the Kerit after all, perhaps it was all a trap after all! Lyra lowered her hoof and looked across the bedroom to see...

“I gots you a letter! Here you go!” Derpy had suddenly exploded onto the scene. With a great and bubbly smile upon her face she produced a letter from her mail sack and passed it to Lyra.

“Uh, thanks?!” Lyra accepted the letter with an awkward smile. Derpy turned and departed, humiliated once again by the sudden momentary lapse.

“What the hell— Lyra! I leave for two minutes and you’ve already destroyed the place!” Bon-Bon complained, back to her old self. It looked like a superstorm had ripped through the bedroom, sheets of music were scattered all over the carpet among the shards of glass. It was exactly the complete and utter mess Lyra liked. Bon-Bon was wearing her white apron again and carried a platter of food and cookies upon her flat hoof. Its then she noticed her best friends worried look and placed a baking tray down on the carpet. Bon-bon once again had to tiptoe across the bedroom except this time she paid extra careful attention not to get glass in her hoof. Lyra patted her queen-sized bed to entice Bon-Bon to sit with her.

“I knew I recognized that voice from somewhere. The pony who sold me the Kerit in the first place... at first I thought it was Octavia. But it wasn’t. It was Melody.” Lyra said in a regretful tone of voice as she read the letter.

“You mean that filly from your music school? She was here?” Bon-Bon replied, she understood but only because she had heard Lyra many times speaking out loud when writing a new entry in her diary.

“Exactly, she was literally obsessed with music and tried infusing magic into musical instruments. She wanted to give the earth ponies the ability to cast magic through their music. She mastered the skill just from playing an enchanted instrument, but it drove her insane. Her obsession for music was her own undoing, I thought she was dead. Now... I’ve got this letter.” In the chaos of her window shattering, Lyra had already opened the letter and read the contents. “It’s like the past is coming back to haunt me all at once. Those days in music school, all those regrets, this letter is from a very old friend of mine... I j-just don’t know what to say,” Lyra looked down towards the floor and clutched the letter in her hoof tightly, so tightly it nearly ripped. Her tears patted upon the parchment.

“Well, who is it from?” Bon-Bon demanded to know and looked over Lyra’s shoulder as she sulked.

“It’s from... Octavia.”

Dear Princess Celestia.

‘Today I’ve learned the valuable lesson that inspiration and the true art of talent, is not something that can be rushed. True talent flows like the melody of a song. Work well, take regular breaks for fresh air and remember inspiration is only something that can come to you in time. Trying to force it could lead to drastic consequences... as I found out on Nightmare Night.

Today, I also gained a best friend, a friend who I will never forget. So sometimes friends have funny ways of showing that they care about you, they may tease or pull pranks on each other or even you, but that doesn’t mean they don’t care, because they will nevertheless. To show to you just how much I care about my new friend, I have written this on the last page of my diary... which is now complete.’

~ Lyra Heartstrings.

To Be Continued...

My Little Pony: Time is Forever™ will return...

'Will they fulfill their musical dream?'

Notes:
The Hippocampus is a mythological sea-horse: half-horse, half-fish. They are said to be attracted by brazen-hoofed ponies. The Siren is also a mythical creature, however they are depicted as mermaids. But because they are no humans in Equestria, the Hippocampus would be the closest pony version of a Siren.
Lyra and Bon-Bon are always depicted as friends, so instead of making them friends straight away I made them as just roommares and never once called them ‘friends’ until the time was right. I made this their friendship origin story.
Rarity cut out of Luna Eclipsed, this is why both she and Sweetie Belle are shown in their costumes and have a larger role in this chapter.
Some people consider that Lyra and Bon-Bon get married, them getting married is referenced in this chapter from Bon-Bon's perspective as being ‘preposterous’.

The Fairy-Tale of Mythology

“Mythology is not a lie, so remember the myths forgotten by the day.”
~ Star Swirl the Bearded

“It was night when she trotted through the golden city; in the moonlight Canterlot looked much more gritty. But even at night it was much more lively, a myriad of life, most likely. She admired the nightlife while she trotted along, they were ponies having fun and even some sang a song. Fillies and foals played tag in the light, and others danced wildly throughout the night.

Returning from a visit to the archive of spells, now it was midnight as rang the church bells. She headed to the palace to do some research, along the way she passed many trees of birch.

But she was underlined with worry that lead her astray, the words of Celestia that told her the way:

‘Twilight, my most faithful student, I’m afraid, your time in Ponyville is nearing an end...’

Those words rushed in her mind and corrupted her thought, the words that had caused her to become distraught.

Yet she still wondered why she that must say goodbye to her time in Ponyville.

Celestia explained it was for her own protection, and now all that Twilight felt was rejection. She kept their discussion a secret from friends, until with Celestia she could make amends.”

“Alright, enough with the rhyming already! It's annoying. Are you trying to get me into trouble?!”

“Twilight suddenly shouted out to the surprise of everypony... no doubt.

However, it was not time to leave Ponyville just yet...

To impress she had to improve on everything: Spells, patience and even learning. She could adopt her wings again in order to impress or perhaps even become a grandmaster in chess. Within her satchel was a unique book, which she had stole from the archives like a crook. She was looking for it but let’s spare the details, the book is about mythology and fairy-tales."

“Okay, enough, seriously. Stop!”

“...Twilight said as she wiped her brow, she wondered who, what, where and how?

When inside a tower of the royal palace, she took out the book named the Myst Borealis. Twilight looked down and had to admit, that the rhyming voice was coming from it. In here it was quiet enough but alas the book was covered in fluff. She filled up her lungs and blew with some clout, then opened the book and looked throughout.”

Silence.

As soon as she opened the book... it stopped. Twilight sat back in disbelief. The Myst Borealis — as the book was called — had narrated her every move in rhyme from the moment she first touched it. Twilight thought a talking book would be interesting and magical, but it hadn’t shut up for the whole trip over here and had gotten unbelievably annoying. But how did it speak, was it alive? They're must be a scientific explanation. It’s two deep covers acted as lips and the pages inside acted as a tongue. The book was learning about her, learning about its surroundings, it was sentient. For now at least, Twilight was just glad for a little peace and quiet.

As Twilight looked through the shelves of books in the confidential section of the Canterlot archives she spoke to herself. She mumbled on about what Celestia had said about her leaving Ponyville and trying to keep it a secret from her friends.The Myst Borealis had overheard her.

As she flicked through the brownish pages, she noticed the Myst Borealis was illegible and full of hieroglyphs. She did notice however that the book was written entirely in rhyme. The back cover had something etched in the middle of the page, Twilight noticed it was a riddle:

The book's words whispered in her ear: 'It will all soon become very-quite clear.'

The book had poems about ancient fairy-tales, puzzles and riddles. But Twilight was most interested in the symbolic drawings of the long ancient creatures that walked the world a thousand years ago. They were strange horses with rooster hindlegs, trees which walked the forlorn forests of old and pictures of little green goblins which years ago caused destructive mischief.

There was a small torn scroll that was affixed between two pages; it fell out of the book as soon as she opened it. She curiously unrolled the spell.

It was called the Myst Spell.

The spell itself wasn’t hieroglyphic and was perfectly readable. Few spells in Equestria actually had words, but rare spells required one to chant in the quiet spaces of their mind. With time and effort she could easily translate the book, but for now she was more interested in the spell.

Perhaps if Twilight could cast such a spell in its simplest form, she could impress Celestia enough to allow her to stay in Ponyville. Afterall, that’s what the book had said why she had stolen it in the first place.

But one thing the book said was right; it was going to be a long day. It was already past midnight and she had prepared to study until morning... determined as always. She had told none but Spike of her little sneak into the archives. She wasn’t going to give up. With candle-light by her side, she sank deeply into the quiet spaces of her own mind... after she memorized the spell... she attempted to cast it.

Ancient yellow light shone from her horn, it wheezed and popped. She could feel the energies of the arcane spell as they mixed with the thoughts of her mind and erupted into magical results. Mentally, she chanted the spell over and over through her mind. Sparks flew across the marble tiles. She felt it, the spell, but it's effects were not to her liking. She felt strange, her horn itched.

“Argh!” She groaned as the magic faded but her horn itched like crazy, she scratched it with her hoof but it was to no avail. The irritation continued.

She couldn’t do it; she failed to cast the spell. Sweat dropped from her brow. It was a most powerful spell, but it felt so simple to cast.

Cock-a-doodle-doo!

Time had flown... the sun had risen, all without her prior knowledge. In a state of unrest she darted from the tower with the book underhoof and the spell scroll wedged back inside. The minute the sun peaked in the sky Celestia would be awake. Twilight quickly placed the book back on the ‘confidential’ shelf in the archives before the zenith of the sun and before anypony had chance to notice her. Nopony was any the wiser to her little crime and escapade into the night.

The Library door swung open with a disheartened slow speed.

“...So, how’d it go?” Spike jumped down from the bottom step, his stumpy legs landed with a small bounce. He had waited all night for the result and he smiled with high hopes. Twilight walked in with her head hung low.

“It’s no good Spike; I couldn’t cast the spell despite all I’ve learnt.” Twilight seemed agitated. “I wish I had more time.”

Spike deadpanned: “Well, I don’t know why you would wanna’ even cast such a spell but—”

“Spike, I don’t care, alright? If I don’t cast that spell then I might be leaving Ponyville for good! Argh, this itching!” She pointed her horn to itch like a crazy-pony. How can a horn itch anyway? It’s scientifically impossible. “Nevermind!” Twilight growled between her teeth.

Slam!

She rummaged upstairs and slammed the door in her wake. Spike curled up into his small bed with a tearful pout.

“Urmmm...” Twilight Sparkle groaned in her bed, she had slept all through the morning hours. Her sleep had done nothing to stop the itching from her horn. She turned over and grumbled before she awakened. Strange, she had never awoken to feel something crawling on her before. Her eyes shot open and she flung back the bedclothes. A bunch of red ants scurried over her, but not just any ants, giant red ants which squirmed and had hairy legs...

“Aaaaaahhhhhh!”

It was a scream from the bottom of the chest. Twilight levitated out of bed and disposed of the ants with a panicked swing of her hooves.

“Roger-roger-roger,” the red ants repeated over and over again as they scurried away tapping their pincers together wildly. Twilight rushed down the stairs and exploded out of her home. Her jaw dropped at the scene.

The grass had turned pink and trees from the Everfree Forest were... alive. They walked, as they used their branches for forefingers and tree roots for feet.

“Treants?! Here, but how?!” Twilight gasped in disbelief.

Crrreaaakk!

Twilight’s jaw closed and her ears fell. She turned slowly and looked up. The Library moved. Since her home was an entanglement of a tree of a building, it too came to life and uprooted itself using its roots for feet and branches for arms, taking the entire Library with it. The beehive on the branch broke into several pieces, the windows of the library acted as eyes and the curtains that shook from movement were it’s eyelids. Many of Twilight’s prized books inside fell out of the windows, the door to the Library slammed open and shut much like a mouth talking and branches snapped from their once perfect place. The Tenant simple stepped over Twilight with a huge step, each footstep of the Treant caused huge thuds that shook Ponyville.

Golden Oaks Library walked off into Ponyville, much to the astonishment of Twilight.

“What’s happening?!” Twilight bellowed in confusion.

Inside the now mobile Library, Spike awakened as he slid from side-to-side in his little bed...

Everypony ran in any direction as Ponyville was ravaged by creatures from beyond the grave.

“Roger-roger-roger,” the red ants said in their deep military-like voices as they scurried past. The red ants didn’t seem to harm anypony but seemed dangerous as they snapped the giant pincers on their mouths.

Everypony was experiencing the same athwart Ponyville...

At the Carousel Boutique, Rarity was stood on a small wooden stool. Her weapon of choice was a small broom as she did her best to repel the strange giant red ants.

“Take that you vile bugs!” She snarled almost triumphantly.

Munch! Munch!

Her eyes widened to their fullest. She turned to the horror...

“What are yo— oh sweet Celestia! Don’t eat it! Nooooo, not the colours!" Rarity exploded with anger. They were eating the Tour De’ Cloak, the diamonds, the carefully sewn linen, her pride and joy. Usually she would faint at the sight of a bug, but her work came first. She jumped from the stool whacked the ants with a broomstick which give a faint cry. Then to finish them off she cast a small blast of harmless magic to blast several ants out the windows.

“It’s ruined, ruuuiiinnneeeddd!!” She screamed in ruin and held the dress with tears in her eyes...

Inside Fluttershy’s cottage animals of all kinds panicked in a blind rage. They smashed photo’s and tore up the furniture with their claws. A small brown bear smashed through the wall and small beavers chewed through the walls and carpet. Her entire cottage had become ruined.

“Please... please stop...” Fluttershy squealed but to no avail. Why weren’t they listening? Had every creature in Equestria gone mad?

“Hehehe... Angel... put down the bat. Pretty please.” Fluttershy squealed again as her pet bunny rabbit Angel approached Fluttershy as he smacked a baseball bat against his paw.

“Eee.” Fluttershy screamed quietly as birds of all colours flew out of the door in their hundreds. The animals of Equestria had become untameable...

The Friendship Express chugged down the train line as it departed from Appleloosa. Aboard one of the passenger carriages, Applejack and Pinkie Pie, who had just gone on a wild west shopping spree in the town. The Friendship Express sped down the line on route to Ponyville. Applejack gazed out of the window with a dozen shopping bags on the seat, mostly filled with dozens of cowgirl hats, one for each day of the week it seemed. It was good to have seen Little Strongheart again, perhaps not so much of a treat seeing Braeburn waffle on about his own pony business. Opposite Applejack, Pinkie Pie smiled to herself, she was counting the many trees as they flew by.

“Huh?” Pinkie Pie tilted her head. A big green thing clambered up onto the window. It stuck her tongue out at the pony.

“Heeeyy!” Pinkie Pie said in both delight and confusion.

“What in tarnation?” Applejack had also seen them. She too watched as more of the little green things climb up the windows.

“Ha! I think they’re funny!” Pinkie Pie giggled. “Funny!”

What they didn’t know was that the entire Friendship Express had been taken over, hundreds of the little green goblins were crawled across the sides and upon the roof. They had pointy ears, sharp teeth and sticky fingertips which enabled them to stick to the outside of the train.

In the drivers cabin at the very front of the train one of the green gremlins grabbed the lever controlling the train and pushed it forward with hysterical laughter, while a dozen more of them, giggling wildly, jumped onto the pony driving the train and blocked his view.

The Friendship Express chugged faster and faster... steam parted from the pivots connecting the wheels. The train turned a sharp corner, the left side of the train tilted until it parted with the tracks and toppled inadvertently...

“Pinkie, get down!” Applejack gasped, jumped from her seat and grabbed Pinkie Pie. Both ponies hit the carpeted floor as The Friendship Express derailed. The whole train crashed on its side with an almighty thud... but that didn’t stop there. The forward momentum of the vehicle made it continue to scrape across a meadow and continue on its side. All the lagging passenger cabins behind derailed in turn.

The windows of the train explode inward and sent sharp shards of glass in all directions, parts of the wreckage exploded into flame as it slid across the grass. Anypony still inside shook from left to right violently against the train walls.

The little green gremlins rode the flaming wreckage of the train like a roller coaster, some laughing and some cheering with evil grins, but all of them with little care for their own safety. Some couldn’t hang on and splattered into green mush as they hit the ground violently.

The train finally came to a screeching halt at the end of Ghastly Gorge. The train perilously hung on the edge of this jaggedly gorge, ready to plummet inside at any moment...

C-c-crrreeaakk...

Sparks flew from wires that dangled from the roof of the train. Through the raging torrent of black smoke an innocent voice could be heard shouting in desperation...

“Applejack!”

“...Applejack... over here!” Pinkie Pie shouted and coughed uncontrollably as black smoke that had quickly filled the derailed carriage now filled her lungs. She was trapped under a large piece of heavy wreckage. It crushed her back hooves and caused her to wince in pain. She struggled to break free but to no avail. Applejack was far from unfazed. Burn marks and soot stained her fur coat and she was covered in singular scars.

“Help!” Pinkie Pie screamed dramatically. Applejack parted through the wreckage of an upturned seat and sprung into action. The entire train was turned on it’s side meaning Applejack would have to walk over all the broken glass of the windows. She did so carefully. Although the billowing smoke made it near impossible to see. She followed her friend's voice.

Crunch!

“Darn...” Applejack winced as glass pierced the soft bottoms of her hooves causing them to bleed out. She took a dive toward Pinkie Pie.

“Pinkie, are ya’ okay?” The athletic pony lifted the large piece of metal off her friend to survey the damage. Pinkie Pie got up, and checked herself for any broken bone. All seemed good. Thank goodness. But the pink pony was in a similar state to her friend, broken and bruised. The entire train wobbled on the edge of the gorge and suddenly caused both ponies to lose their balance.

“We need to get out of here. Can ya walk?”

“Y-yeah...” Pinkie Pie mumbled. Applejack placed her hoof around her best friend to help support her. Together they limp over to the back end of the carriage.

“Darn it, the trains on its side, all the doors are blocked!” Applejack panicked. They changed their plan and headed for the door at the back of the carriage. Applejack slid open the door...

BOOM!

Their faces felt the searing heat as a burst of flames knocked both ponies back.

“The other side, hurry,” Applejack ordered. By now the smoke it unbearable to even breathe. Electrical sparks shimmered from the roof, both took utmost care to avoid them and they slid their way through the wreckage.

“This doors jammed,” Pinkie Pie tugged at a door which is on the side of the train. They were no doors left. They were trapped. Hope fled from Applejack. The train creaked louder and made both the friends stop in their tracks in fear...

C-c-crrreeaakk...

A creak was followed by a sudden jolt. The whole train is pushed forward, both friends fell off their hooves and against the floor of the train. The back-most carriage of the train descended into the gorge, as it fell down into the abyss it pulled the rest of the carriages with it...

“Up! Go up! Hurry! Hurry!” Applejack shouted as the two friends find a small hole in the top part of the train. Applejack gave Pinkie Pie a boost, the pink pony clambered up onto the side of the train now serving as the roof. She took a deep guzzle of fresh air. She turned and saw the carriages fell one after the over. Their carriage was next!

“Appleeejjaaccckkk...” Pinkie Pie shouted in horror as their carriage turned to all. Pinkie Pie lent her friend her hoof. Applejack jumped and grabbed it.

“You’re too heavy...” Pinkie Pie said tearfully.

“Just pull, damnit!” Applejack hoped and prayed.

Somewhere, Pinkie found the strength to lift her friend up, but not without consequence as her foreleg muscles tore in the process. As Applejack reached the open air, both she and Pinkie Pie dived off the train just as the carriages fell behind them. They land and roll on the grass on the edge of the gorge as the Friendship Express chugged its last breath. It fell into the darkness and exploded into flames at the bottom. A pillar of fire rose up into the air.

If anyponies were still inside, they were now gone.

As several more explosions erupted in the gorge Applejack and Pinkie Pie stood on the edge of the gorge. Both of the silently felt relieved to be alive. The wind blew through their manes as they gazed down, memorized by the flames, memorized that they were both still alive.

Applejack then turned to Pinkie Pie with a stern look to say:

“Still think they’re ‘funny’?”

“Twilight, we came as soon as we could!” Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and the deflated Rarity charged towards their friend.

“W-what’s going on?” Rainbow Dash was the first to ask in confusion. She had slept through most of the chaos.

“These creatures are... out of control.” Fluttershy said. Even her calm and collective ways proved ineffective against these feral creatures. It was useless to keep trying.

“Something has gone horribly, horribly wrong!” Rarity sobbed, still upset about her all dresses being eaten.

Twilight stood in shock. Her eye twitched to the destruction around her, the Library, her home and her home town now ravaged by monstrous creatures she had only read about in the most ancient of books.

“Heellooo... Equestria to Twilight?” Rainbow Dash waved her hoof infront of her friends face. Twilight itched her horn and shook her head as she was brought back to her senses.

All these creatures could only mean one thing...

“The Myst spell,” she cleared her throat, “these creatures could only have come from the Myst spell.”

“And what exactly does this ‘Myst Spell’ do?” Rarity asked.

“The Myst Spell had images and spoke of long ancients creatures from the fairy tales of lore. These ants, those walking trees, all these creatures existed thousands of years ago. I know because they're all in a book I have, Ancient Equestrian Mythology. Somehow, the Myst Spell has made these creatures real.”

Twilight pointed to the distance where a group of giant red ants were scuttled about in a line.

“Roger red ants.”

Next, Twilight pointed to a group of the little green gremlins that climbed upon the rooftops and jumped across the like it was all just a game. Not of the little buggers made it across and some splattered into green mush on impact with the ground.

“Kobalos Goblins. They like to plays games, deceitful games and are playfully deadly...”

“And...” Suddenly a larger creature ascended behind Twilight...

“Uh Twilight, you might want to look behind you.” Fluttershy pointed and hit behind Rainbow Dash. Twilight turned.

Smash!

A creature unbeknown to her smashed its hooves and knocked the student back off her own. A creature known as a Hippalectryon. A hybrid creature of half horse at the front with Pegasus wings and of half rooster at the back with rooster wings, feet and tail. It neighed in anger and shook it’s plumes.

“Urg... what a hideous creature.” Rarity snarled.

“A species called Hippalectryon,” Twilight explained as she had read from the book. The half horse, half rooster snarled raged over the four friends and crashed into a nearby cottage.

“They’re some of the oldest creatures known to ponydom, they walked Equestria in the time before we did...”

“...and they’re ugly,” Rarity added.

The large Hippalectryon flew off into the sky, its rooster wings had to work twice as hard as any pegasus to fly.

“We need the Elements.” Rainbow Dash said.

“NO!” Twilight stopped everypony. “Doctor Whooves said there was something wrong with them, and that we shouldn't use them anymore. The Elements are not the answer to everything!” Twilight put her hoof down. “We need to find the Myst Spell.”

“Where is this Myst spell now?” Rainbow Dash flapped her wings ready to soar the skies, ready to brawl.

“Canterlot.” Twilight replied. Rainbow Dash took flight up into the sky.

But just as she took flight the Hippalectryon descended to attack. It smashed its entire body into Rainbow Dash and caused her to descend from the sky like a piece of shrapnel.

Crash!

The hybrid creature wasn’t doing it intentionally, it had difficulty flying with it’s rooster-like wings. Twilight was about to shoot a blast of magic at the creature, but her horn sparked and backfired. Painful yellow bolts of magic sparked from her itching horn.

“No magic...” Twilight grunted.

“No flying...” Rainbow Dash got up and brushed herself off of dirt.

Splash!

“Eeeekk!” Rarity squealed as she got covered in cold water. Her mane dropped over her face. The Kobalos Goblins on the roof of the cottage burst into fits of hysterical laughter.

“Uohhh. Okay, this... is getting really annoying.” Rarity said between her teeth that chattered together as she shivered.

“Wait, didn’t you say the Myst Spell was in... Canterlot?”

“Doesn’t that mean? Oh no.” Everypony gradually turned to look up at Canterlot perched high on the cliffside in the distance.

Smoke could be seen billowing upwards from the capital city and stained the blue sky... Canterlot was under direct attack.

“This isn’t just an accident...” Twilight paused to itch her horn, “this is an invasion... and I know who is behind it.”

From the Canterlot Archives, the Myst Borealis opened as it fell off the shelf with powerful magic. Its many pages flicked through on their own each one quicker than the last. The symbols in the book lit up like fire until they exploded magic all through the Canterlot Archives, the rays of light exploded harmlessly out of the windows. Several blasts of the yellow light erupted from the Myst Borealis. Each dancing light swirled into an open area before the light formed into previously extinct creatures. They formed from the bottom up and then march out of the room, some even fought each other on the way out. From roger red ants to green gremlins to massive treants made from birch, all of these creatures merely emerged from the scroll to attack Canterlot, from the inside.

The royal guards fought off the bigger creatures, mainly the treant, which roar in their deep voices. The guards flung their sharp spears at the creatures, some picere the bark of the treants and cause them to groan in pain.

Inside the royal chambers Princess Celestia was also having trouble, hundreds of the little green gremlins burst into the chambers, one of jumped on her back and rose like her like a feral mare, it held her mane like a saddle as the Princess bucked her back hooves. She casted a white coloured magic spell from her horn but the magic just deflects off the creatures. They giggled hysterically... the Princess most powerful magic only tickled them?!

“M-magic is useless against them,” Celestia struggled before finally knocking the gremlin riding her off her head. She charged to the vault and past two guards who defended the gates to the royal chambers from a group of giant red ants. In one-thousand years the Princess had never seen anything like it. She arrived at the vault where she kept the Elements of Harmony safe, only to find more of the little green gremlin had already penetrated the vault. They had opened the blue chest encrusted with gems and were bashed the precious Elements on the stone walls of the palace. One gremlin even bit the Element mistaking it for food!

As they spot Celestia, they rush off in hysterics with the shiny Element of Harmony still in their claws. The creatures seemed to be able to climb up the walls without falling. Some of them ran around in circles before and crashed into each other as they departed... the Elements of Harmony had been stolen.

Twilight, Rarity, Fluttershy and Dashie ducked, dodged and fought through the chaos. Twilight shot several bolts of magic at any invading Hippalectryon which attack, Dashie punched them out of the sky, Fluttershy cowered behind her friends and Rarity carefully fended of the army lines of ants.

“Where are we headed?” Rarity said over her shoulder, she didn't want to break eye contact with the giant ants for fear they would eat her.

“Canterlot,” Twilight returned, “the Myst spell is there. But without my magic and any form of flying, we'll have to take the Friendship Express!” Suddenly an explosion of fire ripped through a nearby house and blasted all four ponies off their hooves. They were flung into opposite directions, the wreckage crashed in the middle. They were on separate sides.

“Ow, ow, owwie!” One pony sulks in pain.

“Girls? Girls?! Is everything okay?” Twilight was alone and split apart from the other three.

“We’re okay, we’re all okay, Fluttershy just got a splinter in her hoof, that’s all,” Rarity explained and tended to Fluttershy who has a nasty splinter of wood from the wreckage stabbed in the bottom of her hoof.

“I’ll meet you at the train station! Get going!” Twilight commanded.

Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy headed off in the opposite direction and tried to cross the river but a Treant stopped them at a small bridge above an embankment.

Suddenly Rainbow Dash turned kicks a Treant with her back hooves, a tree grunted back falling backwards down the embankment and into the river. Defeated it grabbed its now broken limbs in pain as it was washed away down the river.

“...Take that,” Rarity cheered in victory.

Twilight Sparkle turned to depart also but only saw a group of roger red ants. They charged towards her as their deadly pincers snapped. She blasted her magic to fend off the giant ants, each bit of magic caused her horn even more unbearable strain. All the creatures seemed to be multiplying, if not stopped soon, they could overrun the entire world. Twilight suddenly came face to face with two of the little the Kobalos Goblins. One of them seemed to be a chief. Twilight had read that the Kobalos Goblins can bite off their own fingers as a test of strength, they then worn their own finger on a primitive necklace. This made them the chiefs. The mischievous little buggers danced on the cottages, some were even looting. Twilight tried to blast them away with a quick non-lethal spell from her horn, but the goblins were immune to her magic, the magic tickled them and they burst into fits of manic laughter.

Smash!

She gasped as a huge dragon foot stopped her in her tracks, she followed the foot upwards...

“Spike, no! Not you too!” Twilight shouted in devastation as the godzilla sized Spike destroyed Ponyville. Spike had grown to three-times his normal size and now rampaged across the town and spat green fire in a blind rage. He could no longer control his own actions. He couldn’t even recognize Twilight’s voice.

The Myst Spell was not just reanimating extinct creatures, it was effecting all creatures in Equestria. It had turned all the creatures of the world into raging monsters.

“Don’t worry Spike, I’m going to fix all this, I’m going to save you!” Twilight shouted up to the dragon before she avoided being stopped on, she continues out of Ponyville and took a shortcut through a dark cavern on route to the train station...

Drip...

The cavern was damp, Twilight threaded through some muddy puddles, the cavern was a shortcut to the train station and served as protection from the creatures. She wished she could’ve used her horn for a source of light but it itched too much. She carefully and silently trotted through the dark cavern. Without seeing where she was going, Twilight crashed into something, a rock? No, not a rock, it had fur.

“Incy Wincy spider climbed up the water spout... down came the fire and washed poor Incy out..." A deep voice sung.

“W-who’s there?!” Twilight said and darted her gaze in all directions, but her voice echoed in the darkness.

Twilight stepped back, as what she thought was a rock unfolded into a massive creature. Eight sharp long legs spread apart and smash against the rocky ground...

“Out came the sunshine to dry up all the pain... and Incy Wincy spider went in the dark again.”

That what unfolded was a giant black-coloured spider. It towered over her with a terrible glare... its eyelid’s were vertical, rather than horizontal.

Could it be another creature from formed from the Myst Spell? Twilight's ears flopped down, she stood firm ready to attack.

"Do not fear me, young pony. I wish you no harm." It's deep voice echoed.

Clang!

The threat evaporated. The beast was chained to the cavern wall via one of its eight legs.

“Amah! Many years I have waited for this meeting.” the spider spoke! Its voice was extremely low and monotone, but also seemed intelligent.

“W-who are you?” Twilight looked up in fright. “What are you?”

“I am a daemon with many names, so many forgotten names. The zebra calls me fear, but fear you should not." The spider daemon used all its legs to crawl up a wall, as far as the chain would stretch.

“The zebra? You can’t mean... Zecora?!” Twilight raised an eyebrow.

“How else am I meant to get sustenance?” The spider comfirmed.

Why would Zecora feed this beast? Twilight thought.

“Let me ask you this, young pony, is one still free if they are chained?” The spider inquired, the intriguing grin on the demon's mouth made Twilight believe this was a test of some kind.

She didn't need long to think or answer: “Perhaps the chains are only an instrument of abstract...” she replied.

“Oh! Very clever indeed.” The giant spider's eyes flashed with knowledge. One of its eight legs pulled on the chains as it crawled along the cavern. “These blasted chains were forged and infused with the magic from the Nevershade Mountain, where the sun always shines and where the shadow never lurks. It will never break. None can help me escape this contemptible cave.” The daemon growled in a low tone.

“Have you told them yet?" It spoke again, "your friends I mean... have you told them it’s your fault these creatures walk again?” The spider said in it's deep croaky voice.

Twilight hung her head in defeat. She hated to admit it... but deep inside, she knew it was her who tried to cast a spell from an illegible book beyond her capability. She tampered with the Myst Spell to try and impress Princess Celestia; it was all her fault all this happened. Clearly distressed by how much this creature knew about her and her friends, she had to ask more.

“How do you know all this?!” Twilight was distressed by how much this creature knew about her and her friends even though it was confined into this cavern.

“Amah! Once they were ponies who went on pilgrimages and starved themselves of the sun. They prayed in the darkest reaches of caverns such as these. They were the Cistrine Sisterhood. It was their sole duty to protect the core of the world, but that duty has long since past. Eventually they saw things which were not there in the dark, events which were yet to come. Visions. A thousand years of anticipatory darkness here has given me that those same visions. I foresee what is to come,” it explained. “But why do you assume that I am apart of evil? Is it due to my ghoulish exterior? Have you yet to learn to not judge a book by its cover?”

“Wait... that’s the lesson I learnt when I first met Zecora— Ueh..." Twilight stopped as she had worked it out, Zecora must of told this creature all about her. "Nevermind. Now if you excuse me, I have a kingdom to save.” Twilight realised this daemon was peaceful in nature but it’s knowledge of everything annoyed her. Twilight was about to leave until the daemon spoke again...

“What was the last thing you said to that dragon of yours? The one now terrorising your town?” The spider daemon relished in all the knowledge it knew, perhaps it is using this knowledge against Twilight in a battle of wits? Twilight could outsmart this beast... she turned to reply.

“You mean Spike? The last thing I said...” Twilight’s face dropped. She was suddenly stricken with grief... her last words to Spike:

‘Spike, I don’t care, alright? If I don’t cast that spell then I might be leaving Ponyville for good! Argh, this itching!’

“Oh no...” Twilight sulked on the cold stone floor of the cavern, the last thing she said to him were a bunch of angry words...

“Hear me out, young pony, for I am more of a philosopher and certainly a pacifist at heart.”

“Hmm?” Twilight acknowledged the daemon and turned her neck up to gaze at it.

“To stop all the evil creatures that roam this rock... use an artefact known as The Left Hand of Hades. It will be used for great evil, but then... it will be used for the greater good.”

“You’re helping me?”

“Amah! But of course,” Suddenly the spider daemon crept right up into Twilight face, its breath was cold and could be seen in the air, it had four layers of teeth in its mouth which all rotated. Twilight stood strong and faced the beast without trying to show fear. “To cross the saviour of harmony is a foolish thing to do indeed,” the spider daemon whispered before it disappeared into the darkness.

All the things it knew, all it's knowledge of the future. Can I trust a daemon? What does ‘amah’ even mean? Twilight thought about it too much. One thing was for sure, she would have to have a word with Zecora...

Twilight Sparkle continued onwards and rushed through the cavern away from the shady encounter. She quickly arrived outside to breathe the fresh air once more; she made haste toward the train station.

Time was of the essence, explosions could be heard in the distance as Ponyville was wrecked in temporary chaos.

The six friends met upon the Ponyville train station.

“Goodness, are you okay?” Rarity helped Applejack and Pinkie, and gave them some makeshift bandages to place around their scars and wounds.

“Nay, they destroyed the Friendship Express, horrible little buggers. All of Equestria is cut-off!” ” Applejack explained.

Equestria was connected via train lines, without the train everypony was trapped in their own town or cities as the chaos unfolded.

“This thing is worldwide.” Pinkie Pie splayed both her front hooves wide to demonstrate the size... but then fell flat on her face without proper balance.

“So now what?” Rainbow Dash asked.

All the friends watched Twilight pace up and down.

“There’s nothing else we can do. Without flying or magic we’re trapped here.”

Wwwwiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

The sirens rang. The most terrifying sound in the world. The new noisemaker system that was installed recently by the mayor of ponyville was being put to use. All the megaphones rang out loudly as the alarm sounded. The girls could hear it all the way from this lonely train station.

“We need to get to Canterlot and find something called ‘The Left Hand of Hades’. It might be a long shot but we might still be able to change all this.” Twilight itched her horn. “The only option left is for me to teleport us all.”

“But I thought you couldn’t cast your magic because your horn was all itchy.” Pinkie Pie said with worry. “And I’ve never actually seen you teleport anypony else other than yourself...

“It’s a risk I’m willing to take right now,” Twilight replied as in the distance they could hear the destruction of Ponyville and the sirens behind them. They could even hear Spike roar stridently like a true dragon in the distance.

“Alright, but only if you’re sure...” Rainbow Dash was skeptical, but trusted her friend.

Everypony placed their hooves together in a circle except for Pinkie Pie who was understandably reluctant.

“What about you Pinkie Pie? You in?” Twilight asked.

“Let me quickly grow a moustache and think about it.” Pinkie Pie stroked a moustache that had appeared on her face from nowhere.

“O-kay!” Pinkie decided.

“Then it’s settled.” Twilight removed all doubt as she cast the teleport spell, white light surrounded the friends in a bubble and with a quick flash they had moved...

Crash!

Spike roared into the air, pillars of white smoke simmered from his nostrils. He crashed through Ponyville with little care and little awareness of his own actions. His massive feet destroyed any and all things in its path. Alas, Ponyville was now covered in a layer of green flames no doubt from fire of the pink dragon.

Then a glimmer of something caught his eye: a flying bird of orange fur with red sun-like feathers from its tail. Spike was about to grab the little birdy. But something stopped him, an inkling of his past... he looked into the birds eyes and remembered...

‘No! It's just a defenceless egg, like I was! And I'm not gonna let you hurt it!’
‘Now I realize that who I am is not the same as what I am...’
‘I'm proud to call Ponyville my home, and to have my pony friends as my family. Yours truly, Spike.’
‘Hey, welcome to the family. Stick with me. I've got plenty to teach you about being a pony.’

His eye softened. It was Peewee. All grown up. But how? Why? How was the phoenix suppressing the spell? How was he suppressing it?! Spike looked at his own massive claws, he had become self aware of his beastly self. He looked up at Peewee who spun around in the air happily with a faint cry. The phoenix had helped him. A single tear fell from his dragon-like eye. Dragon’s really can cry after all...

Twilight, Fluttershy and Applejack awakened in the middle of the Canterlot western courtyard. Everypony crashed into the dirt with a wallop, each one landed on top of other. They had landed just outside the main gate of Canterlot. The gate had been burst down and broken, only haphazard pieces of spiked lumber remained.

An exhausted Twilight Sparkle took a breather. Her horn itched even more now, it was getting worse and worse, almost to the point where it was unbearable.

Twilight, Fluttershy and Applejack rushed inside to the devastated city. Everything had been laid siege to. Smoke hurled into the air, rubble littered the ground and the city seemed understandably deserted.

Twilight suddenly blasted her magic up at another Hippalectryon that descended to them and crashed into the ground as its only form of attacked. The girls charged in through the royal palace. Inside, they were safe. The palace had also been laid waste to, broken vases littered the red royal carpets, windows had been smashed, ponies laid defeated in the hallways as the friends rushed to their aid. All their efforts are in vain however as they felt even more useless than before.

“Roger-roger-roger-roger,” Twilight and her two friends turned to see an army of giant red ants headed straight for them. They only word they knew they repeated in their deep military-like voices, it was the only warning of their approach.

“Go, hurry!” Twilight shouted.

The royal chambers seemed like a maze at first, the many long corridors seemed to stretch on forever, and they all looked the same. They charged down the many lanes of corridors until they reached the unguarded Canterlot archives.

It was a large room with many shelves filled with old scrolls and spells. There was a large ashen hourglass stood in the centre of the archives in which sand trickled downwards.

“The book ain't here,” Applejack growled.

The Myst Borealis watched hidden in the darkness of the shelves, the two arcane eyes imprinted on its front covered scowled.

Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie and Rarity find themselves in a newly refurbished concert hall in the one of the highest towers of Canterlot. When everypony regained consciousness... Rarity heard a familiar voice–

“Mrs. Nesbitt!” A boisterous voice cried out in delight.

“Oh no, please tell me I’m dreaming.” Rarity groaned and reluctantly opened her eyes to see the colourful Vinyl Scratch stood beside a worried Octavia. Their sudden teleportation into the consort hall had interrupted Vinyl and Octavia’s spout.

“DJ-Pon Three!” Pinkie Pie jumped on top of Rarity’s head. “We’re looking for something called ‘The Right Hoof of Heaven.’”

“No, Pinkie Pie.” Rainbow Dash corrected her. “‘The Left Hand of Hades.’”

“Aw, I know that! It’s uhhh... down in the museum.” Vinyl Scratch checked back with Octavia to see if she was right. Octavia silently pointed down to the floor.

“Thankyouthankyouthankyou!” Pinkie Pie said with glee and bounced of Rarity and away with her friends who followed closely behind.

Rainbow, Pinkie and Rarity descended down the many circular stairs, the sounds of explosions and fighting could be heard outside of the royal palace. The museum was just down two flights of stairs.

The Canterlot museum, previously unseen by ponies eyes. A red laser security system had already been triggered and white smoke had filled the museum with a faint mist. Through the dust and bricks which littered the museum, they were many glass displays of artefacts, one was labelled: ‘The Krosis Stone’ but had nothing displayed on the plinth, another taller display was also empty and was labelled for ‘The Trident of the Ocean’. They searched the many plinths for the artefact. The Left Hand of Hades, stood unharmed inside an intact glass display case.

“Alright, no funny business,” Rainbow Dash grabbed a nearby brick and used it to smash the display case to get the artefact. The Left Hand of Hades was made from hardened onyx, it had five fingers and acted as a metal gauntlet. It was a mysterious contraption considering ponies had hooves, not fingers. The three friends took the relic and galloped for the door.

Upon an unnamed hillside just outside of Canterlot — close to the Canterlot labyrinth — the ponies pass all the required items to Twilight.

“We need open space.” Twilight said. Twilight and Applejack headed to the end of the cliffside, the rest of the friends were about to follow but were stopped.

An army of creatures approached from the Canterlot royal palace. Lead by none other than the Myst Borealis, the talking book which rode on the back of a armoured Hippalectryon.The Myst Spell contained within it's pages was lit up with ancient yellow magic, it seemed burnt out, no more creatures came from the parchment.

“You know... I would give anything for this day to just end.” Rarity complained as she, Pinkie, Rainbow and Fluttershy stood at arms. Together the two grounds charged towards each other as the friends tried to hold back the increasingly hostile creatures, including the Hippalectryon in the air, the Treants, Roger Red Ants and the Kobalos Goblins. All the creatures eye shone yellow. Borealis was controlling them... that much was for sure. The two groups exploded into a pit of dust and smoke as the brawl raged on. In the tumbled mess of the battle, Pinkie Pie grabbed the Myst Borealis, it hissed at her with a pure rage.

"Twilight!" Pinkie Pie shouted while riding the back of a Treant, she arched her hoof back. "Catch!"

The Myst Borealis flung through the air and she tried to catch it with her magic.

Tzzz!

Twilight's horn suddenly sparked and fizzed painfully on her skull. Applejack dived up into the air to grab the book.

“Alrighty, here’s everythin' ye need,” Applejack placed the objects down for Twilight. Applejack kept her hooves pressed against the book so it couldn't wiggle it's way to escape. The Myst Borealis hissed like a snake.

“The Left Hand of Hades,” Twilight glared at the strange onyx artefact. The onyx artefact had fingers and served as a gauntlet, but Twilight had hooves, she couldn't wear it. She had no idea what to do.

“I read once that The Left Hand of Hades is used to control the creatures of Tartarus, but Tartarus was lost.” Twilight wondered if the spider daemon had lied to her and led her on a treasure hunt of death.

Applejack watched from the cliffside with great concern for the whole world; Equestria couldn’t take any more of this chaos. “It’s now or never Twi’” Applejack pined and looked back to see her friends were losing the fight to hold back the army of beasts.

“One thing's for sure... the Left Hand of Hades is useless to us.”

“The Twi’ I know would never give up that easily,” Applejack encouraged her friend.

“I can’t do it...” Twilight replied sorrowfully.

“W-whut?” Applejack stammered.

“Look around you!”

The Friendship Express was now nothing more than a burnt disaster, Ponyville stood in flames, the Canterlot royal palace crumbled apart. The Kobalos Goblins ran around everywhere, looting and causing havoc, they had even stolen the Elements of Harmony. The Hippalectryon fly around owning the skies, troops of ants and Treants attack everypony.

"Tell them how you stole me from the Canterlot vault, tell them how it's all your fault." The Myst Borealis chuckled in it's snake-like voice.

"Can it, you!" Applejack planted her rump on the book.

“He's right. It’s my fault.” Twilight finally admitted.

“What’s that now sugarcube?”

“I did this! I messed around with a spell out of my control, I cast the Myst Spell!” Twilight shouted.

“You mean all this... is 'cause of you?” Applejack nudges the spell with her orange hoof as Twilight sulks on the hilltop, what more is there to do?

“I’m so sorry,” Twilight filled with regret. She wished she would’ve admitted to her mistake earlier. She wished she could say sorry to a small pink dragon who gave her all the happiness in the world.

“I first cast the spell at midnight. That means... we have until midnight tonight to reverse all of this somehow!”

Boom!

Everypony ducked as a missile flew overhead and exploded the nearby arch bridge.

“Or else what sugarcube?” Applejack replied.

Twilight then said with a gulp. “Or else the spells effect will last forever.”

Twilight’s horn then itched beyond belief. She scratched at it like a feral animal.

“I... huh?” Twilight suddenly realised. She had the answer all along. “My horn!” She gleamed with pride and hope. “Of course! Bone can’t itch, but it’s not the bone that’s itching, it’s all the magic of the Myst Spell still trapped inside my horn!”

“Are ya’ sure ya’ can handle it?” Applejack inquired.

“Yes, this time I’m sure of it.” Twilight was ready this time, she just knew it. Applejack took a few steps back. Twilight lifted up the spell and was about to touch her horn with the parchment...

Rrroooaaarrr!

A thunderous roar caused everypony to fall back off their hooves.

Slam!

A huge purple paw with long claws smashed on top of the cliffside. Everypony looked up.

“Ursa... Major?!” Twilight gasped in utter shock... she slowly stepped backwards making sure to keep her eye on the beast.

Ursa Major climbed up the cliffside and rose up into view putting everypony in its own shadow infront of the burning sunset. Its eyes shone with yellow magic as they scowled. It smashed its paw down again and indented it in the rock. The tremor the collision caused Twilight Sparkle and the Myst Borealis to roll and hang precariously on the edge of the cliffside.

“Twilight!” Applejack dived to save her friend, grabbing both of Twilight’s hooves.

“No! Get the book! Get the spell!” Twilight shouted, “the sun is setting... the daylight is fading, we don’t have the time.”

The Ursa Major roared in anger, it swung its huge ethereal paw at Applejack. The orange pony ducked underneath the swing, but the sheer momentum of it nearly caused her to fall from the cliffside...

“Applejack... remember in the Everfree Forest, when we first met... you told me to let go... remember?! You told me to trust you. Now, you have to trust me.” Twilight looked up and deep into her friend’s eyes. Applejack couldn’t argue, she made the decision... she winced when let go of Twilight. Applejack turned around and dived to the other end of the cliff to grab the spell. It missed her hoof by mere inches and rolled from the cliffside just before she could grab it. Applejack turned back just as Twilight’s hooves slipped.

“Twwwiiilliiigghhhtttt!” Applejack shouted as her friend fell backwards. Regret instantly filled Applejack’s heart.

Twilight screamed and twirled backwards several times through the air, her eyes closed. She hoped it would be quick...

Her limp body suddenly landed on something... and pink. Twilight cocked an eyebrow. She opened her eyes to see Spike had caught her in the palm his huge claw.

“Spike! You’re back... y-you saved me.” Twilight looked astonished. Spike seemed to be able to control his own actions now but was still as godzilla sized as ever. He still seemed unable to speak but his kind eyes told everything. Peewee the phoenix flew past and spun around Spike. Peewee then dived downwards and used her claws to grab the Myst Spell and fly around to drop it next to Applejack.

Applejack took off her hat, relieved beyond belief.

Spike reached over the cliffside to gently placed Twilight back down and patted her on the head with a beastly grin.

Then suddenly Ursa Major smashed it’s paw brutally across Spike’s face. The pink dragon fell from the cliffside and into the ground with an almighty crash. Spike retaliated quickly and swung his giant tail under the taller beast, causing the purple bear to smash into the ground also. Huge plumes of dust rose up into the air as they fell.

Both titans arose and locked their claws in battle, both pushed against each other in a battle of strength until the burning orange sky. The sun was setting. Time had run out.

Peewee flew in a circle above them, hoping to help but the phoenix only seemed like an ant compared to them.

Spike twisted his paws to the right and dragged the Ursa into the dust. On its decent the Ursa’s claws slashed across Spike’s face drawing green blood and caused him to roar out in both pain and anger.

Applejack quickly handed Twilight the book as it wiggled in her hooves.

“Cast it!” Applejack ordered.

"Haha-Haaa. This is the end for ponydom no doubt. It looks like your time has run out!" The Myst Borealis mumbled as Applejack struggled to keep it under control. She held the book still as she could.

The sun was already halfway below the horizon and was about to disappear completely. But this time... Twilight knew exactly what to do.

She pointed her horn down and stabbed the Myst Borealis piercing both the front cover and the Myst Spell within it's parchment.

As Twilight's horn and the book mixed, ancient yellow magic flashed around her horn and then her entire body. All the trapped magic sparked out and glowed with bright light. Such powerful magic made her eyes water with tears. She felt the energies in her very body as she cast the Myst Spell...

“Noooooooooooooo!” The Myst Borealis berated. As a wave magic pulsed through it's pages all the pages inside it were ripped and torn outwards before they scattered. Lifelessly the cover of the book slammed against the grass and steamed with black smoke.

The sun set.

The ground shook.

Time was up.

Everypony felt the vibration and the rumbling under their hooves, they braced themselves. Buildings trembled under the power of the shaking torrent of the tremors.

Twilight gleamed with magic, there is a huge neon coloured ray of magic shot from her horn and into the sky, causing the entire world to shake and rumble, everypony looked in dismay, before an explosion of white magic shoots out across the Equestria, the wave of magic ripples across the daylight sky, from Fillydelphia to Las Pegasus...

Applejack held onto her hat as the shock wave passed overhead both her and that of every creature. At first nothing happened, but then, all the mythical creatures turned to stone from the bottom up.

The goblins protested by waving their arms as their bodies stiffened up and turn to stone where they stand. The Treants life faded from them and they turned back into regular trees where they stood, their roots magically curling back underground to rest. All the Hippalectryon fell out of the sky as they turn to stone, impacting upon the ground like meteors...

The shock wave passed overhead. Everything flashed with yellow, but it was far from over.

“No,” Twilight watched in shock. Spike stood up, his height reached above the edge of the cliffside. But Spike also turned to stone. Peewee landed on Spike’s head and curled up into a tight ball, she was prepared to share the same fate of one who had saved her life.

The dragon could only watch in horror and confusion as his own body slowly stiffened. It wasn't painful, more like the body sleeping but slowly from the bottom up. Spike turned to Twilight, the pony who had looked after him after all these years... who had cared for him and given him a home.

“Twilight?” Spike said in a deep but confused beast voice before his face covered in stone.

“Spike!” Twilight shouted... “Spiikkeeeee! I’m sorrryyy!”

It was too late. Spike had spoke his last. No longer could the pink dragon hear the cries of those who loved him.

The effects of the Myst Spell were reversed; all the beasts that had emerged from the spell had turned to stone and any destruction magically repaired itself. Canterlot was no longer ruined and Ponyville was safe. It was all like a forlorn and bad memory.

The stone statues of all the creatures were collected together and put into a large museum. All three species of pony: Unicorns, Pegasus and Earth, worked together to lift the museum into Cloudsdale were it would forever rest on a grey cloud of mourning. The museum was dedicated to the extinct creatures of Equestria and served as storage but also as the final rest place for all the mythological beasts.

Spike’s statue was too big to adjust and thus the godzilla statue was an epoch of art, another statue next to the Canterlot Labyrinth to remain where time is forever. Here, this special place kept him safe.

Indeed, all the creatures had turned to stone... except for one...

Drip...

“The Myst Spell has been reversed. Ponies hurt have being restored, towns destroyed have being repaired.” The spider daemon explained.

“Nevermind that... you told me The Left Hand of Hades will be used for good! But it was useless today! You lied to me.” Twilight's angry voiced echoed in the cavern and up at the spider daemon. It crawled up to her with an intelligent chortle.

“Amah! I did tell you it would be used for bad and then great good, but I neglected to mention when or where. One thing you should know about me, young pony: in the days of old I was forbidden to lie. It is true, I cannot utter a single word a lie. The Left Hand of Hades seen this hour will be used, soon young pony, the day draws near.”

“And what of Spike?! How can we help him?”

“I’m afraid it stands to be impossible.” The daemon replied.

Twilight hung her head low... the itching from her horn had stopped but now she felt a new pain: the pain of loss.

Twilight had the courage to think of another deeper question: “Why didn’t you turn to stone with all the others?” Twilight sat and changed the subject; somehow she had become accustom to this mythical creature, almost as if she trusted it.

“Because I am not from the Myst Spell. I escaped that fate by being sealed in this opposable obscurity one thousand years ago. Only by the twisting fate of irony did you find me this hour.” The spider paused, it had become quite accustom to Twilight.

“What of Zecora, why is she feeding you?” She wondered so much...

“Because she knows who I really am.” The daemon said grievously. They were still secrets he wasn’t telling her. “Now, what would you do with me? Would you tell your princesses that I reside here?” the spider daemon spoke deeply and wisely.

“I suppose... if you do not harm to any pony, you can stay here, for now.” She replied, twilight wouldn’t release the daemon for fear that it may cause rampage across the world.

“Amah! Wise decision pony... I am ridiculed to remain here for a time more.” The daemons red eyes raged in the shadows with sarcasm. On the outside he looked horrifying, but on the inside it seemed harmless, the creature was certainly an oxymoron Twilight could not understand...

“Unfortunately, there is a much darker day coming for Equestria. Then we shall meet again young pony, no qualm when you desperately seek the knowledge I keep. Consider me as a living library. I will be here to answer your questions, not as a foe, or as a friend, but as an asset.” It paused before skimping backwards, its black-coloured fur and body disappearing in the darkness.

Thus so the fairy-tale of the Myst Spell came to pass. But did Twilight Sparkle live happily ever after?

Twilight Sparkle sat in the Library, her home that had moved to a new location in Ponyville because of the Treant. The Library was ruined and damage, the walls cracked and the books ruined, it would take a lot of a cleaning up... it was then she thought of Spike.

Normally Spike would be here sweeping with the broom made from the oak of the Everfree Forest with a smile on his face. She wanted to say ‘I missed you so much, I’m sorry.’ But now there was only an empty library.

“Now then!” A commanding voice unexpectedly interrupted her thought.

“P-Princess Celestia,” Twilight stood in shock as there stood Princess Celestia with a stern look, both ponies bowed to each other. The Princess seemed to have been waiting in the Library this whole time.

“Twilight, I am very disappointed with you, stealing from the archives, putting everypony in danger like that. How could you think to cast such a spell beyond your own capability?!”

“I’m sorry... I know it’s entirely my fault... I just wanted to impress you...” Twilight paused and regretted her actions even more...

