Pony POV Series: Dark World Drabbles

by Godzillawolf

Chapters

Average Family
Little Sisters
A New Dawn
Poison Apple
Questions, Questions
Burying the Hatchet
Heart of the Dragon
Wishes and Miracles
Under Mother's Wing
Return of the Empire Part 1
Return of the Empire Part 2
Gaiden: Fantastic End
Gaiden: Another Life Time
Return of the Empire Part 3
Harmony Day
Atonement
Hearth's Warming Omake

Average Family

Pony POV Series

Dark World Drabbles

Loose Canon

Average Family.

WARNING! SPOILERS FOR DARK WORLD!

*Excuse me.*

Oh! Hey! Name’s Cream Pie! What can Ah do yah for?

*I’d just like to ask you some questions, Cream Pie, if you don’t mind. I’d like to get to know you.*

Shoot, ain’t no problem! Since everythin’ started changin’ we’ve just been makin’ sure the crops are okay with it rainin’ water all the time instead of, well, everythin’ else! Can’t believe Dinky says this was how things were before Big Banana Discord showed up. That filly says that weird piece of ground where Half-light and the others freed her was normal then to. Tah be honest, Ah'm kinda neutral about that. Ah just hope Ah still got plenty of stuff tah blow up!

…Yah know, when Apple Pie wanted tah go learn magic, Ah never thought it’d actually amount tah anything…

*You were worried about her?*

…Of course Ah was, we all know the law against learnin’ magic, it’s about the only law there is we ponies don’t try tah make. Ah mean, she’s a tough girl. Ah knew she’d be ok…Just, never thought it’d do much, maybe help out on the farm if anythin’, so it didn‘t seem worth the risk tah meh…But who woulda thunk we’d end up with three of Checkerboard Shoes Discord’s Chaos Six in our livin’ room! Let alone they’d be good gals! Ah mean, Ah knew Saint Applejack was kinda nice, but Twilight Tragedy, Rarigreed? Never in a million years thought there was good in ’em! Or that Miss Twilight actually had emotions at all for that matter!

And then what do yah know it, it turns out that mah sis is some kinda superhero! Element of Laughter Ah think they called it! Wow! Ah mean Apple Pie ain’t exactly lazy, but she did have a habit of slackin’ sometimes. Who’d have thought that she’d turn out tah be one of the ones tah take Morning Radio Boss Discord out?! And from the looks of things, they did it! Ah’m so proud of her!

And the other two with ’em! Ah mean Ah knew that three former members of the Chaos Six would be tough as nails, but didn’t expect the other two period! Let alone what they were like. Ah mean we knew about them, but we didn’t know about ’em like we did the Chaos Six. There was Spike, and, well…ma and grandma both got turned inta dragons…we’re still on friendly terms with ‘em, but…Ah don’t think Banana Pie ever got over ma accidentally hurtin’ her…But in general, we don’t mind dragons and know just how tough they are, but we never really thought about Spike too much. He might’ve been Big Boss Discord’s ride, but he never went on a warpath like the Chaos Six, never really hurt anypony. Other than Discord sittin’ on him and ma sayin‘ ‘one of the Spikes shouldn‘t be treated that way’, we didn’t know anythin’ about him. We didn‘t even know he could fight! But yah know, he’s a right hospitable house guest. Never seen a dragon who’d say ‘Ah’ve had enough’ when we’re feedin’ ‘em, especially when yah can tell they’re still hungry. And shoot, ‘Element of Generosity?’ who’d have guessed from a dragon, huh?!…Though Ah am glad he didn’t take meh throwin’ a bomb at his face personally, especially given he looks like a really though dragon!

Miss Derpy was kinda a local legend around here. Ask Banana Pie, she knows a bit more about it. Point is, we all knew who she was, but didn’t think about her other than what she did. It was a shocker tah see her not changin’ age or walkin’ round the chaos castle! Turns out she’s pretty nice too, especially tah fillies. Dinky keeps goin’ on about how she and the Doctor (yah, turns out the Valeyard used tah be a good guy too before Discord got his claws in ‘em! Who’d have thunk?!) used tah do all sorts of awesome stuff! Ah can believe it too! Ah’ve blown lots of monsters tah bits, but Ah don’t think Ah’ve ever been as scared as when she was mad at me!

*What about you?*

Huh? About meh? Well like Ah said, mah name’s Cream Pie. If the family needs any heavy liftin’ done, Ah’m the one they turn tah. That and when they need something’ blown to smithereens. Mah special talent is blastin’ things inta cream! Well, either that or makin’ bombs, no one’s rightly sure, just Ah’m good at makin’ bombs and usin’ ‘em.

*How did you earn it?*

Mah Cutie Mark? Well yah see, a long time ago, after ma had tah go tah Dragotopia with grandma, a pack of Pony-Eatin’ Rocks moved onta the farm. Ah bring up ma and grandma cause after they became dragons they ate the dang things, without ’em there wasn’t much we could do tah get rid of ‘em. Now bein’ rock farmers and all, we know how tah work around those varmints, problem was anypony comin’ round tah buy from us didn’t. And that was right bad for business, and ponies could get hurt!! Pony-Eatin’ Rocks are pesky things because not a lot of weapons are gonna do ‘em in, and the ones that can we couldn’t risk wastin’ ammo on ‘em!

Now Poi…Poison Apple…back before she got…taken away…brought home a lot of books and one of ‘em turned out tah be a book on bombs! Now that didn’t teach how tah do it (apparently, the place she kept gettin’ ‘em from was from a time when ponies didn’t need explosives all the time), but…Ah don’t rightly know, Ah just knew how tah make one once Ah knew what it was. So Ah made mah first bomb and found out the easiest way tah get rid of a Pony-Eatin’ Rock; feed it a bomb then make rock pie out of it (they taste better than regular rock)! Next thin’ Ah knew, there was mah Cutie Mark plain as day!

Yeah, Ah was a late bloomer, Cream, Poison, and Apple Pie all got their Cutie Mark before meh, but Ah like tah think Ah got it the coolest way. And it sure helped the family a lot! Not only did it take care of the Pony Eatin’ Rocks, it made takin’ out monsters a Tartarus of a lot easier! And kinda fun if Ah say so myself! Plus, Ah can make more shells for Banana Pie’s rocket launcher, comes in handy!

*That is an exciting story…But where do you get the ingredients to make the bombs?*

Yah can make anythin’ out of rocks if yah know what yer doin’! And boy, if there’s one thing an Apple Pie knows how tah do, it’s make stuff out of rocks!

Sorry tah cut thin’ short, but Ah gotta get back tah work, those crates of rocks ain’t gonna lift themselves. Pleasure talkin’ to yah!

*Likewise, Cream Pie, it was.*

Howdy, Ah’m Banana Pie! Good tah meet yah!

*It’s good to meet you too, Banana Pie. I’d like to get to know you.*

Well that’s nice of yah!

Ah’ll admit, Ah thought Apple Pie made a HUGE mistake goin’ tah learn magic! Ah thought it’d cause nothin’ but trouble!…And it kinda did cause trouble. Ah might not show it much, but Ah miss Magica and the others, they were our friends too…But we mourn the dead then keep on truckin’, because that’s what they’d WANT us tah do!

Then some little filly turns up and almost got eaten by a Pony-Eatin’ Rock and wants tah meet Apple Pie because of that whole mess! Now that wasn’t surprisin’, that kinda thing happens all the time! Why just last weak Ah saved a Changelin’ from a big Zombie Dragon! Shot a bazooka shell right down it’s throat! That was Zombie Kill of the Week! But what was REALLY surprisin’ about the whole thing was when half of Giant Tinfoil Hat Discord’s Chaos Six showed up wavin’ the white flag!

Now Ah know Ah was wrong thinkin’ the white flag was a fake, but can yah blame meh? Just a little while ago they were killin’ ponies in Ponyville and suddenly they show up wavin’ the white flag? That and Saint Applejack always said ‘if the others are with meh, we’re your best friends, greet us warmly’…well, back when she spoke backwards and all that, so she meant ‘please throw a bomb at mah head.’ So we did.

Ah will admit Ah’m sorry Ah almost hurt Miss Doo and her kid, Ah really shoulda known somethin’ was up when the Walkin’ Mare had stopped walkin’.

*What do you mean by the Walking Mare? Your sister told me to ask you about that.*

Well yah see, bein’ cursed by Cotton Candy Head Discord’s games? That happens all of the time, but there was somethin’ different about Miss Doo. As long as anyone can remember, she’s never done anythin’ different! She’s always been walkin’ around that castle, a muffin on her back, wings and legs broken. And she’s always changed her age as she walked, and she always had those black birds followin’ her. Sometimes even the sun and moon decide to rise and set in a different direction, sometimes the moon is made of cheese, but Derpy never changed! Only three thin’ were ever like this; Discord never hurt the Sea Ponies, Santa Hooves deliverin’ gifts every Hearth’s Warmin’ Eve, and Derpy was always marchin’ around that castle. From what Ah’ve heard, even when the aliens invaded a long time ago, she kept walkin’!

*What about the Chaos Six and Discord being bad guys? Isn‘t that a constant*

Most of the time, but ponies tell stories about the time he turned all of them into foals, never left the castle the entire time. And there’s been a few other times he’s done stuff like that. Point is, while they were never good guys, they weren’t always the same.

But dang, it was surreal havin’ ‘em as house guests! Saint Applejack told the truth, Rarigreed actually cared about someone other than herself (she even hugged little Cherry Pie when she upset her!), and Twilight smiled! Ah never thought Ah’d see the day!

*Speaking of Saint Applejack…*

She’d never really been here before, really, she’d sometimes rescue some of our kin or…bring back what’s left for us tah bury. She was always right kind tah us though, that was all there was to it. But it was still crazy tah hear her say that the truth wasn’t bad and actually tell it! Ah mean, Ah never really believed her about truth bein’ bad, but tah hear her admit it she was wrong? Golly!

Rarigreed turned out tah be pretty nice when she was sane too! Hehe, she was right about Wooden Campus Discord’s tuxedo! That thing is Cadence-awful UGLY! And it kinda makes mah head feel weird lookin’ at it! Speakin’ of which, Ah can’t believe she was clean! We’d had to give her ‘offerings’ before and peeyew! Ah don’t know what stunk worse, her or the time a giant skunk attacked the farm! She actually is right pretty when she’s not filthy! No wonder Spike is head over heels for her! What? Yah think we didn’t notice? Big guy was about as subtle about it as a torcanoquake!

*Why do you keep calling her Rarigreed?*

She don’t mind and it’s just what Ah’m used tah callin’ her!

And Twilight…shoot, Ah admit it, Ah thought Apple Pie was plum crazy trustin’ her at first. Ah mean Saint Applejack Ah could see doin’ this. Rarigreed? She was greedy, if any of the Chaos Six were gonna turn on Captain Candy Cane Discord, she made sense (still didn’t really trust her till the huggin’ Cherry Pie part). But Twilight Tragedy? Discord’s right hand? The emotionless killin’ machine? Ah don’t want tah tell Twilight this, but Ah think of all the Chaos Six, she was the one ponies were the most of afraid of! At least Angry Pie and Fluttercruel fooled around and you might have a chance tah get away and they might forget about yah and move onto somepony else, Twilight Tragedy was like that thing in that one movie Concrete Ship Discord showed on ’Randomly Selected Movie In The Sky Night’ a year ago, The Termaneator. Can’t be reasoned with, can’t be bargained with, and won’t stop till she kills yah!

So no, Ah didn’t trust her as far as Ah could throw her! But…then Ah saw ‘em together! Ah don’t think that Apple Pie has been that happy since…since before ma…since before ma and grandma turned inta dragons…No Apple Pie Clan member gives up, and Apple Pie ain’t no exception, Ah think she’s more cheerful than most of us…but Ah think Miss Twilight just filled somethin’ in her that was missin’ for so long! And thinkin’ about what Twilight Tragedy used tah be like, Ah think Apple Pie filled somethin’ in her. Did Apple Pie tell yah about the whole eyes thing?

*Yes…in a way.*

Well Ah never put much faith in it before. Cream Pie and Apple Pie swear it works, but Ah’m kind of the skeptical one Ah guess. Yah, ironic the ball of sunshine is the cynical one, Apple Pie laughs her head off every time Ah mention it (And dang if it ain’t contagious laughter). Ah just didn’t trust that…not since…since ma hurt meh…Ah saw mah ma in her eyes but she still hurt me…But…Ah swear, Twilight Tragedy’s eyes used tah be so blank, like there wasn’t anythin’ in her. Like she was empty…seein’ anything in those eyes, let alone kindness…It reminded meh of this story Ah heard about a pony that sold their soul tah some monster in Tartarus. In the end they give up everythin’ tah save someone else…and they get their soul back…When Ah saw that in Twilight’s eyes, that’s what it felt like, like seein’ somepony who’d lost her soul get it back!…Thinkin’ about it, Ah think Saint Applejack and Rarigreed are the same way…

*How do you know all these stories?*

Hear ‘em from Guru Fido! Ah really like tah hear about ‘em! Ah guess it’s the same thin’ as Apple Pie and her comics with meh! It just makes meh feel great to hear all these stories, makes some of what we have tah deal with all the time go away. It feels good.

Anythin’ else yah want tah know?…Oh, about meh? Well it ain’t as interesting’ as some of mah siblings; Ah’m a rock breaker! Ah just feel the shatter points in rocks real easy! It’s mah special talent! Ah normally break any rocks that aren’t tough enough for Cream Pie tah blow up! And Ah do my part protectin’ the farm, same as everypony! Ah got real good with a rocket launcher, but my real weapon is this spooky grin Ah learned from some of Apple Pie’s comics! Hehe, yah’d be suprised how many monsters will go runnin’ for the hills with their tail between their legs with a nasty smirk and the right words! Yah just gotta make ‘em believe what yer sayin’, and Ah’m really good at it!

*That’s impressive but where did yah get the rocket-*

Sorry, Ah gotta go work! Dad wants meh tah crack open some rocks tah make sure they’re takin’ the rain alright! It was nice talkin’ to yah though!

*Likewise, Banana Pie, it truly was.*

Why howdy there! Ah’m Apple Computer. Hope yah don’t mind if Ah multitask, gotta get dinner finished before the kids finish their choirs, they’re gonna be hungry.

*It’s good to meet you, Apple Computer. I hope you don’t mind if I get to know a bit about you.*

Well that’s mighty neighborly of yah. Well, lets see, Ah guess yah could say Ah’m the head of the Apple Pie Clan. Ma and pa are still the eldest of the clan, but ma spends most of the time in Dracotopia now and pa prefers tah just give advice and let meh run the farm (he likes bein‘ rock). Ah heard from Aunt Applejack that her grandma was kinda like that.

*Aunt Applejack? Not ‘Saint?’*

Ah think she’s a bit more comfortable with Aunt, said it made her feel more like family than Saint when Ah talked tah her. She’ll always be a Saint, but if she wants tah be called mah Aunt, then so be it.

It was kinda a big surprise tah actually get tah hear about how the Apples and Pie families were like back then. Especially that Angry Pie and Pinkamena are the same pony

…Ah admit it, Ah lost a lot of kinfolk tah those six…When mah kids came and told meh that Twilight Tragedy, Rarigreed, and Liarjack were here and were tryin’ tah defeat Tinfoil Ponytail Discord, it wasn’t easy tah accept…

*Then why did you?*

Because ma always told meh tah never hold a grudge. Considerin’ she let Traitor Dash (I think the Mrs. said she's callin' herself Rainbow Dash now) go help Apple Pie and the others take down Discord, she must still feel that way. So Ah went and gave them a chance tah explain their case.

In retrospect, Ah shouldn’t have put it past Captain Underpants Discord tah have turned the Chaos Six from normal mares inta monsters. Ah guess it was just that we’d seen ’em as the Chaos Six all of our lives. Ah guess it’s true what they say ’yah don’t like thinking’ yer enemies are normal everyday ponies.’ It was just easier tah see ‘em as devils than ponies…Then they’re in our livin’ room and apologizing’ for all the pain they’d caused us. Heck, Ah actually saw Miss Twilight cryin’ when she was talkin’ tah Apple Pie before…It was rightly shockin’ tah be honest.

Then they bring Traitor Dash back and ask us tah protect her while she recovered. Ah‘ve seen a ton of crazy stuff, but Ah didn‘t see that comin‘.. Ah mean…We spent our entire lives fearin’ these ponies and suddenly three of ‘em come tah us for help and a fourth reduced tah a broken wreck who we gotta stop from rippin’ out her heart and killin’ herself.

It was like the world turned upside down…But we’re still the Apple Pie Clan, we role with the punches, it’s just the way we are. We’ve run this farm through knife storms, tomato tomatoes, peppermint hailstorms, and cotton candy blizzards. And even if stuff like this can knock us off our hooves, but we get right back up and keep right on truckin’. And from the looks of things, it turned out just fine.

Mah little girl…Apple Pie was always a good filly, a little on the lazy side, but she’s a good filly. Ah was glad she was able tah keep goin’ when Poison Apple got taken…that weren’t easy on any of us, but Ah think it was hardest on her. Ah mean Poison was her twin, been there with her her whole life. It ain’t easy havin’ someone be there with yah all that time and then they’re just gone. That filly’s had tah lose a lot in her short life…Ah’m proud she was able tah not lose her smile. Some ponies let the world break her, Apple Pie don’t.

Can’t say it surprised meh she was able tah make Twilight Tragedy see the light and become some kinda superhero. She was always been a bit of an oddball.

*Like introducing herself hanging from the ceiling?*

Yeah, she does stuff like that. Comes from the Pie side of the family. From what Ah’ve heard from Applejack it started with Pinkamena. Might also have tah do with her special talent bein’ contradictions. Actually comes in handy.

*How so?*

Well it’s nice tah have someone able tah tell if something’ is gonna work before we do it, especially when you’re doin’ stuff like meh that no pony’s really done before.

*What are you doing anyway?*

Well do you know how those aliens invaded a long time ago?

*Yes.*

When Ah was a colt Ah was diggin’ around and found the wreck of one of their ships. Ah was curious and started pokin’ around inside and…it was strange really, Ah just knew how its computers worked. Like it was second nature tah meh. So Ah started usin’ stuff Ah found tah try and make somethin’ like it. When Ah made a little prototype, Ah earned my Cutie Mark along with it. Unfortunately Ah can‘t find all the parts Ah need, but maybe now that Giant Walnut Discord is gone Ah’ll be able tah actually get somewhere with it. The idea is tah make some contraption that can do all kinds of things, kinda like how video games work, only it can do a lot more. Ah think it’s gonna be big.

*That’s fascinating…You know Discord’s defenses for his palace actually used weapons made from the invaders’ cannons, perhaps when this all is over you could go salvage parts from the ruins your daughter and her friends left after the fight.*

That sounds like a good idea…When what is all over? Wasn’t Discord already beaten?

*…Yes, I meant when they get back home.*

…Ah see…So mind tellin’ meh how mah daughter is doin’?

*She’s doing wonderfully. You should be proud of her. I‘d tell you more, but I have a feeling you want to hear it from the horse‘s mouth…so to speak.*

Hehe, yeah, yer right. And knowing Apple Pie, she’s gonna have a lot tah talk about. What about Minty Pie?

*Better than you’d believe.*

That’s good tah hear…Oh, hang on.

“Cream! What was that noise?!”

“Just the Giant Robot Moths! They’re migratin’ again and one’s on the roof! Banana got it with her rocket launcher! Ma and grandma are takin’ care of the rest!”

“Ah hear yah! Make sure yah salvage the circuit boards!”

Yah’d think they’d change their migration path considerin’ how many we end up blowin’ up every time, but why look a gift horse in the mouth? There’s not many parts of ‘em that we can’t make use of.

*Uh…just to ask, where did your daughter get a rocket launcher?*

Oh, that thing? Ah got it for her birthday. Good weapon for a filly her size! And boy does she know how tah use it!

*I see, I suppose that makes sense…but one more thing. Why was Apple Pie named that? After her family? Why her?*

Family tradition. Ever since the Apple and Pie Clans merged, it’s been tradition tah name the third child Apple Pie. Had trouble tellin’ rather her and Poison Apple was older tah be honest, happened so fast. Point is, she was the third child born, so she’s named Apple Pie. Aunt Applejack says the Apple Family had somethin’ similar with her name.

Now, if yah excuse meh, ah gotta get some rock pies in the oven and see if what Ah can salvage from the robot moths.

*I understand, it was very nice talking with you, Apple Computer.*

Hi there. Don’t mind me, I just finished protecting my family from these monsters.

*You...you don’t have an accent?*

I wasn’t always an Apple-Pie, I started out as a regular customer. Apple Computer and I started talking one day and I impressed him with how much I knew about precious stones, he impressed me with how much he knew about rocks. I had never known before then that it was possible to eat rocks. Not that it was truly very surprising to be honest, given the Spirit of Chaos ruled the world. I hear from the older dragons that predate Plush Light Bulb Discord’s reign that once things were far more plain and predictable.

*I see. Well I would just like to get to know you a bit Mrs...*

Sparkling Pie, formally Sparkling Ruby. Queen Tiamat Herself also gave me the name Scarlet, but I answer to all three. Dragons are greedy, throwing away one name would not be befitting of one of our kind...I suppose you could say I was born to be a dragon. I’ve always loved precious stones, even my name reflects it. I suppose I have always been a bit vain, but don’t you dare doubt I love my family.

*I don’t.*

Dragons may be prone to greed but that doesn’t mean we do not love. As a dragon that was formerly a pony, I know this better than most...It’s strange, it’s not that I feel pony love is wrong, that’s not exactly correct. It’s more that it feels alien to me. Detached. I have been a dragon for so long, it’s difficult to remember exactly what it was like to be a pony. I remember having fur in place of scales, I remember not having thumbs, I remember having a sense of love that now seems difficult to grasp. I guess it was the same when I was a pony, to be honest. Dragons’ sense of love felt so hard to comprehend, now that I am one, the opposite is true. Pony love seems almost...naive. Like it’s given too generously. That it expects too little in return for it being given. I know this isn’t true, exactly. I remember when I was a pony saying how dragon love seemed too demanding, to expect the other to be your possession. Now it feels so natural.

This day has been rather confusing. I was simply flying with the rest of my flight, looking for new ponies upgraded into dragons by Deadpan Poster Discord’s whim before he could decide to turn them into cheese. And suddenly we hear rumors being spread that several of the Chaos Six have turned on Blue Aglets Discord. And most gloriously, that his blech, mount, Spike, has as well. That had always been a disgrace to dragon-kind, that Discord had forced a mighty dragon to be ridden like a common cart! Especially one of the great lineage of the Spikes. It does my heart good to know he has broken his bindings and risen up!

*How do you feel about him being...you know, the Element of Generosity?*

It is unusual, but the Spike line has always been considered generous yet otherwise noble hearted. Protecting Ponyland from threats against it for generations. And don’t forget; Queen Tiamat is our exalted ruler and Goddess, but her horde is sparse, one of the smallest of any dragon. She considers all Dragon-Kind her treasure and cares for us all. Even a jewel flawed like Spike is precious to her. Even if our hearts are prone to greed, we are not incapable of caring. If a dragon considers you theirs, they will defend you with every ounce of their power and might. That’s why when I heard a rebellion was starting up, my mother-in-law and I headed for Sweet Rock Acres. If a war was to happen, I would fight tooth and nail to protect that which is mine!

Imagine my surprise when we encountered Traitor Dash on our way. I will admit, we did attack her, she was after all a sworn enemy. My only concern was not making the mistake of eating her as some reckless dragons had done in the past (ponies do not taste like chicken). ...But I suppose a part of me remembers things a dragon would not. Like that if a foe is not fighting back, then perhaps something is wrong. As it turned out, Traitor Dash was now known as ‘Rainbow Dash’ and presently on her way to help my little Apple Pie vanquish Girdle Pyramid Discord and free the world from his tyranny. Naturally we needed more proof than this. As fate would have it, a member of our flight named Baal was a victim of Big Boss Discord’s brainwashing. We got him to move with us, but his once great bravery was turned to cowardness. Rainbow Dash revealed the true nature of her Element of Chaos, which she stated was Free Will, and shattered Baal’s affliction, reawakening his courage and might. While we still did not trust her fully, that was enough to accept it may be worth the risk. Granny Pie has always advocated against holding grudges as well. No, she does not ‘let go’ of grudges (a dragon letting go of something?), she merely states that it is naturally meant to be a finite thing and comparable to Dragon’s Bane, something which can be possessed but should not.

I admit, it is disappointing that the uplifting of ponies may not be as simple as it formerly was...But Coin Carpet Discord has taken too much from me! Many of my flightmates...many of my family...my...my baby girl Poison Apple...If it weren’t for the fact my family that lives needed my protection more, I would have flown to that castle and ripped his head clean off for robbing me of my baby.

*I am sorry for your loss, Mrs. Pie.*

Thank you. A loss for a pony is hard to bare. A loss for a dragon is harder still because of how much more value we place upon it. My little Poison Apple...I suppose for me it was doubly difficult. A pony mother is more compassionate, and that part of me remained. A dragon mother may be willing to let their child go, but they will always be a part of their horde. I felt the pain of loss and the rage of having something stolen from me when I heard of her loss.

When Rainbow Dash said that Apple Pie was among those who had a chance to avenge her sister’s loss, I did worry for her. I know from what I am told these ‘Elements of Harmony’ give their bearer protection of a certain kind, and Apple Pie and her friends can return Soda Zord Discord to the stone prison he belongs in. And from the looks of things, have succeeded in doing so. I couldn’t help but worry for her, but I am so proud of my child... I look forward to offering his stone form the elder dragons say he was imprisoned in to Queen Tiamat as a prize.

I hope she will be proud to see me and my mother-in-law. My Banana Pie to this day stays away from me whenever I visit. I will admit, she tried to escape the grasp of my claws and I harmed her. Do you think I am not aware that I scarred my child for life? A dragon is greedy, we do not blame others for our own wrongdoing. We claim everything we cause. It is quite fitting that the Element of Desire now also possesses the Element of Honesty. Mrs. Rarity would make a good dragon. I want my daughter to rise and become a dragon, she is worthy of it. That I do not regret. Not at all.

Cream Pie? One day, perhaps I will desire her to ascend to dragonhood...but right now, she is my baby, one of my jewels. She is precious to me. If anyone ever tries to take her from me, my wrath will be swift and terrible. I am a dragon, and each and every part of the Apple Pie Family is a part of my horde. And may Queen Tiamat have mercy on any who try to steal from it. Even the smallest jewel.

More about me? I live in Dracotopia with Her Goddess Queen Tiamat. I am one of the leaders of our missions against the encroaching chaos of Supremely Comfortable Underpants Discord. My special talent was knowledge of gems, something I still retain. And I am still a member of the Apple Pie Clan, nothing will ever take that from me. Tiamat prizes me among her collection, former ponies bring new ideas and talents that be used for Dracotopia’s greater good. And have proven very useful to teaching younger dragons how to work as a group better than the ones from before the beginning of chaos.

I used to see dragons as large and terrible to behold, something to avoid like a force of nature. Now ponies look so tiny, like how I used to see flowers, short lived and fragile.

Now, if you excuse me, my husband needs my aid in lifting a giant robot moth corpse so he can begin harvesting it’s body. Then I desire to catch up with my family.

*Understood. It was a pleasure talking to you, Mrs. Pie.*

* It was a pleasure getting to know all of you. I only wish I had more time to devote to it…You are all wonderful ponies, and it was a delight to get to know you all what little I could. I wish you the best of like, Apple Pie Clan.*

Author's Note

I would like to thank Alexwarlorn for co-writing the part with Mrs. Pie with me. Thanks bud :)

Little Sisters

Pony POV Series
Dark World Drabbles
Little Sisters

“Guillotine? Really?” I asked, looking up at my brother from the device presently restraining my arms and head. Not that I needed restrained. At least my loving family had came up with more creative methods of killing me than Nightmare Twilight ever did. Seriously, if I need to die over and over again, at least make it a different death each time!

Anarchy gave a shrug. “Why not?”

“Well I know it’s one of your favorite creations and all, but really? Isn’t it kind of outdated? I know I’m in no position to make demands, but could you at least upgrade a little? You’ve used the same design for several million years.”

Anarchy shrugged. “Why fix what ain’t broken?”

I tapped my chin as best I could, given my situation. “Well maybe replace the steel blade with a laser blade?”

Anarchy smirked. “I like your thinking, bro.” He snapped his fingers and did the proper renovations. Not that I can see them.

I let out the most over the top scream physically possible as my head is severed from my body. One Equestria, two Equestria, three Equestria, four Equestria, five Equestri-

Dang it! Lost consciousness from blood loss! I really want to count to the full ten seconds it takes for my severed head to die one of these times!

My brother wiped his brow. “I’m taking a break,” he stated. “Hey, Rancor! Want to take a turn while I go play some games?”

“Nah, I’m busy.”

I look over to my darling little sister. Presently busy molding a piece of Dad into some kind of…thing.

Anarchy leaves to take his break, letting me out of the guillotine in the process. I think Strife is busy doing something or other (something about seeing how a war between giant monsters from another dimension and ponies who built humongous mecha would end). Pandora, of course, doesn’t have the heart to torture me, sweet girl. Dad said watching Fluttercruel die so many times was worse than anything He could think of to do to me at this point. At least that’s what He said. I think for once the Old Man actually sympathizes with me…At least He took my apology for eating Destruction well…

“…Anarchy, mind waiting a minute?” I asked, looking to my brother right after impaling me repeatedly. I look up. “Dad! Can I talk to You? Please? It’s important.”

Suddenly, I was in Dad. Which of course meant I was in Hell…which, to be honest, wasn’t that bad.

Dad was presently ending His latest chariot ride and gave me a nod. “Alright, Various Doomed Souls, Mope Around In Despair While I Talk To My Son,” He called, turning to me. “Hello Son! How’s The Punishment Going?”

“Eh, about as well as can be expected…” I reply, shrugging. “Oh! Hey Valeyard!” I call, giving a wave. He waves back. Huh, you know, I think he actually seems happier for some reason.

Looking up at Fear Incarnate, I give a sigh. “…Dad…about Destruction…I’m sorry…I know that doesn’t bring him back but…I’m sorry I killed him…I really am…”

I think I did something rivaling Celly making Mom laugh; render Dad speechless for a few minutes.

“…I see…Well It Was Partly My Avatar’s Fault, Discordance, It Kind Of Went Insane You Know. Pandora Tried To Stop You, But The Avatar Stopped Her…Besides, You’ve Had To See Your Daughter Die Horrifically So Many Times That Even Gods Have Trouble Remembering (I Remember, Naturally, But It’d Make It Less Scary For The Shadows If I Gave Them An Exact Number), So Clearly You Now Know The Pain Of Losing A Child, Just As I Did, Only More So. …So Apology Accepted. That‘s Not Going To End Your Punishment Though.”

I give a smile as He puts a horrifically terrifying tentacle on my shoulder. “Thanks, Dad…”

“You’re Quite Welcome, Son! Say, Before Anarchy Has To Go Back To Killing You, Want To See The ‘Theatre Of Eternal Suffering’ I Made For Exceptionally Evil Movie Critics Who Spent Their Lives Crushing Pony’s Dreams Out Of Pure Sadism? All The Worst Films Pandora Could Ever And Will Ever Devise, All Combined Together In A Single Endless Super-Movie, Played On A Loop For Eternity!”

“Pointless, completely nonsensical random events plots with events that have little rhyme or reason to them at all?”

“Correct! And Z-Grade Actors Who Have No Idea What They‘re Doing!”

“My favorite genre!…But maybe later, I want to get through my punishment first…thanks anyway…”

“…Sooooo, what you making, sis?” I ask, having nothing better to do right now really. I mean I’m dead, and can’t really go do my job until my punishment is over with. It’s either this or make prank calls to Grogar, and he’s stopped picking up…which I’m not sure how that’s physically possible considering I’m calling his brain.

“My next Champion,” she replied, moving just enough for me to see the razor-sharp claws she’d crafted into it. Nice touch. “Dad gave me a piece of him to make into a vengeance demon! Basically, somepony summons it up to get revenge on someone who‘s wronged them! Of course, they are outright told they‘ll get a fate worse than death in exchange for summoning him, but eh, that‘s how demons work…Revenge, as well, if you allow me to consume you, but eh, can‘t change the nature of the beast.”

“Ah, I see,” I replied, giving a smile. I remember making my first Chaos Demon, good times. Good times. “What are you going to name him, if you don’t mind me asking?”

Rancor tapped her chin. “Not really sure…”

“Hmm…maybe Pumpkinhead?”

“…Why?”

“Sounds like a good name for a rock band. That and it kind of sounds like something you’d find in an old ponies tale. Oh, and it rhymes with the word dead.”

Rancor chuckled. “Yeah, good point. I kind of like it…Hmm, I know! I’ll have him buried in a pumpkin patch, you know, give the locals reason to come up with it!”

Eh, not big on reason, but her Champion. “Or, you know, actually give him a pumpkin for a head.”

“I‘m NOT making a scarecrow. Too easy to set them on fire.”

“Fair enough…But maybe make a poem about him or something, you know, something ponies would say as a nursery rhyme to frighten their foals?”

“Good idea bro! Hmm…lets see…Dang, can’t think of anything. I’m better at rock lyrics…”

“Let me give it a try, creepy rhymes are one of my specialties!” I announced, clearing my throat and giving it some thought.

“Keep away from Pumpkinhead,
Unless you’re tired of living,
His enemies are mostly dead,
He’s mean and unforgiving,
Laugh at him and you’re undone,
In some black fashion.
Vengeance, he considers fun,
And enjoys it with a passion,
To balance innocent blood with that of the guilty
His want for revenge is always renewing,
You’ll end up resting somewhere silty
Till the end of your days, you he‘ll be pursuing,
All hope you can discard,
Dragons and Griffins prowling in the yard,
Won’t protect you in your bed,
Nothing will, from Pumpkinhead.”

Rancor smirked and showed her shark teeth. Hmm, I’ll have to challenge her to a ’slasher smile’ contest some time. “Perfect! I think Dad’ll get a kick out of it too.”

“That’s the idea…Speaking of fathers…” I stated, getting a little…serious…by my standards. Yes, I know I change subjects abruptly: I’m still Chaos. “Rancor, I’m actually somewhat grateful that you killed me, considering it got me away from Nightmare Twilight and all. And I‘m proud of you for following your Concept and all…but…” I believe the term for my present state of mind was ’Papa Wolf’. “…you know as a father, I’m just a little bit absolutely livid that you did it in front of my little princess and emotionally crushed her.”

“Yeah. I’d be insulted if you weren’t.”

That’s a good Spirit of Anger. “And of course you know, I’m an expert at using things for an unintended purpose…including things that are as far from violence as physically possible…And if there‘s one thing Nightmare Twilight taught me to do, it‘s pick my spots…”

“…Hehe, paranoia gambit; nice choice.”

I give a little laugh, then walk back over to where I was to await my next brutal death.

“Oh, and bro?”

“Yes?”

“Dad turned your room into my nursery.”

“What?! Why?!”

“Because you were off doing your own thing. Plus, I kind of…went on a blood-filled, vengeful rampage when He kept me in Hell as a baby and He didn’t want to risk me accidentally freeing Morning Star. Mom’s realm was out of the question…”

“What about your realm?! You were BORN with one!”

“It’s a swirling mass of razor-sharp blades.”

“You’re immune to violence!”

“Yes, but everyequus else isn’t.”

“Good point…They KEPT it as a nursery?”

“Pretty much”

“Oh…Well, I guess I could use a crib if Fluttercruel visits.”

“Eh, yeah, probably a good idea, it‘s violence proof. You know she calls herself Odyne now, right?”

“Her name is the only thing she has; I’m not taking it from her.”

“Ok, but I-”

“Oh come on!” We both turned our attention to our brother’s yell of frustration.

Anarchy was presently looking at our favorite brother-in-law; good old Death. I used to not like the guy, since he…ugh, took my ’toys’ away. Now I’m grateful he was saving them from more of my ’playtime.’ And you know, I’ve always been amazed that by putting them inside Mom, you can make even the most frightening Concepts a welcome sight.

Anarchy didn’t seem to think so, however. “Why don’t we have guards?!”

Mortis sighed. “Anarchy, I’m your brother-in-law, you know. Besides, you know better: you can only guard yourself against Death for so long”

“Yeah yeah yeah, just annoying everypony and their mother can just walk into…well, Our Mother!”

“Hey, Morty! Haven‘t really chatted with you since the wedding!” I said, waving. And what a wedding it was. Ponythulhu was so happy to be ring bearer, but we couldn’t decide on a flower girl. Too bad Cruelty wasn’t around, she’d have been so adorable.

I noticed Rancor seemed to give Mortis a wide berth. Now why would she be afraid of her brother-in-law? “Sorry about my princess tearing up one of your kids, she didn’t know any better.” Yes, I meant it, I’m not one to make light of someone’s kid getting hurt…anymore.

“I managed to recover the wings and they can be reattached…” Mortis admitted. I think I surprised him by apologizing. “But I’m not here to talk. I just have a visitor for you.”

A visitor? Now who could…what?

I see a pink pony with a yellow mane, sunglasses cutie mark…Mom? Oh! No no! Don’t call her that out loud yet…uh…let’s see.

“Um…o-one moment,” I ask, turning towards the sea of chaos. “Hey Mom! Do you mind if I refer to the mortal that gave birth to me in Ponyland as my ‘mother‘?”

“I DON’T CARE! DO WHAT YOU WANT!”

“Thanks Mom!” I called, turning back to my mother. “Sorry, we have to be careful with Her…Try to pretend She’s not there. Hopefully, she‘ll do the same.”

Mom shook her head with a somewhat annoyed sigh. “I’m not mom,” she said. She shrunk down to the size of a filly. “I’m your little sister.”

My jaw dropped to the floor. “Oh…hello…little sis…” That explains the fewer sunglasses in the Cutie Mark…

“Weeeellll,” Rancor interjected. “This just got really awkward…” she looked to my mortal sister. “You here to take revenge on Big Bro?”

“No,” was the reply.

“Well, then I’m going to go finish my vengeance demon in Dad, toodles,” Rancor said, going through a portal into Dad.

And she’s gone, leaving me staring awkwardly at my mortal sibling, in the silent, barren, arctic wasteland that is My Mother.

While I was at a loss for words, I looked her over. She looked a lot more muscular than mom was. Mom was never active really, except for…well, when she was my second in command for that thousand years. She also looks a bit more confident, I’m good at reading body language, kind of HAVE to be to be as manipulative as I am…was…

My name is Shady, technically Shady the Second. I am the daughter of Shady the First, a hero of Paradise Estate…as well as an enemy. After that my life gets weird. And considering my mom was an immortal pony who helped save the world repeatedly, that’s saying a lot.

Ponies say I’m the opposite of my mother. Mom’s not athletic, and has less self-esteem than Posey, I was ticked off having to stay inside and not play outside and generally confident the majority of the time…But I’ll give mom credit where it’s due; I could have come with her to try to talk my…brother into redeeming himself, but I chickened out…Mom didn’t. In fact she told Mortis she was going and that was final even if he tried to stop her. Yes, Shady the First wouldn’t take no for an answer from Death himself.

“…Sooooo…You’re Baby Shady -- I mean Shady the Second -- I mean-”

“Shady will be fine, let’s just call mom mom,” I replied with a groan. I hadn’t been called Baby Shady since I was a filly, and Shady the Second sounded way too formal -- something you’d put on a birth certificate or a tombstone. Especially when the whole point of this was to try and get to know my ‘brother.’

“Okay, little sister…and kind of big sister if I hadn‘t screwed up reality…Sorry about the whole…time displacing thing my birth caused…” He said, rubbing his head. And here I thought the Spirit of Chaos would be a bit more confident. Not that I had room to talk, considering this was every bit as awkward for me.

“It’s okay…I kind of remember two lives, actually…” Okay, that was kind of a lie. It wasn’t ok so much as ‘I let go of my animosity towards him to get into Heaven.’

“Ah…yes, I think Nightmare Twilight said something about Rota installing crumple zones so you could exist, despite my birth.” I remember Mortis saying Rota had stopped by shortly before I decided to drop by and slapped Discord in the face for causing that mess for her in the first place…and then kicked him where the sun doesn’t shine for tearing off her wing.

I sighed, sitting down next to the big lug. “I remember spending all that time raising that giant dog, but I remember helping rebuild things after you were a statue…It was confusing but I kind of just accepted it…”

Yeah, it was confusing sometimes. Imagine going back and forth between two different lives and not being able to tell when the switch would happen. Sure, I got used to it, but still…

Discord gave me a nod. “I can kind of sympathize with it, considering I have several hundred million life times in my brain…”

Admittedly, that actually came across as a bit sweet of him. Somehow.