“I’ll go pack my things...” Twilight hung her head low, but she was stopped by the raised hoof of the princess...

“I am impressed,” Princess Celestia said with a smile.

“W-what?”

“The Myst Borealis. In olden times — near two thousands years ago — ponies fought over the book entire legions went to war to gain it’s power. Ponies wanted to rewrite their memories and in extreme cases, rewrite and tailor Equestria’s history for their own selfish needs. Whatever the book had written inside it, governed the world. Thankfully the book was not written in history or law, it was a bestiary filled with fairy-tales. It’s ancient magic caused the ancestral creatures to roam Equestria again. The fact the book was written in rhyme meant it could only speak in rhyme. But the Myst Borealis' magic came with a price. It made ponies’ horn's itch from all the remnants of it’s magic. Indulged with the books power, that same itching has driven many ponies insane.” Celestia paused to sigh.

“The Myst Borealis has being drained of it’s life and locked away to keep it from harming anypony ever again. The Myst Spell has also being returned to it’s inner cover. Everypony and everything effected by the book has been reversed. Eventually you did cast the Myst Spell proper in reverse. But it wasn’t study and knowledge which made you cast it, it was the care for your friends, in particular your friendship for Spike.”

“But Spike turned to stone...” Twilight pined with regret. “All the others creatures of Equestria were fine, even the Ursa Major was fine. Why did he turn to stone?”

“Spike is a very special and rare dragon... the sight of Peewee made the whole experience more lucid for Spike and I believe part of him was linked to the magic because he became self-aware. He must of cared deeply for Peewee for that connection to have been made.” Celestia said.

Twilight picked up a picture of Spike, it was taken when Peewee the phoenix first hatched. The phoenix had not moved from Spike’s head since he froze in stone. Perhaps that was Peewee’s way of mourning the loss of his owner...

“I promise you that I will do everything in my power to help him.” Celestia said wisely. “He’s only sleeping. He can be saved with time. And it appears through your own foolishness that they are still lessons that you can learn here in Ponyville.”

“You’ll let me stay?” Twilight’s face lit up.

“...For now, yes. But not for much longer I’m afraid,” Celestia finished. “The time is still coming when you must leave. Soon. Very soon. When the darkness is at its zenith.”

Twilight squinted in thought, was there something coming that everyone — the princesses, the fear spider and even Doctor Whooves — all knew?

“Thank you,” Twilight eventually replied, “then allow me to deliver my latest report on friendship... personally.”

“Dear Princess Celestia.

We all make mistakes, have struggles, and regret things in our past. It’s inevitable, but you should always admit to your mistakes before they escalate. The Myst Spell is useless now, burnt to ashes... but just as a phoenix rises from its own ashes, so shall we learn from our mistakes.

Mistakes will always be in the past... but sometimes others still face the brunt of our folly —the folly of our friendship. For that reason you shouldn’t try things that are completely beyond your own control, especially if you know some pony could get hurt.

Your faithful retired princess,

~ Twilight Sparkle."

And they all lived happily ever after... almost.

To Be Continued...

My Little Pony: Time is Forever™ will return...
Soon...

'The big old storm of chaos makes an encore...'

Notes:
This was a special fairy-tale episode, there will be two more.
Spike is indeed stone, this is now canon in the alternate universe of this fic and he will remain stone for future episodes.
Peewee is hardly ever seen in any fic anywhere, so I had him in this chapter to make it unique. Spike became lucid when he saw Peewee because of all the emotions it brought back in him.
As revealed in Just for Sidekicks, Peewee was never seen again after Dragon Quest because Spike returned Peewee to his parents.
Most of the creatures featured in this episode are part of obscure Greek Mythology: Kobalos Goblins, Hippalectryon etc.
Roger Red Ants were named after a villain of a certain video game.
The Spider Daemon sung a modified version of 'Incy Wincy Spider', a common fairy-tale which is relevant to his backstory.
This episode was originally called: ‘Dragon Hiccups’ and featured Spike with a rare dragon ailment which made him sneeze fire all over Ponyville. Then the episode was renamed: ‘The Folly of Friendship’ and had only the Hippalectryon and didn’t feature any ponies. It was finally renamed: ‘The Fairy-Tale of Mythology’. It still had Spike in a role destroying Ponyville and it still had a role for the Hippalectryon.

Fairground for Ponies

“Chaos is a law of nature — yet it doesn’t make sense.”
~ Star Swirl the Bearded

An empty museum, a pantheon of cobblestone and granite hoisted up to rest in Cloudsdale perched upon a grey cloud of mourning. Among the quiet corridors were dimly lit displays of all the extinct and creatures of Equestria, all of them petrified within tombs of stone. Deep within this eerie museum, a faint chuckle echoed in the darkened halls. Infront of the display of a Kobalos Goblin was Discord. He grinned mischievously. He found it ironic that he was once imprisoned in stone, but he now walked freely among Equestria while they were the ones imprisoned. Thanks to the creative chaos these creatures caused, he may at last return...

“Mornin’ Mr. and Mrs. Cake!” Pinkie Pie said as she beamed with a smile.

“G’morning Pinkie Pie.” Mr. Cake replied as she departed from Sugarcube Corner.

“Whatcha doin’ there?” Pinkie Pie looked at an enormous but delightfully delicious cake as the husband and wife team rolled it out of their shop on a trolley of silver.

“Oh, this is a unique cake my dear, for royal lips only I’m afraid. It is to be put into storage at Canterlot until the presentation of the trident.” Mrs. Cake said apprehensively. Pinkie Pie made her anxious, especially the way she licked her lips and stared at the deliciousness of the icing.

“A unique cake? Ooooh!” Pinkie Pie licked her lips even more, intrigued by it. Mrs. Cake broke out into a cold sweat. The Cakes quickly wheeled the monstrous iced-white cake away on a trolley. They were careful but precise. As they departed Pinkie Pie noticed a large poster on the wall of Sugarcube Corner.

“Huh? Oooohhh!” Pinkie Pie's face beamed even more than usual. “A funfair... in Ponyville?! Ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh!” Pinkie Pie nearly exploded with joy as she trotted to the poster and stuck her forehead on it. The most funniest fun place ever! A fairground was in town and there was no way in Tartarus she was was going to miss it. With innocently joyful — and nearly tearful — eyes, she bounced away to join everypony else at the fairground.

The fariground was stood on the outskirts of Ponyville. Filled with excitement, happiness and its own aura of fun. Empty popcorn bags tumbled through the wind as ponies of all species rushed under the curved gate marked ‘Welcome’. A wave of sound — a mixture of elicited screams fantastic music that played from megaphones — hit them as they entered.

The inside was filled with colourful rides which whirred alive with intimidating high sounds of power. There was giant Ferris Wheel which spangled with a circle of diamonds, a twisty Helter Skelter, even a tall roller coaster which blasted around a wooden track. Sideshows covered in laser light cried out for ponies to test their luck. Ponies were already playing games like tossing horseshoes or popping balloons with their horns with in a time limit, all to earn plushie prizes.

Stood taller than everypony, was the fairground-master. He had a typical oaken cane topped with a pumpkin, a black top hat and a curly moustache. He spun his cane around his finger with a gentle smile.

“Come one and all, for happiness, for fun, forever.”

The days of Ponyville were sweet and quiet... perfectly quiet. There was hardly a soul that remained in Ponyville. Rainbow Dash has plonked her flank upon a dainty cloud to chill. It was unbeknown to her that there was a fairground in town. She thought funfairs were lame and for fillies anyway, so instead she just napped carefree her hooves were crossed and a pair of awesome sunglasses were upon her brow. She could catch a few rays of the sun.

“Hey!”

“Hey Rainbow Dash!” An unlikely voice mixed with that of sorrow and insanity interrupted the pegasus’ whole evening. Rainbow Dash sat up and dangled her head over the cloud. What was Fluttershy doing here?

“Come down here for a sec’” Fluttershy shouted up from the ground up. That was strange, why couldn't she just fly up? Rainbow Dash mumbled as she rolled off the cloud and hovered down to greet her friend. An elated groan parted from her lips...

“What’s up Fluttershy?” Rainbow Dash put on a false smile and slammed her sunglasses down upon her face.

“I’m here to break up with you,” Fluttershy said with wicked laughter.

“E-excuse me?!” Rainbow Dash landed gently upon the ground, baffled and confused.

“You heard me...” she paused before coming right up to her friends’ face, “I don’t want to be your friend anymore!” Fluttershy said in her most patronizing voice. Her yellow hoof stretched out to grab the sunglasses and then crush them against the grass. When Fluttershy departed her tail whipped Rainbow Dash on the cheek.

“W-what the hell?” Rainbow Dash’s jaw hung open as her eye twitched in utter shock. Just like that their friendship was over?!

At the opposite end of Ponyville, Fluttershy hummed her favourite little tune. She bobbed her head from side-to-side as she strutted. Her little bunny pet Angel loyally followed behind on their steady stroll. Abruptly something orange is splayed out infront of her. The next thing Fluttershy saw was the dirt. Her eye swirled in her head and when she got up, her fur was weighted down from the mud that stained it. Fluttershy groaned before she turned to see Applejack standing there with a stern look upon her mug.

“Um... Applejack, you a-accidentally t-tripped me...”

“There was nothin’ accidental about it sugarcube.” Applejack smiled wickedly as the upset Fluttershy curled up into a subjugated ball. Angel with a stern pumped himrself up, rolled up his sleeves and with fists raised bounced towards Applejack to attack. Applejack simply held her muddy hoof out to hold back the rabbit. After some time, Angel collapsed and panted heavily. Fluttershy got up, her body marked with dirt. Salty waterfalls streamed down her cheeks when she fluttered away.

“Welcome fillies and gentlesteeds, one and all to the circus of the strange, the sideshows of the sinister, and the future of the bizarre. Cast your eyes upon the cruel oddities of nature, to behold monstrous creatures from the depths of Aquastria. Leave your old lives behind, for those who enter will never be the same again. Step this way...” The fairground-master sung. He was like a true ringleader, accent and all. He spun his cane around his maladroit fingers before he pointed it toward the entrance.

Ponies of all kinds brashly marched into the fairground. Now among those ponies were Rainbow Dash and the disheartened Fluttershy along with Lyra and Golden Harvest who all happily hurried within the gates. Lyra and Rainbow Dash were the first to jump into the roller coaster and scream in delight as she lifted her hooves in the air. The roller coaster rolled down the slope. Meanwhile Bon-Bon and Fluttershy partook in the sideshow game and shooting water cannon at small targets.

“Why not take a ride on the Ferris Wheel of anarchy? Or take a plunge on the roller coaster of dismay. Once you ride... there is no going back.”

The silhouette of Celestia etched across the wall paced up and down the royal chambers.

“The tides have shifted,” Princess Celestia said stood infront of the colourful stained glass window of her students defeating Discord with the Elements of Harmony. She had sensed that something was wrong, she could feel it inside her bones, she could feel... chaos.

Crash!

"Your highness!" The chamber doors burst open and crashed against the walls. An out of breath portly guard named Drone waddled in.

“We need to you out of the castle, your highness. It’s... Discord.” Drone said.

Princess Celestia marched out into the palace proper with guards either side of her. She saw the needless destruction and felt a loss for words at what she could see: chocolate rain, houses made of toffee with ponies trapped inside the stickiness, animated black and white chess pieces which charged around and chased everypony. In the midst of the chaos Celestia saw a familiar face; Rarity.

“Argh!” Rarity screamed as she uplifted tables in an uproar at everypony. She cleared a path to the castle, she seemed somewhat incredible stronger than normal. Her magic was much more powerful and could actually be used as a weapon.

“Wait... that’s not Rarity, that’s...” Princess Celestia stepped back aghast. “It can’t be.”

“Drone!” Celestia shouted as Drone reappeared to stand by her side.

“What is it? Do you know of this darkness?” Drone informally replied to the princess.

“Mannequins.” Celestia answered with utmost fear from the bowels of her stomach. Her horn glowed white ready to subdue the pony, until the imposter Rarity teleported infront of the princess and both their magic collided. White light consumed Celestia’s vision, she felt her bones crunch as she hit a hard surface. The floor of the royal palace no doubt. Her vision readjusted, her hooves managed to straighten and Celestia got up, no lasting damage was caused.

The imposter Rarity suddenly attacked the royal guards heartlessly, she twisted their spears out of their hooves, and pushed them back into the wall against their will. A heartless and demonic look upon her brow, she turned now to Celestia who laid in a heap on the marble tiles in the castle.

“How can you even be here?!” Princess Celestia groans in pain.

“I need something from you and you’re going to listen for once.” The imposter Rarity didn’t have her own voice, but that of Discord’s, a much more mischievous voice.

“Celestia, how funny but equally predictable you are.” Discord's voice filled the room.

“Discord!” She paused... “I should’ve known!”

“Well excuuuuse me Princess. You foiled my plan last time, but not again, allow me to explain,” Discords echoic voice can be heard but he himself not yet revealed, Princess Celestia looks at all four corners of the room, but couldn’t spot the beast.

“You're willing subjects are now walking into my trap, and this time, this time, your little ponies — your most prized squires — will not interfere. As even they have fallen into my trap.”

Princess Celestia got up steadily with a stern look, Rarity stood there silently with an annoyed look. It wasn't the regal and beautiful Rarity she knew so well.

“Trap? What trap?!”

“I like to call it... the Carnival of Chaos.”

Click!

A misty portal formed in the centre of the royal palace. It reflected the fairground in a murky picture. “Where both the rides and time last forever.” Discord chuckled again through the Rarity mannequin. But as Discord stalled, so did they. Princess Luna had snuck into the royal chambers and now stood at the door, she waited to jump on the spirit whenever he revealed himself. Luna frantically shook her hoof upwards to silently tell Celestia to continue to stall.

“Enough hiding Discord, enough games! Show yourself!” Princess Celestia spoke in a stern voice, “what more do you want?”

“It’s not what I want, but what you can give me and that is... THIS!”

CRAAZZZZ!

The floor buckled under Celestia, her hooves slipped against a floor that tilted inward. She jumped back and hovered with her wings. She folded her wings inward to protect herself from the debris. Discord exploded through the royal chamber floor and flew up from underneath. Bricks and cracked piece of marble tiles few in all directions. A huge pillar of light shone up from the new hole in the palace, the spirit of chaos finally revealed himself. Discord smashed his way through the rubble, out of the archives below and into the royal palace.

But it was not the the draconequus that caught her eye, it was a huge golden circular mechanism with ancient hieroglyphs embedded around the outer circular disk:

Princess Celestia stood in awe as Discord floated above a hole in the castle floor with a devious grin upon his face.

“I try to be nice and where does it get me? Oh please, I’m actually really quite excited.”

Princess Luna took her moment and charged at him, horn ablaze. Discord didn’t even turn, but instead clicked his finger and with the sound of the snap... Princess Luna felt her entire body change. Her hooves changed into something with fur, her horn shrunk into her skull, her body warped against the laws of physics. She shrunk and changed.

As Celestia watched her sister transformed, a thick green vine crept up behind her like a sneaky snake.

“Arh—” Luna groaned her last word.

“Oh, Luna. You’ve have got to see yourself...” Discord said and dragged to her a mirror in the shape of a half-moon. “You’re a kitten!"

“Meow?” Luna said and then placed a paw over her mouth. Her speech was gone!

She gracefully twisted and turn on the spot. Her cuddly tail was erect and her eyes beamed with intellect.

“How uniquely mindblowingly delightful.” Discord clamped his claws together and fluttered his puppy dog eyes.

Lunacat just looked so... cuddly.

"Ack..." Luna gagged as she found her vocal chord. "Turn me back right now Discord!" Luna's voice sounded like it was on helium. "What? My... my voice?! Aaaaaaa!" Luna spun around in circles.

Discord laughed so much he did a tumble through the air.

Suddenly the vine grabbed Celestia's forehoof, they wrapped around her body and immobilized her wings. The vines then layered around her horn too and nullified her magic.

Discord clenched his largest paw which emanated with magic and suddenly even more vines grew from out of the cracks in the marble floor to tug and keep Celestia sealed against the floor.

“D-discord... d-damn you...” Celestia struggled, but was pulled against the floor by the vines. Eventually the thick vine covered her mouth.

"Graaaaaaaaah!" Luna's squeaky voice cried out as she padded across and headed straight for Discord. She jumped up at him, claws drawn.

Discord pointed his index finger in her direction and a crackle of lightning shot forth from the tip.

Luna was engulfed in lightning as she fell out of the air.

Poff!

Her fur spread out and made her look like a burnt-out fuzz ball. She harmlessly rolled backwards like a ball across the floor.

“RIGHT THEN! I’m afraid the fun and games are at an end." Discord pouted, he was almost sad to stop all the fun. "Now I have what I want," he referred to the spinning circular artefact. “I bid you adieu, oh...”

Click!

The mirror image — still in the royal chamber — changed into a bigger much more clearer picture this time. Celestia could watch as more and more ponies entered the fairground, this included Rarity and Applejack and even Pinkie Pie.

“...feel free to watch your kingdom fall while I cause a reign chaos, such the like has never been seen for a thousand!” Discord paused, he ran his maladroit finger underneath Celestia's chin and forced her to look at him. “Afterall Celestia... that’s why you loved me.” He said with an evil snarl.

Celestia gasped.

Discord backed away through the air and surrounded himself in a magical swirl of stars and disappeared along with the mannequin of Rarity and the golden mechanism.

Both the princesses were trapped on either side of the massive hole that gaped in the centre of the royal chambers; they couldn’t even help each other.

Princess Celestia didn’t weep, and she did not falter. Instead, as soon as the villain departed she used her teeth to try and bite through the magical vines.

Lunacat, with the loss of all her magical abilities, simply washed her whiskers with the back of her paw.

With everypony inexplicably at the fairground, Ponyville had become a ghost town. Only the sound of the whistling wind that flapped wooden windows against the cottage walls could be heard. Twilight was in the town square, she found it eerily quiet. Are they all at the fairground?

Crackle!

Through a flash of white and a heap of smoke and pyrotechnic effects, Discord was revealed.

“I’m back... for an encore of anarchy!” Discord clicked his finger to clear the smoke in one fell go.

“Discord!” Twilight shouted in disgust.

“Did you miss me Twilight Sparkle?” Discord tipped himself upside down and poked his face in hers. “I missed you.”

“How you were released?” Twilight inquired.

“Oh for goodness sake, questions already?! You're thinking about this too logically. A old fool once said ‘chaos is a law of nature — yet it doesn’t make sense.’ In order to understand chaos you need to bid adieu to all those pesky little voices in your head trying to make sense of everything. All that happened before was that Dark Plague just helped me out a smudge. We villains have to stick together afterall.” Discord finished.

From behind Discord, Twilight’s friends emerged. No, they weren’t her friends, but four darker versions of them. Two were missing, the opposite to Twilight and the opposite to Pinkie Pie. Each emerged in a puff of black smoke.

“Wait, but they’re—”

“OH! You do make me laugh. Mannequins, meet Twilight Sparkle, ever a drag." Discord did a twirl through the air. “Almost everypony has an elemental opposite, especially your friends. Unfortunately Twilight, you’re the only one to have eluded my grasp. They’re is no opposite to friendship, except for having none of them of course. So I had no choice but to remove your friends entirely. Knowing that I couldn’t reverse your element I unleashed these mannequin puppets to separate all of your ‘goody-two-shoe’ little friends.” Discord finished.

The darker version of Rarity was the one who attacked Canterlot, she was their leader and wore a red crown, identical to that of the element of magic other than its colour.

“If friendship is magic then where are your friends? You’re all alone here Twilight Sparkle, you have always being alone.” Discord said amidst the mannequin’s laughter.

“Because of these mannequins your friends have now walked into my trap, that is, the Carnival of Chaos. Everypony will ride the roller coasters, spin in the carousel and stay there forever!"

“Trapping ponies by making them have fun... forever? Urh, Discord, only you could think of something like that.” Twilight deadpanned.

"Nopony can resist the fun of a fairground now can they? They’ll never want to leave. Meanwhile, I’m free to convert Ponyville in the chaos capital of the wooorrrld! Uhahaha!”

Clash! – Lightning crackled in the sky as a mass of pink clouds blocked out the sun.

“Yes! Yeeesss!” Discord chuckled in victory, unrivalled by everypony occupied by their opposites he was free to do as he pleased. A devious grin upon his face, the spirit was free to cause as chaos as he pleased. It is almost too easy, he clicked his finger as a large black cane with a pumpkin at the top of it, a large top-hat appear upon his head with holes in it for his maladroit horns, as well as a fake moustache upon his maw, the fairground-master is indeed an alias of Discord himself. He danced on the air, to the sound of disharmony and deceit.

He cracked all his fingers and then cast bolts of magic from the tips of his index fingers in every direction as he danced with defiance.

Click!

Everything the sparkled magic touched changed into something incredibly... weird. Cottages flipped onto tiny islands that floated up and down, the grass had turned orange and grey in chequered form, the mannequins charged around the perimeter of Ponyville and protected it from any intruders.

A tall red and black throne appeared for the chaos lord to sit and admire his work. Discord soaked up the chaos and enjoyed his new reign upon this small corner of Equestria.

Twilight had escaped from the midst of it all. When the town converted into madness she had run away. Her friends were all at the carnival, she had to save them. Head and horn pointed down, she galloped for the fairground.

Meanwhile, all Princess Celestia could do was helplessly watch and naw at the vines with her ever aching teeth. A powerless but fluffy Lunacat paced up and down with nothing else she could do.

It was the encore to the big old storm of chaos and this time chaos had won.

At the fairground something was terribly wrong. Ponies couldn’t get off the rides and roller coasters, they simply won’t stop. The various ponies struggled at the restrains but all of them soon realising that they were rapt to ride it forever more. Some ponies simply couldn't tolerate the sensation and fell unconscious. All the rides, the carousel, the roller coaster kept speeding around and around. Lyra Heartstrings held her mouth until the vomit could no longer be held in...

“URGH! Bleouup!" Lyra's vomit flew through the air and onto everypony else in the seats behind.

When Twilight entered the carnival the bittersweet smell of candy-floss filled the air with an misleading aura of fun. They were huge crowds inside of the fairground and everypony who was inside had their eyes swirl in a trance. Their bodies were no longer their own.

“This is impossible!” Twilight shouted in the middle of the carnival. She concentrated on the facts, there had to be some form of sense in this nonsense. “Somepony has to operating all the fairground rides. But where, and who?”

Twilight caught site of a pink pony with a twisty mane, the pony wore a beanie hat and had swirls in her eyes. Strange, she was unaffected by the dazzling lights, music and magic of the funfair. The pink pony gasped, she had being spotted!

“Hey! Stop!” Twilight charged headstrong after the pony. She knocked ponies flying into the air along the way. In the chase the Twilight got caught in the crowd until she couldn’t even distinguish their colours any longer. She smashed her hooves against the ground, the music and lights in the funfair were a labyrinth of sound and magic that mocked her and caused her to get lost in its madness.

“NO!” Twilight scrunched her eyes closed; it wasn’t going to put her in a trance. It wasn’t...

Just before Twilight went crazy, a familiar voice stuck out like angel above all the others.

“...Roll up! Roll up! For Madame Pinkie’s bizarre predictions!”

Twilight’s eyes opened.

“Pinkie Pie?” She said with intrigue and cocked an eyebrow. A small purple tent was erected in the middle of the funfair. Twilight’s friends were the only lifeline to save her from crazy place and in this case, Pinkie Pie was her saviour.

Twilight parted the curtains when she entered. There was a crystal ball on a circular table covered in a blanket. Pinkie Pie wore a purple turban and scarf.

“Pinkie Pie! What has he done to you? Don’t you recognize me?” Twilight sat down.

Pinkie Pie beamed with a smile when she saw Twilight, but it wasn’t a smile of recognition for her friend, but a demented one. Stars and swirls spun in Pinkie’s eyes. She had been possessed.

“Care to see into your future and take a trip into the supernatural world?” Pinkie Pie said spookily and leant into the bright crystal orb and stroked it with her hooves. “The mystical orb of fate's destiny will tell all!” Something was off. It was like Pinkie wasn’t in control of her own body anymore. “Ohhh, I see a cruel future for you: thunder and... a square-based tetrahedron?”

“Pinkie Pie, you’re not psychic! Please snap out of it.” Twilight said and looked down at the crystal ball, it spun with smoke and dark green light. Inside the crystal ball Twilight saw a series of misty images, images of Pinkie Pie’s past. As she stared into the crystal ball the image of Discord appeared within it and with an evil chuckle he tried to hypnotised Twilight. Twilight’s eyes drooped and her head fell low.

“No!” Twilight snapped out of it, grabbed the crystal ball and reached back to throw it. “Eeeeeenough!”

Smash!

As the crystal ball shattered against the ground, lights twirled up from it's broken innards. The lights were the suppressed memories of Pinkie that whispered with speech from the past. They twisted around and conversed back into Pinkie Pie. Her eyes flashed with memories long lost as they returned to her.

“Urg...” Pinkie groaned. “Twilight? What are you doing? What am I doing?” She looked around the tent, filled with strange and mysterious magic and objects of interest.

“I have such a dizzy head. Hehe.” She gave a giggle. “Dizzy head.”

“Pinkie Pie! You’re back!” Twilight grabbed her friend and hugged her tightly. “C’mon Pinkie Pie. We have to find the others and help them out of whatever grip Discord has on them.”

They two friends charged out of the tent and out into the funfair.

Clash!

A wave a lightning ensued. The mannequins emerged out of the crowd of ponies in the carnival.
“Oh please, your ideals of friendship are pathetic.” Rarity’s mannequin spoke.

“Whoa! You... talk?!” Twilight was surprised, they hadn’t spoken on their own until now.

“Of course we do. Moron. Isn't it obvious? We’re your reversed elements, while Rarity is giving, I am selfish. I’m afraid we can’t let you help your other friends.” Rarity’s opposite barked angrily. At least she shared some traits with Rarity. She was grey in colour, all of them were grey in colour like all the life had being lost in them. Their eyes were bright red. Rarity’s mannequin’s mane and tail were jet white and her cutie mark was three diamond skulls.

Unwilling to fight, Twilight had another idea.

“Split up,” she commanded and shared in a nod with Pinkie Pie. They charged into opposite directions and merged into the crowd of ponies.

Pinkie Pie emerged on the other side of the carnival. She looked up at the bright sign which flashed with the words: ‘Roller Coaster of Dismay’. Rainbow Dash rode on the never ending coaster while all the other ponies struggled to keep their breakfast inside their stomachs, they all seemed to be in a catatonic trance. The rolling sound of the roller coaster was like a ticking clock that kept them from ever leaving.

Pinkie Pie jumped up onto the coaster platform and charged to the heavy switch. But in a cloud of black smoke one of the mannequins emerged. It was the opposite to Rainbow Dash: She was darker blue in colour, with a bloody chunk missing out of a right her and a mane with five different shades of grey. Her cutie mark was red lightning. She smiled wickedly at Rainbow Dash.

“You think she’s sooo cool, don’t ya’?” Rainbow’s mannequin looked up at the real Rainbow Dash. Even these ponies’ voices were the same as the real ones; however this mannequin’s voice had more of a rebelling attitude to it.

“But Rainbow Dash told me she won every race she’s ever been in...” Pinkie Pie looked at her flying friend.

“Oh really?” The pony said with an upward inflection. “Is that she told you? They’re all lies. You really thought she was that cool? Bwahahaha. Listen Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash doesn’t need you, she doesn’t need any of you. She only looks after number one.”

Pinkie Pie slowly backed away, until her rump met with the switch. “Oh yeah? Well just watch this!” Pinkie turned and pulled heavily on the switch with all her might. Her hooves strained and her muscles ached, but eventually the switch buckled. Rainbow’s mannequin disappeared just as the brakes slammed on the roller coaster and caused it to come to an abrupt halt at ground level. The dizzy ponies spun out of the cart as did Rainbow Dash.

“Roll up, roll up!” Discord's voice repeated on a loop across the various megaphones dotted around the carnival. Twilight couldn’t detest his voice any more than she already did. She arrived infront of a red and yellow striped circus tent. “Of course, the animals.” Twilight knew her friends well, she galloped inside.

The tent served as an incubator to the heat. The central ring of the tent had several obstacles: A flaming hoop, trapezes that swung on their own through the air and a seesaw. The wooden seats around the centre ring were filled with creepy cardboard cutouts of ponies, mainly the inhabitants of Ponyville. It was especially eerie inside an otherwise fun place to be.

Fluttershy was in a trance from all the animals inside the circus. Strange butterflies with the same white beards of Discord and weasels wearing fezzes. All the animals creepily danced around Fluttershy as she performed various tricks. Fluttershy jumped through a ring of fire. The cardboard crowd would then cheer with a fake audience ambient that played on the megaphones.

Fluttershy's eyes spun around with swirls in them. Twilight dived into the circle of animals and a quick spell sorted them out. Fluttershy jumped through the flaming hoop and did a twirl as a dance move. Twilight looked around; something must be keeping Fluttershy in her trance. As Twilight turned to look up she saw it: A giant spinning wheel with a black and white pattern that swirled around and around.

Twilight readied her magic, but suddenly Fluttershy's opposite appeared from behind the spinning contraption. Twilight quickly stayed her magic. The opposite of Fluttershy had a jet black and flat mane which draped over her eyes. Her wings were poorly stitched onto her body and the stitching marks could still be seen. Her fur was a mixture of red and yellow and she seemed to have trouble controlling her anger.

“I... hate... you.” The mannequin spoke in a depressed almost dizzy tone of voice, like she hated the world. Her cutie mark was three butterflies but with patterns of skulls on their wings.

Twilight grinned as she shot a quick bolt of magic upward at the chain that held the trance inducing contraption.

Snap!

The chain broke and the spinning wheel swung down. Twilight ducked just in time as it flew overhead. The other chain soon broke as well and the whole wheel rolled across the central ring and crashed into the cardboard crowd. The explosion sent a plume of black smoke to billow upward. Fluttershy soon came to her senses. She looked around to see all the animal run in fear from the smoke, her opposite had disappeared.

Rainbow Dash charged through the carnival and after her ordeal Discord, he could no longer control her. She had to find Applejack. As she pushed a dozen ponies out of the way and fought her way through the wave of sound, she was suddenly blinded by a dazzling display of lights, this was the sideshow section of the fairground. They were ponies shooting water at targets and others who whacked giant hammers on a button to send the weight soaring upwards to hit the bell. Applejack was at the back of the sideshows with another pony, Golden Harvest. Together they played a never ending game of horseshoe. Each time the earth ponies threw a horseshoe, it just teleported back. As Applejack threw the horseshoe, Rainbow Dash flew forward and caught it in her hoof.

Ching!

“Ow!” Pain throbbed through Rainbow Dashes hoof. A sharp object cut into her hoof. The horseshoe fell to the ground. Rainbow Dash turned to see Applejack’s mannequin. Her jet black hat spun through the air and landed back on her head with style. The sides of the hat were paper thin and sharp. This ponies mane was blazing red, her fur was a darker more sickly orange and her cutie mark was that of three green poisonous skull apples. The mannequin took off her hat and arched her hoof back to throw it again.

The heavy horseshoe spun had smashed the mannequin's head. The sound of crunching ensued and the next thing the mannequin saw was the dirt.

“Ye better back off now!” Applejack stomped a hoof at her opposite, she was back!

“Ha! Brave words for a pony that sleeps with a bunch of apples rather than a cuddle bunnie!” The mannequin parted with a snorted laugh as she got back up out of the dirt. Her head didn’t bleed, instead, black ash drained like sand from the wound.

“Why you little squeaker— wait a minute... I don’t do that!” Applejack retorted. Then it suddenly hit her. Applejack’s elemental opposite was dishonesty, meaning this mannequin was a liar. The opposites knew all about them, all their blackest secrets and inner most thoughts. With a snorted laugh, the dark pony disappeared into black smoke.

Eeeeek!

Somepony! Anypony!” A distressed cry rang higher against all others. Both Applejack and Rainbow Dash’s ears propped up. It was Rarity.

The queen of drama was sat on a seat above a swimming pool. Little fillies threw small rubber balls at a target. Rarity clung onto the platform for dear life; a direct hit on the target would give her a freezing cold bath. Rarity seemed to have kept to her senses, however she was trapped from the fear of getting wet.

Just as the filly hit a target, Rainbow Dash flew in to catch her.

“Oh thank you, thank goodness!” Rarity breathed heavily. As soon as her hooves touched the grass she bent down to kiss the land.

Pinkie Pie must have taken a wrong turn. ‘The Hall of Mirrors’ it read above the funfair attraction. Now she regretted galloping inside. She was trapped was a labyrinth of mirrors, she was faced with her own reflections, but they weren't really her. Their faces looked disturbed. Pinkie galloped forward to the exit but fell back as her face bashed against another mirror.

“Heeehehee...” A demented giggle echoed out across the hall of mirror. One reflection was different, it was her opposite. Her opposite didn’t seem physically different, other than her hair was straightened and draped down over her eyes. Her opposite giggled truly insane then broke down and wept.

Pinkie Pie watched the pony cut her hooves trying to reach for her through the glass of the mirror.

“Ahahahaha!”

Pinkie Pie ran for her life through the maze, she felt her way through the mirrors. Her reflection was everywhere. They reflected more and more horrific deformations, in one reflection she had no eyes, in another her face was mashed into pieces.

Pinkie Pie curled up into a small ball and placed her hooves over her ears. She gently rocked back and forth and tried to sing herself into a safer place. The reflections' laughter was more like a scream than anything joyful...

“Aaaaaahahahaaaaaaaaa!”

Smash! Boom! Clash!

Glass showered Pinkie Pie. All the mirrors exploded around her with red fire. Glass crashed to the floor until the entire room was filled with the sharp shards. The silhouette of a unicorn stood at the exit with a bright white light behind her, her red magic sparked from her horn. Pinkie Pie smiled and got up. Her opposite was gone. But somehow Pinkie Pie knew that there was no opposite, maybe she had scared herself. Her insanity was all in her head.

From the exit Pinkie Pie was levitated over all the deadly shards of glass and into Twilight Sparkle's hooves.

The unrelenting sound of ponies that cheered and laughed was at it’s peak in the centre of the carnival. Here is where the six best friends met once more. Ponies of all kinds still enjoyed the never ending sideshows and rides around them, but Twilight knew she couldn’t save them all until they destroyed the source of the chaos.

As Twilight planned her next move, her five friends bickered.

“Now wait just a darn a minute, I only came to this here carnival because I was being accused of something I didn’t do.”

“But you... um... tripped me.” Fluttershy replied with a whimper.

“What?! I did nothin’ of the sort,” Applejack protested, she was always honest with her friends.

“Lies!” Pinkie Pie shouted at Rarity. “You told me that my parties were ‘abysmal’.”

“You told me you didn’t wanted to be my friend anymore.” Rainbow Dash mercilessly pointed the blame at Fluttershy.

“It’s simply not true.” Rarity returned.

"And that's how I met the king of the potato people!" Pinkie Pie outburst.

All of the shouts blended into one accord of pointless angry voices. Twilight Sparkle stood with her ear pressed down, silently shocked that all her friends were in uproar. Her friendship was being torn apart before her eyes and she couldn’t stand it, the best friends all with stern looks snuff each other and all then begin to walk their separate ways...

“I hope I never see you again!” Rainbow Dash lowered her eyebrows.

“Me too!” Fluttershy replied.

“Fine!” Rarity turned away.

“Fiiinnee!” Rainbow Dash shouted back.

“Stop!” Twilight shouted as everypony looked back. She was beyond upset.

“Don’t you see? This is all Discord’s doing.” Twilight cast a spell that pulled her friends back together. “He’s made us all argue so we’d all end up falling for the spells in this carnival. That way he would be free to cause chaos.”

Twilight hugged her friends together against their will. Everypony looked around, the noise of the funfair, the energy, it had all gotten to them... it made them act differently, made them turn against each other.

“Wow Twi'... yer right. Ah’m mighty sorry for saying those things.” Applejack apologized.

“Me too,” Rainbow Dash shared in a hoof bump with Applejack.

Clash!

A wave a lightning ensued as chocolate rain began to fall. The lightning struck the grass and caused a pillar of black smoke to spin up into the air. Twilight and her friends watched in awe as the four mannequins appeared out into the open air. The best friends stared at the darker versions of themselves, then they realised how foolish they have been, these ponies had impersonated them.

“Wala!” Rarity’s opposite flicked her horn up with flair. “You just don’t give up do you? I’m afraid we’re just going to have to crush you."

“These ponies. They’re not really us; they’re just like the opposites to our elements. They are what we were in the Canterlot Labyrinth, only they have their own bodies.” Twilight Sparkle paused.

Unknowingly to everypony, in the pink clouds above, Discord hovered in the air. He held two pieces of plywood attached to magical string and moved them accordingly. He controlled the mannequins like puppets.

Rarity’s mannequin blasted a deadly beam of red magic at everypony. Twilight quickly retaliated by casting a pink bubble around her friends, instantly protecting them.

“Fight back!” She shouted and blasted another flash of red magic which exploded in vain against the shield.

“Fight back!” She repeated louder this time.

“Why... why fight?” Twilight stood firm but didn’t retaliate.

“Because, we’re your opposites?” Fluttershy’s mannequin answer seemed confused as if she herself didn’t know why they all fought.

“Just because you’re our opposites doesn’t mean we need to fight. We are two sides of the same ponies, in a sense.” Twilight explained. The puppets froze and looked puzzlingly at each other, each one hoped for answers from the other. They came to the realisation that their opposite was telling the truth.

“Wow... I never really thought about it like that.” Her saddened eyes opened wide with the sudden awareness. She smiled, she actually smiled. The mannequin eventually lifted up her hoof to order them all the stop the attack.

“What in tarnation?! Why are we stoppin'?” Applejack’s dishonest opposite turned to everypony with a confused look. Their entire demeanour had changed to one less threatening.

“Discord has tried to fool us all. He’s used us against each other and tricked us all. Despite what he may have told you... we can still unite together to beat him.” Twilight explained.

“What do we do?!” Fluttershy’s opposite shouted as all the mannequins turned to their leader. It was ultimately her decision, she wore the red crown. They looked up to her as the real ponies looked up to Twilight.

“Look at us, what differences do you see?” Twilight turned to look at all the ponies. Despite their colours and personalities, the smallest of differences could be seen.

“We don’t need to fight.” Rarity's opposite replied and managed a smile. She too had come to the realisation that their opposites are just the other side to them. All the mannequins raised their hooves and grabbed the previously invisible strings attached to their backs. They pulled the string out of their fur with great pain. They each detached themselves from Discord’s grasp.

“Phew,” everypony took a deep sigh of relief. Twilight lowered the bubble shield.

“Our true enemy is Discord. If we band together we may just have a chance of beating him without the Elements of Harmony.”

“You’re quite alright... for an opposite.” The two Rainbow Dashes nudged each other with her heavy hooves. All ten ponies shook hooves with one another.

They returned to Ponyville together. All ten ponies walked in a line through the chaos... The chaos of latex bubbles that popped into stars, trees than danced and chocolate rain that fell.

The ten friends stopped infront of a giant chess set. The giant black and green chess pieces hopped around the board. Discord was sat slumped in his throne; he moved the pieces with a click from his finger. He seemed bored.

As the ten ponies surrounded the throne where Discord sat in dismay, the chess pieces suddenly turned towards them and stood at arms. Discord, with a grin affixed upon his face was quite pleasantly surprised to see them all again.

“Well, well, well.” He spoke with arrogance now when he stepped up out of the dark throne. “Everypony seems to have realised the truth.”

“It’s over Discord! After all we’ve bring through, no matter how many times you sought redemption, you cannot defeat friendship.”

“Bah!” Discord grunted.

“I’m giving you this one chance to walk away, walk away and live in peace... to just leave us alone.”

Discord looked at them, raised an eyebrow and then looked at Twilight.

“Well... we’ve come to this again it seems. But before you defeat me yada-yada-yada, there’s something I was told to tell you first. A rhyme from a pony with a heart of ice:

“When darkness falls and dragons rise,
that day will be Equestria’s demise.
Unless your friends are recovered,
from a castle yet to be discovered.”

The draconequus recited and then smoked a pipe which blew bubbles.

“Huh?” Rainbow Dash tilted her head.

“Ignore it... he’s just trying to confuse us. It doesn't mean anythin' important at all.” Applejack’s mannequin said.

“We are no longer your puppets!” The mannequins shouted and stood united beside their counterparts. They all knew his tricks.

“Oh please, mannequins?! You’re nothing but cloth and fluff filled with ash.” Discord deadpanned. “I created you, I can most easily return you to whence you came!"

Click!

Suddenly the bodies of the mannequins started to leak ash from the hooves up. The sewn stitching of their bodies started to slowly untwine and the mannequins disturbingly felt their innards of black ash drain out of them. Discord had animated them from ash and dust.

“Leave them alone!” Together, Rarity's mannequin and Twilight suddenly shot several bolts of magic at Discord, each exploded on his body.

Bang! Boom!

“Aaaaahh!” Discord groaned dramatically pain as black smoke consumed him. Then his screams of pain turned into more laughter. He waved his paw to clear away the dust.

“Really?” He cocked an eyebrow with a smirk.

“CHARGE!” The mannequins shouted as all ten ponies galloped forward across the giant chequered grass. The chess pieces, in particular the knights and rooks turned and faced for battle. They hopped across the board.

The two groups collided together in battle. The mannequins charged through the chess pieces, Applejack’s mannequin threw her deadly hat like a Frisbee and Twilight shot several red bolts of magic.

“Knight to King's Rook 7.” Discord commanded, he had to make a game out of everything. The mannequins seemed tired, weak and less noble. The black ash poured out of their bodies and littered the giant chess board.

Rainbow Dash crashed into an invisable shield, her eyes swriled in her head.

"Hey, what gives?!" She shouted and looked down at the chequered grass.

"You can only move in the direction of the chess piece you related too." Discord explained from afar.

"Oh brother..." Rainbow Dash groaned and charged across the chequered grass diagonally.

The giant flat bottoms of the chess pieces tried to crush several of the ponies. But the mindless animated objects couldn’t outsmart all ten ponies together. The last chess piece – the king – fell faced down upon being defeated. Checkmate.

They had won, but with the click of Discord's fingers... everypony went dizzy.

“Huh... I feel funny...” Pinkie Pie snorted.

“Discord?! What did you do to them?” Twilight looked at him and then them. Twilight and the mannequins beside her were unimpressed.

“You cannot ‘organize’ chaos Twilight, perhaps that is why you hate me so." Discord laughed along with everypony.

“FUN FUN FUN FUN FUN!” Pinkie Pie suddenly bounced around like she was sugar hyper.

“The magical fun of hope and wonder.” Fluttershy commented with a demented laugh.

“Girls, we need to stop Discord.” Twilight said and stood aghast.

“Hahaha. I’m gonna pee my panties... wait... I'm not wearing any panties. Ahaahaa!” Pinkie Pie fell over as she held her sides.

Twilight giggled. “N-no... NO!” She stopped herself from laughing even thought she so desperately wanted to. “Stop it. Stop laughing!” Twilight commanded.

“Twilight’s got 'the serious face'. A-ha a-ha...” Rarity parted with a snorted giggle and rolled on the chequered board.

“Aaaa-hahaaa!”

Crackle – Boom!

Twilight’s horn exploded with an explosion. Everypony snapped out of it.

“What’re we doin’?” Applejack looked around to see everypony on the floor.

“Fun? Fun?... Fun?” Pinkie Pie held her a dizzy head.

Suddenly the mannequins dived upon Discord and grabbed his fur to drag him down. They did what they could, some bit into his skin, others pulled on it. Or at least they tried... with one fell swoop Discord grabbed each of them and flung them into the ground.

“Uhahaha!” The spirit bellowed at the top of his lungs. Friendship does not last forever, but chaos most certainly will... and this time chaos will be victorious.” Discord scowled, he looked more evil than ever in the shade of the black clouds. “But not this time! I cannot lose! I AM DISCORD. GREAT SPIRIT OF CHAOS AND DISHARMONY!” His voice echoed across the empty town.

Discord showed his true self. He roared angrily, he clenched his claws and fingers in pain. His entire body lit up with magic, his fur changed to a darker colour, his eyes turn red and his sharp claws had become elongated nails. He warped into a draconequus of true evil, and grew almost twice in size. His laughter was darker and his voice was much lower in tone.

“Now everypony will feel the true might of chaos!” Discord raised his arms into the air as the entire town shook violently.

Discord slammed down his paw, the entire chess board smashed it to pieces and cracked apart. He grabbed a pink cloud spewing out chocolate rain and squeezed out its innards it to satisfy his unquenchable first, the cloud dissolved as it was emptied.

Nearby, Twilight Sparkle helped her six friends up. It was their turn. They charged after the chaotic spirit, but doubt remained: could they defeat him without the Elements of Harmony?

“That must be Discord at his height of his power...” Fluttershy’s mannequin broke the silence. They watched as their real selves charged away to fight Discord. All of the mannequins were slowly melting away into black ash but they still had enough power to remain alive, for now.

“Cut him off!” Twilight shouted as the six friends split up and ran down the many small alleys of Ponyville. The evil draconequus raged through the town to the side of them. Each step caused tremors; each roar could be heard for miles. Pinkie Pie stood at the end of the main street, Discord headed straight for her. Applejack acted the fastest and tossed a lasso rope to Fluttershy. Together they pull it taut. As Discord’s foot collided with the rope they held it tightly in their maws. Tears filled Fluttershy’s eyes as Discord tripped magnificently and crashed met with the ground in an eruption of smoke.

“Well, that was easy.” Applejack tipped her hat in victory.

As the smoke cleared, Discord was back to his normal size and his old self. Was it all just another chaotic magic trick? Apparently not. As the friends regrouped, they noticed that Discord seemed to have used all his magic in one moment and now weakly limped away.

They had him surrounded, there was no escape. They had defeated him again...

But maybe this time... it had all gone overboard...

Discord said nothing and the air grew quiet as the smoke evaporated into the air. His vision was blurry, he could barely see his claws grasping for the ground infront of him. What was this? His heart had slowed, he felt weak. His lips went dry and liquid salt fell from his eyes... tears?! He dared not to close his eyes for fear they would not reopen.

He lifted up his paw...

Click!

In a unimpressive display of stars a thin golden circular device appeared before him. The device had several layers of plates and two semi-circle doors in the middle. The outer plate spun around and was outlined in mysterious hieroglyphs:

Discord collapsed on the grass as the artefact spun automatically in the air.

“W-what is that?” Fluttershy mumbled. Everypony manically tried to decipher the strange hieroglyphs for some clue to what it could be.

“It’s... a gate...” Discord mumbled as he clung onto his life. He had become a weak fawn. The true damage to the spirit could be seen: one of his wings was broken and his tallest horn had snapped half in half.

“A g-gate?!” Twilight's entire body went stiff, those words echoed through her head. She remembered back to the defeat of Dark Plague...

‘The gate will open... for you!’

Dark Plague did release Discord. Is this the gate she meant?

“Figuratively speaking... it’s called a 'Mirror.’” Discord groaned, every breath and every word was a chore. He rolled over onto his back. He had become skinnier than usual and his rib cage could be seen poking out. “Like most magical mirrors in Equestria it will take you to parallel plane of existence. This Mirror is special however, not only is it a one-way trip, but it only opens for the one who used it last... and that was me. ARGH!” Discord clenched his claws so tightly...

The Mirror ascended into the air the inner plates also rotated around. The Mirror turned to face Discord.

“I guess this is... goodbye.” He whimpered weakly.

"What are you planning, Discord?" Twilight said with a hint of uncertainty.

The sound of mechanical locks and cogs could be heard from inside the Mirror. They all looked up to hear a complex puzzle of locks unlock from within.

Twilight Sparkle stood frozen in fear.

Then silence...

The doors to the Mirror screeched open with a jolt. It was clear this mirror hadn’t opened in a long time made evident by how jittery the two half-circle doors opened. Behind the doors inside was a beautiful portal of blue light that swirled inward like a maelstrom. The Mirror was bigger on the inside and contained within it was a huge portal.

The mirror approached Discord and hovered up as he faced it.

“D-discord? What are you doing?” Twilight's voice cried out.

“Magnificent...” Discord was memorized by the swirling portal inside, he ignored the cries of everypony.

“Discord!” A different voice made them all turn. The mannequins had returned, they slowly emerged into the main street. Their bodies had emptied from ash even more. Now they were forced to drag themselves along the ground without any back hooves to carry them. The four of them all used the last of her strength to make one final jump. Discord turned to find all five of the darkest ponies now latched onto him, some by the fur and some by his one horn, but all of the ragged him about like a feral animal.

All Twilight and friends can do it watch in awe as puppets and puppeteer struggle.

“No-no-noooooooooooooowwww!” Discord gave a final scream in defeat as the mannequins and their puppeteer -- with a look of pure fear upon his face -- tumbled backwards into the portal.

The spirit felt himself fall off reality, his body became weightless as he fell inside the Mirror. He knew, even chaos was powerless inside the Mirror. This was the end for him.

He floated deeper and deeper into the portal contained within the Mirror, until the light within the portal consumed both the draconequus as the now empty mannequins who empty into a pillar of black ash.

Both the doors screech to a close...

Slam!

“NO!” Twilight wiped her eyes from the tears. She slammed her hoof against the closed metal mechanism over and over again, hoping for it to open again. Hoping for that last shred of hope. In a flash, the Mirror disappeared in Twilight’s grasp and caused her to stumble forward and prop herself up with her front hooves.

In that final puff of magical stars... they were all gone. Their lives, their voices, dreams and smiles, all extinguished without a second thought.

“Twilight... it doesn’t matter anymore. What matters is that it’s over.” Pinkie Pie said to her friend. Twilight tried to put a smile upon her face, but the unicorn was already sobbing. The pain of her tears did not fade as easily as their wounds heal.

Never before had Ponyville seemed so eerily quiet...

“He... eradicated them? Didn’t he?” Rainbow Dash said with a pout.

“They were never real to begin with though, right?” Pinkie Pie replied. "They were just silk stitched together. Puppets."

“They were real, real enough to have thoughts and feelings, real enough to know good from bad. Discord just— ended them... I knew he was low, but I didn’t know he was this low...” Twilight growled disappointedly and clenched her hooves in anger. She picked up a small pile of the black ash and felt it sieve off her hoof. She couldn't understand...

Snap!

Princess Celestia was at last released from the vines upon Discord’s defeat. The green vines wilted into a sickly brown colour. The royal guards including Drone who were all too late, rushed to the princesses aid.

Lunacat was restored. Princess Luna embarrassingly still washed her face with her hoof when retransformed. She hoped not to retain her cat habits.

Princess Celestia stood up firmly. She had watched everything through the image and seen all of the relentless chaos. In through that same image she stepped through and was transported into the town of Ponyville.

The princess wasted no time when she immediately galloped to comfort her most faithful student... Celestia wrapped her wing around Twilight and drew her close.

“I am so sorry, I couldn’t save them.” Twilight sobbed safely in the princesses embrace.

“You did everything you could.” Princess Celestia sighed and closed her saddened eyes. A ray of warm light emitted from Celestia’s horn. The light spread across all of Ponyville, warm waves of light emitted across the town, the carnival, the sun. Like a warm hug everything it touched in Ponyville was retransformed from the chaos. Peacefully, the dark clouds parted and the sunlight rayed down upon Ponyville.

The pink earth pony with a strange beanie hat on her head was none other than Screwball. She was the one who operated the funfair rides when Discord was away. For some unknown reason, she worked willingly with Discord. His chaos hadn't affected her because she was already deemed to be mad. She was found in the control room for the funfair and was quickly arrested for crimes against harmony. Without a controller to the rides the funfair was put to rest. For one last night, Princess Celestia allowed the funfair to remain outside of Ponyville, as a sort of celebration. The rides had being restored to normal, as it could be. Not many ponies returned for obvious reasons... although most couldn’t even remember their time inside the 'Carnival of Chaos’.

As Twilight marched into the fairground, the wave of noise from the carnival music and the whirring of the rides hit her on approach. She stood with her six friends, Pinkie Pie seemed to be the most happy as she carried and munched upon a fog of candyfloss. The fairground was good now and there was no need for concern, now ponies can enjoy the rides and sideshows without any fault.

Her friends left her side as they went inside. Twilight was stood with no emotion etched on her face. She stared as her five best friends who went on without her, unlike all the rest; she just couldn’t have fun, not after what happened, not today. This was the moment her faithful friend Spike would appear with a quill and a piece of parchment. But she had even lost him.

With the roaring fairground sprawled out infront of her just waiting to behold fun, Twilight remembered back to the mannequins as she wrote her report...

Dear Princess Celestia.

‘Today I’ve learned that opposites can attract, although you may not be like the same as everypony, it doesn’t mean you can’t get along with them. We’re all bound to have differences: But we should also strive to find similarities rather than the differences in each other.

You cannot have magic without destruction or harmony without chaos. I’ve finally realised that chaos — and every crisis is causes — cannot always be managed. It will however, continue and remain to be feared by the dominant archetypes of Equestria.

Still, I miss them greatly. I conclude that me and many of my friends feel like they have lost half of themselves. But maybe we’ll see them again... one day...’

Your faithful retired princess,

~ Twilight Sparkle.

To Be Continued...

My Little Pony: Time is Forever™ will return...
Soon...

‘One of the crusaders will get their cutie mark...’

Notes:
The hieroglyphs on the Mirror are genuine and spell out a secret message, only those with the correct translate sheet will work out what it says.
The Mirror will return...
The Mannequins will return... but not as you know them.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders Crumble

“Why do we tell our foals that they ought to forgive their enemies – they ought to forgive their friends.”
~ Star Swirl the Bearded

Apple Bloom ran for her life.

Sombre and uncomfortable thoughts of being chased raced through her tiny heart, it beat with such unfathomable power it nearly tore from her rib cage.

Her eyes twitched left to right, she scanned each street and planned her next move, she knew it would be crucial.

The shadow of a pony chased her through the early hours, the chasers eyes were white from the reflection of crescent light from the moon. Apple Bloom dared not look back for fear it would slow her down. But the chasers eyes burnt holes in the back of her head.

Her last mistake was to turn left, down a dead end. It was a dark alleyway. She didn’t know the streets of Ponyville as well as she thought.

Apple Bloom was backed into a corner, a five metre high brick wall trapped her from the next street over. She tried to clamber up the wall, but her hooves could not get the leverage she so desperately sought. There was nowhere left to run, nowhere left to hide...

Her chaser closed in, their white teeth beamed in the dark to form a cocky grin. They reached out their hoof...

“Tag, you’re it!” Scootaloo shouted triumphantly and stepped into the light, she bounced up and down a few times for her victory.

“Awww dang it, no fair.” Apple Bloom deadpanned as a trickle of sweat dropped from her brow. “I took a wrong turn,” she then mumbled.

Sweetie Belle lagged behind, she huffed tirelessly after she had finally caught up with her much quicker friend. “Wow Scootaloo, you ran way too fast for me to keep up!”

“Just call me the tag master,” Scootaloo boasted.

“Yeah right,” Apple Bloom returned. She too shared in a few deep and calm breaths. Apple Bloom had taken the game a little too seriously; the thrill of the chase had really made her blood burn.

This was something the three fillies had never done before, they had wake up early to play just before the sun arose, with nopony in the town, empty streets and the full protection of the moonlight, it was practically a giant playground without any limitations.

Just as the three friends shared a hearty laugh and walked back out into the open street, the sun rose up above the horizon.

Back at the crusader clubhouse, the trio sat on small cushions as they watched the sunrise. Sweetie Belle picked up her things and packed her school bag, without the other crusaders knowing she hastily packed a small white teddy bear with buttons for eyes. She flung the bag over her back.

“Huh? What’s this?” Sweetie Belle’s hoof crushed a small envelope. “We’ve got... mail?” Sweetie Belle sounded surprised and consequently puzzled at the same time.

“Uhhh, ummm...” Apple Bloom snatched the parchment and held in high up in her hooves. As she tried to decode it she held it in every direction, even upside-down.

“It’s from cousin Babs!” Her face lit up with a smile of glee.

‘Dear Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.

Yo, how’s it goin’ cry babies? Heh, only jokin’. Got your cutie marks yet? I sure haven't, mom said we gotta keep in touch and share pointers. I’m not gonna stop searching, but I’ve looked all over Manehattan. I just don’t know what I’m good at yet. You better make sure youse tell me when you've all got yours... alright?’

~ Babs Seed

“I dun’t think any of us will ever get our cutie marks,” Apple Bloom said with a defeated sigh.

"We'll have to get our cutie marks eventually...” Sweetie Belle replied.

“Anyway, let’s get get goin’, we’ll be late!” Scootaloo said, she was already atop her scooter with her helmet on, eager to get going. Contrary to most foals, the Cutie Mark Crusaders enjoyed school.

The trio dash out of the crusader clubhouse and into the summer air. They sailed down the hill and towards their school.

The playground of the school house was a place of wonder for the school foals, a place to let their wonderful imaginations run wild. They were slides and hanging vines all of which were painted in all manner of vivid colours. The playground was surrounded by the sound of cheerful fillies that played during break time, stomping, running and laughing all accompanied by the rhythmic creaking of swings.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders played hopscotch in the playground beneath a tall apple tree. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle watched as Scootaloo went first and tossed the bean bag into the chalk-drawn grid.

“Having fun?” Fluttershy’s voice called out from across the playground.

“Hey Fluttershy!” Apple Bloom said happily with a wave.

“Good morning,” Fluttershy replied merrily. She flew up to tend to a group of birds in their nest high up in a apple tree. Fluttershy was dressed in a custodian outfit and held a small feather duster and container, she was working here to help to tend the school grounds as a side-job especially since they discovered a that some baby birds were living here.

Scootaloo jumped along the hopscotch squares.

“Hey, blank flanks!” Diamond Tiara said snootily and interrupted her fun, both her and Silver Spoon galloped up alongside the crusaders. The tiara on her head reflected the sun that shone in Scootaloo’s eyes and caused her to trip onto the hard concrete.

“Diamond Tiara, what're you doin’ here?” Apple Bloom said with disgust but she already knew the answer to her own question, all Diamond Tiara ever did was mock them for not having their cutie marks.

“C’mon you guys, they’re not worth our time. Let’s get out of ‘ere.” Scootaloo suggested as she got back up, she gave Diamond Tiara the daggers of her eyes.

The three friends turned to leave but as they did something loose fell out of Sweetie Belle’s saddlebag. A white teddy fell rolled along the ground and got stained in the dirt. Diamond Tiara gasped.

“Sweetheart!” Sweetie Belle shouted.

“Sweetheart?!” Diamond Tiara repeated under a petty laugh and then looked down at the white teddy bear. It had buttons for eyes, two large ears, freckles on it’s cheek and a large pink heart stitched onto the centre of it’s stomach.

“Well, well, well it looks like the baby blank flank still plays with cuddle bunnies.” Diamond Tiara said with a snooty laugh. She picked up the teddy and squeezed it’s fluffy white fur, one of the black button’s used for it’s eyes popped off.

“Hey! Give it back!” Sweetie Belle shouted and tried to grab it back. Diamond Tiara threw it Silver Spoon and then she it back again so Sweetie Belle couldn’t get it. By now a small crowd of school foals had gathered in the playground.

“N-no...” Sweetie Belle’s faced burnt with embarrassment. Everypony would know her secret.

“Hey! There’s nothing wrong with having a cuddle bunnie...” Apple Bloom said but even she sounded unsure, she would never be caught with one herself.

“Leave her alone! Charrrrge!” Pipsqueak pushed through the crowd of foals and shouted out of nowhere. He charged forward, jumped up and snatched the teddy midair after Silver Spoon had thrown it.

“Here you go, Sweetie Belle.” Pipsqueak said and handed it back to her with a slight blush. Sweetie Belle would’ve thanked Pipsqueak, but she was too distraught. Sweetie Belle looked at Sweetheart, now covered in dirt and mumbled to herself.

The school foals split apart and the confrontation ended just as the bell rang for class to start.

Miss Cheerilee wiped the blackboard clean of simple mathematical equations.

“Okay settle down my little ponies. For the last couple of school days before the summer holidays we have a most-important visitor, possibly the most important visitor we’ve ever had here at the school.” Cheerilee said.

The classroom door whisked open and the radiant Princess Celestia entered with a welcoming smile.

“Wow, Princess Celestia!” Featherweight said and quickly took a picture of her as she entered; the whole class was in uproar, surprised at the very least. The princess was the visitor they had least expected. Her swirling mane and tall stature was even more impressive in the small classroom. The princess stood silently at the front of the class.

“The princess will take any questions you may have, about Canterlot, the other princesses, or anything related for that matter.” Cheerilee pointed to each foal. Every single classmare raised their hooves enthusiastically.

“Oh, oh! Pick me, pick me!” Apple Bloom was so eager she felt her hoof would drop off. Afterall, she was special, her big sister is acquainted with the princess more than most. Celestia should know Apple Bloom, shouldn’t she?

A snooty voice called out from the back of the classroom. “I heard that you can claim any plot of land in Equestria you like. Wouldn’t that make you... a tyrant?” Diamond Tiara was the first to interrupt all others. Her arrogant tone of voice didn’t falter even when she spoke to a princess.

“The land of Equestria is for everypony, equally.” Princess Celestia replied sternly, that put Diamond Tiara in her place.

“Tell us about how regal Canterlot is!” Sweetie Belle said.

“Tell us about how you learnt to fly!” Scootaloo was eager to get flying tips from the princess.

The class all appointed questions to the princess, all of them were equally excited save for Diamond Tiara who turned to look away in the darkness at the back of the classroom. The spoilt filly signalled for her friend Silver Spoon to do the same... she reluctantly followed.

“Now, now class, it’s rude to shout out.” Cheerilee tried to calm them.

“It’s perfectly fine, Cheerilee.” said Celestia warmly, “it’s important that we keep in touch with the foals however eager they may be as they will shape the future of Equestria.”

“Tell us about Nightmare Moon!” Another voice blurted out above all others.

Everypony gasped. They knew Nightmare Moon was the toughest subject for Celestia. It was Pipsqueak who had asked the question, ever amazed by the story of his favourite princess. But regret filled his heart immediately after he had asked the question, he gazed around to notice how silent the classroom and his fellow foals had become.

“Luna,” Princess Celestia said with a worried look. “My sister was afflicted by something we now call the Nightmare Forces."

Everypony squinted their eyes deep in thought; they had never heard the story quite like that. Apple Bloom lowered her head and took notes, she wrote down everything Celestia said, down to the last letter.

“Luna once became a creature beyond control. She tried to make the night last forever. She was stopped.” Celestia paused for a minute to become deep in thought, “for a thousand years we both waited, separated by the empty schism of space. For a thousand years we were both lost, neither one of us knew who felt the strongest regret.”

“But Luna wouldn’t do all dat, would she?” Pipsqueak replied, he sounded disappointed.

Princess Celestia walked up to his desk and bobbed her head down to speak to him directly. “I’m sorry little one... if it’s any consolation, it was the Nightmare Forces that manipulated her into doing the things she did. Deep inside, Luna was truly sorry.”

Her head raised again and as the princess took her leave she said one last thing: “But what we should all remember is that if somepony is truly sorry — whether it be Luna or anypony else — we should always find it in our hearts to forgive them.” Princess Celestia looked at Apple Bloom when she said this and gave the foal a nod. Apple Bloom gave a puzzled look... what could that possibly mean, and why was it directed at her?

Sweetie Belle seemed flustered, she looked high and low, under her desk and out the windows.

“She’s gone! Sweetheart’s gone!” Sweetie Belle shouted in distress. Her cuddle bunnie was nowhere to be seen.

“Are you sure you didn’t just leave it in the playground?” Scootaloo replied.

“No...” Sweetie Belle said and then turned to Diamond Tiara who laughed at the back of the classroom. “Diamond Tiara took it!”

“I did not! Besides, you can’t prove that, blank flanks.” Diamond Tiara retorted in return.

“Oh yeah, well how do you explain that!” Sweetie Belle said and pointed to Diamond Tiara’s hoof. One of the black button’s used for Sweethearts eyes was stuck to the bottom of her hoof.

“Okay then class. If there is truly no other way of determining who took the toy. I suggest we make today’s class into a pretend trial. Sweetie Belle can be the prosecutor while Diamond Tiara can be the defendant. The rest of the class can be the jury,” Miss Cheerilee said. “If Diamond Tiara is proven with evidence that she had stolen from another classmate... she will be suspended.”

Everypony gasped. Suspended?! Nopony had ever being suspended for anything before. Diamond Tiara looked around with worry. She tried to be nice and smiled at everypony, with all of her classmates as the jury, she’d have no chance.

“Daddy taught me once that court proceedings dictate that I can pick someone to help defend me. I pick Silver Spoon as my lawyer.” Diamond Tiara said and pointed to Silver Spoon.

The school foals all charged to the ‘lost property’ box to find white wigs and other clothes to make them look the part. Sweetie Belle even found a small worn suitcase.

The classroom was rearranged into a courtroom as all the desks were moved to the sides. The lights in the classroom were dimmed when the curtains were closed, that created a dense atmosphere. Miss Cheerilee sat at the front desk as the impartial head judge, she wore a long white wig and looked quite silly. She slammed a heavy hardwood gavel onto the head desk.

Sweetie Belle stepped forward and cleared her throat. “Imagine this, said filly brings a brand new cubble bunnie to school, something she has cared about and loved. Then Diamond Tiara approaches to mock said filly. It’s seems to be the perfect crime; Diamond Tiara takes Sweetheart and use it against it to mock said filly for being babyish.”

“Objection! Diamond Tiara, could you explain where you were on the day said 'Sweetheart' went missing?" Silver Spoon adressed her friend calmly.

"I was right here with—"

"A-ha! Just as I thought," Sweetie Belle cut her off.

Apple Bloom bashed her hoof against her face.

"What I was trying to say before I was rudely interrupted, was that I couldn’t have taken Sweetheart, I was with Silver Spoon the whole time. She'll vouch for me.” Diamond Tiara replied and bashed her hooves against her desk.

"It's true. She was with me." Silver Spoon replied.

“And how dare you accuse me of something so low! But you’re right you know, having a teddy is babyish.” Diamond Tiara mocked with a snigger.

“Urg... I’ll destroy you! Uh... I mean, no further questions.” Sweetie Belle smiled innocently.

“Well Sweetie Belle, did you see the crime take place?” Miss Cheerilee said.

“I didn’t actually see her take it.” Sweetie Belle had to admit.

“But she’s so mean; it’s just like her to do something like dat.” Apple Bloom shouted out.

“Objection, again!” Silver Spoon shouted with a growl and pushed her glasses up on her nose. “That is all pure speculation.”

“How do you explain the button on her hoof then?” Sweetie Belle replied.

“The button fell off in the playground, remember? I must have stepped on it after you got your cuddle bunnie back.” Diamond Tiara replied in her most snooty voice. The crusaders couldn’t provide any decisive evidence.

The school bell rang for class to end.

“Well class, since neither a guilty nor not-guilty verdict has been proven, the court case will be postponed until tomorrow, so everypony can gather more evidence.” Miss Cheerilee explained.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders all scowled at Diamond Tiara, they were going prove she did it without a shadow of a doubt.

Apple Bloom collapsed on her bed, tired after a longer day than usual. She stared up at the ceiling of the barn, as a filly does she tried to make patterns or connections out of the dimples in the ceiling. Her notes on Princess Celestia had splayed out across the bed sheets from her backpack. Still, as early as it was, she still wondered about what the princess had directed at her...

“Apple Bloom, get yur flank out ‘ere.” Applejack’s firm voice shouted in from the outside window. Was she in trouble? What had she done wrong now? Apple Bloom groaned before hastily galloping back outside.

“Well you know I said that work was no fun, well I want to make it up to you. C’mon Applejack, Plleeeeaasse. Pretty please with a caramel chunk on top?” Pinkie Pie stood with Applejack and jumped up and down excitedly, as the little filly Apple Bloom approached the friends her bigger sister yanked her to one side, and whispered to her.

“Apple Bloom, did you tell Pinkie Pie she could... uh... be here?”

“Yeh! I invited her to help.” Apple Bloom smiled and remembered back to the time she asked.

Pinkie Pie smiled innocently.

“Alright Pinkie Pie, since you’re here to stay, you can help. An extra set a hooves should be no problem for the apple family.”

“Woohoo! Alright!” Pinkie Pie looked around: hay... pitchforks... apples. “What do I actually do?” She looked back up at her friend.

Applejack skilfully kicked up a spade and passed it to Pinkie. “Tell you what, since yer not spooked by the Everfree Forest an’ all. There are some apples that need picking on the orchid behind the school. Think you can handle it?”

“Sure thing boss!” Pinkie Pie saluted and bounced away merrily.

Applejack smacked her hoof against her face.

“You best consult me next time you invite somepony to help out Apple Bloom, its hard doin’ work around Ponyville. If you don’t ya job properly, ponies could get hurt, ya understand?”

“Alright.” Apple Bloom groaned.

“An’ with that, you’re grounded until further notice.”

“W-whaaaat?!” Apple Bloom’s face dropped to one of horror.

Lively crickets chirp happily as nightfall descend upon the unwary. Apple Bloom, after an exhaustive day, tossed and turned in bed. She snored, if only slightly. Her bedroom window was slightly ajar to let in nighttime air to cool the temperate.

“Moo...” A voice called out from the cold outside. “Moooo!”

Apple Bloom mumbled and pried open her eyes, they were slightly glued together with sleepydust.

“Pssst, hey Apple Bloom. Moo!”

Apple Bloom threw back the bed covers and full opened weary eyes in bed. With a tired but quiet grunt she rolled out of bed and looked out of the window to see Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo down in the night below. Sweetie Belle was mooing... again. Apple Bloom looked at her bedroom door, from the small gap under the door she saw the light was still on in the corridor but she saw no shadows, the coast was clear. She climbed down the side of Sweet Apple Acres along vines which run up along the back of the farmhouse.

“Hey Apple Bloom, we’re heading out to do some snooping on Diamond Tiara, you know like when we gabby gums? We need to get as much evidence as possible, you wanna come?” Scootaloo said.

“Hey Sweetie, Scoot. I’m sorry... but uh... I can’t go out, my stupid sister grounded me.” Apple Bloom rubbed her eyes with a yawn as the crickets chirped around them.

“What?! You know I can’t sleep without Sweetheart, right? And besides, we’re just not complete without you; you’ve always spent time with us since well... ever.” Sweetie Belle spread her hooves wide to demonstrate a giant space of time.

“I know but I just can’t. Applejack’s only mah big sister, yet she treats me like she’s my ma. Not that I ever knew my mama.” Apple Bloom said.

“Well, that’s just great,” Sweetie Belle spoke up, “are you trying to avoid us or something? Do you want me to lose Sweetheart forever?!”

“Naw, it’s not like dat at all!” Apple Bloom scowled, was her best friend really accusing her of that?

“It’s only a cuddle bunnie thought, Sweetie Belle, can’t you just let it go?”

“Says you Scootaloo, all you do is ride yur scooter all day, imagine if you lost that you’d never be sane again!” Apple Bloom suddenly complained in reply.

“Don’t be such a worrywart,” Sweetie Belle shouted next.

“Well you and Rarity don’t care about us either.” Scootaloo replied.

“Well at least I have a family!” Sweetie belle shouted at both Scootaloo at Apple Bloom, after that it all went silent, even the crickets stopped to gasp. “Uh, oh... Wait! I didn’t mean that—” Sweetie belle suddenly regretted saying anything.

“No, you said it, it’s out there! Maybe...” Scootaloo teared up, “maybe we shouldn’t be friends anymore!” Scootaloo suddenly turned to run away with tears swelling her eyes.

“Sc-sc-Scootaloooooo!” Apple Bloom shouted into the distance, it was met with no reply. “Nice going Sweetie Belle, now look what you’ve done.”

“Wait... this is my fault now?” Sweetie Belle replied and had heard enough, she too left Apple Bloom to stand wearily in the night.

Was this the end of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, were they disbanded?

Apple Bloom saw Scootaloo running off into the Everfree Forest, in the daylight it’s hard to see but in the night it’s near impossible, why would she go in there, unless...?

Scootaloo was intentionally running away. Apple Bloom panicked and rushed to tell her sister. But if she told her sister, then Applejack would find out that she was outside with her friends. She’d get in even more trouble. No, she had to tell someone she could trust...

Sweetie Belle charged through Ponyville, but this time it wasn’t for fun, it was because she wanted to stay away from her friends.

Smash!

Sweetie Belle burst through the Carousel Boutique door, through the main hall and past her big sister Rarity, all without a word. She dived into a violet pillow and sobbed her heart out. It was at times like these she would have Sweetheart to cuddle and to love... but now she was alone.

“We were the Cutie Mark Crusaders
On a quest to find out who we are
And now we’ve stopped the journey
We’ll never have our cutie marks”

She sang into the pillow as she sobbed, the singing helped her to calm down and vent her frustration.
“Sweetie Belle, whatever is the matter?” Rarity said and trotted up to her

“We’re not friends...” Sweetie Belle’s muffled voice replied from the pillow.

“You mean you and your little gang of cutie mark chasers?” Rarity replied.

“It’s crusaders!” Sweetie Belle turned upward to shout. Sweetie Belle looked into a nearby vanity mirror, she was still angry, really angry. As soon as she saw her reflection, it forced her to calm down, for the filly she saw in the reflection was not her.

“Yes...” Sweetie Belle finally answered calmly, “we’re not friends anymore.”

Sweetie Belle charged through Ponyville again, but this time it was not for fun, it was because she wanted to stay away from fighting with her friends.

Smash!

Sweetie Belle burst through her home door, through the main hall and past her big sister Rarity, all without a word. She dived into a violet pillow and sobbed her heart out...

“Sweetie Belle, whatever is the matter?” Rarity trotted up to her.

“We’re not friends... no more.” Sweetie Belle’s muffled voice replied from the pillow.

“You mean you and your little gang of cutie mark chasers?” Rarity replied.

“It’s crusaders!” Sweetie Belle voice cracked up as she turned up to shout. The filly looked in a nearby mirror, she was still angry, but as she looked at her angry reflection, it forced her to calm down. For the filly she saw in the reflection was not her.

“Yes...” she finally answered, “we’re not friends any more.”

Crackle!

A short thunderclap rumbled. Scootaloo ran into the Everfree Forest, her head pointed down, she charged through the forest with little care or worry for the darkness that descended around her. Second later the clouds burst, the trees served as little protection from the rain as the droplets splashed upon the young fillies head, all the rain did was hide the tears.

Scootaloo charged past even Zecora’s house. Zecora had a fruit basket and a giant bottle of water...

“Little one, where are you goin’?” Zecora shouted as another clap of thunder erupted in the sky above. Puddles formed in the Everfree Forest, but Scootaloo just kept running, and running, and running, she ignored the zebra.

Scootaloo ran farther than any pony before her, past the ruins of the temple of the moon, past many gorges and over jumbled bridges, past all the dead trees which looked like they have ungainly fingers for branches. Her emotions powered her and stopped her fear. Besides, she knew Rainbow Dash wouldn’t be scared of such things, so why should she?

Eventually the young filly tripped over a twisted tree branch root. She tumbled down a small incline, her body smashed against the ground. To her horror, bushes of green and black thorns filled the valley. She screamed as she rolled through the canopy of thorns that scraped her fur and torn her skin.

Slam!

She landed face first. She grunted in pain as she rolled over and stood. Several thin cuts penetrated her body and stung with a pricking pain. When she looked around, she didn’t recognize where she was. She was lost.

“Well this is big mess you’ve got yourself in now Scoots.” She spoke to herself. Scootaloo had reached the other side of the Everfree Forest; she was surprised to find it even had an end. Scootaloo slipped through a small opening between a small cliffside and into a small clearing, it involved carefully pushing thorns out of her path, her hoof could handle it. She pushed past and behind a rambling rock ridge...

The sound of roaring water could be heard as it crashed upon rocks. The rain slowed to a drizzle as Scootaloo nervously walked across... sand?! The darkness cleared and Scootaloo looked out at. It was a sight she had never seen before. It was a giant lake, with water as far as she could see until on the horizon it merged with the deep blue sky above. She was on a circular beach that surrounded the lake. The sand though was a grey rather than it’s typical colour. She held the grains of sand on the end of her hoof and watched as they sprinkled off. Perhaps it wasn’t sand, but a more dissolved state of ash instead.

The crackle of thunder emanated from one point: the centre of the lake. Scootaloo had to turn her head up to get full view of what stood before her. Her neck arched so far up she nearly toppled backward.

It was a castle. It stood out like a shadow against the skyline, like a nightmare. Erected on an island of sharp rocks at the centre of the lake. The waves of the lake crashed upon the rocks with great force that the spray reached high up into the clouds.

Scootaloo’s eye followed the castle upwards, it had countless black towers which looked like changelings horns. A thunderstorm crackled in a maelstrom around the highest point of the castle. The castle didn’t look safe and moreover, it looked haunted.

The lake wasn’t part of the ocean, and Scootaloo was curious as to how a lake had waves. Scootaloo charged down to the water. She tripped into the water...

“Blerh! Ahk! Arhhhh!” Scootaloo screamed and spat it the water out almost immediately. Saltwater?! She hissed in pain, the saltwater had gotten into her open wounds. It took her a moment to shake off the damnable pain. The salty taste stuck on her tongue and only made her even thirstier than before. Surprisingly though, the saltwater had worked as an abrasive to clean her wounds and after the initial pain, they had become bearable.

Was the lake once connected to the ocean, Scootaloo thought.

Unable to drink such water, Scootaloo toughened-up and waded her way through the water, and used her full weight to press against the waves. The water splashed in her face as she used her hooves to push into the water to try and swim. The waves acted against her, and she struggled only slightly. The lake wasn’t too deep and she eventually found some black steps which were partly submerged into the water. She clambered her way up and turned to look from the centre of the lake...

The entire valley was surrounded by tall rocks and Scootaloo had found the only entrance into it. Perhaps she’ll be heralded for finding a new landmark, maybe even Rainbow Dash will congratulate her. No... what was she thinking? She wanted to run away, but not like this, now she had found her own adventure, without her friends...

The onyx gate had a message etched above it.

Scootaloo nudged open the massive gates, they opened with a clash.

“Helloooo? Anypony in here?” Scootaloo’s voice stammered with a sprinkle of fear. A flock of squawking crows flew out of the open gates.

The entire castle was giant, long corridors with high ceilings, huge tall pillars of black rock which got thinner the higher they ascended. The walls were thrift with rot and red moss. The castle was old... incredibly old. Ancient.

Scootaloo dared to explore the castle. It was cold and lonely, much like how Scootaloo felt inside. She trotted her way into a large silent hall. On the wall was a huge stained-glass window of a centaur that shone colourful transcendent light into an otherwise bleak room. There was an old cracked throne made of onyx. Scootaloo laid down in the centre of the room. Finally a moments rest...

She could stay here for as long as she liked, this was her discovery, a place where she can vent in peace, her new hangout.

Apple Bloom must have taken a wrong turn. How long had she being in the Everfree Forest? It felt like an eternity. They were no clocks in the castle, you couldn’t record time here. Not even the sun’s light could be used to predict the time of day. The Everfree Forest was so dark, the canopy of trees blocked out of the light. It was unlike her to get lost in the forest.

Her hoof crunched as it twisted into a tree root and the foal’s face planted straight into the ground. Her body got stuck in a pit of vines.

When she untangled herself and got up she was in a small clearing. She had found it.

Knock! Knock!

Apple Bloom bounced outside on the doorstep impatiently. There was only one outsider she could trust. The wooden door opened and Zecora squinted in surprise.

“Zecora, I need your help, there’s no time to explain!” Apple Bloom bounced inside.

“Dis iz about Scootaloo, I suspect? Your friend ran away last I checked.”

“Yeh! Wait... how do you know?” Apple Bloom tilted her head as she walked into Zecora’s home.

“I saw her run into the Everfree.” Zecora replied cockily.

“I guess you'd find out sooner or later. We all had an argument, and Scootaloo ran off and now I don’t know what I’m doing and I’m gonna be in sooo much trouble!” Apple Bloom stomped her hooves in a panic and forgot to breathe as she belted words as a hundred miles an hour.

“Calm yourself, little one.” Zecora took a potion of blue and smashed it on the side of the cauldron like an egg. The cauldron bubbled strange liquid at the centre of her house.

"Nafasi ya kivuli," Zecora chanted. An image bathed in a green aura swriled to reveal a tall and pointed castle. "Usiku wa manane," Zecora's face changed, she seemed fearful and took a moment to slow her heart.

“Scootaloo is in da castle, the one of black. She is in great peril unless she turns back.”

“Castle of black?” Apple Bloom stared into cauldron, at the magical liquid in the cauldron, the liquid churned into the mixture and then swirled around to create images...

“I see a lost pony with Scootaloo, a stranger... Oh no! It is her. Scootaloo is in great danger!”

Zecora stomped her hooves as the clouds from her cauldrons exploded into a silvery smoke. Two bright white eyes flashed in the clouds, Zecora showed great fear and grabbed Apple Bloom as the hut filled with filled with smoke.

“Oh no! NO! It’s my fault, what do I do? What do we do?” Apple Bloom charged up and down.

“You can always tell ze truth.” Zecora stared at the younger filly.

“NO!” Apple Bloom returned. “I can’t tell mah sister. I just can’t. Please don’t tell her. I’ll get in so much trouble. Just tell anyone but Applejack, tell... tell Twilight! Yeh, she’ll know what to do, Twilight always knows what to do!”

Scootaloo had invented her own game, she had to toss small stones across the cobblestone floor in an effort to to get them to rest within the cracks in the cobblestone floor. Each stone throw caused a great echo across the castles many tall corridors.

“You... shouldn’t be here.” A cloaked pony said as she emerged in the room.

“Huh? WHOA!” Scootaloo jumped up with such force she flew a little to the back of the black room.

The cloaked pony parted with a slight chuckle. Her face was covered, but the cloak had tares ripped into the back for her ponies fairy-like wings.

“This castle is very old and very dangerous.” The cloaked pony tapped on the black rock wall as she spoke.

“Huh?” Scootaloo tilted her head and looked up at the pony. “Oh...” She took a deep breath and calmed herself. “I know... but I don’t care.” She wanted to sound tough. She continued to chuck more onyx pebbles along the cobblestone floor.

Although there was something strange about this cloaked pony. She had appeasing fairy-like wings but she seemed... taller, and more fragile than an actual pegasus.

“Did you run away too?” asked Scootaloo.

“In a fashion. Yes. You could say that.” The pony paused and smiled under the hood. She kept a pain inside herself, a sadness she neglected to show on her face.

“I was lost, so very long ago.”

Crash!

The iron doors burst open with the force of magic.

“You were right Zecora, she’s in here... Scootaloo!” Twilight Sparkle addressed the young filly and galloped inside, Zecora followed closely behind. Their manes weren’t soaked from the trek through the saltwater lake, Twilight must have teleported them here.

“You’re okay! Thank Celestia. I heard voices, who were you talking t—” Then Twilight saw her too.

The pony pulled the cloak off her back. The pony was yellow in colour... with a long pink mane. She had kind eyes and a distinct feather in her mane for decoration.

Twilight’s eyes widened even more, for a moment she that the pony was Fluttershy. However this pony was... transparent, she was the ghost of a pony who once lived.

“You’re a... ghost?! I knew this place was haunted but this is ridiculous.” Scootaloo stammered.

Twilight and the nameless pony gazed at each other up and down. Was it really that simple? Twilight thought. A spirit... or perhaps she was something more?

“...I can’t tell her the truth.” The spirit eventually said and was relieved soon after she spoke, a relief that made everypony think she had waited an eternity for this very moment.

“Excuse me?” Twilight said and smiled awkwardly, she slowly stepped back and signalled with her hoof for Scootaloo to get behind her.

“I am not allowed to speak with her.” The spirit said warmly. She had a calm and collective voice. Her voice was warm on the inside but had a hint of mysteriousness wrapped around it.

“Urhmm... who?” Twilight asked.

“Fluttershy. I can’t tell Fluttershy, but I can speak with you, Twilight Sparkle...” The pony concurred and hoped to gain a reaction.

“Wait... how do you know my name?” said twilight as she tilted her head in confusion. She had no idea what the yellow pony was on about.

“We’ve met before, you and I,” she said as her fairy wings fluttered brightly.

“Tsh. I-I’ve never seen you before in my life. We’ve never met before.” Twilight jetted her eyes around awkwardly. Just who was this pony?

“Oh... of course. I’m sorry. It hasn't happened yet. You see we keep meeting in the wrong order, you and I, the next time you see me will be the first time I see you. It’s complicated. But Twilight... you’ll understand very soon. And I’m so sorry, but that’s when it all ends.” The yellow pony explained. She never rose her voice, she never got angry.

Twilight didn't reply, she merely blinked. Her mind flickered with knowledge. Was this pony telling her about the end of Equestria? Was she from the future? Twilight thought, left with more questions than answers.

“Just who are you?” Twilight said with a hint of anger as she stood firmly infront of Scootaloo.

There was a brief moment of silence, like eons had passed for the sake of this one moment.

“Rosedust... I am Rosedust," she named herself with great sadness. She was the pony with a cutie mark of three pink roses, seven pink and green rosebuds.

Rosedust faded away into thin air. Gone.

“T-twilight.” Scootaloo was terrified and worried, the fear clearly showed on her face as she looked up at Twilight.

“That was a Spiritmare. I’ve never seen one like that before... I... I never thought.” Twilight paused to calm herself and swallow the lump in her throat. A Spiritmare was an entity which ponies with strong wills can become when they have had their time in the world.

“Perhaps I, should respond?” Zecora stepped forward. “That was a mare from the beyond,” the zebra put it in more simple terms. Zecora was unimpressed by the spirit; she was more used to these sorts of encounters with her voodoo magic and had foreseen the spirits appearance in her hut.

The next time Twilight see's Rosedust will be the first time Rosedust see's her? How is that even possible if they've met just now? Twilight’s head was awash with confusing thoughts. She shook her skull to clear them away and concentrated on Scootaloo’s safety.

“But wait... nevermind that! What are you doing here Scootaloo?! What were you thinking?!” Twilight looked down at Scootaloo with eyes that burn with rage.

“I... I’m sorry. I just wanted to be alone... I thought I was brave enough to be on my own for once. I guess I was wrong.” Scootaloo said and looked down at her hooves.

Twilight’s eyes reflected hope as she spoke again, “oh Scootaloo, everypony needs somepony. Being alone all the time will just alienate you from the friends you already have.” Twilight found room for a smile, despite the encounter she’d just had. “Alright... let’s get out of this creepy place. Besides, everypony is worried about you... especially Rainbow Dash,” as Twilight spoke she gazed around the castle, she will be glad to see the back of it.

“Rainbow Dash was worried about... me?” Scootaloo looked up from the floor.

“Yes, now let’s get you home.”

Apple Bloom kicked a tin can over. She was propped with her forehooves up against a fence near her school. Zecora wouldn’t let her run into danger... as she was ‘too little’. So instead Apple Bloom, Applejack and Pinkie Pie picked apples up off the nearby apple trees that surrounded the perimeter of the school. Apple Bloom had only noticed just now that her school was surrounded with apple trees, an entire orchid was perched behind the building.

It was the ‘duty of the earth ponies’ to help harvest, they were the only species of pony who can grow food from the land. So Apple Bloom had been given a temporary amnesty from being grounded to help out her big sister, but Applejack was still none the wiser to Apple Bloom’s little excursion yesterday. While Apple Bloom didn’t mind to work with her sister, she didn’t know if she was ready to follow in her big sister’s hoof prints.

Pinkie Pie bounced around, she was hardly doing any work. Infact, she talked to the apples and even gave them names like Ms. Applehead and Appletaskic. While she played with the apples, one slipped from her hoof and rolled into a nearby cave. Pinkie Pie bounced into a cave, the inner cavern was covered in thorns from the trees of the Everfree Forest.

Applejack followed Pinkie into the cave with a concerned scowl.

“I hate to say it but as much as you're my friend Pinkie Pie, you’re just getting in the way...”

Apple Bloom also approached Pinkie, after she had a small basket of apples.

The sound of breaking rock ensued.

“Huh?” Everyponies ears pricked up.

Crumble!

Suddenly the cavern sundered above all three fillies.

“Ahhhh!” They all scream in unison as rock collapsed upon them.

The entrance crumbled and was destroyed within a matter of moments...

The light had mostly fleeted them, the three ponies each gradually recouped from unconsciousness. The dusty pit had bits of dirt and ruined apples that rolled around. In Apple Bloom’s case she was completely covered in a layer of grey dust.

“Argh! Fiddlesticks!” Applejack cursed as a thorn cut her fur. She waded her way through the spiky plants, but without the light it was impossible to see where the thorns were.

“We’re in trouble, we’re in trouble!” Pinkie Pie shouted, “hellppp!”

“Calm down, everythin’ is gonna be alright now, ya hear?”

“B-but Twilight is out lookin’ fer Scootaloo. They might never get back!” Apple Bloom replied in shock and ducked under a thorn. She managed to support herself against the back wall where it was safe.

“Wait, why is Twi’ out lookin’ for Scootaloo?” Applejack cocked her head.

Apple Bloom avoided the question when was flooded with memories of the argument she and her friend had, after all that shouting, she still cared about her best friend. “I-I can’t believe I got mad at her, Scootaloo is ma’ best friend,” the foal whispered to herself.

“Shouldn’t we be worrying about more important thiiiings!” Pinkie Pie panicked.

The thorns had ceased to be stationary. Shunned from the light they naturally curled inward at an exponential rate and because of their thickness, the space in the cavern was thinning.

“It’s gonna become impossible to stay here much longer.” Applejack grunted and tried her best to feel her way through the sharp green thorns. Everypony slogged through the maze and pushed themselves up against the walls of the cavern where it was safer.

Apple Bloom coughed again from the dust. In the close quarters of the distasteful pit, movement was impossible.

Pinkie Pie was right, they were in trouble, especially is nopony arrived to help.

“Well... if this is our last moments out guys. I have a confession. I kissed Prince Blueblood at the Gala. No wait... that’s not right. I mean... I’m sorry that this is a teeny, tiny, little bit my fault.” Pinkie Pie could listen to her conscious no longer.

“Not that it’ll matter in a few moments.” Applejack said in an annoyed tone, not surprised in the slightest that Pinkie Pie was behind all this. “But yet right Pinkie, if only you didn’t mess around so much we wouldn’t even be here. We’re all trapped in ‘ere because of you!”

“I-I-I’m sorry,” she stammered regretfully, “helpppp!”

Her cries only served to aggravate Applejack even more.

Apple Bloom couldn’t stand it in here, its damp, dusty, cramped, and if they didn’t escape soon, the answer was getting spiked.

“Applejack...” Apple Bloom moaned weakly. “If this is our last moments...”

“It won’t be.” Applejack interrupted.

“But if it is, then there’s something I need to tell you. I... went out yesterday, even though I was grounded.”

“You what?! Aww, Apple Bloom why don’t ya ever listen to me?”

“Because am not a baby anymore, and because you’re not my ma!” Apple Bloom’s tone of voice turned into a more assertive one. Another curled thorn cut her shoulder and caused her to hiss in pain.

“I know you and yer friends go out and play in the night, I just get worried because... well... Ma and Pa are gone Apple Bloom, and they ain’t ever coming back. You’re mah responsibility now.”

Unpredictably, like an angel from heaven, another faint voice is heard.

“Can you hear me in there?! Applejack? Pinkie Pie?! We’re going to try and get out of there!”

“Twilight!” Everypony shouted with glee.

“Apple Bloom! We’re sorry!”

“Scootaloo!” Apple Bloom shouted, never had she been so glad to hear her friends voice.

They had returned, just in time.

Twilight’s horn shone with magic as she carefully lifted each boulder out from the entrance. Big Macintosh helped also, his sturdy arms were strong enough to pull the rocks from whence they fell. Slowly, the light shone into the cavern as all three ponies shielded their eyes. The thorns unfolded in the light and the cavern was spacious once more.

There was a brief pause of silence...

“Sweetie Belle’s out here as well!”

“Hi Apple Bloom!” Sweetie Belle shouted at the top of her voice, but even then it was muffled.

Apple Bloom was closest to the light, she weaved her smaller body through the thorns and headed into the light.

Applejack was in a trance of sadness. Apple Bloom revealed to have betrayed her...

“I’m really sorry Applejack, here, let me make it up to you,” Pinkie Pie suddenly found one of the ruined apples, it was covered in a layer of grey dust but Pinkie Pie drew a smiley face in the dust on the side of the apple.

“Well, when I get out of here, I dun’ think I wanna’ be friends no more Pinkie. I knew you were just getting in the way.” Applejack sulked.

Apple Bloom had heard enough.

“Stop it, just stop it!” Apple Bloom shouted from the other end of the cavern. “Listen to ye’ both, you sound just like... just like I did when I yelled at Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. Friends shouldn’t argue, yeah sure, all friends gets into arguments, but more importantly, friends should forgive one anuther!” Apple Bloom sounded wise beyond her years...

...Crumble!

“Apple Bloooom!” Several cries rang out, but no other louder than Applejack’s distraught cry, she pushed her way through the thorns, each one scraping her skin, tearing at her fur, in a desperate bid to save her...

The rocks shifted again and crumbled from the weight and pressure. Then a wall of dust blasted Applejack back.

Apple Bloom glanced upward. Several rocks collapsed on top of her tiny body, many bashed onto her head and cracked her skull. Her entire body was crushed under all the rocks.

Then black...

“Apple Bloom! NO! NOT APPLE BLOOM!” Applejack wept as she dug up the rocks again with her bare hooves. She covered in cuts, blood and dust, her entire body stung with pain.

Applejack fished her sister out, and brushed her face of the dust. She embraced her tiny body tightly and closely.

“Apple Bloom, don’t you dare give up on me now, ya’ hear?” Applejack gently shook her little sister, but her body was lifeless, her head hung down from her shoulders and there no response from the foal once filled with life.

“No... no, no, no!” Pinkie Pie brushed up against the pit of the wall in shock, Applejack gulped and cuddled up to her sister nuzzling her and trying to get her back up.

“Apple Bloom... I-I know I treat you more like a daughter than a sister... but it’s because we’re all we’ve got. Ma and Pa wanted me to look after you. The apple’s should stick together, and you were right...” Applejack laughed pettily under her tears, “friends should forgive one another.”

Applejack shook her litter sister in her hooves... but shook her head. It was over.

At the rim of pit, Big Macintosh, Twilight, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle tug with all their might to lift the rocks away. Eventually the rocks were removed and they saw Applejack cradling her little sister...

A gentle flash of white light and a slight spark filled Applejack’s eyes. But it wasn’t the light from outside, the beam light came from Apple Bloom’s right flank. The light exploded in the cavern and exploded out of the entrance to blind everypony.

It was Apple Bloom’s cutie mark.

Apple Bloom regurgitated and jolted back into life, she spat out a hail of dust mixed with mucus.

“Oh thank sweet Celestia.” Applejack hugged her sister and brushed the dust from her little sister’s mane.

Apple Bloom opened her dust-covered eyelids to see her worried big sister.

“Apple Bloom! You’re okay!” Her big sister hugged her tight, “you’re alright...”

Everypony breathed a sigh of relief.

“Wow Applebloom. You did it; you actually got your cutie mark!” Sweetie Belle looked at the friends rump.

“I did it...?” Apple Bloom turned and looked weakly at everypony in the open light.

“I did it?! But how? I don’t even know what I did! Uh... but what is it?”

“I don’t believe it. It’s a bright pink apple with two blooming flowers beside it.” Applejack burst into laughter under her many tears.

“Wow... I did it! I did it!” Apple Bloom smiled and got up. Energy sprouted into her and she bounced around much to the delight of everypony filled with energy as she kicked apples all over. She had finally got her Cutie Mark.

One-by-one the three ponies are lead to safety. They were hardly recognized, their manes were messed-up, their fur looked grey from the dust except for the occasional cuts of red blood. They emerged infront of the school house back where they had started to pick the apples. Big Macintosh proceeded to fill up the cavern with by kicking up dirt with his study back hooves so nopony would have to go through an ordeal like that again.

“I’m sorry Applejack” Pinkie Pie looked down at her hooves. It was almost because of her that Applejack lost her youngest sister. “I’ll... understand if you don’t want to be my friend anymore.” Pinkie Pie jabbed her hoof into the dirt.

“D’aaww, come ’ere you.” Applejack suddenly grabbed Pinkie Pie. “I’m sorry I said all that. I truly am. Ah was just angry.”

The three Cutie Mark Crusaders approached one another. All of them seemed nervous and shy.

“I’m sorry I yelled at y’all,” Apple Bloom spoke first. She had already forgiven the previous argument they had all had.

“Me too,” Scootaloo replied.

“Me three,” Sweetie Belle added.

“But now that you have your cutie mark? Does this mean we’re not friends anymore?” Sweetie Belle asked innocently.

“Of course it dun't.” Apple Bloom said and raised her rump to show-off her brand new cutie mark. “I guess mah special talent was with the apple family all along. But just because I have a special talent doesn't mean we can’t be friends no more. We’re still a team.” Apple Bloom twisted her neck and looked down at it, confused by its purpose and meaning. “ But I wonder... what does ma cutie mark represent? I mean... I got in a dusty cavern.”

“Nay.” Applejack said, “you got it with yer sister. I think yer gonna follow in mah hoofsteps. You’re growing up Apple Bloom; you’re blooming into a fine mare. But yer still only half-an-apple.” Applejack ruffled her sisters mane with a silly grin. “An’ I’d be mighty proud for you to take over Sweet Apple Acres when the time comes.”

Applejack placed her hat onto Apple Bloom’s little head. It still didn’t fit, but somehow, it looked much more appropriate now.

“Hey guys, just wait until I tell you about the adventure I’ve just had. There was a dark castle with an actual ghost and total danger. It’ll blow, your, minds!” Scootaloo suddenly blurted out. She explained to everypony about the onyx castle. The Cutie Mark Crusaders skipped together into the sunset, ready for their next crusade.

“Waaaait!” Sweetie Belle suddenly shouted out. “Aren't we forgetting something?”

“Oh my gosh! We totally forgot the court case! We’ve all being too busy arguing and running off that we never made a case.” Apple Bloom shouted out. Her heart sank in her chest.

“Don't worry. While you and Scoot’s were off, I prepared our entire court case for tomorrow.” Sweetie Belle said and flexed her hooves.

The desks were rearranged once more, the lights were dim, it had never being to tense within the classroom. This was the final day of term, the day either the Cutie Mark Crusaders or Diamond Tiara would be proven right. Diamond Tiara’s remaining school days hung in the balance...

“Sweetie Belle, prosecutor at law! Here’s mah badge!” Sweetie Belle said and held up a badge she hoof-stitched with Rarity’s fabric. She pushed it into Cheerilee’s face until she had to back away. Sweetie Belle then moved into the centre of the room. “Miss Cheerilee, I mean... your honor, and members of the jury, I would like to call a surprise witness... Fluttershy.” Sweetie Belle said and opened the classroom door, there stood Fluttershy who shyly waved to the school fillies.

“Eh?!” Everypony gawped in unison.

Fluttershy entered the classroom and sat down at the desk, her large body barely fit in the small chair designed for fillies.

“Fluttershy was working as a custodian at the time me and Diamond Tiara had our spout in the playground. You were cleaning up... is this true?” Sweetie Belle questioned intently.

“That’s right um... yes... I was helping to tend to a rare bird they discovered in the tree outside of the school. Sometimes the little birdies get trapped in the pieces of litter...” Fluttershy said as retraced her steps, she remembered helping the rare birds in the nest.

“Then I saw Sweetie Belle getting mocked in the playground. You know... I have several cuddle bunnies, there’s nothing wrong with that. I even have real cuddle bunnie, my pet, his name is Angel...” Fluttershy mumbled she had seen Diamond Tiara mock Sweetie Belle in the playground while tending the birds.

Fluttershy remembered the last thing she did yesterday, she approached the ‘lost property’ box. From the pile of junk she rummaged through before she pulled out the cuddle bunnie.

“My Sweetheart!” Sweetie Belle shouted in jubilation and gripped the teddy tightly. Its heart-shaped nose squished against the rest of its fur body.

“Of course, Fluttershy put the cuddle bunnie in the one place she should have, in lost property!” Apple Bloom said.

“Wow Sweetie Belle, that was totally awesome.” Scootaloo said as everypony ran to her in a group hug.

“I did it, I did it, I don’t know what I did.” Sweetie Belle said. She was surrounded by her friends and fellow school foals including the loyal Pipsqueak.

“Aww c’mon Sweetie Bell, we all know you like Pipsqueak!” Scootaloo teased.

“Eep!” Sweetie Belle squeaked.

“Sorry Diamond Tiara... you know, I'm not sure the jury was completely impartial anyway...” Silver Spoon said and shrugged her shoulders. They weren’t any winners or losers, it was just a case of misplaced property.

“Sorry I accused you, Diamond Tiara.” Sweetie Belle said sadly. Diamond Tiara turned her nose up at them, her pride was too great, she couldn’t forgive them.

Miss Cheerilee slammed the hardwood gavel against her desk. “Well class, this has certainly being most important and educational day for all of us on the last day of school. I suspect we have all learnt something from this?” She said after a long belated sigh.

“I learned that you shouldn’t accuse ponies of crimes they didn’t commit, especially without the evidence to prove it. We accused Diamond tiara of a crime she didn’t commit and the whole classroom pretend to go to court over it.” Sweetie Belle said. "There’s also really nothing wrong with having something soft and cuddly, however old you are, although someponies prefer real pets, someponies are still foals at heart."

“I learnt that you can’t always go solo, it's great being brave and all but everypony is much braver when they're with their friends.” Scootaloo added.

“You should forgive your enemies... but you should also forgive your friends even more. All ponies will get into arguments.” Apple Bloom replied.

“Also, Diamond Tiara, some of the other foals told me you tried to bribe them with Bits you borrowed from your father. Filthy Rich, in a bid to get them to plead ‘not guilty’, is this true?” Miss Cheerilee said.

“No... I mean... I didn’t... argh!” Diamond Tiara grunted loudly, she had being caught.

The school bell rang for the final time. “Well class, the summer holidays have begun, I will see you all after summer.” Miss Cheerilee said.

The school fillies and Fluttershy were free to leave but Diamond Tiara had to stay behind, she grumbled over at Apple Bloom, she had her cutie mark now. Apple Bloom was surrounded by the all the school foals, even Silver Spoon, they all wanted to speak to her now, about her cutie mark and about her special talent and following in her sister's hoofsteps. As the classroom door shut, Diamond Tiara scowled at everypony. This wouldn’t be the last time they’ll hear from her...

The cutie mark cusaders, the school foals and Sweetheart skipped together into the sunset, ready for their next crusade.

Dear Princess Celestia.

‘Sometimes ponies forgive each other only once, sometimes not at all, but today I learned that everypony doesn’t forgive enough. Yeah, occasionally all friends can get in arguments, it’s only natural, but one true value of friendship is that friends should forgive one another. I think that’s what you wanted me to learn from your visit to the school...

My cutie mark is a bright pink apple with two blooming flowers beside it. Yup! I’m certainly growing up into a fine mare, I guess that means now I can help my friends get their cutie marks as well. If we ever get in an argument like that ever again, which I doubt we will, I’ll always remember...

...to forgive them.’

~ Apple Bloom.

Afterward...

Zecora meditated in the middle of home, her hooves were crossed, her eyes were closed.

Bang!

The zebra flinched as the door to her hut was flung open. It ruined the peace and solace of her meditative state.

“Zecora, we need to talk. I didn’t have chance to say it before, but I’m damn doing so now!” Twilight’s angry voice called out at the zebra.

“What iz dis about?” Zecora replied and opened one of her hazel eyes to see Twilight step in her hut, uninvited.

“About that thing you keep locked away in a cavern outside of Ponyville.” Twilight said and marched up to her, “the spider you’re feeding,” her facts were right this time and she knew it.

Zecora smiled, she had being caught but she was strangely unthreatened and almost happy that Twilight had found out. She approached Twilight with an open mind.

“The daemon of burden named the spider of fear. Sit down to listen and all will become clear...”

To Be Continued...

My Little Pony: Time is Forever™ will return...
Soon...

'The Equestrian Five-Hundred begins...’

Notes:
Apple Bloom’s Cutie Mark is now canon in the alternate universe of this fic.
You’ll know something important is about to kick off whenever Rosedust appears.
The whole pretend court case pays homage to a My Little Pony Tales episode: ‘Stand By Me’ (July 31, 1992). A pony named Teddy was accused of stealing a cassette player from Melody and a pony named Sweetheart defended Teddy in a pretend classroom court. These ponies from MLP Tales are referenced as Sweetie Belle’s ‘teddy’ is called ‘Sweetheart’.
Sweetie Belle’s cuddle bunnie is based on a Care Bear.
Unlike the show itself, Zecora chants real Swahili in this chapter.
All three crusaders have their own individual stories in chapter as they’re always seen together and rarely have a chance to develop their character alone. Apple Bloom’s was in the cave of thorns, Scootaloo’s at the castle and Sweetie Belle’s with the whole cuddle bunnie and court case.
The 'afterward' section of this chapter isn't unique, they will be many more of these extra pockets of information on the end of chapters to come.
Since Princess Celestia and Miss Cheerilee are both voiced by the same person, I thought I’d have them in the same scene for a change.

A World Adventure

“Winning isn't everything.”
~ Star Swirl the Bearded

“There she is!” Diamond Tiara shouted, both her and Silver Spoon galloped up alongside Apple Bloom, bridging her between them.

“So Apple Bloom, now that you’re no longer a blank flank and the summer holidays have started. We should totally hang around together... like friends.” Silver Spoon looked over her shoulder to see Apple Bloom’s cutie mark, a bright pink apple with two blooming flowers beside it.

“Nah, just because I got mah cutie mark now doesn’t mean I have to change my friends. I’m gonna help them get their cutie marks too.” Apple Bloom replied.

“When are you having your cute-ceañera?” Silver Spoon asked.

“Me, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo decided to have a great big cute-ceañera when we’ve all got our cutie marks together. It’ll be the biggest and bestest cute-ceañera ever!” Apple Bloom answered and jumped with glee as she trotted down the long path home.

“But... but, that’s not fair! Why would you hang around with those... degenerate blank blanks?!” Diamond Tiara shouted and stomped a hoof in disgust, she was used to having her own way. Silver Spoon just shrugged.