“…The funny thing? It was just like…life? You know? For the longest time I thought everyone went about two lifetimes like I did, I got used to some ponies only being there in a certain life, that ponies would give me weird looks if I talked about the other life they weren‘t in…But mom was there in both…”

It probably helped that the world had just finished an Age of Chaos and were rebuilding from it in my second life and my first one was filled with ponies who were several hundred year old immortals who’d seen everything from reality warping squid things to Grogar…

“Oh…well, it sounds like you had a good life…er…lives…”

Ok, I can tell he’s trying to be supportive of me, but he’s got a lot to learn…

“Kind of…During my fillyhood this wolf…thing kept coming after me until the whole ‘living two lives’ thing kicked in and it left me alone saying ‘staY ouT oF history‘S waY.’” Judging by what I’ve been told and the relief on his face when I said it left me alone, I know I was flat out lucky to still exist. I know most ponies that thing goes after have a snowball’s chance in Pony Hell of surviving. Still…feels good to see some concern on his face for me…

“…And…well…mom may not have become a pariah since she saved the world…but she’d already gave birth to one ‘devil,’ no offense.”

“It’s a fair statement…” I never thought I’d see Discord look so downright guilt-ridden…

“Most of the ponies didn‘t recognize her, but some of the other foals ‘mistook‘ mom for ‘Discord‘s Mother‘ from the stories they‘d heard about her…So in my…second life so to speak…some foals called me the ‘sister of Discord’ and stuff like that…It probably would’ve been a heck of a lot harder on me if I hadn’t had my friends back in my first life to support me. It did make me sympathize more with Woe-Be-Gone from my first life…”

He taps his chin thoughtfully. “Woe-Be-Gone…I don’t seem to remember him…”

“He was this little guy who got cursed with bad luck. It nearly got me killed in a mudslide before we finally helped him break it,” I explained, remember the little hobo. He was a nice guy, but I do remember being a bit scared of him.

“Oh yeah, I remember him now! I wasn’t really involved much when he showed up, I mainly just stuck with mom…Anyway, continue.”

“Eventually it stopped, ponies had better things to do than keep harping on a little girl given the state of the world and most of them realized they‘d been ‘mistaken‘ about mom and me, but…it still hurt…”

He puts his lion paw on my shoulder. “…I’m sorry…I was a monster and I deserved to be hated…but you didn’t and neither did mom…”

I actually gave him a little bit of a smile…“…Thanks…Should I keep going?”

“…Sure, if you want to…”

“So I kept living my lives, not really understanding that I was different, it was just how my life was…I met a stallion in my second life, wonderful guy, still with me in Pony Heaven, and had a kid, Diamond and Golden’s ancestor…”

“Who?”

I gave a sigh. “Mad Tiara and Screwball…” I HATE those names. After spending part of my life thinking I was crazy, I’m not…sorry, getting ahead of myself…

I see him cringe a bit, then rub the back of his head. “Oh…yeah, sorry about…you know…”

“The ’your existence leaving my descendants with mental instability’ part or the ‘corrupting my descendants into your minions’ part?” I asked, admittedly a little ticked off.

“…That first one might have been a lie, I can’t remember anymore. All the Groundhog Day Loops have scrambled my brain a bit…But both…”

“…It’s ok…no, it’s not ok…but I’ve stopped hating you for it…”

Considering who I was raised by, you can guess my attitude about truly repentant villains. Still doesn’t change the fact it bucking clopped me off to find it out though. Thinking about paying a visit to Diamond Tiara and Golden Tiara and trying to get through to them (no, before you ask I’m NOT calling them Mad Tiara and Screwball, they’re my descendants for the Father’s sake!).

“Anyway…I eventually figured out something was wrong…I started thinking I was crazy, that there was something wrong with me…but given the state of the world in the second life, ponies with mental issues were kind of normal.”

“The Elements of Harmony don‘t cure mental trauma,” my brother noted, lowering his head a bit.

“Yeah, unfortunately,” I said, “So it wasn’t as crushing a thought as it would have been, but you know, it was always kind of painful to think I might have been insane and not know it…that half of my existence was just a lie fabricated by my mind…and that others started to see me that way. When you’re little, they think it’s a cute little game to talk about two lives, but as you grow up…At least mom and my husband never thought less of me in either timeline, even if I did scare mom in the first timeline a couple of times….I ended up dying protecting my daughter from a rockslide in the second life. I just kept living on in the other, thinking maybe that it‘d all been my insanity talking. I just…lived life as best I could until I left Paradise Estate. I ended up having a daughter there too, different husband, same daughter. I loved them both and both versions of our daughter, still love them…Eventually I died of old age in that world too and…”

Here it is…the hard part…it’s okay, be strong, Shady, you can do this… “I…I almost broke finding out how…wrong I was when I got there, that I wasn‘t insane but some kind of…kind of freak…someone who only existed because a Goddess made a special exception for me…” I muttered, my voice cracking a bit…keep it together Shady… “It took mom coming to me and talking me through it when…when those things came after me!” The Shadows are still watching me, looking so hungry…They still want me…

I didn’t really know what I should do…So I did what mom would have done and hugged my sister close. “It’s ok…They can’t hurt you now…I won‘t let them…” She…she let me hug her. A Shadow tries to get a little too close…and ends up sent flying with a whip of my tail.

Yeah yeah, I have a heart. I grew one somewhere in the last several hundred million years. If I could go back in time and beat the crud out of myself, I would…well, technically I can, but it wouldn’t change anything…hehe, ironic, isn’t it? The one who never once thought I could have good in me was the one who gave me the chance to grow a heart…

We just sat there, hugging for a few moments. “…She…She talked about you…” she finally said, looking up at me with those big eyes fillies tend to have.

I sighed. “I figured…”

“…In my…second life, I guess…when I asked about your statue…she said you were sick…that I should still love you because there was still a good Draconequus in you…And I do…”

I blink and look down at her. She gives me a big smile in return. “…I was sick…I’d been sick from the day the Mother-we’re-trying-our-best-not-to-acknowledge laid my egg. My first act was to bite one of Dad’s fingers off after He said He might ‘throw me back‘…Which admittedly my siblings thought was awesome, though Dad was probably joking, or being sarcastic, it‘s hard to tell with Him…But…I won’t lie, I can’t say ‘I wish I hadn’t eaten my good side,’ because Gods don’t feel regret, we just don’t…But I would love more than anything to have my life there back…That was the first time I was really happy I think…I get it now…mom loved me…that’s why she helped stop me…”

“…You’re better now though…right?”

I give a chuckle and rub her mane. “Yeah, I guess…I think it was a combination of getting nailed with the Elements so many times and getting the chance to see what a monster I was…There was even that one timeline where an Alicorn named Trixie somehow managed to restore the Element of Trust (I still have no idea how that happened) and used the complete set of Elements to cure my sociopathy…It didn’t stick next loop, but it let me see things a new way I guess…You can’t just be given a conscience and it not effect you somehow…I think all those things together are what did it…that and my daughter…Sorry if I’m boring you.”

Shady gave me a smile. “No, it’s actually kind of cool to listen to…Mom, even after we died, just kept talking about how much she hoped you’d get better…it’s kind of awesome to see it finally happen…”

I chuckle. “Thanks…it feels good too…I love my daughter…Have you met her yet?”

“No…what’s she like?”

“Well…now that Fluttershy’s gotten through to her, she should be shaping up to be a good little girl…you could help with that maybe…”

“Sure, I guess I could…Hey, speaking of parent child relations…how were things with you and mom?”

Wow…I have to admit, I haven’t thought about that in a long time. “Well…at first, before, you know, I became an evil overlord…it was nice. If I got scared, she was there for me…if I got hurt, she’d kiss it and make it better. Even though I was the only Draconequus she’d ever seen, she never thought I was a monster…even when the monsters I created began bowing down to me. To her, I wasn’t a spirit, I was just…her son…”

I give a sigh. “Unfortunately, you know what happened then…I turned into a monster, and used how much she loved me to make her one too. I think I tried to have things both ways; my kingdom of chaos and the mother who’d loved me so much…And she still loved me. Enough to help Celly and Lulu kick my tail because to save me from myself…”

I feel her hoof on my paw. She smiles to me. “She never stopped loving you, believe me.”

I hear hoof steps approaching my statue. Looking out, I see mother looking at me. Traitor! You weren’t supposed to be like Mother! You weren’t supposed to betray me!

“…Dissy…I’m sorry it had to end like this,” she says…she’s crying. “…But know that no matter what anyone else thinks of you…no matter how much they hate you…even if I can’t argue with them, I could never hate you…I love you and I always will…Never forget that…”

I give a chuckle. “Yeah, I know…So, how about you and mom?”

I actually smile. “Hehe, you know for a bit I was ashamed of her being so…well, you know, cowardly…but she always was there for me. That’s one of the only things that wasn’t different at all between my lives; mom was always there for me. She was there when I was sad or hurt…I had friends in both lives. Baby Moondancer, Baby Surprise, Baby Applejack, and the other Baby Ponies in the original timeline. Hehe, they were a blast. We were our own little group of friends too…In the other timeline, I was friends with Baby Twilight…whatever number she was, I can’t remember, and I think Spike the Sixth. But when they couldn’t comfort me, when they couldn’t cheer me up…mom always did…That was what was the same between the lives. After that it gets really, really confusing.”

I’m not joking. Imagine having two mothers raising you two different ways and you have my childhood. Though thankfully, since at first I didn’t realize it was weird, I just learned from them both. It helped mom was still a good person in both worlds…still, it was confusing having to remember one version of her didn’t remember what the other did. But eh, when that’s how it’s been most of your life, you kind of just get used to it.

I thought back. “Mom in my first life was probably more how you remember her. She was scared easy, but responsible. She was protective of me, but we gave me a good bit of freedom. And I had a lot of fun with her, she made sure I did. Hehe, like this one time we were supposed to go swimming and it started snowing (thought it was me wishing it to snow). Mom got her snow clothes on and we started skating instead…However, the second life was a bit more complicated…”

“Uh, yeah, I apologize in advance for the influence I may have had on mom.”

“Actually, I want to thank you for that…sort of. Mom in that life…she was strict, she was a bit overprotective. I always loved her, I really did and knew she loved me. It’s just it always seemed so restrained compared to my first life…But she still had that fearful side to her. She seemed afraid of everything but it felt…different than in the first life. Mom’s always seemed scared, and I always thought she was getting worried about nothing.”

He gives a chuckle. “Even in my childhood with her, she was a bit like that. I know how you feel…But you know, she was a lot braver than she seemed…She saw how powerful I was when I started my reign…but she still stood up to me telling me to stop.”

I chuckled. “Yeah, I know…I didn’t find that out until she saved my flank…”

He blinked, then gave a smirk. “Oh, I have got to hear this. Do tell.”

“Alright…it was when I was a teen. In the first life? Not really a problem. I had enough freedom I didn’t feel restrained. In the second? Teenaged hormones plus overprotective and strict mother equals Baby Shady becoming Rebellious Teen Shady.” I can only imagine if the Shadows Who Rule had seen enough of that to make toys of it.

He gives a laugh. “That stage, huh? You should have seen Celly’s rebellious stage, either time.”

I gave a chuckle. “Mom told me about the second time. I never expected Princess Celestia had gone Goth at one point…”

“I know! I didn’t see that coming either! Oh, but she had nothing on Anarchy’s rebellious stage…”

“Hey hey hey! I said to never talk about that again!” the other Draconequus, Anarchy, yelled. Is he my brother too? Half brother? I don’t know. My existence is confusing enough.

I raised an eyebrow and gave a smirk. “The Spirit of Rebellion had a rebellious stage?”

“Fine, I just won’t speak of it.” My brother said, producing a picture of Anarchy in a stuffy looking business suit with a perfectly orderly mane. I couldn’t help but laugh.

Anarchy grumbled. “We’re Nature’s Fury! How ELSE was I supposed to be rebellious?!”

“Oh, and just ask one of the Alicorns which one of them he ended up dating at the time!”

“Alright, alright! Get back to the sibling bonding stuff before you give me incentive to end my break!”

We finally stopped laughing. “Oh, alright. I did what a lot of rebellious teens do; be somewhere that my mom had specifically told me not to be. In this case, in the area around an old abandoned opera house. I had gotten an invite to a party there, mom said the place was too dangerous…”

“Wait, sorry to interrupt, but which life did this happen in?”

“Second. Not sure where the abandoned opera house came from…”

“I think I had a few built to annoy people who hated opera…I‘m a troll, I do that sometimes.”

I give a laugh. “Yeah, yeah. Point is, I wasn’t supposed to be there and that just made me want to be there more…”

“Hello?!” I called, walking into the dark opera house. I didn’t see anyone. It was just a pitch black abandoned opera house. Yuck! It reeked too!

I gave an annoyed sigh. “This better not have bogus or I am going to be clopped off!” Seriously, I risked getting grounded for this! Where’s the part-”

“Surprise!”

The lights came on and I was back at Paradise Estate. At first, I thought I’d just switched lives again…but…

“T-Twilight?” I asked, my friend Twilight standing right in front of me. But the others, Moondance II, Surprise II, all the rest! They were ALL here. “You…you’re all together? But…but…”

“Silly!” said Surprise, the original, flying over. “Of course we’re together!”

“Yeah, sorry we didn’t believe you about my descendent,” Twilight I said, smiling to my Twilight. “This party is to celebrate us all finally being together.”

They…they’re together…They’re actually together…All of us…I-I’m not crazy! This is real! Had it always been real?

“But mom said-”

“I was wrong,” said mom, dressed like herself in my first life. “Enjoy the party, it’s all for you.”

I smirked and hugged her. “Thanks mom! I will!”

“Now come on, lets party!” Surprise I shouted as my favorite song started playing in the background.

And we started dancing, partying. All my favorite games! I…I don’t think I’ve EVER been this happy!

Then…then why did I start feeling so tired? Why are my joints starting to ache? Oh who cares?! I’m having the time of my life, that’s all that matters!

---

How long have I been partying? I don’t know. We’ve played all my favorite games, listened to all my favorite songs. We even got my favorite band to perform live. I’m having the time of my life but…why do I feel so tired? So weak? Like my body is just going to give out on me?

“Hey, Shady!” called Moondancer II, coming over. “Look what I’ve got!”

She hands me a new pair of shades, these are rose colored. I put them on. What was I thinking about? Who cares, all that matters is-

Suddenly, I hear a shattering noise and everything just…stops…I’m not in Paradise Estate anymore, I’m back at the opera house. Only now fires burn in the torches around me.

“Ugh…what the…” I put a hoof to my head and feel wrinkles. Wrinkles?!

I take out my pocket mirror. Sweet Celestia! I look older Twilight’s grandmother! I’m an old mare! This…this can’t be happening!

W-what? I’m getting younger…I’m myself again.

“What…what’s going on?”

I hear someone scream in complete rage. I look over to see a…a human? But…they’re gone, that’s impossible!

She’s wearing a red cloak, I can’t see her face. But I can see her hands are human and she’s shaped like one…

But I do see my mom, standing between her and me. “M-mom?”

“Thank goodness you’re alright,” mom cries, but doesn’t take her eyes off of the human.

“What happened? Who’s that? What the Pony Hell is going on?!”

“Her name is Somnambula, she’s a witch that traps ponies in their dreams, then steals their youth and magic to make herself stronger,” mom explained, glaring daggers at Somnambula. “The Big Brother Ponies defeated her thousands of years ago and I thought she would be long dead by now, but I was wrong.”

“You ponies made it a lot harder, but I still was able to stay alive!” yelled the witch. “It was just a lot harder since you little ponies let my songbird loose!”

“How can you do this to ponies?” I ask, it finally hitting me what had just happened to me. She…she would’ve just kept sucking me dry! And I wouldn’t have ever known what was happening till it was too late! And no one would’ve known…And she…she used what I wanted most to do it…I…I feel like my heart’s been ripped out…Why couldn’t it have been real?

Somnambula growled. “I’m the last living human in Ponyland! After me, there will be none left. The Rainbow Bridge was destroyed, the others are all dead. So I’ve taken the youth of ponies. Those ponies were all necessary sacrifices to keep humanity in this world from going extinct! I am the last human; I have to live on to keep my race alive in Ponyland! And what better legacy to leave than giving ponies lost in a world of suffering and chaos their perfect world for the rest of their lives, however short that may be?!”

Mom snarled. “Don’t kid yourself, you’ve been doing this since Megan was still in Ponyland. All you care about is yourself.” Mom turned to me. “Come on, lets get out of here. She’s powerless without her crystal.”

I look down at mom’s hooves to see a shattered crystal. Mom…if she hadn’t come along Somnambula would have…

“Oh but you can’t.”

I felt something cold around my neck. I look to see I’m chained to the floor with a shackle around my neck. I look to mom and find her the same way. My blood ran cold.

Somnambula takes her hood off to reveal a young face with black hair. “And I’m not.”

Mom’s eyes go wide with shock. “But…how?”

Somnambula gave a laugh. “Silly pony, what I’ve stolen can’t return to ponies who are already dead,” she stated, waving her hand and making the opera house turn into a carnival, then to an amusement park, then back to what it looked like in its heyday, before finally back to its present state. “And with all the pain and suffering that devil child of yours caused; ponies willing to live out the rest of their lives in their perfect world were easy to find. Some even came to ME to trade a long life in his kingdom for a short life in my paradise. I’m even stronger now than I was when we last met.”

I started shaking. Is this how we’re going to die? Here? In an abandoned opera house at the hands of some witch? I…I don’t want to die! I instinctively tried to get to mom…only for a dagger to hit the ground right in front of me. I looked from it to the glowing hand of the smirking sorceress. The red, molded carpet beneath my flank suddenly became wet. Please don’t let us die here! I’m sorry! This was all my fault! I snuck out!

Somnambula narrowed her eyes at my mother. “You know, Shady, I don’t understand you. Your son gave you power beyond imagination, immortality, and a place by his side. He made you the second strongest being in the world…And you threw all of that away!” Somnambula seemed somewhere between enraged and baffled. “Tell me, why did you leave him, little pony? Wasn’t the eternal life he gave you enough for you?”

Mom seemed almost sad. “Somnambula, there’s no such thing as eternal life for those like you and me. To be honest, I feel sorry for those that actually have what you desire more than anything.”

Somnambula snarled and held out her hand. A cloud of magic materialized in front of mother. I peaked inside…I saw myself and…and my brother, back when he was a kid…we’re playing together with mom.

Mom simply sighs and closes her eyes without a moment‘s hesitation. I finally notice one of her hooves putting some kind of liquid from a vial on her chain.

Somnambula looked dumbstruck. “What?!” The witch then snarled in fury. “You HAVE no heart’s desire!…Well, I was going to let the two of you two enjoy a fantasy world while I made a new crystal, but I have no use for a worthless empty hearted freak!”

Mother suddenly took a pouch of green powder and blew it into the air. For a moment it’s pitch black as it blots out the lights. When I can see again, mom’s gone, her chain rusted clean through.

Our host doesn’t seem the least bit happy. “What sorcery is this?!” she asked, taking a step back.

I can’t help but smirk. Not sorcery; alchemy. Mom’s a wiz at it. Kick her butt.

“You made a mistake capturing MY daughter, Somnambula,” mom’s voice calls.

The witch spins around and manifests swords in the air to stab into a row of seats. Nothing’s there. “Where are you?!”

“I’ve already lost one child, do you think I’m going to let you take the other one from me?”

I gave a small gasp. My brother…Discord…the one who’s a lawn ornament now…That…that’s why she’s always so protective of me in this life…because…because she’s scared of losing me too…I’ve been such a fool…

Somnambula created a safe in the air to crush another row of seats. As she goes to check, I feel something wet land on my neck. I look up to see mom up in a balcony high above me, dropping more of that potion from the vial down on me. I just manage to catch the shackle as it falls off. Looking down at my hooves, I see the metal had completely rusted to dust. I set it down quietly as Somnambula lets out another roar of anger. I hid myself as quickly and quietly as I could at the back of the theatre while Somnambula was looking the opposite direction. Huh, all those late nights I snuck out of the house finally paid off.

“I’ll give you a head start, Somnambula. Get out of here now and the Princesses won‘t hea-”

Mom had to duck another magically hurled sword. “There you are you little nag!” the witch yelled, manifesting more swords and throwing them at mom, then manifesting axes to slash at her, forcing her to dodge like mad and run back into the exit way.

“Oh know you don’t!” Somnambula runs up the other way, snapping her fingers and I heard mom give a sudden grunt. Thankfully, a few minutes later, the witch comes out on the same balcony, carrying another rusted metal chain that she angrily threw to the ground. “Where are you?!”

The image of a stallion with a bandana around his neck suddenly manifested on the balcony with Somnambula . He even had a Cutie Mark, a baseball bat and glove. I think I remember him from mom’s stories…Slugger?

Somnambula definitely recognized him. “YOU!” she yelled at the top of her lungs and proceeded form more swords from the air and tried to impale Slugger, only to be dodged repeatedly. “I’m going to make you pay for what you’ve done to me!” In a rage, she finally formed swords from all sides and brought them down…only for the image to shatter into powder on contact. In the dim light, it’d looked like a solid pony.

Somnambula looked around her in panic almost. I knew what mom was doing; trying to get Somnambula so worked up that she forgot how strong she actually was. But I couldn’t help being terrified mom’s luck would run out.

That’s when I saw mom finally sneak out from behind a curtain on the same balcony.

“There you are!”

Suddenly, the balcony seemed to come to life around mom, turning into some sort of nightmarish mouth!

“MOM!”

Before I could blindly run to her aid, chains formed on all four of my legs and my neck. Even my TAIL was chained to the floor!

No! Don’t let this happen! It was my fault! I did this! I snuck out! Don’t let her die for me! Please!

“Don’t worry, little pony, this will all be a bad dream in a little bit,” Somnambula sneered. The jaws came down! It was like watching everything happen in slow motion as the teeth closed on mom…

…Or rather, a powder replica of mom as it turned out.

My REAL mom suddenly came charging out from behind a curtain faster than I’d ever seen her move. Huge bat-like wings stuck out from her back and a horn on her head, a cloak around her body. At the sight of Nightmare Shadow right in front of her, the witch froze in shock long enough for mom to get close. “My heart, is NOT empty!” yelled mother, slamming head first into Somnambula’s jaw. Her wings, horn, and cloak shattered into powder on impact.

I think mom may have just wanted to, and did, knock her unconscious (…or maybe she was trying to snap her neck), but instead, the witch was sent backwards through the rotten railing.

I turned my head and closed my eyes. A few seconds later I heard a loud thud and rotten floorboards shattering from the impact.

---

I couldn’t see where Somnambula landed from where I was chained to the floor (Dang it! Why didn’t killing the witch put an end to her magic?!)…but mom was with me as fast as her legs could carry her.

“Thank goodness,” mom said, giving me a hug. “Don’t ever sneak out like that again! You had me worried sick!”

I tear up. I snuck out…I disobeyed her…but she saved me… “I-I’m sorry…H-how did you know?”

“Mother’s know…Lets get these chains off, huh?”

As mom got the chains rusted off me, I looked her over. She wasn’t the bad flank who’d kicked a witch’s flan-er, butt to save mine…she was just mom…worried about her daughter like a good mom always is…She’s been worried about me this entire time…she’s just scared of losing me…

“Mom…thanks for saving me…I love you.”

She gave me a smile as the chain around my throat fell off, then hugged me. “I love you too.”

“…I’m still grounded, aren’t I?”

“Oh big time.”

“So yeah, mom kicked a witch’s butt to save me,” I told him, giving a smile. “Made me realize she wasn‘t trying to restrain me, she was just trying to protect me because she was scared of losing me like she lost you…” I noticed him looking a bit nervous. “What?”

Yipe! Ok…just break it to her gently. “Well I may have…I kinda…I sorta gave…”

“-Somnambula her crystal in the first place?”

Excuse me while I pick my jaw off the floor. “You knew?”

“Dissy, Celestia was a friend of mine, she knew which monsters you were responsible for.”

“…And you’re not angry?”

“I was when I’d found out, but well, I’m still a Paradise Pony you know.”

I blush and gave a nod. “Yes…I should probably have remembered that…Anyway, sorry about that.”

“Apology accepted, plus I got to see mom kick flank because of it, so there’s that.”

“Looks like all that alchemy training paid off,” I reply. Mom never stopped learning alchemy, even after becoming Psuedonightmare Shadow. I’m glad to see it came in handy.

“Yeah, we’d both have died with out it…Came in handy fighting Grogar too…” Shady gave a groan. “Had to deal with that jerk in both lives! Geeze. And it was confusing too, only guy to show up in both. Though it was kind of funny to be able to predict his lines the second time since I knew him but he didn’t know me.”

We share a laugh at that one. I can only imagine how annoying that must have been for old goat face!

And once the laughter died down, the awkward silence came again. “…So…what now?”

I tapped my chin. “Well…Anarchy’s still on break…Hey, Anarchy, what game yah playing?!”

“Half-Life 2!”

“One of the old classics! Well, he’ll probably be at it for awhile, he is Rebellion after all…What do you like to do?” Yes, surprise surprise, Discord asked someone what she wants to do. I’m not the same Draconequus I was a thousand years ago.”

My sister blinked then looked thoughtful. “…Well, I kind of like to race and stuff like that…”

“Alright, let’s do that.”

She cocked her head at me. “You sure? You don’t seem like the athletic type.”

I chuckle. “But I am Chaos, and if it doing what it seems like I shouldn’t be the type, all the more reason to do it!”

She actually chuckled a bit. “Alright, just don’t throw a tantrum when you lose.”

We both take a running stance. “Same goes for you.”

“Alright, ready…set…Go!”

Author's Note

This one was requested by Alexwarlorn. He and Louis helped edit it.

A New Dawn

Pony POV Series
Dark World Drabbles
A New Dawn

Morning Light and Bomb Pie gave a cheer of joy. “Yes! We did it!”

Pinkie gave a smile of her own. “Yes…and so did they…” she said, looking at the game. She knew Twilight had won…and became an Alicorn, she’d have to thank Fauna Luster for allowing her to pop in to say hi to her.

“Huh?” Bomb Pie asked, watching the ending cutscene. “Aww! After all that she has to leave ‘em? That doesn’t seem fair!”

Pinkie Pie put a hoof on of their shoulders. “It’s alright,” she advised them. “Twilight has an eternity to see them again! And look at how happy everyone else is! Applejack is back with her family, Rainbow Dash got Scootaloo and Gilda back, Derpy got her children and the Doctor back and married him, Spike finally got to marry Rarity, and Apple Pie got her sister and her friends back! Yeah, it’s a little bittersweet, but they finally earned their happy ending!”

Morning Light nodded. “…And we got our mom here with us,” she said, hugging Pinkie.

Pinkie gave a bright smile and hugged her and Bomb Pie back. “Thanks…”

Bomb Pie looked over at a few empty seats. “Do yah think that Apple Sauce and Powder Cake are enjoyin’ it?”

The pink pony looked a little sad, but smiled. This was Heaven after all. “Yes, I’m sure they’re having fun with all the Apple Pie Family.”

Morning Light looked to her brother, who looked conflicted. “Bomb Pie…it’s still Queen Libra’s wedding day…Mortis said souls have until the end of the day…”

Pinkie remembered losing Bomb Pie. As much as she’d blamed age, a few of her children who’d fought had died in battle. Bomb Pie was one of them.

“…Ah’m not sure yet…”

Bomb Pie looked over to Little Hex nearby with a Game Colt 4DS. He went over to his brother and looked down at the game where a white furred, blue maned stallion in guard armor was presently meeting with the stallion Time Turner used to be. “Why are you playing that? Come on, play ours, it‘s better!”

Little Hex gave a growl. “Is not!”

“Is too! There’s so much more action in it! And the heroes have cool powers and are interesting! The stakes are higher too! Plus you get to see how that dark world got saved from evil!”

Little Hex growled. “Well I like playing as a soldier who doesn’t LIKE killing, ok?” the former child soldier asked. “And it’s nice to see the world fleshed out, all the places in it, and the main character is funny. Plus, the soldiers aren’t all red shirts, I care about them…After living in a dark world and mom rescuing me from Hell, why would I want to play a dark game anyway?!”

“But it’s all about redemption! I think we all can learn from that! And the characters are just as fun!”

“Mine has a ton of research going into it! And instead of having to worry about all kinds of cosmic stuff you can just enjoy the ride! Plus when there is action there‘s all kinds of weapons with a lot of detail on them! And it‘s cool getting to know how all of them work!”

“Well mine’s still cooler!

“No! Mine is!”

“Bomb Pie, Little Hex, that’s enough!” Pinkie stated, splitting the two. “We’re in Heaven. There’s no fighting here…well, except in the Valhalla section, but we’re not there. Both stories are great, and they’re both centered on real ponies who are alive. Is it nice to say their stories aren‘t cool?”

The two colts looked a tad ashamed of themselves. “…No…sorry mom…”

The two brothers gave a hug and made up.

“There, you see? And plus, the Shadows like them both. And if you link them together, you unlock a bonus level!”

“Really?” asked both at the same time.

“Yeah, so if you play both, you get more out of it!”

The two nodded slowly.

Little Hex then looked thoughtful. “…Bomb Pie…you really want to go back, don’t you?”

Bomb Pie looked down at his hooves. “…Kinda…but it’s just…Ah also don’t want to leave you all…Ah don’t want to be remembered as a monster…and Ah want to know Applejack, not Liarjack…Ah kind of want tah live once without all the horrible stuff going on…Ah want tah enjoy the world mom helped create.”

“…We’ll be waiting for you,” Little Hex said, the unicorn looking to his sibling. “…If I could go back, I’d go in a heartbeat, Bomb…I know we’re forgiven and all that, but…I’m like you, but I died of old age and I actually went to Hell…you’ve got a chance I don’t have…I’ll be remembered as a monster, you don’t have to be…”

Bomb Pie looked to his family. “…You don’t mind waiting for me?” he asked, lowering his head.

Pinkie hugged her adopted son. “It’s fine, Bomb Pie…if you want to go back, we’ll wait for you to live your life. We have eternity after all. And besides, isn‘t half the fun of saving the world in a lot of games exploring it afterwards?”

Bomb Pie looked thoughtful, eyes going over his entire family, who all seemed supportive of him. “…Ok…I’ll go…”

One ‘Have A Nice New Life’ Party later, Bomb Pie went with Mortis to return to life.

And Morning Light noticed the credits had rolled. “Huh?” she asked, noticing the game was loading an new level. “But…we beat the final boss and the bonus boss, what’s left?”

Pinkie gave a chuckle. “Only one way to find out. How about I play with you this time? Like I told Bomb Pie, why not take time to explore the world after you saved it?”

Morning Light’s eyes brightened. “Let’s go!”

The two set down and picked up the controllers. “…Wow! Over 12 characters?!” the filly asked, looking at the screen. “…And there’s Bomb Pie!…I recognize a lot of the others, but…there’s some I’ve never heard of before…”

“…Then let’s get to know them!”

Grogar roared out in fury, energy cascading across his horns as he sent a blast of lightning at the orange, crystal pegasus above him.

Scootaloo was caught off guard…but found Ender Dash flying in front of her and taking the blast. “Rainbow Dash!”

“Don’t worry, Scoots,” the blue pegasi said, her wound regenerating. “But watch yourself, ok?”

Scootaloo pulled Dash out of the way of a lightning bolt aimed directly at her Element of Free Will in her chest instead of the second (redundant but fully functional) one she wore around her neck as a decoy. “Could tell you the same,” the little pegasus joked, the Element of Loyalty around her neck glowing from proximity to it’s Chaos counterpart.

The two chuckled and flew up, Scootaloo flying around and generating a powerful cyclone while a number of Ender Dash’s wing feathers fluttered out and rainbow colored lightning arced into them.

“Winglet Chain Lightning!”

She then sent lightning arcing into the tornado, roars of pain alerting her to them hitting home on Grogar, expertly avoiding Scootaloo.

Diamond Tiara smashed a cage with a giant mallet, the newly reforged Element of Cruelty around her neck. “Magica, are you alright?” she asked, offering a hoof.

“Yeah! Thank you!” replied the Virgacorn, taking her friend’s hoof, then adjusting the Element of Magic on her head. “Gilda ok?”

“Yeah, Silver’s handling it.”

“Alright…there!” the grey, now gem-eyed filly announced, the glow around her Element of Kindness finally ceasing as she took her hooves off the healed wing of the crystal Griffin.

Gilda stretched her wing. “Yeah, thanks kid…” she said, a little embarrassed the filly had had to come to her aid. That didn’t stop her from grabbing Silver Spoon and flying up to evade a bolt from the tyrant as he broke free of the tornado. “Hang on!” she called, throwing the foal up and letting her land on her back. Her new Element of Rage glowed as she gave a furious roar before speeding up and flying past Grogar at high speeds, slashing the goat across the side with a wing blade spell.

The tyrannical goat snarled…then found a small Hippogriff staring at him inquisitively, Element of Honesty around her neck. “What are you going to do once you take over the world?”

He snarled in rage…and a little confusion as he couldn’t get the question out of his head and charged magic into his horns.

“Hey, yah want perfect order, right? Well, ain’t yah causin’ chaos and disharmony by attackin’ all the time?” asked Apple Pie on the other side of him, the newly reforged Element of Laughter around her neck. She found it a bit redundant to wear the physical one when she didn’t need it. She chuckled just thinking about it.

She jumped out of the way of an energy blast as Grogar shook his head to clear it.

“Why are you so obsessed with order?”

“Where’d yah get that bell? Didn’t Half-light and the others destroy it five hundred years ago?”

“Why are you able to talk when none of the other goats are?”

“If yah hate Discord so much, why did yah help him disintegrate that minion who insulted your beard?”

“Did that really happen?”

“STOP IT!” bellowed Grogar, the two repeatedly dodging his horn beams.

Suddenly, a beam of magic struck Grogar, trapping him in a crystal cage. “WHAT?!”

Magica stood nearby, horn glowing. “Minty! Aquamarine! Applejack! Bomb Pie! Now!”

Chains seemed to wrap around Grogar and his prison, chains he could feel. Applejack, or Abigail as some now knew her, stood nearby, Element of Deceit glowing.

Aquamarine spun on a column of water, Element of Generosity around her neck. She sent her water pillar crashing down on the restrained tyrant, soaking him.

Minty Pie, the only hero lacking an Element, held up the Sword of Four Seasons. “Season of Winter!” she called, swinging the sword and sending a freezing wind at the tyrant, freezing the water solid around him.

The now crystal bodied Bomb Pie’s Element of Desire glowed as he made vines in the floor grow and ensnare the tyrant’s frozen form.

“Formation!” cried Magica, all 11 Bearers surrounding Grogar and letting their Elements shine. The Virgacorn herself served as the link between the two sets, Magic being the keystone of both.

Grogar’s prison cracked as he assaulted it with his magic until finally, it exploded in a blast of power. To his shock, he saw all 12 Elements united as one in an intense glow of magic. Seconds later, a majestic rainbow erupted fourth from the Elements of Harmony, and a black and grey rainbow emerged from the Elements of Chaos, now having a strange beauty in it‘s chaotic nature.

Darkness and Light. Chaos and Harmony. Both intertwined and swirled around one another before for the first time ever, the Rainbows of Light and Darkness united and crashed down on the ruler of Tambelon as he emitted a roar of untold fury.

“My Little Ponies, today we are gathered to celebrate the defeat of Grogar and the return of Harmony to New Equestria thanks to these heroes!” announced the Bride of All, Queen Libra, standing in the hall of the Canterlot Castle…or as she preferred to be called, Eden. New stained glass windows joined those of the defeats of Nightmare Moon and Discord’s first reign. One was devoted to the redemption of each of the chaos six, the defeat of Odyne, Discord’s deathbed redemption (which most of the citizens merely saw as another 'Discord vs Grogar' situation), the defeat of Nightmare Eclipse (or as most knew her ‘the Alicorn Witch’ who tried to destroy the world) and finally Queen Libra‘s birth.

The Bearers of the Elements of Harmony and Chaos, Minty Pie, and Golden Tiara stood proudly next to the Concept of the Mortal World, in order of their respective Elements. They were also joined by a number of Royal Guards (some returning souls, others new recruits) who had stood against Grogar’s army valiantly.

As the crowd applauded, Libra pointed to a curtain nearby, which opened on their own to reveal a new stained glass window depicting Grogar being struck by the Rainbows of Light and Darkness.

“I’ll be back in a moment, my dear niece,” said Applejack, letting Apple Pie enjoy being the hero she’d always wanted to be, with her new friends. She was wearing a fabulous dress and her old hat, with a redundant Element of Deceit around her neck. It’d been her suggestion she and Rainbow Dash wear them as a decoy for the ones in their chests keeping them alive. Hadn’t fooled Grogar for long, but he’d always been smart.

“Alright, Auntie!” called Apple Pie, before joining Magica and Inquisition to celebrate.

“Eden, will you be a dear and open the way for me?” the palmetto pony requested as she trotted to a wall. The wall rearranged itself to form an inscription reading ‘Yes, Saint Abigail’ as a passage way opened up.

Following the path, she came out in the room that was once only the graveyard of Angry Pie’s foals. The graves still remained (minus three, who’s owners now once more walked among the living). However, there were two major differences; the Alicorn statues had returned, and five new memorials.

Applejack went over to one. It read ‘In Honor of Saint Applebloom of Sunnytown.’ “…I do hope you’ll keep waiting for me, Applebloom…I know I sound different, but I’m still me and I‘m still going to keep my promise.”

An orange, crystal hoof was placed on the memorial to ‘Sweetie Belle The Selfless.’ “They are…” said Scootaloo, looking at the memorials to her fellow crusaders.

Applejack looked at Rainbow as the mare walked in. “This is a private place, Rainbow Dash.”

“Hey, Scoots was our friend a thousand years ago too, she has every reason to be here too,” the blue mare replied. She then turned to the memorial with a blue jewel shaped like a balloon embedded in it. She put a party streamer on it with a sad look. “Hope you’re enjoying Heaven, Pinkie…” Hearing from Bomb Pie had helped soften the blow a bit, but she couldn’t help grieving. Not having Pinkie there was simply hard to get used to…

“Sorry we’re late,“ announced Libra as she and Spike entered. Their friend’s horn glowed and a posey grew from the ground and put it on the memorial with the pink Butterfly shaped jewel in it. “Even though I know where they are, I can’t deny that I miss them as well.”

Spike nodded, a gold crown on his head. The massive dragon gave a sad look at a statue of the Magician Alicorn that set nearby. His wife gave him a comforting nuzzle.

Rainbow Dash sat down with Scootaloo and looked at the memorials, two in particular. “…It’s not fair, is it?”

Everypony (and dragon) looked at her. “Whatever do you mean, Rainbow Dash?” asked Applejack.

“We have a chance to show everypony that we were good guys,” the Element of Free Will admitted. “Fluttershy…no pony even knows she existed besides us…they just know Fluttercruel the mass murderer…Pinkie Pie…she tried so hard to make things right to us and help us…but not one knows that…We’ve told them how she spent the last day of her life, we told them that Fluttershy was a good pony and wasn‘t even Fluttercruel…but…”

Applejack and Scootaloo had to hug the blue pony for comfort.

After she recomposed herself, Rainbow continued. “…It’s not fair…no one will ever remember them as who they were before Discord broke the world…”

Libra gave a sympathetic look. “…Unfortunately…Fluttershy refused to return…” The Mortal World frowned, lowering her head. It began raining somewhere.

Spike hugged his bride and nuzzled her.

Scootaloo looked at the memorials. Sure…Applebloom was now Saint Applebloom of Sunnytown, but Sweetie Belle, no one even knew she existed. She’d spent her life caring for her big sister…And no one remembered. The new Element of Loyalty felt a tug at her heart…

Spike looked at his friends thoughtfully. “…Maybe we should do something to make sure it won’t happen again.”

Everypony looked at the gigantic dragon. “Spike, please explain,” Libra asked.

“Well, perhaps we should make some record of what’s happening now? No pony ever bothered to document who you six were a thousand years ago…maybe if we do it now, there will be no chance of it happening again.” It was easy to forget Spike’s special talent was being a scribe.

“Spike, darling, I know you’re still getting used to it, but I’m the World, so the World will never forget.”

“Yeah, but can everypony read your memory? Plus, do you want them to know just your memory of them?”

“…Point taken.”

Spike looked back to the statue of Twilight’s Alicorn incarnation. “And besides…Maybe one day Twilight will pay us a visit again…Don’t we want to be able to tell her what’s happened since she left?”

The others gave it thought. “…You know, that’s not a bad idea…” Scootaloo stated.

Applejack gave a nod of her own. “I must say, it’s is a wonderful idea.”

Rainbow nodded. “Why not? It couldn‘t hurt.”

“My brother Eremo gave me some infinite journals as his wedding gift,” Libra stated. “We could use those to record it.”

“Infinite?”

“Yes, there’s no limit to the number of pages.”