“Seeya!” Apple Bloom said and winked at the foals. She raced home to meet her sister at Sweet Apple Acres.

Applejack waited impatiently along with Granny Smith, Big Macintosh and Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash was on the roof of the apple family barn sunbathing with her signature sunglasses.

“Apple Bloom!” Applejack suddenly shouted in the distance as Apple Bloom came up the hill. “There’s you are. Now that Apple Bloom’s ‘ere I can explain. Me and Rainbow are goin’ away for awhile.”

“What?!” Apple Bloom’s face dropped. “Noooo, the summer holidays just started, we were going to do so much together now that I got mah cutie mark!” Apple Bloom groaned.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold the protests. Ye’ see, me and Rainbow Dash are going for the world championship race called the Equestrian Five-Hundred. It’s a five-hundred mile race, around the entire world. We’ve been trainin’ for it for a long time.”

“That’s right.” Rainbow Dash suddenly came swooping down with a grin and swagger. Rainbow Dash had been training since the fracture in time fiasco. “I’ve been training ever since that Edge of Forever incident two months ago. Which is why I’m gonna win!” Rainbow Dash laughed snidely.

“I doubt it, unless you forgot that sonic rainboom’s aren't permitted in this type a race?” Applejack and Rainbow Dash lock their foreheads together. As they break the lock Rainbow Dash headed outside and Applejack turned to her family.

“The point being that it’s a very dangerous race, anything could happen, so we’re gonna be gone for a few days.” She explained.

“Take care now, yeese here?” Granny Smith waved a shaky hoof upward.

“Big Macintosh, yer in charge. Keep yer eye on Apple Bloom while I’m gone.” Applejack said and ruffled her sister mane playfully.

“Eeyup!” Big Mac returned as he passed Applejack a satchel filled with food, mainly apples, but bandages and other medical supplies too.

“Good luck,” Apple Bloom mumbled in a strop. still disappointed she couldn’t spend every moment of the summer holiday with her big sister. Especially now she had her cutie mark. Perhaps she would take Diamond Tiara’s offer afterall.

“I’ll be back before you know it.” Applejack winked with a cheeky grin and tipped her hat; she swung open the barn doors.

Rainbow Dash waited outside and stomped her hooves into the ground impatiently. It took Apple Bloom a few moments to realise that she was doing some last minute stretches. A cold shadow then worked it’s way across the ground, Rainbow Dash looked up. A massive pink balloon descended from above, it was attached to a rope from the apple barn so it couldn’t fly away.

“Pretty cool that Twilight let us lend this huh?” Rainbow Dash got excited, “Uhhh... not that I need it. Rainbow Dash glanced from side-to-side.

“You got yer head in the clouds again? There’s both air and land tournaments. You have to race in groups of two, and we’re entering the competition together.” Applejack spelled it out for her.

“I knew that,” Rainbow Dash composed herself and hopped into the balloon. Applejack dived into the basket and tugged on the chain to give the balloon some power. The apple family waved them off and gradually shrunk smaller on the ground below as the balloon sailed high into the clouds...

The heat from the foreboding desert hit both ponies as the clouds parted. Rainbow Dash did press-ups besides some straw baskets also in the balloon, Applejack laid with her hat over her eyes and a piece of straw held loosely in her mouth. The balloons pilot-light purred as the clouds parted.

“There it is Rainbow Dash, the good ol’ town of Appleloosa.” Applejack grunted as she tipped her hat up to take a peek. Appleloosa was situated far to the south near the Macintosh Hills. The town itself was small in stature, with a lane of buildings, each one with a wooden label representing the profession inside. The clock tower was the tallest of the buildings made from red brick. The train tracks twisted through the town and were the main trading route for Appleloosa. The main source of food in this unforgiving landscape were apples; the town was surrounded by famous apple orchids.

The balloon came to a resting halt on the outskirts of the town, a helpful pony wearing a cowboy hat tied up the balloon to a post to stop it flying away. Applejack and Rainbow Dash jumped out of the basket.

“Well howdy cuz! Ye’ need some help there?” The familiar voice called out in the air.

“Braeburn! Applejack said with near delight, “What are you doin’ here?”

“I’m racing too ye know?”

“You’re racing?!” Applejack and Rainbow Dash said simultaneously.

“A-a-absoooolutely,” Braeburn lifted up his front hooves in happiness and stomped them back down, dirt showered Applejack and Rainbow Dash. After they cleared their eyes, the three ponies set off to join the others that gathered in the town centre of Appleloosa, the race isn’t for a couple of hours so the three fillies decide to converse with the competition.

A scarlet coloured pony with a small pair of spectacles trotted in their path. Parts of her mane were braided and her cutie mark was covered by a cloak of black. She also wore a large distinct necklace around her neck.

“Ms. Hollow,” Applejack named her, “the mare of many names, nopony knows her first name. She was recently employed at work at the town hall in Ponyville with the mayor. She’s here in the mayors place to oversee the Equestrian Five-Hundred.” She explained.

“Ms.?” Rainbow Dash tilted her head. Applejack pulled Rainbow Dash to one side. Hollow played with the tips of her mane as they whispered in the distance.

“It means she doesn’t like ponies knowing if she’s married or not.” Applejack replied.

“I knew that.” Rainbow Dash pushed away from Applejack flew over to greet the newcomer, “so you’re the infamous Ms. Hollow that I’ve been hearing about for the past few seconds.”

“Pfft,” she blew a raspberry, “‘Hollow’ will do just fine.”

Rainbow Dash did a pose before and introduced herself, “well Hollow. I’m—”

“Rainbow Dash. The Wonderbolt.” Hollow interrupted.

“Whoa, that was totally weird, I knew I was famous but I must be world-wide now.”

Applejack clonked a hoof against her face. She pulled Rainbow Dash to one side and whispered in confidence, “Hollow’s supposed to be ‘psychic’, but I’ve ne’er seen her achieve such a feat. It’s all smoke and mirrors.” Hollow could clearly hear them but chose to ignore it and twiddle with her braided mane. Rainbow Dash broke from their discussion to face Hollow again.

“Whoa, really?!” Rainbow Dash seemed amazed. “Does that mean you know who’s gonna win the race? Is it me? I bet it’s me isn’t it?”

“It doesn’t quite work like that.” Hollow replied coldly.

“Oh c’mon, everypony always says that, it’s too cliché. You don’t believe any of this hullabaloo, do ya, Rainbow Dash?” Applejack said and hoped to gain the support of her friend.

“Well... there is one thing you got wrong, Hollow. I’m not a Wonderbolt.” Rainbow Dash said.

“Not yet.” Hollow replied brazenly and departed. Rainbow Dash was stunned, she was lost in thought thought.

“I’d stay clear of her black bag of voodoo if I was you, Rainbow Dash.” Applejack said and watched Hollow trot away with cold eyes. She didn't trust Hollow and not only because of her strange attire.

Behind the Appleloosa clock tower, and in the shadows of an alleyway, a figure watched with piercing brown eyes. They watched the ponies’ every movement.

“They’re here,” the voice said into the walkie-talkie. Their hoof lifted up and another voice replied through some static: “Excellent, proceed with the plan.”

Spectators from all of the towns over had gathered in the centre of Appleloosa. The clock tower togged to strike the hour. The competitors gathered at the front, among them some familiar faces, Bon-Bon, Hurricane and even Derpy, stood an the other side of the crowd was Zecora who was also racing.

All the ponies could feel the excitement in the air. As the reminding ponies joint at the back of the group the host of the Equestrian Five-hundred, Hollow, approached them on a wooden stage. She cleared her throat for the speech and readjusted the microphone.

“Welcome one and all, my name is Hollow, and I am hosting the Equestria Five-Hundred.” Hollow unravelled a map to Equestria, and places it upon a blackboard. “Now, listen carefully. The first race begins right here in Appleloosa. The earth ponies will start the race here and run towards the San Palomino desert. Their pegasus partners will be waiting at the start of the desert and when tagged will fly over the San Palomino desert and will continue north to Cloudsdale. At Cloudsdale the pegasus will tag back their Earth pony partners who will abseil down the floating city and cross the raging Neighagra Falls. They will tag their partners for the final time to race through the sky all the way to Fillydelphia. We will then stay the night in Fillydelphia to prepare for the final race. For each race: first place attains five points, second place attains four points and so on and so forth.” Ms. Hollow pointed with a stick at all locations on the map of Equestria. “I needn’t remind you all that this endurance race is extremely dangerous, you will be racing for several days and will have to camp out in the wilderness. Be ever aware of your surroundings and keep each other safe. The last time this race took place, a pony named Ace Swift sadly lost his life. Ponies train for years for an event like this which only happens once every four years. Many fail.” Ms. Hollow trotted down the wooden stage, “those of you who are willing and prepared for this mammoth task, please step forward.”

“Well ain’t that a hoot and a holler.” Braeburn spoke up with a smile. “Are ye’ sure you can handle this?”

“What? Pfft. I’m ready for anything.” Rainbow Dash boasted as she and Applejack are handed their matching numbers.

“Who’s yer partner Braeburn?” Applejack asked as she placed the number upon her rump, over her cutie mark.

“Why, I’m with her of course.” Braeburn pointed into the crowd, Rainbow Dash followed the tip of his hoof and looked straight at Hurricane, the notable rival to herself.

Hurricane, why did it have to be her? Rainbow Dash thought.

At the other side of the spectators, the wild buffalo surrounded their chieftain.

“Good luck, bring honor to us.” Chief Thunderhooves said to his daughter with a loving nudge.

“I will father.” Little Strongheart replied. All the buffalo were all here to cheer on the aire to their clan.

“A Wonderbolt from the Fillydelphia division is here!” Somepony shouted out of the crowd.

“One of our opponents is a Wonderbolt?!” RainbowDash squealed. “Which one? Spitfire, Soarin’?”

“Two Wonderbolts actually, Spitfire ‘n Comet,” Braeburn said.

“Who?” She tilted her head in thought.

“Comet, you’ve ne’er heard of him, sugar-apple?”

“Oh... uh oh! Ooohh! Comet!” Rainbow Dash Suddenly remembered all at once. She met Comet at the celebration of harmony after the defeat of the Greymare. The one with the cyan coloured hair, the one who was always nervous. He was the Wonderbolt she ‘apparently’ had a crush on.

“I’ll see you at the edge of the desert.” Rainbow Dash said to Applejack as they shared in a hoof bump. Rainbow Dash flapped her wings and sailed the air for the pegasus starting line.

With the crowd conversing and with the excitement building, everypony taking part gathered to sign their names onto the contract stuck to the blackboard. The race required one earth pony and one pegasus in a team of two. All the Wonderbolts had to be pared with earth ponies. Applejack chuckled to herself, while the Wonderbolt were fast the land racers would surely slow them down. Applejack looked at the teams:

‘Braeburn - Hurricane’
‘Bon-Bon - Derpy’
‘Little Strongheart - Spitfire’
‘Zecora - Comet’
‘Applejack - Rainbow Dash’

Five teams, only one winner.

“Place your bets now!” Sheriff Silverstar held a valet box made from wood, ponies placed their bets within.

Race One: Appleloosa – Cloudsdale

White tape was laid upon the ground, the starting line. The first race, started with the earth ponies in a race through the apple orchard to the edge of the desert where their pegasus pony team mates will be waiting to be tagged. They were no breaks in the race until they all reached Fillydelphia.

Ms. Hollow stepped forward with a chequered flag attached to an oaken pole. It was at this moment Applejack noticed Hollow wore an earpiece, voices could be heard in her ears. Hollow got the sign that the pegasi were ready on the edge of the San Palomino desert.

Lined up and ready to go the five earth ponies bent their knees and composed themselves, inhaling the hot air to take some deep breathes. They could all feel the anticipation in the air, whoever won would surely get international fame and splendour, but each pony had their own reasons for racing.

A lone tumbleweed bounced along the barren landscape.

“On your marks,” Hollow shouted. Everypony felt the soil beneath their hooves, their eye affixed on the horizon.

“Get Set,” everypony bends their hooves, Applejack prepares herself, her hat was tightly wrapped around her skull.

“Go!”

The earth ponies charged from the starting line, first to take the lead was Applejack. Everypony charged around Hollow leaving only a trail of dust in their wake. Through the apple trees they galloped, they weaved in and out of the apple trees; they even knocked some apples from their perches from the shaking of the land. They charged up a hilltop onto the cliffs, a fall now would mean certain doom, Applejack led the race, she looked over her shoulder to see the others trundling behind.

The soaring heat made it difficult even for the athlete, but Applejack charged onwards through the winding cliffs. She paused slightly and smiled down at the apple orchard, there Bloomberg was sat. Bloomberg was growing up into a fine apple tree; it almost brought a tear to her eye.

Vrooom!

Suddenly all the other earth ponies charged past Applejack and left her in a cloud of dust.

The San Palomino desert, a plateau of sand reaching all the way to Saddle Arabia. An endless sea of sand dunes and devil-like twisters, a dangerous desert as glass shards blow in the wind. It was sprawled out infront of the pegasi racers who prepared themselves. The heat is almost unbearable, as the dust clouds which covered the desert made it seem almost impossible.

“Hiya, Comet...” Rainbow Dash brushed up to the pegasus as all the pegasi prepared for their partners arrival. Comet had a cyan mane with lighter streaks like fire; his actual coat is a darker blue.

“H-hey Rainbow Dash,” Comet muttered, he was the youngest Wonderbolt and seemed almost inexperienced. Then again Rainbow Dash had never seen him fly. He lifted up his high-tech goggles upon his forehead to reveal his enchanting pale eyes. Rainbow Dash noticed Comet had two blue letters engraved on the front of his signature goggles, they were worn but readable:

Rainbow Dash thought about what they could mean—

“Here they come!” Spitfire shouted, that broke any thoughts Rainbow Dash had. The earth ponies were here already? The pegasi held their hooves behind themselves ready to be tagged. Comet lowered his goggles back down, he needed them to displace the dust clouds over the desert. Rainbow Dash’s heart raced, her blood pumped with adrenalin.

In the lead was Little Strongheart, she tagged Spitfire as the Wonderbolt took flight without a moments delay over the raging sands. She blasted a wave of dirt in the faces of the competition. Rainbow Dash stood with high hopes, but her hope drained out of a sieve when she watched everypony else tag their partners. Last was Applejack, much to the dismay of Rainbow Dash, who waited alone in last place. Applejack tagged her partners hoof without a word as Dashie blasted off over the desert dunes...

A copious yellow haze of swirling dust and soil spun its way across the rippling dunes of the desert. Trifling and devilish whirlwinds formed across the landscape, anypony could abruptly meet their end in the desert. The unsettling desert had taken countless lives, giving no care as the purpose or value of the souls it claims.

Rainbow Dash shielded her face with a hoof in a futile attempt to block the contestant gusts that rippled through her. Rainbow Dash tried her utmost to navigate the relentless roaring wind, whenever her eyelids parted a fuzzy mess of sand and wind forced them to tighten close.

Entering an emotionless perpetual limbo with all routes surrounding the pony covered in a thick blanket of beige haze, Rainbow Dash wandered aimlessly in an arbitrarily selected direction. Abruptly Rainbow Dash found the others and followed them; she breathed a deep sigh of relief for not getting lost.

But something was wrong; Comet seemed to be itching, as if some sort of bug had gotten into his Wonderbolt suit, the pegasi split up as Rainbow Dash flew next to Comet, just what had gotten into him.

The sand shifted and the ground rumbled. Everypony looked down.

Aaaooowww!

An enormous worm exploded up from the sand with a swirling maw of several layered teeth.

“Watch out!” Comet shouted and crashed into her, knocking out of the way while still itching his suit.

“What the hell is that?!” Hurricane commented from afar.

Another worm ascended out of the sand, it curled midair and used its massive teeth to burrow back into the desert sands.

“Sand Wyrms,” Comet explained as their trek through the desert air had become so much more dangerous. As the dust cleared slightly everypony saw the true extent of the danger. They were several of this worms all twisting and turning through the desert winds. They mouths were wide open, ready to munch upon the unwary and inexperienced. Thankfully the Wyrms were slow, slow enough to outmanoeuvre, but the copious haze of the San Palomino desert made it difficult to see when they were coming.

Hurricane kicked a Wyrm in the eye; they had tiny beady eyes to compensate for their massive gullets. Spitfire landed on one of their backs and continued to run across it before taking flight again. Derpy had no trouble avoiding the Wyrms with her zigzag style of flying.

Comet struggled; he itched his uniforn like a crazy pony. It was the uniform that protected him from lightning among other things. In mid air he tried to slip off his Wonderbolt unicorn.

Aaaooowww!

A Wyrm exploded out of the dust with little warning, it came from under the Wonderbolt. Comet found himself surrounded by the beats layered teeth; he was in the beast's mouth! There was nowhere to clasp open the beasts mouth, the circular mouth closed him in.

“Comet!” Rainbow Dash screamed as she gained a jet stream and punched the beast in its speckled eye. The beast roared in anger, this gave Comet the perfect opportunity to be spit out before it burrowed back into the sand.

During the struggle his suit had been torn off and thrown into the desert. Somepony had put itching powder in his suit.

Rainbow Dash and Comet flew together; their escapade had drawn them both in last place. There was no telling how the other pegasi were getting on in the race. They didn’t care anymore, safety came first.

Rainbow Dash scanned the desert dunes, Applejack was running below. But that was impossible, was it the heat? A mirage? Rainbow Dash pushed against the wind, but her wings just pocketed the air and forced her back.

“Applejack?” Rainbow Dash remarked as the dust blew in her face.

“Applejaaaaaaaccckkk!” Rainbow Dash spun out of control in a devilish tornado; her wing twisted out of shape. Something grabbed her, caught her in mid-air.

“Ahhhh!” Rainbow Dash squirmed as she feared it was a worm.

“Hey, hey! Relax.”

Her eyes opened and gazed skyward. “Comet?! You... saved me.”

“Just r-returning the favour, it’s not over yet, watch out!” The Wonderbolt flew them both under the curvy body of a Wyrm and then they sailed upward, high into the air. They parted each other's grasp and hovered above the canopy of beige haze.

Impossible to tell the time in the claustrophobic desert, the daylight had turned to nightfall during their first race. Sighs of relief come across the other races who reached the end of the desert. Now all that remained was a peaceful flight to Cloudsdale.

Spitfire and Derpy worryingly looked back at the desert; Comet and Rainbow Dash were still inside.

Nightfall had fallen, crickets chirped in the warm Equestrian air. Rainbow Dash and Comet had reached the edge of the desert but now they were both lost and very much behind in the race. Rainbow Dash kissed the ground as they landed on grass.

“What was the matter with you back there, fear of flying or something?” Comet said bluntly and landed beside her. Back in the desert Rainbow Dash had flailed her hooves around like a crazy-pony.

“Uhm no... fear of falling.” Rainbow Dash replied in shame. She hated to admit it, especially to a Wonderbolt.

“I'm sorry... that’s something we have in common.” Comet said with a welcoming smile and unharnessed his saddlebag.

“We have to stay here tonight Rainbow...” Comet parted with the bad news.

“What?! We can’t set up camp now, we have to keep going. We have to win!” Rainbow Dash lowered her legs and was about to set off.

“Noponies going to be out at this hour.” Comet opened his saddlebags and began to unfold a sleeping bag and tent. “Trust me.”

“But—” Rainbow Dash interrupted herself to yawn.

Comet quickly hovered into the air and placed down four pins as a great tent unfolded. Comet invited Rainbow Dash inside and the two pegasi made themselves comfy.

“Oh, but I only packed one bed,” Comet grumbled. Rainbow Dash gave a look of pure terror.

“Baa, only joking! You should see the look on your face.” Comet quickly unfolded a second sleeping bag from his saddlebag.

“Comet, that was terrible.” Rainbow Dash had to laugh.

They laid on their backs beside the tent, in the open air, staring up at the stars that twinkled above.

Rainbow Dash glanced over to him, Comet’s cutie mark was a blue shooting star. She had never seen it before; it had always been covered by his Wonderbolt uniform. Comet’s thoughts were also on the Wonderbolts; somepony had put itching powder in his uniform. Somepony was trying to get him to lose the race or worse, trying to get him killed. Thoughts of the Wonderbolts reminded Comet of a question...

“Hey Rainbow, how come you’ve never tried to join the Wonderbolts?” He rolled to face her.

“I tried once, a long time ago, I went to the Wonderbolt Academy and trained. There was a pony there named Lightning Dust, she trained with me. I never knew what happened to her in the end. But... the Wonderbolts seemed reckless to me and that’s just something I’m just not. I had the skill, but I just couldn’t handle it I guess.” Rainbow Dash turned to face away from Comet. Didn’t Hollow say she was going to become a Wonderbolt? Rainbow Dash thought that was just the mad rants of a pony she doesn’t even know. Perhaps Applejack was right, it is all lies.

“I know that feeling,” Comet replied. “Soarin’ helped me through most of the training at the academy. You know, I almost feel like I beat the system, like I cheated because I got help from the inside. I’ve never thought I was a good flyer and never in a million years did I ever think I’d be a Wonderbolt. But that’s the thing, I’ve never wanted being a Wonderbolt to define me... so if it’s alright with you, don’t see me as a Wonderbolt, just see me... as a friend.”

Comet’s eyes squinted, did she say Lightning Dust?

“What if I told you I was related to Lightning Dust...?”

“You’re related to Lightning Dust?!” Rainbow Dash spat. Now she was intrigued.

“Sure am.” Comet sniffled. He thought deeply about how everypony was connected in some way. He stared up at the bright waning-quarter moon.

Rainbow Dash rolled over the face him again. “You seemed so flustered when we first met, but deep down inside, there’s a real you.” She said, Comet didn’t act like the same nervous pony she first met at Canterlot.

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” he returned. They both shared in a hearty laugh. “Goodnight, Rainby.”

Race Two: Cloudsdale – Fillydelphia

In the night hours at Cloudsdale, rather than marvel at the wonders of the floating city at night, everypony was angry and up in arms. Ms. Hollow was surrounded with a discord of angry voices.

“Tain't fair, someponies bein’ cheatin’” Braeburn blurted out in her gruff voice.

The earth ponies had made their journey to Cloudsdale and awaited their partners. But the race had stopped now that everypony knew one team was cheating.

“Cheatin’?!” Applejack repeated as she entered, any doubt was removed when Zecora revealed an empty tin of itching powder. “Yes, it was quite a shock, when I found this behind a rock.” She shook the empty tin in her hoof.

“Comet was itching his suit, someone had put itching powder into his suit. “I saw it with ma own two eyes,” Little Strongheart explained. “and now because of that both he and Rainbow Dash are lost to the desert.”

“Rainbow’s... gone?” Applejack whimpered.

“She’ll be a-o-kay Applejack.” Derpy was filled with hope.

“How do I know your team are the ones cheating?” Braeburn pointed the blame at Little Strongheart.

“This is preposterous, why would anypony want to cheat?” Bon-Bon replied, the earth ponies snorted and began to bicker with great concern.

“The race must continue!” Ms. Hollow’s croaky voice spat out. She stepped out of the shadows. “Once started, it may not be stopped. You will continue.”

“So Ms. Hollow, if you can apparently see into the future, prove it. Tell us who's cheatin’.” Applejack approached the mysterious scarlet pony, and demanded answers. She pointed her heavy hoof into Hollow’s chest.

“Of course not, it doesn’t quite work like that.” Hollow placed a hoof to her ear, the earpiece seemed to be giving her information.

From the shadows of Cloudsdale a filly with violet eyes wearing a pair of reading glasse watched from the darkness. She too lifted up a walkie-talkie. “They discovered the itching powder. What now?” The filly mumbled into the device, a snootier voice replied through the static this time: “Go to plan B.”

“They’re here!” Hollow interrupted everyponies complaints and pointed as the pegasus ponies flew in the proximity of Cloudsdale. They dodged and weaved through the fancy stone pillars of Cloudsdale.

“This ain’t over,” Applejack’s eyes turned to daggers.

The next part of the race involved the earth ponies travelling down zip-wires down from the floating city all the way to ground level, each pony is quickly hooked up to the safe wires, they placed helmets upon their heads. They all stood on the edge of Cloudsdale.

Braeburn gulped. “Nopony said anythin’ ‘bout this. I think I’m actually ‘fraid of heights.” He looked down, the world below danced, his head spun with an innate dizziness. All the way from Cloudsdale, it was a long way down.

The tired pegasus ponies flew into Cloudsdale, most of them were worn out and shattered from flying nearly a full night. Spitfire was in the lead, she tagged Little Strongheart as she sails down the zip wire with cheerful laughter, Little Strongheart had never done such an incredible thing before. Hurricane crashed against the heavy clouds and tagged Braeburn. She was deflated and worn out more than most, she had her heavy build to thank for that.

“I’m not sure about this,” Braeburn mumbled, Hurricane grumbled and shoved the earth pony off the end of the city. “I think I’m gonna head baaaaaaack—”

Derpy came in third place behind the group and tagged Bon-Bon. She sailed down the zip line with a deflated scream.

‘Little Strongheart - Spitfire: 5 Points’
‘Braeburn - Hurricane: 4 Points’
‘Bon-Bon - Derpy: 3 Points’
‘Zecora - Comet: 2 Points’
‘Applejack - Rainbow Dash: 1 Point’

Comet and Rainbow Dash arrived several hours later, they were refreshed but still in last place.

“Nice to see you finally made it,” Applejack said with a hint of sarcasm. Their hooves bumped with their partners. Applejack and Zecora set off down the zip-lines together.

“Yeehaw!” Applejack shouted in delight as she felt the wind blast on her face. The five ponies descend down through the night sky on the separate wires at breakneck speed. Applejack made her entire body streamlined to gain speed. A scuffle broke out between Braeburn and Zecora as their bodies bashed against each other as they flew down the lines. That slowed them down.

Applejack flew in-line with Braeburn as they chase the leader Little Strongheart, everypony zoomed faster and faster. The lines in Bon-Bon’s face pushed back as her face mangled from the gust of wind pressing against it. Both Little Strongheart and her team partner Spitfire had been infront for awhile now, it was time to mix things up. Applejack held onto her helmet as she zoomed so fast the wire sparked with flairs of fire. She shot down past everypony else and zoomed into the lead.

The ground fast approached. The zip line evened itself out and Applejack came to a nice halt. With the help of the ponies on the ground, Applejack unclipped herself from the zip wire. She was followed close behind is Bon-Bon, the jetstream from the journey down had caused Bon-Bon’s mane to be spiked like a mohawk. But something was wrong, Bon-Bon was glued to the harness, somepony had placed glue all along the harness. Bon-Bon struggled to break free, she needed help. She needed to be pulled free from the harness by the other ponies. Everypony else caught up to her and dashed infront.

“Urg,” Little Strongheart grunted, she had the same problem, glued to the harness she was stuck. The Spitfire-Strongheart team fell into last place. They both finally were torn out of the contraption and charged onwards across the grassland. Bon-Bon and Little Strongheart had left small parts of fur behind on the harnesses.

Neighagra Falls, the greatest and tallest waterfalls in Equestria. The roar and torrent of water was deafeningly, as gallons of water cascaded down the waterfall at breakneck speed. There was a haze of white vapour in which a small rainbow reflects in the vapours that stream up. The next obstacle was the waterfalls. Everypony had run several miles and had become fatigued, their hooves were weak and their speed had slowed to a steady jog. They had only a little further to go until she could rest; Fillydelphia was the last location until the free-for-all race. But before that, everypony had to cross the falls.

Applejack had made up for the lost time Rainbow Dash getting lost in the desert and was the first to come to a rest. Her legs ached, and she took a few minutes to compose herself. The waterfall’s had several layers to them and a plunge into the water would mean certain doom them all. Applejack glanced over to the side to see a familiar pegasus who dabbed her hoof in the water.

“Hurricane? What in Equestria are you doin’ here? Shouldn't you be in Fillydelphia by now.”

“Ah? Aaah!” Hurricane seemed stunned and quickly turned around. “Nothing, I’m doing nothing at all.” She lied.

“Yer not cheatin’ by any chance are ya?” Applejack gave Hurricane a nasty look.

Hurricane sighed, “alright you caught me... I came here to get over my fear of water. It’s a superstitious thing. It’s why I never fly over the lakes or rivers,” she sighed in disappointment of herself. “It’s also why I never turn up for my duty as a whether pegasus either. I mean who likes the rain? Uhrh... you tell anypony, especially Rainbow Dash, and you’re dead!” Hurricane grunted, she hated others to know of her weaknesses and dabbed her hoof into the water again. The cold temperature of the stream made her body shiver.

The only way to cross the fast-flowing stream was a small set a stepping stones which littered the water. Applejack approached slowly, she planned her route across in a cold sweat. A fall would mean she’d be dragged through the water and off the edge, down the waterfall and into the pointed rocks below, a feat nopony could survive.

She jumped across the stepping stones with relative ease, Applejack’s balance was unrivalled. She bounced across the stepping stones above the stream. The waterfalls raged above her, spraying her with water vapour, Applejack welcomed it however as it cooled her down. Applejack wobbled on the last stepping stone but then regained her balance and dived safely to the opposite embankment. That was easy, she thought. Then she turned back.

She watched Hurricane jump onto the first stone. Her wings helped with the jump slightly, but Hurricane was never the best of flyers. All four hooves were clenched together in fear of the water around her.

“C’mon Hurricane, you can make it.” Applejack said and beckoned the pegasus with her hoof.

“Damnit!” Hurricane cursed as she wobbled on the stone. “Shit! Noooo...”

Splash!

Water pressed against her face and lungs. The waves crashed against her body and made it impossible to swim. Like several giant arms the waves dragged her under, they forced her to hold her breath and kept her head down, she couldn’t even shout for help.

“I can’t swim,” Applejack confessed as she galloped across the embankment. She couldn’t jump in, or else she’d be trapped in the water as well. Applejack looked around for a way to help; at the end of the embankment was a tree. Applejack pressed her hooves hard against the ground in a mad dash toward it. She used her teeth to snap one of the hanging vines and began to lasso it around with all her might. Hurricane was coming down the stream fast... she only had one chance.

The vine lassoed around Hurricane, she grabbed the vine, closed her eyes and descended off the edge of the waterfall.

The vine pulled taut and Applejack nearly fell into the water as well when the full brunt of Hurricane’s weight caught on it. Applejack held the vine with all her might, the vine burnt her hooves as it slid through her hooves. Her teeth gritted together tightly, sweat dropped from her brow. Even Hurricane’s burly body couldn’t survive this, to let go would mean she would die.

“Ahhhh! Darn tootin’!” Applejack cursed. She couldn’t hold it.

“Just drop me...” Hurricane grunted, the waters were on her wings now, they made them heavy, her drenched body made it impossible for her to just fly away. Her worst fear would be her downfall. The vine began to tear in the middle, where the strain was the worst. It tore.

Snap!

Hurricane’s gut sank from the sensation of falling. She tumbled backward through the air; the water stopped her from spray of water pushed her down even quicker than she anticipated. She was halfway down when her body disappeared into the torrent of water.

Applejack eyes scanned every inch of enraged waters. Her hopes were that Hurricane could catch the wind, she could just fly away. After several minutes, Applejack’s hope faded...

Strooooom!

Applejack shielded her eyes as a sonic rainboom covered her vision. The explosion ripped through the waterfalls and caused them to cease flowing for just a second. Hurricane in the hooves of Rainbow Dash jetted up into the air.

“You saved me... even after everything I did to you and Derp.” Hurricane said and breathed heavily, death was too near the extreme end for her to handle. Rainbow Dash landed safely on the ground and Hurricane plonked onto the ground, thankful to be alive.

“But there’s one thing you forgot... sonic rainboom’s are illegal in this race.” Applejack reminded her friend. With all this drama she had nearly forgot she was in a race.

“Shouldn’t matter, I’m not the one racing. I won’t count. Shouldn’t you still be racing?” Rainbow Dash replied, she was extremely tired, made clear by the black lines beneath her bloodshot eyes.

“Right! I’d better get goin’.” Applejack said to herself and ran ahead. Due to Applejack’s little escapade Braeburn had steamed ahead. They had raced all night, nearly for a full day. There was only a little farther to go before they could all rest. Applejack and Braeburn charged up a hilltop as ponies from across the world had come to cheer them on; they stood behind picket lines and cheered wildly.

“I’d better get goin’.” Applejack said to herself and ran ahead. Due to Applejack’s little escapade Braeburn had steamed ahead. They had raced all night, nearly for a full day. There was only a little farther to go before they could all rest. Applejack and Braeburn charged up a hilltop as ponies from across the world had come to cheer them on; they stood behind picket lines and cheered wildly.

Applejack was in the lead, then Braeburn, then Applejack; the two relatives crossed the finish-line. It was neck-and-neck; it came down to the nose.

“Yes! Braeburn, nice one!” Hurricane’s voice called out, Rainbow Dash and Hurricane landed together to greet their partners. Hurricane rushed up to her partner and bashed him in the stomach.

“Yay Applejack! Yay Rainbow Dash!” Derpy had also arrived to greet them both. The other earth ponies were not far behind. Little Strongheart was third, Bon-Bon was fourth and Zecora came in last place despite her best effort.

“Phew,” Braeburn breathed a belated sigh of relief.

Ms. Hollow appeared out of the shadows of the night and stood beside Little Strongheart. “Well done everypony, well done indeed, the race will now take a hiatus until tomorrow evening, where the final race will take place.” She held a hoof to her earpiece and got another stream of information.

“Applejack, you came second,” Rainbow Dash offered her hoof to help her friend up.

“Ye sound disappointed,” Applejack replied.

“Nah, as long as we can still win.” Rainbow Dash said and yawned.

“Good going Rainbow Dash, you caught up pretty quickly. They might be a place for you in the Wonderbolts yet. Spitfire said as she nudged Rainbow Dash. Together all the ponies gathered upon the hilltop. Midnight had drawn in and its only a small trek to Fillydelphia.

Little Strongheart was third, Bon-Bon was fourth and Zecora came in last place despite her best effort.

‘Braeburn - Hurricane: 9 Points’
‘Little Strongheart - Spitfire: 8 Points’
‘Bon-Bon - Derpy: 5 Points’
‘Applejack - Rainbow Dash: 5 Points’
‘Zecora - Comet: 3 Points’

The race was over for now; everypony was allowed a break before the final race back to Appleloosa. Hopefully they could find a place a stay in Fillydelphia. Most of the ponies were out of breath all they decided to march together.

“Somepony really is cheating. I had glue on my harness!” Little Strongheart mumbled in anger.

“Itching powder... and now glue?! What kind of low pony would do such a thing?” Bon-Bon leisurely trotted to join everypony.

“Ye’ really think it’s my partner Hurricane is the one cheatin’?” Braeburn whispered with Little Strongheart, Applejack and Rainbow Dash.

“I saw her at Neighagra Falls, she was doin’ somethin’ to the water. She nearly got herself killed” Applejack replied.

“Hurricane has to be the one cheating; she’s climbed to the top of the leaderboards too quickly. I know she’s with Spitfire an’ all but have you seen Hurricane? She’s not exactly the best of flyers. Besides, she and Braeburn are the only ones not to be affected by the cheating.” Little Strongheart spoke out.

“Not cheating, sabotaging.” Ms. Hollow suddenly appeared from out of the darkness, she overheard their conversation and her eyes gleamed. “We’ll work out all this sabotaging business when the last race has finished.”

Aside from the main group, Rainbow Dash and Comet met on the zenith of the hill. Fillydelphia sparkled in the distance between them.

“We won’t be racing Rainby,” Comet explained, “even if we win the next race and get the maximum five points we can’t win.”

“It’s my fault, if I hadn’t of got caught in the desert, you’d still have a chance of winning.” Rainbow Dash didn’t know what to say.

“It’s fine,” Comet paused to think, “I... actually enjoyed our time together. It was worth it.” He smiled.

“Is this goodbye?” Rainbow Dash grunted.

“Well, I am part of the Fillydelphia division of the Wonderbolts.” Comet reminded Rainbow Dash with a coy grin and turned his neck to the lit-up town on the horizon. “That’s my home.”

Race Three: Fillydelphia – Appleloosa

“Fillydelphia, the city by the sea. With docks housing many merchant ships which sail for uncharted land across the Silver Sea.” Hollow explained to everypony, as they all came to a halt just outside the city.

It was a bright coastal city which glimmers in the moonlight. The city itself had a large river that streamed through it. The city was divided into sections via this river which were all connected with several dozen bridges. They were many wooden docks are, huge brigand and pirate ships sailed through the ocean across from the Silver Coast. The waves of the salt-water ocean crashed on the pointed the rocks. The most striking feature of the city was the large crystal affixed upward on an onyx tower in the centre of the city, the entire city seemed to be based around this onyx tower which had a huge copper bell within it. Lanterns upon lampposts made the city shine, and sparkle against the sea that accommodates it. All the buildings in Fillydelphia were made of White Coral, a substance from the ocean which was pure-white in colour and didn't reflect the sun.

Everypony broke off from the group to explore the city and rest until the evening. Applejack and Rainbow Dash were hit with a sea salty breeze the minute they entered the down. They explored the lower levels of the city together. It was filled with market stalls and eccentric ponies that tried to trade everything from fish to fob watches.

“Markets of fish everywhere, gross!” Rainbow Dash gagged as the beady eyes of the fish watched her from the market stalls.

Two blue eyes scowled in the shadows of the market stalls. Something bright sparkled on the fillies head. A third walkie-talkie in hoof she spoke into it. “Why did I have to be the one to be surrounded with stinky fish?!” The snooty voice complained and stomped a hoof. Another voice giggled from the other end of the walkie-talkie before they replied: “Just continue with the plan, you’ll need salt water.”

The copper bell of Fillydelphia chimed seven in the morning. Rainbow Dash and Applejack headed to a nearby hotel along the coast, fifty stories tall.

Rainbow Dash collapsed on the bed and snuggled down into the aquamarine covers. Applejack hung her hooves over the window. She smiled as she watched a pirate ship sail through the ocean below. They could hear the waves from here, it felt like they were on holiday. I should bring Apple Bloom and her friends here for the summer holidays, Applejack thought. The beach below seemed like a nice place to relax for awhile. The ocean waves enchanted Applejack, she had seen it before once, when she stayed with Aunt and Uncle Orange in Manehattan.

“Well Rainbow Dash, there’s one final race. The free-for-all, a straight race back t' Appleloosa. The team to get both their partners over the line will win the last five points. The only way we can win is by getting all five points. Then we’ll officially be the fastest ponies in Equestria.” Applejack said as she turned from the window.

“Yeah...” Rainbow Dash mumbled under a yawn and snuggled in the hotel bed with aquamarine bedclothes.

“Just as long as there’s no cheating.” Applejack said to herself before using her hoof to shut the window and jumped in the bed opposite her Rainbow Dash’s. Both ponies soundly slept through the morning hours.

Red mist covered her vision. Applejack blinked several times but her vision remained blurry, a haze tainted her eyesight. Vines and tree roots curled along the floor and pulsated like poisoned red arteries. When the mist bated, she saw that she was stood in a graveyard. They were several withering graves, marked by the tears of guilt of everypony who came to mourn. Every time she turned around, a foreboding silence was all that greeted her. Several of the graves had names on them, several names that she knew and several more that she did not. They were graves here with the names of her all best friends, now only the cold stone remembered them.

As she walked down the lofty path of death, Applejack approached two taller gravestones side-by-side, they stood silently, infront of a white chariot. They didn’t have names on them, yet she knew, she felt it inside her very bones... these gravestones belonged to her parents.

A whisper screeched out to her from the red mist:

It took her a few moments to realise that it was the voice of Ms. Hollow that spoke those words. A gate? Could it really be?

She suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of pain, the pain of having to raise Apple Bloom on her own. The sky abandoned her, the moon darkened and the clouds evaporated, the centuries old cemetery seeped into an inky blackness.

Before it all faded away, Applejack turned to look over her shoulder, a fresh chill ran down her spine. Hollow was stood, covered in fresh lines of red blood. Hollow hummed a haunting tune to herself and swayed steadily. Her swaying reminded Applejack of all the times her parents had held in their hooves and swayed her in time to the music. Hollow’s eyes were dilated white and the necklace around her neck shone bright red. Applejack never believed she was psychic, but this felt too real to be just a dream.

“Soon you will rest in this place—”

Applejack jolted out of the aquamarine bedclothes and rolled across the floor until her head met with the wall. She wiped the cold sweat from her brow and mouth. For a minute she had forgotten where she was, where she had fallen asleep. Then the warm rays of the sun greeted her from the window on the wall and she could relax on the floor of the hotel. It was just a dream... it was just a dream...

“Thank goodness,” she cried out in relief.

The coastal town of Fillydelphia was in an harmonious uproar, the streets were filled with crowds that cheered. This was the final and decisive race of the Equestrian Five-Hundred. Everypony, after an uneventful sleep were regenerated and filled with energy. They were several decorations all around the city, the Equestrian Five-Hundred was a more prestigious event then everypony first realised. Derpy hammered a nail into a nearby building and flew down to greet her friend Rainbow Dash.

“Hey Rainbow Dash, look at the sign I helped make!” Derpy giggled, and pointed upward. There was a banner across the Fillydelphia gate which read: ‘Cross-Country Race’.

“Uhm... Derpy,” Rainbow Dash scratched her head. “Country has an O in it.”

Everypony was ready and raring to go, however some were more raring than others... Rainbow Dash slipped away from the noise and bustling of the crowds. She flew across the city to meet Comet who waited beneath the Fillydelphia clock tower.

“Thanks for everything Comet. Is this goodbye?” Rainbow Dash said with a pout. She had to race, she had to continue.

“‘Till the next time, there will be a next time, right Rainby?” Comet replied.

“Yes!” Rainbow Dash said overenthusiastically, “but only on one condition: you stop calling me Rainby.” She joked and the two pegasi shared in a hug. Rainbow Dash took flight toward the starting-line and Comet waved her away shyly.

The racers had all gathered on the starting-line, Applejack with Rainbow Dash, Braeburn with Hurricane, Bon-Bon with Derpy and Little Strongheart with Spitfire. This was a fresh start, everypony started from the same spot again. The first team to get both ponies across would win the final five points and claim the title as the fastest ponies in Equestria. Hollow stepped forward with another chequered flag.

“Go!”

The chequered flag was raised and all ten ponies charged from the starting line. A trail of dust left in their wake. They bounced across the grasslands of Fillydelphia, across hilltops and shallow rivers, through silent camps of bandits and through the might of Equestria.

They arrived at Dodge Junction. It wasn’t a stopping point, but the race had the pass through the small outpost. Many ponies there held out cans of water for the ponies to pour on themselves and cool down. In the lead from Dodge Junction were Applejack and Little Strongheart.

“Don’t think because you helped us that one time, I’m going to go easy on your hide.” Little Strongheart said as she raced alongside Applejack.

“I wouldn’t want it any other way, sugarcube.” Applejack replied, they both had determined looks upon their faces. Behind them Hurricane and Rainbow Dash bash against each other in a hasty rush they roll through the sky alongside each other. Through the clouds of Dodge Junction they tumble through the air. They crashed down the barren landscape and both continued to run on hooves.

It seemed like an eternity since they were last here in the desert. Rainbow Dash blasted forward as fast as her wings could fly, as fast as her heart could take. Spitfire with a trail of smoke behind her blasted through the air. Rainbow Dash with a trail of a rainbow curled around Spitfire. The air exploded around them as all the pagasi shot through the skies.

They continued to race across the yellowish land. Brown brushes waved in the wind, they brush past any fast speed tumbleweeds out of their path.

But this time the race had been sabotaged beyond any doubt. Pools of quicksand puddles had being placed all across the barren landscapes of Appleloosa. The race seemed to come to a halt as Braeburn and Applejack had become trapped. The quicksand dragged them down, the more they seemed to pull and further they sank.

To their surprise, nopony helped them help but continued to race.

“Look’s like this is it cuz,” Braeburn thought those would be his last words. But just as his head sank into the sand a grey hoof grabbed his own. Helped arrived in the form of Derpy, who kindly helped the ponies. She pulled Braeburn out first and used her wings to get the power to push him out of the gaping maw of the sand.

“Thanking ye,” Braeburn said with a smile.

“No problem,” Derpy saluted.

“Applejack, grab the rope!” Braeburn lassoed a rope over to her. She grabbed it and continued to sink, Derpy managed to gain enough power to drag Applejack out. Her entire body was capped in wet sand. Derpy wasn’t bothered about winning the race at all, she was just in it for the adventure, but never had she wandered so far from Ponyville before.

Because they were pulled to safety, they lagged behind all the rest. The race was surely over for them. Nevertheless, they didn’t stop. Alongside Derpy they head to the final finish-line, each of them hoped it wasn’t too late.

In Appleloosa, hundreds of ponies had gathered at the final finish-line.

Sunny Rain the cream-coloured news reporter brushed her light-blue mane out of her eyes. She was remarkably calm for all the excitement of the race going on around her. She wore a large pair of technical headphones on her head.

“This is P & E News reporting from the backwater town of Appleloosa. You join us today at the thrilling climax of the Equestria Five-Hundred. At this moment in time we have no reports that ponies have died, although it is most likely that some may have across the dangerous and unforgiving countryside."

"Whoo!" The camera shot was invaded by an excited bystander. Sunny Rain merely blinked and continued regardless...

"While the winners will receive ultimate fame and glory the losers will face merciless shame for the rest of their known lives. As you can see, the racers are fast approaching the finish line, we'll be sure to capture the winners LIVE. This is Sunny Rain, P & E News.”

Sunny Rain was pushed out of the way by several excited bystanders.

Rainbow Dash and Spitfire charged through the air to the finish, both ponies tired as they crossed the finish-line they are quickly handed reefs to place around their head. But their victory need not matter, as it is their earth pony partners who trail behind which will seal the fate of the fastest ponies in Equestria.

Rainbow Dash was a spectator now and cheered on Applejack from the finish-line as the other ponies’ race to Appleloosa, their hooves tired and blisters had formed on the central sulcus of their hooves. But they pushed through the pain barrier. Hurricane, Little Strongheart and Applejack raced alongside each other.

Hurricane descended through the sky to join Applejack on the ground, she flew alongside the athlete. “Hey Applejack, look over there, psyche!” Applejack looked and Hurricane pushed her over with a laugh, that sent Applejack rolling into a pile of dust. Applejack groaned and got up to continue, but realised it was too late; Little Strongheart had already crossed the line, putting her and Spitfire in first place.

Applejack didn’t stop; she dashed straight past Hurricane and made a nasty face at the pegasus as they crossed the line together.

“Second is Applejack and third place was Hurricane,” Hollow declared. Rainbow Dash and Applejack cheered loudly, they were second, but it wasn’t enough to win. Hurricane collapsed with a belated breathe for air. Bon-Bon came in last place but was welcomed with open-hooves by Derpy. The final results are written on the blackboard at Appleloosa:

‘Little Strongheart - Spitfire: 13 Points’
‘Braeburn - Hurricane: 12 Points’
‘Applejack - Rainbow Dash: 9 Points’
‘Bon-Bon - Derpy: 7 Points’

“I declare that the winners of the Equestria Five-Hundred to be none other than Spitfire and Little Strongheart.” Hollow announced on the stage through a microphone. All attention is drawn to Little Strongheart and Spitfire as they are lifted up by the buffaloes to soak up the glory. Sunny Sky rushed towards them with a microphone to try and get an interview. Cameras flash every direction to take pictures of the fastest ponies in Equestria. Everypony seemed relieved it was finally over. But there was outrage at the finish-line, everypony shouted words of hate to each other.

“Tain't fair,” Braeburn stammered for air, “some foal was cheatin’ for the whole race.”

“It wasn’t a fair race; the results don’t reflect the true winners.” Bon-Bon retorted.

“Hurricane is the cheat!” Rainbow Dash accused her rival; she had supposedly worked it all out. Hurricane landed infront of Rainbow Dash with a thud and growled directly in her face.

“It’s Zecora; she was the one who found the itching powder.” Another placed the blame, suddenly all ten racers come to gather infront of the Appleloosa clock tower once more, after racing five-hundred miles they still had the energy to argue.

“You want to know who I think is the cheat...” Hurricane pauses backed into a corner, “You! Ms. Hollow.” Hurricane points as the mysterious Ms. Hollow as she stepped out of the darkness her eye gleamed in the shadows of the tall tower.

“You are the only pony who had access to all the races and all the teams, the host of the race is the cheat! This whole race was a clever trap set by you. You were trying to get us all killed.” Everypony turns to look at the silent Ms. Hollow, the scarlet psychic pony waves a hoof,

“You have the wrong filly,” Hollow replied and laughed pettily.

“Pegasi shit!” Hurricane cursed angrily.

“You’ve been messin’ ‘round with that earpiece of yours for two days now.” Applejack pointed at Hollow’s ear.

Hollow retrieved a nasty laugh. “This thing? This earpiece is it what I wore to know where everypony was. To keep track of you all, so if you were in danger I could say the word and the Wonderbolts would be dispatched to save you. This earpiece is the reason why Rainbow Dash was saved by Comet in the first place.”

“It’s true,” Spitfire confirmed it.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash slipped away from the discord of angry voices. Something reflected the sunlight in Rainbow Dash’s eye; it caused her to look over.

“Hey wait, everypony stop!” Rainbow Dash shouted. That shut them all up. As everypony stopped still for a moment, Rainbow Dash pointed to another empty can of itching powder that reflected the sun. “Over there!” All eight racers looked in her direction; in uproar they chased the real culprit. They followed a trail of itching powder. Applejack kicked over three barrels to find they were three little fillies inside...

“What!?” Everypony shouted together. Apple Bloom, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon all fell out of the three barrels, each of the three fillies held walkie-talkies in their hooves.

“You sabotaged the races?” Even Hollow was surprised.

“Wait just darn a minute...” Applejack marched up to her little sister with a stern face, was it possible her little sister did all this? “Apple Bloom, is this true?”

Apple Bloom itched her nose and sneezed before she answered.

“Yeah... it’s true.” She said and smiled awkwardly up at all eight ponies. “I just, I didn’t want you to go Applejack, I wanted to spend more time with you during the summer holidays. So I asked for their help and we followed you. I was in Appleloosa, Silver Spoon in Cloudsdale and Diamond Tiara was in Fillydelphia. We got the itching powder and the glue from the school, and to make the quicksand we only needed the saltwater of the ocean.”

“Apple Bloom you put us all in danger!” Applejack shouted in anger, she was angrier than ever. “You are so grounded little missy. When we get back to Sweet Apple Acres you’re gonna get punish—

“Ahh! Silver Spoon, you got itching powder in my fur!” Apple Bloom complained and itched her head wildly.

“At least you don’t smell like a fish,” Diamond Tiara retorted and stuck her tongue out in disgust. When Diamond Tiara got up she dragged Silver Spoon with her, the two fillies were to be glued together.

Applejack wanted to scold her little sister who cowered in a corner, but now she couldn’t help but smile.

“Looks like they got their just desserts,” Hurricane said with a nasty chuckle.

"Well don't we all look foolish?" Applejack turned to everypony else.

“You know, we were all too busy placin’ the blame on each other that we forgot to have fun.” Little Strongheart said and looked down to the sand.

They had gotten so hot and flustered over who would win the race, and who was cheating, they hadn't realised just what a world adventure they had all been on. This was an adventure they had enjoyed as one. Braeburn triggered a wave of laughter from all ten ponies, and soon everypony couldn’t help but laugh uncontrollably including Apple Bloom, Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara.

“You travelled the world alone?” Applejack asked Apple Bloom.

“Yeh! Am not a baby anymore.” Apple Bloom said and showed everypony her cutie mark. Apple Bloom was grown up and Applejack had to accept that now.

“Wait, how did youse three get to Appleloosa before us?” Hurricane questioned the three fillies.

“We used the Appleloosa Express, you know, the one the stallions pull? It’s faster than a hot air balloon you know.” Diamond Tiara replied cockily.

Applejack turned to Rainbow Dash.

“Well Rainbow Dash, we didn't win but we gave it our all." Applejack shared in a hoof bump with Rainbow Dash.

“You know... for once I don’t think I’m bothered. I met Comet, he was worth losing for.” Rainbow Dash replied.

“Rainbow Dash is in love, Rainbow Dash is in love!” Apple Bloom and Silver Spoon sang in unison and danced around her.

“Am not!” Rainbow Dash retorted childishly but couldn’t help to blush slightly.

That night the racers all gathered around a campfire, the crickets chirped and the owls hooted. The stars were like diamonds on black velvet and twinkling in the peaceful sky above. As the Equestria Five-Hundred came to a close in Appleloosa, the warmth from the campfire brought them all together. Someponies even roasted marshmallows on sticks. Apple Bloom, free from the itching, cuddled up to her older sister. Rainbow Dash wore a cowgirl hat and sunglasses as she laid beside the fire. Derpy sat and fed herself marshmallows. Little Strongheart was reunited with Chief Thunderhooves. They all shared in their tales of their part in the race. It had been quite the world adventure, they had seen sights they had never seen before and most importantly, they had made friends from all over Equestria. The smoke from the campfire hurled up into the air as the laughter continued into the early hours of the night.

Afterward...

All the others, including Apple Bloom, had made their own way home. Ms. Hollow, Applejack and Rainbow Dash were the only ones to have remained here and were still gathered around the campfire. They enjoyed the cosy fire after the race and rested their hooves after a couple of long days. Each pony was memorized by the fire as the flames dance and crackle while burning through the wooden logs.

Hollow sighed happily and leaned back. She stared up at the waning gibbous moon above them.