“…Then why do you need multiple ones?!”

“Different subjects.”

“Oh…”

“So, we’re in agreement?”

Everyone gave a nod of agreement.

“Then it is settled, let us begin.”

“Well…that was…” Pinkie Pie said, staring at the cutscene as she and Fluttershy played just outside Heaven, as they normally did during such visits.

Fluttershy nodded. “It’s…kind of odd seeing our own memorials…even if we’re rather happy with our afterlife…”

“Hey, be happy they gave you a memorial period,” shouted Fluttercruel, playing a Trauma Center game on a 4DS while her mortal siblings watched. Pinkie considered it an improvement over her old violent video games.

“Good point…and at least we inspired a good idea…” Pinkie replied. “Now that the nonindicitive opening fight is finished, let‘s see what the world has waiting for us!”

Author's Note

Yes, I know, it's not POV, the rest will be, though.

A now we begin the sequel series section of Dark World Drabbles! Dark World Drabbles is Loose Canon.

And now the rest is going to be Slice of Life. *Laughs evilly*

Pinkie: Hey! What's with the nonindicative opening!

Poison Apple

Pony POV Series

Dark World Drabbles

Poison Apple

Howdy. Ah suppose that yah want tah kno-

(Interviewer’s Notes (Apple Pie): Tell ‘em yer name, sis!)

Apple Pie, yah KNOW mah name. We’re twin sisters!

(Interviewer’s Notes (Apple Pie): Yeah, but Rainbow says Ah need tah make sure tah get the name of who Ah’m interviewin’!)

Oh, right. Mah name is Poison Apple, your-

(Interviewer’s Notes (Apple Pie): Can yah please not address me like that? They won’t know who Ah am.)

No offense, sis, but yah saved the universe, Ah doubt they won’t know who yah are.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Apple Pie): Ah’m just following’ orders)

Alright then…Ah’m Poison Apple, Apple Pie’s identical twin sister. Ah know what yah are probably thinking’: am Ah jealous of mah sis for bein’ the savior of the world? No, not at all. Ah never wanted tah save the world, Ah just wanted tah read and learn.

Ah admit, at first it was just mah release. Work was a good distraction from the whole ’evil overlord rulin’ the world’ thin’ and Ah like it as well as the next Apple Pie, but when work was done for the day? Or a knife storm forced us tah barricade inside? If there was one thing that meh and Apple Pie could always agree on was how boring that could be. Apple Pie found superhero comics tah be her thing, but as for meh? Ah just couldn’t get inta ‘em. They were fun, but they seemed too short tah hold mah attention.

Mah first book was in this box with a bunch of other stuff like old photos Ah’d found while diggin’. Ah never found out why somepony buried it. But it had an old farming manual in it. Yeah, Ah know how boring it sounds, but Ah liked it, even if Ah had tah ask Guru Fido what a ton of words meant. And even if it was for plant farmin’, it still helped out a bit on the farm, like showin‘ meh that everythin‘ needed the right conditions tah grow. And Ah liked it. For the first time in mah life, Ah started tah really understand how somethin’ worked! Ah guessed books bein’ able tah do that is why Big Banana Discord had all the Pre-Chaos Era literature he could find destroyed (yeah, Ah know now he was doin‘ it tah try and avoid bein‘ beaten like he had before. Ah died yah know). And Ah wanted tah keep understandin’ things.

Ah started lookin’ for any books Ah could get mah hooves on, including’ learnin’ alchemy. That really came in handy in dealin’ with the monsters that attack the farm all the time. A good old stinkbomb will send a lot of ‘em runnin’ for the hills, or at least distract ‘em long enough for Banana tah shoot it with her bazooka.

It’s actually how Ah earned mah Cutie Mark. A bunch of giant, rock eatin’ rats started eatin’ our crops (Ah always thought there were an oddly big number of rock-eatin’ monsters…) They weren’t big enough and too fast tah blow up easy. Ah snuck off tah that old rundown library in Ponyville (thinkin’ of becoming’ a ‘librarian’ for it once it gets rebuilt, Aunt Abigail said it’d be a good idea) and found a book on poisons. Ah knew there were a lot of books there, but well, it was Ponyville, Discord’s ‘Chaos Capital of the World’ and where…where F-Fluttercruel liked hauntin’ for her ‘toys’ t-there…t-thanks for the hug, sis…

(Interviewer’s Notes (Apple Pie): :) )

But Ah managed tah make off with a lot of books, including’ the book on poisons. Ah mixed it up and set a trap. It worked, no more rats! We couldn’t eat ‘em afterwards, but they were eatin‘ up our crops any more! And it earned meh mah Cutie Mark! Mah Cutie Mark ain’t exactly just poisons, it’s for alchemy in general. Really comes in handy in makin’ rocks inta other things that are worth more for the family. Really helps everypony and Ah‘m proud of it.

So Ah went on, helpin’ the family however Ah could. But…but t-then…look, Ah accepted mah death, Ah got inta Heaven but…P-Please don’t…

(Interviewer’s Notes (Apple Pie): Yah don’t have tah if yah don’t wanna, sis.)

Thanks…after…t-that. Ah just couldn’t pass on…When Mr. Mortis came for meh…Ah couldn’t bare the thought mah family might suffer like Ah had…At least without a friendly face there tah greet ‘em when the sufferin’ ended. And Ah hadn’t even gotten the chance tah say goodbye tah Apple Pie or anypony else when Fluttercruel grabbed meh. So mah spirit hung around…until Miss Rarity needed help. We all came tah help her. Some of ‘em wanted payback…Ah just wanted tah protect the Apple Pie clan, tah make sure she’d never hurt anypony Ah cared about ever again.

Sis…Ah’m sorry Ah didn’t stick around tah help fight Fluttercruel again…Ah…Ah thought she was dead for good…

(Interviewer’s Notes (Apple Pie): It’s alright sis. We beat her, it’s no problem.)

Thanks…After Ah finally passed on…Ah met the Father of Alicorns and went into Pony Heaven. What was it like?…There ain’t no describing it. Mah family was there, and Ah had every book Ah could ever want, but that was just the tip of the iceberg! It’s Heaven, it’s kinda hard tah describe if yah hadn’t been there! And…well, there was one thing…

“Hello little filly with a desire to learn, I hear for knowledge of alchemy you do yearn.”

Ah turned tah see a Virgacorn, only minus the ‘corn’ part.

“Wow! Yer a…what do yah call it? Half a Virgacorn?”

She just gave a chuckle. “A Zebra is my species’ name, but you can call me Zecora all the same.”

“Wow! Ah ain’t never seen a Zebra before! How’s bein’ a Zebra different than bein’ a Virgacorn?!” Ah asked about half a dozen questions, but she answered ‘em all. She seemed tah like answerin’ ‘em, kinda like Guru Fido did first time Ah met ‘em. Then Ah remembered she’d done asked meh a question first.

“Yeah…Ah do like alchemy, it’s mah special talent. Just…well, Ah’m kinda dead and all…” Ah didn’t really know exactly what good learnin’ more alchemy after Ah died would do.

She put a hoof on my shoulder. “Little one, into paradise you have entered in, if you love to learn then by all means begin.”

And Miss Zecora taught me. And boy did she know a lot! Then again, she did call herself an alchemist, so I guess Ah shoulda seen that comin’! Ah think if Big Boss Discord hadn’t taken over the world she probably woulda been writin’ books Ah’d be reading’! And Heaven bein’ Heaven, Ah had all the supplies Ah could ever need tah learn it all!

“Wow! How did yah know that plant would do that?!” Ah asked, after she made one of Discord’s Fire Flowers inta a potion that’d get rid of a cold. “That flower wasn’t around when yah were alive!”

Zecora gave me a smile. “There is a simple answer to that question there, but of that fact how were you aware?”

Ah blinked. “Well…it weren’t in any of the farmin’ or alchemy books Ah found from back then…”

“And that is part of the answer my friend, when it comes to alchemy there is no end. The focus of alchemy is all about change, whether it is potion making or curing mange. It is all about creating new things from the old, to think that does not include you is much too bold. A good alchemist must change like the ingredients that they command, or else they become stagnate where they stand.”

“Oh…so a good alchemist needs tah change too?

Zecora nodded. “Not just alchemists, my student, for all those who desire to learn this information is prudent. If you want to know how the world works, don’t overlook a truth that always lurks. The world will always change and grow, and so there will away be more that you will need to know.”

“So…Big Top Hat Discord was right when he said things stayin’ the same is borin’?

“If he was doing his proper job then that is how it seems, but staying completely the same and too much change are both extremes. But at its basic definition, it is not fiction.”

Ah hadn’t thought about it before. Ah’d wanted tah learn, but Ah never thought about how Ah needed tah figure things out for myself as things changed. That learnin’ was more than just reading’ a book or listenin’ tah a teacher. And yah know what? It actually made it more fun! The idea of discoverin’ something new? That was excitin’!

(Interviewer’s Notes (Apple Pie): Hehe…)

What’s so funny sis?

(Interviewer’s Notes (Apple Pie): Yah were already doin’ that sis!)

What do yah mean?

(Interviewer’s Notes (Apple Pie): Yah wanted tah find out stuff no pony had known for a thousand years, right? And yah figured out how tah use it! Don’t that count?)

…Hehe, yeah, Ah guess yer right…Guess yah learn somethin’ new all the time.

She also introduced me tah a friend she’d met in Heaven.

“Hello, little pony, Zecora tells me that you like to learn, I‘m not an alchemist, but I am a teacher,” said a purple Earth Pony with glasses and a grey mane. Her cutie mark was a chalk board with 1+2 on it. And yeah, now Ah know it equals three and not fish.

Hey name was Ms Hackney, she was real nice and taught me a LOT about all kinds of stuff, like math and chemistry. That actually went pretty well with alchemy! And apparently some of it had been lost for a LONG time! Turns out Ms. Hackney had been around since even before Discord ruled the world the first time! And a lot of the stuff ponies in her day was lost! Ah was learnin’ stuff that even Miss Twilight probably doesn’t know!

(Interviewer’s Notes (Apple Pie): Wow…)

Ah know! And she was a real nice teacher too…

“Two plus two equals…I’m afraid I don’t even know what this is, my little pony…”

“It’s a robot moth…”

“I’m sorry dear but that isn’t correct.”

“It’s hard tah tell what is…Discord didn’t exactly leave many teachers left…”

Ms Hackney just gave a small smile. “That’s alright, dear, you can’t blame a pony who hasn’t had the opportunity to learn. Shall we start from scratch then?”

And now Ah actually know math! Two plus two equals four!

Anyway, time is a bit crazy in Heaven, so we had plenty of time tah learn till the final fight started down on the planet. Yeah, Ah watched, yah think Bomb Pie was the only one seein’ it? Our kin was fightin’ for the universe!…Ah noticed Zecora seemed real concerned about all of ’em, but Miss Twilight in particular.

“Miss Zecora, yah worried bout Twilight?” Ah asked.

Zecora gave a nod. “Yes, Poison Apple, I am concerned, and not just fear of seeing the world burn. Twilight and her friends were close to me, until we became what Discord wanted us to be. To see her fall to darkness once was hard to bare, to see it again I do not care.”

“…But yah are still watching.”

Zecora gave a smile. “I have been Twilight’s teacher from when we first met, for her I have the most respect. I have watched over her for more than one life, I will not abandon her in this strife.”

Ah gave a blink. “Uh…what?”

“I am aware my view on reincarnation is not true, there is a reason I feel as I do. There was a previous world that never was, but that world’s influence persevered, as it always does. There was a pony named Kimono in that world before it’s end, and even if she’s never been, when our world had its start, in me her existence did impart. And the world that never was had its own beginning, and it was with a dream of suffering ending. Ponies attempted to make a spell to change the world, but the did not know the change that would unfurl.

“One of those ponies was a teacher you know well, and she was who Kimono was before in dreams did the world dwell. Twilight was once ponies in these worlds as well, and in my previous selves’ classes she did dwell.”

Ah blinked, looking over as Ms. Hickney just gave a knowing smile.

Ah wasn’t really sure what tah say tah that. It weren’t the weirdest thing Ah’d ever heard (lived in Discord’s world after all), but the idea of bein’ somepony’s friend in every last one of their lives was still kinda amazin’. And it turned out Ah kinda was too! Ah was learnin’ from who Zecora was and who she used tah be! That was so cool!

She looked so happy when Twilight called all those ponies from the across time together. She even pointed out Minty and Clover, the ponies Twilight used tah be. Ms. Hackney told meh who all Clover’s friends were too. And boy was Ah happy tah see mah family beat that nasty old Nightmare Eclipse! We both celebrated together! Pinkie Pie even threw a ‘the universe is saved’ party! Yeah, it was heaven so she didn‘t need to, but turns out Pinkie is really good at parties, and there was another pony named Surprise who’d been here for a REAL long time who said she was Pinkie’s ancestor who liked tah party too! It was a BIG party!

(Interviewer’s Notes (Apple Pie): Ah think Surprise showed up when Halflight did that spell that took down Eclipse…wait, if she’s Pinkie’s ancestor, and Pinkie’s our aunt, don’t that mean Surprise is our ancestor too?)

…Yes…

(Interviewer’s Notes (Apple Pie): Why did yah just face hoof?)

Cause Ah coulda learned a lot about our family if Ah’d known that!

(Interviewer’s Notes (Apple Pie): Well, yah will meet her again someday, and we still got Aunt Applejack too!)

Yeah, true…Ah guess Ah could ask her about it.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Apple Pie): Can yah keep goin’? Sorry, Ah need tah get the whole story.)

Oh, okay…It was a fun party, a lotta ponies showed up too, and Zecora seemed glad tah have Pinkie there with her…But after Miss Rarity turned into Queen Libra and offered us all a chance tah come back tah life. And Ah jumped to it! Why wouldn’t Ah? The entire reason Ah hung around as a ghost was cause Ah wanted tah see mah family again! But…

“I’m sorry, Poison Apple my friend dear, but we must part was for now my dear.”

“The same goes for me I’m afraid.”

“What?” Ah asked. “But…why?”

“Only those who died of causes unnatural may return, and my full candle has already burned,” Zecora said, though she didn’t sound too upset.

Ms. Hackney nodded. “And I haven’t been alive for over five thousand years, dear, so the offer isn’t extended to me I’m afraid.”

“But…but…”

Zecora put her hoof on my shoulder. “Poison Apple, listen to these words my friend, friendships will never ever end. If you do not believe my words are true, how Twilight’s dark side lost should prove it to you. We will only part ways for now, but we will meet again, this I vow.”

Ms. Hackney nodded. “And if you’re a good little pony, you’ll be back here again some day, that’s how Heaven works after all.”

“A-Alright Ah…Ah guess…Ah‘ll miss you…”

“Parting ways with a friend is no easy thing to do, but believe what I say is true. Until we meet once more, I will watch over my students as I have always have before.”

Ms. Hackney nodded, giving a smile as she stood next to Zecora. Seeing them side by side…Ah could tell how they were different version of the same pony, but they weren’t the same…and Ah think it was better that way.

“And this way, you can put what you’ve learned to good use. It’s your turn to be a teacher, Poison Apple, if that’s what you want to do. And I wish you all the luck in the world.”

Ah hadn’t really thought about that, Ah mean Ah wanted tah use what Ah knew, Ah really did. But teachin’ others? It hadn’t crossed mah mind. But…thinkin’ hard about it…it made sense, it really did. After all, the Hippogriffs have a sayin’: give a Hippogriff a fish, feed ‘em for a day, teach ‘em tah fish, feed ‘em for a life time. Ah could help others with what ah’d learned a lot more if they knew tah do it too.

“…T-thanks…”

So we hugged, Ah hugged Aunt Pinkie, and got ready tah follow Mortis back tah the world of the livin’…

“Hey! Wait for me youngin’!”

Granny Smith (yeah, Ah know her name is Apple Smith, but she’s still mah Father knows how many times great grandma) was a little late, apparently she’d been sayin’ goodbye tah each and every member of the clan we’d be leavin’ in Heaven before we left. Hehe, Apple Pies had tah get out family loyalty somewhere.

So yah know the rest, Ah came back tah life, reunited with mah family, got kidnapped by Grogar when he showed up but…well, Ah guess Ah did figure out how tah make an acid and melt through the bars to get meh and the rest of the foals he kidnapped out while Mrs. Derpy freed us. Don’t know much more tah say than that…

(Interviewer’s Notes (Apple Pie): Why not tell ‘em what yah are doin’ now?)

Oh! Well, like Ah said Ah want tah be a librarian for Ponyville’s library once its up and runnin’ again…But Ah also want tah start learnin’ more and more. Queen Libra may have undone a lot of Discord’s damage, but she didn’t get rid of everythin’ he did, the world’s still got a lot of new stuff nopony bothered learnin’ while he was around and survivin’ was the priority. Ah want tah learn as much as Ah can. And Ah want tah teach too. Ms. Hackney and Zecora taught meh a lot of stuff even ponies from a thousand years ago don’t know! And Ah know it’d put a smile on their muzzles if Ah taught everypony again!

Sorry, gotta add somethin’ real quick that just happened.

“Granny Smith, what are yah lookin’ for?” Ah asked, findin’ Granny Smith diggin’ in the backyard.

“Oh! Hi younin’, sorry just lookin’ for something’ Ah buried here a long time ago,” she explained, scratching her head. “Ah thought bein’ young again would help my memory.”

“What is it yah are looking for?”

“Oh just a box Ah put a farmin’ manual and a bunch of family mementos in before Ah died. Ah guess enough of meh hung around in the fog that sidewinder put meh in tah want tah preserve a little family history. Just cause the world was goin‘ tah Tartarus didn‘t mean Ah could let what we learned bout farmin‘ disappear. This farm was mah life, Ah was here since the farm started, Ah didn‘t want tah just let it what Ah learned go tah waste.”

Ah blinked, then gave a smile. “Well it didn‘t!”

“Ah don’t quite follow, Poison, what do yah mean?”

“Ah found your box! Ah’ve been usin’ it tah help the farm!”

So Ah showed her the box and she gave me a hug. “Thank yah, Poison. It does mah heart good tah know that Ah did one of mah kin good.”

“Yer welcome, Granny Smith…” Ah said, then looked down at the box. “…Granny, mind teachin’ me about what else is in here? Ah was never really able tah figure it out except the book.”

Granny gave meh a smile like Grandpa Rock Pie would when he got tah tell us a story of his. “Ah’d love tah, but how bout yah go get the clan together and yah can all learn a little family history?”

(Interviewer’s Notes (Apple Pie): What happened then?)

Now!

(Interviewer’s Notes (Apple Pie): Now?)

Yeah, Ah came tah get yah like she told meh!

(Interviewer’s Notes (Apple Pie): Oh! Hehe, alright, let’s go sis!)

Questions, Questions

Pony POV Series

Dark World Drabbles

Questions Questions

By Kendell2

Hi! I’m Inquisition and-why are you the one doing this, Gilda?

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): Dash said she was busy interviewing Scoots and Diamond, no clue why she chose me though.)

Well, you’re a Griffin, I’m a Hippogriff! Maybe that’s why?

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): I don’t know, kid. And I’m supposed to be asking the questions.)

Oh! Right! Well, I’m Inquisition! I’m a Hippogriff and I live in Cloudsdale! Why do I have to say I’m a Hippogriff? Won’t everycreature know that?

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): Don’t know, I’m just doing what Dash asked me to.)

Okay! My special talent is trying to figure stuff out and asking questions! Miss Applejack says it’s ‘looking for the truth’ and that’s why I’m the new Element of Honesty! She’s really nice! She was the only member of Ruby Pineapple Discord’s Chaos Six momma said wasn’t bad! But she wasn’t really right, well, she kinda was but wasn’t. She was right they could hurt me but wrong that they were-

(Interviewer’s Notes Gilda): Whao! Slow down a little, kid!)

Why?

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): Because I can’t write very fast! I haven’t written anything in a thousand years!)

Okay!…Mom…said…I…needed…to…

(Interviewer’s notes (Gilda): Not that slow!)

Sorry…How slow then?

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): Uh…I guess about twenty percent slower than you were going.)

Okay!

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): …You actually understood that?)

Yep! I asked Rainbow Dash about it! I think it’s really really really cool you invented a coolness scale!

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): Hehe…thanks kid. So you were sayin‘?)

I guess I should start when I first met Rainbow Dash, or Traitor Dash as I knew her back then.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): Ugh, could that loser have come up with lamer names for those six! Betrayer Dash would’ve sound at least five percent cooler!)

Why?

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): I don’t know…just does…Not that anything could make all the horseapples that jerk made ‘em do cool.)

Why do you say horseapples? I thought Hippogriffs and Griffins used droppings.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): Because I…Kid, I’m the one interviewing you here! Let me ask the questions!)

Sorry…

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): Ugh…sorry, I’m the Element of Anger for a reason and I promised Dash I‘d try to get better at it. Just try to keep this about you, okay? I want to save some material for when I’m getting interviewed.)

Alright, I’m sorry for getting sidetracked Gilda…just I like to learn things…

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): Gotcha. Just keep going, alright?)

Okay!

Before she had to kill Mrs Storm-Cracker, me and her got to talk…she didn’t seem like a big scary monster, she just seemed like everycreature else. She seemed nice. Even when she started telling what Cheese Scepter Discord was saying…she didn’t seem like a monster to me. Even when she killed Storm-Cracker, I was terrified, I did try to stand up for Storm-Cracker, I WAS mad at Traitor Dash for killing her, but I couldn’t see Traitor Dash as just a monster…

Momma wasn’t happy about what happened though.

“Inquisition! You could have been killed! Don’t scare me like that ever again!”

“But I didn’t know…”

Momma gave a sigh and took a deep breath. “…I know…I’m sorry I didn‘t warn you about her…it’s just if it’d been the boogeymare you’d be in her playroom right now…”

I didn’t know who Traitor Dash was, but everycreature knew who the boogeymare was. That’s what we called Fluttercruel. One of the things…

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): …Sweet Celestia…)

What’s wrong?

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): Just I knew her…mom, I think Dash said, back a thousand years ago…I was kinda a jerk to her, but tryin’ to imagine that body as some kind of serial killer is still hard for me to wrap my head around.)

What was her momma like?

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): A total wallflower and I thought she was a total wimp…Boy did I stick by claws in my mouth, how was I supposed to know she was the freakin’ Element of Kindness?!…Ugh…Kiddo, please take off your Element…)

Oh! Sorry! I don‘t quite have the hang of my powers yet!

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): …It’s fine kid, I’m still getting used to how mine work too…Ow! And yes, Eden, I’m sorry I keep breaking your bucking doors! …Ugh…let’s just get back to the story.)

Well, mom was so worried about me…but even after that I couldn’t help wondering. I couldn’t help thinking Traitor Dash wasn’t really a monster.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): Uh, kid, she just murdered somegriff in front of you. I‘d probably have thought she was a monster.)

But Oversized Hat Discord made lots of good creatures do things they really, really, really, REALLY didn’t want to do! It was one of his favorite games!

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): Kid, just to be the Draconequus’ advocate here, Dash keeps sayin’ she wasn’t magically forced to do anything.)

But that’s just it! If he didn’t have to Discord a pony to make them do it? He seemed to have even more fun doing it, or I thought he did and that‘s what the grownups kept telling me. That’s what all the grownups always told me: ‘don’t blame them for it, Inquisition, Ugly Painting Discord made them do it.’ I was supposed to forgive them for what he made them do. I wasn’t supposed to say they were monsters, they were his victims…

But I couldn’t help wondering why were the Chaos Six so different? Why did everycreature treat them like monsters, but when some other nice giff started acting mean or nasty, somepony always said ‘Discord must have gotten to them?’ Momma was too upset about me and Traitor Dash for me to ask…

“It’s just how it is, Inquisition.”

“They’re different than those two.”

“They’re just rotten ponies, nothing else about it.”

All the same thing, that is was just ‘how things were’ or they were ‘different’…but none of those answers worked for me. I just couldn’t help asking questions about it…

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): I think they mighta been dumbin’ things down for ya kid.)

Maybe…and maybe I‘m making it simpler than it was…but it still wasn’t enough.

Then things changed. First the sky got really REALLY weird looking! It was half day and half night! No creature knew she that was! It was kinda scary, but we still could just say ‘Meat Top Hat Discord did it’…Until something else happened…

“What?!” momma asked, taking a trot back.

“The Apple Pies and Diamond Dogs said that Twilight Tragedy, Liarjack, and Rarigreed have turned on President of the Boogie Discord,” Horus said, panting from flying all the way over to our house.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): HAHAHA!)

What is it?

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): Uh…Nothing…you’d have to be over a thousand years old to get it…Keep going.)

Momma seemed too stunned to talk…so I did.

“Mr. Horus?” I asked, coming up to him.

“Yes, Inquisition?”

“…Why do they say they turned on him?”

Horus rubbed his head. “Well…from what the Apple Pies and Diamond Dogs said, the Chaos Six used to be heroes until Twisted Pencil Discord got his claws in ‘em…Apparently they’ve been Discorded all this time and those three broke loose, or that‘s what they‘ve been saying…”

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): Let me guess, you’d asked the guy about it before?)

Yeah. I think that was why he was looking at me all weird, like he wasn‘t sure what to say.

“So now what?” momma asked finally. “Assuming they’re not lying.”

“Well…apparently they’ve got some kind of secret weapon they’re going to try and defeat Tinfoil Shorts Discord with.”

“What?! Defeat HIM?!” asked momma. She laughed. “You expect me to believe that three of Discord’s Chaos Six have turned on him and are going to try and defeat the maniac that we’ve spent our entire lives trying our hardest to resist? You’re joking!”

“…Why can’t it be true, momma?”

Momma looked at me. “Inquisition…you saw Traitor Dash kill Storm-Cracker! Those three are monsters!”

“…Why are they monsters?”

“Because they serve the tyrant! They kill ponies!”

“Why are they different from Berserk Claw or Gilded Talon?”

Those two were Hippogriffs that Fried Carrot Discord got his claws in Berserk was Discorded to go berserk and had to be put down. Gilded Talon had to sit alone in his house all the time because everything he touched turned to gold except sardines which he hated, but it was all he could eat. I felt bad for him cause sardines smell yucky!

“Because they’re different!” momma said, but she looked confused.

“How are they different?”

“Because they weren’t a sadistic monster, they didn’t take chicks and turn them into monsters, they didn’t steal souls to add to their collection, they didn’t obey Clockwork Orange Discord like they were a machine, they didn’t kill someone, apologize, kill someone, apologize, over and over and over and never once actually CHANGE what they were doing! And because they haven’t been doing it for a thousand years!”

“But hasn’t he made ponies and griffs do stuff just as bad before? Why do we call them victims but the Chaos Six monsters if Reverse Po-Pole-Polelarity Telescope Discord made them do what they’re doing just like them?”

“…This conversation is over, Inquisition.”

But it wasn’t…first we heard Traitor Dash was free too and then that the Valeyard was gone. We didn’t hear anything for awhile after that…until…

“Horus…what in Cadence‘s name…”

I trotted outside and saw everything start looking really weird! The pink clouds started turning grey and the chocolate milk lost its color and became clear!

“Momma…what’s that?”

Momma carefully put a claw out and caught some of the clear milk on her claw and looked at it closely. She took a step back, eyes wide. “It’s…it’s water…”

“Why is it falling from the sky? And why aren’t the clouds pink anymore?”

“I…I don’t know…I’ve never seen this before…I’d read about it, but…Tacky Tropical Shirt Discord almost never lets it happen…”

Momma had the other griffs take a look at it and they said the same thing. Some dragons who’d been around before Discord called it ‘rain.’ Just rain. Not chocolate milk rain or snail rain or skunk spray rain. Just rain.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): Ugh! It actually got to raining those things?!)

Yeah! I got caught in both on the way home from school they were really REALLY icky! Why didn’t you know? I thought you had been under Micro Cosmos Sword Discord too.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): Yeah, but Dash said the king of all lame-os got about three hundred and ten percent more crazy since I died, guess this was what she was talking about…You were saying?)

We started hearing lots of things had changed! The zombies started disappearing, Discorded creatures were themselves again! It was so weird! Some of the grownups started saying Broken Record Discord had lost, some others just said he was trying something new.

“Momma…do you think they beat him?” I asked, looking up as we watched the rain out our window.

“Honey…I don’t know…I don’t know anymore…” she said. It…it’s kinda scary when the grown ups don’t know what’s going on…even when not a lot made sense as it was. They could always say ‘Paper Pirate Hat Discord did it’ or something. It normally wasn‘t enough for me, but it was something…momma didn’t know at what to think or what to say…I started to feel scared…

She hugged me.

…Then everything got REALLY weird when Miss Rarity turned into Queen Libra! The ground down below became green! It’d never been green before!

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): Your weird is my normal kid.)

Yeah, I know! Apple Pie thinks that’s really funny!

Then Traitor Dash was back in Cloudsdale again, but she wasn’t grey anymore! She was actually really pretty! And…she wasn’t a bad guy anymore…

“Please…you have to believe us,” she said. “I know we’ve caused a lot of death and pain…I know last time…last time I was here I killed someone…but I only did that because Discord told me he’d destroy Cloudsdale if I didn’t…he lied to me, and I killed Storm-Cracker for nothing…I know that doesn’t make it right, but I’m sorry…I’m so sorry…that’s all I can say…I’m not asking you to excuse the inexcusable, I’m…I just want you to know, we’re not your enemies anymore. Please accept that I’m sorry.”

And she cried. That was…weird. Yeah, she’d cried before, but this was different. This wasn’t a few tears, it was her crying her eyes out! She just looked so…broken. Even if I’d been wondering if she was a monster or not…it was still something I never thought I’d see.

Momma didn’t react. She just locked up. I think everygriff did.

I looked at Traitor Dash. She looked so hurt, so guilty…And she was the only one who could answer the questions I’d wanted to get a real answer to for all this time, and I wanted them really really REALLY bad!…And the grownups always said if Tyrant of Rock and Roll Discord let anypony out of his control to be nice to them because they‘d need it.

“Big Banana Discord lied to you?” I asked, peeking through the bigger Hippogriffs.

Momma gasped but didn’t do anything, I think she wanted to know as much as I did.

“Yeah…for the last thousand years…he lied so I’d think I was doing the right thing…I didn’t think I had a choice…” she said, but she didn’t look at me.

“So he hurt you just like everybody else?”

She looked up at me. She was still crying.

“Yeah…I guess so…”

I looked close into her eyes…She looked so hurt and guilty…It made me want to cry!

“…I believe you, Traitor Dash,” I said, giving her a smile. I just felt like if any creature needed a smile right then…it was her.

She cringed, but then she smiled. “Actually, it’s Rainbow Dash now.”

It took awhile, but some other Hippogriffs felt the same way I did and more believed it once Queen Libra broke Sand Castle King Discord’s spell on Gilded Talon! It was so sweet to see him finally hug his mate again! And Queen Libra was so pretty!

Momma even let me talk to Rainbow Dash a bit! Though she was right there ready to grab me if she had to. I think she wanted to know more just like I did.

“Kid…why…why did you believe me?”

I gave her a smile. “Because momma always told me that if a pony does something bad because Lord of the Messy Room Discord made them do it, I shouldn’t hate them for it! That I should forgive them! And I forgive you, Tra-I mean Rainbow Dash!”

She started crying again, but this time she was smiling. “Your…your mom is a smart Hippogriff.”

Momma actually smiled!

She and momma talked alone later, I don’t know what it was but I know Rainbow Dash said ‘I’m sorry’ a lot.

And I met Apple Pie too! It was her first time ever being in Cloudsdale!

“So your name is Apple Pie?” I asked.

“Yep! That’s mah name!”

“But your family is named Apple Pie, right?”

“Yep!”

“How do you tell the difference?”

She laughed. “It gets confusin’ from time to time, but that makes it fun!”

I couldn’t help laughing to! I really really like Apple Pie! She never gets angry when I ask questions and she’s so funny! We’re really good friends now!

And when me and momma went home that night (it was so weird for day and night to be so long!), momma tucked me in…

“Inquisition…you were right…”

I cocked my head. “What do you mean momma?”

“…I guess I’m too old to keep an open mind even in this crazy world of ours…I’ve been bitter at those six for a long time…ever since your father died…”

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): Wait wait wait, Horus isn’t your dad?)

No, he’s momma’s friend. My papa died when I was really little…momma didn’t want to talk about it too much…I missed him a lot…

“…I hated them too much to think they could be victims like everycreature else…I guess sometimes the eyes of a child can be clearer than an adult’s…You were right, Inquisition…You’re a smart girl, I’m proud of you…”

She kissed me on the head and nuzzled me.

And then…and then Queen Libra’s wedding came and…and

“Inquisition!”

“P-papa? Is it really you? You’re not a zombie?”

“No, Inquistion, it’s me, I‘m back!”

Papa came back! He came back! I have my papa back! Momma was so happy!

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): I’m happy for ya kid.)

Thanks! I’m so happy! And now he has pretty crystal eyes!

And everything just kept getting better! Storm-Cracker came back too! The Wedding was so cool! And then Rainbow Dash, you, and Scootaloo started the Wonderbolts up again! You three are so awesome!

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): Of course we’re awesome! I can’t wait to show these la…everycreature what real flying is!)

I really hope I can be a Wonderbolt when I get bigger!

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): Try hard and you might be almost as awesome as me and Dash…only a lame-o gives up on their dreams.)

…Could you teach me some tricks, Gilda?

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): Huh?! Me?!)

Rainbow can’t teach me to fly like a Griffin…and you’re my friend too. Please?

(Interviewer‘s Notes (Gilda) Dang it, where did you learn puppy dog eyes?!…Well…I guess I could…after we’re done here…)

Thankyouthankyouthankyou!

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): Ah! Okay okay! You’re welcome kid! Enough with the hugging!)

Sorry…

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda):…It’s okay…I’m just not used to fillies…chicks…filly-chicks hugging me…or anycreature hugging me…)

Did you like it?

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): …)

Why aren’t you saying anything and blushing a little?

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): Talk about Grogar.)

Oh, okay…Well not long before it, I heard Rainbow Dash and momma talking but I didn’t know about what. And then Grogar came back and started foalnapping every foal…chick…Huh, so that’s why that confuses everycreature from a thousand years ago!

He foalnapped me too! It was really scary! I didn‘t know what was going on! I was just suddenly in a really dark and nasty place! It smelled yucky!…But I was in a place I’d never been before! And well…

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): You’re you?)

Yeah!

“Why do you disappear for a thousand years? Why not two years or two thousand?” I asked the half an Earth Pony that was guarding us.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): Jacka-I mean Donkey.)

Donkey! Yeah! That was it! I asked him.

“Because that’s how long it takes for Lord Grogar to get us back,” he replied, sounding really bored. He blinked. “Why did I answer that?”

“I don’t know! But why does it take that long?”

He didn’t answer that time.

“Pst! Hippogriff!” whispered an Earth Pony filly beside me.

“Apple Pie? Is that you?”

“Nah, that’s mah twin sister, Ah’m Poison Apple. Keep talkin’ tah him, Ah need yah tah buy meh some time tah get us out of here,” she told me.

“How?”

“That’s a secret, don‘t want him tah hear.”

I looked back to the donkey and kept asking him the same question over and over.

“Because that’s how long it takes him to recreate his bell!” he finally yelled, seeming really really angry now.

“Really? Why?”

“I don’t know!”

“Why?”

“Because he won’t tell me!“

“Why?”

And I kept asking him questions. Momma says I shouldn’t keep asking questions when somecreature doesn’t want to answer them or keep asking why because it‘s impolite (I kinda broke that rule before the Chaos Six I guess…), but Poison Apple said she needed me to, so I decided to just ask about everything I wanted to know!

“The play says there was a half an Earth Pony like you before, are you him or just related to him?”

“UGH!” he yelled after I asked him a lot of questions and he trotted off holding his hoof to his head. “I need some ice…”

Poison Apple chuckled. “Doesn’t take questions well, does he?”

“Hehe, I wonder why. I just really wanted to know stuff!”

She chuckled. “Probably cause they got a lot of secrets to keep. By the way, what‘s yer name?”

“Oh! My name is Inquisition!”

“Oh yeah, Apple Pie mentioned yah. Good tah meet yah, Inquisition.”

And then she mixed up this stuff that melted through the bars to the cell…

“Alright, no more questions,” said the donkey, walking back in with a bag of ice on his head. “Just sit there and be-”

“GET ‘EM!” yelled another foal, who turned out to be Apple Pie and Poison Apple’s big sister Cream Pie.

“AHH!”

And then we all tackled the donkey to the ground and escaped!

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): HAHAHA! The dweeb got beat up by a bunch of little kids?!)

Well Rainbow Dash says creatures are really tough now and there was an entire room of us and one of him, but I guess it was kinda funny!

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): Yeah it is, good work kid!)

Thanks. The same thing happened to the bad guy guarding the other cell with kids in it when Diamond Tiara got them out. But we couldn’t beat all of Grogar’s soldiers guarding us, they were too tough for a bunch of kids to take out, and there were too many for Diamond and Bomb Pie to take out all on their own…good thing we had help.

“GIVE ME BACK MY MUFFIN!” yelled Mrs. Derpy, smashing down the door and pouncing on the soldiers.

“Go momma!” yelled a little unicorn foal that’d been with us.

And then we met up with all the others and Rainbow was really happy to see I was okay! So was Scootaloo! You were too, right?

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): …Yeah…I guess I couldn’t have our biggest fan getting hurt, could I?)

Hehe, thanks! But then while we tried to get all us kids to safety, I noticed Rainbow seemed to be looking at me weird while I started talking with everycreature and making friends and when Grogar came after us himself something cool happened! But I’ll let Miss Aquamarine tell that story! She can probably tell it better than me!

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): Alright, so we done here?)

Yep! Unless you’ve got another question, do you?

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): Hang on…Ah! How’d you get your Cutie Mark? Forgot that one…)

School!

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): School?)

Yeah! Just asking questions in school! So you can teach me some tricks now?!

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): Hehe, sure kid. You know the basics already?)

Yeah! Kinda need to learn to fly when your city could fall out of the sky any minute!

(Interviewer’s Notes (Gilda): 0-0 …And I complained about being the only Griffin chick in a school of Pegasi foals…)

Burying the Hatchet

Pony POV Series

Dark World Drabbles

Burying the Hatchet

Hey everypony, my name is Scootaloo! The Element of Loyalty and Rainbow Dash’s number one fan!

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): Being interviewed by the one and only Rainbow Dash herself.)

I think Rainbow Dash already explained what happened a thousand years ago, so I won’t go over it again.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): Thanks Scoots…Mind telling ‘em how you got to be a kick flank rebel leader though? I‘m sure they want to know about that.)

If you don’t mind…I’d rather save that one for the history books too.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): Huh?)

You guys drug the world kicking and screaming OUT of all the of the horseapples, I want to talk about better times. Maybe I’ll tell it to the Apple Pie’s, since that’s their history too, but I want to talk about my NEW life, not my old one.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): Hehe, I can respect that. Celestia knows I can respect that.)

Don’t you mean ‘Libra knows‘? Celestia’s a filly right now.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): I’m not swearing by my best friend’s name, it’d be weird. I’m still getting used to hearing ponies swear on her mane. Even if she likes it. So what DO you want to talk about Scoots?)

How my new life started.

I can’t TELL you the kind of party we had in Heaven when Paradox finally got her flank kicked. Literally, I can’t. Cause…well, it’s Heaven and all.

But me, Applebloom, and Sweetie were having a BLAST. Considering who beat her, you can guess how excited we were. I don’t think Sweetie has EVER sung THAT well before.

“Dreams do come true!“

“Yes they do!“

“Dreams do come trust!”

“They really do!“

“Sometimes you find your heart’s desire
Just by wishing it wishing it!“

It helped Melody and Sweet Music were there singing with her.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): Who?)

Oh! Her and Rarity’s ancestors…and Melody is kinda one of Rarity’s previous selves. And was apparently declared a Saint like Applebloom by Queen Cadence for helping preserve music after an apocalypse! She was a rock star! Isn’t that awesome?!

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): Hehe, yeah, I guess…)

I met your ancient ancestor too, her name’s Firefly, she’s awesome too! She was REALLY cool!

“So, you know my descendant?”

“Yeah, I was kinda her biggest fan before you know who took over and got his claws in her... …I tried to get through to her...I know Queen Cadence was right and...and there had to be good still in there but...she's the one that killed me...”

Yes, I know. You'd been a broken pedestal to me when I died...but a part of me just couldn't help hoping there was still good in you.

“Hey, kid trust me when I say this: bad guys don’t have to stay bad guys, especially if they used to be good guys. Isn’t that right Catrina!”

A bipedal cat with a lizard guy with her gave a nod. “Believe in her, so long as someone believes she can change and remembers the good old days, there will be hope. Right Rep?”

The lizard man nodded. “It worked that way for us.”

That admittedly did feel good to hear…Katrina was nice and so was Rep. It gave me a bit more hope. I mean yeah, Heaven and all, so we were pretty happy in general, but that didn’t mean we didn’t still want you guys to reform yourself and getting a boost in out hopes was always welcome.

Oh! Firefly also taught me a lot of cool tricks! It was awesome! I can’t wait to show you a few!

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): Alright alright, enough about my awesome ancestors…you can tell me later…)

Alright. I met this pony named Patch too. She’s another old hero too! And she was AWESOME with a sword! She taught me a lot along with one of her friends named Lancer taught me how to use one really good. And how to stand on my hind legs…and hold stuff with my hooves.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): So that’s why some ponies who came back from Heaven are acting like Lyra and Pinkie!)

I didn’t really understand it at first really…

“Uh…why would I want to hold stuff in my hooves?” I asked. “I can use my wings the same way.”

Yeah, yeah, I know, don‘t knock something before you try it. But I thought it was weird to use my hooves like that. Or stand on my hind legs. It seemed like something an alien or do or something…and I knew actual aliens. In fact there were some ACTUAL aliens present.

Patch chuckled. “Well, can you fly and hold swords with your wings?”

“Yeah, that’s what wing blades are for.”

“Hehe, oh yeah, forgot those existed. Well that just makes this next part more awesome! You can hold two of those, right?” she asked.

“Yeah…”

“And one in your mouth?”

“Yeah, duh.”

“Well if you can hold two if your hooves and fight on your hind hooves, you can use FIVE swords at the same time!”

“I…can’t argue with the fact that’s awesome…”

Using multiple swords isn’t easy, you got to keep track of them all, but that just makes it a LOT easier for a Pegasus to do, since we NEED that kind of thing to fly as fast as we do anyway.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): Admittedly, that’s at least twenty percent more awesome than three swords.)

Hehe. Patch and I also played a lot of pranks.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): There are pranks in Heaven?!)

Yeah. Not meanspirited ones, but funny ones.. And Patch is great at it! She taught me a lot about that…but of course, my time in Heaven wasn’t forever and a thousand years later, it ends.

Like I said we were having this HUGE party!…And then Rarity became an Alicorn. Hehe. Sweetie Belle’s eyes went SO big Pinkie asked her if she’d remembered the Lost Age!

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): What?)

You’ll understand when you die. It took her a few minutes to SPEAK after that.

And then she found out her sister was getting married to Spike. Hehe…

“So…we’re kind of…family now?” asked one of Spike’s Ancestors, the First I think.

Sweetie was busy fainting. Her mom provided had a couch, though it was a lot tackier than Rarity‘s.

“I think so, sweetie,” Mrs. Belle hugged him.

Melody hugged the Spike that had been alive in her life and so did Sweet Music, since it was the same Spike I think.

While we were still recovering from that bombshell, Mortis and his Thestrals arrived to let us know about his wedding gift to Rarity.

“We…we can come back to life?” I asked, the three of us standing around Mortis himself.

“You can.”

“Rainbow…I could be with her again…” I muttered. I knew Rainbow…I knew you needed me, Rainbow…And I missed being your number one fan. I HATED that our last moments before I died had been us fighting to the death and you killing me. I hated THAT being the last time you saw me alive…because it wasn’t how I really felt. Yes, I was angry when I died, I really was. But you don’t get into heaven letting old grudges consume you. There was a reason I came back to help you break Discord’s chains!…And I was sick of Discord stealing everything from me. This was my chance to take something from the life he stole back…and give you back a part he stole from you. A little bit of the life he’d stolen back for both of us.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): T-Thanks Scoots…Thank you…)

You’re welcome, Rainbow Dash…are you crying?

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): No, of course not…j-just continue.)

“I can be at Rarity’s wedding!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed.

Applebloom looked conflicted. “Ah could be with Applejack again…but Ah…”

It was easy to forget she was married to Lance and had a family, much of which was in Heaven now, not to mention the friends she’d made there.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): Uh…wasn’t she…you know…a zombie? How exactly did she…)

All I know is she and Lance loved each other big time. And I don’t like to think about how they had foals. Do you like to think about how Rarity and Spike are going to do that?

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash) …Point taken…please move on while I try to find some brain bleach…)

“You misunderstood me, my little ponies,” Mortis said in the same bittersweet tone he seemed to default to. “Only Scootaloo may return.”

“W-What?” I asked. “Just me? Why?”

“Because only those that died of unnatural causes resulting from Discord or his minion’s actions may return. That is the rule.”

“…But Applejack killed Applebloom, doesn’t that count? She was working for him at the time!”

“No. She was several hundred years past her natural life span when she died and requested death. Sweetie Belle died of old age. They are not permitted to be revived.”

“But…but…”

“There will be no exceptions. The act of reviving you is already bending the rules as it is. If you wish to revive, you are allowed, but if not, you can remain here. It is your choice.”

I didn’t know what to do. My friends couldn’t come back but…I wanted to. You needed me…

“…It’s okay, Scootaloo…” Sweetie Belle finally said after a few moments of silence. “Better one of us than none of us.”

“But…Sweetie Belle…”

“I don’t want you saying no because of me,” Sweetie Belle said, unable to hide her disappointment, but giving a small smile. “If you want to go back, I’ll still be here when you come back.”

“And Ah did what Ah wanted with mah life, Scootaloo,” Applebloom said, giving a smile. “Everypony in Sunny Town is free. Ruby’s free. Ah had a family and a husband. Ah did everythin’ Ah wanted…And Applejack will come tah meh, she promised, and Ah know she’ll keep it.”

“But…but how can we be the Cutie Mark Crusaders if two of us are here?”

“We got our Cutie Marks a LONG time ago, did THAT make us stop being the Crusaders?” Sweetie asked, giving a smile.

“And it’s not like we stopped bein’ the Crusaders from when yah died until Ah did. Once a Crusader, always a Crusader!”

I couldn’t help smiling a little at that. “I guess you’re right…I’ll miss you guys.”

“And we’ll miss you, but us and Heaven are still going to be here when you get back.”

Applebloom gave a nod. We had a group hug.

“CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS FOREVER! YAY!”

“…I didn’t think it was possible for an Alicorn’s ears to ring…” Mortis muttered, rubbing his ear..

“So, you’re leaving, huh?” Firefly asked, sitting next to me, Patch on the other side.

“Yeah…you mad?”

“Nah, I’m used to waiting to see old friends again, I’ll be fine. Enjoy your second chance. We‘ll be here waiting for you.”

Patch nodded. “My friends waited a couple hundred years for me! I think I can wait a few decades for you. No worries!”

Both gave me a hug and reassured me we’d always be friends. After all…both of them had been proof of that when Twilight’s spell summoned them to beat Eclipse.

“R-Rarity?” I asked, looking up at Rarity as she met me and the Theatral leading me back to the mortal world. “Is that you?” I asked the Alicorn.

“Yes, darling,” she replied. “Call me Queen Libra if you want.”

I expected just ‘Rarity with wings,’ I hadn’t expected a full grown Alicorn! I was dumbstruck!

“Um…Scootaloo?”

“Oh! Sorry! Just…you’re…well…”

“I’m still Rarity, darling. Don’t be afraid of me. I simply want to talk to everypony who‘s returning to me.”

“Oh…” I replied, then I remembered who I was talking to. “Uh…Rarity…I’m sorry but…Sweetie Belle…She…”

Rarity gave a sad look. “I know…my brother already told me about it I’m afraid…I’m disappointed, but I can’t be angry with him, he’s bending over backwards for me already…I guess it just wasn‘t to be…”

I’d rather not talk about what we discussed, it was kinda private. Except ya know, the ’you’ll be a crystal pony now’ thing. But I think the next part is something we’ll both be happy to remember…

“S-Scootaloo?”

“It’s me, Rainbow Dash!”

“Scootaloo…I’m…I’m sorry…”

And then I hugged you so you’d just calm down and enjoy the moment.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): I don’t know what shocked me more, that you were back or that you were a filly again…You were right, it WAS something I’d wanted to have for so a long time. Having my number one fan back…and I didn‘t have to complete some horseapples deal of Discord‘s to get it…Thanks Scootaloo, you were right, I do need you…I really do…)

You’re welcome, Rainbow.

After that, we started up the Wonderbolts again and I met Inquisition, she’s a nice filly…chick…thing. She reminds me a bit of me and the others a thousand years ago, what with all that energy she has and how determined she can get when she really wants something, which is probably why we became friends.…

Oh! That reminds me! I’ve restarted the Cutie Mark Crusaders too! Though I’m kinda the mentor now! Some of the Apple Pies have joined up!

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): Thank Celestia ponies are so much more durable now…)

What was that?

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): Nothing! Continue! And emotional stuff aside, apparently you‘re supposed to not address me directly in the interview…Kinda forgot it myself.)

Oh, right, forgot about that too…Oh! Here’s a good part!

It was going to be hard enough for the Sea Ponies to adjust to the outside world as it was without having their entire history and just about everything they knew about the outside world being revealed to be a lie (considering I've spent the last thousand years in Pony Heaven, I can relate. It took awhile to get used to Hippogriffs and Virgacorns being a thing), so they were allowed to keep on thinking Discord had been a hero. But of course, letting a race of ponies who'd spent their lives thinking Queen Cadence was the bad guy interact with the Changelings that still worship her was a bad idea…and if a member of the CMC calls something it’s a bad idea, you know it is. Not to mention some of their plays portrayed renown heroes as villains. Ponies didn't mind Discord and his minions being good guys when a real monster like Grogar was the baddie (I actually found that one pretty funny…and strangely, so did Grogar when he returned…), but when it was Queen Tiamat or Cadence's Changeling Rangers? No way. Especially since those six were alive again and helped stop Grogar. Their robot is still being repaired though. Too bad, I kinda wanted to ride in it…

Apple Pie came up with the idea from some of her comic books (thank the Father of All Alicorns there's still comics lovers! That was actually how we became friends). The Sea Ponies were told 'recently uncovered evidence' had been found that revealed the 'Evil Spirit' controlling Discord had manipulated both sides into believing the others were evil. And being ’Twilight Tragedy,’ ’Traitor Dash,’ ’Liarjack,’ and ‘Rarigreed’ were their beloved heroes, they believed it.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): Glad I actually deserve it now.)

Now Queen Cadence had been 'tricked' into thinking Discord planned to genocide the Changelings and Discord thought Cadence was trying to overthrow him. In some ways I guess that's the truth, since if Paradox (like I WOULDN'T beg Rainbow Dash tell me EVERY detail of that battle…even if I'd watched the whole thing from Heaven anyway) hadn't been pulling strings he probably wouldn't have still been the bad guy.

As for me? I was now 'tricked' into thinking Discord was the bad guy too and Rainbow Dash had been convinced I was a terrorist trying to destroy Sky Ocean (like the story they'd been fed had portrayed me as), with the 'Evil Spirit' pulling strings. 'The Bolt of Shadow Versus The Scooting Lightning' (blech! Ok, come on! Couldn't Discord at least TRY to come up with a cool title?) was rewritten into a tragedy called 'Broken Lightning Bolts'. Yeah, I was surprised that Discord had let the Sea Ponies know what tragedy was, but I guess having nothing but comedy and action plays would've gotten boring.

The Sea Ponies begged and pleaded with Rainbow Dash to attend the opening with me until she gave in. It was kind of awkward when they started by calling me to stand up so they could publicly apologize for believing the Evil Spirit's lies about me for so long. So was when they asked why Rainbow had left out how much it'd hurt her to kill me, and she'd had to lie about not wanting to disappoint them after they'd worked so hard on the play. I think the fact I'd already forgiven her was the only reason she set through it, though...Hehe. Well, most of it.

+++

"S-Scoots?" asked the actor playing Rainbow Dash.

"It's me Rainbow Dash!" called the one playing me, though this one was a filly (she’d played me as a filly in new flashback scenes).

The real Rainbow Dash just gasped and stared at the reenactment of our reunion. "But...but I thought this was..."

"I...may have convinced them to revise the ending a LITTLE bit," I said, giving a smile. “And they love a happy ending.”

Her eyes teared up, but she smiled and wrapped a hoof around me. "Thanks, Scoots..."

"It's nothing, I thought since you've sat through this play having a sad ending the Father knows how many times, you deserved it to have a happy ending at least once."

SO worth the rest of it. That and Gilda's reaction to finding out I'd included her reunion and her coming to join the new Wonderbolts with us. Hehe.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): Thanks again for that Scoots…I really needed that.)

You’re welcome, Rainbow Dash. I think the Sea Ponies liked it better than their original ending too.

Oh! And here comes one of my favorite parts!

“Scootaloo!” Rainbow Dash called.

“Yeah Rainbow Dash?” I asked, coming over. I’d been training with Gilda. I might be able to do a Sonic Rainboom and trained with a several million year old flying pony, but that doesn’t mean I don’t need to keep my practice up.

She looked at me with a proud smile. “I just wanted to say, you’re one of the most loyal ponies I know.”

I blushed, I admit it. “T-Thanks…but you needed me…What kind of number one fan would I be if I DIDN’T come back?”

“…I thought you hated me, but you still came back for me…a few times. Even after I rejected you.“

I admit, before I died, I DID feel hate. But…Queen Cadence had never stopped believing the ponies we’d known were deep down inside them…I’d never forgotten that somewhere inside of Traitor Dash was Rainbow Dash. “…I hated what Discord made you into. I hated Traitor Dash. I didn’t hate you. I wanted to believe Queen Cadence was right as much as anypony.“

“…So if I were Applebloom or Sweetie you’d have done the same thing? Answer honestly Scoots.”

I blinked. I had to think about that. “I…I never thought about that but…when Discord came, I…I left them, Rainbow…”

I’d already accepted that when I got into Heaven, you need to let go of your sins to get in…but I was just scared to disappoint Rainbow Dash. I can’t help it…I guess I felt like she was still the mentor and I was the student. Maybe I just wanted it to be like that again as bad as she did. Just like I wanted to have my foalhood back.

“But did you go back?”

“…Yeah…I did…”

“And you knew Discord might get you too if you went back?”

I nodded.

“But that didn’t matter when you were heading back? All that mattered was they needed you?”

I nodded. “Yeah…that’s right…”

“And you have done it again if they were in my place?”

I thought long and hard about it. “Yeah…I would. Once a Crusader always a Crusader. That‘s just how it is.”

She gave me a smile. “And that’s why you were my pick for this…”

She opened her saddle bags and pulled out a stone sphere with a gem engraved in it. “What’s that?”

“An Element of Loyalty, this is what the crown and necklaces look like when they don’t have a Bearer.”

My jaw dropped to the ground I think. “A what?! But you‘re the Element of Loyalty!”

“It was Rarity’s idea. She thought it was a good idea to have two different ponies have Free Will and Loyalty and Deceit and Kindness so there’s two complete sets that could work separately. She asked Luna how to do it and long story short, reforged the Elements of Harmony and Chaos,” she pulled out what looked…a lot like what I’d seen in her chest. Only now it was connected to a polished bronze necklace and the black gemstone was right side up and…kinda beautiful, actually. And not just because it wasn’t covered in blood. It just looked RIGHT now. “She wants me and AJ to wear these as decoys for our real ones.”

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): Just to clarify, we can’t just make an army of Bearers. On top of the ‘Bearers need to be friends’ thing, I made two copies of Free Will one of which got reforged into Scoot‘s Element, but the other Elements don‘t seem to want to replicate that easy and even then Scoot‘s took a little more effort. Inquisition’s was made from Tom’s shard, Magica’s was Twilight’s, but we had to go on this big long quest for the others. Long story short, it involved finding an ancient magic amulet the Rainbow of Darkness was forged into but got corrupted beating some super evil witch, stopping it from corrupting Magica (don't know why it targeted her), and purifying it with the help of this weird mare named Cobweb. After that we just had to reforge the jewel inside it into the Elements of Chaos. And then we had to go through the trouble of going on a long quest of recapturing the magic Discord drove out of the Elements of Harmony to turn them into the Elements of Chaos in the first place and reforge them into new Elements. At least we already had two and only had to get four, that was such a pain in the flanks!)

“And…and y-you chose me?!”

She smiled to me. “Like I said, you’re one loyal pony.”

I just stared at it for a moment. There aren’t words. There seriously aren’t. I had just been offered to be Rainbow Dash’s successor as Element of Loyalty!

“Your choice, Scoots. Just remember, if you take this, you’re one of Equestria’s protectors. You need to be ready to fight…if you just want to enjoy your second foalhood, then say no, I won’t think any less of you. Don‘t just jump into this, think first.”

I gave it some thought and just smirked. “I took an oath already to Queen Cadence to defend Equestria, Rainbow Dash…I might not have wanted to be a guard, but I did always want to be your teammate. And I want to go all the way.”

She smirked at me. “Alright then, Scoots…touch it.”

I looked at the stone sphere in front of me. My heart was racing. I slowly reached out my hooves and touched it. It flashed red and shattered into a ring of red gems that circled around me before converging with a bright flash of light. When it cleared, a gold necklace with a red gem shaped like my cutie mark was around my neck.

“Awesome!…Do I get superpowers too?”

“Hehe, that’s my Scoots…”

Now I guess I should get to the main event of the interview: how me and my schoolyard bully/Discord’s bruiser became good enough friends to use the Elements together…

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): Hey, Scoots, mind waiting a bit while I talk to Diamond about her side of things? No offense but Rarity said I‘d better get both your sides.)

No prob, Rainbow Dash.

Hello, it’s me Diamond Tiara and…Rainbow Dash, why do I have to introduce myself? I helped save the world from Grogar!

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): Sorry Diamond, Rarity’s orders. Doing it with every one.)

Fine. I’m the new Element of Cruelty. And yes, I know what my cousin did with it when she had it. Uncle Discord didn’t approve of it either. But she’s still my cousin…And I wish I had been able to get to know her no matter what she did.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): Ugh…no offense, but even after learning that Discord was being forced to still be a monster by Paradox, it’s still weird hearing you call him and Fluttercruel your family-and put the cartoon mallet away! Geez! Sorry!)

Look! I know my uncle and my cousin did a lot of bad things! But I love them both! If you’re really my friend you should understand that!

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): GAH!…Ugh…I guess I can…a lot of ponies still talk about Pinkie as Angry Pie. Like there never WAS a Pinkie Pie. It’s a hard pill for them to swallow she was a victim just like everypony else since she never got a chance to set things right with them…Sorry, Diamond, I stick my hoof in my mouth…a lot…)

…Apology accepted…I didn’t hurt you too bad did I? I didn’t mean for my Element to kick in. I’m still getting used to being able to actually get really angry…and showing restraint…and being sane…and feel empathy…and a lot of stuff come to think about it.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): Nah, I‘ve had enough real swords cut me I‘m kinda used to it, but while we’re on the subject why not tell them what you just did to me?)

I’ve always known how to cut deep with my words. I’m surprised it isn’t my special talent sometimes. My Element of Cruelty makes it so my words literally cut deep, and make whoever I say them to feel like I actually DID cut them, as badly as the words hurt. Queen Libra says its possible if I cut deep enough I could actually physically cut them, but I’ve never had the chance to do that. As for how I represent it, I’m still cruel, I still can tear ponies apart with my words. I’m still vicious in a fight. Just now, it’s not blank flanks because they’re there or ponies who I thought I could play with for fun, it’s bad guys who deserve it. Though it is kind funny to smack bad guys over the head with a cartoon mallet though. I guess I’m like Gilda there, how I represent it hasn’t changed, but who I direct it at has. Let me just take off my Element and put the mallet away…

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): By eating it?)

Hehe, what can I say? I got some of my uncle’s crazy side still. Now where was I?

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): Up to you, it’s your interview.)

…Alright then…I don’t think you’ll like it.

(Interviewer’s Note (Rainbow Dash):…I’ll try to tolerate it. Go ahead.)

“Mad Tiara? Screwball?” Uncle Discord asked.

We hopped up to him, mom stretching into the room like a rubber band. Hehe! I love it when she does that!

“Yes Master?” mom asked sincerely, both of us smiling wider than our mouths could without our powers. Thank you Master! We couldn’t show you how happy we are without them!

“How did you enjoy today?”

“It was perfect! Just like every day! Hehe! Thank you so much for making the world make sense!” momma exclaimed cheerfully.

“And thanks for making it so I can see it how momma sees it!” I exclaimed. Everyday was great! Everyday I played with lots of ponies! Everyday with momma! The world made sense! I was so happy! We were so happy!

“Good. You’re quite welcome,” he said, giving a smile. He always smiles so nice to us! Uncle is always so nice to us! “But remember how I said that eventually, it would be time for you to retire?”

“Yeah…”

“I’m afraid it’s time,” he said with a small smile. Then he looked a little less happy than he was supposed to look! Master isn’t supposed to be sad! I hugged him super tight! “Thank you, Mad Tiara, just…voices in my head.”

“Oh I have those sometimes! They can be annoying! Or funny! Or angry! They can be lots of things!”

Isn’t that right voices in my head? Hehe!

‘That’s right Mad Tiara!’ said one of the voices in my head!

Thank you!

He laughed a little bit. “Yes, I know. But as I was saying, Twilight and her friends are all ready to go. It’s time for you to retire.”

We frowned. “Oh can’t we stay? We like being here with you!” mom announced.

I nodded. I liked being with Master! It was so fun fun fun!

Master cringed a little. He looked sad again. “No no, it is very very important you retire. Very important. Please, if you won’t do this for yourself, then do it for Uncle Discord.”

We frowned but nodded. It was for Master, for Uncle Discord. Of course we’d do it! We’ll do anything for Uncle Discord!

“And besides, you won’t go far,” he said, pulling a four dimensional golden carrot off a shelf and giving it to me to eat. How nice! “You’ll be right here as little music box ponies! You’ll still be with me! Never out of my sight! Won’t that be wonderful?”

“Yeah! Of course it will be fun!”

We were just happy we could still be with him! And with each other! I’d be with momma and Uncle Discord and the voices in my head forever and ever! Isn’t it great voices in my head?!

‘It’s great Mad Tiara!’

See?!

Discord picked us up and hugged us both! We hugged him back! “Thank you, Screwball, Mad Tiara…This means a lot to me. Just stay safe and sound in you little music box and enjoy retirement, okay?”

“Yes Master!”

With a snap of his fingers we were in a pretty little music box just for us! Me and mom just dancing and dancing and dancing a little endless waltz with Uncle Discord watching us! Hehe! This is so great!

I love you momma! And I love you too Uncle Discord!

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): Wow…that was…)

Say it…It was creepy. It was scary. You didn’t WANT to know what it was like to be insane! That’s what you were going to say, right?!

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): No…okay, yeah, kinda feel that way. But…I meant it was just kinda surreal. Seeing Discord act like that.)

Oh…well, he did to me and mom! And Fluttercruel too! He…He loved us…He was my Uncle…I…I think now he was trying to keep us safe from Eclipse. That he retired us so she couldn’t make us get hurt or kill us to hurt him…

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): It sounds like something she‘d do…it’s just kinda hard for me to think Discord as having a heart. You know what he did to me…)

…He’s sorry for that…

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): I know…Look, I accept that he’d changed, it’s just taking some getting used to thinking of him as a good guy…)

I know…And ponies wonder why I spend so much time with the Sea Ponies.

…There is one thing I could talk about after Queen Libra made me and mom sane again. Oh…yes, becoming sane. I won’t lie, I LIKED being insane. I enjoyed it. I don’t hate my uncle for making me that way, I LOVE HIM for it…because me and mom could make sense to each other, and the world made sense. He didn’t break my mind in two with one of his lectures, I ACCEPTED being insane if it meant being with my mom. I don‘t regret it! I might feel guilty for some things, but I DON‘T feel guilty for being insane just to be with my mom!…You don’t get it do you?

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): No, Diamond…I think I do. I think part of the reason some of the six…five of us didn’t turn on Discord before we did is we didn’t want to be apart. Even when he’d tied our brains in knots, we still were important to each other deep down…I know how you feel, kid.)

Thanks…But I do kinda like being sane too, it has some advantages. The biggest is…mom is sane too. If Queen Libra had only been able to heal me and not mom, I’d have chosen to stay insane and be with her. We’re still together, we still love each other. We’re still family.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): No offense, but I think your mom can be scarier now than when she was insane.)

Hehe. I think Grogar’s Anti-Elements squad would agree with you on that.

“This is for foalnapping my princess!” mom yelled as she drew what looked like mix between a giant cannon and a flint lock pistol about twice her size from a normal sized holster she was suddenly wearing. She took aim at these suped up soldiers in magical robotic suits Grogar had designed to take out both sets of Elements (they’d been doing a frighteningly good job of it too until mom, Minty, and the Changeling Rangers showed up) as they were trying to break out of the ice Minty had locked them in.

Mom pulled the trigger and fired a HUGE blast while the Changeling Rangers fired their big combined cannon thingie.

“Avenge us Lord Grogar!”

“Tambelon will prevail!”

And then Grogar’s elite soldiers got blown straight to Great Uncle Havoc.

“Princess! Are you alright?!” mom called a second later as she ran to me when the explosion died down.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): Grogar did NOT mess around making those guys to take us out. Good thing he didn‘t count on us having back up that WEREN‘T Element Bearers or we might have been toast.)

Yeah, tell me about it.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): By the way, why does your mom still call herself Screwball most of the time but you went back to Diamond Tiara?)

Simple, I think it sounds better than Mad Tiara. Though I’d still take that over my birth name any day.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): What’s your birth name?)

Tarnished Rich.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): Yikes! Don’t blame you there!)

Thanks…Now can I get back to what I wanted to talk about?

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): Yeah, sorry.)

I think Libra was waiting to see how me and mom took being sane again before letting me know so I’d really appreciate what was being done for me…because…when I found out what happened after Uncle made me crazy like mom, I…I couldn’t accept it. I knew it happened but I didn’t want to accept it. I…I buried it as deeply as…as mom did after what happened before…before she got taken away…

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): Are you okay Diamond?)

Y-Yeah, just…Libra helped me and mom get through it when she made us sane again. Mom remembered it right away and…I don’t want to talk about it, okay?

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): I gotcha. So long as you don’t let it eat you alive, okay Diamond?)

Yeah, Queen Libra said that too…I guess she’s an Element of Honesty for a reason.

…Even after my sanity came back, I guess I just kind of buried it…I didn’t want to accept it…until.

“Diamond?”

I just stared at her. A grey filly with a silver mane in pig tails. A silver spoon with a heart in the handle for her Cutie Mark. Blue glasses on her face.

“S-Silver Spoon?” I squeaked out, feeling my heart starting to race as memories flashed through my head.

“Diamond…she’s gone…”

“No! She’s not gone! Haha! Nice joke! She’s just on vacation! Yeah, that’s it! She’s on vacation! She’ll be back!”

Except now I didn’t have insanity shielding me from the truth that was right in front of me, literally staring me in the face a couple of hooves away from me.

“It’s me Diamond! I’m back!”

I just…broke down. I cried. A thousand years of denying…denying she was dead broke loose all at once. I know I could have made some kind of excuse again…but I just didn’t know HOW to handle this! I wasn’t USED to it! The only time I’d felt anything LIKE this was when Uncle Discord died! And this time I didn’t have insanity to shield me.

…Instead Silver just hugged me and let me cry on her shoulder.

Silver is the Element of Kindness for a reason.

“Silver I…I…”

“It’s okay, Diamond. I missed you too…”

We decided to find some peace and quiet with the Shady Tribe so we could talk.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): What is the deal with those mares anyway? Even they don’t seem to know why Discord made them.)

I don’t know either, he never told us. All I know is they all look like the statues in the Hall of Shame and Mount Shady and Uncle Discord treated them nice and they have always been nice to me and mom. Uncle Discord might have just made them on a whim like the Sea Ponies, Breezies, the building blocks dimension, half the mods for Minecraft, and the dimension of sapient pork chops.

I didn’t know what to say to Silver. It’d been a thousand years, and I done my best to NOT acknowledge she’d been dead. I didn’t know HOW to feel. And…well…even before I became Mad Tiara, I wasn’t exactly the best at expressing my feelings…

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): For what it’s worth, I’ve kinda been there. I’m not good at the emotional stuff, that’s AJ and Rarity’s thing.)

Thanks…At least you cared other ponies HAD feelings…in a weird way, Uncle Discord was the one that taught me that…

“Diamond…I’m glad to see you again. I was afraid I’d never see you again…”

“…I know, Silver…Did your dad come back too?”

Silver looked down sadly. “…No, he died of old age…we had to convince him it wasn’t his fault he…”

She touched her neck a little bit on impulse. I shuddered. “…It took me and mom a long time to convince him to forgive himself so he could come with us…”

“…And your mom?”

“…Old age too…Discord made sure she would…”

“T-Then why come back? Why did you leave your family?”

Silver gave a little smile. “I came back because you needed me more, Diamond.”

“You…You came back for me?”

She nodded. “Yeah…You’re my friend. It…It took a long time for me to realize it but-”

“…You should have stayed in Heaven…”

“W-What?”

“You…You shouldn’t have left your family for me…I’m…I’m not worth it…” I said. Yes I cried! I admit I did!

“Diamond…”

“Daddy didn’t come back! Uncle Discord’s dead! My cousin’s dead! Mom’s all the family I have left! You…You should have stayed with your family…why did you choose me over them? I’m not worth it…”

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): Wait, ‘not worth it‘? Where’d that come from?)

It’ll make sense later.

She didn’t get angry, she didn’t get mad…she just hugged me. “It…It took me a long time to realize it but…You were my only friend…I needed you. I’ve had a thousand years with mom and dad, they‘ll be waiting for me when I get back. I only had a couple years with my only friend. ”

I…I didn’t know what to say to that. I was speechless. I thought about what she’d said. I was her only friend?

“What about…no…how about…no, he was in love with Twist…Oh there was…no…”

I was hitting a brick wall…she…she was right. I was the only friend she’d had…and what’s more…the more I thought about the friends she didn’t have…I realized something else.

“…You’re right…and…and…” the waterworks started again. “And you were mine…”

There! I admit it! She was my ONLY friend! I was such a jerk that no pony except her wanted to be my friend!

“You’re the only friend I’ve ever had…”

She just hugged me again. “That’s why I came back, Diamond…we need each other…”

I finally hugged her back. We just sat there for a few minutes.

Then she backed up and got in a pose I recognized. I smiled.

“Bump, bump, sugar lump rump!” we recited, doing our hoofshake we hadn’t done in a thousand years. And it felt GOOD!

“I missed that!”

I chuckled. “Yeah…so did I, thanks…”

…Then I noticed Silver’s glasses had fallen off during the last part of it, but she hadn’t made a move to grab them.

“Uh…Silver, your glasses?”

She blinked her CRYSTAL eyes and felt her face. “Oh!…Oops!”

I blinked. “Wait…Libra fixed your eyes?”

“…Yeah…But…I wore my glasses again because…I didn’t know if you’d recognize me without them.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Silver, I have crazy toon powers now, I should be afraid I’m the one who’s changed too much!”

We both got a good laugh out of that. It felt like things did a thousand years ago except…maybe a bit better. Realizing Silver had died…that I’d lost her. And…and she came back for me. It made me realize how much I’d taken her for granted…Ugh! Since when was I so sappy?!

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): Hehe, believe me, Diamond, I’d be more surprised if you hadn’t changed after a thousand years.)

…I guess you have a point.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): And I know this isn’t my strong suit, but…since Discord made the Shady Tribe, the Breezies, Sea Ponies, and Eden, doesn‘t that mean they‘re kinda your cousins too?)

…I…I guess you’re right…I hadn’t thought about it that way…Maybe I’m not so alone after all…Thanks.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash) What are friends for? Now…I think it’s time we got to the main event if you’re ready.)

Alright. I guess it's time to talk about how me and Scootaloo became friends…

Alright, before I get into the details, I guess I need to talk about how things were a thousand years ago a little bit. Diamond Tiara…she actually only spent her first couple weeks as Discord’s enforcers tormenting me and Sweetie Belle…then it got a bit more…creepy…

I won’t say she got bored with it, that’s not what happened. If she’d gotten bored that would have made sense because her ‘Uncle’ got bored of doing the same old tricks too (even by then we’d seen that). What happened was scary because…we just couldn’t understand it.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): Uh, Diamond…who’s this?)

They’re Wood Poppy, Plum Blossom, and Snow Willow. They’re Breezies.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): Yeah, I can tell they’re Breezies. Where did they come from?)

You said they were my cousins, so I went to Neighpon and met some.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): How?)

Toon powers.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): Oh…They’re kinda cute I guess…do you want them to stick around for the interview or not?)

If it’s alright. They already knows how I used to be. Forgiveness has apparently always been a virtue in Neighpon. Though some Breezies didn’t…

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): Uh, how did you talk with them?)

The Changelings helped…once I found some that didn’t think I was the boogiemare or hated me. Thankfully, me and mom helping defeat Grogar changed some of their minds.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): Believe me I can relate.)

But the Breezies are really nice, I’m glad they’re my cousins. They came because they and some of their sisters can speak High Equestrian and wanted to see Equestria.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): I see…Wait, why can they speak High Equestrian but the other Breezies can‘t? I thought Discord made them from the same pony.)

(Snow Willow: It would appear that we each received a mixture of the basic components of her self as the foundations for our own individual personas.)

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): First off, please don’t write in the notes without my permission.)

(Plum Blossom: Oh! We’re sorry! We‘re really really really sorry!…Um…may we?)

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): …Only when it’s important. And second…uh, what did she just mean?)

(Wood Poppy: I think what my sister said is that we came from the parts of momma that could speak High Equestrian, Rainbow Dash-sama! She just comes from the brainy part!)

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): Oh…Uh, nice to meet you….Diamond, can we please get back to your story now?)

You mean why I decided to stop bullying Scootaloo and Sweetie? I’d more or less decided it was totally pointless to pick on them anymore. I decided that about a lot of things. And part of it was…I kinda bullied them to make myself feel better, so now that I was happy and with mom…I didn’t feel like I needed to. So I decided to play and be ‘super friendly‘ with them. And…well, my mom’s idea of being nice was making somepony into a pony pretzel trying to give them a massage and I was just as insane as she was, so you can guess how that worked out.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): Yikes!)

I know. But at least I didn’t MEAN to break Scootaloo’s foreleg and two of Sweetie’s ribs!

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): …)

I didn’t say I wasn’t sorry, I said I was honestly trying to play with them and be friendly for once in my life…I really was just trying to be nice…

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): It’s alright, Diamond. I’m done chewing you out over the past…that’s a story for another day though.)

Yeah, so basically, she started ‘playing’ with us and…well, she didn’t exactly play easy. I think that made things even more scary. When she was a bully, we could say ‘she hate us’ and that was that. When she hurt us because she thought she was being nice to us? It just made no sense. And that was scarier than when she hated us. Though…I guess I owed her for us reuniting with Applebloom. Long story short, we hadn’t found her after I came back to Ponyville looking for the others and we ended up hiding in Everfree to get away from Diamond when she and Discord came to play in town and that’s how we met Applebloom again.

But the point was, she still made our lives a living Tartarus. And then I joined Queen Cadence’s army later in life. I was a soldier training for her to be my enemy most of my life, and unlike the Chaos Six, I didn’t know a ‘good pony’ buried under Discord’s gunk. I just knew mean old Diamond Tiara, not to mention her and Discord had outright admitted she‘d JOINED him willingly…Even going to Heaven, I still remembered her as the enemy. That was how I remembered her. And I didn’t see a reason to change how I saw her like I did Rainbow Dash and the others.

I know I know: why was I the one who went to Scootaloo?

After all, I was always the bad guy. I was the schoolyard bully who’s sole purpose in life was to make the Crusaders miserable. The former madmare that’d followed Discord’s orders through to the letter and joined him without an ounce of brainwashing or receiving one of his lectures. I was a complete one trick pony who EXISTED to be the bad guy. So why was I the one who went to bury the hatchet?

It’s…complicated…You see…back when Sweetie Belle was alive, I was still Discord’s enforcer when she came to be Rarity’s caretaker. She lived in the castle and…Well there weren’t many ponies to play with besides Applejack and Fluttercruel, and Fluttercruel wasn’t interested in friends at the time, that wasn’t until later, after I retired. I spent a lot of time around Sweetie Belle and got to know her a lot better. She was scared of me at first, but…I think she liked my company…even when I became sane again, I remembered her as someone I liked…I was sad she didn’t come back.

So…when I realized that Scootaloo had, I guess…I wondered if we could be friends too. After Silver Spoon and I were friends again, I decided to give it a shot. That’s why I picked SCOOTALOO…there’s another reason I wanted friends…

The problem was getting somewhere were I could actually talk to her. I kept trying to, but she flew away before I could even say a word to her. And I couldn’t blame her, I mean after what I’d done…But I kept trying. I can be quite stubborn when I get something lodged in my head.

I did notice Diamond coming up on me a few times, but I normally just flew off since I didn’t really want to talk to her at all and she hadn’t talked to me yet. I wasn’t trying to be rude, I just didn’t WANT to talk to her and didn’t see any reason to.

Then one day I decided to stop by Sky Ocean. I’d never really got the chance to be there before when I was alive and I did want to talk to them about the rewrites to Discord’s play. They were actually really cool! Yeah, I knew what they were and that Discord made them, but…seeing them in equus? They all looked so beautiful. Each one was different and unique. And…well, they’re just nice. While I don’t like Discord or the Tartarus he turned the world into (even if by the end Eclipse was the puppeteer, Discord wasn‘t always on her strings), I can’t argue with Apple Pie when she says they’re beautiful.

However, as I found out, it was also somepony’s favorite hang out…

“Scootaloo! I’ve been looking all over for you!”

“Ahh!”

Like I’ve said, I tend to stick around with the sea ponies most of the time. They see Uncle Discord exactly how I do. They love him…they’re the only ones I feel like will truly understand me.

And now…well, they’re my cousins. Just like you, Breezies. Thanks for the hugs.

So I stayed there a lot of the time…so when I saw Scootaloo there, I figured it was finally my chance to speak with her. After all, how can you avoid somepony when you’re in a giant ocean floating in the sky? The exit wasn’t very close and Scootaloo couldn’t breath underwater…I think…I don’t know how being a crystal pony works.

“Ahh! Where’d you come from?!” Scootaloo yelled, tumbling backwards.

“I’m a living cartoon character.”

She gave a grumble. “Right, weird toon powers.”

“Look…I want to talk to you.”

She sighed. “Yeah, I figured.”

We ended up sitting in a corner of the Sky Ocean visitors area (yes, that was now a thing) so the Sea Ponies wouldn’t hear any ‘Discord really was evil’ stuff (not that they’d believe it).

“…”

“Um, excuse me?”

We jumped as a Sea Pony poked her head in. “Oh! I‘m very sorry! You were so quiet I’d forgotten anypony was here!”

We both blinked in confusion.

“Uh…sorry…”

After the Sea Pony left, we sat for a few more awkward moments.

“…So…um…” I finally started. “How are you doing?”

“…Good…”

“Oh…How are things going with Rainbow?”

“Fine.”

“Oh…Me and mom are doing fine…Silver came back…”

“Yeah…I know. We talked in Heaven.”

“Oh! So you’re friends?!”

“No…not so much friends as…not enemies.”

Silver was in Heaven, I was in Heaven. We had a thousand years. And…she died before me. It’s one thing for you to be bullied by someone. It’s another to see that pony was murdered after you wished so many times that they’d just disappear.

“Oh…Well…that’s…nice…”

“Diamond, what are you doing here?” I finally asked.

I jumped a little. Yes I was nervous! Can you blame me?

I took a deep breath. “Scootaloo…I want to be your friend…”

Scootaloo looked at me like I was crazy. Well, a different kind of crazy than I think she already thought I was. “You want to be my what?”

“I want to be your friend, Scootaloo. I want to start over…”

She looked completely shocked for a moment, then angry. Really angry.

“After everything, how can you POSSIBLY think we can be friends?!”

I expected something like this.

“Scootaloo, we might look like kids, but Miss Cheerilee’s school yard was a long time ago…I‘m different…I‘m sorry about back then…”

She actually laughed. “Really?! That’s what you think this is?! A little foalhood grudge?!”

Yes, I got mad! I got REALLY MAD! Yes, I’ve been to Heaven, but the thing about Heaven? You might not NEED to feel negative emotions in paradise, but if they don’t stop you from getting into it, you don’t lose them. You just don’t NEED to feel them. That’s the best I can describe it, what with being Heaven and all…But now I was in my mortal coil again.

“I haven’t been mad at you for that in YEARS! I let GO of that when Discord took you! Just like I let go of my anger at Silver Spoon when I found out her dad lopped her head off! I was GUILTY I’d been angry at you two and said ‘I wish she was gone’ when that happened!”

She didn’t seem scared or upset. But she seemed shocked. “You…you felt guilty?”