“Hmm, it’s a full moon tomorrow.” She said to herself and looked up at the stars. A cold breeze blew through the camp, Hollow’s necklace tinkled in the wind, then it neck illuminated bright red. Hollow’s body stiffened up and her eyes dilated to white.

“You have to leave...” Ms. Hollow whimpered under her breath, she turned to face her new friends.

“What’s that now sugarcube?” Applejack sat up.

“You must leave... you don’t want to be here, tomorrow.” Hollow said, images flashed through her eyes. Her head twitched as she watched the events to what is to come.

“Why? Whut happens tomorrow?” Rainbow Dash did a spin in the air.

“The gate... it is opening. Right now. Can’t you hear it?” Hollow paused to shed a salty tear.

Suddenly the campfire extinguished itself and the air grew eerie. Rainbow Dash took off her cowgirl hat and sunglasses, her mouth gaped open slightly. Applejack suddenly got a cold shiver down her back. Applejack didn’t believe in all this black voodoo... but now she began to second guess herself. Hollow approached them as she gets the vision.

“Rainbow Dash, you have forgotten the letter. Whatever happens, you mustn’t read it.” Both of the ponies listen to psychic pony intently, salty tears stream from the scarlet ponies’ eyes; it seemed painful to receive such a vision.

“In the future I can see the blackest of darkness’s... one born from the moon, one pony-kind has faced before; returning to vanquish all past sins,” she whispered in her vision.

“Darkness... darkness, darkness!” Hollow repeated over and over again, her hooves shook with both fear and from the cold air around them.

“I think that’s our warning. Let’s head home. Ponyville might be in peril.” Applejack said and nodded to Rainbow Dash.

“Right!”

“Thank ya for everything, Hollow.” Applejack tipped her hat. Rainbow Dash took flight and Applejack followed her closely behind. They jump into the basket of the hot air balloon. The engine stirred and fire rages from the pilot light.

The visioness Hollow watched the friends sail back to Ponyville.

“Woe to Ponyville, Woe to all Equestria. Its darkest hour is nigh. Indeed, the oldest adversary of all ponies... is returning."

To...
Be...
Continued...

My Little Pony: Time is Forever™ will return...
Soon...
With the midseason finale...

‘Equestria’s darkest hour is nigh.’

Notes:
Did you follow the clues, do you know what’s behind the gate? This is your last chance to decipher them.
Fillydelphia is only mentioned and not seen in the actual show, I tried to make Fillydelphia look the way Philadelphia does in real life: near the coast with the bell tower and the river running through it. I decided to create my own version of it based on the image from the official world map.
Ms. Hollow does have a first name, but it’s a secret.
A recurring joke with OC's is that there are only there to get into bed with the mane six, hence Comet's joke about packing only one bed.
It should be noted that in the original draft of this episode Hurricane died at Neighagra Falls. This was meant to be her last episode. She becomes too useful as a character in later episodes to kill now.
Ace Swift and the Equestrian Five-Hundred are both inspired from another fimfic named Turnabout Storm.

Ponyville's Shadow (Pilot Part 1 - 2)

Ponyville's Shadow

Pilot Part 1 - 2

'Time... it always flows, it never stops and just like magic... it lasts forever.'
~ Star Swirl the Bearded

She stood alone.

She was a unicorn shadowed even in the light amidst the Canterlot Labyrinth. Made from shadow, she lurked in the shade and haunted the blackest wells of midnight. Her green mane ruffled in the cold wind as her emerald eyes opened; she threw a glance upward. There stood the statue of Discord — the spirit of chaos — placed on a cylindrical plinth. After several failed attempts at villainy and redemption, Discord returned to stone after been unable to control his urge for chaos.

Mentally prepared and with frown she tapped on the statue with her grey hoof. The events of the past were certain to bring about Discord's final resurrection. The time was now. This was the fruition to all her efforts. The stone vessel shifted, cracked and divided down the centre.

"The time has come; the prophecy must be fulfilled.”

In the throne of Canterlot sat a tyrant to some, but a beacon of trust to most. Princess Celestia had a desire to be a good and meaningful pony. She wanted to wave a ray of light upon an otherwise foreboding world, a desire she felt yet to have fulfilled.

What have I ever done to justify my life? Celestia thought. One would think being a princess would be filled with shining gowns and gala’s. Unfortunately, her royal duties prevented her from actually bonding with others. She had to remain... distant.

The empty halls of her royal chambers laid before her all gently lit by stained-glass windows. Furnished stone halls filled with history and red royal carpets fabricated from linen of harmony stretched across the centre aisle.

A clash, and then a flash of lightning from outside illuminated the castle. The white light flickered through the windows and caused twisted black shadows to creep across the floor. They were storm clouds over Canterlot.

“Sister,” a comforting voice interrupted Celestia's thoughts.

Hooves echoed as Luna entered. Upon arrival she locked the royal doors with a magical padlock. She extinguished all the candles with a wisp of air from her horn.

Luna brought that feeling of completeness to Celestia, she was the fruition of all of Celestia's work and teachings that friendship is magic; insofar her sister was a beacon of hope or a memory which made one smile. Celestia greeted her sister in the middle of the royal chambers, it would be improper for her to sit on the throne when both sisters were present.

Luna trotted past over the twisted shadows and greeted Celestia with a regal curtsy. Luna held a book which she levitated through the air with her magic.

"It fell from the sky," Luna said as they both peered at the title of the book:

"I believe it is from another time entirely. It speaks of events which have yet to happen: great danger and perilous pastures. Its named 'time is forever' and written by somepony with the initials ‘PC'. Betwixt two pages there was a single spell." Luna passed the book to Celestia who flicked through the book's pages with her magic.

Celestia cleared her throat before she said, “I know not the purpose of this text or what this spell does; it is not what I can understand." As she scanned through the pages, something in the book caught Celestia's eye.

Her magic slammed the book with such power dust exploded out of the pages.

"We must lock it away, conceal it and tell nopony where we have hidden it. An enchantment will be placed upon it, so neither of us will remember the bane written upon those accursed pages.” The sight of the spell tarnished her voice which now croaked with a sprinkle of fear. Without a doubt the spell was sinful in purpose, the pale black aura that surrounded it proved as much.

Even Luna's eyes filled with fear now. A book so powerful in its text that Celestia herself dare not remember the contents. It was incredibly old and the parchment had decayed and torn on all sides.

Luna said, "The details of this spell shall remain preserved then. ‘Tis the earliest spell written since the epoch of Equestria, too powerful for even us to use, my sister."

Luna's voice was usually commanding, much like a rulers should be, but today she spoke softly. Her gentle words comforted her sister and reminded her that they were better than fear. Luna placed the book into a cylindrical glass container. It sealed tightly and gleamed with dark arcane energies.

"What else concerns you?" Celestia asked. She saw her sister's twitching and uneasiness.

“I'm afraid I have even darker news, sister. The Elements of Harmony have lost their power.” Luna returned with regret.

“I feared as much. A dark day is coming. Something evil is on the horizon," Celestia said as she gazed out of the window at the storm. "It has been seven years since the Elements of Harmony were last used, perhaps they have gone into a type of hibernation. As I suspect, it is if something is draining them from within. We can no longer be around them when they are used lest they drain our strength, leaving Equestria defenceless,” Celestia said with a final deep sigh. She undoubtedly kept the Elements of Harmony safely locked away inside a vault only the horn of an alicorn can unlock.

“Our enemies know the Elements of Harmony have darkened. We're already defenceless. If we're not prepared Canterlot will be in full-scale war,” Luna said and swallowed nervously. Celestia held her hoof up and commanded silence without words, the darkness of the chamber made her look more malevolent.

“I am well aware sister, I have made the necessary preparations.”

On the corridor outside the royal chambers stood Twilight Sparkle, who trembled like a leaf against the wind. Her erect ears pressed against the stone wall. She had overheard everything. It wasn’t the only time she had overheard them in conference, she had done it once before during the Crystal Empire fiasco.

Once an alicorn, it was Twilight's duty to go to conferences such as these, Celestia had given Twilight her wings seven years ago. Although Twilight gracefully rejected the wings after they alienated her from her friends. Princess Celestia had called her to the conference some time ago, Twilight had arrived early and unexpectedly found a magical lock on the royal door. Something was going on. Something they weren't telling her. Her curiosity peaked when she overheard the princesses voices.

Twilight’s eyebrows lowered into a scowl and her mind raced. It was rude to eavesdrop, but greater concerns filled her mind now. A book from the future, Canterlot in full-scale war, the Elements of Harmony darkened, the earliest spell in Equestria? What is going on?

She cycled through all the spells she had ever become accustom to, cataloging through her memories to recall the most powerful. Logical thinking lead to two conclusions: The Elements of Harmony, the most powerful magic known to ponydom or the time spells. If the time spells were to be misused they could rewrite the entire history of Equestria, or utterly ruin it without so much of the flick of a horn. Surely, no pony would be so abhorrent to do such a thing... Would they? Perhaps this 'spell' was why the urgent conference was arranged?

Twilight reminded herself that she wasn't meant to be heard, lest she be seen and caught she could be hanged for eavesdropping. Celestia wouldn’t do that though... would she? Such thoughts sent a shiver down her spine.

Her eyes shot open, startled by yet another roar of thunder that followed the lightning.

They spoke again. Twilight could faintly hear the fear in their voices and now she felt the fear in her own heart. She again placed her skull anxiously against the wall and heard every unusual word spoken...

“This spell is too unpredictable to be destroyed. Rue the day when it will be used. I will hide it as you instructed,” Luna said. The contents of the spell were known only to them.

“I bid you farewell my sister,” said Luna with a regal curtsy. With their royal duties completed, she turned to take her leave with a grievous grin. She inserted her horn in the magical lock and with a twist it smashed from the door. She levitated the glass jar with the spell inside and commanded it to move forward. A final flash lightning briefly illuminated the royal palace as she took her leave. Thankfully Luna had departed in the opposite direction. She had missed Twilight.

Twilight had overheard enough; she needed to know the truth. She entered the eerie royal chamber and headed to the throne. She had overheard every word but she kept the information hidden within.

“Princess Celestia, I came as soon as you called!” Twilight said. She tried not to appear flustered. She had met with Celestia a dozen times, but none were as disquieting as this. Twilight wondered to herself, what was so urgent it required a lonesome visit?

Princess Celestia smiled, not an honest smile but a smile to cover up the fear underneath. She was signing papers and filled her lungs and exhaled with a drained sigh. She placed the quill down with her magic.

“Twilight, my most faithful student. I’m afraid because of coming events, your time in Ponyville is nearing an end...” Princess Celestia spoke with regret because she felt like a fiend for saying such callous words.

“W-what?” Twilight stammered and she stepped backward, aghast by the information. Such unspoken words caused Twilight’s thoughts to wash around in her head. What did I do wrong?, she thought. “I can’t stay in Ponyville anymore?”

Celestia placed down her paper with her magic and said, “Only for a short while longer, you have learnt more than enough. But now the time has come for you to return home—”

“But Ponyville is my home now. I've been there now for ten years, it's a big part of my life now! You’re going to let me go, just like that?” Twilight said sternly. She had to defend her place in Ponyville. Why was Celestia doing this? What was going to happen?

Her confused eyes glanced at all the gleaming stained glass windows. Many of the windows depicted herself and her best friends saving Luna from the screaming psyche Nightmare Moon. There was a window dedicated to Cadance and Shining Armors magical feat that banished the changelings to the Badlands and even one of Spike and the Crystal Heart. Each escapade represented on those windows brought back such meaningful memories: some good, some bad. Are all these memories soon to cease? Celestia gave a look of complete seriousness, possibly the most serious look Twilight had ever seen.

“Please understand, everything I do is to protect you. I exist in case you or any part of Equestria needs to be protected,” Celestia said, she rose from out of her throne to join Twilight in the palace proper. Her student's progress was another reason that gave her justification to live. But the princess had to remain distant because of this very eventuality. She could read the confusion on Twilight's face without a second glance from the way her eyes flickered.

“Something is coming," she said. Celestia never dreamt it would come to this, she had to tell her student. "I suppose now is the right time to tell you the truth..."

Afloat above a silent sunlit moor, Fluttershy hummed a familiar and cheerful tune to herself. She flew through the air with a basket weaved from straw in her mouth inside of which were an assortment of bright and juicy ruby-coloured berries with short pedicels. She settled atop a beautiful grassy hill and landed gracefully. It was among her favourite spots, not to mention it was utterly peaceful and far from the hustling and bustling life of Ponyville. Peaceful enough even for Fluttershy’s standards. Dotted among the many hills were numerous burrows which peaceful bunnies reside in. She bowed her head and happily gave a small set of likeable bunnies the hamper of berries to eat.

“There you go, some for you as well... um... make sure you share,” she said quietly with a smile. Fluttershy was always there for the little animals of Equestria, her kind heart made sure there was plenty for all. The bunnies darted forward, munching into the juicy fruit as if having been starved, sucking the juice off the remaining skins. Fluttershy studied the sky from atop the hillside. Menacing clouds were brewing on the horizon from the direction of Canterlot and there was certainly a chilly breeze becoming. The storm wasn’t scheduled, but the weather team must have decided to let it pass over.

Fluttershy turned with a gasp. A single bush rustled. She quivered in new-found fright and slowly backed away, away from it.

“W-who’s there?” she said with a quiet whimper. She froze on the spot. Anything could be in the bush — a poisonous snake, or a bloodsucking moth-spider?! It could attack and bite repeatedly, It would be a slow and steady pain, not a quick one. The bunnie rabbits hopped away from the danger with quiet squeaks.

"No... please come back, d-dont leave me alone," Fluttershy melwed and slowly backed away. "Maybe if I close my eye it'll go away," she said and squeezed her eyes shut.

What emerged however was a creature from Fluttershy’s worst nightmares, the small foliage couldn’t contain the ominous threatening shadow which lurked inside. Emerging from foliage a shadow portentously and magically rose up into the air. Fluttershy opened one of her eyes to take take, the shadow pulsated and rumbled in Fluttershy's hazy vision, then it jolted forward, horn ablaze with magic.

Fluttershy's screams came across the moss-covered hills...

Twilight’s ears flopped down. Her hoof to stabbed at the marble floor. She couldn’t believe what she had just heard. A lightning strike caused the royal palace to flicker with light.

Celestia wrapped her wing around Twilight and they both gazed at the stained glass window of Nightmare Moon's defeat.

“When my sister Luna twisted into the maladroit Nightmare Moon, it was because of her foreboding jealousy which gripped her and mercilessly consumed her into a beast beyond all control. But there is a similar kind of darkness, a worse kind of darkness, worse than even Nightmare Moon,” Celestia said.

“What are you saying?” Twilight said and swallowed nervously, she couldn’t quite understand, she had a thousand questions, but this was the first.

“I’m saying there is a vast well of darkness trapped underneath Ponyville. I believe the enemies of Canterlot will try and release the darkness — in whatever form it take — while the Elements of Harmony have no power,” Celestia said as she broke the hug with Twilight, giving her distance to think.

Celestia saw her students eyes narrow; Twilight gazed at her like some monster, it hurt. Never had she wanted to hurt the feelings of others, especially her own student. Perhaps the princess should’ve kept more distant over the years to have avoided further complications. She had become attached to Twilight but she still had utmost faith in her, they will have to face the strain on their relationship together.

“Well...” Twilight paused and breathed deeply to try and slow her heart to a steady calm. There was no reason to get angry or malcontent. Celestia gave her a home and lead her to her five best friends, she gave her a purpose other than to study.

“What is this 'darkness' and how come I’ve never heard of it?” Twilight said, she could only obliged to return Celestia's kindness after all these years.

“Just as the opposite of harmony is chaos. The opposite of light is the darkness. Its sheer unfathomed depth of power is enough to put everypony in danger, including you. Which is why you are to be relocated,” Celestia said with a pause.

Twilight paced up and down the royal palace. My time Ponyville was only permanent after we stopped Nightmare Moon. Now I have to leave Ponyville to protect it from a 'vast well of darkness?'. What about everypony else in Ponyville? Twilight thought. There was much more to it than just that, Celestia wasn't telling her the whole truth and she knew it.

“How can we stop the darkness?” Twilight said.

Celestia addressed her more personally by using her horn to create six magical images of the Elements of Harmony, the images were darker than usual and slowly rotated around Twilight.

“It is of utmost importance that you rekindle the Elements of Harmony and stop those seeking to release the darkness, lest it descend upon us," Celestia said.

Twilight watches the six holograms of the Elements lit up with a bright and powerful light before fading away. Equestria was vulnerable and their enemies would surely take this opportunity to extract revenge against their many times of defeat.

“I’ll try my best to help, but what can I do?” Twilight said. If only Celestia didn't talk in such riddles and gave direct instructions...

“The only way to rekindle the Elements of Harmony is through the magic of friendship. Return to where you first found the Elements, to the ruined castle deep within the Everfree Forest. Only there will you find the answers you seek.”

Far across lands unnamed and kingdoms lost the Diamond Dog leaders had perturbed in an old mine shaft. The mine was dug by their own honed claws and connected by raised tunnels held with wooden beams. The cavern had within it mining equipment and carts purposely designed to run on track, but in this case, with no track available, they had to be pushed through the tunnels atop the dirt. Dimly lit lanterns covered the walls; the light flicked the shadows of the Diamond Dogs upon the cavern walls.

The Diamond Dogs chuckled amongst themselves in the hollowed cavern. They dug amongst the covered cavern walls, they sought only gemstones, to eat, to keep, to admire. Each of the three leaders, Rover, Spot and Fido dug their sharp claws into the dirt, their tongues hanging out of their mouths, eager to see what riches were inside the walls.

“We wants it,” Rover said with a snigger. He dug desperately with his claws. Rover the dog wore a red jacket upon his study shoulders; his jagged grin wasn't matched by cunning, only stupidity. However he didn’t care much for getting his claws dirty. Inside the cavern was also Spot, the smallest in the group who can outrun most others. Then there was Fido who the strongest with his steadfast arms that can shatter boulders. They watched in awe as beneath the rock laid shiny silver and dazzling aquamarine gems.

“They stole it from us, but we found more,” Rover chuckled. His tail wagged from his rump, the dogs were unintelligent and easily outwitted, whether it be for a horde of gems or for their own services.

Rover lifted up the gemstone, they'd hit the mother lode, riches they had previously unseen. In the reflection of the gleaming gemstone, Rover noticed a shadowy figure lurked behind them. The Diamond Dogs turned around unthreatened by the silent appearance of this assailant. It was a grey unicorn with a grin affixed upon her lips. The unnamed unicorn brushed her shoulders off from the dirt and mud.

“It has been many years since I had to smell that vile stench upon your breath,” she said. “The war ended several years ago, yet you dogs never changed. Nevertheless, we can still help each other.” She spoke. She knew these creatures were far too feral to put up any decent disapproval of her plan.

The lanterns that flickered etched the shadow of this unicorn upon the cavern wall. The shadow on the wall got ominous larger as the unicorn drew closer.

“Come with me...” her voice said as it beckoned the Diamond Dogs.

The storm arrived in Ponyville that evening. The rain fell in torrents except at occasional intervals, when it was blown by a violent gust of wind that rattled along the cottages roof-tops. The measly flames of the lanterns struggled against the dark and the bitter biting cold. The ghastly wind bashed loudly against the rooftop of the library, it whistled mercilessly. Inside bright candles lit the main hall. The Library—an entanglement of a tree and a building—had become a temporary and robust shelter against the storm.

“What do you mean, 'she just fainted'?!” Rarity exclaimed sat inside the main library hall. With the combined rescue efforts of Rainbow Dash and Pinkie, she had just being brought Fluttershy. They had carried her all the way here through the storm and committed her to a bedroll in the main hall.

“I dunno, she was all lightsy outsy,” Pinkie Pie said still smiling. Pinkie Pie was born with the gift of laughter and a sense that the world was mad. Rarity rolled her eyes knowing that’s the most satisfying answer she’ll get from Pinkie, she inspected her injured friend.

Fluttershy was exhausted, her hooves shook and sweat dropped from her brow even though a cold breeze blew in from outside. Their eyebrows lowered with worry, thankfully, despite their worst fears, Fluttershy only sustained a minor sprain accompanied by an irritating red rash upon her hoof.

“Oh, Fluttershy, you've taken quite the fall. Fortunately my dear, I believe you’re going to be just fine." With a flick of her horn Rarity carefully levitated and wrapped a waxen bandage around her friends hoof with faultless care. Fluttershy resisted only slightly and groaned as the bandage was tightly wrapped around the small graze. “It must have been quite the traumatic ordeal. Can you remember what happened?”

Fluttershy shivered in the bedroll. “There was... a shadow,” Fluttershy said and mewled.

“You mean to say you got scared of your own shadow again?” Rainbow Dash returned.

“Um... no, this one was scarier and... mean," Fluttershy said to defend herself. She couldn't have described it any better. “It entered the Everfree Forest. That's the last thing I saw before everything went dark," she said timidly with a squeal and pulled the blanket over her head. But the bed provided little comfort from the harrowing experience. Fluttershy's hair stood up on end, afraid that the mental image would scar her if she dared to remember.

“‘Scarier and mean?’” Pinkie Pie repeated confused.

“I knew it! Something's going on,” Rainbow Dash said and stridently interrupted and twirled up into the air. “First Applejack disappears, then Twilight's called to see Princess Celestia and now this. I hate being in the dark. We have to do something you guys, we have to act, for all we know Applejack could be anywhere,” Rainbow Dash said. She'd suspected something for awhile.

“We should go find them,” Fluttershy replied. This was the first time she was hearing about Applejack’s disappearance. It was something which only added to the catalogue of concerns. Fluttershy got up ready to aid her friends, but after her first step—and putting pressure on her hoof—she immediately tumbled back to the floor.

“No, no, goodness no! You’re too unwell to go anywhere dear, you must rest. Besides, the storm is simply too vicious to go out in.” Rarity helped her friend back up, she supported her friends weight and lifted her up in tow. Fluttershy wobbled on her hooves, she felt foolish along with the powerlessness. She wanted to act. Still clearly shaken by the experience everypony guided back into bed.

Unmoved by the ordeal, Rainbow Dash flew away just a huge rumble of thunder shook the entire library with unease.

“Where do you think you’re going?” said Rarity, while she continued to tend to Fluttershy.

“I have to know what’s going on,” Rainbow Dash said and flew up to balcony door, she peered through the pane of glass to see the rain that pattered against the window. She nudged it open to gain access to the balcony. The rain storm raged outside, its power could be felt even inside the library. When the window swung open a turbulent of wind gushed into the hall, and brushed up any loose papers or books. The cold was felt immediately upon her coat.

“Going out there is lunacy!” Rarity shouted up to her friend, she couldn’t bear to see another friend injured.

"She’s right Dashie. You can’t go out there in the storm, it's crazy and dangerous,” Pinkie Pie said and then gasped. "It's crazygerous!"

"That's not a real word. Besides you guys, pegasi deal with storms on a regular basis, outfling lightning is all part of the job descrption. Not to mention we're talking about the fastest pony in Equestria here. I can look after myself,” Rainbow Dash said with a daring pose and dismissed her friend’s concerns. She placed some goggles upon her head by stretching the elastic around her face. With a look of determination, the goggles snapped upon her eyes. When she stared out across the balcony at the storm outside, she hesitated only slightly. Could she really do it? Could she really take the plunge into an uncontrollable storm? She flapped her wings and took flight from the balcony. The unyielding wind immediately weaved her around slightly but she gained the wind under her wing. She flew into the sinister storm, without any sort of suit for protection from the lightning. Rainbow Dash disappeared in the murk of the rain, just as a sudden flurry of wind slammed the balcony doors shut...

In the proximity of Ponyville, perched high along a cliffside rested a wooden cabin. As the raindrops pattered they bashed against the wooden exterior of a silent wooden cabin, a wagon designed to allow the occupants to travel. But in the current condition of the rain and the mud and landslides from the overbearing cliff; the cabin remained stationary.

Inside the cabin, a once great and powerful pony sat at her oaken vanity table. She placed down a midnight wizard hat, decorated with golden and silver twinkling stars, upright upon the desk. Her cloak still remained upon her body, but half loose, as if this pony had lost care for self-appearance. She picked up a hairbrush with the magic from her unicorn horn and used it to comb her unwashed white mane. At her own reflection, she saw a face of a broken pony. Humiliation was a popular metaphor for her life, at least, that was what she thought. She still faced the shattered bane of her defeat, and the losses in her life, even after all those many years.

Abruptly the wooden door to the cabin swung open violently. It crashed against the side of the cabin with a nasty clatter. With a heavy flash of lightning a grey unicorn entered without enticement.

“Well, well, well, the great and powerful Trixie. Not so great after all are you?” The arrogance in this ponies ominous tone of voice was almost enough to match Trixie’s own boasting abilities.

“And who, pray tell, are you? Are you a changeling?” Trixie’s thoughts changed to one of more pressing matters. She didn’t turn; instead, she spoke to the pony through the fragmented reflection in the arched mirror. Dozens of distorted reflections and dazzling green eyes stared back at her.

“I’m not quite a changeling,” she said and held up her hoof, it was intact without the holes in it. “But If you're willing to work for it, I am somepony that can offer you... revenge.” The shadow pony then proceeded to use her green magic to levitate a nearby book and fiddle through the pages.

“Magic... I learned all my magic from Twilight Sparkle.”

Trixie parted with a muted gasp.

“Revenge on her and the entire town that humiliated you several times over,” she said and grinned, her voice echoed the hatred of many more than just herself. This unicorn knew much about Trixie’s past, too much. She slammed the book shut with her magic, tiny particles of dust blew out.

“Surely you jest? What a preposterous plan,” Trixie said with distaste.

“Yet it is one which seems to be working... unlike your many attempts to impress others. How's that alicorn amulet?" the unnamed unicorn taunted with a nasty grin.

"You think you can best me with that?!" Trixie parted with a disgusted grunt. She stared at the herself through the mirror image and she hoped her reflection would have answers. Thoughts of her past returned to her, thoughts of her humiliation from the inhabitants of Ponyville. She gave it much thought, but the opportunity to get her revenge had already passed. She had tried to show them that she was the most powerful mare in Equestria, with none greater than herself, but she never wanted to hurt others. She glanced down at her own two blue hooves, never again did she want incredible magical power.

Trixie smiled before she gave her answer and said, "The great and powerful Trixie will not accept such an offer," she replied and continued to brush her white mane.

“Why ever not?” The dark unicorn bashed her hoof down on the stilted cabin floor.

“Because Trixie is not a bad pony... not anymore," she replied arrogantly, refusing to be recruited. She wasn’t going to help a strange pony she'd never even met. Trixie had more sense than that and revenge did not entice her as much as she first believed, especially if it involved physically hurting other ponies. That was something she never intended to do. She still had common sense beyond her many flaws.

“We'll see about that,” the unicorn said and suddenly marched nearer a snarl upon her face, as both her sparkling magic and scowling green eyes glowed brightly. The sound of a struggle ensued. They were thuds against the interior of the cabin wall, broken items thrown against the floor, the sound of Trixie's hair brush that dropped to the floor. Then the mirror shattered into a thousand pieces.

Rainbow Dash flew through the storm clouds. The rain pattered against her coat like tiny pins against the skin. It was painful, but not unbearable. The descending storm continued to rumble with loud clashes and thunder which roared louder than even a Manticore. Cold and alone with only the goggles to protect her eyes from the torrent of the rain, she tried her best to fight against the wind, her wings flapped hard. Perhaps this wasn’t the best of ideas after all, infact it was downright idiotic. Rainbow Dash's foolhardiness showed once more, but only through idiocy do heroes shine. As Rainbow Dash flew through the grey clouds her eyebrows scowled. She twisted and turned through the clouds almost like a ballet with the lightning. The rain hit against the goggles making it near impossible to see, but the darkness was the most pressing ordeal, keeping out any source of light futility waning against it.

Through the flashes of the sheet lightning which struck from cloud to cloud. Rainbow Dash paused mid-air and saw the silhouette of a creature flying through the storm alongside her. With each flash of lightning the figure drew closer. Rainbow thought it to be the shadow that attack Fluttershy... until she heard a whisper in the distance.

“Rainbow Dassssh...” it said. A devious but equally playful chuckling emitted from within the storm clouds. Rainbow Dash continued to hover as rain mercilessly patters upon her mane, at first the pegasus believed it to be the whistling of the wind, but her eyes did not lie. She was not alone... something was in the clouds with her. If only the rain would slow to a drizzle she would be able to see through the goggles better.

“Who’s there?! Show yourself!” she shouted into the thunderstorm perplexed as another faint hysterical chuckle emitted from all directions. The clouds around her suddenly become increasingly claustrophobic. Dashie then suddenly recognised the superciliousness of the chuckling.

“No... not you!”

A blinding jolt of lightning consumed her eyesight; her ears rang and burst beyond their limit with the sound of the lightning. Then her fur burnt, the lightning had electrocuted her. It used her body as a conductor, and shot off from her light blue body to dance with the black clouds. The electricity made her limbs lifeless and she fell in midair. Her eyes closed, she free-fell backward through the sky leaving a trail of smoke behind her.

She tumbled unconscious through the air, twisting and turning, there was no chance she could catch the wind on her wings now, she was too low. Her limbs shook violently through the torrent of wind, her eyelids simply would not open and even if they could she would be temporarily blinded by the flash. Even her ears rung from the deep clap of thunder, all she heard now was an annoying high-pitched buzzing it both ears. Her fur singed. She remained unresponsive; her body felt like it was burning even in the cold.

Before nearly reaching the ground she opened her eyes, if only slightly. The spark of life was still inside of her somewhere. Below all she could see was the ground getting closer. Was this it?, she thought. The fall would kill her and deep inside she knew it. Trapped inside her own unresponsive body there was no way to stop her fate now.

Her limp body suddenly landed on something soft. Her body sank within the soft surface. She figured this was the soft bed of death beckoning to her...

Then her eyes opened and realisation kicked in. She was still alive. She shakily got up on a soft pink surface. Raindrops fell upon the bouncy almost latex surface, it was the hot air balloon! Her friends had caught her on top of it, just in time.

“Y-you, you saved me... you c-caught me,” she said with a stammer, shaken from her fall with death. Inside the basket of the balloon below, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and even Fluttershy — who had regained some of her vigour — flew the hot air balloon low to the ground. Rainbow Dash got up relieved to still be alive, renewed with a new sense for life.

The torrents of wind made it hard to even control the balloon. It grabbed the balloon and ragged it around violently; even more so when the rain gained power along the wind. The humidity almost blew out the pilot-light. Everypony knew if the light went out they would crash, not the mention the thunder could strike the airborne vehicle at any moment. Was it an act of madness that they were flying through in a hot air balloon, in a thunderstorm, or an act of kindness to attempt to save their friend on a suicide mission?

“We couldn’t leave you out here in the cold alone now could we?” Rarity shouted over the sound of the storm to her friend, brave words from a pony whom feared the rain and muddy puddles.

“Arr!” Pinkie Pie suddenly popped up out of the basket with a wooden sword. “It's like we're pirates... sky pirates!” she said with woundless glee and waved the wooden sword around. “Where are we headed anyway?”

“To the ruins in the Everfree Forest; it's the only place the shadow could've gone,” Fluttershy said using the pilot-light fire to warm her hooves.

“Quickly then... to the ruins!” Rarity shouted and pulled the chain tautly to release more gas which heated the pilot-light, and pointed a hoof outward as they headed into the abyss.

In a small secluded valley where little light shone and flowers never bloomed. There stood a single lonely and lifeless tree without any leaves to call its own. Only a sturdy chain connected to a branch of the tree rattled in the valley. The chain held in place a red punching bag which from dangled from the mangled and twisted branch. A flair of golden fists smashed against the leather bag and caused it to swing making the chain rattle against the bark of the tree. Another round of relentless golden fists crunched into the bag with more clout each hit. They smashed the heavy bag without mercy until it snapped clean off the branch and crashed upon the grass.

“Oh yeah, I've still got it!” a hoarse voice said, and pierced the silence in the valley, the sound of a heavily breathing followed. There stood a unique, violent and unpredictable creature that squawked proudly.

“Gilda... Gilda the Griffon, I presume?” A new more malevolent voice called out. It emanated from behind her. As Gilda admired her muscles she turned her head, cracking the bones in her neck as she does. Sweat dropped from her brow as her amber eyes scowled at the figure. There stood a seemingly harmless brownish-grey pony stood before her with a scowl more strident than her own. The grey unicorn approached this impulsive creature with a slight tremble in her hoof.

“Yeah! That’s me. What does a loser like you want anyway?” Gilda snidely commented.

“Flying is amazing, don’t you think?” the figure said, she spoke with a somewhat regal voice. “I was taught to fly by a pony I heard you have a score to settle with; the one named Rainbow Dash. Care to join me in partaking in some revenge?” she said and awaited the griffons reply.

Gilda remembered Rainbow Dash with a burning hatred. Gilda and Rainbow Dash were the sort of friends that when they were younger got into pranks, pranks Dash always got the blame for. Gilda would never listen in Junior Speedsters flight camp, she always placed her hind paws up on the desk. She was too busy looking cool to have cared about learning.

Gilda never even remembered a time Rainbow Dah gave flying lessons, let alone she knows nopony willing to learn from her either. So just who was this pony? How did she know Rainbow Dash?

Memories hidden in the back of her mind flood through the griffon. Her selfish and arrogant thoughts rotated around her mind: Gilda had graced Rainbow Dash with a visit to Ponyville for old times’ sake. But she had the audacity to humiliate her infront of everypony in Ponyville. Her friend had claimed she was leading her down a bad path and even now Rainbow Dash proceeded to reject her. She even had that annoying friend; Gilda couldn’t care to remember her name, the one with the cotton-candy mane. She was the fruition to Rainbow’s betrayal. Gilda had grown so much more in so many ways. In her mind, Rainbow was now just another discarded loser like all the rest.

Upon much thought she grinned in conclusion and then clenched her golden fist so tightly her bones crunched.

“You’re on!” she roared.

The Everfree Forest, where trees hung like dainty fingers ready to grab the unwary and drag them into a dark abyss, every season the forest was the same, it never changed for the bitter of winter or the warmth of the summer sun. Accept for the occasional creak of the wood all the tree’s remained lifeless, and it always remained in silence, no chirping came from the hallowed trees. No life. This was the forest Twilight always dreaded walking through. Before she entered, she turned around to see Ponyville with a violent storm which hung over the town. Covered in the haze of the distant falling rain, the storm hadn’t quite reached the Everfree Forest yet, but there was no time to lose. She had to be brave now.

The only entrance and exit of the Everfree Forest was a small outcrop. Two trees with branches like maladroit fingers form a outlining gate structure. She entered into the dark Everfree Forest, alone. As she entered she could only hear the thumping of her own heart and the quiet groans of her own nervous breathing.

She surveyed over shoulder in fear that a monster may jump out of the bushes and attack. Only the creaking of the trees kept her company. She casted a spark of magic that made her horn give a faint gentle light. She felt trepidation with every hoofstep, the canopy of trees shunned the light from above and the farther she trotted, the darker it was. She treaded carefully as to not trip in the mangled undergrowth of tree roots. She was alone in the forest, without any saddlebags or source of food or water. She had only her thoughts as company, perhaps some gentle thinking would take her mind away from the fear?

Deep inside she knew what the princess had told her, an unknown darkness is coming to threaten Ponyville. What is this darkness? Why now?, Twilight thought rubbing her head with her hoof. Whatever it was... it loomed ever closer, she had to hurry. But she reassures herself that she had to help her friends, even if it’s the last thing she ever does to help Ponyville.

Everything will be fine, everything will be fine, Twilight repeatedly reassured herself lest she go mad. It was a long trek through the darkness, made easier by knowing exactly where to go per Princess Celestia’s instructions. Across the bridge above the gorge, Twilight headed for the old castle ruins where they first stopped Nightmare Moon.

She arrived at the ruined castle. Wind whistled through the empty halls, the ruined castle has broken and haphazard walls with bricks which disintegrate and decay, how once proudly it stood as a castle dedicated to the night and the tyranny of Nightmare Moon. Such powerful darkness was once held in these walls, now there was only utter silence. Twilight brushed her way past some hanging moss as she entered the upper chamber. She remained silent until she comes across the figure of a pony in the main chamber.

“Applejack?” Twilight said, her mouth gaped open. What was Applejack doing here?, she thought and galloped toward her friend and noticed the problem, Applejack she had a magical chains around her hooves forged from congregated iron. It had a chain upon it which bound Applejack to the floor of the temple and forced Applejack to look downward, as if she was bowing. The brim of her hat covered her eyes.

“Are... you okay?” Twilight said, she carefully used her hoof to lift up Applejack’s head gently. Twilight noticed her friends eyes were swirling around, like she had been enchanted.

“Bluhn yur” Applejack tried to speak but instead a jumbled mess spurted out.

“I... uh, didn’t quite catch that," Twilight said and smiled awkwardly.

With a flick of magic from her horn she broke the iron chains clean off her friend’s hooves. As she cautiously removed the magical brace of iron, Twilight noticed the brace that had marked her friends hooves.

“Behind ya'!” Applejack managed to pronounce, the enchantment had worn off. Twilight’s eyes widened. She swiftly swivelled around and saw a grey unicorn which marched menacingly toward her.

“You shouldn’t be here.” The unicorn spoke with a malevolent and echoic voice. “Leave, now!”

“Be careful Twi’... this pony here's bein’ holdin’ me captive for some reason.” Applejack looked up at her best friend worried. She attempted to stand, her hooves wobbled slightly, but she managed to stand strong.

“You did this to Applejack, didn’t you?” Twilight said, her eyebrows came down and scowled.

The grey unicorn just laughed pettily.

“So the legends are true about you. I have heard much. The great Twilight Sparkle. What a shame you’re just another pony in the night here to try and assume control over the situation,” the greyish-brown pony replied with definitive arrogance.

"I h-how do you know my name? Who or what are you?” Twilight said. It scared her to know that this pony knew her name and profession. This shadow pony even knew that Twilight preferred to organize things. She eyed up the pony... the ponies fur was the deepest grey possible. She couldn't be a changeling, could she? Was she related to them?

“An' you wanna tell us why ya’ don’t have a cutie mark," Applejack said. At first she thought the cutie mark was covered up, but when she looked again the unicorn didn’t have any cutie mark.

The strange pony encircled around them both, she tried to demean them...

“Questions, question... Allow me to explain. In this very castle years ago, you fought the mare in the moon; Nightmare Moon to be exact. I am like her, for I am from shadow, an elemental shade with no purpose other than that to serve the ones who created me.”

“That must be very sad,” Twilight said.

“I... I...” she said, startled by the sudden sympathy. She shook her head. “Do not pity me!” her voice suddenly hissed from across the temple. “You ran here alone. Indeed, it is you who is alone.”

"I never said anything about being alone," Twilight replied with wit. She remembered a time she did not have friends. She just always used to sit with a good book and studied. Twilight didn’t have that magic inside until she met her friends, could this be something the grey unicorn could relate to?

The grey unicorn snarled, she stomped her hoof like a raging bull and her horn sparked green with magical arcane energies. She was going to attack!

“S'far as I can tell, Twi's not alone,” Applejack interrupted and stood firmly on her hooves now, she had finally come to her senses and stood bravely next to her best friend ready to defend her at any cost.

“Yeah, she’s not alone!” Pinkie Pie’s voice suddenly echoed around the castle, it made everypony look around the upper hall. Then the ground rumbled under hoof, with an almighty crash the hot air balloon smashed through the roof.

The balloon crashed through the roof of the ruins, breaking through the stone with such ferocity. Parts of the roof collapsed and buckled under the weight. The crash sent rubble, debris and dust in all directions. A deep black haze billowed from the temple.

Both Twilight and Applejack used their hooves to shield their eyes from all the dust. The pink balloon blew a raspberry as it came to a deflated rest on the tiled temple floor. Out of the basket jumped Rarity, Pinkie Pie, the limping and bandaged Fluttershy and even Rainbow Dash. All bruised but not broken; not yet.

As the haze of dust cleared. The grey unicorn was now surrounded. She looked both ways as Twilight and Applejack stood on one side, and Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Fluttershy stood on the other. Everypony wondered, the grey unicorn could just attack or subdue them all with one swing of her horn... so why won’t she?

“It’s h-her. She’s the shadow that attacked me,” Fluttershy's voice squeaked. She hid behind Rainbow Dash for protection. All the ponies threw a glance to look at the villainous attacker with renewed hate. She could easily be described as a shadow.

“You all played your parts exactly as planned,” the grey unicorn said and wafted a hoof through the air. Her composure and regal sense of style matched that of Rarity, however everypony knew was only stalling in the face of certain defeat. “You see, whilst you’re all here, Ponyville is being decimated by the enemies of harmony as we speak.”

“Are you serious?!” Pinkie Pie shouted. Without further enticement the grey unicorn flicked her horn. In the centre of the ruined temple a magical mirror image was revealed. Through the image everypony saw reflected what was happening live in Ponyville, right now.

The town was under siege before their very eyes. As lightning raged down from the powerful storm and the rain poured in gallons. Smoke was curling up into the air and houses burned brightly with crimson fire. Ponies all of kinds were fleeing in all directions.

“No...” Twilight grumbled in disbelieve, the tension in the room could be cut with a knife as her best friends watched in devastation. They had all come here but in doing so had left the town utterly defenceless.

“See now how easy it is to manipulate you all. Applejack was only the bait, and Fluttershy, I made sure you knew where I was going, all to lead you to these very ruins. But all this is yet to work a much greater plan,” the unnamed unicorn said, she spoke as if this was her playground and the ponies were merely her playthings, but yet she was clearing stalled while Ponyville was being destroyed in front of their very eyes.

The situation had become much more perilous.

The grey unicorn casted her bright green magic and she created a huge emerald twister around herself in the centre of the temple.

Everypony stood on guard.

The magical tornado churned wind across the entire temple, it absorbed and gaining power with each successful spin, it damaged the temple walls and made Twilight and friends back off as dust was flung across the hall. However the twister didn’t harm them, it wouldn’t even touch them. Instead it spun faster and faster until it came to a stop, and materialized into nothing. The dark unicorn had gone. She had made a quick getaway and had stepped into the mirror image of Ponyville, the mirror had teleported her to the town. Why won’t the shadow pony just attack? What's stopping her?, Twilight thought.

The friends galloped to gather together in the centre of the hall.

“This is hopeless... hopeless I tell you! The worst... possible... thing!” Rarity held her hooves over her head dramatically.

“It’s not hopeless, we’re all still together. We’re just going to need the Elements of Harmony!” Pinkie Pie danced around her friends encouraging them. “Right? Right? Right?”

“Together we can do anything, but the Elements of Harmony are in Canterlot. That... unicorn must have planned all this but with the Elements, we can still stop her.” Twilight Sparkle focused her mind.

“Twilight dearest... I thought the Elements had lost their power,” Rarity said.

“I thought so too, but Princess Celestia told me to come right here, to this castle. She said I can only find out here how and where we can recharge the Elements.” Twilight was quick to inform her friends of past events. Could they recharge the most powerful magic known to ponydom? Was that even possible? Twilight doubted herself, but they had to continue for the sake of Ponyville.

“Alrighty t’en, I reckon we can all still stop her,” Applejack said as she stomped a hoof in determination.

“Welcome back Applejack, miss us?” Rainbow Dash half-heartedly joked, she hovered upturned in the air near her friends head.

“Of course I did... and I reckon if I weren’t chained up an’ all, I would’a saved us from this whole mess already. That darn unicorn sneaked behind me an’ enchanted me without so much as a hoot nor a holler.”

"Girls! Concentrate!” Twilight interrupted, all her friends noticed when her mood shifted. When she was like this; there was no stopping her. Then it suddenly hit Twilight like a wave of inspiration. She looked at her five friends and her smile got increasingly wider.

“Of course... the only way we can recharge the Elements is through our friendship. Remember when we first came here, we changed Nightmare Moon back into Luna because we all had the right qualities to wield the Elements. We charge the Elements of Harmony! We can still do this! Rainbow Dash, you’re the fastest. Go to Canterlot, get the Elements of Harmony then meet us back in Ponyville,” Twilight said and stabbed through the air with her hoof. “The rest of us will stall the attack on Ponyville in any way that we can.”

“Wait... there’s something else,” Rainbow Dash said. Everypony turned to look at her. “I... well, in the clouds. I thought I heard him but I’m not sure. I heard Discord.”

“Gee, didn’t we fasten him back into stone after he betrayed us all again?” Applejack said and remembered Discord well, especially when he fooled them all by reversing their elements into the complete opposite.

"He's just a big meany," Fluttershy said in regret.

“Do you think maybe he got out? He is a crafty dragon... uh... goat... uh... thing,” Pinkie Pie commented.

“No, it can’t be. Discord can only be released when the Elements of Harmony are no longer connected to their users—” Twilight said with thought. If everypony was still connected to the Elements, how did Discord escape? Was this to do with the Elements darkening? She held her hoof held against her chin in... but then she lost her train of thought and concentrated on the more important details.

“Nevermind. We’ll worry about it later. Right now, Ponyville needs us. You all have your jobs to do and we have to act, now!” Twilight said. In times like this they would need an organizer.

“Alright!” Rainbow Dash said as she agreed to everything. She took flight through the enormous gap in the roof they made as they crashed inside the temple. A trailing rainbow left in her wake as she took off. She had to get the Elements of Harmony from Canterlot, they were imperative to stopping all this.

The rest of the ponies ran toward the blurry mirror image. They hoped to use it to teleport back to Ponyville as well. Somehow Twilight wondered if that greyish-brown unicorn wanted them to follow her, perhaps it was another trap. No faster option was available, she decided to take the risk.

Twilight jumped straight into the mirror image and disappeared through it.

“It’s safe, c’mon!” Twilight said, she used her hoof to beckon her friends in the mirror image. It had teleported her to Ponyville. One at a time they prepared themselves and enter the cloudy mirror portal. They each jumped inside to teleport across the kingdom.

Fluttershy was the last to enter the portal, she approched it slowly as a quiet squeak parted from her lips. All the others had gone and the temple was vacant. But something stopped Fluttershy, a presence, something in the air... that cold feeling when you know somepony is stood behind you.

Fluttershy gently swivelled around.

Stood there, at the other end of the ruined castle was a brightly coloured yellow pony with a pink tail and mane. Memories and precious images washed over Fluttershy; she felt a tinge of fear at the memories. Paralyzed by the encounter, her body turned frigid.

This yellow pony was transparent like the echo or a ghost of a pony once lost; utterly gone. The yellow ponies’ wings looked more like resplendent fairy wings. The yellow pony had a glow to them. She also had a distinct feather inside her mane that decorated it.

Fluttershy looked at the ghost pony, and felt precious. Somehow, strangely, from the times that were most fun, she knew the truth about this pony...

“M-m-m... Mm... Mm...” Fluttershy quietly squealed but no words came out, she only murmured. When she looked at this pony, it was like she looked at her own reflection, and with that she was hopelessly overcome with silent grief when she couldn’t find her words.

‘Sometimes when you are sad enough your soul becomes a ghost for you.’

“C’mon Fluttershy!” Pinkie Pie suddenly shouted, abruptly her cheerful head popped out of the mirror. Pinkie’s loud cheery voice had snapped Fluttershy out of it, when the pegasus glanced back, the ghost pony was gone. She shook her head and dismissed the encounter as near nervous energy. It has been a long day. Fluttershy composed herself and dived through the portal.

They arrived upon a dimly lit cliffside that overlooked Ponyville in its entirety.

Down below see the scene was chaotic.

Somepony released the fabled Timberwolves from exile inside the Everfree Forest. They had been starved for far too long, seven long years of living in exile in the Everfree Forest had developed them into cannibals, they live only to eat now and to quench their hunger... for pony flesh. Earth ponies ran in all directions from them, the wolves snarled and sneered with yellow eyes which gleam with hunger and skin which was like tree bark that glistened in the night. The Timberwolves had broken through into the town square from the Everfree Forest. They howled loudly, spit dripped from their hungry mouths. Their bodies, rather than filled with blood coursed with yellow glowing amber, the silk of a tree which could be seen flowing in their arteries. Small chasms in the Timberwolves bark-like skin served to mark the limbs for the beats. More howled some had evil grins an affixed upon their maws.

The pegasi fled from the Gilda the Griffon who refused to allow them to clear black clouds of the thunderstorm. The griffon proudly owned the skies and claimed it as her own domain.

“C’mon! Let’s get these losers,” Gilda said as she led the others and taunted them onwards. She roared profoundly as she swooped down and smashed through the roof of a house. The rain splashed down inside the house and on the terrified family inside. Gilda swished her soaked fringe out her eyes she roared at the occupants inside their own home. She slashed her golden claw at them as the occupants fled their own home. Gilda laid waste to the house much like she has already laid waste to the entire town. Undoubtedly, she was an evil fiend indeed.

Streams of dirt could be see being dug near the town square. The Diamond Dogs leaders Fido, Rover, and Spot were digging a makeshift tunnel underground. Rover used his claws to easily plough through the dirt. Fido supported the tunnels by placing wooden scaffolding along the way. Rover, the most muscular of the Diamond Dogs, helped by moving the big boulders which barred their way. He simply picked up the rock with ease and threw it out into the open with little care if it hit some pony. They were also the Diamond Dog guards — with their sharp spears — which chased ponies out of their otherwise carefree lives.

Even the Flim Flam brothers were there with the Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000. The brothers were the first ones recruited. Word got out after Applejack beat and chased them out of Ponyville that their cider was weak and unrefined. The Flim Flam brothers’ sales reduced dramatically. Now the twins leisurely rode upon the side of their red vehicle as it rolled down the streets of Ponyville. Ponies cowered in fear as the vehicle rolled down their streets to stalk its prey. Their machine had been vastly modified; funnels have been added to the side of the machine which shoot liquid bombs of unpleasant cider at rapid and dangerous speeds. While the bombs themselves were soft and wrapped in cling film plastic. They were shot at such rapid and dangerous speeds that they blasted through anything. The vehicle automatically worked to create the cider bombs while still moving. Several shots of their cider bombs were enough to explode through an entire cottage like it was simple frail tissue.

The grey unicorn and instigator to all this destruction stood on the edge of a cliffside. She was there to greet Twilight and her friends, to taunt them some more.

“I’ve had some fun while you were away. You see for a while now I have been gathering all the enemies of Ponyville and bringing them here. Some of them came willingly out of revenge, others had to be... persuaded,” the unicorn said with quiet laughter. Her's was the laughter of a pony who had realised she’d outsmarted them all. “You’ll find the results, quite, astonishing. You’ve made so many enemies on your adventures, and now those enemies want revenge. Quite simple really.”

Why were they doing this? Why was she doing this? Twilight thought. Enraged and mystified by this mysterious unicorn, she demanded to know more.

“Tell us who are you are!” Twilight shouted and heavily stomped her hoof down. Her hoof left a circular dent in the ground. Twilight felt a new-found hatred, she needed to end this unicorn's madness even if it’s the last thing she ever does. All her friends were stood at arms behind her with stern looks upon their faces.

“Fine,” the grey unicorn said, she gritted her words through her teeth. “I am the six of you, specifically, I am all of your bad sides merged into one: The lies of Applejack, the insanity of Pinkie Pie, the sense of selfishness from Rarity, the disloyalty of Rainbow Dash and a mean streak from Fluttershy. The power of magic I learnt from you, Twilight Sparkle," she explained and then looked down to the ground as if she reflected on her life past: "At some point somepony magically gathered all your badness and merged it together to create me, perhaps that's why you're all so 'good'. You just waltzed into the ruined castle and took the Elements of Harmony, and somehow the six of you just happened to have all the right qualities to wield them?! You thought you were all 'special'. The Elements don't link with just anypony, they only link with those with the right qualities," she said and spat on the grass.

"The Elements were in stone when we first found them, our friendship for eachother is what lets us use them. We ignited them through friendship and we will do so again," Twilight said remembered back to their first adventure together.

"Yuck. Nopony should have that much power... especially not you," she said and magically levitated herself into the air. Her green mane swirled in a squall of wind. With a flick of her horn a showmanship display of green lightning struck all around her. She held her forehooves into the air.

"My name is Dark Plague and now... Ponyville has fallen!”

To be continued...

My Little Pony: Time is Forever™ will return...

'The enemies of harmony have gathered together...'

Notes:
Each chapter will start with a related quote from Star Swirl the Bearded.
Each chapter will end with a single line of italics which will foreshadow and relate to the next chapter.
There will be a title picture at the top of the page for every chapter that will foreshadow what happens in it, but you won't fully understand the pictures until you've read to the end of the chapter.
I'm more comfortable and sometimes prefer to call each chapter an 'episode'.
I'm from the UK, it’s standard for me to spell honor as honour or gray as grey etc.

The Vinyloctave (Musical Dreams Part 2 - 2)

The Vinyloctave
Musical Dreams Part 2 - 2

“Music from the heart is a beat we can all dance to.”
~ Star Swirl the Bearded

“Fillies and gentlesteeds, I give you... the best disk jockey in all Equestria... the one, the only, DJ-Pon Threeeeee!”

Neon lights and lasers shone and beamed in colourful displays, they sporadically flashed across the concert hall as it filled with pyrotechnic smoke. There was a single turntable on the decorated stage, connected to two giant grey speakers that stood taller than anypony. As Vinyl Scratch stepped out onto the stage, the crowd cheered and went totally crazy for their idol.

Two spinning vinyl’s spun on a turntable; the pin was raised magically and brought upon the disks. The second the pin touched the vinyl, techno bass boomed with power from eight equally-sized giant speakers.

She stepped out onto the stage through the pyrotechnic mist, with her signature tinted glasses on, was DJ Pon-3. That was only her stage name however, to those in the know her real name was Vinyl Scratch. She banged in time to the beat was. She was a less magically gifted unicorn with a white coat and neon-like blue hair with lighter highlights.

“Yo, yo, yo every pony! Let’s tear up dat dance floor!” Vinyl Scratch’s voice echoed when she cheered into the microphone. She waved her hoof into the air and pointed it at to the mass crowd of ponies that danced wildly below. Most of them wore their own neon bracelets and spiked up dyed crazy and mohawk manes.

The beats boomed and the bass vibrated across the concert hall under everyponies hooves. It was the loudest thing anypony had ever heard. Vinyl Scratch herself head banged with a huge grin on her face, she always loved the adrenaline and the adoration of the fans.

“Everypony stomp your hooves.
DJ Pon-3’s playing grooves.
Everypony dance tonight.
DJ Pon-3 in da’ spotlight!”

“Awwww yeeeaaahh!” Vinyl spun the disks faster than ever, using to hoof to scratch them to give the desired scratch effect to the music. She brightened up the stage with some of her horn magic and made the stage shoot smoke onto the dancers below.

...

She got all the fun.

She got all the gigs.

She got all the love.

In the opposite concert hall, Octavia, the silent cellist was grey in colour, with a cutie mark of a pink clef. She stood lost with thoughts that washed around her head. It wouldn't be true to say Octavia didn't hate Vinyl Scratch, it was a boiling and billowing hate with a tint of jealousy. Held within her hoof was her cello and an oboe laid by her hind hoof. Octavia’s cello was unique as it had no fine-tuning pins on the tailpiece and a hidden symbol etched onto the back.

The symbol was meant to represent something in the tongue of the Hippalectryon, but Octavia never understood it. The instrument was tuned into fifths and made from sheened bark from a birch tree. She had played it from a filly, even if somewhat by her own fathers force of hoof.

Their concert hall was empty, forgotten, even the spiders had neglected to spin webs on the corner of the walls. The rise and fame of techno music meant no more classical concerts. She stood with her fellow band member, Beauty Brass, a light blue pony with a curly brown mane.

The two illustrious ponies from the Grand Canterlot Orchestra stood silently. No words were needed. The music boomed in the opposite concert hall. Rarity’s dress parade, the wedding, everypony wanted the colourful and new age music that Vinyl Scratch provided. It was a far cry from the dull and grey sombre music she played. Octavia’s music came from the soul, from the heart, not via some device or machine which created artificial sound.

Both of them knew this was the end of classical music.

Beauty Bass placed her heavy tuba down and turned to speak, “we both know what has to be done. It’s been a pleasure playing with you, my dear Octavia.” Beauty Brass extended her hoof which Octavia took to shake with a heartfelt nod and regretful smile.

With that hoofshake, the Royal Canterlot Symphony Orchestra were disbanded.

“Heave!”

...

“Heave!”

Spike tugged on some ropes down in the centre of Ponyville. The rope was too thick for his tiny claws but despite that he used his stubby legs and pulled. The rope was pulley system that helped pull a decorative banner connected to a winch. Rarity stood there and checked that it was at the perfect angle.

“A little to the left,” Rarity barked orders again as Spike the baby dragon gave a distasteful groan. He’d been doing this for several minutes. Left, right, left, right... what a pain. Of course when he had offered to help Rarity this was not what he signed up for. Rarity used her hooves to assess and measure up the banner from a distance. The banner was created via the help of the fillies from the school — especially Sweetie Belle and the cutie mark crusaders — they even held a little friendly competition to create the best one. However they may have added a tag bit too much glitter which gleamed way too brightly from the reflections from the sun. Ponyville was decorated with many interesting sown banners and flags which hung from the highest of rooftops and across the pathways below.

Somepony cleared their throat behind Rarity to get her attention.

“Good evening, Rarity?” A snooty voice sounded from behind.

“Hold on just a tinkle—” She stuttered mid sentence as she turned and she realised who the pony was stood before her. He had a cutie mark of a fan with a curly mane and a pair of tinted royal glasses to finish the ensemble. “Ho... ho... Hoity-Toity!” Rarity stammered, she sounded more like a nervous wreck than an actual composed fashion designer. She swiftly composed herself; she bounced her beautiful mane against her hoof with a wry smile. “It’s an honour to have you back in Ponyville again for the presentation of the— I mean my Tour De’ Cloak.” She corrected herself. “My finest work yet. Not just everypony whose anypony is invited and by that I mean you’re not just anypony...”

“That’s quite enough dialogue. Let the dress do the talking and we’ll all be fine. I look forward to seeing a delightfully grand show. Do not disappoint me.” Hoity-Toity pulled his glasses down from his nose to give her a stern look right from his eye, and then he waft a linen-sewn fan and trotted away with his nose pointed far upward. He didn’t even give her a second glance, what a snob. Then again it was uncommon for such ponies to mingle with the commoners of Ponyville. Commoners... what was she thinking? She and her friends were far from common.

On the outskirts of Ponyville were several aristocratic cabins with golden stars etched onto the metal doors. Celebrities, politicians and anypony else that was widely known and very well paid — including Hoity-Toity — had arrived to participate or just observe the presentation.

“Well Rarity.” She spoke to herself as she watched the revered designed from Canterlot trot afar. “Today’s the big day; everything simply has to be perfect!” She could feel the excitement in the air but also that tense nervousness that everything could go wrong. An exhausted Spike had finished pulling the beautiful and perfectly aligned banner up and used the back of his claw to wipe the sweat that wept from his brow. “The snacks are ready; the catwalk is installed and shining brilliantly. The only thing that’s left is... the music.”

On the outskirts of the town where several metal cabins with golden stars on the doors were dotted around the meadows. Two fillies are stood outside one of the cabins. They bickered among themselves.

“Just knock on the door.” Bon-Bon demanded.

“I can’t do it. We have too much history.” Lyra replied somewhat tiredly. After the events of Nightmare Night, she was as tired as a filly could get and had black bags under her eyes to prove it. She paced backward and forward parallel to the cabin door. The golden plaque on the front read: ‘DJ Pon-3’. Vinyl Scratch was always invited to Rarity’s dress parades because she was the disk jockey.

“You can do it, besides she’ll want to see you. You were old friends once right?” Bon-Bon pushed her friend towards the door until Lyra’s face was pressed against the metal.

“I suppose.” Lyra replied glumly. Vinyl Scratch was her old friend, one from the music school. Now Lyra had to make the decision to meet again after all these years, how awkward would it be? Vinyl Scratch was right here in Ponyville. All she had to do was knock on the door. Why was it so hard? The more she waited the more frustrating it was.

“Do I have to do everything myself...” Bon-Bon knocked thrice firmly on the metal door.

“Bon-Bon! What have you done?! she might not even remember me. I’m not rea—”

Bon-Bon swung open the caravan door with speed.

“Oh heeeyy...” Lyra dim-wittily scratched the back of her neck embarrassed.

“Hey it’s Lyra!” A loud obnoxious voice came from the doorway. “Super swatty Lyra!”

Bon-Bon burst out laughing. “Super swatty Lyra? Aahaa!” She had to hold her sides from laughing too much. Now she knew why Lyra didn’t want to get reacquainted, all those music school secrets and embarrassing nicknames; brilliant!

“Don’t even ask.” Lyra mumbled and blew her mane out of her eyes annoyingly. “It’s been too long, Vinyl.”

After being invited inside, it was increasingly obvious how unhygienic she was. The cabins interior is a mess, even more so than Lyra’s bedroom. Empty cans of the popular alcoholic beverage Perry littered the carpeted floor. On the walls of the cabin golden vinyl disks are hung askew from the walls upon small pins. There was a cooker covered in month’s worth of bad pizza and other food supplements that even the flies dare not eat. In the small sitting area in the centre of the cabin were soft and squidgy bean bags which were neon coloured. Apparently Vinyl Scratch didn’t believe in proper seating, although if were a couch it would assuredly be filthy as well. Vinyl and Heartstrings chilled on beanbags with squalid smiles, they both had to lay in a sprawling manner, a seating position Lyra Heartstrings was most accustom to.

“I heard you’ve become quite demandable these past few years,” Heartstrings spoke first as she glared around the unfamiliar cabin to get her first impressions.

“Aw yeah man, it’s all good I mean the music brings in the bits. Well actually, it’s still kinda hard to find work. I’ve always wondered why.” Vinyl Scratch said deep in thought.

“Yeah, it’s a mystery,” Bon-Bon replied with an eye roll and wondered if this pony had a bigger IQ than a fish. She had to tiptoe across the empty bottles and cans. She decided to remain standing and not to ‘chill’ in the last remaining beanbag which was torn in several places.

“Well... there’s another reason for me visiting you. I got a letter from an old friend of mine.” As Lyra spoke, Vinyl Scratch sat forward and listened intently. She still wore her tinted glasses; she could be sleeping for all they knew as they couldn’t see her eyes. Did she ever take them off? Maybe she even slept in them? Bon-Bon got a disgusted shiver down her spine, why did she think of such things?

Lyra revealed the small piece of parchment with the written letter on it. It seemed all her frustration was shown through the way she had tightly clutched the parchment for the past few minutes.

“From Octavia.” Lyra jabbed the paper where Octavia’s signature music note was singed at the bottom.

“What happened between is all Lyra? In music school we were all best friends, until that night.” Both of the old friends sit back and remembered back to their days of youth, a simpler time, until one night changed everything for them all.

Lyra replied honestly: “I remember bits and pieces. The music school burnt down. The fire raged for hours and hours and we were trapped inside with no hope of escape. If the three of us hadn’t worked together, we’d all be gone right now.”

Bon-Bon looked at her friend in a new light; she had never spoken of her past so honestly before. Bon-Bon and Lyra didn’t meet until after the fire, she had no idea her friend had faced such perils...

“I also remember... bright flashes of green.” Lyra said with regret. “After that night, none of us got to finish our education, Octavia became a recluse, I became a lone traveller and you... well let’s just say we all went our separate ways.”

“You should go see Octavia again an’ apologize; she's only up in Canterlot.” Vinyl replied before picking up a bottle of Perry by the side of the beanbag and greedily drinking half in one swig.

“I can’t... I just can’t,” Lyra began to tear up over-dramatically, the waterworks were back.

“Her music will tell you more about herself than I ever could. She refuses to speak anymore you know? She made herself a mute after what happened. Many thought it was because of the shock of it all. She only uses her music to communicate with others now... I think she’s still waiting for you, Lyra.” Vinyl Scratch said and then abruptly burped rudely.

“Well why don’t you go see her?” Lyra replied.

“Oh at first I was like, I’ll stay in Canterlot. Then I was like, screw that! I’m sorta’ a travelling pony now, I go where the work takes me. Go with the flow, that’s my motto.”

“You’re rhyming again...”

“I know right? I’m just that goooood!” Vinyl boasted, she seemed to have trouble controlling the volume of her voice.

“If you’ve got nowhere else to go, you could, always stay with us, for a while.” Lyra finished the conversation clutching the note from Octavia, perhaps now is not the time to come to terms with the past.

“Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait!” Bon-Bon suddenly grabbed Lyra and flung her against the wall in a more private section of the cabin. “You invited the Vinyl Scratch to live in my house? She’s loud, she obnoxious, not to mention... rude.” Bon-Bon fumed but still had to whisper lest Vinyl Scratch overhear her.

“It’s not your house, it’s our house.” Lyra whispered back and continued to clutch the note from Octavia. She wouldn’t let it go that easily.

“Uhhh... don’t mind me.” Vinyl Scratch walked past them with her overly messy mane and grinned from ear-to-ear. She had heard every word but just ignored the two friends arguing, she didn’t care what other ponies thought about her, she was just minding her own business as she headed outside.

“You’ve doomed us all.” Bon-Bon whispered harshly.

The night of the presentation wasn’t until the sun had set and the night had peaked. Until then, there was plenty of time for sightseeing. Before prepping the stage, as per her job instructions, Vinyl Scratch goes for a stroll throughout the town of Ponyville. Last time she was here for a party she had hardly any time to see the town itself. She got a few fair stares from every pony as she trotted down the pathway. Was it my hair? The way I’m walking? Maybe she’s just too awesome for her own good. She had trotted for barely a few minutes until... she was bored. What in Equestria do ponies do for fun around here... exchange vouchers?!

“Hey, you!” Rarity's voice suddenly caused Vinyl to turn on the spot.

“Youse talking to me?” Vinyl raised an eyebrow, she was much taller than she looked and towered over the Rarity.

“You’re the pony playing the music tonight, uh, correct?” Rarity spoke, she was double-checking that everything was going to perfect.

“Well actually that job title goes to my friend Lyra, but I’m her best friend Vinyl Scratch. I suppose I could be... helping out.” Vinyl Scratch checked the rim of her hoof while she spoke before she rubbed it on her fur.

Behind Rarity the baby dragon Spike was following her every whim with a clipboard and quill, he had fallen in love with another...

“Uhh... Hi Vinyl Scratch,” Spike said coaxingly with a shy blush and corny grin. “Could you sign my tail?”

“Spike!” Rarity shouted in disagreement.

“No problem kid,” Vinyl Scratch used her arcane magic from her horn to grab a quill from a nearby pony painting a picture, who folded his arms in protest. She signed the young dragons’ tail with her initials: ‘VS’.

“Hey Vinyl, what colour are your eyes?” Spike spoke in his most shy voice. Vinyl smiled as the dragon speaks, she slipped off her glasses to jetted open her eyes to reveal they were plum coloured. They reflect gleaming sparkles that only Spike could appear to see.

“Bam! Do you like em’?” She was showboating.

“They’re... enchanting.” Spike goes weak at the knees. The disk jockey almost made Rarity jealous; she cleared her throat and dragged Vinyl Scratch away with her hoof.

“Well, that’s quite enough of that! Let’s lay down some basic rules.” Rarity suddenly dragged Vinyl by the hoof; The DJ hung onto her glasses as she’s dragged across Ponyville.

“Here is where the snacks and buns will be made for the guests, as you can see they’re all perfect,” Vinyl suddenly comes infront of the recently restored Sugarcube Corner, the smoke chugged out of the chimney Inside, Mr and Mrs. Cake were business working overtime to bake the demands for chocolate cakes galore.

“Oh, hey Pinkie Pie! What’s up?” Vinyl shouted over to Pinkie Pie who merrily marched from within the shop and toward them with a grand smile.

“I was just being shown around by... Mrs. Nesbitt here.” Vinyl said and waved a hoof over at Rarity.

“...M-Mrs. Nesbitt?! I’ll have you know my name is Rarity. R-A-I-T— wait... that’s not right, nevermind! How in Equestria do you know Pinkie?” Rarity asked.

“Hehe, silly. I know everypony who's anypony!” Pinkie Pie said with a smile that beamed as she bounced up and down infront of the two white ponies. “Vinyl Scratch is the best, the best party pony in all Equestria ever!” Pinkie Pie forgot to breath for a second and took one massive gasp. “I’m totally her biggest fan, do I get to spin the vinyls this time? Huh huh huh? Do I? Do I?” Pinkie Pie spoke way too quickly she stumbled over her own words.

"Duh, of course." Vinyl and Pinkie Pie shared in a hoof bump. She always let Pinkie Pie have a spin at her vinyl’s... that sounded wrong, she quickly dismissed the thought. Vinyl Scratch replied with a silent nod. Before they had chance to see the party pony explode with joy Vinyl Scratch was once again dragged by Rarity to the next stop. The town went whizzing by until they stopped outside the carousel boutique, Rarity’s house. It was a grand house which looked more like a carousel of beauty than an actual house.

“All the pristine decorations and banners are being made right here, by yours truly, as you can see, they’re all perfect.”

“What’s the point of all this?” Vinyl suddenly questioned and gave a bizarre look to the pony to her side. She’d being dragged across half of Ponyville and for what?

“What I’m trying to say in the nicest possible way is, this is my event and I want everything to be perfect. I know your type, don’t go overboard with the music, this is a formal event, so certainly no showboating, understand?!”

“Geez, no worries Mrs. Nesbitt—”

“My name is not Mrs. Nesbitt!” Rarity outburst and gritted her teeth so badly a small part of her tooth snapped off and flew away. She decided to calm down and settle. How badly could it all go wrong this time? She took a deep breath and thought of happier times.

“Just don’t mess this up for me.” Rarity pointed her hoof in Vinyl’s face with a serious look before she left the colourful ponies side. Vinyl Scratch stood with a puzzled look and got one final cute wave from Spike before he’s slaved away for more work by his companion.

The night came earlier than expected. Everypony had come outside for the Ponyville nightlife. Lyra Heartstrings strolled down the main pathway which stretched around the town in a circle. But there was still no sign of Vinyl Scratch. Where in Equestria could she be? Lyra had only conceived the thought when she stopped outside a particular building: The Dizzy Weasel. Ponyville’s own bar and nightclub, a wood-panelled building with a grass-covered roof. The building was brightly lit from the inside with neon lights which were synced to the booming music. Lyra could hear it from out here. A smile crept upon her maw. Vinyl Scratch couldn’t resist the booming of a subwoofer.

The doors swung open and Lyra was aghast by the tainted air that greeted her. The bar had its own distinctive smell and was very smoky; the low ceilings didn’t help either. It had that small-town-bar ambience and wasn't too crowded. There was an old jukebox that wasn’t switched on, but who needed the jukebox when the music next door could be heard booming through the thin walls. The entire building was separated into two sections, the bar and the dance club next door, by a half-wall. She had to choose between Vinyl Scratch’s two loves, alcohol and music. Which section would she be in?

“Hey Joker, deal us another.” A sudden voice rang from the shady corner of the bar. Lyra turned to look to the source. There was a pony who wore a jet black hat with his hooves splayed across the top of chair. He leaned forward and dealt some designer poker cards. His cutie mark was the ace of hearts and his name was apparently Joker. One to avoid.

They were ponies that gambled, conversed and burped. But still no Vinyl Scratch, at least not yet. Lyra planted herself down on a spinney bar stool. There was a golden plaque on the side of the wall near the bar which she decided to read:

‘There was a young weasel that ran around a mulberry bush,
it spun round to chase its tail and was in such a terrible rush.

When the weasel had finally caught up to his tail,
he was so very dizzy that his face had gone pale.

Then the weasel was less concerned about the tail he’d perused.
Here is where the pub was built, where the mulberry is brewed.’

“True story.” The barmaid unicorn said as she cleaned an empty mug with a white towel. She had noticed Lyra reading. “They say the weasel had spun around the bush so many times, that it mimicked the sensation of being drunk. That’s why we built this place right here. Fancy a brew?” The barmaid held out a bottle of Mulberry. The liquid inside was jet black and was almost oozed. Lyra had heard about the drink, apparently it tasted like jelly.

“No thanks, I prefer coffee.” Lyra replied with a steady smile and turned away from the bar to gag. She had only being in the bar for a few minutes, yet her eyes already began to grow heavy. This place made her tired. She didn’t even know Ponyville had a bar let alone any form of nightlife.

“Youse want a piece of this?!” A sudden shout silenced all other sounds in the building.

Suddenly Twilight Sky got thrown through the half-wall connecting the two sections of the building. He fell through the fall and into the game of poker the other ponies were playing. Bits and cards flew in all directions. Lyra turned her gaze upward to see Vinyl Scratch stood up on her two hind hooves, she panted heavily. She also had a half-empty bottle of Perry in her hoof. She hadn’t stopped drinking, she was still drunk! A heartbeat later the entire bar had erupted into a chaotic bar fight. Joker and his gang dived over the table and began to throw bottles at Vinyl. She ducked behind the half-wall and used it for protection. Each bottle smashed against the wooden wall. Lyra ducked as the barmaid slid over the bar and used her horn magic to quell the fighting, to no avail.

“Flipping tables!” A pony shouted randomly and flipped a table which crashed against the wall and sent all the mugs flying through the air. Ponies of all kinds erupted into a brawl in the centre of the building. They tried to smash each other teeth out. One pony is dragged under a table and thrown through a pane of glass. Vinyl Scratch picked up a barstool and threw it at Joker who retaliated by throwing a pair of cards so quickly they would slice the skin if they came into contact. Lyra had seen enough and rushed to Vinyl Scratch. On the way she avoided a few mug being thrown her way as she ducked, dived and dodged.

“Hey! Let’s get out of here.” Lyra said as she ducked another bottle that smashed behind the bar! She dragged her old friend away from the fight and towards the fire exit door.

Vinyl ducked as a bottle flew overhead and smashed on the wall. “Ha! You got beat up by a girl, chump!” Vinyl Scratch shouted as both her and Lyra fell out of the fire exit door and collapsed on top of each other on the grass outside. Vinyl and landed right on top of Lyra and crushed her slightly but soon rolled off. The continuing chaotic bar fight could still be heard from within. For a brief moment to two old friends laid on their backs and stared into the stars above.

After they had regained their breath Lyra helped her friend up by placing her shoulder around her back and using herself as a prop.

“Urg. Where am I?” Vinyl Scratch was clearly discombobulated and couldn’t even stand on her hooves without wobbling from side-to-side.

“The Dizzy Weasel. You got into a drucken bar fight... again.” Lyra replied and tried to help her friend down the empty pathway as best she could, luckily it was night-time and those ponies not heading for the presentation were smart enough to be already asleep.

“The Wizzy Deasel?!" Vinyl replied with a hiccup. “I once saw a pretty pony, and her name was... Lyra and she was best friend with a... spider.” Vinyl Scratch sang in a drunken mess. They had only just started to trot down the pathway when Vinyl Scratch then looked at herself in the reflection flashy windows of the bar.

“Oh my god! Lyyyrrraaa!” Vinyl Scratch stopped and screamed.

“Argh, whoa, what... what is it?!” Lyra replied after she jumped out of her fur for being startled.

“I’m naked!” Vinyl screamed at the top of her lungs and tried to cover herself up in a blind panic. “And they're talking ponies everywhere!” She screamed again before she immediately lost her balance and toppled over.

Hic!

“Ah geez...” Lyra groaned, rolled her eyes and carried her friend back to their cottage. “Hurry and sober yourself up. I have to play the music for the presentation in less than an hour.”

The time of the presentation had arrived. Most of the catwalk preparations including the neon lights and pyrotechnics were sorted throughout the daylight hours. Everything was ready and splayed out infront of the boutique, even snacks, including hay sandwiches, were laid out upon long tables for ponies to help themselves. The automatic spotlights shone on the catwalk. Lyra Heartstrings took her placed upon the wooden stage with her new lyre the Kerit within her hoof. She was ready to play the melody she was entrusted to write for this very occasion. The calming melody she had written for the lyre would smooth the crowd for certain.

Rarity herself stood backstage along with Spike who was wafted her air with a long feathered fan. She was the one who had to parade down the catwalk wearing the Tour De’ Cloak. It was a little too big for her because it was designed for a certain pretty princess, but she could make it work for tonight. What if they didn’t like it? What if her fears came true and she wastes every famous pony’s time? She stood nervously as the hopeful crowds began to gather. Among the honoured guests were Hoity-Toity, Jet Set, Upper Crust and even Photo Finish, many of whom have previously met Rarity in her many escapades.

There was a brief moment of silence. It all came to this... Rarity stepped from behind the royal purple curtains and strutted across the catwalk, into the spotlight with a proud look upon her face.

The dress itself was pink and blue in colour, with several bright diamonds the encrusted the edges and golden feathers which protruded out of the back to form a peacock-like style around the back. There was also a nice a furry scarf sown with hearts attached to the neckline which completed the ensemble.

“I wanted the Tour De’ Cloak to tell a tale, across the many years of beauty. A tour of fashion and how far it has evolved, as it were. It was designed and commissioned by a princess, who would wear it for formal evenings.”

Down in the crowd of masses everypony seemed, impressed. “Oh my, I simply love what you’ve done with this work of art.” Hoity-Toity smutted and pointed his fan up at the dress.

“Fabulous, absolutely fabulous!” Photo Finish took pictures of the dress as Rarity paraded to the end of the stage—

Screeeeech!

For a brief moment there was an ill and awkward silence. A high-pitched screech rang out on all the microphones that surrounded the catwalk.

WUB! WUB WUB WUB!

“Urg, what is that hideous noise.” Upper Crust said.

“Uh, oh no...” Rarity’s eye widened and her heart sank so low in her chest it could drop out. At the far back of the crowd DJ Pon-3 had just taken to the stage.

“Letsh, get this party startededdd...” Vinyl Scratch slurred her words and suddenly the beating music boomed from the base of the turntable. She pushed Lyra Heartstrings right off the stage with a overpowered push as Lyra tumbled below into a pit of wires. Lyra got up and brushed herself off. Everypony else turned to look at the Vinyl Scratch with faces of disgust and discontent while the bass cannon shook the ground beneath their hooves. Rarity hung her head in shame, no longer were everypony looking at her work of art, but at Vinyl Scratch, now they will only remember this night for the drunken disk jockey.

“Goooood nights Ponyville,” Vinyl Scratch drunkenly shouted and waved half a bottle of Perry in the air. But no ponies cheered or danced, the place was silent, not a sound stirred apart from the booming beats of the music and the overdramatic screams of humiliation from Rarity. Vinyl’s vision then went blurry, lights fomed in the air and in her eyesight they danced around. She tried to grab one of the pretty lights but in her attempt she collapsed over the turntable, fell off the stage right on top of Lyra. As she fell her hoof got caught in the wire and dragged all the power cables along with an almighty crash. That set a chain reaction for all the wires to explode one at a time destroying the neon lights and flashlight which lit up the stage. One such flashlight leaned towards the Carousel Boutique; it creaked as it fell slowly before crashing through the upper floor of Rarity’s home.

Boom!

Sparks and electricity engulfed the building and flew in all directions. All the many windows of the Carousel Boutique smashed outwards as the neon light exploded against the building. A frizzled Opalescence jumped through the smashed window and into the night. Rarity’s jaw hit the floor as her house exploded. As the mushroom cloud of smoke erupted outwards, Lyra groaned as once again her musical friend had landed on her as both she and Vinyl Scratch attempted to prize their way out the pit of wires which had them caught. Everypony fled the catwalk for their lives...

Beams of sunlight shone through the blinds attached to the windows of the cabin. The birds could be heard merrily chirping in the morning air. Vinyl Scratch groaned as she awakened to this scene. She was back in her cabin. Was it all a dream? She could only remember bits and pieces. She opened her eyes to find she had a bag of cold ice on her head and a worried Lyra Heartstrings who wafted a manuscript in her face for some fresh air. The room spun around and they were to be two of everypony. It wasn’t a dream.

“Whoa!” Vinyl Scratch got up a jolt. She was in her trailer in a beanbag. “What happened?"

“...You completely messed everything up, that’s what happened!” A snooty voice came from the other side of the cabin. Stood together in the corer were Rarity and Bon-Bon, both with their hooves folded, both with their noses scrunched up and supremely angry frowns.

“I told you so Lyra. I didn’t like to think you were idiotic enough to not notice that Vinyl Scratch has a problem,” Bon-Bon shouted at her friend in anger as she spoke. “She’s clearly an alcoholic.”

The four words Lyra hated her saying: 'I told you so'.

“I had one chance, one chance to show off that dress, to have some shred of hope of getting a shop in Canterlot, the capital fashion of the world, and you ruined it!” Rarity snarled, she clenched her hooves in anger, even after all her warnings and talks Vinyl Scratch had still ruined her presentation. In a way she wasn't surprised. Vinyl had not only messed everything up, but severely damaged the Carousel Boutique not to mention put everypony in danger. “Just look what you did to my dear poor Opal!” Rarity held out her pet.

Meow... Poff!

A puff of grey smoke exited the cats mouth. Her fur was frizzled, twirled and covered in black soot.

“I know my limits!” Vinyl protested. Her eye also scowled in an evil way. “I can quit whenever I feel like it. See?” Vinyl grabbed a half-opened bottle a Perry and poured it all over the floor of the cabin. It did nothing to quench the smell of sweat and shame.

"You know Vinyl Scratch, you waste you opportunities in Canterlot. Anypony else would be grateful, but you? Nooooo. Everypony believes your some 'famous' DJ. But you're not, you're just a pony with a problem." Rarity squared-up to Vinyl.

Vinyl Scratch got up and pulled her hoof back to throw a punch.

"Alright! Enough!" Lyra held her hooves out to stop both ponies beating the brains out of each other.

“Urg, don’t be such a layabout.” Vinyl Scratch pushed herself away from the conflict and turned to Lyra. “Y-youse, won’t give up on me, will ya’ Lyra? After all we’ve been through?” Vinyl Scratch sank back into the beanbag, her mane was a mess, she had a throbbing migraine and she held a pack of ice on the side of her head.

When Vinyl Scratch looked, it was also at that moment she realised Lyra had a big black eye. Had she done that? Had she hurt her own friend? She landed right on top of her friend, not once, but twice. She remembered that much.

“Apologize!” Rarity growled. Her rage was unquenchable.

“Alright-alright! I’m sorry. Okay? I just wanted everypony to hear my music.” Vinyl Scratch apologized in regret, although everypony was sceptical to its authenticity.

Rarity and Bon-Bon had heard enough excuses and stormed out of the cabin together. Rarity slammed the cabin door with her magic on their way out. United in their rage, Bon-Bon and Rarity had become good friends after all this, they had many similar characteristics.

Vinyl Scratch turned to her last friend in the world, Lyra Heartstrings; she was her last hope for this story to end in any sort of redemption.

“What are we gonna do with you?” Lyra said with a sigh. She felt like Bon-Bon, looking after another pony like she this. As she approached to remove the cold ice bag she heard the familiar rattling of the bottles that littered the cabin floor. She looked down to see the bottle.

“...I mean look at this, look what it says on the bottle: 'May lead to extreme extremeness'.” She picked up a bottle up and pointed it at the label for Vinyl to read, but she was still seeing double.

Bleouup!

Vinyl Scratch tilted her head to the side to projectile vomit all over her trailer.

“I think you have a problem…” Lyra turned away and then looked back at her friend worryingly. “It’s going to be okay…”

“I don’t have a problem. Don't touch me... N-no. Get away from me…” Vinyl slurred as her friend approached.

“It’s going to be okay” Lyra said again and hugged her friend tightly.

Vinyl burst into a fit of drunken tears.

“We never got to form that band we always wanted... do you remember? That was our musical dream, to play together. Now look at us, I’m a drunk and you’re stuck with Mrs. Nesbitt and co. for the rest of yer life.” Vinyl Scratch regretted. Once again Lyra helped her intrepid but groggy friend up on all-four hooves. “We used to be so great together. We had a future and everything. What the hell happened to us?” Vinyl Scratch looked at her friend.

“That night happened...” Lyra replied as she remembered that terrible night when music school burnt down, with them trapped inside, and deadly bright flashes of green. She helped her musical friend up by placing her hoof around the back of her shoulder. “Now c’mon, there’s something we both have to do...”

Atop one of the highest towers in all of Canterlot the grey pony Octavia still stood alone in the solace and darkness of the empty concert hall. Stood up against the tall and heavy cello she picked up an oboe and played a last sad melody. A tune to show her inner feelings, her instrument played conveyed a deep and mellow tune, a melody of great sorrow. It was about a tale of a music school which burned to the ground and separated three best friends. A tale where Lyra Heartstrings had to play in the inns to get bits but eventually found a new life in Ponyville, and Vinyl Scratch got the travel the world with her popular techno music. Octavia was left with nothing, nothing else but the dark melody of her songs and the haunted memories of the foreboding past. Even her own mother had left her, left her with the instrument of her sadness and irony: her cello. The echoing notes repelled against the walls and chimed in unison. The cellist closed her eyes and let her music take her...

“We should play together,” a familiar voice echoed from across the hall. Startled, Octavia slightly missed a note as her oboe screeched across the string. She opened her greyish purple eyes. It was like a miracle, or perhaps a dream. Two ponies stood there, both of them bright and colourful, Vinyl Scratch and Lyra Heartstrings. Seeing them both brought back memories, not of all them good. Octavia was always shunned from the light while Vinyl Scratch, bubbly, popular and colourful always got the fame and popularity. Vinyl Scratch always considered herself to be... untouchable. Lyra Heartstrings on the other hoof knew everything about music, she was always top of the class, the best lyre player there ever was...

The three ponies come to a silent standoff in the middle of the desolate and cold concert hall.

“Do you have room for one more?” Lyra said with an embarrassed grin and held the Kerit up in her hoof.

It had been many years since their last meeting, in those eyes now much maturity had grown. Octavia’s shoulders slumped but she smiled silently as always and then without warning grabbed both Vinyl and Lyra in one swoop and hugged them tightly together. Her cello fell against the concert hall without an owner to prop it up. In that warm hug the and tears and friendships lost of the years past were all forgiven. She still cared even after all these years of being left alone. They were together again.

Then the slow clapping sound of hooves pierced the silence in the hall.

“Let us play this sad blue melody.”

Everypony broke the hug and turned to look after they heard the familiar voice...

“Melody?!” Everypony gasped. Melody, the crazed pony from their music school stood with a sarcastic laugh and evil gleam in her eyes.

"That's right, the forgotten fourth member of the gang." Melody said snidely. She lent on the back wall while stood only on her hind hooves. She had changed much, time had not being kind to her. She was now a dark grey earth pony with a rock star-styled pink mane which if let loose would fall over her eyes. The fur on the tuffs of her ears were spiked up to make her ears look longer, she also had a golden piercing on her ear. Her cutie mark was a treble clef. A small white violin rested against the wall by her hind hooves. Melody had watched the whole scene from afar, her mulberry eyes shone in the dark corner of the concert hall.

“We all thought you were dead. W-whut do you want from us?” Vinyl Scratch said and stood on guard infront of Octavia to protect her. She knew Melody has had a long and endless rivalry with Octavia, a rivalry which had grown into a dangerous anger. “Things not working out in ‘The Rockin’ Beats’?”

“We’re not afraid of you anymore!” Lyra suddenly shouted. “I know you were the one who sold me this lyre.” Lyra threw the Kerit down onto the floor as it scraped across the marble tiles toward Melody’s hind hooves. “You almost got me killed!”

“A simple chord of disillusion.” Melody said and wafted a hoof through the air. She picked up her black oaken violin.

"Whut happened to you, Mel? You were meant to be our lead singer, we were going to form a band and become famous. It was all going so well..." Vinyl Scratch said and then remembered back to the music school fire.

“Alas, it is more than simple coincidence that we are all gathered here today. Isn’t that right, Octavia?” Melody said under a wicked smile, her spotless white teeth grinned in the darkened hall.

Lyra then remembered the letter, the letter Octavia had sent in her stead. Lyra worked it out. “It was you who got Octavia to send me that letter weren’t it? Octavia would've never of contacted me like that.” Heartstrings shouted across the hall.

“You’re blackmailing her!” A sober Vinyl Scratch neighed. Octavia gave them a worried look, but no words were needed to explain.

“And the last pony crosses the finishing line. You were always bottom of the class Vinyl Scratch, I didn’t like to think you were scum then, but you’re certainly scum now. I believe the moment has come for the final concerto. Yes, I got Octavia to send you that letter to gather you all together, here. Now we can end what we started Octavia and finish this never ending circle.” Melody placed her white violin on in her neck and scraped the oboe against the violin. It created the most terrifying and terrible screeching sound, like hooves on a chalkboard.

“Argh,” Both Lyra and Vinyl Scratch groaned and held their ears. Melody chuckled sadistically. Both Melody and Octavia were immune to the music. From Mel's violin curled green music notes that magically flew out of the instruments F-holes. She was using music magic! The ancient arcane art that forms when a magical infused instrument is played. The magical music notes twisted and turned among the concert hall before it encased the three best friends together like a lasso, they were all trapped and thwarted. If only Lyra hadn’t thrown away the Kerit she could use any magic that it had left. Suddenly another but different flair of purple musical notes fly around dispersing the green ones with a crackle of thunder. The purple notes had come from the cello of Octavia.

“I never thought that you’d have learned music magic so early.” Melody snarled. Octavia had mastered music magic as well. Since when was this ancient art invented anyway? Octavia silently stepped down the steps, no words needed to express the anger and rage that was clearly shown upon her face. Her greyish purple eyes turned evil and she dragged the cello behind herself.

“Octavia...?!” Vinyl spoke worryingly as her ears finally stop ringing. Both Octavia and Melody stood afar from each other and prepared their instruments. They began to play, one played a tune of evil the other a tune of sorrow, the magical musical notes fly from the instruments and collided in the centre of the concert hall.

Strvom!

The two streams of magic met in the middle and began to push against each other. They sparked and flared with colour and power as they burnt in the centre of the hall but neither pony could get the upper hoof over the other. The sparks occasionally flared off and destroyed parts of the concert hall like the wooden benches of the drapes. They faster they played their tune of music, the more powerful their magic was. Ever so slightly the green notes begin to overpower the purple. Lyra and Vinyl watched with great worry, Octavia was putting every last piece of emotion and empathy into the music...

“Octaviiiiaaaaa!”

Suddenly the green musical notes overpowered Octavia breaking through her weaker magic with an explosive and strike straight into Octavia’s chest. Everything went silent, the cello was flung upward into the air, Octavia is knocked off her hooves and against the stone stairs with a violent thud. She smashed her head against the marble stone with such impact it knocked her out. Octavia fainted, defeated.

“Aaaahahahahaaa!” Melody gave a demented but insanely cute chuckle. But something stopped her laughter when Octavia’s cello crashed against the floor and slid right to her. The birch cello was damaged and covered in black burn marks.

There it was... the symbol. The symbol etched with a carving knife into the back of the cello.

Such a simple symbol wrought such strong horror for the Melody; her demented look had changed into one of horror and discontent. Did she know this symbol? What in Equestria did it mean?

While Melody was startled and preoccupied by the cello, Vinyl Scratch sprung into action and galloped to assist Octavia and hold her head up. Lyra dived across the marble floor to grab the Kerit, her body slid along the marble tiles. The green music magic coiled around her hoof like a snake and then flung her backstage where she landed with a crash.

Vinyl Scratch used the magic from her horn. She concentrated on the lyre but she had never used this much magic before. Slowly but surely the Kerit began to shake and move, she levitated the sickly green instrument as it twirled through the air. Lyra Heartstrings caught it in mid-air and began to string notes, hopefully there was still some magic left inside it.

Bang!

“Uargh!” Heartstrings groaned in pain. A bolt of green magic had snapped the Kerit clean from her hoof. She waved it in agony as it burnt from the force of the magic. Melody looked up from the cello. She wasn’t going to stop; instead she began to string more evil magic melodies from her violin. The green music notes spun so rapidly that they would cut and slice anypony that came into contact. Crazed with the power Melody realises that she had lost control. The magical music notes flew among the concert hall. She stops playing her tunes that screeched but the magic still continued to fly out of the control. It had become independent and too powerful to stop. It spun in a twister, faster and faster, until—

“Nooooo!”

Boom!

With a devastating flash of green light, the highest tower in Canterlot exploded. The entire hall erupted into green flame, the walls explode outwards sending bricks and mortar in all directions, the pointed roof of the tower is blown clean off and then subsides. Rubble and mortar crushed all ponies inside the hall. The explosion could be seen for miles and echoed across the moors of Equestria.

Everypony, including Melody were blasted off their hooves. Green flames erupted all over the destroyed concert hall, and crackled with magical might. Melody stood behind the green flames which reflected in her eyes, her mane now dangled down to droop over her face and over her eyes. She smiled dementedly behind the strands of her mane. Lyra, Vinyl and Octavia laid defeated on the now marble tiles which were now all cracked and covered in the rubble from the crumbling roof. Vinyl Scratch's tinted glasses were smashed into pieces, the strings of the Kerit had broke and Octavia’s cello now burnt with green fire. None of them moved, but they were all still alive, eyes open but barely breathing. Melody had gone mad, she picked up her violin again, as the green flames crackled and burnt. She walked through the flame and lifted her oboe. She was about to end it all and string the final note...

Whack!

A solid surface struck upon the back of Melody’s head, her ears rang from the sudden impact and her vision went blurry. She did a twist and collapsed unconscious onto the marble tiles with a thud.

“I suppose you needed some help?” Bon-Bon said with a wry smile. She had whacked the demented Melody over the head with her silvery baking tray. Behind her, Rarity was stood and cast weak gust of magical air to extinguish the flames and dust.

Lyra, Vinyl and Octavia got up together. Their hooves shook from the most sudden experience but they each managed to stand on all four hooves.

“I don’t believe it... Bon-Bon and Mrs. Nesbitt saved the day.” Vinyl Scratch half-heartedly joked and brushed the dust out of her neon blue mane.

“For the last time, my name is not— oh what the heck. Call me whatever you want.” Rarity smiled. Royal guards, called upon by Rarity, flooded into the tower with all with their silvery armour and pointed spears in tow. The royal guards dragged the limbless Melody away to the Canterlot dungeons.

“Octavia!” Melody awakened in the guards custody. “It look like our concerto will continue to sequence. You and I are musically one and the same, but the time will come when sun sets on your creative mind." Melody was dragged away but she had the time to say one final thing to Octavia:

"To find the answers you seek, you must first find your mother's grave.”

The royal guards slammed the door shut.

The consort hall had faced the brunt of the battle. One wall and the entire ceiling had both been utterly annihilated and everypony could feel the fresh wind blow through their various manes. The wooden stage was reduced to a series of splinters and a layer of grey ash covered everything. All the friends come face-to-face in the centre of the ruined and destroyed concert hall.

“I guess I owe everypony an apology. Rarity. I’m sorry for showing off too much. My showboating just got everypony annoyed or hurt. Tavi, I know how much music means to you and I took all of that away. I'm sorry.” Vinyl Scratch spoke with a smile, an apology?! That was most unlike her... perhaps now that everypony was together her eyes had opened to what really mattered.

“You see Octavia, you had something she didn’t. Melody just craved power and vengeance, she couldn’t let go of her hate for us. I think that’s why her magic exploded, much like her anger. But you played with feeling and only ever used music to communicate love and sorrow. Feelings that are more powerful than anything.” Rarity explained everything.

Lyra picked up the Kerit. She had finally worked it out, the green flashes of light from when the music school burnt down. That was Melody using her music magic. It was Melody who had caused the school the burn down and separate them.

"But you know... I always remembered Melody having green eyes and a pink coat." Lyra said and pointed a hoof into the air. "Hey, I just had a thought!"

"Uh oh, that's dangerous for you." Bon-Bon replied with a titter.

"You know while we’re all here, I think we should form our own band. Like old times right, the band we never got to make!” Lyra Heartstring said and bounced up and down in excited. Vinyl Scratch turned to Rarity with wide eyes.

Rarity knew she was going to regret this but—

“Fillies and gentlesteeds. On this presentation of the Tour De’ Cloak, I give you... not only the best disk jockey, but the best lyre and cello players in all of Equestria. One formerly in the Royal Canterlot Symphony Orchestra, the other is the greatest lyre player this side of the Silver Sea. It's the duet you've all been waiting for! It’s DJ-Pon Threee and Octaviaaaa!”

The neon lights and lasers shone for the final time and beamed in colourful displays upon the catwalk. The band stood on the stage, Vinyl Scratch used the magic from her horn to place the pin down upon one of the two spinning vinyl’s on the turntable.

“Think you can handle these sick beats?” Vinyl Scratch shouted before she placed a bottle of Perry to her mouth. But in that moment she decided to change her mind. She didn’t drink another drop instead, she threw the bottle away. No more would she be a slave to alcohol, no more would she be the drunken disk jockey.

“Vinyl, it’s supposed to be a formal event.” Lyra kindly reminded her friend with a friendly tap on the shoulder. Lyra finally got to play the song she had worked so tirelessly on... with a few tweaked improvements.

“Oh right, soz.” Vinyl turned down the music slightly to let the real pro’s play. Next to the colourful DJ, Octavia stood playing her cello, and lyre leaned against the speaker of the sound system to play the Kerit. This time, the three played together in sync.

Even Bon-Bon joint in the fun as she grabbed a microphone and sang, perhaps this was her special talent after all. She could make a great replacement for Melody. Octavia played her classical music over the techno beat, to make a different genre of music entirely. One thing was now certain; Octavia was back in business! Together they had created a new type of music nopony had ever heard before. The music played louder and louder as Rarity danced onto the catwalk in a most different fashion from before. She wore the Tour De’ Cloak proudly once more. Everypony went wild even Hoity-Toity trapped his hoof to the beat. Photo Finish took souvenir pictures of the entire event. Everypony in Ponyville danced the night away and the presentation was a huge success. They had formed a new band and fulfilled their musical dream.

Dear Princess Celestia.

‘Today many of your more, musical subjects learnt a valuable lesson. You see while showing off may feel good, it can be hurtful or otherwise upsetting to everypony else. You should always be mindful of other ponies feeling and not showboat whenever the time beckons. All the talent you have are a blessing, but there’s no need to showboat about them. Becoming dependant on intoxication ruined me morally, broke my heart and the hearts of too many others.

Music isn't about pop stars and concerts and being famous, it's about us, about everypony. We all have music inside us. And with music in your soul, Equestria is a much happier place.

Me and Tavi learnt that you should never give up on your dreams, even if things don’t seem to go your way. It only takes that one pony to believe in you and to help you when you fall to make your dream come true, to make your dream come true. Our musical dream was to form our own band, and now it is a reality. As for the name of the band, how about... the Vinyloctave.’

~ Vinyl Scratch.

To Be Continued...

My Little Pony: Time is Forever™ will return...
Soon...

'When magic backfires... ancient creatures will return.'

Notes:
This episode is dedicated to Kelly Sheridan.
Melody was originally a pony from My Little Pony Tales: My_Little_Pony_Tales#Main_Characters
This episode marks the end of the episodes going through the six canon characters.
Originally Octavia was going to speak, but I decided to make her a mute to bring her more depth, all of Octavia’s lines were given to Melody.
Melody will return... when you least expect it.

The Rainbow of Darkness (Midseason Finale)

The Rainbow of Darkness
Midseason Finale

“Wherever there is light... there is also a shadow.”
~ Star Swirl the Bearded

‘Please! If you’re reading this, you must flee. Equestria isn’t safe anymore. Just run, please, just get out of here. The gate opened... and out poured the darkness. We never stood a chance; we should’ve heeded the signs! From Fillydelphia to Las Pegasus, the sun is dim.

It was because of me that all my friends met, and now it’s because of me that they’re all gone. My friends, my best friends, even the princesses. I know it’s all my fault, I brought it here... the darkness came here through me!

This may be the last thing I ever write down. I’m going to die soon, I just know I am... I wanted to write down my last thoughts. So just know that I’m sorry. I’m so, so, sorry.

Goodbye.’

Signed,

~ Rainbow Dash.

One Day Earlier...

Surrounded by black clouds that flashed with lightning and rumbled with thunder what roared through the air. Twilight Sparkle stood at the centre of this dark world. Her enemies had gathered around her: Nightmare Moon and the Shadowbolts, Discord and even their Mannequin opposites were there, most of the villains she’d defeated. They all stood silently and stared at her every movement, their various different coloured eyes alight in the dimness. It unnerved her that they were all here, that they all knew something she didn’t. All the villains stepped aside and behind them a shadowed figure of a pony chuckled lowly...

The pony wore a cloak and said with a rumble of thunder, “today Twilight Sparkle, you learn about your greatest lesson: that friendship does not last forever!”

Crackle!

Twilight suddenly awakened with a jolt and a scream in the Library. She breathed heavily and wiped the cold sweat from her brow. Spike the baby dragon spike sat at the end of her bed.

“You had that dream didn’t you?” Spike said.

“Spike? What are you doing here? I thought you were—” Twilight muttered. Something tugged on her body before she could finish her words, she levitated out of bed. The library oozed with purple ooze which splattered down the walls, the ooze had eyes and groaned with death...

There was another in the room with them, the Greymare, Dark Plague. Dark Plague’s back faced them; she had several hundred strings that were stitched into her skin. Her tail ruffled from the unease she felt.

Twilight could see her own face through the mirror in her room, she was crying. Her tears were green like acid and as they trickled down her face they burnt scars into her skin—

Twilight’s eyes opened again. The second she realized she was still dreaming, she was dragged from the dream and back into reality. It was a dream within a dream. She tossed and turned in her bed and used her hooves to check if she was really here this time. She breathed a paranoid sigh of relief, this was real, she was awake. It was only a dream...

“It felt so real this time...” Twilight sat up in her bed, but nopony wasn’t there, not even Spike. It took a few seconds before it all flooded back to her and she remembered that Spike was still entombed in stone. She could only talk to herself now that the mornings Spike would usually be there to greet her were gone.

The library had never felt so empty... she had never felt so empty.

“Wait a minute, what time is it?!” Twilight bounced herself off the bed and stared out of the window, the sun was already shining in. Her heart sank. “Oh no, I overslept!” Twilight jumped out of bed and charged to the window to see the confetti and the crowds of ponies that cheered outside.

Confetti fell around Ponyville, party balloons swayed in the air attached to every cottage roof. A huge banner was erected and read across: ‘Welcome Princess Celestia’. It hung proudly between two cottages near the entrance to the town. Ponies of all age and type gathered at either side of the pathways, they cheered and hooted.

Twilight was flustered, she quickly brushed her mane and then burst through the library door with little care for the hinges. Outside in the warm sunshine, everything was fine. Ponies cheered in the light and cheered along a parade down Ponyville's streets. Where her dreams wrong? Twilight galloped to join her friends.

“Good to see you finally made it, we thought you weren’t coming.” Rarity said with a pinch of doubt. Her friends were always pleased to see her. Everypony was there apart from Rainbow Dash and Applejack who were absent as they were still out racing in the all-important Equestrian Five-Hundred.

“Sorry I’m late girls.” Twilight stood with them.

Various floats with displays of flowers around them rolled through the town. The parade had arrived, some of the parade floats even had machines which shot out bubbles from tiny cannons for the crowd to enjoy. Loud music played from all the new noisemaker sirens that were installed by the mayor of Ponyville. Princess Celestia arrived on the largest float of all which had an undersized model of Canterlot on the back of it; cannons on either side shot confetti in the air, golden horseshoes encircled the rim of the float. It was filled with guards and their large pointy spears affixed tightly in their hooves. Princess Celestia stood not on ceremony and waved gracefully to the crowd.

The parade float paused for a brief moment as it reached the crossroads at the Library. Princess Celestia flew off her magnificent float to greet the crowd and meet her Twilight and her friend. Celestia approached her student with a carefree smile.

“There is an important date coming soon, it is called the presentation of the trident. Namely the Princess Cadance will be coming to return the ‘Trident of the Ocean’ to Canterlot. I would like you to be there. I would like us all to be there.”

“Why wouldn’t we be there?” Twilight asked in confusion.

Princess Celestia didn’t reply, instead she levitated to Twilight seven pink envelopes, the extra invitation was for the absent Spike.

“Consider this a personal invitation for you all. I did have a mail carrier pony send you some but she had crashed into a tree.” Celestia explained.

“Enjoy the celebrations,” Twilight Sparkle said back.

Just as Celestia was to depart she stopped herself to address them again, about something much more serious.

“There is another reason why I am here, I came to collect you.”

“Huh? What do you mean?” Pinkie Pie inquired and thought, did Princess Celestia collect ponies or something? She shrugged her shoulders and blew up a yellow balloon.

“Twilight, you did not tell your friends...” Princess Celestia stepped back as Twilight’s friends stood with party cone hats on and party blowers in their mouths. She didn’t want to tell them, here of all places, while everypony was in high spirits. Twilight sighed and finally revealed to them the truth...

“Today is my last day here. I’m being recalled from Ponyville...”

“What?!” Everypony shouted in unison. Pinkie Pie’s yellow balloon deflated with a sordid fart.

“No... y-you can’t leave.” Fluttershy said and stood in disbelief, tears swelled up in her eyes.

“It can’t be!” Rarity outburst and turned to the princess, “Princess Celestia please reconsider! Twilight Sparkle is a valued member of the community.”

“You’ll manage without me. I mean, you did manage without me before, right?” Twilight said and shrugged her shoulders.

“Not really... Ponyville was destroyed every other day with disasters before you came along.” Pinkie Pie explained.

“But Princess Celestia, If it wasn’t for Twilight Ponyville would’ve been destroyed years ago,” Rarity begged at Celestia.

It was clear her best friends loved her too much to just see her walk away.

“I’m sorry girls, I should’ve told you earlier, my time here was only meant to be temporary anyway,” Twilight spoke with teary eyes; she looked up at Celestia. “Can I at least stay until Applejack and Rainbow Dash return from the Equestrian Five-Hundred?” Twilight’s had puppy-dog eyes. Celestia simple nodded in agreement with a heavy heart.

“When the time comes, you must flee. All of you.” Celestia parted with a final warning before she hovered back onto the parade float.

The parade rolled onwards...

Hours later the flustered Applejack and Rainbow Dash returned to Ponyville. They rushed to the library to see that it was already half-empty. Several wooden boxes littered the halls, all piled up to the roof. Twilight sat on one of the biggest suitcase, her head hung low; she couldn’t bear to even look at her friends. Her complexion was flushed and she needed to stop herself from having a full breakdown.

Rarity explained everything to their two remaining friends, Applejack and Rainbow Dash. She explained that Twilight had to leave them behind... she was going to leave Ponyville. It hit them hard.