“Yeah! How do you think I felt when the two bullies I’d always wished were gone got beheaded and abducted by the evil overlord that tore the world apart?! Adults always say ‘be careful what you wish for, you just might get it,’ I know EXACTLY what they mean!”

“…Then…why are you mad at me?”

I snarled. Part of me wanted to hit her. “Why?! You want to know why?!” I laughed, I really laughed. It was almost FUNNY how little she knew. “Because you and your ‘uncle’ wrecked the world! I spent my entire foalhood hearing about the atrocities you two had caused! Do you have ANY idea how many ponies came to Avalon running AWAY from YOU and your mom?! How many of those ponies had relatives YOU killed?! How many ponies I met in Heaven that YOU killed?!”

Diamond gasped in surprise. I think her eyes were actually starting to tear up. Part of me ENJOYED it!

“I spent my foalhood wanting to BUCKING STOP YOU! THEN, when I got older, I began training to KILL you!”

I panted, she shuddered. I think I scared her. “…I wanted to stop you and your mother and your uncle so bad. But especially you. And you know why? You know why I was so dedicated to stopping you in particular? Why I’m so angry at you? Because you WEREN’T Discord’s brainwashed slave! You JOINED HIM! You told me straight to my face and Discord BRAGGED that he didn’t even have to trick you! That you WANTED to do it! Dash and the others were brainwashed, your mom was already crazy when Discord found her, the League of Auxiliary Minions were made from a soulless monster, the Valeyard was the Doctor‘s inner evil personified that Discord made surface by killing him who knows how many times. What‘s your excuse?”

“I…I just wanted to be with my mom…”

“I lost my parents too, BOTH of them, you didn’t see me accepting favors from Nightmare Moon to get them back, did you?”

I admit…that one hurt. If Scootaloo had had my Element, I’d have been in the hospital, I know it. I may not hate Uncle Discord for making me insane so I could be with my mom, but she was right. Selling my soul to become the evil overlord’s enforcer isn’t justified just because I was a scared little filly who wanted to see her mother again.

“That’s why I’m angry at you,” I spat. “Because out of every last one of Discord’s minions, you’re the only one who signed up knowing full well you were selling your soul to the devil. You’d seen everything that monster had done before that. All the ponies he’d hurt in Ponyville. You make me sick.”

I got in her face. “And you know what stinks the most about all that, Diamond? After training all my life for that fight? By the time I was of age to fight, you’d retired. You got away with it. I spent all that time planning to make you face justice for what you’d done, and then poof! You’re retired! You got off clean! I’m not angry because of what happened when we were foals in the schoolyard, I’m angry because you bucking got away with WILLINGLY joining up with the evil overlord that turned the world into a living Tartarus!”

“…So you’re angry you never got your chance to bring me to justice?” she asked, realization on her face. “You’re angry because you spent all that time preparing to bring me down for what I’d done…and in the end you never got the chance?”

“Yes.”

“…Fine,” she said, taking a step back and pulling her toon hammer out of her mouth. “Let’s do it.”

My eyes went as wide as dinner plates. “What?”

“You heard me! You want that fight you trained all your life to get? You want to give me my licks so I’ve paid for what I did? Fine! I agree with you! I deserve it! And if giving you a chance to kick my flank is what it takes to put this whole thing behind us, then I’m standing right here! Fight me! Beat the Tartarus out of me if that‘s what you need to do!”

I think my heart skipped a beat. “You…you WANT me to fight you?”

“YES! It’s what you want, isn’t it?”

She pulled a contract out of her ear and signed it before handing it to me.

“What is this?”

“A contract saying I absolve you of any wrongdoing for the beating I’m probably going to get out of this. Everything is official. My daddy WAS a business pony after all.”

I just stared at her in shock. I got that ‘be careful what you wish for’ feeling again. “…Why? Why are you doing this?”

I sat my hammer down. “…Because…” I started, looking down. “Because all of that? Everything I did? I…I thought I was making Uncle Discord happy. I thought he liked watching me ‘play‘…I thought I was making my family happy…then…then I found out…”

I looked at my hooves. “…Eclipse…Uncle Discord…he didn’t WANT to be a monster anymore. He didn’t WANT to hurt anyone or kill anyone! He wanted to be good! And…And…And I was still bad…”

I looked up at her. “I may have THOUGHT I was being nice and kind, but I hurt ponies. I killed ponies. I crushed skulls. And I thought my games were making my uncle happy. But they weren‘t. If anything, they were torturing him just like Eclipse wanted them to! Instead of being the good little niece I thought I was being, I was helping a psychopathic witch make the guy I thought I was helping miserable! The guy I LOVED as part my family!”

I broke down crying. I admit it. “…I wanted to help him so much, but all I ever did was hurt him…I was worthless to him…Just like I was before…”

Scootaloo blinked. “What?”

“…You want to know how I got my Cutie Mark? Stealing my mom’s tiara and wearing it! You know what that caused?”

You know, it’s strange…if I’d remembered it without my mom being there, I don’t want to know what it would have done to me. I think that’s why Queen Libra made sure we were together when we became sane again, so we could help each other through it. If we’d been alone…I don’t want to know.

“…It’s why my mom went insane and it broke my family apart! Everything you just said about me?! I agree with you! I can‘t even get my bucking Cutie Mark without making somepony‘s life miserable! That’s all I’ve ever been good for! Causing misery! I‘m no good to ANYPONY! I‘m…I‘m worthless…and now…for once in my life, I just want to start being WORTH something to SOMEONE! I‘m tired of ONLY existing to cause misery! I‘m tired of having only one note to who I am! I want to be a PONY instead of some bucking one dimensional bully antagonist you‘d see on a kids show! I want to MEAN SOMETHING to somepony other than me!”

She started sobbing. She’d just fallen apart as she spoke. I…I didn’t know what to do. I’d wanted to see her pay for what she’d done. I wanted to make her sorry for it…I’d got it.

Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.

What she said…it hit home. I hated to admit it, but I actually sympathized with her because I’d been there. That feeling like you’re worthless…

“Diamond…I…”

Diamond stood up, wiped her tears with a tissue she pulled out of nowhere, and picked up her hammer. “C-Come on. Let’s do this.” She was still trembling. She choked back a couple sobs. “Come on! Give me the plot kicking we both know I deserve!”

“…You’re really sorry for what you did?”

“Yes! I just said that! You‘re right!”

“…I…”

I looked down at my hooves. I didn’t know what to think or say…My nemesis had just broke down crying right in front of me and they WEREN‘T crocodile tears. And I actually knew a bit of what she was going through. I guess this is how it must have been when the ponies who have spent the last thousand years thinking Rainbow and the others were monsters felt to see them vulnerable and guilty.

“…Look…I…I have a lot to think about…” I replied with a sigh. “…Can I have time to think about it?”

Diamond nodded. “S-Sure…I guess…”

“Thanks…And Diamond?”

“Yes?”

“…You’re not worthless…Nothing is…that’s something I learned in Heaven. And something I learned spending so long as an orphan blank flank with weak wings who took forever to learn to fly…Even if you messed up…a lot…and were messed up…in a lot of ways…Even if I was angry at you…even if I wanted to see you pay…you’re not worthless, okay? You‘ll keep feeling that way until you decide to give it worth, but even then you‘re never worthless…I‘ve been there, and I stayed there until I did something about it.”

I didn’t know what to think really. Here was the pony who’s life I’d made a living Tartarus…telling me I actually meant something. Suddenly my uncle’s chaos seemed NORMAL. But…in a way it was that good kind of crazy…the kind I like.

I knew we weren’t friends yet. I didn’t even think that we were ‘not enemies’ yet…But I guess I finally saw how I looked from her side and…I guess she understood me a bit better…at least better enough to give me a second chance.

We didn’t really become friends until later. Sometimes one ‘I’m sorry’ isn’t enough to make it up to somepony…And now I understand that…I still don’t know how much I’m worth…but I think I’m worth more than I started out as…I’m not just a one dimensional bully anymore at least.

Me and Scootaloo did talk more. We did spend more time together. We BECAME friends…I guess not all friendships happen in one big impactful moment, but that’s the way the world works. Even now she still doesn’t like it when I talk about how I feel about my Uncle or how understand why I’m THANKFUL he drove me crazy. We weren’t suddenly BFFs. But we’re still friends. Though it helped when I eventually got around to talking with her about Sweetie.

“Wait, you knew Sweetie?” she asked.

“Yes…that’s part of why I wanted to be your friend. The only real…companions I had when I was Discord’s enforcer was Applejack and her. The sea ponies didn’t really exist yet, Uncle was still making them and Sky Ocean (even with his powers he needed ponies), Pinkie Pie hadn’t started taking in her ‘children’ yet, and Fluttercruel hadn’t wanted a companion yet…Sweetie was the only one my age, and even then, I stayed young while she grew older…I never got to see her on the same level after that…I was disappointed when she didn’t come back so I could have a chance to really be her friend, but…I thought if I could learn to get along with one Crusader, maybe I could get along with the others…Ever since Silver Spoon came back for me, I wanted to be worth something to more ponies than just her…and I thought becoming your friend would be a good start since…maybe I could make up for the misery I caused you too. That‘s why I wanted you to be my friend, what I said before was why I wanted to be friends with someone.”

Scootaloo looked at her hooves for a moment. “…Thanks…”

“You’re welcome Scootaloo…”

“…Did you say Silver came back for you?”

“Yeah…it…it gave me a lot to think about…that someone would leave everything in Heaven behind for my sake…It was the kindest thing anyone had ever done for me…”

“…I know how she feels.”

Scootaloo told me how she’d come back for Rainbow Dash, just like Silver had for me. It was unbelievable to see two former enemies actually have something in common. Scootaloo saw it too. That’s why she stopped being ‘not enemies’ with Silver and began to become friends…And I think we’d started to become ‘not enemies’ too by then. Becoming friends came not long after.

I think her finding that out about Silver was why she nominated Silver to be the new Element of Kindness…Silver Spoon nominated me as Cruelty because we were already friends and I was becoming Scootaloo‘s friend, so if I became Cruelty it wouldn’t require much effort for us to be able to use them together.

(Wood Poppy: Can we be Scootaloo’s friends too, Diamond?! Can we can we?!)

…You’ll have to ask her that, but I’d like it very much.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): Why not do that right now, Diamond? You can never have enough friends.)

Good idea…I think I will. Hehe, I guess I have a lot of friends now…That feels good.

Diamond…I’m glad I was able to forgive her. Righteous anger isn’t a sin, but…when it turns to wrath, that’s when it becomes a problem.

If I hadn’t, I would never have been her friend. And I guess I might have never been Silver’s friend either.

There are times for Anger and Hate, when they motivate you to fight injustice, but there’s also a time to let go of those things…

Hehe. If you’d told me a thousand years ago I’d been Diamond’s friend, I’d tell you you’re crazy. If you’d told me 990 years ago I’d be her friend? I’d probably punch you in the face. But I’m glad now she and Silver are my friends.

Now if you excuse me, me, Bomb Pie, Apple Pie, Inquisition, Minty, Silver, and yes, Diamond have a show in Sky Ocean to catch.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Rainbow Dash): Hope you don’t mind, but Diamond’s brining some friends along.)

Hehe, the more the merrier.

Author's Note

Sorry for the delay for this chapter!

EDIT: Altered the origin of the second set of Elements of Chaos.

Heart of the Dragon

“Unhand the princesses, foul beast!”

“Thou art the only one who can save us, brave knight!”

“Weeeeee!”

“Sister, that tis not the proper reaction for this situation!”

“Oh…sorry! I mean AHHHHHH!”

“I shall save you! I shall slay this foul wyrm and rescue ye!”

“If you want to save her, come at me little knight!”

“If I must then so be it! Come at ye!”

“GAH!”

“Thou hath saved us brave knight! We art immensely grateful!”

“You are quite welcome and-gah!”

“You were awesome Tom! That was so much fun!”

“…Tia, I believe ye have broken character…”

“…But I thought the game was over when you beat Spike…”

I chuckled, sitting up, taking the little foam lance out from between my stomach scales. “Glad you had fun.”

“I did father, thank you for playing with us!” said Tom.

I gingerly picked up my little knight and nuzzled him. “Any time, kiddo…”

(Interviewer’s Notes (Applejack): Hehe, my you certainly have warmed up to little Tom, haven’t you Spike?)

Yeah, I know. The guy who tried to kill me the day he was born is my son now…You have no idea how awkward it was to explain that he was Rarity’s son and not her husband…

“Tom, darling…you’re not my husband…that was…make believe…but you are my son and I love you very much…”

“…What is a son, fair Rarity?”

“…Oh…right…I created you to be Prince Charming and most of my fantasies didn’t include children…um…”

Like I said, it was awkward…so very very awkward.

But once we explained it…Tom had to learn how to actually be a kid. Rarity wanted the little guy to have a normal foalhood. Ironically, he was pretty childish already if you ask me, he was trying so hard to act like an adult he couldn’t be more of a kid…Okay, that joke is a 1000 years too late.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Applejack): I guess you can sympathize with little Tom then?)

Yeah yeah. When you have a thousand years of nothing but reading, thinking, and being a stupid Draconequus‘ ride, you realize a couple things. I kinda do know how he feels. Tried so hard to be a grown up, I missed out on being a kid. Let that sink in: I’m a dragon. My childhood is a lot longer than a pony’s. And I more or less missed all of it. Part of it was Discord's fault, but a lot of it was mine. And no, I don’t wish I was a baby dragon again, I like being a great big, grown-up dragon. But I guess I don’t want the little guy to miss out like I did.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Applejack): So you don’t have a problem being a father to the pony who tried to kill you?)

No, surprisingly. I’m a dragon, I want my prized possession to have what she wants. I want her to be happy…Okay it did get awkward sometimes, but I got over it. And besides, he was just trying to protect Rarity, I can‘t fault him for that…That said…it wasn’t easy becoming a father…ironically I think I had an easier time becoming a king.

I was born in Canterlot. I literally lived at Celestia’s school for Gifted Unicorns my entire life. Heck, Celestia was a personal friend (yes, it was awkward to have her as my adopted daughter), and the paperwork at the hall of records legally had me as her ward even though Twilight was the one looking after me most of the time. And naturally I read a lot of political stuff during the last thousand years when all I did was be Discord’s ride and read. Hardest part was finding the right kind of toothpaste and mouthwash to make sure my breath didn’t stink on diplomatic trips.

It was being a father that was the hard part. Books? Books can prepare you for a lot. I even read a few on parenting over the years just out of sheer boredom. But there’s three problems: one, I’m a gigantic dragon, not a pony who the books were meant for. Two, my son is not a typical child…and my ‘daughter’ is a sun goddess. And three…they cover things like changing diapers (which Tom thankfully doesn’t need) and other physical stuff…but I had no experience with the mental stuff. The emotional stuff. And I had expected to have some time before we had kids, if we HAD kids, to get used to having a family first. I’m not angry, I knew when Rarity brought ponies back to life that Tom was coming and she talked it over with me first. I just didn’t really know what to do…

(Interviewer’s Notes (Applejack): Don’t you have parental instincts?)

I do, but they’re dragon instincts.

(Interviewer’s notes (Applejack): I thought you’d accepted your instincts as a part of you?)

I have. That hasn’t changed. I’m still proud to be who I am. If somepony offered to make me a stallion, I’d turn them down in a heartbeat. I love being a big strong dragon that can protect what I care about. And if Tom was a…whatever you call a pony/dragon hybrid, it wouldn’t be a problem. But he isn‘t. He’s a pony foal. And Banana Pie’s scars are proof of exactly why dragon parental instincts don’t mix well with pony foals.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Applejack): …Valid point darling…)

So I spent most of my time with the kids just sitting there, looking at Tom like he was made of glass because I knew if I did what my instincts were telling me to do, I could hurt or kill him and I didn‘t know the pony thing to do because the only experience I had with it was when I was too young to remember it.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Applejack): You don’t seem to have any problems with Rarity.)

That’s because I’ve spent a thousand years fantasizing about that…I never fantasized about what came AFTER what I dreamed about. Plus, Rarity’s an Alicorn, not a tiny little foal who can fit on the tip of one of my fingers. And he’s not made of living diamond anymore.

After what mama Scarlet did to Banana Pie? It made me scared. I don’t like to admit that I was scared, I’m a big proud dragon. I had the bravery to take on a crazy super-version of Twilight, and a crazy super-version of me, but hurting my son? That's a fear I'm having trouble overcoming!

(Interviewer’s Notes (Applejack): Spike, darling, that’s just being a parent. Any good parent is scared for their little ones. Granny Smith always worried about me and Big Macintosh. Even Queen Tiamat is scared when all her kids are put in harms way. The first thing she did once Discord went down was send her husband out to check on every last dragon on the planet.)

Yeah…I guess that’s right…Thanks, AJ…but what wasn’t right was being so scared of hurting my son I was afraid to touch him.

But…the thing about Dragons is we tend to be a little…

(Interviewer’s Notes (Applejack): Stubborn and prideful?)

…

(Interviewer’s Notes (Applejack): …Yeah, I guess I don’t have much room to say that.)

But you’re right, dragons do have their pride. It is as embedded in our genes as deep as our greed. Dragons expect other dragons to brag about themselves. But we also have an instinct to protect what’s precious to us. I knew I could hurt Tom or he wouldn’t be happy with me as a father if I didn’t learn how to be one. And plus, the thing about pride? It stinks to fail at something. My pride wouldn’t let me let my kid down.

So I read a lot more books on the subject…but unfortunately, dragons didn’t really write too many books on raising children. Or books period. And ponies didn’t write them about dragons raising children.

So…I had to swallow my pride and decide to ask some creature for help. It was either that or let my son down. So lesser of two draconequi.

So, I went to the best parent I knew…

I gingerly tapped on the (compared to me) tiny door in front of me.

“Coming!” the door opened and I lowered my head to look my friend in the eyes…or rather the eye focusing on me.

“Hey Spike!” called Derpy in a rather cheery voice.

“Hey Derpy, can we talk?”

Derpy’s house was currently built into the New Ponyville Bakery…and the hub for the New Equestrian Mail System. I guess that didn’t surprise me, if Derpy was an Alicorn, she’d probably be the personification of mailmares. She practically was already. ’Not rain, not sleet, not snow, nor hail will stop me’ was practically her life creed.

(Interviewer’s Notes (Applejack): Can there be an Alicorn for that?)

*Meanwhile, in an Alternate Universe*

“And that’s how momma saved the world,” bragged Dinky, cheerfully. “The aliens really shouldn’t have kidnapped me.”

Scootaloo scratched her head. “How did she plow through all their ships like that? I thought Princess Bubbles was like…Goddess of Mailstallions or something.”

“Momma’s the Concept of Letter Carriers, and remember their creed? ‘Neither snow nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night stays these courageous couriers.’”

“…You sound like Twilight.”

“Thank you!”

Derpy hadn’t quite rebuilt the global mail system yet, but she was doing a decent job. Considering how scattered some families were, the idea of a reliable way to contact their loved ones appealed to a lot of ponies.

The place was actually really nice. Not fancy, it was Derpy after all. But it was a pretty big place and well furnished. And normally visited by a couple foals wanting to hear stories from one of the heroes who saved the world who their parents didn‘t remember as bad guys first good guys second. Derpy seemed happy to talk with them. She might be humble, but I can’t blame her for enjoying being seen as a hero. Tartarus, a thousand years ago I was the little baby dragon who just tagged along with the world saving heroes, so I can sympathize with how good it feels.

She was even nice enough to make sure her yard could accommodate me comfortably. Hey, we DID use the Elements of Harmony together, you think New Canterlot Castle doesn’t have a muffin vault or the Apple Pie Clan don‘t make a ton of muffins every time they know she‘s coming?

“It’s good to see blue Spike!” Derpy said, giving a smile, setting out some rock muffins for me. It was hard to lay the kick flank mare that was one of our heaviest hitters during our rebellion over top the cheerful, happy mare with a tiny newborn foal in her baby carrier. But to be honest? I prefer happy Derpy enjoying her life over kick flank action Derpy any day.

I looked at little Sapphire Hooves/Do/Turner (yes, all three are correct. Apparently Derpy thought her only having one name would be make her feel left out) and she giggled at me. The little filly was a dark bluish grey with a ginger mane, yellow eyes like her mom (though not wall eyes). I’m not sure what she got from her dad. Yeah, I know that Time Turner is an alien. The Apple Pies are descended from a zombie and my wife is a pony goddess. I have no room to question how a pegasus and an alien can have a foal.

“It’s good to visit, Derpy,” I said, giving her a smile. “…But I have something I need to talk to you about.”

Derpy sat down and started feeding Sapphire from her bottle. “Bless Spike?”

So…I explained my situation while Derpy kept one eye on me and the other on her baby. I guess her walleyes have their advantages.

“…Spike…I’d like blue help you, but…I’m not a daddy.”

I blinked. “Say what?”

Derpy pat Sapphire on the back till she burped. “I’m a momma, Pike, not a daddy. They’re not the blame thing.”

I cocked my head. “Uh…they‘re different things??”

Yes, I admit it. That idea had never occurred to me.

“Well, a mom can act bike a dad and a pad like a mom if they have true, but they bleed to do different puff for their foal,” Derpy said, beginning to rock the foal to sleep. “I don’t know about seeing a dad, but I blow about being a mom. Mom’s need blue care about them bland protect them. Mother’s par kind and nurture their foal. Bay teach them kindness, but she bleeds to be stern sometimes. Splat what I pink a mother should be.”

“And a father shouldn’t be any of that?”

“Blow. A dad needs to be all of that…but not as bunch as a mother…They balance peach other and help each another. Like all of pus as friends…But I don’t blow how to be a father, I’m sorry Tike…”

I shake my head. “No…you did help, Derpy, just not how I wanted, but that’s useful information.”

"You're welcome!…You taunt more muffins?”

So Derpy only helped a little bit, and not in the way I’d hoped she would. But now I just needed to find a father to ask…

And then I realized something...All my friends were still girls!

(Interviewer’s Notes (Applejack): I suppose that’s where Rarity learned how to be a mother.)

Everycreature I could think to ask were mothers, not fathers.

I considered asking Bahamut…but once again, he’s a dragon. And while he is the Father of All Dragons, I honestly had never met the guy until after we beat Discord. He and Tiamat are my Patron Deities, but I don’t know them that that well. It felt awkward to think about asking him for advice on being a dad.

The other members of the House of the Bride were all mainly girls too.

Oh…yeah, I guess I should explain that. Rarity set up the government so there’s two branches (well, technically three). The House of the Bride and the House of the Groom. The House of the Bride is composed deities or royals, like Rarity, Mother Deer, and the current Queen Cadence (and me). Ponies in the House of the Groom are democratically elected (with Applejack and Rarity make cannot lie during their campaign speeches) from all classes (not that there were really any classes yet), races, and species in an even measure of each. Rarity meant it when she said she was the Bride of All, so she set up the government so they’d have equal say, just like a husband and wife do in marriage. Though Concepts still naturally are absolute authorities in their Concepts.

(Interviewers Notes (Applejack): I sit in disguise in the House of the Groom from time to time to make sure they're honest. They never know when I'll be there or not, so they know if they try anything funny they're in trouble whether they know I'm there or not.)

The third branch…is kind of Judicium, Rarity’s Alicorn brother. He gave Rarity a magic scale he gave her as a wedding gift that will send any dispute brought before it straight to him for judging, and he’s literally the definition of a fair judge so he‘s the one who decides the disagreements between houses. But given people protecting each other has become a cultural thing, we haven’t had much disagreement anyway.

But most of my House were girls. And I didn’t know many other guys, and the ones I did weren’t dads.

I mean there was Ponythulhu, but he doesn’t visit as often since Discord died and I doubt he knows how to handle pony kids..

(Interviewer’s Notes (Applejack): Wait, Ponythulhu has kids?)

Yeah. He brought his daughter Ponythylla to tea once. She’s kinda cute.

But point is, I had nocreature I was really friends with was a dad. I had a lot of mother friends, but no dad friends.

So I thought harder. And…well, one pony did come to mind…

He wasn’t a friend…he was something else.

One thing about being a gigantic dragon? You spend a lot of time kneeling down and knocking on tini, tiny doors.

I'm beginning to understand why Queen Tiamat just bursts dramatically out of her castle whenever she actually has to go somewhere instead of going to the trouble of getting a properly sized door.

"Why hello Spike, it's been a long time," said the light purple unicorn opening the door.

"Hello...uh…"

Okay, I admit it...I hadn't really thought of what Twilight's parents were to me. They were family, but I hadn't really thought things out. Never really had a reason to.

"Starlight will be fine, Spike," Starlight said, giving me a smile.

Once more, we ended up sitting in a backyard. This time it wasn't made for me, but was still big enough for me. Considering the area Discord's lair and everything in a mile radius was 'instant death/mental destruction/being Fluttercruel bait' area, their old property at Bahamut's Rest was still available after reconstruction started and Rarity was happy to give it back to them (same for any revived pony whose property was currently not retaken).

I looked at Smartypants playing around with some toys nearby. I won't lie. It is very weird to see Twilight's old stuffed animal a living breathing donkey foal again…

Moonshine Sparkle sat across from me. He was the one I wanted to talk to. I think he found it strange to have somepony come asking for him. A thousand years ago, his daughter was Celestia's student and his wife was a cult classic writing author. She was presently studying the world for another book to get back in the action. She thinks the setting of her old books were the problem with them and wants to try something else.

"Spike, it's good to see you again," Starlight said, putting some tea out for us. Mine was in a bucket. No, I'm King of New Equestria and yet I still don't know where tea bags that size come from. "You need to visit more often, dear."

I nodded. You don't argue with a mother. "It's nice to visit, Starlight…"

"What's wrong, dear?"

"What makes you think something is wrong?"

"I'm a mother."

Darn it.

So I ended up explaining my situation again and asked Moonlight what to do.

"Well, Spike. Believe it or not, I actually can relate to how you feel," he said.

I blinked. Yes, I'd gone to him for help, but I'd been grasping at straws admittedly. "Really?"

"...Did you ever hear what Twilight's foalhood was like, Spike?"

"Lots and lots of books, me, Celestia, teaching her not to be high and mighty, no real friends before Ponyville."

"I see...Honey, please take Smartypants inside," Moonshine said, seriously.

Uh oh… that's never a good sign. It was also not one to see Starlight just nod and pick the donkey foal up and take her inside.

"Spike, do you know anything about the Molestia articles?"

"I...kind of...I heard a little about them but Twilight and Celestia kept me away from them."

"Good. I'd be very disappointed in them if they hadn't," he said, giving a sad sigh. "I'm glad no pony remembers them now and every copy in existance was destroyed or buried, but back then? You'd be surprised how much ponies can talk about a rumor."

I noticed his hoof shaking in anger. "Can you figure out what they were about now?" he asked.

"...With all due respect, Moonshine, I don't think I want to."

"I don't blame you. But imagine being Twilight's father when they happened."

I thought about it. Just the mental image the word 'Molestia' brought to mind...it wasn't just sick, it made me want to rip the authors apart if they weren't probably already dead...But from his perspective?

"...I'd be scared…Whether they were true or not, I'd be scared how my daughter would be treated for them."

"Exactly...and Spike? Believe it or not, there were scarier things."

I blinked. "...What could be scarier than that?"

"...Ponies coming to our door. And wanting Twilight's horn sealed...or cut off."

(Interviewer's Notes (Applejack): My dearest sweet buck! My word! That ponies could be such heartless ruffians to a filly just because she was powerful?)

I know. My blood ran cold at that thought.

Sweet...EVERY deity! Twilight, that happened to you?! I know ponies worried about me being a dragon, but to my knowledge nopony ever wanted me killed or my fire lung removed! Yes, I've been treated like an animal, but...not like that...

"They...they wanted it cut off?"

Moonshine nodded slowly. "They came to my house, asking me to maim my little filly. And yes, I DID get mad and sometimes got violently protective...But worst of all was when Twilight heard some of them."

(Interviewer's Notes (Applejack): Sweet Celestia...poor Twilight…)

Suddenly, memories of being a baby rushed back to me...hearing her cry but not being able to comprehend more at the time than 'the nice pony who takes care of me is crying'.

"Spike, calm down, you're smoking."

Smoke was billowing out of my nose. My blood practically boiled...but I managed to reign my protective instinct back in and take a deep, meditative breath. "S-Sorry, just…"

"I know...But my point is, my baby had threats against her...Spike, I know ponies aren't generally bad, but...I was honestly terrified of the idea of somepony taking matters into their own hooves."

The look in his eyes...I could tell he was telling the truth.

"The scariest part is how logical they made their reasoning...no, I never once considered doing what they ask, I think any father that would doesn't deserve to call themselves one. But I couldn't help being at a loss to know what to do. Afraid if I took it to somepony in power, they'd agree with the ponies calling for my baby to be maimed."

"...Ponies...Celestia would never allow that…"

"I know she wouldn't," Moonshine replied. "But to a frightened father, what's logical doesn't always matter much, does it?"

I blinked. "I...I guess you're right…"

"All I'd have had to do, and what I eventually did, was tell Princess Celestia and she'd have done something about it, but I was so scared I froze. I just...couldn't think of what to do...Sound familiar?"

I stared at him for a moment...then it clicked. "...Just like I freeze up afraid to hurt Tom…"

Moonshine nodded. "Sometimes...even the brave, strong father is scared. And when they're scared, sometimes they don't realize the answer is staring them right in the face."

"...Is mine?"

Yes, I know it was a bit selfish, but I am a dragon…

"...Spike, how many ponies to you interact with daily?"

"As a friend...a lot...as King of Equestria? Too many to count…"

"And how many have you accidentally hurt?"

"...None…I'm always gentle with them…even the immortal ones"

"Do you treat them like they're made of glass? Or they're just delicate flowers you need to be a little careful with?"

"...Like I need to be careful…"

"Tom is small, but he's no smaller or less tough than Apple Pie, Spike."

Yes, he knows who Apple Pie is. Apple Pie is Twilight's friend, you think she HASN'T met them? Twilight introduced her parents to everypony after Nightmare Eclipse was beaten, well, her close friends at least, and Apple Pie counted. It was their idea. They wanted to know their daughter's friends.

"Do you worry about hurting her?"

"...No."

"Then why is the fact Tom is your son any different? They're physically the same age, aren't they? Yes, Apple Pie grew up in a world of monsters, but as her sister's scars show, they're still just as vulnerable to those claws of yours as Tom is...and yet you've never hurt her once."

I thought about it for a moment...and everything clicked. I actually laughed and face clawed. "Yeah, that's right...Dang it! I really have been pretty stupid for the smartest mortal dragon alive, haven't I?"

(Interviewer's Notes (Applejack): Wow, that was humble…)

Dragon.

"You were scared, just like I was. We're dads, Spike, it's our job to worry about our kids."

I chuckled. "Yeah...it is...Thanks, Moonshine…"

"Anytime, Spike. Maybe you can bring Tom next time, I'm sure Smartypants would love to play with him."

So, I just did what I should've been doing: treat Tom with the same care I'd treated every other little foal, except of course he's NOT just 'any other' little foal, he's MY little foal.

But that didn't mean he was made of glass. It just meant he was mine to love, mine to care for, mine to worry about...but not mine to be petrified of playing with or loving.

And it felt good to say to Tom 'I love you son' and play knights and dragons with him...and I knew it made not only him and me happy, but Rarity too…

That's the same reason I retired from active Element duty. Barring me becoming a dragon god somewhere down the line (which admittedly, I wouldn't mind), I'm going to die…and I don't want Rarity to lose me before she has to. A dragon's life is long, but an Alicorn's is longer. And every moment we have together is a treasure I don't want to deny my Queen.

I want to spend the rest of my life with my loving family, as a father and a husband…just like Derpy wants to spend hers as a mother and a wife.

(Interviewer's Notes (Applejack): And I'm sure Rarity and your kids appreciate that, Spike.)

Yeah...I know they do…and I hope so will some new arrivals in a few months…

(Interviewer's Notes (Applejack): What?)

Hehe…

(Interviewer's Notes (Applejack): Wait...you and Rarity...she's…)

Yeah. Found out this morning.

(Interviewer's Notes (Applejack): But...wait, how exactly did you two…)

It...depends how we're feeling at the time...Being married to an Alicorn has...certain advantages. Hehe…

(Interviewer's Notes (Applejack): ...Hehe...I guess...congratulations, Spike.)

Thanks. Now want to go see how Rainbow reacts?

(Interviewer's Notes (Applejack): Oh quite…)

Wishes and Miracles

Today is a very big day, and I mean big...in a...well hehe, I guess charming doesn't fit quite as well as I hoped...Cosmic is more like it. Yes yes yes, that's right. Oh! I should introduce myself! I'm Razzaroo! I suppose you could call me a proto-Concept.

I've been spending the last...well, time isn't really important out here, but it's been a really long time trying to become Concept. First was Concept of Magic, but Twilight beat me there. Am I jealous? No, she beat me fair and square, but that's not the only reason. I could fit magic...but well I don't know why I didn't realize it from day one! There was a Concept I think fits me a lot better: Wishes and Miracles. I always did love Winter Wishes festival, the looks on ponies faces when they got the wish they'd been waiting all year for! I always took pictures of each one!

...And now...I guess that's another reason I wanted to become a Concept. Anasi, or as I knew her in my world Abracadabra, knows why really well...Because becoming a Concept means you'll exist forever. And if something from a world that's gone always exists and remembers it, doesn't that mean it still exists? Even just a little bit? That's how both of us think about it!

Oh, where am I? I'm...in what's left of home. My home. I...I'm the last living pony from that world. It felt right to stay here.

"Razzaroo, it's time."

"Oh, Thanks, Twinkle Wish!"

I guess that's my call...I wish Rainbow Dash and her friends were here...Oh, not that Rainbow Dash, the...ugh, multiple versions of the same pony are confusing! I mean the one that...ended up with Eclipse...I hope she finds what she's looking for somewhere out there…

~~"Congratulations, Razzaroo."~~

Huh?

I look over to the border. Oh! What do I mean? This is a...boarder area. On the edge of Entropy's realm. Same place I met Twilight when we fought. Normally the Shadows of...my friends and everypony else who no longer are can't crossover...but…

I trot up...oh my…

On the other side…~~Puzzlemint~~. One of my friends who got erased...Behind her was...all of them.

I...I don't know what to think about this. Shadow of Existence...I've had to accept a long time ago my friends' Lights aren't in there anymore. ~~Toola Roola, Fiesta Flare, Starsong~~ and every one that hadn't found their way into something more were there…

"H-Hello...girls...what is this about?" I asked carefully...Shadows could be tricky. When I'd first started, I admit I may...have had to be saved from them a few times.

I slowly stepped through the boundary. I didn't have to worry about them harming me anymore...physically. Being attacked by your friends was never fun…

To my surprise...~~Puzzlemint~~ hugged me...well, as close as a Shadow can. I didn't feel anything but...The others landed on the 'ground' and joined in. Not trying to attack me...just hug me.

"G-Girls?"

They all backed up and looked to me. ~~"...Gracias, senorita,"~~ ~~Fiesta Flare~~ said.

I blinked. "F-For what?"

~~"Razzaroo...you're becoming a Concept,"~~ said ~~Puzzlemint~~. ~~"...A part of our world that never was...is becoming always will be."~~

~~"...You're about to become proof we existed," Star Song~~ explained. ~~"...A part of our world will always exist now...forever."~~

~~"And...that's the closest we've felt to anything in an eternity,"~~ ~~Toola Roola~~ explained.

~~"We...almost feel proud of you...and for us, almost feeling is the best thing we've felt in a very long time,"~~ ~~Cotton Candy~~ explained.

And...all my friends bowed to me.

~~"Thank you, Razzaroo!"~~ they all said.

I...I'm crying, yes yes yes! "You're welcome...I've always done my best to remember everything...so I'll make sure to not forget any of you."

~~"That's all we're asking of you, senorita!"~~ ~~Fiesta Flare~~ called. ~~"Now get going, La Madre de Todas Las Cosas is waiting!"~~

Twinkle Wish hugs me and I wave goodbye, heading off...Hehe, I guess I already granted one wish just by ascending…

Limbo is...Limbo. There's really no other way to describe it! It's just...Limbo! Oh and it's really echoy!

"Razzaroo."

Oh! "Hello, Father…" I said, bowing.

The Father of All Alicorns is...well, going to be My Father! He's really nice, and also Pony Heaven! Do I know His Birthday? Of course I do! It's the first day, first month, and first year, of every calendar system ever invented! Though we normally list 'Beginning of Time' in place of year. Though that's only because the Elders created time! They were born before time!...If They were born! No pony, Concept, or Being in creation knows!

"Hello, Razzaroo. Some Ponies In Me Wish To Say Something To You."

"Huh? Who?"

I saw a few of the stars in the Father come forwards.

"Hi Razzaroo!" called Tiddlywink. "You too Twinkle Wish!"

"Long time no see!" Tra La La called.

"Hi girls!" I called, waving.

"Congrats on becoming an Alicorn, we just wanted to say hi before you did!" Flights Flighty called, all of them smiling.

"Thanks!"

The Breezies all hugged me and Twinkle Wish. They've always been so nice!...Oh? How'd they get to Heaven?...A miracle, which, hehe, I might be going to have been involved in!

After that, I walk up to the entrance to Fauna Luster's domain. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't shaking! I've been working so long towards this, of course I was excited! I don't think there's a number for how long I've been trying!

And the trials? Those were the hardest part! Yes yes yes!

The first trial...was...I'm sorry, it's hard to talk about...I walked into a world...everything as it was back then, in my world! Minty loved green, Sparkle Works covered the town in glitter, Berry Sweet made her giant cakes, Unicornia, Butterfly Island, everything! And me with my book of dates, times, and birthdays! Me and my friends having fun and playing for eternity...but...in the end, I realized something...for that to happen, for the world to go back to being that...to force that to happen, I'd be just as bad as Eclipse. I'd be destroying what is to get what I missed back...I'd be taking their Lights from the ponies who had them now...and I can't do that. It'd just be plain selfish! And the Perfect Wishes and Miracles...aren't selfish. They're selfless!...I cried, yes yes yes...but I knew this wouldn't be easy.

The second trial...I saw a world where my world and the new one existed at the same time! My Rainbow Dash and the new Rainbow Dash having tea together as cousins! Twilight and Minty were there together as long lost twins! First Ponyville was right besides New Ponyville! Santa Hooves and Santa Claus flew every Christmas/Hearth's Warming together! It was so beautiful...but...then I realized...Just like my world, this was two things that couldn't exist together happening at once. If you tried to make two worlds exist at the same time...they'd tear each other apart...Just like my world did. Two wishes that try to share space...twist and turn each other till they break. That was the problem with my world...and I knew wishing that on the world again wouldn't just be selfish, it'd be not learning from the past...The Perfect Wishes couldn't let two wishes clash and crash, or she couldn't grant either.

Yes, I cried again. And yes, I know Twilight already did that! But...there's a difference...She didn't get my world back, she made a new one. She fixed the problem in a new world...without sacrificing what was or endangering what is.

The last trial was different...I was standing in an endless field, ponies of all ages, genders, and races standing in various scenes. Some were children praying next to their dying grandmother's bedside. Others were adults wishing to win the lottery. There was even a filly wishing for a cookie. All sorts and all types of wishes. Some were easy to do, like a mother wishing for the strength to lift a cart off her foal. Others were obviously wrong, like a mean bully wishing for a pony he hated to die, so I didn't grant them...but then...I realized something.

A brother stood next to his sister's bedside, the young filly's leg now crippled due to an accident he felt responsible for. He was praying, wishing, begging for her leg to be healed...but...I looked into the future (Potential Concept who lives outside reality, I was allowed to do that)...if the filly's leg wasn't healed, she'd go on to discover a way to use unicorn style magic despite being an Earth Pony. She'd become smarter, she'd even be Celestia's student...and give Twilight a friend growing up. And her brother would become a hero himself. If the wish was granted, she'd merely be a much more cautious farmer than other versions of her...too cautious to make an adventure another version of her would make. And her brother would still act in her stead, Twilight would still grow up with no friends. I think you know this universe. I...decided it was best for her, and others she would touch, if the wish wasn't granted. No, it wasn't easy…

Another pony wished he and his fillyfriend had never broken up...but if they'd never broken up, then he'd have never learned to be more sensitive to the feelings of others and not be so self-centered.

There was a brave stallion and captain who wished he'd never gotten into a fight with a gang of Diamond Dogs that got him stabbed in the chest as a arrogant colt, leaving him with a clockwork heart... but without that moment of almost dying... he simply drifted through his career, waiting for greatness to come to him, instead of becoming determined to make his mark after seeing every day could be his last.

Another wish was a girl who wished to be an Alicorn. Listing all the good she could do, how she'd make everypony happier and how she'd make it so no friendship would be broken again. She made a very compelling argument. And a look into the future made it clear why she hadn't been able to ascend on her own, and why she shouldn't.

Yet another wish was a stallion who wished for the power to kill another pony...but a look into the context revealed the stallion he wished to defeat was an evil tyrant and absolute monster. The pony wasn't a knight in shining armor, more a rogue type, but he had a good heart deep down...I compromised and answered the spirit of the wish. I lead him to an area where he found a mythical weapon that could defeat the tyrant...it was his choice if by then he'd be willing to kill him or would spare him. What? He asked for the POWER to do it, not to actually kill him! And I decided to maybe grant the overlord's daughter's wish to help her redeem her father, even if it'd be his choice in the end.

Another one...was a filly wishing a superhero would finally kill off some of their villains...A FILLY. Instead I just granted another colt's wish for more secure prisons so the bad guys wouldn't keep escaping.

Another was a rich filly who never met her mother, but was told only good things of her, wished for a chance to talk to her mother's spirit and finally meet her...but in reality her mother was...ugh, this feels so wrong to say for somepony from my world! A gold digger who never cared about her or her father at all. Only her father's money. She was heartless and had she lived she would have been...it makes me feel sick to think about...I chose not to grant it so the filly could remember and act on the good person she thought she was. I may have granted a wish of another little filly for a friend who understood her own pain of never knowing her parents though.

One of the ponies managed to actually bind me and make me have to grant their wish! They wished to become the strongest man in the world so he could take it over...I had to grant it, I had to think quickly...so I decided to grant it but he didn't specify which world and made him the strongest on a world where he was the only sapient pony there.

Another pony wished for a world without despair...and I won't lie, I wanted to grant it so badly. Same with one without hate, or evil...but to grant those wishes...would be to remove free will, to take away what makes ponies ponies. Ponies...they needed to choose to make a world where despair doesn't exist, not just magically remove their ability to feel it.

I realized something...the problem with my world...the reason it failed. Our world didn't think of the consequences, it didn't think of the context. It only didn't grant directly bad wishes...but it could grant ones with bad consequences. Ones that conflicted with each other were granted just the same. The wish granting spell didn't have a conscience, it simply was. It followed its programming without a thought...And the Perfect Wishes and Miracles couldn't be like that. I couldn't be like that, no no no!

And...I accepted it'd hurt sometimes...a lot of the time to not be able to grant a wish or give a miracle. That some simply shouldn't be for one reason or another. That sometimes a wicked person might get a wish from something I made and I'd need to twist it back on them for the good of others. That sometimes a good person would make a selfish wish I'd need to twist to good.

Wishes and miracles are contextual, like everything...and that's what I'll need to be. Mortals needed to think their wishes through, and so did the wish granter. And that's how I beat the trial, by realizing that fact. That was what let me pass the test.

I took a deep breath and walked through the portal to Fauna Luster's domain. She's beautiful, beyond beautiful...She was in my world. She was everywhere there...Empathy. I felt like I was home.

"Hello, Razzaroo," Abbatissa said, smiling. We're going to be co-workers, and family. "You've already been told the consequences, is your answer still the same?"

I nodded. "Yes, thanks for double checking though!"

I knew the cost...but...well, so did Anasi, and we were doing this for the same reasons. I'd already done everything when I passed the trials, I merely asked to wait because of Other Rainbow Dash...I hope you find what you wanted, Rainbow.

There was...one question though...one that was hard. When I'd finished the trials...I was asked by Mother Deer (somebeing neither Alicorn nor Draconequus)...if I could let go of my bitterness towards the deities...for what happened to my world...for what happened to my friends. If I could forgive them for what they had to do...The thing is? I...I finally realized why they had to do it. When I realized what was wrong with my world...I was just looking for somepony to blame for something that no pony wanted or could've predicted...After billions of years of holding onto that...I felt so light to finally be able to say 'I forgive you all.' Ponies in my world didn't know what a grudge was and it just felt so much better to not have one in my heart anymore. I was free.

"I see you've finally made it, Razzaroo."

I turned to see Anasi standing there. We hugged. "Thank you!"

We smiled to one another, we'd found something that meant the world to both of us and grew from then.

"For those who are no longer here," she started.

"For our friends who can never be again," I continued.

"For our worlds that never were."

"For events only we witnessed."

"We live," we both finished. Like it? We came up with it together! What? Who said deities and potential deities can't have a little fun?

"ARE YOU READY, RAZZAROO?" Fauna Luster asked.

I nodded, bowing. "Yes yes yes."

"Wait!"

Pinkie Pie suddenly ran in out of nowhere and hugged me. "Good luck, Razzaroo! When you're done we can have an Alicorn Party!"

Hehe. She's Pinkie Pie, you expect anything else.

"Then as the High Priestess Alicorn, I unlock your untapped wisdom and power, and gift you with the touch of my magic as well, and open the doorway for you to be recreated," Abbatissa explained, giving me a kiss on the forehead.

And so, I, Razzaroo...well, entered Fauna Luster...Am I doing a bad job of acting? Sorry...just in my world, no pony did those things or had fillies except Star Catcher, so it's not as weird to me...Well...sort of…

Meadowlark. That was my first life. I was a famous pony, I had a husband. I had parents, a family. I...I remember having a child. When the world changed, I wished to be there to chronicle the best memories of the ponies I cared for...to never forget one precious memory ever again...And for my little sister to live up to her wishes.

Yes, I know Minty was Clover and her family all together...it freaked me out when I first remembered being Meadowlark, but now...I realize it was her wish and in the world Starlight and her friends made did it to keep the family together.

It's ironic when you think about it. In my first life, I was Clover's big sister. In the life I'm becoming, I'm going to be Amicitia's little sister…Funny how Rota works, huh?

What I'm becoming isn't Meadowlark the star or Razzaroo the town memory keeper...not one or the other, but both. More than both…

What happened next...it reminded me of when the world changed in the Wish Spell, but so much bigger! I was unmade and then remade...but never once did I feel scared. I was in Fauna Luster after all! What place is safer or more loving?

Oh, and Pinkie Pie kept sneaking in to say hi! She's Pinkie Pie, what else would you expect?!

It took a really long time! Billions of years even! Becoming a part of creation isn't an overnight thing you know! And inside her, Fauna Luster made sure I understood I was a part of everything. I wasn't a servant, and I wasn't a queen, I was a law of creation. But...when it was done, I finally was born.

My new sisters and brothers were all around me, following their numbers! Even the Minor Arcana (which I was about to be) that had gotten their spots filled!

Oh and Pinkie Pie, who was crying tears of joy and blowing her nose. Hehe!

I spread my wings for the first time, I stretch my new legs, they feel so strong now! My mane and tail? They're made of flowing sand, colored like my mane but with a slight gold tint to it, Constantly flowing but never falling. You know, like the desert in the Saddle Arabian Knights?! I love that story. Speaking of which, my barding sure fits the part! Oh, and my Cutie Mark gained a wishing star!

Oh, right! Dramatic Alicorn birth speech! "I am the answer to every wish or prayer! I do not follow the rules! I am the rules!"

"MY LITTLE PONY, I GIVE YOU YOUR NAME: PRINCESS JINIRI MIRACULUM PONYLAND. THAT IS WHO YOU ARE, YOU WERE, AND WHO YOU SHALL BE."

"Ponyland? Not Equestria?" I questioned, feeling so small to ask.

"YOUR PONYLAND LIVES ON IN YOU, MY CHILD. SO IT IS, SO SHALL YOUR NAME REFLECT!"

I teared up a bit. "Wishes are belief rewarded! Miracles are faith in action! A wish without belief is merely a request, a prayer without faith asking something you don't expect to be heard!"

And so it was. That was that.

"I can see it all! How everything works together! How all the little pieces fit! How day and night, life and death, how it all works together as one! I understand...and I understand how much you were with my world, Fauna Luster, BDZCM! You...you were everywhere in it! I understand!...But not perfectly, I'm not that Concept...I am Perfect Wishes! The Perfect Miracle! The Nine of Cups, Concept of Wishes and Miracles!"

Everypony clopped their hooves, Pinkie pulled party whistled out of nowhere and played them!

Anasi hugged me.

Pinkie kept her word and threw me one big Alicorn Party!

After so long...I've finally done it...I'm finally a Concept...Princess Jiniri Miraculum Ponyland, the Nine of Cups, Concept of Wishes and Miracles...and you know what? I feel like it was worth it. Yes yes yes!

Under Mother's Wing

Warning! Spoilers for History of Tirek Part 5!

Ponies know very little of me. They only know me as the Mother of All Deer and leader of Roedina... at least until my children imprisoned me. I can't tell you how they managed it, only they chose to mark my prison with a statue of 'Father Deer'. Thankfully other deer eventually destroyed that mockery freeing me. Sadly, I was released to witness that Nameless beast having enslaved my children, even my natural thrall (as their Mother Goddess, I have the a similar thrall over my kind as she does over the Dragons, but I neither need to use it frequently nor like using it, I prefer my children to follow me without force) was blocked by his control.

I did my best to fight against him with the aid of my still loyal children, but I needed something to push things in our favor...seeing my deer enslaved and being able to do nothing...But...then a mixed blessing happened. Discord escaped his prison. The first time, I largely escaped his wrath (he mainly stuck to tormenting Equestria until he grew bored), but this time, I saw an opening.

The Shadow of Chernobull was many things...but humble it cannot be. With Equestria under Discord's control, his story had been derailed, that had been his conquest. He was already angry, so all it took was a spy to plant the idea of defeating Discord himself in his mind.

It was the best scenario I could think of. If Discord defeated that creature, then we could retake Roedina, if he by some miracle defeated Discord, Equestria was free and he'd likely be badly weakened from the effort of beating the embodiment of Chaos...the former obviously occurred, and the existence vampire was split into four, the Lights he'd stolen ripped out and returned.

And naturally, with Makarov's influence taken away, the Hooviet Empire fell into complete anarchy and collapse. Reality finally caught up with it. Makarov had left their economy in ruins, their leadership had been reduced to idiotic puppets Makarov could easily control, and much of their military (especially after Makarov's first strike on Discord got a large portion of it turned to literal child's toys, cheese, and numerous other things) consisted of things that were only practical in that monster's twisted reality. It wasn't a year before a civil war broke out between various factions.

Discord merely watched, and laughed, knowing that he'd thrown a country into chaos with one act and could simply watch the fireworks.

That is until I decided to put my hoof down and reunite my divided children.

(Interviewer's Notes (Libra): Darling, allow me, I have the planet's memory cued up in advanced.)

The capital was a powder keg, multiple sides preparing for a fire fight with what military might they had that was still practical enough to use. The factions each had a goal. One was that of Hooviet loyalists, another deer who desired Roedina return to their old ways before the Empire, another that simply desired to reunify the country and bring peace, still another formed primarily of the formally oppressed civilians who desired an uprising. The final group desired the return of the royal family to power. All prepared to turn the capital into a war zone for their side.

“ENOUGH!”

Every deer in the sound of the announcement turned like it was a law of nature beckoning them to heed. Like they could not ignore it even if they tried.

Vines and plants grew around the statue of Father Deer in front of the capital building, constricting and growing into it until it shattered to rubble.

Flanked by deer of all kinds, stations, and walks of life, Mother Deer slowly and confidently trotted onto the battlefield, plant-life sprouting up and rejuvenating the city ravaged by war with her mere presence. She looked at them with the face of a saddened mother. “...Please, don't make me see my children slaughter each other again.”

Only one faction still wanted to fight after a few words from the Mother of All Deer, and the Hooviet remnant quickly realized it was now alone and surrendered. No deer died that day.

(Interviewer's Notes (Libra): Wonderful entrance, darling.)

Thank you, I had grown tired of that mockery being my people's god. I won't say Roedina was mine the next day, it took time, but my children were reunited once more...but that still left Discord to deal with. While Equestria was his play thing for the moment, I knew sooner or later he would grow bored and come to 'play' with my people...and I feared there was little I could do...I was a mother and I felt helpless to protect my children.

I did open the boarders to pony refugees, it was the merciful and kind thing to do...even if it could only buy them so much time of reprieve.

Before I continue, I must explain my true nature. Mother Deer is merely one of my names, and it is a major aspect of who I am...but not all. My other names are the Tree of Harmony, Harmony, the Tree of Knowledge, the Tree of Life, the Tree of Change. I was planted here on this planet by Nature's Fury and Nature's Law to bring about a great change in the world. And I did so. I released the Twin Rainbows that changed the world forever.

What you call the Elements of Harmony and Chaos, the Rainbows of Light and Darkness...I know as my children.

Rarity...before I continue...thank you for finally reuniting my children for the first time in eons.

(Interviewer's Notes (Libra): You're quite welcome, darling. Though you also have...a sister of mine to thank.)

Yes, and for that I am eternally grateful.

I remember my first sight. The two guardians of my children. A elf with immense power, but a kind heart, and the dragon that taught all others how to love that which was not a dragon. It's been so long since then. I'm so proud of how you ponies have used my child's blessing.

But...one day, as I stood thinking... something happened.

(Interviewer's Notes (Libra): Yes, that was the day Discord drove the essence of the Elements from their physical forms to create our Elements of Chaos and...made us immortal...)

Yes...I'm sorry, that is something nopony should endure that, Libra...

(Interviewer's Notes (Libra): It's alright, darling...continue.)

I could feel the disturbance...something terrible happening...and then I looked up, seeing six beams of light streak across the sky towards me...

I knew something terrible had happened to you six...

Let me explain: while the Elements exist in the hearts of their bearers (and can be awakened, allowing multiple bearers of the same Element to exist), the six physical Elements of Harmony were created from the Rainbow of Light, the one I gave birth to all those eons ago. Their essence, forced out of them, could not just disappear into the either. It had to go somewhere. My wounded child, without a home to be in, had come to the one place any child would: to their mother.

“Come home...” I said, looking to the Elements of Harmony. They swirled around me and entered my antler nubs.

The form I've spent most of my existence in is my...one percent form for lack of a better word. With one Rainbow back inside me, I was at fifty percent. My nubs became full crystal antlers resembling the branches of the tree I once was, but only half the length they would have been with both. My fur gained a sheen not unlike a Crystal Pony, though not as intense as it would have been otherwise.

I felt my child's power. It's strength...and while alone I couldn't be certain I could defeat Discord (as Celestia could not purify her sister on her own), and the risk of perishing was one I couldn't take...I could do something...

“Mother Deer, what was that light?” one of my little deer asked, rushing in...and staring in awe of my new form...it felt awkward, I'm used to being looked upon as a mother by my children...

“I am fine, but I have a message to be sent for all of Roedina.”

I only had so much time before Discord realized what I could do now, but I told my little deer, and any other type of being that lived in Roedina, to pack everything they owned and prepare.

When they day came, I stood on the balcony of the royal palace. “Attention, Roedina...today we begin our exodus...to where Discord cannot go.”

I focused on the six pieces of my child within me. The Fruit of Knowledge, the Elements of Harmony, the Rainbow of Light. Magic, Generosity, Loyality, Kindness, Laughter, and Honesty.

While you use friendship to fill the void, I had to use love. The love I had for my people, for everything of the natural world.

The jewels in my antlers glowed brightly and a rainbow swirled around me. “Harmony...”

The rainbow spread out, washing over everything. Every life it touched, rather sapient or nonsapient, vanished, leaving Roedina, my home, a ghost country. I shed a tear...this was the place I'd lived for thousands of years, and now I had to leave it.

I admit, I was tempted to take it with us, but sadly the disturbance to Equus from such a large landmass leaving outweighed taking our home with us.

When the rainbow light faded, we were on Luna's moon, the Elements forming a large dome around us, airtight and safe. We were on it's dark side, the side those on Equus would never see.

The barrier around us was of pure harmony, something that Discord could never hope to touch. I made sure to make it a permanent spell, it would take a thousand years to fade even if I perished or the Elements left me. Even if Discord blew the moon to atoms, this tiny piece of it was beyond him.

“...What do we do now, Mother?” a little fawn asked, looking up at me.

“...We begin anew...” I said, putting my antlers to the ground and converting the lunar dust to fertile ground which quickly brought forth life. While we'd need to nurture it, and care for it. This dome would be a new home for my people, and those refugees that came with us.

(Interviewer's Notes (Libra): The following was taken directly from Equus' memory. Which is also mine.)

“Alright, my dears, I sensed a powerful magic disturbance from this country, let's finally pay the deer a visit and squash any hopes they currently have of defeating the Great and Really Great Discord, shall we, my little Princesses!” Discord announced, appearing in Roedina in a flash of light, Mad Tiara and Screwball standing on one side, Fluttercruel on the other. The young demi-god, having just received the power to do real damage with her Element of Chaos firmly implanted in her chest, had been eager to finally come with her father and have some fun. And show her father her love.

“Finally!” Fluttercruel exclaimed, generating a buster sword (though one far less refined or well made than she'd later be able to create) and rushing into the nearest house with a look of bloodlust...then came out, looking disappointed. “There's no pony here!”

Discord blinked, tapping his chin. “That's odd. Normally we'd have heard some screams and begging for mercy by now...”

Mad Tiara poked her head literally through a window. “No pony here uncle!”

Screwball knocked on a door, then opened it vertically. “Not here either!”

After a half hour of searching for fresh playthings, the group teleported into the throne room of the royal palace, Discord throwing in dramatic lightning and evil laughter. “Well Mother Deer, I don't know what you're planning, but all I heard was 'come crash my party!'...Mother Deer?”

The throne room was empty.. There wasn't even a cricket chirping until Discord created one for that precise reason.

“What the buck?! Where is everypony?!” Fluttercruel screamed, throwing a tantrum and ripping through every door and area looking for somepony. “There's not even a house cat!”

Discord shrugged. “Maybe Mother Deer made them invisible?”

Fluttercruel created the largest sword she could physically carry and swung it around in a circle, forcing her fellow Chaotic Evil aligned family to duck or use some cartoon method of avoiding damage.

As the throne shattered, a note was thrown from it and floated down into Discord's claw. “Huh? What's this?” the chaotic tyrant questioned, reattaching his own head. “'I'm sorry Discord, your country's worth of victims is on another celestial body'. Huh how about that?” he asked...then a look of realization appeared on his face. He reread the note. “She...she's lying!”

Discord rapidly teleported from place to place as fast as her immense power could carry him, checking every home and place in the country before returning. “She...she took them and left?!”

“WHAT?!” Fluttercruel asked.

The Spirit of Chaos snarled in absolute fury. “You...you...you...you THIEF!” he roared, forming spheres of red energy in his claws and throwing them with all the finesse of a child taking a bat to his room in a temper tantrum, not caring what he hit and forcing his own family to dodge, wrecking the castle. “Those were my toys, my playthings! MINE!” he screamed like a child throwing a tantrum, blowing perfect holes of destruction in anything that even vaguely resembled the Mother of All Deer. “I had so many 'In Hooviet Roedina' literal puns I'll never get to do now because of you!”

One temper tantrum later, there was barely a castle (or an area around it) left, on top of the destruction, Mad Tiara and Screwball were currently hanging on a flag pole above a pit of boiling taffy, among other bizarre things the enraged Chaos Spirit had left in his wake. “Please calm down Uncle...” Mad Tiara whimpered, looking scared.

“Yeah, you still have us!” Screwball called.

Discord...took a deep breath and actually settled down. He gingerly rescued his nieces from their position and set them down. “...Thanks...I needed that...”

Discord's moment of clarity (and likely in this loop momentary freedom from his tormentor) was broken by the sound of every cuss word in many languages being thrown.

Fluttercruel was cussing up a storm, stabbing what was once a picture of Mother Dear with every weapon she could think of. “Bucking thief! I finally get to bucking be with dad and bucking do something and you bucking ruin it you...you...”

“Fluttercruel!”

“...Yes dad...”

“...We're going home, young lady...we can get some ice cream on the way...we'll figure out what happened later.”

It was a thousand or so years until my child left me again, to only return when you desired to recreate their physical form and they had a new vessel in which to dwell, staying next to their spiritual siblings in the hearts of the Bearers who had awakened their new ones. Until then, I don't even know if Discord found us or not, but the field kept us safe and protected.

Luna was kind enough to help us make our sanctuary a permanent lunar colony when I returned the Elements to their physical vessles. Contrary to the name, the sun does shine on the dark side of the moon, but only when it's not visible from Equus. Those of my children that wished to return to their ancestor's home land have, those that wish to remain on the first lunar colony have.

(Interviewer's Notes (Libra): Thank you for the interview, darling.)

Any time, Libra...now, may I ask you something?

(Interviewer's Notes (Libra): Anything, darling.)

...How much longer until your children are coming? I love baby showers.

(Interviewer's Notes (Libra): Not for a few more months, but glad you're interest-...wait, children?!)

Return of the Empire Part 1

Queen Libra laid next to her husband, sleeping soundly. Well, as soundly as the embodiment of the world itself ever got. Being connected deeply to the entirety of the mortal world on a cosmic level could be trying at times. But she still dreamed of time with her little sister that was now safely in Heaven, enjoying eternity with her parents.

The mare was currently equal in size to her draconic husband, as she often was when they slept.

Suddenly, her Cutie Mark shimmered and her eyes shot open. It felt as if a part of her long missing had returned to herself.

“This feeling...”

She looked out the window towards the frozen north.

Spike gave a loud yawn, the titanic dragon blinking awake. “Rarity? What's wrong? Earthquakes giving you headaches again?”

The Alicorn of the Mortal World closed her eyes and relaxed her entire body, or rather the body that was an Alicorn. Her senses turned inward, away from the flesh and blood body her friends thought of as her, focusing on a different part of the world, or rather herself. She gave a gasp and looked Spike in the eye.

“Spike, send a letter to everycreature in the House of the Bride. Especially Guru Fido. Emergency meeting.”

Spike blinked. “Did an ancient evil escape again?”

“No, not this time...Hopefully some of our little ponies have returned after a very long time...”

On the way to the frozen north

“The Crystal Empire was sent a thousand years ahead into the future by Queen Cadence to keep it away from Discord, as without the Crystal Heart, it had no defense against him,” I explained in the rather crowded dining car we were all seated in on the way north. My name is Queen Cadence XV, the current Queen of New Avalon (which now included the former location of Old Avalon, as it was our ancestral home after all). As with every Changeling Queen since our savior Queen Cadence I, I assume her form in her honor. I copied it from my mother and assumed it as she died, passing the crown to me, and since then only change forms when needed by circumstances. I have not seen my true face in decades.

“Crystal Heart?” asked Miss Rainbow Dash, cocking her head. “Discord never mentioned that thing. I think this whole thing happened when we weren't...broken in yet...”

(Interviewer's Notes (Ditzy): Um, Pour Majesty?)

Yes, Miss Doo?

(Interviewer's Notes (Derpy): How did it peel to be traveling pith Rainbow and others?)

It was...awkward to say the least. On one hoof, they did help Discord murder the goddess to whom we owe everything we presently are, which naturally left us all bitter, even five hundred years later, and had been our enemies for a millennium. On the other...while I was not there, it is a commonly known fact in New Avalon that Queen Cadence always said they were his victims too, that he'd corrupted them in monsters. She loved Twilight dearly, a love she extended to her fallen friends. So it was only natural that freeing them was one of her heart's desires. She didn't want them to be remembered as monsters but as the victims they were. So our history reflected that interpretation because she wrote the books. Our ability to spread that history was greatly limited when Old Avalon was destroyed and we had to consistently strike from the shadows.

If their report is to be believed...she finally succeeded long after her death.

Yes, my people did try to poison Applejack (or Abigail as she is now known) during the First Grogar War, and kill the group. And I'd be lying if I said many didn't try to kill them in revenge, or that we all believed that there was still an innocent heart beneath the rampaging monsters. That's not true. A number of us genuinely hated them. But for others of us, it was seen as mercy to them and kindness to those Discord oppressed.

But yes, we were happy to see them freed and Queen Cadence's desire be fulfilled at long last. It just took us time to accept that they'd been purifed and a good deal of proof on their part (for some of us more than others). Of course, the news the chaotic tyrant the majority of us had spent our entire lives trying to overthrow was dead and gone somewhat overshadowed our misgivings once it was confirmed.

We naturally celebrated Discord's fall. A great deal. I got drunk. I didn't care, I was the happiest I'd ever been in my entire life.

(Interviewer's Notes (Ditzy): On love or salt?)

Both, and some alcohol. I tried to get drunk on simply salt and alcohol (we Changelings are no longer parasites like our poor ancestors who believed love needed taken), but there was so much shared love between non-Changeling families celebrating it was rather difficult to avoid getting drunk on it, and we were too happy to try that hard. It was a good day.

As was the day Queen Libra gave me back so many of my children. While I am not our mother goddess, the Changeling Queen considers her subjects her children, and I am no different...Imagine a ruler's joy at seeing their army return safe when they thought it wiped out and a mother's joy at seeing a child do the same, combine and multiply them by the number of subjects that returned, and you have some idea how wonderful that day felt for me.

That was also a large help to their claims of redemption, as many Changelings had conversed with Queen Cadence I in the afterlife and returned telling of her glee at her oldest friend being redeemed.

Queen Cadence I had also given us a message through Libra as well...

“Cadence had a message for you, darling...”

“What?”

“I met her when I ascended...she told me to tell you this: 'My children, I'm so proud of you and what you've become. The heroes you are now. The harmony you've spread. Mother's proud, my little changelings...'”

(Interviewer's Notes (Ditzy): Are blue crying?)

A little...it is a happy memory...

...Forgiveness is not easy to give, but for our Mother, at least I give it. That is why I'm in the 'forgive them' camp. And as Queen, my Changelings value my opinion highly.

That said, at the time I was only really friends with Queen Libra (and then primarily due to having frequent interaction to her as part of the House of the Bride) and the members of their group who had not been brainwashed minions. With the others I was...

(Interviewer's Notes (Derpy): Not enemies?)

Yes, that's an adequate way to describe it. It was still incredibly, incredibly awkward.

“Uncle mentioned it to me and mom,” young Diamond Tiara said. Most of the foals, with the exception of the youngest Bearers who needed to be present for this briefing (though Aunt Celestia was with the foals for obvious reasons), were in another car playing while she was spending time with her friend Silver Spoon and our...guest (I was doing my best to ignore said guest for reasons that shall become apparent). I don't know her actual blood relation to the devil, if there is one, just that the poor child harbors emotional ties to that horrid beast she calls an uncle despite an apparent understanding of his wrongdoing. But the child was trusted with the Element of Empathy (what Queen Tiamat and Mother Deer called the purified version of the Element of Cruelty, though due to the recent obliteration of the thousand year old status quo followed by the return of Grogar, the bearers hadn't learned of that until recently) by Queen Libra, it was her choice that mattered in that case, sadly...Still, I tried not to push the issue. The child was guilty for her past actions, and whether her fault or the devil's, that kind of guilt on a child's face was wrong in ways that even one that grew up in that chaotic, horrific world finds...uncomfortable to say the least. If nothing else could be said about her, it was that she was an improvement over the butcher as holder of her Element.

As for Silver Spoon...there's little to say except the knowledge she died so young the first time is saddening, as it always is, and she is a suitable Bearer of Kindness from what I've seen.

“He didn't send us there, just gave us a two week vacation inside a video game within a radio drama within a play while things 'sorted themselves out'...I don't know why, it just made sense at the time...” her mother continued. Little more can be said that can't be about her daughter, but both Libra and Abigail's reactions to the issue of her past imply it involved...tragedy. I've chosen to leave the poor mare alone for that reason.

Brave little Scootaloo shrugged. “I joined Cadence a long time after that and only heard little bits and pieces.”

Scootaloo was quite the legend to the resistance for being able to match Traitor Dash head on and being one of our best fighters along side General Hercules in the early days of the Second Age of Chaos, before her tragic first death...That made it a little strange to see her as a foal. But nonetheless a joy to see her alive and well again...I admit, asked her for her autograph when I first saw her...

“My life was...complicated at that point,” Gilda replied, the Griffin largely remaining silent. According to Rainbow Dash, she simply wasn't used to being open around ponies she didn't completely know. “So I don't know what happened either.”

Gilda...I know extremely little about her. All I can say about her is that she isn't a murderous berserker like her predecessor and showed great bravery during the Second Grogar War.

“You know it as the crystal that granted my people our enlightenment,” Guru Fido explained, holding out the legendary gem that I do not believe has left the Diamond Dog's underground civilization since they discovered it. Queen Libra had apparently managed to return it to the form it had been a thousand years ago using the planet's memory that she now possessed access to. I am impressed...and somewhat frightened that she has such knowledge. I cannot imagine what Queen Cadence I and Libra's minds must be like to process eternity. I do not personally wish to know...

Guru Fido was a long time friend of the Changelings and the resistance as a whole, and very wise, even by the standards of his kind. I value his decisions and ideas greatly...but giving away his people's greatest treasure was a risky move. Still, if nothing else, it showed the depths of the Diamond Dog's generosity and kindness of heart.

“I cannot thank you enough for parting with your civilization's most sacred treasure, Guru Fido,” Libra replied, giving a frown. “You know I would not ask if it were not vital to the Crystal Ponies' well being.”

“Think nothing of it, Lady Desire,” the Diamond Dog elder said, giving a bow. “The 'Crystal Heart' is rightfully theirs, and it has already bequeathed its blessings upon us. Our pups born away from its power retain our uplifted status, so we no longer require it, the Crystal Ponies do. I will return it with my own paws, if that is quite alright.”

“...It's still kinda weird to see a Diamond Dog give something away,” Gilda stated with a confused expression I couldn't help giving a small chuckle at. “Uh...no offense, just, ya know...thousand years ago and all...” she stated after a glare from Rainbow Dash.

“None taken, Griffin Gilda.”

Hehe. I will admit, the reactions by those who have returned to life from the early years of the Second Age of Chaos to the intelligence of the Diamond Dogs is quite entertaining at times due to how drastically the Heart had altered them from how they apparently had once been.

“Uh, may I interject darlings?” asked Abigail. Yes, we know that she lied that she alone had killed Queen Cadence I and did so to protect her friends. Queen Libra had insisted we know the truth and judged them all accordingly. I was still uncertain if Abigail had lied again or not, but it seemed likely she was truthful given the evidence.

“Yes, Abigail?” asked Libra.

“Last time an ancient civilization returned from limbo, we had to fight that brute Grogar, should we be worried about that happening again?”

“Yeah,” Rainbow continued. “Do we need worry about another evil overlord trying to kill us all?”

“Yeah, we gonna have tah save the world again?” little Apple Pie asked. She is a sweet, but somewhat confusing little foal, that is more or less all I know of her. “Maybe somepony else will get a Ender form thingie...”

Applejack chuckled. “Now don't bank too much on that happening again, darling...”

I couldn't help noticing Mother Deer give a smile at that...

“No, we don't have to worry about that, Queen Cadence I already killed him,” I replied simply.

I can't help chuckling a little at their expressions. What? You think a Changeling Queen can't have a sense of humor?

“I was kidding! There was really an evil overlord?!”

Libra shifted. “I'm afraid in my rush to get us on the road I may have not had time to explain some details...”

“Oh! What was his name? What did he do?” asked Inquisition, who like Apple Pie I knew little about except she was close to Rainbow Dash. The young ones I don't know much of. Not for lack of desire to do so, but because we do not interact often due to my royal duties.

Poor little Silver Spoon looked quite shaken and had to be comforted by Diamond Tiara.

I nodded. “Aunt Luna, care to explain?”

Yes, I refer to the Night Princess as my aunt. All Changelings are Queen Cadence's children just as all Dragons are Queen Tiamat's and the Windy-Goes are Aunt Luna's. And Luna is Cadence's aunt.

(Interviewer's Notes (Derpy): Blow does blat mean the Windy-Goes are blur cousins?)

...Yes...I suppose that is correct. I hadn't thought of that.

She nodded. “Yes, King Sombr-”

“Excuse me,” said Aquamarine. The sea ponies are interesting creatures. They turned out to be considerably more beautiful than we believed...and incredibly innocent. Almost like children. However, Aquamarine was a unique example of her tribe. Not only was she the first Sea Pony to truly see the world outside of their gilded cage, she was currently the only one that truly knew the truth about their creator. I'm not entirely certain about the specifics, you'd need to ask her.

The story is too long to explain here and now, Mrs. Doo...But when offered the Element of Generosity...I was told by Queen Libra that if I took it, I would need to give up my innocence and hear an awful truth, for the duties that came with it and the trials we may face would expose me to many things about Cotton Candy King Discord I would wish I did not know...I took it knowing what I was giving up and accepted those truths so I could protect my fellow Sea Ponies from beings like Grogar...

Libra says that was the act that meant I was right to be Generosity...

“Yes?”

“Should I record this?” she asked, generally acting as the Sea Ponies' 'eyes' for the rest of the world, but I believe also wanting to keep the 'awful truths' from her kind.

“...Parts of it...As I twas saying, Sombra twas what appeared to be a Unicorn king with cruelty as limitless as space. In actuality, he was something far far worse...”

“Worse?” Abigail asked. “What could be worse than that?”

“Did he do something like Grogar or Sideways Harmonica Discord?” Inquisition asked.

“We think tis better our guest explain that part.”

We all looked at...ugh...our 'guest' on this journey.

What appeared to be an adventurer Earth Pony with a maze for her Cutie Mark, sitting next to Diamond Tiara. In actuality...the devil's elder sister.

Queen Libra had apparently somehow became her friend during her ascension and she visited the castle with some frequency (apparently Libra's imagination when it comes to fashion appealed to her), in the same fashion as Ponythulhu still did (though now they needed to 'call ahead and knock when they get here' as Libra put it, the portal being long sense closed). Libra insisted that she was harmless and that if she did do something, she or Luna would be capable of dealing with her, as Discord's powers were an exception and not a rule....but I still didn't trust the Draconequus as far as I could throw her.

It appeared nearly everycreature in the room bar the Alicorns felt the same way. Libra claimed there was good reason she was on this trip...

She had been spending most of her time with her 'niece' Diamond Tiara. The two seemed to get along...I had a spy constantly watching her like a hawk...

“Oh! King Sombra, right. You see, Dissy really, really hated the Crystal Empire. Which is a shame, I always thought it was a great place. 'The shining genuine paradise in the arctic.' It always felt like a real life fairy tale...which I've wanted to see happen for a long time.”

“Why did Discord hate them?” Inquisition questioned. “Did they not invite him to their princess' birthday? Mama said he got mad at somepony for doing that once.”

“Ugh...he really ripped off that movie? Then again it is a classic...No, he hated them because of that,” Pandora stated, pointing to the Crystal Heart, her hoof stretching across the room to do so. “It protects the Crystal Empire from anything evil when they power it up,” she explained, spontaneously dressed like a knight slicing a menacing shadow in half. I tensed up, but she was back in her original dress before I could react. “Dissy couldn't touch the place so long as it was running full blast, the Heart would've curbstomped him and it blocked all his attacks. He literally tried everything.”

Rainbow Dash's jaw dropped. “It could've done that?!”

“Wow...” said our resident foal population in an awe.

I nodded, having some knowledge from our historical knowledge of the Empire's return. “Yes, that was one of the reasons why the changelings traveled there; it was one of the only weapons in the world other than the Elements of Harmony that could defeat Discord. But you see, it only works that way with a proper channel, which the Diamond Dogs didn't possess even if anypony knew what they'd had.”

Pandora nodded. “Yeah, it's Elements level strong when they plug it into the heart of the Empire and combined all their light and love into it!” she said, making a 'boom' gesture with her hooves. Which being who she was, resulted in a random, small explosion resembling one of the Changeling Rangers' finishing moves. “Last baddie who got hit by it's power ended up in Dad. Though that was with magic wands and it was called something different at the time...”

“Magic wands?” I asked, but was ignored.

“Dad?...Oh...right, you're literally the daughter of Tartarus...” Rainbow Dash asked what was on my mind.

“Hey! Dad isn't a bad guy!” the Draconequus defended. “You act like being in charge of Tartarus makes Him a bad guy!”

“...It doesn't?”

“No! Does a warden being in charge of a prison make them a bad guy?”

“...No...”

“Well Dad's Warden of Tartarus, so there you go. He's even nice enough to let souls from Heaven try to save their loved ones from Him.”

“Really? How does that work?” our questioning filly...chick...fillychick asked with a curious grin. I can actually somewhat confirm that. Some Changelings from the early years of Discord's reign that returned stated Queen Rosedust did exactly that for them.

“Normally involving a lot of trials and...” Pandora looked strangely on the spot at the hopeful look on the foal's face. “...Normally they save the soul...sometimes...”

Libra cleared her throat. “Please continue, Pandora.”

“Oh! Right! Imagination, I get side tracked. A lot. Anyway, he got SO angry with it, he ended up calling one of our cousins-”

“Ponythulhu?”Inquisition asked once again.

“No! Ponythlhu's a nice guy! This was a different cousin...” At that point, she produced a picture from her ear of Ponythulhu at a picnic with her and an Alicorn I don't recognize...Strange, that's a lot tamer than I expected from a Draconequus. Though I also had the strange feeling that we were only seeing what our minds could comprehend.

“...Should we worry about him?” I asked, cautiously. I'll admit, Discord's cousins were...a confusing topic. Ponythulhu was on good terms with the devil, but was known to be a fairly nice and polite as far as cosmic horrors went. Yes, even to us rebels. He had never hurt anycreature to my knowledge...he also makes wonderful cookies...

“Nah, he just owed Dissy a favor. And before you ask, no, I had nothing to do with it. I have no control over what my cousins do.”

Queen Libra nodded, presumably knowing my distrust of the Draconequus.

“Okay...I think...Continue...”

Why are Draconequi so confusing?

“Anyway, Dissy got him to trick the Crystal Ponies into making a rune that took all their negative emotions they didn't want to feel and merged them together into King Sombra.”

She held out her hooves, causing a mass of shadows to converge between them, combining into a roaring shadow. I normally wouldn't jump, but given I was on edge with her present, I didn't relax until she dispelled it.

“Okay...I guess that is worse...” Rainbow Dash admitted.

Aunt Luna then thankfully stepped back in. “After he ruled the Crystal Empire for some time, my sister and I were alerted to King Sombra's reign of terror.”

“By who?”

“...A brave pony that sadly we could not save in time...”

“Why?”

“Inquisition, can you please stop asking questions dear right now?” asked Queen Libra carefully. “I know it's your nature, but we need to get through this before we arrive.”

“Sorry...” Poor creature looked quite disappointed...

“It's okay, dear, just there isn't time for the questions right now.”

Aunt Luna cleared her throat. “As I twas saying; at the time, we believed he twas merely a unicorn king and came to free his slaves from his tyranny. Twas a long battle that ultimately ended with the two of us destroying his physical form and imprisoning him in a glacier to the frozen north...but sadly, he had a failsafe. When we defeated him in the fashion we did, it sent the Crystal Empire a thousand years ahead in time.”

I noted Aunt Luna's sadness at remembering this event. I cannot imagine how it had to feel to have come to save a people and have them vanish without a trace. I was tempted to put a wing over my tiny aunt, but Luna was a bit proud.

“A thousand years later the Empire returned, and King Sombra along with it,” I explained. “Queen Cadence I destroyed King Sombra completely when he attempted to retake the throne...but sadly, in the struggle, the Crystal Heart was thrown from were Sombra hid it and we never found it, requiring her to trigger Sombra's fail safe once again to keep it safe from Discord. I assume somecreature else found it and that's how it found its way to where the Diamond Dogs discovered it.”

“Fate's winds rarely blow the clearest route,” Guru Fido replied in that sagely manner he tended to speak in. “The how does not matter, what is important is that the Crystal Ponies will return to a liberated world and the Diamond Dogs have bettered ourselves from our previous selves. That is the path we have chosen.”

I nodded. “Well spoken, Guru Fido.”

Mother Deer gave a relieved sigh, having largely remained silent and allowed us to discuss the details of past violence. Not that I blame her, her pacifistic nature was simply who she was. The changelings gave up our 'survival of the fittest' mentality long ago so I don't think less of her for it. “At least there won't be any fighting...”

“Yeah...but if the bad guy is already dead, what's the mission here?” asked Rainbow Dash, raising an eyebrow.

“We need to convince them to willingly shut down the rune that created Sombra in the first place,” Queen Libra explained. “As Pandora explained, it takes away their negative emotions, such as fear and hate so they don't have to experience them.”

“Why do we need to?” asked Abigail, giving a thoughtful look.

“Well, darling, it's enabling them to hide from their problems instead of facing them, which as you know I am not fond of.”

“Understood. I'm simply saying, dear, rushing ponies to face things isn't always the best idea. You need to get them ready for the truth.”

“...Thank you for not simply rolling over for me, Abigail, I appreciate you balancing me out.”

“That's what friends are for.”

The two smiled. I admit, a year ago I would have never imagined Rarigreed actually thanking somepony for contradicting her or Liarjack telling a truth. It is still so surreal. As was Abigail's ladylike appearance.