“It’s not really goodbye though; I mean... we’ll come visit you right? Then we can have parties in Canterlot! Like at the Gala!” Pinkie Pie said first, ever the hopeful that things will work out in the end.

“We’ll miss you...” Fluttershy said quietly.

“Twilight dearest, I’m so sorry,” Rarity hugged Twilight warmly.

They all looked around at the library, this was the final time they would see their friend living here. Twilight had a single saddlebag, it was small but yet it was stuffed to accommodate so many things.

“At least let us help you pack,” Rarity picked up a book, ‘Slumber 101: All You've Ever Wanted to Know About Slumber Parties But Were Afraid to Ask’. It reminded her of the time she and Applejack had a slumber party in the library. Rarity couldn’t help but smile at that old adventure.

Rainbow Dash picked up several copies of Daring-Do’s adventures including 'Daring Do and the Left Hand of Hades'. She remembered all the times she called Twilight an egghead for always having her head in a book, but really it turned out reading was awesome.

Pinkie Pie, dressed in a black and white maid outfit, used a pegasi-feather duster to clean the shelves in the library basement. All of the computers which once whirred with life were now gone. Pinkie Pie remembered the time when Twilight experimented on her with the computers, in a bid to scientifically explain her Pinkie sense. Her nose twitched...

A... A... ACHOO!

Applejack picked up a costume with stars and swirls on it; it was Twilight’s nightmare night costume, Star Swirl the Bearded. Applejack remembered when nopony recognized the costume Twilight direct them to the book, ‘Obscure Unicorn History’. When Princess Luna arrived to Ponyville, clueless to how the real world worked. Twilight, despite knowing Luna’s past as Nightmare Moon, gave her a chance and helped her to be accepted within the community.

“Thank you everypony,” Twilight replied. But even with her friends to help her, it still didn’t feel right. Even when she smiled it was accompanied with a disappointed grunt. She had so much history in this place, all those wonderful adventures she had in Ponyville. All from that very first moment she entered the library to an accord of voices that all shouted: ‘Surprise!’

When the chariot arrived everyponies eyes filled with tears. When they cried, so did Twilight. It was same light chariot which first brought Twilight to Ponyville. Two pegasus guards clad in golden armour, and devoid of any expression than a frown, were ready to ferry her into the clouds.

Twilight shuffled her saddlebag up on her shoulders and turned to face her friends. She remembered the first time she met then all, she thought they were all crazy but in time she came to love them as her friends. They opened up her heart and showed her the true magic of friendship.

“I suppose a goodbye is in order,” Rarity said and wiped her eyes with a handkerchief.

“G’bye Twi, we’re sure gonna’ miss ye,” Applejack tipped her hat as a sign of respect.

“Come visit us soon, ‘kay?” Pinkie Pie said with a tearful pout.

“It’ll be alright, we’ll see you again,” Rainbow Dash finished.

Fluttershy remained silent, she held it in more and more until the tears streamed down her cheeks.

Twilight wanted to say something, something meaningful and honest. She was so empty of all emotion but sadness that the only thing that fit the moment was...

"Goodbye."

Twilight entered the vehicle and the golden chariot lifted off the ground and journeyed up into the clouds. She waved a hoof goodbye and left her friends behind who all waved back at her. The chariot disappeared into a whit of clouds.

The library was gentle and quiet. The sad little windows stared like eyes. The once colourful shelves were empty and devoid of all books, destined now to only gather dust. The photos once filled with treasured memories were now empty frames that sat on the cupboards bare. The halls were cold and the floorboards groaned. Only old memories were kept tightly within its hallowed walls now...

Rainbow Dash’s house rested and floated atop the clouds. It was a conglomerate of clouds, pillars made from stone and rainbows which weaved among the clouds. Inside her bedroom, her bedclothes looked more like a cloud and matched that of her rainbow-coloured mane. Rainbow Dash laid back in her bed in disbelief that her best friend had to depart without a word of warning. It wasn’t really goodbye, even though they were miles apart they could still visit each other, but it still hurt.

A tear splashed letter floated through the Equestrian air. The winds of change echoed across the sky and pushed the letter to spin through the wind and was directed through the clouds until reaching the bedroom in the sky. It rested by her bedside unbeknown to Rainbow Dash who sulked underneath a purple pillow. When she laid her head down upon the pillow she caught a glimpse of the piece of parchment which wasn’t there before.

It was a letter... a letter to Princess Celestia. It was torn slightly but the pony who wrote it could be seen. Rainbow Dash knew not to read it, Ms. Hollow had already told her that in Appleloosa. Well... maybe just a peek, she thought. She took the note and noticed she is the one who wrote it. Her eyebrows lower, her eyes squint in deep thought. A mysterious letter she had forgotten about? How did she write something that she doesn’t even remember writing? She immediately looked away, and then glanced back to skim-read.

‘dead...’

...

‘my foal sis...’

...

‘she looked afte—’

“Nooooo!” A scream pierced the silence, Rainbow Dash was so startled she dropped the letter and jumped up onto her bed in a defensive position.

“You mustn’t... read it!” The voice said again out of breath, it sounded familiar. Through her window and infront of a dazzling ray of light that emanating behind him, Doctor Whooves emerged.

“Doctor?!” Rainbow Dash turned to see the time lord. She let her guard down and hovered to the floor.

“’Ello Skittles... I’m back.” He entered the abode with a worried look and a slight swagger.

“How did you get up here?” Rainbow Dash questioned and tilted her head in confusion. Then another entered her home: a perplexed grey pegasus spun upside-down through the air...

Crash!

Derpy crashed through the open window and smashed into a cupboard, obliterating it to shreds.

“I brought him here.” Derpy replied while upside down, everything looked funny the wrong way up. She plonked herself on all four hooves. Rainbow Dash gave Derpy a stern stare.

“Whaaat? He was yelling at me...” she twiddled her hooves shyly.

“Twilight was right, she said I needed somepony, turns out that somepony was Derpy.” The Doctor said and turned his neck down to look at the letter on the floor, he snatched it off the floor. “Did you read it?”

“Yes, no, well, a little bit.” Rainbow Dash stammered.

“That could be all it needs...” The Doctor looked at her extremely seriously, “what have you done?”

Screams cried out from within Ponyville, panicked ponies rushed outside to see a strange purple mist that emanated from underground. The celebrations were still underway but the mist had put an end to all the fun. The four best friends, Rarity, Fluttershy, Applejack and Pinkie Pie hastened into action and gathered together infront of the vacant library. The mist had covered most of the town in a permanent haze. Applejack checked the ground she stabbed it with the toe of her hoof.

“The source of the mist is coming from underground.” Applejack concluded, the mist rose up through the soil itself.

“We need a tunnel which heads to the source of the mist, and without Twi, yer’re the spell caster now Rarity.” Applejack said and turned to her. Rarity took the lead and investigated. Magic flashed from her horn, her eyes tightly shut with concentration. With great effort she used her magic to upturn part of the ground. That formed a perfectly long, dark passageway; it was surprisingly neat for a tunnel. A billow of purple mist rose from the tunnel. They decided to go investigate and headed inside...

“Urg, such grimy surroundings,” Rarity whined as the darkness crept in around them.

“I think ah got mud on my hooves.” Applejack said.

“Ewwww.” Rarity replied in utter disgust.

“Ahhhh!” Fluttershy suddenly screamed at something which touched her wing.

“Hehe, silly, relax!” Pinkie Pie giggled, “it’s just an unlit torch.”

“A torch? If they’re torches here then that means someone was here before us,” there was no doubt in Rarity’s voice after she saw the torches. There was no way she could’ve formed a tunnel like that unless the ground had already been disturbed.

Rarity had been here before; during Dark Plague’s attack the Diamond Dogs had dug a tunnel underneath Ponyville. Thankfully the Diamond Dogs hadn’t dug all the way to the Gate and unleashed the darkness behind it as they were distracted by the crystals cavern beneath Ponyville.

Magic caused the torches to flick into life, in groups of two they lit up the passageway infront of them. Everypony followed it down into an tall open cavern directly beneath Ponyville. They waited until the torches lit up around the room.

The grotto had a small river running through it with stalactites which perturbed out of the walls. The torched illuminated something at the far side of the grotto... something none of them had ever seen before.

“What exactly is this monstrosity?” Rarity questioned and looked up at the giant object.

“Why it looks like...” Applejack paused to gawp.

“A gate...” Fluttershy squealed quietly, but even her quiet voice echoed in this cavern.

“I don’t believe it. Y’all telling me it was hidden under Ponyville all along?” Applejack and everypony else stared up at the gate.

The gate stood taller than anypony and was made mainly of metal. It had two iron doors that parted down the middle; both were bathed red in colour to match the colour of blood. Both doors had iron chains that overlapped them. The tops of the gate had dangerously sharp spikes. The black mist was emitting from the tiniest gap between the doors. Written above the red doors, carved into the iron were words of warning...

'Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.'

Applejack stared at those words, frozen from fear.

“I knew it wasn’t just a dream,” she said. She lowered her head to try and hide the fear.

To the right of the cavern were a giant pile of bones. It was the remains of a dog with three heads, the beast once known as Cerberus.

“Who would hurt such a majestic and rare beast...” Fluttershy murmured with a tear in her eye, she stroked the collarbone of the bones of Cerberus.

“But if that’s Cerberus... that means... this is the Gate to Tartarus.” Rarity said and looked up at the gate and got a chill down her spine.

“Didn’t Twi’ bring Cerberus here that one time?” Applejack questioned. Twilight couldn’t have killed Cerberus, could she?

“I don’t like it... not one bit. It’s like it’s staring at me. Staring right into my soul...” Pinkie Pie’s eyes went funny.

“Uh... Pinkie Pie, dear. You’re looking at the wall.” Rarity replied and rolled her eyes.

“Oh. Right. Sorry.” Pinkie Pie turned on the spot to look at the gate instead. “I don’t like it... not one bit. It’s like it’s staring at— Ah forget it!”

“Well,” Applejack paused and gulped, “who was the one who told us about the gate?”

“Dark Plague. She told us it would open.” Pinkie Pie said.

“Precisely.” Rarity confirmed nervously.

“Uh-Huh,” Applejack nodded, “I was told it was opening as well, after the Equestrian Five-Hundred.”

“So, Dark Plague’s the one behind all this? Or... her master?” Pinkie Pie looked to the other ponies. They all shrugged.

“Then dare I ask, what’s behind it?” Rarity questioned as all the girls stared at the monumental iron gate. All of them feared it and feared what lurked behind it even more. Even their worst nightmares couldn’t comprehend.

“Maybe her master’s the one behind the gate...” Fluttershy hid behind the rib cage bones of Cerberus.

“I do so wish Twilight was here, she’d know what to do. She brought Cerberus here once... she’s the only one who know’s about this gate...” Rarity said.

“We need Twilight...” everyponies voices echoed from the grotto...

Twilight walked down Gemini Avenue in Canterlot. The last time she walked down this street was with the Myst Borealis that rhymed her every movement. Gemini Avenue was main and most popular route of Canterlot filled with cheerful foals that played in the sun and ponies who chatted happily amongst themselves. If only she could be so happy. She had her small worn saddle bag over her flank. She turned off the street and entered a small café on her trot through the city. She sat glumly on the bar stool and sighed to herself.

“Twilight Sparkle as I live and breathe... haven’t seen you here in awhile.” The owner of the shop smiled sympathetically. He wore an apron and a chef’s hat and cleaned a empty milkshake glass with a cloth. “You look glum kiddo, what’s on your mind?”

“Sorry Pony Joe. I’m just worried for everypony. Celestia recalled me from Ponyville... for reasons I’m still trying to figure out.” Twilight wallowed.

“Here,” Pony Joe put down a large drink with its own straw and tiny striped umbrella in it, “it’s on the house.” He said and walked down to serve another customer.

Twilight took a large swig of the milkshake and continued to wallow in self-pity.

She couldn’t stall any longer. After her journey to the café, she arrived at her old home. Horologium Street, there stood the large tower she lived in back before she was sent to Ponyville, before even the events of Nightmare Moon. Her old home was a large magical tower with a golden roof shaped like a flaming dome. While it stood more magnificent that the library back in Ponyville, it just didn’t seem like home anymore. She walked up the curved stairs and nudged open the door, it creaked open...

“Home sweet home,” Twilight half-heartedly said, there in the centre room of the room stood all her suitcases and boxes from the library, ready to be unpacked.

The only object inside the dusty old house was a large ashen hourglass that was filled with sand to record time itself. After all these years it still worked. Each time it emptied, it rotated around to record the next hour.

A single staircase led upstairs where a large window covered the far wall, and up upon some old white ladders was her telescope, from which the heavens could be observed. They were many large shelves upstairs where Twilight once kept all her books. The wall were etched with carvings of unicorns and the roof was dome-shaped. In grief Twilight walked in sorrowfully and looked around. Night had almost fallen and she decided not to unpack her things but instead just rest in the middle of the empty room without a bed...

Twilight stood in the plane of darkness, surrounded by another circle of clouds. This time the clouds were deep purple, and mist covered the edge of the dreamscene, it spun around her slowly and blocked the majority of her vision. Each purple cloud of mist flashed brightly with distant lightning. She could hear something, something that echoed through the darkness. It was the sound of ticking. She turned around to see a wooden metronome with a thin pendulum that ticked from right to left. Her enemies were there again, Discord and the Mannequins, Nightmare Moon and the Shadowbolts, even Dark Plague with the strings her back. They stared at her with their cold lifeless eyes, staring at her, the pony that defeated them.

“What do you want? What are you trying to tell me?” Twilight thought, he mouth did not move even though she spoke, her subconscious thoughts had transcended into words within the dreamscene. Dark Plague pointed first, then Discord, then Nightmare Moon. Twilight followed the length of their hooves and her eyes were led to the metronome. Behind the timekeeping device, the large pony approached Twilight. This time she saw more of it. The pony had cold icy blue eyes which looked like crystals, it had a beard and also a unicorn horn. A horn which suddenly flashed with silvery magic, a bolt of lightning magic was shot and hit her straight in the chest, her body went into shock—

Twilight awakened with a violent jolt. The sound of the ticking metronome was actually somepony knocking at her door. “That same nightmare...” Twilight groaned and got up; she was in another cold sweat. For a moment seconds she thought she was in the library, back home in Ponyville. Then it all flooded back when she realised she was alone here. She wished she would’ve never had to wake up. She shook her head in dismay of the nightmare and opened her door see the pony she least expected to see.

“Have I arrived at the wrong moment?” Princess Luna boomed loudly and towered over Twilight. The princess invited herself inside the empty house; it was still filled with cobwebs.

“Princess Luna,” Twilight bowed in awe, “I... I’m surprised to see you.”

“I have arrived because of the nightmares you are having, I have seen them, watched them from afar. They are unlike anything I have ever seen.” Princess Luna explained, “you need answers, how may I help?”

Twilight took a very deep breath before explaining: “Well I was having a great time in Ponyville until Princess Celestia your older sister told me it was time to leave and I know I shouldn’t because all of my friends are there we’ve so much more to learn and do and I didn’t know what the gate was in the end.” Twilight gasped for breath, she had neglected to pause correctly in that whole sentence.

Luna looked over her shoulder and raised a hoof in the air as she spoke, “I know of this gate...”

Twilight’s ears pricked upward and she smiled for the first time in hours, “tell me everything.”

Princess Luna and Twilight Sparkle huddled around, together they cast an ancient spell which created a mirror image of moving pictures... they watched together.

“During the time of great disarray and disharmony, when Discord ruled over Equestria and put it in a state of unhappiness. There was a single gate which stood at the heart of the world. The gate unleashed spirits of chaos and darkened all the elements. It was called the Gate of Tartarus, a hell’s mouth that spat out deadly creatures like the Cockatrice, Hippalectryon and Timberwolves. The gate stood as monument to great evil.

Seven comets fell from the sky, like a shining beacon of hope they fell. The Elements of Harmony. Discord was defeated by using six of the elements. My sister and I used three elements each and turned Discord to stone. But even with Discord entombed, Tartarus still remained open. My sister and I challenged Tartarus and battled the creatures inside it. Tartarus was eventually sealed; it trapped most of the evil creatures in the world inside it. But each time the gate is sealed, it magically teleports across Equestria to another location.

The hell’s mouth was slowly buried under the sand and years of time, forgotten and powerless, until one town disturbed the rocks above the burial place. The town of Ponyville was built apex a gaping well of darkness. Reformed and disturbed the gate was soon to reopen. It is said in ancient prophecy untold that the only thing that can unlock the gate is if part of another time makes its way into Equestria...”

Princess Luna finished.

Time is Forever, Twilight instantly thought. She thought of the book that had fallen through time, the book from the future that spoke of things to come. Luna had found it and both princesses had hidden the book away. They enchanted the book so neither of the princesses would remember its contents. Now Twilight knew why they feared it so, the princesses knew that ‘Time is Forever’ was something from another time and that it would unlock the Gate to Tartarus. The enchantment didn’t work on Twilight, because she was outside the room and only overheard the princesses conversation...

“I once brought Cerberus to Tartarus when he escaped into Ponyville. I didn’t open Tartarus back then and the gate wasn’t even underneath Ponyville back then either, it was closer to Saddle Arabia. I only left Cerberus to guard the outside of it.” Twilight said and gawked up at Princess Luna.

“What was it... that made you become Nightmare Moon?” Twilight said and turned her mind to other things.

Luna walked to the large window of the abode and gazed down at Canterlot below. She reluctantly explained her story...

“T’was the Nightmare Forces. They were initially three leaders known as the Prime Nightmares. Only two we know of: Shadowfright... and something we now name the Voidspark. The Voidspark is the one I feared the most...”

“Why?” Twilight asked intrigued.

“Because the Voidspark is the one that created Nightmare Moon,” she replied bluntly. “Shadowfright could warp any earth pony, pegasi or unicorn with it's darkness, but only the Voidspark could corrupt the princesses. The Voidspark was more of a ‘thing’ than actually something sentient... so consumed in shadow it could not utter a single word. It just stared at me, stared right into me. It fed on my jealousy for my sister’s glorious light... that brought forth the darkness of the night that was Nightmare Moon.”

“I’m sorry, I’ve... never heard the story like that before.” Twilight said.

“No need to apologize. The darkness inside me lasted for one-thousand years; my big sister had no choice but to put me on the moon for that amount of time.” Luna said, she had come to terms with the past enough to talk about it.

“Could it be that the time you battled the creatures of Tartarus that part of you was locked inside the Gate with them? The battle was around the same time you became Nightmare Moon, right?”

“Possibly. Part of my psyche could be given a life of its own with powerful enough magic. Some do believe the Nightmare Forces were sealed in Tartarus and were trapped behind the current location of the Gate to Tartarus. But when the gate was sealed last time, it moved to directly beneath Ponyville. Others believed another even more powerful darkness brewed behind it. You think Nightmare Moon was locked away inside the Gate of Tartarus, or at least part of her? If so, she would never be released, never be seen again.”

“But I was told the gate would open...” Twilight paced up and down the room worryingly. Dark Plague had told her the future; Dark Plague had warned them all.

“It appears my sister has kept secrets from you.” Luna replied with thoughtful eyes. Luna knew about the prophecy of Tartarus reopening, even Dark Plague knew, but Celestia hadn’t told Twilight...

“Whatever is behind the gate, it reopening is not good news.” Luna said sorrowfully.

Twilight joined Luna to gaze out of the large window her home, the shining city of Ponyville could be seen on the horizon. It’s at that moment Twilight noticed the purple mist that emanated from the town. It curled up in the sky and poisoned the air.

“The gate is opening, right now!” Twilight suddenly outburst, “this is what Celestia warned me about. Oh I wish she would’ve been more specific rather than just giving me clues. But this means...” Twilight looked at Luna worried. “You sealed the Gate of Tartarus a thousand years ago and now the gate is opening again...” Twilight gasped.

Could it be that the darkness behind the gate was really the Nightmare Forces? Whatever it was, it was about to unleashed on Ponyville from the inside and nopony knew the truth. This must be why Celestia told everypony to flee when the time came. Twilight thought and suddenly brushed past the princess.

“I have to go back, the gate will open... the gate will open! Everypony is in danger. Thank you Luna, for telling me everything,” Twilight said and smiled before she slammed the door shut.

Luna stood there in the empty house, she watched Twilight leave and felt her heart sink in her chest... that will be the last time I ever see you, Luna thought.

“How long have you known!” Rainbow Dash snarled in her bedroom. Doctor Whooves had just told her that he had kept this letter from her...

“Rainbow Dash... I was only trying to prote—”

“How long have you known!” She cut off the Doctor and stomped down her hoof.

“Two months... I’ve had the letter for nearly two months, okay? I didn’t mean to thought, I had to hide it from you.”

“I want some answers. I wrote this letter! But how did I write something down I don’t even remember writing?” Rainbow Dash jabbed the letter with her hoof as she shouted.

A standoff ensued, the Doctor gulped but then in a moment of madness, he torn up the letter with his hooves.

“Nooooo!” Rainbow Dash bolted forward and pounced upon the Doctor, she smashed his head against a wooden table; the force of the fall broke the table in half. Clearly disgusted Rainbow Dash and the Doctor snarled in each other faces. During their spout, Derpy simply bounced on the clouds outside and enjoyed how fluffy they were.

“I can’t tell you!” He retorted, pinned under Rainbow Dash.

“Why not?!” She held the Doctor by the neck, and pressed her hoof down onto it.

“Because it will, ack—” The Doctor choked on his words. Rainbow Dash soon let go and then stepped back from the stallion.

“I-I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me,” Rainbow Dash looked at her own hooves. Doctor Whooves got up and straightened his green tie.

“Fine... I’ll tell you, it shouldn’t hurt. That letter is from the future, it’s from another time entirely. It slipped through into Equestria during the Edge of Forever incident, remember? That’s why you can’t remember writing it, because you haven’t written it yet. But you found it anyway after a certain pony thought it was mail...” The Doctor glared at Derpy outside.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to...” Derpy apologized and shrugged her shoulders.

“...and it wound up here when she got it mixed up with some invitations. I think the worst of it is over.”

“You had no right to hide it from me. But... the thing is. I did read it. All of it!”

“No Rainbow Dash, no! You’re making that link, you’re connecting two things which should have never of touched! You can’t remember, you just can’t, just let it go, forget about it or you'll put everypony in danger!”

“The letter said I had a sister,” Rainbow Dash remembered the note, it was a letter to Princess Celestia written by her and one other... but she remembered the letter was torn slightly so the other pony who wrote it with her is unknown. But the words it said, they sounded impossible...

“Brothers yes... but I’ve never had a sister!” Rainbow Dash sulked and closed her eyes to try and stop the tears. Emotions rushed through her head, the future? How is that even possible?

Doctor Whooves had tried to hide that letter from her, and now she had read it, she remembered it.

Something from another time had made its way into Equestria. The link had being made...

Slam! Slam! Slam!

“Ahhhh!” Fluttershy screamed and quivered behind the other ponies as they all backed away. Three massive slams had knocked on the other side of the gate. Something or somepony had banged on the door... from the inside. They wanted to escape.

Tick... Tick... Tick...

The sound of cogs working and several mechanisms unlocking called from the metal monstrosity. Particles of dust fell from the top spikes as the gate screeched open slowly...

“Revenge!” A deep and powerful voice cackled from inside Tartarus. The darkness was trying to escape and called for... revenge?! All the ponies looked at one another, was the thing behind the gate a villain they’d already defeated? Nightmare Moon? Discord? King Sombra? All of their current whereabouts were unknown.

Abruptly and with a heavy jolt the gate stopped. It hadn’t opened enough for anypony to go in or out, but just enough for a huge torrent of mist to stream out and flood the cavern with a bountiful haze.

“Princess Celestia was right... we need to get out of heeerrree!” Rarity squealed and waved a hoof to displace the mist from her face.

“Perhaps y’all should... evacuate?” Applejack suggested and tried to hold her breath. Everypony galloped for the exit, and rushed back up the tunnel.

Ponyville had been placed in a perpetual twilight, neither sunlight nor starlight pierced the mist. Everypony tried their utmost not to inhale it. Everypony galloped in every direction. The mayor of Ponyville stood alongside the mysterious Ms. Hollow stood in the distance and tried to calm the situation, but even the mayor didn’t know what was happening.

“Madam Mayor, y’all need to evacuate Ponyville. Somethin’ really, really wrong is happenin’ in that there tunnel.” Applejack wryly explained to the mayor and pointed to the tunnel. The mayor wasted no time with a reply, instead Ms. Hollow passed the mayor a megaphone so she could shout across the town.

“Everypony listen, everypony gather round and listen. Do not panic! A state of emergency has been declared and we are evacuating Ponyville. You know the drill by now, please stay with your group and make your way calmly to Canterlot in an orderly fashion.” As the mayor spoke everypony got into their assigned groups and ran for the hills.

“Cheerilee, take the fillies.” The mayor shouted through the megaphone and pointed to her.

“Of course.” Miss Cheerilee replied.

“Applejack!” Apple Bloom shouted as she and the Cutie Mark Crusaders rush to them.

“What’s goin’ on?” Apple Bloom looked up to her big sister, her eyes filled with fear.

“Apple Bloom, I need you to be really brave now and go with the mayor and Miss Cheerilee to Canterlot. Y’all be safe there.” Applejack ordered.

“But I don’t wanna go.” She protested.

“Apple Bloom this is serious, this ain’t a game no more.” Applejack said sternly.

“You too Sweetie Belle. Go with them and for goodness sake look after one another.” Rarity said to Sweetie Belle, they shared in a hug before splitting up.

“We won’t be far behind...” Fluttershy nudged them gently onwards.

Everypony headed for the exit, they closed the windows of their homes before leaving them and all their belongings behind. Everypony fled Ponyville: Lyra, Bon-Bon, Big Macintosh and Ms. Hollow. Even Sunny ‘Sky’ Rain the news reporter fled, she didn’t have time to make a news report this time, instead she just ran. All of them fled... to Canterlot!

Within minutes some of the school foals had gotten lost in the thick haze and the mass evacuation.

“We have to stay with the group.” Snips said as the fillies from the school pushed through the mist.

“Don’t be such a baby.” Diamond Tiara replied in slight detest.

“I can’t see a thing.” Pipsqueak grumbled next to Featherweight.

“Twist, watch out!” Silver Spoon shouted, a small part to a building collapsed right near her.

“I can’t hold it.” Snails replied as both he and Snips combined their magic to try and hold up the wooden debris. Sweetie Belle grabbed Twist and dragged her out of the way, just in time.

Crash!

“Thanks Sweetie Belle,” Twist snorted.

“The mist... it’s eating the wood?!” Apple Bloom looked at the building, whatever the mist touched slowly rotted away and dissolve.

“C’mon lets go.” Scootaloo lead all the foals away, back to Cheerilee and the other groups.

“Come along now fillies. Stay together.” Cheerilee gathered all the foals together. Apple Bloom could hear the sputtering fear in her teacher’s voice... this was really bad.

During the evacuation, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie checked every home. They checked in trees and behind buildings, they had to make sure that Ponyville was fully evacuated.

“Clear.” Rarity cried out first.

“Um... clear.” Fluttershy’s reply was barely audible.

“Clear as a whistle... or is that clean as a whistle?” Pinkie Pie confused herself.

“Alrighty then, everypony is out.” Applejack confirmed.

“Everyponies gone. It’s kinda creepy though... and sad too...” Pinkie Pie said as she gazed at the empty town.

“We’ll make our final stand at Canterlot... if it comes to that.” Rarity commanded.

The four friends galloped out of the town.

Ponyville was abandoned.

Celestia and Luna stood in the royal palace. They were surrounded with guards, including Drone, who assisted the princesses in putting on their reinforced armour. Celestia armour was golden and shone like the sun while Luna’s armour was silvery and darker.

“We were prepared for this day... dear sister,” Celestia said as a golden helmet was placed over her head. “I have ruled for nine-hundred and ninety-nine years. But this is the day Equestria will change forever.”

“Did it have to happen so soon?” Luna replied with worry as a silver plated breast piece was placed clipped around her front.

“We both fear it... and we both knew there was no stopping it.” Celestia regretted.

As the guards charged away. Celestia stopped the portly one...

“Drone was it?” Celestia stopped the royal guard.

“Y-yes, your highness. Did I not place the armour as instructed?” Drone gave a paranoid glance.

“No formalities, not tonight. Do you have a family Drone?” Celestia looked directly at him.

“Yes... but... why do you ask?” He said nervously.

“Do not be here tonight... when it happens. Take your family away to somewhere peaceful. A holiday perhaps, far away from the capital city. You have my permission.”

“Tonight... what’s going to happen? Why are you preparing for battle?!” Drone said with a profound fear.

“The gate will open.” Celestia answered, turned to Luna and gave a look of worry for her in particular.

Drone galloped off to his family and left the two sisters alone...

Luna wrapped her wings around her sister, “what if it gets me... gets us?”

Celestia held her sister in a tight hug.

“Then it will be up to them.”

Crackle!

It was a sad sight indeed to see Ponyville deserted like a ghost town. Only the purple mist remained, eating away at the cottages which rotted to the touch. It was moments after the evacuation that the intrepid Twilight entered the ghost town.

“Hellooo?” Twilight shouted, her voice echoed in the town.

“Annnyyppooonnyy?!” Twilight decided to explore the source of the mist. There was single tunnel leading underground. Through the torch-lit passageway she arrived in the grotto.

“No... I’m too late...” She gulped. There the evil gate to Tartarus towered over her. It’s metal-red doors made her feel uneasy and reminded her of the fire that is said to hide behind them. It stood taller than any gate she had ever seen.

Tick... Tick... Tick...

The gate unlocked. Huge metal locks churned from with the iron, the magical mechanics inside the gate, cogs and various metal rods could be heard moving within from top to bottom... It was opening, right now. Twilight held her breath...

‘There is a vast well of darkness hidden underneath Ponyville.’
‘The gate will open... for you.’
‘These words in sombre colour I beheld, written upon the summit of a gate...’
‘In the future I can see the blackest of darkness’s... one born from the moon, one ponies have faced before; returning to vanquish all past sins.’
‘Indeed, the oldest adversary of all ponies... is returning.’

...ZZZRRRRRGGGG!

A loud screech followed as the gate opened. The chains that covered the front of the gate suddenly snapped in half and crashed to the ground. Sparks exploded from the metal. Twilight had to move back as the two red iron doors swung outward. They opened fully this time. Hell had opened and Twilight saw a glance into the underworld itself...

It sounded like anvils were been smashed against each other, fire and lava covered most the interior and various screams of the monstrous creatures inside rang loud in her ears. The purple mist covered most of the hellish view. Red clouds swirled with fire in a maelstrom of burning rage. Twilight stood frozen; she heard the sound... of hooves. It was followed closely by the faint beating of a heart could be heard, was it her own heart? No, it is coming from within...

Then something emerged. Something from hell itself...

That was emerged from the gate was a creature, the creature from beyond her own nightmares. It was a half-horse centaur. His upper body was that of a demon that had red skin. Black hair surrounded his face and accumulated to a long beard that hung down from his chin. Two devil horns sprung from the top of his head, he wore spiked metal armour on its wrists and across its chest. His eyes were completely black; they had no pupils, no irises. The centaur marched out into the grotto and inhaled the purple mist. Two muscular arms outstretched from his body, five clawed fingers were on each. He stood nearly twice the height of Twilight Sparkle and towered over her with a low growl. It stopped infront of the swirling hell of the underworld as the gate remained open...

“Raaaawwwrraaaahhhhhhh!” He bellowed from the bottom of its lungs and absorbed his newly-found freedom.

“W-w-who are you... what are you?” Twilight glared up at the large centaur, she was too fearful to even prepare her magic...

“I... am Tirek.” The demon bellowed, his voice was old and mournful. He snorted purple mist from his nose like a dragon would. As Twilight backed away she noticed a black satchel around Tirek’s neck. The satchel pumped like a beating heart would, something was alive inside it.

“W-well, I’m not going to let you hurt my friends, or Ponyville, or Equestria!” Twilight stood in a defensive position, powerful magic surrounded her horn. Tirek darkened eyes stared down at Twilight before, he suddenly burst into fits of laughter.

“Equestria?! So that’s that you call it now. Interesting. Gone then are the days of Ponyland.”

“P-Ponyland... but that’s just an old p-ponies’ tale. To scare bad fillies.” Twilight replied.

“No, it is not.” Tirek said with a grin and presented himself.

Ponyland was said to be a world unlike Equestria which stood in its place nearly two-thousand years ago. Twilight never believed such a place existed.

“Did you not follow the signs; did you not have the nightmares? Oh little ponies, your nightmares have barely begun,” Tirek stepped his massive black hoof forward. Twilight's horn glittered with arcane energies and gathered power, she was going to strike!

“This world shall bow down to a new sovereign... behold the rainbow of darkness!” Tirek bellowed and opened the heart-beating satchel around his neck.

All Twilight saw next was the emptiness of the dark. Something pushed on her from all sides and crushed her body, it made her very bones creak. Her hooves were off the ground, she knew that much, she flailed all four of them but only sank lower. Her body shook violently in pain and the more she struggled the more disorientated she felt. It was pure darkness... it was the rainbow of darkness; it had gotten her before she even had time to think. Nothing made sense anymore.

WRROOOOSSSHHH!

She couldn’t fight it anymore... she gave in.

“Ahhhhhhh!” Twilight roared in pain. The roar wasn’t her own voice; it was that of a beast. Two ivory horns stretched out from her lower lip. Her fur changed colour and peeled back magically to reveal purple scales. Two torn wings perturbed out of her back and a long dragon-tail twisted out from her flank. Her whole body burnt with pain...

Her cutie mark had inverted colours; it was like the darkness had poisoned her true purpose. She had transformed in a beast known only as a Dragonmare. She couldn’t even speak anymore, only beastly roars of pain emitted from her maw. Any sign of the old steadfast Twilight was dead, her actions were no longer her own.

“You belong to the darkness now.” Tirek said. The rainbow of darkness departed from the Dragonmare’s scaly body and streamed through the grotto. It headed straight for the ceiling of the grotto.

Boom!

The rainbow of darkness crashed through the roof of the grotto and created an enormous crater into Ponyville above. The rainbow of darkness twisted wildly in the hazy sky above, it had a life of its own. It was a sentient darkness; it could see where it was and move out of the way of buildings, it could detect any life other than that of darkness.

Tirek mounted his newly-created Dragonmare, the monster that used to be the enigmatic Twilight. He detached a spiked whip which was attached to the plates of onyx armour around his front. It was a whip made from the tails of his enemies. The Dragonmare took flight, it flapped it massive bat-like wings and ascended up through the crater and into the sky above Ponyville. Flying up into the world above the canopy of purple mist. Tirek got his first look at the new world below him.

“This world...” he said with a hint of confusion and looked all around him. Everything had changed, the world had change. Many cities sparkled with life in them, grasslands filled the horizon and the golden city of Canterlot was sprawled out in the sky. It was a world unlike his; this was a brighter world, filled of values and friendship. However it was a land still filled with the creatures Tirek hated the most... ponies. The hatred that filled the core of Tirek’s heart had never existed in Equestria until now.

The rainbow of darkness twisted through the air and streamed back into the satchel around Tirek’s neck. Once inside, the satchel pumped like a heart.

“This world of boiling life and false hope... this world will be mine.” Tirek said to himself and held both his arms up into the air. He grinned with greed. He brought his whip down to strike the Dragonmare. He rode upon the beasts back towards Canterlot, with great hatred in his eyes.

Canterlot was under siege...

The rainbow of darkness swarmed through the crowded city streets like flowing water; it found every nook and cranny, every hiding filly and foal. It flowed down the streets until there was nothing left but fire. It covered Gemini Street and spun around slowly as it coursed through the enclosed city streets. All the lanterns went out and eventually exploded when it flew past. It blasted through windows and invaded houses.

The royal guards were the first to be transformed in Dragonmare’s. Their petty attempts to stop it were futile; their golden spears flew straight through the darkness and got wedged into the buildings at the other side. All the inhabitants of Ponyville gathered together in a group, scared and cornered as the rainbow spun around them.

Tirek descended from above. The Dragonmare landed with a heavy thud and indented the pathway with its claws.

“We can take em’” Lyra Heartstrings shouted out.

“Let’s do this!” Another raged.

“Eeyup,” Big Macintosh replied.

“Stay together fillies,” Miss Cheerilee huddle together the school foals and hugged them tightly.

The inhabitants of Ponyville charged forward with battle cries, and rose up against the Dragonmare’s.

“Stand back!” Applejack kicked on the Dragonmare’s in the jaw with her back hooves. The Dragonmare roared in pain but then used it’s long tail to sweep under Applejack and knock her over.

Rarity used her magic to attack, and cast as she as she could. The Dragonmare’s scales were tough, but not impenetrable.

Pinkie Pie used the party cannon and blasted a bunch of confetti into the Dragonmare’s face. It didn’t even flinch.

“Alright, time for plan b!” Pinkie Pie said to its face and turned around to run.

Canterlot had turned into a battlefield.

Tirek ignored the disturbance rebellion and walked through the explosion around him. He walked up the stairs to the royal palace. Drone, the loyal guard stood with a spear despite the princesses warnings. Tirek grabbed Drone by the head and the guard flailed his hooves around until Tirek flung him away with like a rag doll. Tirek jolted both his hands forward.

Crash!

He tore through the wooden gate with his bare hands. It smashed into pieces as Tirek broke his way into the royal palace. As the sounds of battle raged outside, the centaur calmly trotted to the museum. It was devoid of all life but they were many glass displays of artifacts, one was labelled: ‘The Krosis Stone’ but had nothing displayed on the stone plinth, another taller display was also empty and was labelled for: ‘The Trident of the Ocean’. Tirek headed straight for the gauntlet at the back of the museum.

“Hello, old friend.” Tirek smashed his fist through the display glass and took the Left Hand of Hades. Made from hardened onyx, the Left Hand of Hades had five fingers and a magical eye etched onto the palm. The alarms of the museum rang loud and white smoke filled the museum. Tirek placed the Left Hand of Hades upon his hand like a glove; it fit perfectly, his clawed fingers fit into the five slots. The eye etched onto the palm of the gauntlet magically opened and glowed with purple arcane energy. The Left Hand of Hades belonged to Tirek all along.

It was quiet inside the royal chamber. Celestia and Luna were stood and concentrated together. They were channeling all their magical ability and had prepared themselves for the fight ahead. They blocked-out the explosions and faraway sounds of the battle outside. Celestia breathed calmly. The alarm of the museum suddenly rang loud beneath their hooves. He was here.

“When he arrives sister, do not hesitate to kill him.” Celestia said calmly and took a deep sigh. Such words did not suit Celestia and she knew it. Princess Luna looked more distressed then her sister and felt physically unnerved. Was such a villain so powerful that Celestia was killing to take its life without hesitation? Luna opened her eyes and stared at the doors to the royal chamber. Anything could smash through them, and she would have to fight it. Luna prayed as they waited.

Crash!

The royal doors exploded into wood chippings and smoke filled one half of the royal chamber. As the smoke cleared, Tirek was stood with the Left Hand of Hades outstretched. It had been fired several times and smoke rose from the palm of the relic.

Tirek emerged out in the royal chamber.

Celestia suddenly broke her calm aura and jolted forward to attack. Several sharp bolts of magic shot at Tirek. He lifted up the Left Hand of Hades and the bolts of magic exploded on the palm of the gauntlet. The onyx nullified the magic, but the force of the attack caused Tirek to slide back a few paces.

The eye on the center of the palm opened to retaliate It was deflected in the side-wall by Celestia without any hassle.

Luna ran forward and sent several spinning menial neon disks at Tirek. The centaur swiveled his body from side to side to avoid them, one the disks spun past his face and chopped part of his long beard off. The disks that missed him exploded on the far wall with a hail of debris and rubble.

Boom!

Rubble exploded in the royal chamber, Tirek lifted his arms into the air and with them all the stones did too. He rotated them around himself before shooting them forward like missile.

As the stones flew past Luna formed a lasso from her horn. Several of the stones hit Celestia in the face exploding into dust as they did. One of the larger stones hit with such power it caused Celestia to stumble back, her golden helmet was flung from her head and clattered against the floor. Blood coursed down her cheek.

Luna’s lasso formed around Tirek’s wrist, with two flicks of her horn Tirek was sent flying into the wall and then into the ceiling. Tirek bit down on the magic lasso which flared up in his mouth. The magic snapped like a rope and many Tirek’s teeth caps exploded from his mouth. His teeth looked like daggers now.

Celestia got up and shot a constant yellow beam at Tirek. The magic streamed through his body and burnt much of his face and skin. He squinted his eyes from the brightness of Celestia’s magic.

“Ahhh-rrraaawwwhh!” He roared in pain. The magic pushed back against his arms and his skin slowly dissolved. He used all his strength to push against the beam and raise the gauntlet. Magic gathered in the Left Hand of Hades, the flames burnt so powerful it melted the onyx metal around it. With a final jolt, the magic was shot.

“Sister!” Luna jumped in front of the magic, it hit with such power that her body changed course midair. Luna crashed through the throne and rolled down the steps to the chamber floor.

Tirek then fell to his knees and had to use all his strength to stop himself from collapsing. He hung his head low and took several beastly breaths.

“Tirek. Stop this at once! You cannot stop the light.” Celestia stood forward bravely. he approached the demon. Her voice croaked with a sprinkle of fear. Her horn shone with yellow magic and she pointed her horn down at Tirek.

“Then why can I can see the fear in your eyes?” Tirek had to spit out blood he spoke.

Luna lay defeated in the rubble of the throne. She groaned, her body had given up. She could only watch from the far side of the chamber.

Celestia was about to deal the killing blow. Her eyes closed, her horn bubbled with purple and black dark magic. Streams of purple burnt out of the corners of her eyes. Her eyes dilated to a neon green colour. It was a spell to kill. She lowered her horn to strike, but Tirek grabbed her horn with the Left Hand of Hand. Soon after both of them shook violently from the sheer amount of power flowing through their powers. A surge of dark magic coursed through both their veins. They both shared equal pain.

“You have to let it go or it will... kill us both. Gah!” Tirek tensed his body up from the pain.

“A sacrifice... I am willing... to make.” Celestia replied and used all her power to hold the spell. She knew she had to either redirect the magic or kill them both. Her body shook against her will, it was being invaded by dark magic, it used her veins to travel through her magic and slowly took her over.

“Then allow me,” Tirek said and raised both his head and right arm, his long clawed finger pointed outward. He was going to redirect the darkness himself. Celestia’s eyes followed the length of his arm. All the magic surged to his fingertip as the entire dark spell shot out of both their bodies...

It headed straight for Luna.

“Nooooo!” Celestia shouted and swivelled round; she intercepted the stream of dark magic halfway and took the full brunt of her own killing spell.

White feathers filled the royal chamber. Celestia’s lifeless and limp body collapsed across the floor...

“Get up... please get back up,” Luna whimpered to herself and watched Celestia. She didn’t move, every second felt like a hour. Celestia’s soft body tensed up as it flashed with a final flair of dark lightning.

Celestia grunted in pain, on the edge of life...

Tirek was injured also. He limped forward, one of his hooves was cracked, his teeth were now like daggers from the lasso spell and his red skin was burnt in several places.

“Urg... your love for eachother was your own undoing. Heh-haha...” Tirek laughed the pain off.

“W-what do you want from us?!” Princess Luna snarled at Tirek from rubble.

“Tirek!” Celestia suddenly shouted from the floor, “everything you did and everything you saw, the world has changed... everything has changed since those days. Why can’t you?!” Celestia screamed.

“Your time here is at an end, for I have something you both fear: the stormbow of darkness, the rainbow opposite to that of your light.” Tirek said, despite all this fighting he had still yet to use his ultimate power, the rainbow of darkness.

“No... no... NO! It was destroyed!” Celestia grunted, “it was destroyed in the war.”

“No, it survived,” Tirek grinned. “Does it frighten you to know I hold the only power of darkness capable of making you both mortal.”

“But that’s impossible isn’t it, sister?” Luna looked at Celestia with a look of pure fear. Celestia knew the gate would open and she knew he was behind it. Did she know this demon?

Celestia refused to reply and gathered her energy to stand. Her hooves wobbled as she stood.

“But enough of these cheap tricks.” Tirek growled. He closed his eyes and concentrated.

“The rainbow of darkness the darkness sends, now begin the night... that never ends!”

The ground shook, the entire royal palace shook... it was here.

When Tirek opened his eyes again, he was ginning.

WRROOOOSSSHHH!

The rainbow of darkness sped through the royal doors. It caused turbulence as it exploded through the chamber. It headed for the two princesses with unmatched speed.

Celestia teleported to Luna and put up a magical dome around them both. The rainbow of darkness crashed into the barrier with such power and velocity. The beast didn’t let up; it kept pushing against the barrier with the same speed and power.

Celestia couldn’t hold it, her magic flickered. The barrier cracked like glass and through the seams the rainbow seeped through. Like fingers the darkness they clawed at Celestia’s face. It drew blood, but Celestia tried with all her magical ability to hold her concentration. She had nothing left.

They had lost.

Tirek pouted, but he felt nothing. “Vale Luna. Vale Sol,” he chanted under his breath.

Knowing all hope was lost, Princess Luna gazed up at her big sister with saddened eyes. What do say when all hope is lost? What would your final words be?

“I love you, big sister.” Luna said with a tear and looked at her sister for possibly the last time...

The barrier shattered. The chamber exploded into flame. Tirek shielded his eyes.

The sheer shock wave of the attack caused all the stained-glass windows in the royal palace to shatter. Thousands of colourful shards of glass exploded outward. All of the windows of Twilight and her friends stopping Nightmare Moon, defeated Discord and Dark Plague. All those memories were gone... shattered.

When the smoke cleared, both princesses were gone, only two dark ash piles in the shape of their cutie marks remained where they once stood.

Out in the black cosmos of space: Equestria was pulled out of orbit and rotation. The sun and the moon orbited into a perfect alignment. In the sky of Equestria, the sun and moon unnaturally aligned into a lunar eclipse. A wave of dark night cast it way across Equestria, from every town to Fillydelphia to Las Pegasus. The moon turned blood-red and the sky quaked. It was a lunar eclipse, something that only happened when both princesses were trapped in their celestial bodies. They had been banished, and because of their absence the sun and moon were free.

Equestria shook with earthquakes from the unnatural alignment. It felt as if the entire world groaned in pain.

Tirek frowned without remorse, he gazed out of the empty window frame to see the darkness cast across the world.

“Tempus tuum finitum est. My revenge on your ancestors is nearing completion. The reign of darkness can begin.” Tirek limped up the stairs, he crunched the stained-glass under hoof as he approached the throne. He turned and with a deep breath sat in the ruined throne. His throne. He laughed at the top of his lungs...

“Now, nothing can stop me. Nothing... and no ppooonnyy! Aaaa-hahahaha!”

Rainbow Dash marched over a mound, a single ray of remaining light that emanated behind her. Perhaps now the only saviour to all of Equestria. Stood behind her were Doctor Whooves and Derpy. The wind blew through their manes as they stood united on the hilltop and could only watch the devastation below with courageous faces. The light behind them faded as the wave of darkness from the lunar eclipse encircled Equestria.

Kkzzz — Clash!

Blood-red tornadoes formed and enraged all along the horizon line. One such tornado formed within the borders of Ponyville. The schoolhouse was torn to pieces; the walls and all the wooden desks shattered by the force of the wind. Wooden slabs and splinters were shot in every direction out of the torrent of wind. The school bell rang it’s last as it was flung through the air and smashed through a series of cottages as a missile dropped from above.

The beastly Dragonmare’s spun through the air like vultures, their long dragon-tails curled like snakes as they flew. They used to be ponies that were happy and free; now they were warped into monsters and destroyed the world they once loved.

The ground quaked again; Rainbow Dash bent her knees to remain standing. She watched as the lunar eclipse formed in the sky right before her eyes. As the moon moved into the alignment, the silhouette of the mare in the moon appeared on it, while a different silhouette appeared within the solar flares of sun. As the alignment completed, the sun and moon froze in the sky and were locked within the blackness of space.

It felt like Equestria mourned, like the planet itself was alive and felt the pain of what had happened.

Through the destruction Rainbow Dash looked to see a single sheet of brown paper that fluttered through the wind... a remainder of the schoolhouse perhaps? It was plain and thus, in the moment, Rainbow Dash decided to write her thoughts:

This may be the last thing I ever write down. I’m going to die soon, I just know I am... I wanted to write down my last thoughts. So just know that I’m sorry. I’m so, so, sorry.

Goodbye.’

Signed,

~ Rainbow Dash.

Celestia and Luna were gone, her friends would surely be turned into Dragonmare’s and the Elements of Harmony were useless without them. Canterlot was in flames from top to bottom. It had all gone so wrong.

Rainbow Dash clutched the note as if all her determination was poised in that one grasp. It is her fault; she read the letter, the letter she had forgotten. She made that link, she read something from another time and opened the gate.

“It’s my fault...” She wept. Her tears splashed again the brown parchment.

Doctor Whooves and Derpy marched up the hilltop overlooking Ponyville, now scorched ruins; they stand either side of Rainbow Dash to consult her.

Vrrroooaaaaaa...

A deafening groan called out across Equestria, it sounded like a deep horn. It came from everywhere, the sea, sky and even from the land, it surrounded them with inescapable sound.

“The Groan.” Doctor Whooves named it. “I’ve only ever heard it three times... this being the fourth. It only happens when something cataclysmic has happened, something so disastrous that the world itself feels its own pain. The Groan... it’s like the entire world is suffering and the only way it can portray that suffering is by groaning. This is what I saw during the incident when the Edge of Forever healed. This was the future.” Doctor Whooves said with a defeated sigh, “I can’t believe we couldn’t change it... we just made it happen even more...”

"It's Tirek, isn't it?" Rainbow Dash said.

"Yes, last time he was just a scavenger, feeding on pony magic to power himself... this time I fear he has some other source, this is Tirek at his fullest power," the Doctor retorted. "Listen, Tirek hasn't just escaped from Tartarus, he's taken over Tartarus. He's banded together an army of creatures and they're heading straight for Equestria, right now, if they escape via the Gate and cross over into our realm... it's all over."

“What now, Rainbow Dash?” Derpy looked at her... her voice croaked up as she spoke, she had been crying as well.

“I really don’t know what’s going to happen now.” Rainbow Dash replied, “the Gate... we have to stop it. But I don’t know where to start... how can we stop all this? I don’t know what to do!” Rainbow Dash shouted under a flow of tears.

“Scootaloo.” Derpy spoke simple, but with great importance.

Rainbow Dash squinted her eyes... then it hit her.

“Of course!” Rainbow Dash's face lit-up. “Derpy you’re a genius! Rainbow Dash flew and swooped up Derpy to hold her in the air. The tears were all gone.

“I remember the riddle! Discord told us all about this in his riddle.” Rainbow Dash remembered back:

‘When darkness falls and dragons rise,
that day will be Equestria’s demise.
Unless your friends are recovered,
from a castle yet to be discovered.’

“It’s the castle, the castle Scootaloo discovered on the edge of the Everfree Forest! She told me about it, well... she told everypony about it: ‘the dark castle with an actual ghost’. The dragons, the darkness. It’s all happening right now and it all leads to that castle. We have to go there.”

Rainbow Dash remembered back to when the Cutie Mark Crusaders split up. Scootaloo found a dark and pointed castle. Discord had helped them afterall... Rainbow Dash had to save her friends, and now she knew they were in the castle.

Rainbow Dash’s gave a look of pure determination. With her unlikely company, Doctor Whooves and Derpy, she set off on a journey like no other in Equestria, to save the entire world and stop the dark centaur from the past.

Tirek sat in his newly-claimed kingdom of dust and darkness...

“Bring them in!” Tirek said and waved a hand. Suddenly two Dragonmare’s lead in Applejack, Rarity and Fluttershy who covered behind the rest. Pinkie Pie merrily bounced up and down as she entered.

As everypony entered they saw that the royal chamber had faced the brunt of a great battle. Stained-glass pieces of the windows covered the floor and only holes remained where the windows once were. The banners and flags which hung high in the room were torn at the ends, they blew in the gentle wind. They were several cracks in the cobblestone and several more dents in the ceiling.

“Now... you will bow, BOW!” Tirek waved his The Left Hand of Hades and suddenly everypony was surrounded with black magic and compelled to bow against their will. They all struggled against it, but they had no choice, they both bowed to the centaur.

“So, you’re the ones who are resisting.” Tirek stroked his beard as he spoke.

“An’ we’ll keep doing so until yer gone!” Applejack replied and struggled in the grip of magic.

“Don’t you see little ponies? Pony-ruled Equestria ends today.”

“Little purdy?” Applejack misheard him.

“Purdy?!” Rarity repeated confusingly.

“Purdy!” Pinkie Pie jumped, she liked sound of it.

“Yay?” Fluttershy finished.

“NO! Siiiilence!” Tirek stomped his forehoof and smashed the stone floor. All the ponies stood silently. “I said pony. Not purdy.”

“Ohhh...” they all gawp.

Tirek rubbed his forehead from a migraine.

“Hole on a second... that’s the Left Hand of Hades!” Pinkie Pie said dramatically and pointed a hoof out.

Tirek held it up to display, “with this gauntlet I have control of every feral creature this world has to offer.”

“What?!” Everypony shouted in accord.