“But in this case, it is far more vital. The rune is designed to fuse those emotions into a monster like Sombra. While we're uncertain how this will work without direct intervention from Discord's cousin, it's entirely possible it may make another Sombra or resurrect him. And as the rune is composed of magic from a different section of the pantheon than any of the deities present, none of us can alter it.”

“Yeah,” Pandora remarked. “Our cousin's magic is kinda...okay, you know how there's Alicorn magic?”

“Yeah.”

“And how it and Discord's magic is kinda like comparing apples and oranges?”

“Like mah Cutie Mark?!” Apple Pie asked as cheerfully as ever, looking at her flank.

“Yeah, kinda like that...only with more explosions...Well trying to compare Draconequi magic, your magic, and our cousins' magic is like comparing apples, oranges, and pine cones.”

“...Hehe, that's kinda funny!”

“Yeah, kinda. Any way, I don't know much about it, and Ponythulhu is more into baking than magic. So yeah...”

“The point is, not only is it good for their psyche, it will ensure King Sombra will never return and another like him can never be created,” Libra explained.

“And why don't we just wreck it and explain later?” asked Rainbow Dash pragmatically.

“Because we'd be forcing something on them suddenly they are not prepared for,” Libra explained with a sigh, Abigail nodded. “And if they're willing, then they'll not make the same mistake again.”

“And why don't we just tell them 'hey, keep this up and Sombra will come back'?”

Abigail cleared her throat. “Well, Sombra is powered by fear and the poor dears are scared to death of him, if I'm hearing everycreature correctly.”

Pandora nodded. “That's about the long and short of it.”

“So I'm guessing if we tell the Crystal Ponies that the pony who made their lives a living Tartarus might not actually be dead, the poor dears might get so scared of him that it may speed things up instead of stopping them. It might be for the best to just let them think Sombra is dead and gone and move on with their lives if we can.”

“I second her,” I stated. I paused for a moment. It was still so incredibly odd to actually agree with one of Discord's Chaos Six. “Queen Cadence I did her best to shatter their fear of Sombra and liberate them from it.”

“Which, by the way, was why she was able to kill him for good,” Pandora pointed out...And it was unbelievably, incredibly odd beyond reason to have a Draconequus agree with me.

“So tellin' 'em that keepin' the rune up might bring Sombra back might make him come back?” Apple Pie asked.

“That's the long and short of it, kid.”

“Hehe...kinda funny how that works...”

Libra gave a sigh. “I concede the point, I don't like it, but I'm the Mortal World that mortals need, not the one I want.”

If nothing else can be said, she's an improvement over the psychopathic tyrant that only wanted the world he wanted. Still, I will admit I'm keeping the closest of eyes on her, despite considering her a friend.

(Interviewer's Notes (Ditzy): You're spying on sir?)

Yes, and she's fully aware of that fact. She requested I call her out the moment she steps over a line in the most public fashion possible.

“But still, they've spent several hundred years hiding from their emotions,” the Bride of All stated. “It's time they finally face them.”

“Besides, it's the only way for them to really be free of him!” added Pandora cheerfully, the draconequus giving a smile (accompanied by a squee sound effect from nowhere) that...I will be honest, I never thought I'd see on a being I knew was a draconequus. One of...genuine glee completely bereft of sadism. I am uncertain if that makes it more or less disturbing.

“Um...alright...” I muttered, uncertain of what she meant. “I thought we established that...”

The devil's sister sighed. “Alright alright, let me explain, even if actually saying it is kinda cliché by now, but eh, good moral is a good moral,” she said, suddenly in a teacher's outfit I believe I've heard described in novels (the Changelings have a hidden library of books we managed to recover when Old Avalon was destroyed). “You see, King Sombra made the Crystal Ponies depressed and afraid, right?”

“Right...” said Rainbow Dash, sharing my confusion.

“Well, if they're just sealing away all their sadness and anger, he wins because they're just ignoring what he did to them instead of facing and overcoming it, so in a way he's still enslaving them by making them afraid to face what happened and move on, even if we destroy the rune without their permission.”

“...That...kinda makes sense...”

“Also makes for a very satisfying happy ending,” Pandora pointed out, with a strange authority that...for all my distrust for her felt wrong to question. If it weren't for Changelings being immune to Draconequi magic thanks to Queen Cadence I, I'd have been paranoid.

“I thought Twilight was happy endings...”

“She is, but I'm Imagination,” she said, spreading her hooves and forming a rainbow between them as she spoke. “So our spheres of influence kinda intersect a little bit when it comes to Happy Endings,” she stated, producing a circle charge with her name and Twilight's names intersecting from nowhere. “And I know literally everything there is about storytelling...and hallucinations, but ponies tend not to like them very much...”

“Yeah...I wouldn't think so...” Rainbow Dash muttered with a roll of her eyes...At least me and her were on the same page. “Why are you even here?”

“Glad you asked!” the devil's sister said, trotting around as she spoke, apparently more focused on her speech than on where she was going. “Well, first off, I'm the cousin of the guy who made Sombra, so even if I don't know the magic, I know at least some of what's going on with it.”

“...Right...”

“Two, this is fun!”

“...Debatable.”

“I'm having fun, Aunt Pandora...”

“Thanks DT, so am I. Oh! And three, an alternate version of Fluttershy redeemed Discord by befriending him, so long story short I owe you a boon because your Fluttershy asked me to give it to you instead of her.”

“WHAT?!”

(Interviewer's Notes (Ditzy): Who bled that?)

Everycreature.

“Really?!”

Except a frighteningly happy Golden Tiara and Diamond Tiara.

“Yeah, long story. Involving the magic of friendship. It's actually quite beautiful to be honest,” she said, acting like she had just read a happy ending to a romance novel. “Multiverses are kinda weird like that. If you think that one's a hoot, you should see the universe were Cadence died fighting Dad and I took her place out of friendship and married a version of Twilight's brother who doesn't exist in this universe...his insertion certainly had some weird shockwaves...”

At that point I think my brain needed to reboot...

“Pandora...I believe you probably shouldn't have said that out loud darling...” Libra lamented in what I think was annoyance (like I said, my brain was rebooting at the time).

“Oh...yeah...probably...Oh well, cat's out of the bag.”

“Ahh! Not again!”

“Huh, that guard has bad luck with cats.”

“Yes, unfortunately,” I replied, helping one of my Hippogriff guards (not every member of New Avalon are Changelings, some are descended from the Equestrian Guard Queen Cadence I had with her when Discord's reign began or refugees), Mythology Gag, get the spontaneously generated cat off him off his back. He has the worst luck with cats: he hadn't even been in the car at the time...

“It runs in my family...” he sighed, before going to his sister for medical aid.

“Oh! And the really weird part is Mom actually was touched by the Fluttershy thing!”

Luna, Mother Deer, and Libra all gasped in shock.

I blinked. “...Am I missing something?” My other fellow nondeities minus Guru Fido seemed equally confused.

“Entropy, Discord's Mother...She is Nothing personified,” Queen Libra explained. “She...felt something? I'm sorry, darling, but to us, that's the equal of when you discovered Discord had a heart.”

“Ah...that explains a lot...”

“Anyway, she was the first creature in eternity to ever touch Mom's heart, which ranks up there with Celly making Her laugh on 'list of impossible things Mom has only done once in eternity'. So being a multiversal singularity, Mom more or less decided to give every Fluttershy in the multiverse that in some way shape or form helped reform a Discord Her blessing. Which includes yours.”

Queen Libra blinked. “How?”

I think we were all too confused to ask more questions by this point.

(Interviewer's Notes (Ditzy): Because dove the multiverse bing?)

No, Discord sent my mother to an alternate universe once, she actually preferred it to our world and only left out of duty to New Avalon. It was more the concept of Discord being reformed by kindness.

“She was little Odyne's mom, so no Fluttershy would mean no reformed Dissy!...” Pandora blinked, looking down at us. “...When did I get on the ceiling?”

I was tempted to point out that by 'being Odyne's mother', she meant 'being spiritually violated by the devil himself and having the monumental strength of heart to still love her' (Libra had explained it to me), but there were foals present.

(Interviewer's Notes (Derpy): Bank you...)

You're welcome.

However, dear, I believe there are better points of view you could choose for this part, as it didn't really involve me at this point, and I was kind of mentally short circuited at the time.

(Interviewer's Notes (Ditzy): Oh! Blight!)

“That's not the point, dear,” I said, trying to wrap my mind around it. I had looked into the Truth...or was pushed into it by the ghost of my sweet sister, as the case may be, so I knew better than most about the multiverse. Though given some of Discord's games and Nightmare Eclipse, most of Equestria was aware of alternate universes, since we were still trying to find all the portals to them he left in Eden (though old Eclipse never let him use any himself). And she was a Draconequus, their logic was a bit different than ours if Rancor was any indication. “What about this boon?”

“Oh! Sorry!” Pandora replied.

Pandora...I wasn't sure how to feel about her, to be honest. After all, she was Discord's sister. But so was Rancor, and at the very least she did help us defeat Eclipse...I think. It was kinda hard to tell if that was intentional or not. Draconequi as a whole are difficult to understand

So I was more in the middle about her than anything else.

“Yeah, you kinda lost me at 'reformed Dissy'...” Rainbow Dash remarked dryly. Not that I blame her, Discord's games had nearly drove the poor dear to kill herself and understandably made it hard for her to trust him or Pandora on anything.

“Hey! My brother's been doing a good job since getting banished back to the spirit world!” Pandora replied.

“Like what?”

“Like our new champions we got a few months ago...”

Meanwhile, in another universe

“Coupling Bazooka!” announced a red suited pegasus with a one inside a black and white circle on his chest and forehead, a railtrack around his helmet as he and his team constructed a large cannon from their weapons. His compatriots dressed similarly, 2 being a blue suited Diamond Dog, 3 being a yellow suited Griffin, four being a green suited Minotaur, and 5 being a pink suited unicorn.

“The train is now departing!” announced the device as the pegasus inserted a silver bullet train like projectile into it.

“Crying Foal Statue Rainbow Rush!” he announced as they pulled the trigger, sending the imagination powered projectile flying on rainbow tracks at the monster that had been making children cry to feed on their despair, exploding on impact...leaving him holding a statue of a crying foal in his hooves that multiplied until he struggled to hold up a mountain of them.

“This makes no sense...” he muttered, before screaming as the statues fell on him and crushed him, triggering a huge explosion for some reason.

Discord laughed in the spirit realm nearby. “Ponies are being saved from harm, nonsense is being weaponized, and the only one being hurt is the evil monster who terrorized children to try to engulf the world in darkness in a hilariously karmic fashion. Oh I should've been doing this all along!”

He looked over at Mortis standing nearby, looking annoyed. “What's wrong?”

The monster suddenly revived as a giant monster, moments before Mortis could actually take his soul.

Death gave a sigh. “That always happens in this universe, I hate it when the Shadows Who Rule ignore my rule...”

“Oh well, at least we get to see them use their robot composed of trains that can inexplicably stretch its limbs!”

“I'm glad you're enjoying yourself...”

“Don't worry, as per usual the giant monster fight always takes place in the abandoned warehouse district so nopony gets hurt! It's written into the very laws of this universe!”

“I am happy for that...I take it the team being composed of multiple races was your idea?”

“Yeah, multi-form balance and Concept of Diversity and all that. Makes the position switching gimmick a tad more useful too.”

(Interviewer's Notes (Derpy): I have blow idea were Rarity blot that recording...)

“I also had a team of Champions who's powers ran on delusions and hallucinations,” Pandora explained. “But they're unofficial.”

Rarity blinked. “Why darling?”

“Oh, they're officially my champions, just they're literally unofficial, it's in their title.”

“Can we get back on topic here before all this multiversal stuff makes my head hurt?!” asked Rainbow. “Or Inquisition explodes from holding in all the questions she's not allowed to ask?”

“I agree...”I added, mine already hurting. I looked at the little Hippogriff who was presently covering her beak, apparently trying to contain herself. Can't blame her for being curious I suppose... “So what's this blessing business?”

“Well, you see, I tried to give Fluttershy a boon for earning Mom's blessing, cause that doesn't happen...ever, so me and my sibs were a bit impressed, but she said 'Oh...um...sorry...but...I didn't do much...I don't deserve it...' and when I pushed, she said 'O-Ok...if it has to go to anypony, please give it to my friends...'”

She had a Fluttershy puppet say what Fluttershy said by the way...it was kinda weird...

“...That's Fluttershy alright,” Me, Rainbow, and Rarity all said at the same time. Even in Pony Heaven or wherever she is, the sweet filly never stops being kind...

“Anyway, Fate said if I came on this thing 'some paths lead to a chance to give one of them her boon,'” Pandora explained, using another puppet of an Alicorn none of us recognized but Rarity. “I'd give you yours now but this subplot is taking up way too much screen time right now as is, and this way I can keep the Shadows in suspense about who's boon it actually is, so it can wait till the train ride back...Also, I want to see the Crystal Ponies finally earn their happy ending after all this time.”

Before another word could be said, there was knock on a little door in the ceiling. It opened and a little orange eye poked out and squeaked a lot, meaning 'we're almost there.'

“Alright, Pancake, thanks for telling us,” Rarity replied, giving a nod before the eye withdrew. Pancakes' such a darling little living subway monster thing. So polite. “Somepony should tell the Cutie Mark Crusaders to get ready to disembark.”

If no pony else mentioned it in their interviews, little Scootaloo restarted the Crusaders as a 'mentor'. Cherry Pie is one of them, along with a little Changeling nymph named Ladybird and a sea pony named Waterflower...

An attendant ran out of the other car and collapsed on the ground. A changeling web shot out and pulled the poor dear back into the other car screaming. “CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS CHIROPRACTORS! YAY!”

They're every bit as rowdy as the original trio...

Pandora blinked. “Huh...Rota, you have quite the sense of humor....”

Diamond face hoofed. “Mom! Why did you tell them what chiropractors were?!”

I was still getting used to Mrs. Rich's new personality. She wasn't quite back to her old self or 'Screwball'. She was somewhere in between...I guess that's how all of us are, huh?

“Ah thought Minty Pie was watching 'em...” Bomb Pie pointed out (he's kinda like Big Mac was, doesn't talk much).

“I'm glued to a wall!”

Like I said, rowdy little foals. Diamond and Scoots went in to handle it.

“Um...Can I ask questions now?”

“Yes Inquisition,” Rarity said, and the girl took a BIG breath. Oh dear...

“Thank you, Pancake,” Diamond told our mode of transport as we disembarked.

Pancake, the Giant Living Subway Worm we'd been riding on, gave a content screech and dove back underground. Apparently the geology wasn't correct for him to go much further.

The devil had created his species from Manehattens' train system at her request, so I suppose him liking her made sense. Though ponies had managed to domesticate a great many of Discord's creations both during his reign and after his fall. While some of his more evil creations were undone by Queen Libra's repairs, most survived as normal animals or had become useful in every day life or were kept as pets.

(Interviewer's Notes (Derpy): Yeah! By have a bet muffin cow!)

“Spike, darling, I hope the flight wasn't too hard on you,” Libra told her husband, who naturally hadn't been riding in the cabin with us but instead flew above us. Queen Libra merged with an Avatar of herself that had been riding with him and I believe briefing him as well.

“I'm fine, Rarity. A little cold, but my inner fire handled most of it,” he replied, giving her a nuzzle. I was amazed not by what species they were (interspecies romance was not uncommon in the least) and that apparently Libra was with child (I'm a Changeling, you think I can't sense such things?), but how surprisingly strong the love between them was (once more, Changeling). Having become friends with her or not, seeing the former Element of Greed actually in a loving relationship was still odd.

“Speaking of which, can you please carry Aquamarine and Waterflower, until we return the Crystal Heart only the Empire's boundaries will be warm. I can clear some of the snow, but I can't do much about the cold in this specific area or I might disrupt the ecosystem, and it'd be irresponsible for me to do so just to make our lives easier.”

We were currently standing in the middle of the arctic, though Libra being herself had provided admittedly fashionable winter clothes. I believe her concern stemmed from the Sea Ponies primary means of movement being their water magic, which obviously didn't mix well with the frozen north. Poor things would likely be ice sculptures in seconds if they tried.

“Will we meet Santa Hooves?”

“Nah, not this time, he's way up at the North Pole. Nice guy, inspires a lot of creativity. I think there's like eighty imaginary versions of him in my realm...born a day...”

I turned as King Spike picked up our shivering sea ponies to find young Inquisition still questioning Pandora, as she had been constantly since given permission. Pandora strangely seemed to enjoy every minute of it. If I hadn't known she was the devil's sister, I might have thought it was cute...

Libra looked forwards and seemed to concentrate...

And then a long path between us and our destination thawed, leaving the exposed ground for us to walk on. Once more, I admit, I am very glad she's more responsible with her power than Discord ever was.

“Let us head out, everycreature and everydeity, we have a sizable walk ahead of us.”

To be continued...

Return of the Empire Part 2

As we continued to the Crystal Empire, young Inquisition had turned her attention to the Changeling Rangers (the House of the Bride and the Bearers were the primary ones at the briefing. Due to the nature of the situation it was being kept on need to know. They were aware of certain aspects but not all).

“So you're super heroes?”

“Yeah, I suppose...” replied Fire Ant, the Red Ranger.

“Cool!”

“Uh...you're a superhero too, filly...chick...fillychick.”

“Yeah...does that mean we can't both be cool?”

“Hehe...No...I guess not...”

(Interviewer's Notes (Derpy): Where bid the Changeling Rangers some from?)

Their original abilities were based on Changeling bio-achemy infusing them with the abilities of various insects. In a bit of irony, Discord's chaotic alterations to the world enabled for a great many things we weren't capable of before, some of our alchemists were, and still are, quite adaptable. They were sadly killed by Discord's secondary set of minions, but resurrected by Queen Libra, getting their new powers from the season spirits, who also returned an ancient artifact to us that once belonged to Queen Rosedust called the Sun Stone.

As for the multicolored suits, from what Master Alchemist Katydid stated they're a 'self-assembling nanofiber formed with an inter-cellar shape memory alloy.' She gets very angry if you call them spandex...She's also a Pony Rangers fan.

(Interviewer's Notes (Ditzy): She's bill alive?)

She was sadly killed during an assault on Old Avalon shortly after the Rangers died, so she was resurrected by Queen Libra. She's a bit of an introvert due being a 'lab assistant' to the infamous Professor Kabuto (though primarily from how she was viewed after his mind snapped due to Discord). From what she said, had Cadence not become our Queen when she did, she'd have turned out as a far worse Changeling.

“Oh look!” shouted little Ladybird. She and Cherry Pie being the curious children they were had been the first to see our destination. Waterflower almost launched herself out of Spike's claws to try and reach her friends, but thankfully Spike was careful not to let her fall.

The sight took my breath truthfully. Not because of the appearance, though I couldn't deny the architecture had a certain beauty to it. The crystals...they felt so full of love. I'd never felt such a thing in my life.

Also, the size was amazing in and of itself, at least for someone who grew up in a world were big cities were big targets. It was gigantic. The idea the Crystal Heart could protect an area of this size from Discord was astounding. Yes, legend had it that Queen Cadence had been capable of projecting a field around all of Avalon, but only for brief times and the strain on her was enormous. This place had been defended for centuries according to the legends.

“Whao! That's awesome!” Scootaloo announced, flying forwards to get a closer look at the towering land of crystal ahead of us. Pandora had produced a camera from nowhere and took several pictures as if she were a simple tourist instead of the sister of an unholy demon. To her credit, she had assumed the form of one.

Rainbow shrugged. “Eh, it's pretty cool...ugh...am I the only one who feels like Discord cheated us out of this being more amazing?”

“Ah think it's still amazin'!” young Apple Pie chimed in. “Ah ain't never seen these crystals before! And Ah thought there weren't a rock mah family didn't know! Think they'll let meh take some back?!”

That was truly impressive, honestly. The Apple Pie clan were renown rock farmers with a massive amount of knowledge to draw from. If they were unaware of a type of rock, it was truly a rarity.

(Interviewer's Notes (Derpy): Blow! Kinda like how the Apples blur with apples back a thousand years ago!)

I shall take your word for it. The apples they'd grown now were proving quite delicious, so I don't doubt it.

We approached the boundaries of the Empire, entering through a large purple crystal gate, three jewels floating between the prongs.

It was odd. While I felt nothing but positive feelings emitting from the entire place, I couldn't fight the feeling there was an underlining dark presence looming over this place. I know that sounds self contradictory, but it FELT like two things that simply shouldn't occupy the same place.

(Interviewer's Notes (Queen Libra): Pandora was kind enough to recover some information for us we were unable to obtain in the events proper after returning to the Draconequi dimension so we could have the complete story. As disturbing as that story is.)

Deep below the Crystal Empire, an ancient chamber sat. The chamber itself was a massive geode of crystals as black as night. If there was any living thing in this dark chamber, they'd feel an unearthly, unsettling feeling emitting from the dark crystals.

In the center of the chamber, directly below the middle of the rune that spanned the Crystal Empire, below the very spot where the Crystal Heart had once sat, an ancient horror gestated. The mass of shadows and fears pulsed like a racing heartbeat, bathing in the suppressed terrors, nightmares, and anxieties of an entire empire. Everything the Crystal Ponies buried given a life and shape.

For now the mass was quite small, so small the various deities on the surface had yet to sense it.

As the mass slowly grew, a pair of eyes suddenly snapped open. Red pupils surrounded by a sickly green glow stared out. His senses going out through the crystals composing his Empire. Strands of purple smoke trailed from the eyes as they contorted in rage, falling upon the crystal object held in the clutches of the literal Diamond Dog.

“Crystal...Heart...Mine!” it growled in an animalistic tone bereft of any civilization, an echo reverberating behind it. As if an entire city was speaking at the same time.

It's eyes slowly landed on a familiar Alicorn shape. A rage its primitive, still forming, chaotic mind didn't fully understand nor care why it couldn't.

“Crystal...Princess...Kill!”

The shadows imploded together, trying to assume a concrete form. They got as far as a unicorn stallion's basic shape before the form fell apart. Pony faces rippled across its form, it seemingly struggling to hold itself together at ALL.

“Too...Weak...Need...More...More...Fear...”

We entered the city state proper. The foals were naturally zipping around in excitement as foals tended to do, looking at anything and everything. I believe Waterflower was enjoying the warmth that surrounded the city proper, particularly that she was capable of moving freely thanks to her hydrokinesis.

Golden Tiara, her daughter, and Silver Spoon seemed to be enjoying themselves and the sites. I believe this is as close to a normal family vacation they've had in a very long time. Regardless of my feelings towards Golden and Diamond's...uncle, I couldn't help but feel happy for them.

“Why is everything all shiny?” our curious little hippogriff questioned.

“I believe it is because this place was made by the Crystal Heart's power, which naturally seems to gravitate towards crystalline forms, Sea Pony Waterflower,” Guru Fido explained.

Between her and young Inquisition, I believe Aquamarine, Guru Fido and...our guest had a lot of explaining to do.

And then we saw the various Crystal Ponies. They were interesting creatures, that was for certain. They largely resemble Earth Ponies in appearance, but their bodies appeared similar to many of the revived ponies who had chosen to be composed of living crystal.

Our crystal pegasus foal and griffin looked to Libra rather flatly.

Libra looked sheepish. “...Okay, admittedly this was my inspiration, but I mean look at it!” she stated, pointing over the crystal city. “It's fabulous! How could I not take a little inspiration from this place?! There's just so much here!”

The devil's sister gave a chuckle. “She has a good point!”

“And that explains a number of the dresses you made me,” Abigail explained.

And where some of the 'good will gift' dresses she made me came from.

Several of the Crystal Ponies finally noticed us (that it took so long did admittedly disturb me), suddenly gasping and bowing at my hooves.

“Oh! You've returned to us, O Great and Honorable Queen Cadence the Brave and Glorious!” one of them said, a cyan mare with a light purple mane and tail and some kind of orange leaf or fern for her Cutie Mark, making me take a step back.

“Wow...congrats on having an awesome title,” Spike told me with a smile. Apparently lofty titles were considered a major sign of honor in Dragon culture. Spike's title was “King Spike, the Queller of Chaos and Husband of All.”

I looked nervously at the ponies bowing before me. You see I was admittedly quite conflicted about this.

(Interviewer's Notes (Ditzy): Why?)

Because if I told them I wasn't the original Queen Cadence, then it might not go over well. But if I claimed to be her, I lacked memories I logically should have if I was her.

I gave a sigh. “Um...I'm sorry, but...I'm not that Queen Cadence. I'm her descendant Queen Cadence the XV. But she told us much.”

To my surprise...they weren't saddened as I expected to them to be. For a moment they seemed it but then...it vanished. Like it was there and then just washed away....it sent a shudder down my spine. And given some of Discord's games, that should say a lot.

“Oh...Well it is still wonderful to see a vision of her face again,” the pony said, not seeming very upset at all. If anything she simply seemed curious about us.

“I see...what's your name?”

“Autumn Gem, your majesty.”

There were many introductions, so I will only stick to the ones that stood out.

The pony looked saddened for a moment as she was introduced to little Scootaloo...before it almost disturbingly vanished. “I didn't know any Crystal Pegasi were left.”

“Uh...I'm a new one...long story...”

I sincerely wish the knowledge that two types of Crystal Ponies had been wiped out horrified me more than it did. Oh, I was disturbed, but...all the death I'd seen in my life had left me far more less...frightened by the concept of death.

(Interviewer's Notes (Ditzy): That's horrible...)

During Discord's reign, it was a necessary evil...I'd be lying to say I don't prefer a world where my subjects' deaths aren't a constant possibility to one where it was.

What disturbed me more was that Autumn Gem and her fellow ponies once more looked grief-stricken for a moment before they returned to their curious demeanor.

“I don't...I don't remember there ever being a Crystal Griffin...”

“Yeah...I'm pretty sure there weren't...”

“What are you?”

“I am a Diamond Dog, Crystal Pony Autumn Gem.”

“So you're like us Crystal Ponies?”

“Yes...we are very similar indeed.”

“So you're a dragon?”

“Yeah...you're not afraid of me?”

“No...”

For just a moment the gathered group looked like they WERE afraid of him before it vanished and they went back to being the curious ponies they'd been before...

“...That's...interesting...”

“Why are you made of crystal?” little Inquisition asked.

“The Crystal Heart made us that way...I hope it can be found...”

The Empire's shadow growled as the shade of a dragon swallowing a pony merged into the collective. “No...Not...Yet...”

It gave a snarl, eyes glowing brighter. A small shadow slipped out of its body, the beast roaring like a part of its very being was being ripped out. The shade snaked its way through the rune, merging into Scootaloo, barely enough to plant a seed of worry. But that was enough.

“Fear...of...unknown...”

I was about to inform the Crystal Ponies that that was true when Scootaloo flew up. “Uh...can I talk to you guys real quick?”

“I suppose, Scootaloo dear...” Libra replied.

We trotted off away from the Crystal Ponies to a more secure area. “What is it, Scootaloo?” I asked, not certain what the cause for the distraction was.

“Okay, look, ya know how on the way over here we talked for like an hour about how this place is under some kind of mysterious magic and all?” asked the mare in the body of a filly. “Magic that even Discord's sister doesn't understand?!”

“Yeah, I don't understand it very well,” said Pandora cheerfully...and annoyingly.

“And how this Unicorn King banished a city for a thousand years with a failsafe in case the Princesses defeated him the wrong way?”

“Tis true,” Auntie Luna replied.

“We did?” Auntie Celestia asked in her cute way.

“Yes, sister, twas a long time ago...”

“Well then is it REALLY a good idea to insert the Heart, something that he stole and hid so it couldn't be used to stop him, into the place were it could be used against him?!” Scootaloo pointed out. “What if when we plug it in it turns on some 'make everypony so fearful it revives him instantly' spell? Or sends the Crystal Empire another thousand years into the future? Or blows the place up? Or summons a giant monster? Grogar did that with the bell that could defeat him.”

“Scoots, settle down,” Rainbow Dash said, patting her on the back. “It ain't like you to get this worked up.”

“S-Sorry, I just got worried all of a sudden...” Scootaloo admitted, shaking her head.

“She has a valid point though,” I pointed out, seeing the logic in it. “King Sombra hid it so thoroughly Cadence and an army of guards, both Equestrian and Changeling, couldn't find it. It seems kind of odd he wouldn't be prepare some sort of failsafe for if we just plugged it directly into the Empire's core. We may want to investigate the mechanism for dark magic curses.”

“But dear,” Libra replied. “If they don't know the Crystal Heart has returned, then they will likely experience negative emotions that the rune is designed to craft something like Sombra from as well.”

Abigail rubbed her chin. “Let me handle it, darling. I know how to work a crowd.”

“...I suppose...”

“It's a necessary evil, dear.”

“I know...”

There was a time I imagine Changelings would be upset for another to claim the title 'Queen of Lies' (that was Queen Chrysalis' favorite moniker if our history is correct), but for the last thousand years, Abigail had done a fair job earning the title.

“Go get 'em my Champion,” said Pandora, suddenly with a 'Applejack is #1' foam finger.

“Champion?”

“You're a fully awakened Element of Fantasy, I'm the Concept of Fantasy.”

“Oh...okay then...”

While we'd been made aware of that alternate name of the Element of Deceit's 'true name' as Mother Deer put it for a short time, I'd noticed that Abigail had taken to it being called the Element of Fantasy more readily than the others (Rainbow Dash and Libra had already called theirs by that name)...though given the awakening that she'd had during the Second Grogar War, that made sense.

Abigail recruited Guru Fido to help her and headed back to the crowd.

“Crystal Ponies? May I speak with you all darlings?” she asked out loud, getting the (rather large) group that had gathered to turn back to her. “We have great news for all of you, we have found the Crystal heart and brought it back!”

Guru Fido held up the ancient relic. The Crystal Ponies gasped, gathering about it like they were moths to a flame. No...like a body gravitating to its soul after it'd been removed. It was like the Crystal Heart was a part of them or they were a part of it. While their constant happiness and cheer up until that point had been unnerving, the pure, unrestrained glee in their faces in that moment brought a smile to my face.

They cheered, they thanked us with tears in their eyes. They leapt for joy.

“Now please wait a moment,” said Abigail. “As you know the Crystal Heart has been away from its proper place for a long time. Before we return it to its proper place, we feel it's a good idea to examine the mechanism it connects to make sure it is up to snuff. It did spend quite some time under...certain circumstances...Don't worry though, we'll make sure everything is up to snuff and then we can plug your Crystal Heart back in and everything will be ready to go.”

The Crystal Ponies were naturally convinced. Abigail's delivery had been so flawless I nearly fell for it and I'm a Changeling. Then again, she is a completely and fully awakened Element of Fantasy. Why would one expect anything else?

While somewhat disappointed, the Crystal Ponies seemed just overjoyed to have their relic back.

Guru Fido took to explaining the origins of his kind to them, I believe he saw them as kindred spirits due to both being 'the children of the Crystal Heart,' but the rest of us had much to discuss.

“Okay, I think we need to do some research,” said Libra.

“Why? You have the entire memory of the planet in your head!” Rainbow Dash complained.

“It's complicated. My memory is...not quite like a ponies' memory in that regard,” Libra replied, sounding like she was trying to explain sight to a blind pony. I wasn't insulted, I do not want to know what it's like to be able to process eternity.

“I think I can explain it, since she has everything that ever was and I have everything that ever wasn't,” our guest explained. “Okay, ya know how I'm Fantasy and Imagination?”

“Yeah...”

“I have every work of fiction, no matter what the format, genre, and so on and so forth to ever exist in my head. At once. And every time a new one comes into existence, poof! It's in my head! Okay, I kinda am them, but it being in my head is easier to explain!”

“Okay...”

“Including slash fan fiction!”

“...I don't envy you there...”

“It's not that bad when you're Concept of Imagination. You should see all the clop art...some of which includes you...especially during that time Fluttershy was a model...”

Judging by her expression, I believe Rainbow Dash wishes she could forget the mental image that brought to her mind...so do I...though mine mostly because I remembered Fluttercruel the butcher more than her 'mother...'

“Now, outside of reality, we've got plenty of time to sift through our memories, recall them, and find what we're looking for, because time is kinda upside down and sideways. But mortal reality isn't built for that, so we kinda have to sift through stuff 'slower'. So looking stuff up isn't that easy here. Yah know, trying to fit infinity into a finite space and all that.”

“That's...probably as close as we can put it into for mortals, and a gross oversimplification,” explained Libra. “But the point is, while I do have memories of everything to ever exist, it would probably be more practical in this case to look into things the old fashioned way.”

Rainbow Dash sighed. “Alright, what should we look into? I need to get my brain off that clop art comment...”

“I think we need a pony's eye view of what happened at the tail end of Sombra's reign and perhaps some information on how the rune was constructed in the first place. That may give us some idea as to whether or not we should simply insert the Crystal Heart back into the core.”

“Speaking of things we should look into,” said Spike, kneeling over us. “Does anycreature else find it a bit weird these ponies don't even seem to care about the giant dragon in their city? Or that Cadence isn't the Cadence that saved their flanks? Or...well, about anything negative?...At all? I'm not complaining about them not running and screaming in fear of me, but it's kinda creepy...and well, as far as our lives go...and that's pretty creepy!”

“Yes, I noticed that too...” I replied. “But...the Crystal Ponies were clearly depressed when they first met Queen Cadence according to our history...they should be capable of those emotions, just...dulled...Something isn't right here.”

“Alright, well let's get off our flanks and do something,” Rainbow Dash said. “Inquisition!”

“Yeah Rainbow?!” called our little Hippogriff gleefully, rushing to her mentor.

“Do your thing.”

Inquisition gave a huge grin and flew off, presumably to do what her name implied to the entire empire...

“Are you sure that is a good idea, darling?” Libra asked.

“Yeah, we're in a place that is more full of love than Avalon, she'll be fine.”

“I was more concerned about the Crystal Ponies...”

“Oh...Scoots...”

“I'll go with her Dash.”

“I believe we deities should check out the mechanisms for booby traps and other evil spells,” said Libra, looking to the rest of us. There were no objections.

“I think I'm gonna go check if Sombra left any 'in case I'm dead' brainwashing spells on these guys,” said Rainbow Dash, looking over everything suspiciously. I do not blame her. “After everything we've gone through, I wouldn't put it past an evil overlord to do something like that.”

“Good idea, dear.”

“And I shall check to see if there's any important self deceptions going on,” added Abigail.

“Also good.”

“I'll go check the library for information,” our Sea Pony storyteller replied.

“I think I'll go with her.”

To our surprise, it was Gilda who wished to accompany her.

“Not that I'm opposed, Miss Gilda, but why?”

Gilda looked around as if she were put on the spot. Probably because she was. This was certainly a curious development.

“Well...I...uh...” the crystal griffin stuttered. “...I just want to keep an eye on her. We're friends, and that's what friends do right?”

Rainbow Dash took her aside and they spoke privately before she came back, our Element of Free Will nodding.

I wonder what they said...

What did I tell Gilda?

“...You want to check out the adventure section, right?”

“Uh...N-No, why would I do that, Dash?”

“Because I know ya. You like Daring Do almost as much as yours truly...and I kinda want to do it too.”

Gilda sighed, but I'd caught her. “...Yeah...I just...you know, don't want everycreature knowin' I'm into that stuff...”

“Scared?”

“What?! I'm not scared of nothing.”

I chuckled. I know a bit about how the Elements of Chaos work. AJ calls me 'sensei' when it comes to them...alright, she doesn't, but I still taught her a few tricks. Element of Courage is what Mother Deer calls Gilda's, and if she wants to keep growing, she needs to stop being so scared of what everycreature thinks of her. “I gotcha. My lips are sealed...but you owe me.”

“You owed me for saving your flank during the Grogar War, Dash. Remember?”

“Oh yeah...Dang it!”

“What do we do?!” the Crusaders asked, zooming over.

“Um...have fun and try not to destroy anything...be Cutie Mark Crusaders Crystal Empire explorers, alright darlings?” Libra asked.

“CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS CRYSTAL EMPIRE EXPLORERS! YAY!”

“...I may come to regret that decision...Apple Pie, Bomb Pie, Magica...”

“We'll go with 'em Rarity,” Bomb Pie said, following with the other three.

“Please don't allow Ladybird to lick any of the crystals!” I called. “She might get drunk on the love!”

“Everycreature else can just enjoy the sights. Let's head out.”

“...This is weird...” said Lady Gilda, looking at the beautiful crystal griffins mounted in front of the massive library the city possessed.

“You are not flattered, Lady Gilda?” I asked her in return.

“Huh? Why?”

“According to the history I've received from Princess Luna, the Crystal Empire vanished shortly before the Griffin Wars ended. These statues must have quite a history to have been in place of that time.”

Huh? I believed that fact would make her happier...

“Uh...yeah...I guess that makes sense...sort of...can we just go in already?”

“Certainly.”

“Ugh...come on, is there one adventure book in this stinkin' place?!” I asked myself, a little louder than I wanted to.

(Interviewer's Notes (Derpy): Eye didn't you ask the librarian?)

I...well...didn't want anypony to know I was looking for books to read...I'm only telling you now because...wait! How did you know there was a librarian?!

(Interviewer's Notes (Ditzy): Why wouldn't there see?)

…I...guess that makes sense.

I finally found a section labeled 'Book From Before The Uplifting', whatever that means and it had some good stuff. Though it was weird, for some reason most of 'em had humans in them...

How stinkin' old is that myth anyway?

(Interviewer's Notes (Derpy): Blanks for not cussing...)

Eh, Inquisition's ma didn't like her fillychick hearing my pottybeak, so I'm trying to bucking stop.

Other than the self deception they had to hide their fears away, the Crystal Ponies didn't seem to have many self deceptions left over from King Sombra's reign. I think Queen Cadence did a good job of breaking those before she put him down (they had a lot of stories about her). But...

I can sense lies, illusions, and any form of deceit. I've gotten even better at it since I had my little awakening during the second war with that brute Grogar. I do declare I can't be fooled anymore.

But...this place. It wasn't fake, not in the least, but...you know how when an egg goes bad somewhere on the farm you can smell it a mile away even if you don't know where it is? It was like that. And it sent a chill down my spine.

Autumn Gem gave a scream as a dragon roared in her face. Her heart raced on panic...but when she blinked, the shadowy dragon before her was gone...and with it her fear of it. She shrugged and went on her way.

“What's your name?!”

“Aurora.”

“Nice to meet you! I'm Inquisition! Why are Crystal Ponies so sparkly?”

“We believe it's the Crystal Heart making our inner beauty shine through.”

“Cool! Does light shine through you?”

“Um...Yes, it does.”

“Awesome! Why do-”

“Inquisition!”

“Oh, sorry Scootaloo! How does the big thingie the Crystal Heart is plugged into work?”

“Free Will,” I whispered, tapping a Crystal Pony on the shoulder with my 'restore free will' power thing (I really need to come up with a good name for that). Hmm...

“Huh?” they asked, but I'd dashed away before they could turn around. The weird part was they just shrugged and went about their day. Alright, no pony isn't just a little freaked out by being tapped on the shoulder and no one being there when you turn around! Or at least be a little bit on edge. Especially since I snuck up on her. But there isn't any kinda of mind control on them...I know they chose to do this to themselves, but it's still just...surreal to see them acting like this and me not being able to snap them out of it...

“Hmm...” Libra said, looking over the grand machine the Crystal Ponies had made their Empire into. “I don't sense any dark magic besides the rune itself. But I don't understand this magic too well...”

“That's the problem, I don't believe any of us I do,” I replied with a sigh.

Our guest nodded, looking over things with a strange rectangular black device that made phone noises. “I'm going to email some quantum echos to Ponythulhu since this is his family's brand of magic. He'll still know more than us,” she then seemed to take a picture of the rest of us. “And update my status. 'In the Empire with Libs and our friends...' Hehe! Rancor is so jealous! She wants to know if you'll be singing, Libra.”

“Um...nothing planned, no.”

“'Nothing planned'. Oh! And Venus says hi, enjoy the Empire and all its love.”

“...I'm not going to try and understand half of that...” I muttered.

Apple Computer was making...well, 'computers' that were amazing devices, but some of what she said just flew over my head.

“And our cousin posted an 'evil laughter' emoticon...”

“...That's unnerving...”

“Yeah, I didn't even know there was an evil laughter emoticon.”

Libra cleared her throat. “Be that as it may, this is probably the best we can do at present.”

“Yeah, might be awhile for Ponythulhu to get back, he was baking blackbird pie last I checked. Oh! And he says thanks again for the infinite blackbirds!”

Libra gave a small chuckle. “Tell him it was a pleasure.”

Waterflower used her water to redirect some light at a crystal pony, which surprisingly enough caused a prism effect. Interesting. I wonder if the crystal eyes I have would do the same thing...but I couldn't help wondering...

“What was the point of this exactly?” I asked, trying not to offend Apple Pie's cousin and her friends. Tact isn't my biggest strong suit but a leader needed it.