“As we speak, an army of creatures once sealed in the gate are about to be released from Tartarus. The gate remains open and all those creatures trapped inside will soon break out into Equestria. They’ll destroy the ponies that placed them there in the first place. The underworld army will rise, and your world will fall.” Tirek laughed heartlessly. “Not even your princesses can come along to save you now.”

That’s when everypony noticed the princesses were strangely absent.

“What have you dun’ with the Princesses?!” Applejack suddenly shouted, steadfast as always and very, very angry. She stepped forward to face the demon.

“Oh they’re still here. Even I don’t have enough power to kill them. They’re just sealed in the sun and the moon. Sealed... forever.” Tirek said and admired the Left Hand of Hades.

“Foreeever?!” Pinkie Pie eyed up the centaur. His whole aura spelt ‘evil’.

“Ahh, the funny one, there’s always one in every generation. So full of life are you not?!” Tirek said at Pinkie with sarcasm, his smile then turned into a frown.

“Turn them all into Dragonmare’s!” He demanded and pushed forward the Left Hand of Hades. Re chains magically formed around their hooves. Everyponies eyes widened, the Dragonmare’s grabbed them again and dragged them away.

“You monster! Leave, them, alone!” Fluttershy suddenly outburst, not just to the surprise of Tirek, but to the surprise of her friends as well. Her voice echoed through the royal palace. “Heh-heh... please?” Fluttershy suddenly meek again and regretted speaking out. Her outburst had bought them more time, but hadn't changed their fate.

“Ah... you! Strange, you remind me of a pony who looks exactly like you. I can see her in your eyes. Her name was Rosedust. You’re yet to know who she really is; I can read that much from your expression. You’ll find one day that exists in all the generations. One day you will know.” He warned them and looked around at the ruined royal chambers...

“This world is so different. Oh, centuries past... when Ponyland—”

“Ponyland?! Oh no, now come now, Ponyland was just a myth...” Rarity soon interrupted his rant with self-assurance.

“Oh really?” Tirek waved the Left Hand of Hades and a misty portal formed the royal chamber, it showed images of the distant past.

“I was there...” Tirek explained...

As the mirror image shows a large beautiful valley. But the valley was on fire, trees burnt alive, birds and animals scurried away. Thick black smoke hurled into the sky as many ponies ran in all direction in a blind panic. A pegasus with a pink body and a light-blue mane and a cutie mark of two streaks of lightning looked at the sky with a saddened face as the Dragonmare’s descended around her. The pony in the image stood firm and ready to fight. Multiple flames quickly covered the mirror image...

“ ...when Ponyland fell.”

A thunderclap rumbled the sky in a violent quake. The climate had gone haywire now Equestria was out of orbit. Without the pegasi to clear and control the clouds, storms ran rampant across the world.

Derpy hung onto a thick tree trunk as a heavy wind blew past. Rainbow Dash flew up alongside her.

“Derpy...” Rainbow Dash looked at her with a frown and crossed hooves.

“Wheeee,” Derpy swung in the tree enjoying herself, she only pretended to be blown in the wind, which actually wasn’t that strong considering the climate.

“She clueless,” Doctor Whooves joked.

The trio had stopped at the edge of the Everfree Forest.

On a normal day the forest was spooky, but now the forest was darker than it’s ever been before. The dead trees created a canopy which blocked out any remaining light. The trees whispered and had twisted and deformed faces etched on their trunks. Even a red haze now covered the undergrowth like a pool of blood. It was the forest turned into hell...

Doctor Whooves and Derpy formed a line and Rainbow Dash paced up and down across them.

“Alright. We’re about to face unparalleled danger. There could be monsters behind every rock, threats around every corner.” Rainbow Dash said. The trio would have to work together to stay alive and find their friends. Rainbow Dash turned back see what she had to work with, “we have a Time Lord, the last of his kind, one of the fastest pegasus’ in Equestria. Aaaand... Derpy.”

“Sir. Derp reporting for duty.” Derpy saluted and hit herself in the face as she did. “Hey! Waaaiiit a minute... I have special talents too you know?” Derpy said and snorted a bubble out of her nose.

Pop!

“Ewwww... Derpy, c’mon! The fate of all Equestria is at stake here. So not cool.” Rainbow Dash deadpanned. Rainbow Dash turned to face the Everfree Forest and gulped. She flew forward first, then Doctor Whooves who followed, Derpy was last as she cowered from the terrifying trees.

Usually a forest would be chirping with the cries of life from insects and the occasional hoot of an owl. But no today, now the forest was silent, only a whisper could be heard as the wind that bristled through the trees.

A rattlesnake scurried through the undergrowth. Rainbow Dash cut through the bushes and trees until she reached a field of thorns. Huge thorns which curled up to hide in sunlight. Everypony carefully transcended through the field, they were remarkably flexible and easily outmanoeuvred the thorns.

They passed through the rambling rock ridge and emerged to the sound of waves. They arrived on a beach of grey sand. They had arrived in an enormous circular valley cut off by mountains on all sides. A huge lake filled with salt-water covered the middle. The lake had its own tide and the wave’s crashed upon the pointed rocks which surrounded the castle.

“Midnight Castle, as I live and breathe.” The Doctor said. “Sometimes called the castle of twelve, home to the dark centaur who warped it into existence from a baobab tree with the stormbow of darkness. They say the castle was forged from the blackest nightmares of ponies collected by the rainbow itself. The stormbow of darkness... the corrupt monster that turned a tree into a castle, a king into a beast and it turned butterflies into dragons. I fear it even now.”

Midnight Castle was made of dark onyx which never reflected the light. Each tower of the castle was pointed and looked like changelings horns, most of them were distorted. A thunderstorm crackled in a maelstrom around the tallest tower.

“It must have remained undiscovered for so long being surrounded by ridges on all sides. Still, here it is... lurking in the blackest wells of midnight, lost to time.” Doctor Whooves explained.

Rainbow Dash gave a concerned look, he certainly knew a lot about this castle, considering it was only discovered around a week ago. He knew too much, he must have seen it before somewhere.

Rainbow Dash took flight and Derpy grabbed Doctor Whooves to fly him over the lake. The Doctor frowned and folded his hooves as he was carried upside down.

The trio landed on a large pair of steps that descended into the water. The steps had sunk into the water after so many years of rejection.

Derpy shook her fur off of the water and it splashed everywhere.

The entrance was a tall gate; everypony had to stretch their necks to see the top of it. It had a doorknob of a roaring Manticore head. The onyx gate had a message etched above it:

The message was upside down, the letters were backwards and the words were in reverse order. Rainbow Dash worked out that it read ‘Midnight Castle’.

Doctor Whooves pushed against the doors, they opened with a clash.

“Whoa...” Rainbow Dash commented as her voice echoed across the entrance halls.

Impressive and decorative pillars held up the structure, they were several green and purple stained-glass windows with images of demons.

The doors slammed behind them and startled all but Rainbow Dash who strode forward. She had to find her friends; she had to save the world. Nothing could stop her resolve now.

“This onyx was hewn from the abyssal darkness of Tartarus itself...” the Doctor analysed the wall and ran his hoof along it, the onyx was smooth to the touch.

But before the trio could enter the castle proper, Derpy stepped on something, a tiny trigger button which rose out of the floor. Derpy gazed down...

Click!

“Aahhhhh!” A trapdoor swung open at their hooves. The fall was short and both Rainbow Dash and Doctor Whooves fell onto a soft bed of hay and Derpy fell on top of them.

“Uff! Derpy... you’re sat on my... face!” Rainbow Dash grumbled.

“Oops. Sowwie.” Derpy tittered and hovered upwards. The trap door in the ceiling closed behind them, sealing them in the lower dungeons. There was no turning back...

The Doctor scanned the dungeon and ran a hoof through his mane before he spoke. “Oh no... the lower levels. This place must be full of traps and puzzles, especially down here in the dungeons. Rainbow Dash look out!”

Slice!

“Agghhh!” Rainbow Dash fell to the floor in pain. She stepped on a golden amulet which latched itself onto her hoof, it was inlay with several needles which now pierced inside her skin. She tried desperately to shake the amulet off and even broke a sweat. She smashed it against the onyx floor with all her strength, it didn’t even dent. “What is this thing?!” She shouted.

“Let me have a look... stop... stop, stop squirming,” the Doctor tried to get her to stop. Eventually she stopped and he took a look at it. It was covered in hieroglyphs. The amulet had several pumps inside it which were working and pumping some sort of red liquid.

“Oh Rainbow Dash... I’m so sorry... you’ve stumbled upon the worst trap of them all.” The Doctor said. Rainbow Dash knew she was in trouble, his face said it all...

“It’s a Scarab. They were used in the war. It’s deadly. It latches on to ones hoof and gradually converts their blood into water. Those pumps you see inside the layers of the amulet, they’re working already. It’s immovable. There’s no way of taking it off... other than to lose the limb.”

“Convert my blood to water? What?! Damn it! No! Not like this!” Rainbow Dash shouted in remorse and continued to smash it against the wall in a blind rage. She achieved more in smashing the wall than the amulet itself. She looked more contempt than ever before in her tear-filled rage.

“How long?” She shouted to the Doctor.

“Before you die? I’d say less than an hour.” He responded bluntly.

“I knew it, I knew I was gonna die, I just knew it.” Rainbow Dash tried to show no emotion, but really she could feel the needles inside her skin... she could feel her blood being sucked from her body, it felt horrible. She didn’t cry, this was no time for self-pity, she thought. She didn’t want to fail; especially now the stake couldn’t be higher. This was her fault, she couldn’t let everypony down.

“Nopony is going to die today, I promise you that.” The Doctor said like he had control of life and death itself.

“You’ll be okay, Rainbow Dash! I’ve been in worse... like this one time I ate a poisonous muffin–”

“Not now, Derpy.” Rainbow Dash interrupted her and walked off down a corridor of darkness.

Doctor Whooves came up alongside Derpy.

“Don’t worry, she’ll be fine... I hope.” The Doctor said to her as they watched Rainbow Dash walk off.

“Wait for us, Rainbow Dash!” Derpy’s voice echoed through the tall halls.

A dozen pendulums swung from the high ceiling, on the end of edge, a wide blade which could cut through bone. They were six blades in total and they all swung in time to a rhythm of twelve. Growing along the metal poles that sustained them they were thorns which stopped anypony from flying above the blades. They were large drainpipes in the sides of the walls.

“As long as we time it right, we should avoid them,” Rainbow Dash said and watched the swinging guillotine for a pattern in their movement. She jolted forward and fit perfectly in a safe area between the gap of the first two blades. She wobbled slightly as she tried to stand perfectly upright. The guillotines swung at both sides to her, dangerously close to the tips of her fur.

“Ha! Easy enough.” She boasted with a slight wobble.

Derpy was understandably reluctant. She couldn’t find the rhythm of the blades, they made her dizzy. Her crossed-eyes scrunched closed as she concentrated. She jumped forward; when she reopened her eyes she saw that she had joint Rainbow Dash in the safe area. Derpy laughed pettily. She had just jumped from the sound alone...

Doctor Whooves jumped next; he landed in the safe area but couldn’t gain his balance. He fell over just as a blade swung toward his side. He dived to the floor, breathed in and sucked in his chest. The blade brushed the upper layer of his fur, and cut in half his green tie.

“Bloody hell,” the Doctor cursed as he shuffled across the floor to the next safe area. "I liked that tie." He retorted and looked at the shredded green pieces of his tie on the floor.

Metal cogs spun on the corners of the room and everypony felt the floor shift underhoof. The floor lowered like an elevator. Both the blades and the exit now soured high up above them. Once the floor came to a halt, green liquid poured out of the large drainpipes on the sides of the walls. The green liquid quickly filled the pit.

With the blades no longer a threat, the trio galloped for the exit. Rainbow Dash was about to take flight but something stopped her. He hoof was glued to the floor. The green liquid was changeling goo, secreted by the changelings themselves, it was one of the stickiest substances in Equestria. It covered the entire pit.

“Urg... ah! I’m stuck!” Rainbow Dash tugged her back hoof with all her strength. Each time she tried to tug out a hoof, the goo acted like elastic to pull it back into place. Upon her attempt to release her back hooves she plonked her forehooves into the slime by mistake. She was immobilized.

Crrrrzzzz...

“Oh no... no!” Rainbow Dash panicked. The floor seemed to rise back up, towards the blades, but it wasn’t the floor that was moving, it was the ceiling. The ceiling lowered down ready to crush them and the blades upon it now swung lower and lower.

Rainbow Dash turned to her friends for help, but Derpy and Doctor Whooves were both stuck as well. Every time they struggled they only got more stuck the more the pit filled with the goo. Derpy cried, her tears streamed down her face and into the slime. Derpy was stuck on her back and was forced to look up at their impending doom.

“Derpy, Doctor? You guys. I guess this is it...” Rainbow Dash said in hopelessness.

“Bwahahaha!” Derpy burst out laughing from the other side of the room. One minute she was crying, the next she was laughing?

“Derpy, it’s not funny. We’re gonna die.” Rainbow Dash said in anger as she desperately tried to pull herself out.

The goo was up to their necks now; it was futile to waste anymore energy on trying to escape.

“I can’t die here... I saw the fall of Tambelon at the Timeless Hour. I’ve lived through nearly three-thousand years of history and now I’m gonna die in a pit in Midnight Castle.” Doctor Whooves groaned to himself.

“Hahahahaha!” Derpy almost choked from laughing too much.

“Derpy, shut up! It’s not funny!” Rainbow Dash shouted at the filly. “Wait a sec’” Rainbow Dash stopped squirming and looked around. The entire pit was filled with... bubbles?

Derpy flew up alongside Doctor Whooves, she had escaped.

“Of course! Derpy’s tears are bubbles... they must have worked as an ointment to counteract the goo! Aw Derpy, that’s just brilliant.” The Doctor complemented her. As the bubbles rose up from the goo, it was less thick and more like water. Derpy carried the Doctor up to the exit and was about to head back for Rainbow Dash until the guillotines stopped her; they were too low now for her to fly back.

Rainbow Dash struggled as the ceiling got dangerous low, another few metres and the exit would be blocked forever. She managed to pull one hoof free, but by then it was too late, a blade swung toward her side.

Cling!

Doctor Whooves averted his eyes and used his hoof to cover Derpy’s. But as Derpy peeked from behind the hoof she was overjoyed. Rainbow Dash was still alive! In an act of madness she had placed the golden amulet in the path of the guillotine blade. The blade had stopped still after it hit the stronger alloy of the amulet. All the blades had stopped sill and Rainbow Dash’s hoof was now the only thing stopping the mechanism from fully working.

“Rainbow Dash, what are you doing?! Those blades are sharp enough to cut through bone, and gold is softer than bone! It’ll cut off your limb.” Doctor Whooves shouted down to her.

Rainbow Dash didn’t move budge, she wanted rid of this thing. She kept her hoof held up with all her might and the mechanism pushed against it with all it was worth. The ceiling had also stopped lowering and the cogs on the corners of the wall sparked and jittered from the stain of pushing against the amulet.

“Awww jeez... I’m never going to get rid of it.” Rainbow Dash growled in anger. Even with all the velocity in the swing of pendulums, the blades weren’t enough to break the amulet. It was made of a stronger alloy than just gold.

When Rainbow Dash was finally out of the goo it was up to her chin but thanks to the bubbles, the goo was watery enough to simply fly out of. As soon as Rainbow Dash moved she rolled across the floor and flew into the high exit before the blades had chance to get back into full motion.

The ceiling lowered past the exit and closed it off forever. The blades eventually collided with the gooey floor of the pit and were bent out of shape as the ceiling and floor crushed them.

Derpy saved them with her special talent afterall.

“That was a close one. Thanks Derpy.” Rainbow Dash said and headed off down the tall hallway to the next puzzle.

They were lost. Each corridor and hallway had exactly the same shape and length. The dungeons were the worst puzzle of them all, an endless twisting labyrinth of black onyx. It felt like an eternity since they saw the sky. There were no windows in the lower levels and no light other than the torches with flickered purple and green flames.

Rainbow Dash stumbled slightly, her head pounded. The amulet made her weak. Even her fur had lost it colour, she was gradually turning into a single shade of grey. The amulet sucked all the strength out of her; she couldn't keep going for much longer....

As they passed through the next corridor the trio tread carefully through the halls. Doctor Whooves stopped a moment passed a reinforced engraving. It read:

This was the ninth time they had passed this engraving. It was one of several along the corridors, each with a different message. Doctor Whooves had tried to work out their location using these engravings, to create a map inside his head, but they were several copies of each engraving. It was impossible to know which direction to go in, every junction, every dead-end, it was all the same. Doctor Whooves figured Midnight Castle had terraforming abilities, that each corridor and room shifted. A maze of rooms designed with the purpose of keeping ponies trapped in the darkness until the day they died.

Rainbow Dash was tired; every step was a great effort. As she marched forward she stepped on a tile and it immediately crumbled underhoof. She looked to down to see what she had stumbled upon...

“Aww C’mon, we don’t have time for this... I don’t have time for this.” Rainbow Dash said with a groan.

A huge set of tiles sprawled out before the trio. Each tile in the grid had carved an individual letter. a set of spikes on the ceiling made it impossible to fly over the tiles. Rainbow Dash had stepped on the letter ‘N’ and it had crumbled underhoof and fell into a pit of bloody spikes below.

“Spikes above us... spikes below us. I guess we have to play by the rules of the puzzle if we're going to survive this. All the wrong letters are hollow underneath. Not to worry, I’ll have this solved in a matter of minutes.” The Doctor said cockily. They had followed the rules of the puzzle that were engraved into the onyx wall on the side.

Rainbow Dash and Derpy watched from the sidelines and left the Doctor to it. The stallion sat down gazed down at the grid, he made sure to scan every letter. He tried to form a word, he could make several, but none that stretched all the way to the other end of the grid. Then his eureka moment came, he suddenly jumped on a tile from the bottom row, it supported his weight.

“Foal’s play,” Doctor Whooves boasted with a grin.

Rainbow Dash and Derpy followed his lead. The Doctor moved diagonally and only used one letter on each horizontal line. Eight letters later, at the other end of the grid, Rainbow Dash looked back, what the heck did that spell? She thought to herself.

“Rrroooaaarrr!” A huge monstrous growl emitted from deep within the castle, it echoed across the halls that amplified the sound. Derpy, scared out of her wits jumped into the Doctor’s hooves, the Doctor buckled under her heavy weight and fell to the floor. What they knew however was that the roar was their saviour.

“We can follow the sound!” Doctor Whooves said while on the floor. He got up and brushed himself off of the dust. At a junction, the Doctor galloped carefully down a hallway, eyes affixed to the floor for traps, he followed the roars as that emanated and pinpointed the exit. They charged down an identical hallway and followed only the sound as it bounced across the corridors...

They arrived at a larger room, filled with hay. This room had several wooden stables; Midnight Castle was being used as a storage place for the Dragonmare’s. Five of the dragons were chained via their necks in wooden stations. The beasts were in appalling conditions, they only had hay to eat and absolutely nothing to drink, the tables were dirty and dank, it was clear they hadn’t been cleaned in a long time. The room had many stained-glass windows, but they only shone red light from outside as the Lunar Eclipse still remained in the sky.

The five Dragonmare’s all cried loudly, it was scary to think their beastly roars were once words. They could hardly move, their long snake-like tongues slivered across their maws. Doctor Whooves carefully approached them, knowing full well the ponies they once were could no longer control their own actions. The five dragon's had remarkable restrained, even if they were starving. The Doctor placed his hoof on onto one of their scaly cheeks.

“Oh Skittles. I’m so sorry, it’s them...” Doctor Whooves said.

“Huh?” Rainbow Dash looked over to him.

“It’s Twilight and your friends.” The Doctor explained and placed his hoof upon Dragonmare’s face. He gazed at the dragon's rumps, the friends familiar cutie marks had all been inverted in colour, they had being poisoned of their true purpose, now slaves to Tirek.

Rainbow Dash approached them. Her friends, now nothing more than mindless animals.

“I’m so sorry... it’s all my fault.” Rainbow Dash sobbed against the Dragonmare that was once Twilight. The Dragonmare also parted with a salty tear, it had being whipped several times on its back and was bleeding.

“We have to get the Elements of Harmony.” Rainbow Dash said and turned to the Doctor and Derpy.

“Rainbow Dash, we don’t have time for that... It’ll kill you!” Doctor Whooves said sternly. Rainbow Dash was dying slowly and now the process was nearly complete. She had nearly turned a full shade of grey.

“But that’s the thing Doctor; I was never planning on surviving this. This is my choice; I have to decide between the fate of everything I love and the value of my own life. My life doesn’t matter against the sake of Equestria you know that. We can’t stop now. Besides, if there was anypony who was useless today... it was me.”

“Awww, Rainbow Dash. Don’t say things like that.” Derpy replied, always the optimist.

“No, but it’s true! Derpy, you helped when we got stuck in the goo and Doctor, you worked out the tile puzzle... all I did was get connected to this thing,” she lifted up to present the amulet. “It’s my fault this is happening. But it doesn’t matter anymore, because whatever happens after today... Equestria will be different.”

The trio shared in a group hug.

Flash!

Several beams of white light unexpectedly shone out of the five Dragonmare’s bodies. Their tusks perturbed back into their maws, their claws snap off, their scaly skin sheds. They all turned back into their normal selves. Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Applejack and Fluttershy, the transformation was painful as each pony collapse on the onyx tiles of the stable with cries of a mixture of rage and pain.

“You... you save us.” Twilight managed to grunt, her body was still wounded from the whipping, the wounds carried over after the transformation. Twilight managed to smile up at Rainbow Dash despite the pain she was in.

“I don’t know what I did,” Rainbow Dash admitted and looked at her own hooves.

“The tears,” The Doctor explained as he helped Fluttershy up onto her hoofs, “love will always triumph over darkness. Care and compassion, that’s what saved them, two emotions which pulled them out of their transformation. Brilliant!”

“Doctor!” Twilight said in jubilation, this was the first time she’d seen him again since the Edge of Forever incident.

“I told you, you’d be seeing you again,” Doctor Whooves said with a cheeky wink. “I just regret it’s in such circumstance.”

Twilight embraced the Doctor in a tight hug, you’d of never known that when Twilight first met him she only had distasteful jealousy for the stallion.

"Everypony, this is the Doctor, he's uh..."

Doctor Whooves shook his head to show his unwillingness to reveal his true identity as a time lord.

"...a good friend." Twilight finished.

“Where exactly... are we?” Applejack questioned dizzily. She cracked her lower jaw from side-to-side and had to get used to walking on hooves again.

“Urg, I cannot possibly believe I was one of those infernal beasts!” Rarity whined and brushed her mane back with her hoof. Everypony couldn’t even remember their time as being a Dragonmare; to her it was just a nightmare.

“Wait a minute... I’ve been here before, when Scootaloo ran away. This is where I saw that Spiritmare that looked like Fluttershy. This is... Midnight Castle.” Twilight said and remembered back to her first time here.

A Spiritmare that looked like me? Fluttershy soon thought.

“You can’t mean... Rosedust?” Fluttershy said shyly. Rosedust was a Spiritmare — a ghost or an echo of a pony that once lived — that looked just like Fluttershy.

Twilight’s ear pricked up when she heard Rosedust’s name.

Fluttershy decided it was time to explain. “He warned us about her, about her true identity. I saw her once too; she was in the ruined castle in the Everfree Forest. It was during our fight with Dark Plague.” Fluttershy shivered, Dark Plague’s name still made a chill travel down her spine.

“I’m sorry Fluttershy, I should’ve told you earlier. Rosedust mentioned you when she was here; she said she wasn’t allowed to speak with you. I don’t know why and I don’t understand it yet... but now is not the time to be working her out.” Twilight replied, it was all coming together in some way shape or form. Rosedust wasn’t here now, that much was certain.

Rainbow Dash, Doctor Whooves and Derpy planned their next move.

“We can’t stop him without the Elements of Harmony.” Rainbow Dash explained.

“Tirek... that’s his name,” Twilight filled them in. “It appears he is from Ponyland. He was locked away in Tartarus nearly two-thousand years ago and as the world changed, it appeared he did not.”

Twilight had worked out that time must flow differently inside of Tartarus. It was the only explanation as to why Tirek had survived for so long within its unfathomable depths.

“Tirek’s here, I know he is. I remember every whipping and everything he said as he used me as a beast for transport. Tirek is born of the moon, I mean he was literally born in the shadow of the moon and ever since his birth he had become obsessed with darkness and nightmares. He wants to bring eternal night and end everything to do with light, including us. He’s trying to make us suffer for our ancestors who stopped him thousands of years ago. Now he wants his revenge for the years imprisoned in the purgatory of Tartarus.” Twilight said with a paranoid gulp.

As her friends adjusted back to their normal bodies, Twilight approached to a nearby empty window. She could hear the raging torrent of the sale-water lake below. She looked up at the eclipse and her smile faded. Twilight knew exactly what a Lunar Eclipse was. It meant both Celestia and Luna had being banished and were now trapped on their own celestial bodies. Only the very brightest of the stars shone in the blood-red sky now, soon all light in the world would be gone and the night would be eternal. It was harrowing thought.

Twilight closed her eyes, even with her eyes closed she could see the image of the eclipse that burnt through her eyelids. Twilight said a silent prayer. With all hope lost, there was nothing else she could do but pray. She prayed up to the stars and asked them for help, for guidance, for anything.

Twilight finished her prayer and turned to face the Doctor. “Doctor you told me once, that there was something wrong with the Elements, you told us not to use them anymore... what exactly did you mean?”

Twilight addressed Doctor Whooves and backed him into a corner so he had to answer.

“It doesn’t matter, whatever I say next you’re going to think is impossible.” He said bluntly.

“Try me.” Twilight replied wryly.

“The Elements. They’re... infested.” Doctor Whooves finally explained.

“Infested?!”

“Rrroooaaarrr!” Another loud cry echoed through the halls. There were other Dragonmare’s here...

'“Enough talk! We’re running out of time.” Rainbow Dash said with annoyance. “If we don’t hurry this
‘Scarab’ is going to kill me. I’ll have no blood left.”

Alright, we may have a chance. Tirek is useless without his objects of power: the Left Hand of Hades and the Rainbow of Darkness. They’re his source of power, if we can somehow capture the satchel around his neck, or take it from him before he unleashed the rainbow then we may just have a chance of stopping him. We must stand up to him.”

“Without the Elements? Are you crazy?!” Pinkie Pie replied.

“We have to, or else Rainbow Dash will... well it goes without saying.” Twilight paused.

“Not to mention there’s an army of beasts now emerging out of Tartarus, filled with bloodlust and ready to march over all in Equestria.” Doctor Whooves added.

“We have to act now. This is our only chance...”

“Ahhh, home at last.” Tirek’s demon voice echoed throughout the halls. He entered a long hall with one long rotten table and an enormous stained-glass window of Tirek himself. The Lunar Eclipse’s red light burnt through the silhouette of the window and caused twisted shadows across the hall. Midnight Castle was his domain, his castle and it was just how he liked it.

There in the shadows was a black throne; spikes with skulls through them decorated the top. Tirek turned to sit in his dark throne. There was a small table next to the throne; it had red gems around it. Tirek placed the heart-beating satchel from his neck on the table and stroked it like anypony would do to a pet. It beat like a heart along his claws. After all the battles, it was a welcome change for some peace and quiet in the darkness.

“Dance for me, jester!” Tirek chuckled he waved the Left Hand and Hades, it lit up with purplish magic. A dark shadow emerged on the rotten table, created out of pure darkness. It wore a jester’s hat and danced in the red light of the onyx hall.

“You can’t do this...” A calm and collective voice came from the other side of the hall.

“Rosedust, what are you doing here?” Tirek said and turned his neck to look down at the yellow ghost who approached his throne. It was immediately apparent that Rosedust had some sort of relationship with him. It was made clear by the lack of surprise in Tirek’s voice.

“You cannot mess with history like this Tirek, they will be consequences. Even you know you will be defeated this day.” Rosedust looked directly into the beast's eyes; she never raised her voice, not once.

“Oh my dear Rosedust, how you always swooned in and assumed authority over all of those around you. The only reason you’re still here is because I cannot kill what is already dead. You were a thorn in my flank from the very beginning.”

“They will stop you, just like they did before.” Rosedust replied with whit.

“Is that a threat? Ha! The queen is trying to threaten me. You know, they have a saying in this world... queens always turn out evil. You see I’ve met the ponies of this world and they still have no idea who you are or why you still walk in purgatory. You are the keeper of lies.” Tirek said while he scowled directly in her eyes.

“Despite all your darkness, you still fear me.” Rosedust replied calmly. She jolted forward and Tirek flinched back in his throne. Rosedust smiled.

“When they work out who you are and what you did, they will hunt you down with every life that they will have left.” Tirek looked at something on Rosedust in particular, a single feather she held within her pink mane. He stared at it and knew it’s importance. “But you are forgetting, Rosedust, that they no longer have the power of light to counteract my Stormbow of Darkness.”

Rosedust said nothing in reply, instead she switched her gaze towards the stained-glass window. A wave of light emanated it’s way across the onyx floor, the Lunar Eclipse was ending, the moon was moving out of alignment.

“Impossible!” Tirek spat and jumped out of his throne and pushed the shadow jester off the end the table, the shadow dissolved into a pile of ash upon impact. Tirek held his hoof to block out the sunlight that now crept across the hall.

“TIREK!” Twilight Sparkle’s voice echoed in the hall and forced Tirek to turn. Twilight stood firm with her friends from the doorway. She grunted from her nose and her horn flashed bright. Even the Doctor and Derpy stood in a defensive position behind her. But their standoff is suddenly darkened by the high-pitched laughter of Tirek; he placed his hand to his neck. The satchel was gone. He put it down for just a moment. Tirek turned back to where Rosedust was standing, she was gone, then he turned back to the table, the Rainbow of Darkness was gone as well.

“Rosedust,” Tirek whispered under his breath and clenched his fist with annoyance. Twilight and her friends couldn’t have seen her.

Suddenly black magic chains formed around Tirek’s arms and hooves and forced the demon to his knees.

Clank!

Tirek’s head fell low, but his grin did not fade. He clenched his fists so tightly that his claws made his palms bleed.

“I did not transcend time and come to conquer this world, just to let you and your pony friends.... TAKE IT ALL AWAY AGAIN!” Tirek spat. Using pure muscle he snapped the black magic chains clean from him and arose above everypony more terrifying than ever.

He jolted the Left Hand of Hades forward to knock all the ponies back across the hall. Everypony in the room was flung off their hooves and smashed against the wall before landing on the cold, hard floor.

“I will bathe this world in eternal night and damn every pony until they’re none of you left!”

Twilight Sparkle cast magic and tried to subdue the Left Hand of Hades. Her efforts amounted to only holding the onyx artefact in place. Tirek tried to reuse it several times. It wouldn’t work; the gauntlet’s magic flickered without power. Twilight grinned.

“Arawr! You are forgetting, little ponies, that I can summon the Rainbow of Darkness... from here!” Tirek bellowed. He closed his eyes and concentrated.

Tiny pebbles on the onyx floor bounced along the ground, the walls vibrated with power... it was here.

“Everypony get dowwwwn!”

WRROOOOSSSHHH— Crash!

The rainbow of darkness exploded through the floor and like a pillar of darkness it towered over them. It flickered with red lightning and made beastly sounds.

Twilight immediately shot a spell; she wasn’t letting it get her again. Her spell wrapped itself around the rainbow and tried to enclose it in a bubble, but it was useless to try. Her magic mixed with the beast's form and only made it stronger. The rainbow split into eight separate weaker parts and headed straight of everypony. It spun around them and consumed them in darkness and hurled them around in the never ending abyss within the body of the beast.

“Aaa-hahaha! The power is miiine!” He bellowed with evil laughter and as he watched all the ponies trapped in his darkness. He stood infront of the stain-glass window of himself and pointed the Left Hand of Hades, the red eye on the palm shone bright with dark magic, he was about to finish them off...

Clash!

The enormous stained-glass window shattered in a thousand pieces. Glass showered Tirek and stalled his final attack. Somepony had broke through the window, the pony landed onto the onyx floor with a radiant blue light behind her.

“Princess Luna!” Twilight shouted in jubilation. Not only had Princess Luna returned but she had brought all six of the Elements of Harmony with her. The crown on her head, four more on each of her hooves and one attached around her neck.

Princess Luna burst onto the scene, she blasted several strikes of lightning, the lightning magic exploded on Tirek’s bare chest, it shocked him and knocked him straight back through the wall. His body crashed through the rubble as he fell defeated into the next room. Without Tirek to command it, the rainbow left everyponies bodies and returned to a neutral state and spun in the high-ceiling of the hall.

Luna lassoed a wave of magic around the Left Hand of Hades and disarmed him of the gauntlet. The artefact slid across the floor and the arcane eye etched on the palm animated closed...

“You’re going to have to teach me that some day.” Twilight said up to Luna about the lasso spell.

“How did you escape?!” Tirek bellowed from the bottom of his lungs. He wasn’t gone just yet.

“I had some aid, from the stars.” Princess Luna winked down at Twilight. Twilight’s prayers had been answered, the stars had aided in Luna’s escape from the moon once more. Luna was hovered in the air and threw the Elements of Harmony to their wielders. The friends each caught the artefacts and placed them on themselves, the Elements glowed white.

Tirek lifted himself out of the rubble and slammed his hooves down.

“It can’t be, unless...” Tirek’s eyes widened, he looked at the Elements of Harmony with fear. A rainbow of colour formed and linked the six jewels together. Tirek’s hands dropped to his side.

“The rainbow of light... as jewels?!” He grunted.

Stroooom!

Tirek’s eyes filled with white light. The Rainbow of Darkness shot in front of Tirek and defended its master from his fate. The two rainbows collided and came to a rest in air.

In that one moment, the two rainbows stared at each other, like two rivals ready to kill. It had been two-thousand years. Now the forces of good and evil had met again. This was the showdown that was always meant to be.

The rainbow’s twisted towards each other, after each attack they bounced off each other forms. The supernatural forces fought with such sheer power that lightning formed from their every collision. The hall exploded into sparks of dark and light lightning as the forces of light and darkness erupted in a battle above them all. Luna quickly landed to join everypony and Tirek stepped back against the far wall.

The two rainbows swirled against each other; they formed into a ball, a twisted mess of light and darkness. They spun faster and faster until the noise was unbearable.

VROOSHCRROOMS!

The hall erupted into fire. Everypony was flung through a wall and onto a balcony outside. Tirek used the distraction to pick up the Left Hand of Hades and escape through a hole in the wall he was shot through earlier. Twilight and Luna gave chase.

The two rainbows shot out into the open through the opening where the window once was. They swirled up through into the red sky. They twisted and weaved through the various towers of Midnight Castle. The rainbow of light flew through the middle of the darkness and split it into two pieces with a terrible explosion. The two pieces then grabbed the light and flung it through the air. They fought higher and higher until they were in the maelstrom of lightning clouds. They blasted towards each other...

Twilight shot a bolt of magic at the feeling Tirek, it exploded on the wall. Tirek flinched as rubble fell around him. Luna flew beside Twilight and streamlined her body to fly and grab Tirek’s body and smash him into a wall. The Left Hand of Hades erupted with magic which exploded into Luna’s face. Twilight, still with the Element on her head, ran the past the princess as she gave chase.

Everypony on the balcony quickly got back up, the Doctor helped them onto their hooves. They could only watch as the two rainbows battled in the sky above. Suddenly the rainbow of light streamed overhead and forced everypony to duck.

Crackle!

Thunder rumbled in the air around them all.

“Doctor!” Rainbow Dash shouted in distress, suddenly she lost all her strength and fell to the floor. She grabbed the Doctor’s hoof and held it tight, she didn't want to die alone. Even her eyes had lost their colour now. Every breath had become a chore, she laid on her back and stared up at the rainbow’s battling above.

“We’re running out of time.”

Bang!

Twilight shot Tirek in the back of the head, the attack forced the demon to the floor. He swivelled body around and shot at Twilight, but she deflected it into a wall. They shot at each other in unison...

The resulting explosion caused both Twilight and Tirek to be flung onto the same balcony as everypony else. Luna followed out of the hole in the wall and galloped forward to subdue Tirek.

A stray bolt of lightning surged through the air at blasted the Element of Loyalty off Rainbow Dash's head.

“Argh,” Rainbow Dash shuffled around as pain shot through her head. The Element was whipped clean off her head and tumbled across the floor. As soon the Element parted with its wielder the Rainbow of Light lost all of its power and slowly faded away...

Luna took flight and grabbed the Element before it smashed on the floor; the Rainbow of Darkness swirled down to their level and crashed into Luna. Luna couldn’t fight the rainbow so instead she just stalled it. She took hit after hit and her face bled. It flashed with a torrent of lightning and forced her to drop the Element of Loyalty. Defeated, Luna’s smoking carcass fell through the air...

“Princess Luna!” Applejack shouted as she, Derpy and everypony ran to help the princess.

Tirek ran to grab the Element before it fell, but Pinkie Pie swooped in and took it first.

“Too slow amigo!” Pinkie Pie teased and quickly threw the jewel to Twilight. Twilight dived forward to capture it mid-air and then landed back to the floor with a thud. She held the jewel tight but suddenly more pain shot through her hoof. The Element was whipped clean out of her hoof.

“Not yet!” Tirek bellowed, he had the whip in his right hand, the whip that was attached to his armour.

“I forgot about that,” Twilight deadpanned as she charged forward to attack.

Tirek jolted the gauntlet forward; Twilight dodged the blast of magic by swerving to the right. Tirek clenched the gauntlet and allowed the magic to gather; he jolted it forward and reopened it. Twilight stopped when she was nearly upon him, she stood in a defensive position.

Boom!

The magic hit her but when the smoke cleared, Twilight was protected by a bubble shield. She grinned cockily.

Tirek growled in annoyance. With a demonic roar he swung the gauntlet in an arc and a wave of magic erupted forth. The magic quickly swept under Twilight’s hooves and caused her to crash into the hard onyx floor.
“You know, they say in the last moments before you die, your life flashes before your eyes, that every pain resurfaces, that every regret boils inside your very flesh. Raaaawwwrraaaahhhhhhh!”

He mercilessly whipped Twilight’s body, then again, then a third time. It was a painful sight. Each beating a wave of pain vibrated through her body. The whip came down with a clash, a deafening sound that made her ears ring. She crawled along the floor of the balcony. When the whipping stopped, the ground shook violently. Twilight turned around to see Tirek had slammed The Left Hand of Hades against the wall of Midnight Castle.

Huge deformed cracks snapped through the onyx, they reverberated outwards from the palm of The Left Hand of Hades. The balcony crumbled apart around them. The supports smashed to pieces under the pressure, the entire balcony tilted downward.

“Hold on to something!” Luna commanded. The balcony disconnected from the castles side. Smoke filled the air as everypony desperately tried to hang on to something as their bodies slid down the tilting floor.

A large chunk of the balcony separated from the rest as crumbled to pieces, Rarity was trapped on top of it as it crumbled. Rarity squealed at the top of her lungs. Rarity slid down to the very edge and filtered on the edge of death. Fluttershy swooped in, tears streamed from her eyes from the stress of the battle, she grabbed Rarity and flew her to safety.

Cracks also chipped up the sides of Midnight Castle, Tirek was bringing it all down. As well the collapsing balcony, large boulders of onyx fell from above and many the pointed towers fell into the lake below.

“Uargh! Watch out!” Princess Luna acted and cast a spell to hold up the balcony, she forced pillars of stone to stretch out of the castle and hold up the weight of the balcony. Her magic now was now the only thing that protected everypony from falling onto the pointed rocks below.

Rainbow Dash got her Element back just in time, but she was still very weak and couldn’t even raise her hooves. Doctor Whooves connected the jewel around her neck. Suddenly the Rainbow of Darkness changed target, it swirled around Rainbow Dash, it had sensed that she was weak; it stole the Element of Loyalty.

When the darkness held the Element of Harmony, the rainbow of light sparked violently. The lightning-shaped gemstone on the Element turned grey and cracked with red lines. Both rainbow’s had reacted to it and had shown weakness for the first time. The rainbow of darkness wailed in pain like a demon would it smoked with fire. The Rainbow of Darkness fell to the floor and bounced around in pain like a fish out of water... then it spat the Element out through the air.

Laid on the floor, Twilight helplessly watched as the Element of Loyalty descended down...

Clash!

The jewel smashed on the onyx floor of the balcony and sent shards of red glass in all directions. A small explosion of red smoke erupted when it landed. The Element of Harmony had smashed! Twilight watched in devastation as it smashed, she watched all the shards of glass fly off, she watched it darken and become lifeless...

The connection was broken, all the Elements of Harmony suddenly lost their power, the rainbow of light dissipated midair, it exploded above and sent a fiery explosion to rain down upon everypony.

In desperation, Twilight crawled along the floor and picked up the golden crown. The shards of glass fall from the vessel, now it was empty, now the Elements were useless...

Luna held back her agony; she couldn’t sustain the falling balcony and attack Tirek.

It was over... much to the delight of Tirek who bowled into fits of laughter.

“After generations of forefathers who defeated me. Now history will be written with you as the ponies who failed to stop me. Aaa-ahahaha!”

“N-no...” Twilight groaned. She got up. The whip marks and lines of blood in her back were still clearly visible...

“I w-won’t let it, end like t-this...” Twilight gritted from betwixt her teeth. In agony she managed to stand, and stared Tirek with disgust. Twilight’s horn flashed with light, she closed her eyes and concentrated. She let the arcane flow of magic flow through her horn. The smashed shards of the Element of Loyalty suddenly spun around her. The pieces fit like a puzzle. From the cracked seams magic wielded them back together. This wasn’t the first time the Elements of Harmony had smashed; Nightmare Moon had crushed them before. The lightning-shaped jewel reformed right before their eyes and connected itself with the golden vessel around Rainbow Dash’s neck.

“I... I will stop you.” Twilight could barely talk, tears streamed from her eyes. She and her five friends rose up into the air, a warm white aura surrounded them. When Twilight opened her eyes again her eyes have dilated white. A gust of wind blows around as the white light gets brighter, and brighter...

Tirek watched in disgust, the Rainbow of Darkness was still weakened and flopped on the floor; it couldn’t save him this time. He raised his gauntlet and several times fired his purple magic from the palm. His magic just deflected from the white light which is far too powerful. With each attack Tirek was more ferocious with his desperation to survive.

Princess Luna and Derpy watched from the sidelines with a grand old smiles. All but Doctor Whooves had a smile, for he knew the truth of the Elements of Harmony, that they were ‘infested’. He knew they shouldn’t be using them but his time, they really had no choice.

“N-no... nooooooo!” Tirek screamed, as they use the Elements, suddenly the rainbow of light shot from the Elements, it was newly regenerated and filled with energy. It shot straight through the Rainbow of Darkness and headed straight for Tirek.

“Damn you, damn all the generations that ever tried to stop me!”

Princess Luna supported herself and got up on all four hooves. She let go of the balcony for just a moment as she cast one final spell. Her horn surrounded with rainbow coloured light, it shot from her horn and hit Tirek square in the chest. It was the final boost the Rainbow of Light needed.

“A-ar-aaaarrrrgggghhhh!” Tirek bellowed at the top of his lungs as the Rainbow of Light spun around him, destroying both him and rainbow of darkness. In a huge explosion of white light, Tirek’s body dissolved from the hoof up, his skin peeled back to dissipate into the air. He faded away with an almighty scream. With a flash of intense light. When the brightness faded a gentle calm breeze blew through the air. Its warmth parted the black clouds over Midnight Castle...

All that remained were small orbs of white light which descended from above.

“H-he’s gone...” Twilight breathed heavily. “It’s really over.”

As everypony celebrated and shared in a group hug, Rainbow Dash grew too weak. Her vision faded first, her eyes were heavy, she just wanted to rest. She groaned weakly and held a hoof on her chest. She didn’t want to close her eyes, she was so scared... scared they wouldn’t reopen.

“Raaaaiinnbboooowww—”

Rainbow Dash looked up to the sky, tears streamed down her eyes.

“Mom?” She said in a vulnerable tone of voice. There was an eerie silence before Rainbow Dash smiled warmly at her friends in the distance.

“It’s being fun... you guys.” She said to herself. Then like a wave a air all the pain in her body stopped and her lifeless body toppled into death’s embrace...

“Rainbow Dash!” Derpy shouted from afar.

Tisss!

The Scarab disconnected itself from her hoof with a puff of white steam. The process was complete. The stream layered the floor around Rainbow Dash; it made her look like she was resting on a bed of cloud.

Derpy approached her first.

“You gotta get up, Rainbow Dash!” Derpy shouted and she shook her. “We gotta go home.” She shed several tears which formed into bubbles and bounced up into the air, but this one time... they didn’t bring her to smile.

“She... she’s just resting right?” Derpy looked up to the others. Doctor Whooves shook his head. He led Derpy away and wiped away her many tears...

“Rainbow Dash... you were... the loyalist friend anypony could’ve asked for.” Twilight said, her words barely audible from the pain inside her.

“Ah golly, I promised mahself I wouldn’t cry...” Applejack lowered her hat to cover her tears.

“Without Rainbow Dash. Equestria is defenceless, and you cannot use the Elements without her. The link is broken.” Princess Luna said. She turned to look at the Element of Loyalty, the light flickered out. The red gemstone in the shape of a lightning bolt slowly faded to grey, as if its life-force and connection had being broken...

“But who will take control of the Element?” Twilight said.

Derpy wiped away her tears; she slowly trotted up to the Element of Loyalty... She looked down at it. The gemstone sparkled in the lights of her eyes. Derpy placed a hoof on it and was about to pick it up...

“Not... yet...” A blue hoof stopped Derpy in her tracks.

“Huh?” Derpy looked.

“Rainbow Dash! You’re... alive?!” Derpy shouted and immediately hugged her friend. Everypony turned to look.

"Of course she's not gone, Rainbow Dash couldn't write a letter in the future if she died here. Neither could she deliver it to Celestia if she was locked in the sun for all of time. It would break the paradox, something which can't be done." Doctor Whooves said with a wry smile.

"You knew that letter assured the future all along didn't you, Doctor?" Twilight said with slight annoyance.

"Weelll... I had an inkling." He replied.

“B-but how?” Derpy sniffled.

“As soon as I heard you guys were going to replace me... I think I gained the strength to stay alive.” Rainbow Dash lied. She was still extremely weak and without a nurse she would surely die. Rainbow Dash herself did not know the answer to why she was still alive, but something told her that she was being looked after by somepony very close to her heart.

On the grey beach around the lake everypony stood and watched as Midnight Castle crumbled apart, the towers split apart and crashed below the join with the waves. The maelstrom above the castle had disappeared and light now shone on everypony.

“You did it.” Fluttershy said with a smile to everypony.

“We did it.” Twilight Sparkle hugged her friends.

“But I thought the Rainbow of Light wasn’t a force of evil, I thought it couldn’t kill.” Rainbow Dash said as she limped towards everypone else.

“Perhaps it just made an exception... for someone who was truly evil.” Princess Luna replied. "I don't think Tirek was using the Rainbow of Darkness. It was using him." Luna smiled up to the sun.

“We couldn’t have done it without ye, Rainbow Dash.” Applejack said as all the friends start a group hug.

“And of course you two... Derpy, Doctor.” Twilight nodded and beckoned them with her hoof to join the hug.

“Yaaay!” Derpy shouted loudly.

“That was... um... my line.” Fluttershy squeaked.

“Awww it was nothing... Oh, what the heck.” The Doctor, even he joined in the group hug as Midnight Castle crumbled, it caused an enormous fifty-foot splash to explode into the sky behind them. The splash caused a huge rainbow to cast itself over the friend. its bright colours brought hope...

All the Dragonmare’s were reverted to their ponies-selves when Tirek was defeated. They were all unharmed and very much alive. Everypony all reunited with their families in Canterlot, happy tears were shed and the streets were filled with happy ponies and celebrations. Pony Joe flung confetti was in every direction as colourful fireworks shot into the night sky.

The Lunar Eclipse had ended, the golden sun had returned to the land of Equestria. Both the sun and moon had returned to their respected celestial positions.

Drone the guard opened the royal doors and Princess Luna entered the throne room with a wide smile. The royal chambers was repaired, the stained-glass windows were reinstated and shone brighter than ever before, the banners were replaced and were no longer torn. Even the cobblestone floor sparkled white. All of Equestria was in need of some repair, but together they had the time to help those who were lost.

There stood Princess Celestia, fully radiant and rejuvenated. Celestia turned around to see her younger sister and smiled more warmly than she had in a thousand years. The two princesses galloped towards one and another and embraced in a tight hug, their wings wrapped around one another.

“I thought I’d never see you again...” Luna sobbed.

“I’m so sorry... forgive me.” Celestia replied with a happy tear in her eyes. They were together again. It felt so right.

This journey came to end underneath Ponyville...

The cavern was quiet now, and Tartarus still gaped open. The beast army still tried to march out of the gate but as fate would have it, they were nowhere near close to escaping. There was a still a hole in the cavern ceiling from which the rainbow had shot through.

“Now, not only do we close the Gate to Tartarus, but we pull back every single creature which has ever escape from its bowls. The Manticore, The Hydra, The Timberwolves, every last one which have ever escaped over the years. It’ll pull them all in!” Twilight shouted in the cavern.

“Not a problem!” Rainbow Dash swooped down carefully, she had several bandages tightly wrapped around her hooves. A wing brace covered her left wing. She had regained the majority of her colour and smiled warmly at Twilight.

“You’ll need this,” Doctor Whooves said as he and Derpy entered the cavern. Derpy was nursing Rainbow Dash after they were both true loyal friends. The Doctor dropped down the heavy Left Hand of Hades on the ground. The gauntlet, taken after the battle at Midnight Castle, the artefact was untouched. The rainbow of light couldn’t have decided it was as much as a threat than Tirek himself. Legends said it was used to control the Gate of Tartarus, and now it was time to use it for greater good...

‘To stop all the evil creatures that roam this rock... use an artefact known as The Left Hand of Hades. It will be used for great evil, but then... it will be used for the greater good.’

“I have a friend, or he’s more of an acquaintance really. In a cavern like this, he told me this artefact would be used for evil and then for great good, I believe now is that time.” Twilight said. It was time to lock the gate, once and for all, and end this most dark chapter of Equestrian history.

“Ready?” Twilight turned to Rainbow Dash, Derpy and the Doctor. Twilight levitated the gauntlet to face the gate to Tartarus. A tornado swirl of magic shot forth from the palm, it shot upwards into the air and through the hole in the cavern ceiling. From far across Equestria, every creature that had ever committed evil suddenly found themselves dragged towards Ponyville. Swept off their paws they got caught up into the tornado. The Sand Wyrms, the Timberwolves, all the Quarry Eels and even some last remaining Kobalos Goblins. all of them get caught and dragged into the tornado as it spun them around. The tornado directed itself down and swirled inside the gate. At the last moment Twilight levitated the Left Hand and Hades and flung it inside. As the tornado disappeared into hell itself, the last spark of magic pushed against the red iron doors with all their might.

...Slam!

This time the cogs worked in reverse the lock the gate once and for all. A white light sparked down the centre of the two doors and welded them together. The legends were true as the Gate to Tartarus disappeared from the bottom upwards. It was about to move location again, someplace far away from Ponyville where it will never bother them again. Everypony smiled at each other, they had done, they had defeated the ultimate evil, saved Equestria and locked The Gate to Tartarus forever.

“Perhaps now you can move back to Ponyville and won’t have those nightmares anymore.” The Doctor said to Twilight.

Twilight couldn’t help but frown. “But Doctor, Tirek didn’t send Dark Plague to try and open Tartarus. He wasn’t her master. Her real master is still out there. My dreams weren’t about Tirek... there is another.”

And as for Tirek... legends would speak that he was destroyed by the Rainbow of Light, but if you were look up at the night sky, you would see his true fate. Let’s just say he was placed somewhere where he could never hurt anypony ever again...

Far, far, away…

An empty place with a strange barren landscape. Tirek groaned and looks around, it was cold, grey, barren and somehow the air was thin, an invisible bubble had being placed around him, it gave him air. It kept him alive? It’s at that moment he realised where he was...

“No... no! Not here! Anywhere but here!” Tirek looked morose, for he had been banished... on the moon. He snarled down at the bright world of Equestria below. He took a deep breath, held his hands up into the air and bellowed into empty space...

“Luuunnnaaaaaaa!”

To Be Continued...

My Little Pony: Time is Forever™ will return...
After a lengthy hiatus...

With the second part to the first season, episodes 12 – 18.
New adventures, new enemies and a brand new story arc.

‘She will return...’

Foreshadowing & Clues Decoded: Link

Notes:
This episode is dedicated to Victor Caroli, not only the original voice of Tirek but also the narrator for the original Transformers series.
In this alternate universe, all the streets in Canterlot are named after constellations of stars.
Each Midseason and Season Finale will have a special kind of page-break.
Tirek is left-handed. Sinister is also a word for those who are left-handed.
I originally planned to return Scorpan as well, Tirek’s underling, until I remembered that Scorpan was only a human king turned into a monster with the Rainbow of Darkness. Scorpan was reformed at the end of ‘Rescue for Midnight Castle’ and wouldn’t partake in evil acts with Tirek again.
Tirek is known as ‘the devil to all ponies’. That is why he returns via the gate to the underworld and is described frequently as a demon.
This was only the beginning piece to a much greater puzzle...