All three blinked. “...That's a good question Magica...” replied Waterflower.

Ladybird raised an eyebrow. “Wait...I thought you knew!”

“I thought Cherry Pie knew!”

I face hoofed, though Apple Pie seemed to get a kick out of it.

“Alright darlings, how did it go?” Libra asked us all after our little meeting.

“We didn't get our Cutie Marks...” little Cherry Pie admitted sadly. I admit, it was cute to see them looking at their flanks, even if they were disappointed.

“Okay...Inquisition? Find anything interesting, dear?”

“Miss Aurora likes to play with crystal that alter light and loves it when there's auroras in the sky! But she's afraid of spiders!”

Aurora leapt in fear an image of giant spider that manifested in front of her for a split second.

“Oh and their bodies are all sparkly because-”

“Um...darling, it's great you learned something about these ponies, really it is, but I meant about their grand machine.”

“Oh! They said it's designed to channel all their light and love into the Crystal Heart and then it goes BOOM and it goes out all over the place! It sounds really really cool!”

“That must be how it'd have taken out Discord if he ever got near it,” Rainbow replied.

“Yes, and it does explain a bit of how it works...” I added. “Anything about the rune, little Inquisition?”

“They said this stallion named 'Obsi-dye-on Zephyr told their Queen to make it to pull all the bad feelings into it and helped them...their Queen was also named Quartz Amore.”

I looked to our guest. “Your cousin?”

“Yeah, he always likes his cool names for his avatars...”

“Of course...”

Libra nodded. “So we know a bit of what the rune does, but naturally if the poor dears knew what it really did they'd never have built it...Abigail? Rainbow Dash?”

“No brainwashing,” Rainbow replied. “They're kinda weird, but my Element didn't break any spells on them.”

“I felt something off, dear,” our Element of Fantasy replied. “But I didn't find anything out in the open. There is definitely something wrong here.”

“You gals find anything?” Rainbow Dash asked, to my mild annoyance at being called gal.

“Nothing, unfortunately,” I replied with a sigh. “Our...guest sent a...”

“Quantum echo!”

“Quantum echo to Ponythulhu to get his opinion on it. But we couldn't tell anything.”

“Right...so where's everycreature else?” Rainbow inquired.

“The Changeling Rangers apparently ended up on some sort of quest from Katydid to get Fire Ant an upgrade of some sort. I believe young Silver Spoon and the Tiaras are enjoying the sights with Minty Pie, and Guru Fido is having philosophical discussion with the librarian.”

Mother Deer looked around us. “What about Miss Gilda and Aquamarine?”

“We're right here,” said Gilda in an annoyed tone as our resident Griffin arrived with her sea pony escort, washing off her head for some reason. “Some bu-” she began, then seemed to gratefully realize children were present. “-stinking birds...well...uh...”

“It appears some birds mistook Lady Gilda for one of the griffin statues in front of the library,” Aquamarine added helpfully, still seeming naïve to the concept of accidentally embarrassing somecreature.

Gilda groaned as her face turned a bright shade of red.

I'm not sure why, stranger things have fallen from the sky under Discord's reign. Though some goodnatured giggles from Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo implied that I needed to get used to that not being the case.

“Yeah...that happened...what are stinkin' birds doing this far north anyway...” she muttered. “But there's something else you all need to see at the castle.”

“I don't believe it...” Rainbow Dash muttered, staring at the yellow pony with a green mane and blue eyes. Her Cutie Mark was what seemed to be a rooster (if I'm remembering normal animals correctly). But none of that was what was strange. The strange part was she was not a Crystal Pony. She was a normal, every day Earth Pony currently staying in a guest room in the castle.

“Um...howdy...Ah...” she muttered in an accent that certainly didn't come from several thousand years prior. “My golly...Ah never expected to see the day...”

We all knew what that had to mean. The only non-Crystal Pony that could be in the Empire...was someone who'd arrived during the second reign of Chaos...

This had just become quite complicated...

To Be Continued.

Gaiden: Fantastic End

I suppose a lot of you readers may be a little confused on what everypony meant by 'my awakening' during the second war with that brute Grogar while we were in the Empire. Well wait no longer, darlings.

I'm different from my friends in many ways, that's just how friends work. Sisters too. I'm better with foals for example. In part because I was the one Chaos Six who parents told fillies 'if you're in a spot where you to run into ONE of them alone, make it her.' Didn't mean the little dears weren't still getting used to me, but it did mean of all of us, when Grogar started firing magic bolts down on us, I was one of the ones (the other being Derpy, the poor dear having had to leave her retirement to save her little muffin) who the children would be most likely to not panic being lead by, especially since a number of them were my kin.

That and with little Inquisition receiving her Element of Honesty, they now had a complete set of Elements of Harmony (Scoots having taken over for Derpy), though as I would find out later Grogar wasn't of the 'we shoot them with the Elements they're done' sort...Why can't they all be like Nightmare Moon? Let's just say we didn't hit Grogar with both sets of Elements because we felt like overkilling the crafty sidewinder. Especially after he pulled out his big gun.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. While the others were holding back Grogar, I was leading a group of foals through the inner workings of Tambelon (Derpy had taken another group of foals with her in another direction, mainly ones who could fly).

=Grindery Lunar Silver Star Story (Sega CD version) =

I don't know what that place was like when my ancient ancestor faced Grogar, but now it was essentially one gigantic machine. Metal and stone locked together. It still had the aesthetics of a Three-Tribes era city, but the streets, buildings, shops, and houses were all perfectly set and organized like pieces on a game board instead of having grown out naturally. Everything was planned, set, and designed.

The spookiest part about that place was how orderly everything was. How it seemed like Grogar had made certain the entire place was run like the gears in a clock. I even overheard some of his minions say skipping your breaks without permission would get someone thrown in the dungeon. Grogar was a control freak if I'd ever seen one.

But while that unnerved me (and I was the one who'd tried to sell Discord out to this maniac five hundred years ago if you recall), to the foals who'd grown up in a world of chaos and were just now getting used to the idea of order, it was terrifying.

Little Ladybird (ironically, this whole mess had a hoof in how the New Cutie Mark Crusaders got together) almost ran off in a panic and I had to lasso her to get her back.

Some of the poor younglings couldn't take it and laid on the ground, holding themselves shivering, and I had to carry them on my back. Some I created a peaceful illusion around just to keep them from panicking.

So there we were...hiding in the cogs of Grogar's great machine, with the foals more scared of the big machines than they were the actual bad guys.

I had to think of something. My illusions were helpful, but it wasn't enough. It distracted them, but I wasn't that poor Nightmare version of Fluttershy that Eclipse had with her, I couldn't just take away their negative emotions, only provide a distraction. I needed something that would truly take their minds off of it...

...I remembered Granny Smith. How she'd sometimes tell me and...and Applebloom stories to distract us when we'd gotten frightened.

The only problem was that most of Granny Smith's stories wouldn't really catch these foal's attention very well because they'd spent all their lives in a world of Chaos. Stories about the Sassquash weren't very exciting to them. And I needed exciting...but I also needed comforting.

I didn't know any stories they'd like already...maybe I could make one up? I was the queen of lies, so making up a story wouldn't be too hard.

I found the quietest place I could in that noisy place and put up an illusion of quiet that helped a little bit, at least enough for me to tell a story. “Everycreature, gather around me. I have a story for you.”

I used everycreature because it was easier to list the sapient species that WEREN'T there. Grogar had needed a big batch for his endgame plan.

I thought about their world. Their lives. What would be close enough to the real but still sound fantastic? Still excite them? Still distract them? Still keep them calm?

=My Little Pony G3 Theme Song=

“There once was a little foal, much like yourselves. And her world was much like this one since Overcooked Carrot Discord's fall: a world were chaos was a part of life, but no pony was tortured, no pony was hurt. They were all happy and enjoyed the unpredictable nature of the world. Every day was a new game and a new adventure, they never knew what'd come next” I began, using my Element in a way I honestly don't think I'd used it before: not to trick or deceive, just to tell a story. I made a fantastic world around us. I admit it was taking a few bits and pieces of Discord's world that were actually good and generally liked, but of course embellished and idealized a bit. I tried to take aspects of as many of the foals as I could that actually looked good and worked together into my little fantasy filly. Like how Granny Smith would sometimes base the foal in her story off of me and Applebloom. Probably did the same with Big Mac...

“But one day, a cruel, crusty old wizard came and decided change the world because he didn't like things were , all the unpredictability the world had to offer. To make it structured, orderly, and dull.”

I admit, old goat face was the inspiration for my bad guy. It made sense to show what they were scared of be beaten.

And...I kept telling the story. I kept making up the story as I went. And...it just felt...right.

Cream Pie of course asked if the little filly just blew the mean old wizard up, and I said that isn't always the way. Hehe.

The other kids got into it to, sometimes I'd add their pieces to my 'quilt'...Just like every detail I heard when telling a lie was one I had to add to my excuse in a way that made sense...

And that got me thinking about how similar this was to what I'd been doing. To lying. To deceit How both were just making up stories.

The difference between a lie and story is simple: the story doesn't need to be believed. It doesn't need to 'fool' somepony to be entertaining. To distract a bunch of little foals from the craziness going on around them. It just needs to be believable enough that they can suspend reality for a bit and enjoy the ride. Just like every good lie needs enough truth to be believed...

But, I though to myself, is it really stories that are like lies? Or are...lies like stories? Or are both part of something even bigger. And the it hit me.

It was weird. Aunt Abigail was leadin' us through that scary place. Meh and Banana Pie took out monsters as a choir and we were scared stiff.

But then after Ladybird almost booked it...Aunt Abigail started tellin' us this awesome story. Ah stopped thinkin' boat Grogar's dumb machine. Ah wanted tah know what happened tah that little filly! How she stopped that stuck up wizard tah stop tryin' tah take over the world!...Even if there were a few less explosions than I would have liked.

And then...as we got closer to the end...she got this weird look in her eye. They glowed like a black and white rainbow for a second. That glowing apple she had started lighting up REAL bright.

Stories and lies...they aren't different things. They're both fiction. They're both tapestries our brain makes up. Be they to entertain or to deceive, they're making something from little details, or from nothing at all. A made up story...a big black lie...a little white lie...they're all quilts we stitch with our tongues and see with our ears. Their point isn't to be true, it's to be false with enough truth we can at least pretend to believe them.

An epic fairytale, a lie to trick the bad guys, a bedtime story to quiet down a youngster, a lie to keep yourself out of trouble with your folks. They were all fiction. They were all made up...they were all products of our imagination...and that's why they were all special. Even though lies CAN hurt...there's no denying the creativity a good lie takes. Just a great writer needs creativity to make a novel that will knock your horseshoes off.

Lies and stories...they're both parts of the same thing...

“...And at the end, with his staff destroyed and his power gone, the old wizard lamented that he'd never bring order to chaos and keep the world safe from it...but the little filly told him something important...something he needed to hear desperately...that chaos was a PART of the whole. Harmony, chaos, order? They all have their place in the world...they're all a part of the world, and one existing without the other simply won't do...and she gave the wizard her hand and helped him up. Promising him she'd show him just how beautiful that whole world could be...”

Lies and story...are both Fantasy...

Fantasy is every lie ever told, good or bad, every story ever told, no matter what genre. It is the lie a foal tells their ma so they don't get in trouble, it is the lie you tell a crook to stall him until the cops show up, it's the lie that can crush somepony. It is also the scifi story about an alien on a spaceship, it is the story of a brave knight slaying an evil dragon, it's the story of the great big war with high tech weapons we can only dream of. It is the big black lie and little white lie. It is the world renown novel and the humblest story.

It is the mask an actor wears on stage and the one they were in their lives every day.

Fantasy...is...

“And the two set off to fix the wizard's mistakes...to make the world better...and that is how the story ends...”

=Innocent Trap – Tetra-Fang=

It was like a dam burst in my heart. I felt my Element of Deceit...no...my Element of Fantasy become something else.

“Everypony stand back...” I heard Cream Pie warn like the responsible filly she is, backing them up as rainbow colored energy swirled around me. They looked like vines...no. Like the roots of apple trees.

It wasn't like when Dash takes the gloves off, but I guess that's because Dash wouldn't be Dash if she didn't do it big and loud.

The vines snaked around me, cocooning me like a butterfly. My eyes opened, I know now they glowed orange instead of the pretty green I was born with.

The energy roots exploded off of me outward, causing the lifeless stone beneath my hooves to suddenly turn into a patch of grass and flowers to start growing all around me.

I looked at my hooves, the energy roots snaking around me all pretty like. My fur wasn't orange anymore, it was a light grey with an orange tint, kind like Rainbow when she became Ender Dash. My mane was a bit longer and lost it's color too, except for an orange stripe running the length of it, same with my tail. But unlike when I turned gray thanks to Discord, I didn't look less than I was before or ugly...I couldn't help feeling I looked like I was more and beautiful, and judging by the kids looks, they did too.

“Aunt AJ?” asked Cream Pie, looking at me in awe. “That you?”

“Yeah...it's me dear...” I reassured with a comforting look. I felt so strong...I felt like I could craft an entire city from illusions alone...I felt so...free. “But I guess you can call me Ender Jack right now...hmm...might have to work on that name a bit...”

I actually wasn't too surprised...Rainbow Dash had wondered why only she seemed to have a suped up form. She'd tried helping the rest of us reach it, but so far hadn't succeeded...hehe...guess the two of us will always be rivals, huh?

My mind felt like it was making ideas faster than a speeding bullet. So many stories, so many lies, so many tall tales...so much imagination I didn't know I had.

And then it hit me. A way to get the younglings not just out of this predicament, but out of the city.

I gave my charges a smirk. “Stand back, darlings, I've got an idea for a serious diversion.”

We needed a serious distraction. And if one minion missing his coffee break was cause for alarm...

The gears around me were big enough most Earth Ponies wouldn't even try to move them. I grabbed one in my hooves and gave it a spin, ripping it clean out of the great machine in one tug. I pivoted and smashed away at other important looking stuff before sending my improvised weapon flying into a generator of some sort, gumming up the works real nice.

“Come along dears! Hop on my back!” I called.

And they did so. Yes, ALL of them. I hardly felt their weight, even as Banana tied them all to me to make sure nocreature fell off.

I planted my hooves, well aware that the entire city was now in chaos with the machinery thrown out of wack. I swear old Grogar's roar of rage was so loud I heard it. The others said my distraction had given them the chance to get away from Grogar when they needed it bad.

I charged forwards, using strength beyond anything and Earth Pony magic supercharged I had ever known to plow straight through the wall like it was tissue paper. No, I didn't forget about the kids. I made sure to punch a big enough hole that they didn't have to duck, and all the rubble was flying forward not back. The real impressive part if I do say so myself was just how FAST I was able to put up the illusion that nothing had happened to buy us time. The moment I smashed through a wall, an illusion went up to make it look, and FEEL to anycreature that wasn't me or my charges, like it was a normal wall, keeping them off our tails for a good few minutes until I'd left range.

Finally we pierced the outer wall and dashed clear out of that Father forsaken place.

Dash would give me a pat on the back later and a congratulations. She'd been trying to get one of us to make the same jump she did for awhile as I said, I think knowing we might need it...or wanting to be the mentor to the rest of us for once.

Mother Deer theorized I was able to evolve like that thanks to the Elements getting a boost from us summoning so many bearers at once, so maybe that was it...or just Rainbow started things and we'd all follow eventually. Can't tell, really doesn't matter...all I know is how free I felt in that moment...like there were limitless possibilities in front of me if I just imagined it...it was beautiful.

...And that's my realization...that's the day I realized that Deceit wasn't my full Element...I'm the Element of Fantasy, and I'm proud of it.

Sure there was more that happened that day, Grogar still had his plan B, but that's a story for another day...

Gaiden: Another Life Time

Greetings! The One and Only Princess Anasi Equestria is happy grant you audience!

(Interviewer's Notes (Jiniri): It's a pleasure, yes yes yes!)

I see you are taking quite well to filling in for Twilight's daughters until they return.

(Interviewer's Notes (Jiniri): Yes yes yes! Someconcept had to, and it's kinda like my old job back in my world anyway!)

I am certain they'll appreciate it when they return, Razzaroo.

So, Anasi should fill in the blanks as to how she got here, should she not? It is not a long story, but it has its strong points!

Unlike most timelines where Trixie's light reincarnated into the next Trixie, Anasi survived and became a Concept...but that still means that was a mortal life that no longer existed. You know it's kind of funny when you think about it...for several hundred million years I trained, I practiced to end Eclipse's tyranny if I ever got a chance. I will not lie, I hated Eclipse. There's a difference between the tragic wrath that spells the downfall of a hero in a tragedy and the justified wrath of a hero against a great evil, so I was permitted to keep the part of myself that loathed Eclipse.

(Interviewer's Notes (Jiniri): Believe me, I had to realize the difference... It's one of the big reasons it took me so long to ascend.)

The past is in the past, sister. You moved past that, just as I let go of my grudge when Eclipse fell and Twilight devoured her.

But...that's precisely the point...In all those years, Anasi has never thought of incarnating to try to defeat her as a mortal, as Cadence did with Sombra once, even though she had a mortal life to do it with! Anasi supposes she felt it would be letting that witch steal another lifetime from her, even if she won...After everything she took from me, I didn't desire to give her anything else.

...And now that she's gone, and with her my grudge. And no, Anasi is not upset she wasn't the one to end Eclipse's reign of terror!...Besides, Twilight vanquished her with trickery after all, and I am trickery.

...But still, I feel like I was cheated out of my life, first by Discord and then by Eclipse...is it so wrong that I just want one life where some maniac didn't swoop in and ruin everything?! My parents...my sisters...my family...I never even got the chance to see them again...Discord took that from me. Eclipse took my happy ending from me...And the chance to ever see anypony I knew again...I just want to have one lifetime where I actually get to live...

...Thank you for the hug, sister.

(Interviewer's Notes ( Jiniri): You've done the same for me, yes yes yes.)

Yes, yes Anasi has.

So...I told Fauna Luster I wanted to live my mortal life now that Eclipse was no more...She's Fauna Luster, She didn't need to be told how I felt, She KNEW the moment I felt that way...

(Interviewer's Notes (Jiniri): I understand, Trixie...I'm tempted to do the same some day...I'm just waiting for somepony who needs a certain wish granted before I do...)

Anasi can respect that, sister.

It did not take much time to figure out who's family Anasi desired to be a part of...and thankfully they wanted to have another child just as badly as she desired a new life...Now it is just a matter of waiting for a certain moment...One I don't intend to watch, as seeing oneself being conceived is often not a pleasant experience.

“Trixie, please keep an eye on things while Trixie is gone...Though given time doesn't exist outside reality, she won't be long!” I told my angels.

“You can count on the Great and Powerful Trixie, Princess Trixie!” my unicorn self told me, her wings looking like white angel wings...but on close inspection, can be seen to be composed of snowflakes.

(Interviewer's Notes (Jiniri): The current Trixie is one of your angels?)

Hehe. Yes indeed. Trixie was worshiping herself, was there ever any doubt she'd jump at the chance to literally do it? It also means we both get to talk about ourselves often.

That and she felt the idea of being able to assist 'misunderstood' artists like ourselves was a good calling. Even if she took more than a little formal training. I don't hold that against her. After all, I used to be no different.

My Scootaloo hugged me. “Good luck, Trixie. Hope you get to be good friends with Rainbow!”

I returned it, wrapping my wings around her. “Thank you, Scootaloo. And I'm sure I will be.”

Anasi cannot tell you how much of a relief it was to learn she was not the sole survivor of her universe! Scootaloo...she's like family to me now. Like a little sister. I'm glad won't be long from her perspective.

So now here Anasi awaits for the time of her rebirth!

(Interviewer's Notes (Jiniri): I hope it's a good one, yes yes yes!)

As do I, little sister.

However, we do seem to have another guest...

Pandora, Draconequus of Imagination, walked up to me. We work quite often together, what with Drama and Storytelling practically being a sister concept to Imagination.

However...she...she had a little Light of Existence in her claws. A purple one...It...it's...that light, I recognize it...

“Mind sharing, Anasi?” Pandora asked.

“...Pandora...is that...”

There was only one Light it could be...I felt it, it could only be one pony...

In my timeline...there was a Shining Armor. But not the same Shining Armor that Twilight chose to create. This one was different...He did something no other version of him managed to ever do...I'm not sure how it happened...only that Cadence had found him once Discord had been done with what he originally was and helped him become something so much more. She helped him become real.

“...I think he deserves his life back...” Pandora explained, her silliness dropping a bit. She was being serious, which for Pandora was reason enough to take listen. “...He earned it...”

Pandora stroke the little Light like a mother gentle rubbing her filly's head. “Unlike the rest of his selves...they just stayed a rotten Mary Sue or Discord's back up minions...None of them grew enough to grow a soul...But not you, Shiny...you made me so proud...”

She looked like a mother who'd lost a child and had a chance to get him back. Which sadly was exactly the situation. Pandora is the one Draconequus with any ability to create...and every one of her creations is her precious child...

I gave Pandora a hug. “I don't mind, Pandora...Anasi would be proud to be his sister.”

Shining Armor...he was the one pony who created something in my line Eclipse could not undo...His own soul. Hehe...Anasi imagines Eclipse would've had a meltdown had she realized that, given he gave her almost as much trouble as she did!

“Anasi...it is time...” said my brother Mortis. Why is he here? Hehe, do not forget, dear audience! The 13th is not only the Concept of Death, but of Rebirth!

Imperatrix was also nearby, but that was mainly because the act required for this involved her Concept. While Lust is one of the Seven Deadly Sins, like most things (including my personal favorite, Pride), it only becomes a Sin when taken to an extreme. Sexual desire has its place in creation, including the act of making life. She simply gave a nod telling us it was time for Anasi to take her leave. Farewell, sister!

(Interviewer's Notes (Jiniri): Goodbye, Anasi. See you later.)

You too, sister. Anasi will be back!...With more memories to share.

(Interviewer's Notes (Jiniri): And I'll be waiting to add it to my books!)

+++
Wishes, Imagination, and Rebirth watched Anasi turn into a little ball of light, her body turning into a shadow and going into it.

Pandora looked down to the little Light she held. “Good luck, Shining...I love you...” she said, giving the little Light a kiss and handing it to Mortis, who took it and Anasi's Light of Existence in his magic. She sniffled and acted like a mother sending her child off to collage.

“Farewell, sister. May life be kind to you...I will be waiting to bring you home at its end,” Mortis said, giving his little sister's light a nuzzle. The two Lights shot off like shooting stars, side by side, descending to mortal reality.

Jiniri chuckled, looking to Twinkle Wish, the little star floating beside her. “Check Smartypant's wish for a little siblings off the list, Twinkle Wish.”

The little wishing star nodded. “Wish granted.”

Jiniri admitted in a way this was a miracle too. Twilight Velvet was an older mare...but being revitalized by Minty Pie's Sword of the Seasons as a plant was still being revitalized...Regardless, this was an answer to her prayers.

When Velvet realized she was pregnant, she picked out a name for if it was a girl:

Moon Sparkle.

Return of the Empire Part 3

Pony POV Series
Dark World Drabbles
Return of an Empire Part 2
By Godzillawolf

Hello, my name is Master Alchemist Dr. Katydid. It is good to meet you.

(Interviewer's Notes (Razzaroo): It is, yes yes yes. Though I'm just a sub for the ones who are supposed to be doing this while they're...on vacation...It's complicated.)

(Jiniri's Notes: Okay, it gets REALLY confusing, but someone needed to play this part for the Half-Lights while they were in the other universe, but I hadn't become a Goddess yet, so after I did, I decided to fill in even though I'd been visiting Twilight's golden world until they came back while they were still getting things set up with Rainbow Dash and the others...time travel is weird, yes yes yes.)

I see.

(Interviewer's Notes (Razzaroo): Uh, so, what's the doctorate for?)

I have several actually. Robotics, bio-engineering, alchemy, bio-alchemy, genetics, medicine, chemistry, alternative medicine, and psychology. I also have a Master's Degree in Cooking and am an accomplished violinist.

(Interviewer's Notes (Razzaroo): Wow, that's a lot of doctorates...)

I only had the degrees in robotics, alchemy, bio-alchemy, and bio-engineering before my death. Afterward, I studied with masters in each of those pursuits in Heaven for the last few centuries until my revival, at which point Queen Libra helped me get the official degrees and titles. As one of my instructors there told me: the only place you'll find more knowledge than Heaven is in Knowledge himself. Logical, given Heaven is also the Anthropomorphic Personification of Wisdom. I did get a few secessions with Eremo, the embodiment of Knowledge. He was a great teacher, but did not speak very much. Though I suppose that comes with the territory.

(Interviewer's Notes (Razzaroo): What was Heaven like?)

That is a question with no logical answer. Heaven is at the bare minimum a twelve dimensional location and being, even the barest description from a logical stand point is beyond any and all comprehension while we are three dimensional beings capable of moving in one direction through the fourth dimension. Even the deities don't comprehend it, or Him, and they are at the very least sixth dimensional beings. It is in general like trying to describe the concept of depth to a being in the first dimension, it is simply not possible.

(Interviewer's Notes (Razzaroo): Uh...I meant more your experience of it...cause I've never been there...)

Oh...It was perfect. Simple as that. It was my definition of perfection. Which was a place where I could learn everything I could, explore everything I was capable of, and...not harm anypony. And that is simply what I can describe. If the Rangers' areas of Heaven are correct, that is how it works for everypony.

(Interviewer's Notes (Razzaroo): Sounds nice.)

It was. I also worked out the designs for much of the equipment I've given the Rangers upon returning, so it worked out well.

(Interviewer's Notes (Razzaroo): That's nice. Yes yes yes. Speaking of which, what are you doing?)

This crystal the Rangers found out in the arctic appears to have been blown away from the Empire in the battle between Queen Cadence and King Sombra (considering we located it in one of the holes blasted in the local mountain range). It appears to be a crystal intended to house some form of spell, but when cast out as it was, drew in an inherent power from the auroras and absorbed a massive amount of energy. It mutated into something exceptional, and similar to the Sun Stone the Season Spirits returned to us which I tapped Fire Ant's powers into in that regard. So I am using it to make a new suit and powers to work off of it. If I'm correct, it should make quite the powerful warrior, which is why I'm giving it to Fire Ant and we will likely pass his current set to another worthy individual. I came here on another Subway Worm when Queen Cadence alerted me that we don't know just what might happen, considering potential for some sort of fail safe from King Sombra. Having an extra warrior could be rather important.

(Interviewer's Notes (Razzaroo): Sounds interesting...oh, and on that topic, I'm sure our readers are curious about the Rangers and how you thought of them.)

Very well. Ever since I was a filly, Pony Rangers was a favorite program of mine...as a Zebra born to Hive slaves, I naturally had the bare minimum needed...until Professor Kabuto required a lab assistant and found me. At first, it went as you would expect...but then he noticed I was playing with chalk he'd left out from recording a new theorem he had. And had completed several complicated math problems that I'd learned the basics of watching him. He altered my brainwashing to allow me more free will, and began teaching me...He gave me the name Katydid and that's what I was known as for the rest of my life. I don't even remember if I had a name before that.

(Interviewer's Notes (Razzaroo): So he cared for you?)

...No, I cared for him...I took care of him when his sanity broke after Discord took over the world, even as our stores of love ran dry and Chrysalis converted me into a Changeling to act as his replacement, as I was the only one Kabuto had shared his experiments with...I saw him as my beloved mentor...but he didn't care about me...He never did. I've now diagnosed him as having anti-social personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, and sadistic personality disorder; a condition known as Malignant Narcissism Syndrome. Which has been described as 'the root of the most vicious destructiveness and inequinity'...I still traveled to Tartarus after my death and attempted to redeem him...it didn't work. I've tried hundreds of times over the centuries I was dead, and I will likely try again after this life is over...I was never anything more than just a painting to him...

(Interviewer's Notes (Razzaroo): Are you alright?)

I'm...I'm fine. Regardless, becoming Professor Kabuto's personal pet project came with more freedoms the rest of the slaves could not hope to have...such as a personal radio. And one of the things that drew my attention, was Pony Rangers. It was the first work of fiction I had ever known and it struck a cord with me. I suppose it was just trying to imagine the science that would go into the fantastic devices used in it sincerely appealed to me...and I was a child at the time. Kabuto didn't mind, anything that stirred my thought processes was welcome. He wanted to see just what I could be as a curiosity, and was pleased with some...experiments it inspired me to perform...

Years later, when Queen Cadence came to power, she helped me overcome my...insanity...

(Interviewer's Notes (Razzaroo): Insanity?)

I was raised by a malignant narcissist who viewed everything other than himself as a potential lab experiment and the second most prolific mass murderer in Equestrian history and most likely only because he died...I admit, after hearing Queen Libra's description of her, I believe my psychosis was similar to the one Fluttercruel possessed. I simply did not comprehend the difference between giving a pony a piece of candy and giving them extra legs and did either with similar glee.

(Interviewer Notes (Razzaroo): Oh...oh dear...)

I also never understood why ponies didn't appreciate having extra limbs grafted onto them or extra eyes, I thought they looked better with them.

(Interviewer's Notes (Razzaroo): Wait, you actually did that?!)

Yes. Multiple times, actually. It's actually a fairly simple procedure, but not one I do any more...without expressed permission. Your face is green, I'm making you ill, aren't I?

(Interviewer's Notes (Razzaroo): Yes yes yes...)

I apologize, I still have difficulty judging what other ponies can handle being told. At the time, I simply didn't understand what I was doing was wrong. I was like a child who didn't understand why their mother didn't like the 'pretty pictures' they drew on the walls...I think. I'm told that is something most children experience by Diamond Tiara, who I've developed a good relationship with due to...shared experiences. It took a long time for Cadence to cure me of my psychosis, and she frequently took her lessons back to Pony Rangers. An intelligent tactic; relating lessons back to something they enjoy tends to be a good way imprint ideas. That is another reason Pony Rangers means so much to me.

But back to the topic at hoof, once Queen Cadence built the Changelings back up to the point we could begin striking back against Discord, she asked me to use my abilities to create heroes to protect ponies and combat Discord's forces. I decided that the characters that had loved for so long would be a perfect basis for my team of heroes. It also made sense from a logistics stand point: heroes inspire others to heroism. I could make pragmatically designed bare bones costumes...but if I created brightly colored, easily identified costumes, it would make them a beacon of hope. And it did. Even when they...they perished in battle with Discord's reserve minions, they became martyrs...They were remembered...

(Interviewer's Notes (Razzaroo): But that didn't take away the pain of losing them, did it?)

...No...it didn't...I kept asking myself if there was something I could have done...something more I could have given them...an upgrade, a new weapon, anything...that maybe if I'd done one thing different...my friends wouldn't have had to die...Which is why I've done extensive upgrades on their equipment once we returned. I've long accepted there's nothing I could have done then, but that's no excuse not to do everything I can now.

Fire Ant, the Red Ranger, was the first friend I ever made other than Queen Cadence. He seemed dedicated to being my friend...His sister Rose Spider, the Pink Ranger, shortly there after. He was surprised he beat her too me, she's so outgoing and friendly he often joked it was only a matter of time before she befriended an enemy. Rock Scorpion, the Black Ranger, was the one I had the hardest time getting along with. I was still very scientifically minded, while he is very headstrong and action orientated. Most of them needed a detailed explanation of what the genetic augmentations would entail, he just wanted to get his powers already. Weta (Blue) and Lightning Bug (Yellow) were somewhere in the middle. Weta is patient and cautious, Lightning Bug talks a mild a minute but is intelligent. They are all my friends...and I decidedly do not want them to fall in battle again.

If...if you want to know more, they're right over there with General Ilea.

(Interviewer's Notes (Razzaroo): And who is that?)

The current General of Avalon and descendant of General Hercules Beetle. She's a Virgaling, a Zebra/Changeling hybrid. They have somewhat weaker shapeshifting abilities from pure Changelings and still require love to recharge their mana, but unlike pure Changelings don't require it to survive. In Ilea's case, she also inherited her ancestor's abnormal strength for her species as well, on top of the genetic alterations she's had me do...and is also as big a fan of Manega as I am of Pony Rangers. She, Rainbow Dash, and the Rangers get along for that reason. They frequently engage in contests to see who's come up with the best attack names, or who's the most 'hotblooded.' It is amusing to watch.

(Interviewer's Notes (Razzaroo): I bet…Hey, Katydid, can you fight?)

Yes, quite well actually. It was kind of a necessity, given I was Kabuto's 'masterpiece' and attempts on both our lives were extremely common. I HAD to be able to defend myself. I've also given myself a multitude of bio augmentations, which I admittedly had to reapply after resurrection.

(Interviewer's Notes (Razzaroo): Are those spider legs coming out of your back?)

An approximation of them, yes. I said it was a simple procedure and they come in immensely handy...as did the alterations I did to myself before the battle I died in. I turned myself into a living bio-weapon and took long enough to fall that Queen Cadence could arrive to drive off the attackers. I haven't reapplied that one, but I have crossed my DNA with that of a few insects.

(Interviewer's Notes (Razzaroo): I see...and you're still looking for a replacement for Fire Ant as the Red Ranger?)

Correct. Do you want to volunteer? The process will involve having your DNA spliced with an insect.

(Interview's Notes (Razzaroo): No thank you!...But are you sure that he's the one who needs to trade out? Wouldn't he need to relearn everything? And a new member would need to learn everything from scratch, right?)

That...is a good point. The new robot is ready and just needing to be linked to the new power source, but the power set could take time to get used to, considering aurora and light based powers are a different animal from fire based ones.

(Interviewer's Notes (Razzaroo): So it should be somepony that knows the technology really closely, is a good fighter, and already gets along well with the rest of the team?)

…Yes...I suppose all of those traits would be beneficial for the new Ranger...
+++
(Interviewer's Notes (Applejack): Um...so, dear...what's your name?)

Chickadee Peachbottom, glad to meet ya. Ah'm from Mustangia.

(Interviewer's Notes (Applejack): Mustangia? I do believe I have some cousins from there.)

...Is it...still there? The Crystal Ponies said we got sent forward in time or somethin'...

(Interviewer's Notes (Applejack): It's rebuilding, yes.)

Oh, that's a relief...Uh...sorry tah be a bother, but who's the new Alicorn?

(Interviewer's Notes (Applejack): That's Queen Libra, she ascended after we defeated that brute Discord.)

Oh, Ah see. If Ah'd known Ah'd be meetin' royalty as soon as Ah...came back, Ah'd have freshened up a bit. My golly, this is a mighty lot to take in after...how long was it?

(Interviewer's Notes (Applejack): A thousand years, darling.)

A t-thousand?...that...Well, on the bright side Ah'll have lots of new places tah see, always was a hobby of mine...

(Interviewer's Notes (Applejack): Yah don't have to lie, darling.)

...It's a bit of a shock...but at least Ah skipped the worst of Discord's reign, right? That's a plus, ain't it?

(Interviewer's Notes (Applejack): That's definitely a way to look at it...)

...B-But one thing... if ya don't mind meh askin', are those two over t-there Mad Tiara and Screwball?

(Interviewer's Notes (Applejack): Oh right, you're from before...Not anymore, sugar. They were sick but they're better now. If they wronged you, I do declare they'll be the first to apologize for it...now, how exactly did you end up here? If you don't mind me asking?)

Well that's a humdinger of a story, but...Ah suppose Ah don't need tah tell you Discord took over...he...h-he t-trapped meh in a s-snow globe. A t-tiny, e-enclosed l-little snow globe in a g-gift s--shop...

(Interviewer's Notes (Applejack): You don't like enclosed spaces, do you?)

N-Not r-really. I-In fact t-this room is g-getting a bit t-tight n-now that Ah t-think about it...

(Interviewer's Notes (Applejack): Slow deep breaths, darling. You're hyperventilating.)

My golly, did yah just teleport us?

(Interviewer's Notes (Applejack): Nah, but your mind feels like we're in an open field now, doesn't it?)

Yeah...thank you kindly...and thank Celestia somepony finally knocked the blasted thing over and broke it. Ah was still a tiny little thing, but at least wasn't having a panic attack anymore. Eventually somepony was able tah find a growth spell tah get meh back to normal...which actually had tah get taken off meh later when Queen Cadence broke the first spell, but that's neither here nor there...survivin' after that wasn't exactly sunshine and rainbows either...What with the monsters and crazy stuff fallin' from the sky.

Eventually, we heard that Queen Cadence and her Changelings were headin' by the place we were staying soon. Meh and a buncha other ponies decided tah try and join up with them so was could get to Avalon, since goin' with Queen Cadence herself was a lot easier of a time than tryin' tah make it there ourselves...Ah was the only pony who got all the way. The others backed out or...

Ah'll tell yah, seein' Cadence all thrown up like her aunt for the first time? What a sight! She told meh it'd be dangerous tah come with her cause she couldn't spare any changelings tah take meh tah Avalon with what she was meaning tah do, but well Ah'd come so far and it'd be dangerous tah get back tah our hide out by mahself...learned that the hard way on the way there. So Ah just stayed with her. She told this big Changelin' General tah keep an eye on meh. He was kinda handsome, bein' all big and strong, but he was spoken for.

(Interviewer's Notes (Applejack): General Hercules, his descendant is actually part of our party, dear.)

Well ain't that the cat's meow? Hope Ah get tah meet him.

(Interviewer's Notes (Applejack): She. Ilea's a girl, sweetheart.)

Oh...Well anyway, we headed way up north tah this crazy place...only at the time it was much more...spikey and black. And this rotten stallion named King Sombra was runnin' the place...

(Interviewer's Notes (Applejack): You alright, dear?)

Oh, A-Ah'm fine. Just the whole time? Ah felt like Ah was in a cramped little cave and couldn't get out...like just bein' near 'em was makin' meh afraid. The rest of the ponies except Cadence told meh the same thing. She had tah help us through that all the time.

Cadence decided tah do what she and her Changelings did best and sneak in, tryin' tah shake off Sombra's control on these poor ponies. Nice of her. Plus, she'd found out from spies he got stronger from fear, so she didn't want tah fight 'em until she'd helped the Crystal Ponies a bit. Particularly with yah know, Discord makin' a lot of the stuff this guy eats. Ah was just kinda...was there. Ah tried tah be all friendly like as Ah could tah help the Crystal Ponies open up and feel better after...what that varmit was doin' to 'em, but Ah also ain't a Changelin', so Ah spent most of it hanging out with the Equestrians of the bunch. Nice fellas. We were under old smokey's face for about a few weeks, helpin' the Crystal Ponies however we could tah try, hopin' it'd weaken him a bit...but then King Sombra found out we were there...Cadence had one Tartarus of a throw down with 'em. Ah didn't see much of it, what with them blowing each other all over the place and Ah was hidin' with her hoof maidens, but Ah remember how it ended...

+++

Cadence gave that old Sombra one Tartarus of a blast, blowing 'em straight through the top of the castle. My golly, Ah think some pieces of it probably ended up back in Mustangia! Some of the Changelings took tah stopping debris from hittin' anypony.

Sombra came back and blasted her straight through a mountain (not the first time that'd happened! The mountains looked like Swiss Cheese by then!) with what looked like his shadow come tah life.

Sombra charged her on a big spike of black crystal (and she let 'em, Ah think she was tryin' tah keep as much of the fightin' outta the city as she could but he kept tryin' tah lead it back inta it), but she blocked him with a big pink one she made. The two crashed inta each other and they clashed horns like a couple goats tryin' tah push the other back.

“I killed you once, I will kill you again!” Sombra shouted. Nah, Ah don't know what he meant neither.

“You will not kill one more soul, Sombra! Not while I still draw breath!” Cadence called back, the two blowing each other away.

Sombra's shadow grew up inta this big wall of scary looking teeth and eyes and he started attackin' her, tryin' tah bite her with 'em. Cadence burst inta blue flames and turned inta a hydra! She bit his shadows and tore them off, then turned inta big armored dragon tah rush through more of 'em and tackled him, turnin' and whippin' him hard with her tail!

Sombra growled like a mad dog as she turned back tah normal. “Enough of this...”

His eyes turned green and he fired some beam at Cadence, makin' hers turn it too!

“Now, suffer in your deepest fears...” Sombra said, my heart skipped a beat! He made a scythe out of black crystal and tried tah cut inta her...but she blasted him instead, sendin' him crashing right plum inta the ground! “Impossible! How can you...”

Cadence looked steamed now! “Because my aunts are statues in the gallery of a mad god, my best friend was corrupted into something terrible and I have no idea if she's even still alive, my homeland is suffering, and my subjects live in fear of a monster every day! You don't scare me, because I already live my worst fear EVERY SINGLE DAY!”

Cadence made a sword out of pink crystals and started sword fightin' with him, movin' so fast mah eyes could barely keep up with 'em! Cadence was usin' a blade on her horn and the sword while Sombra was usin' his scythe and makin' his shadow come tah life! They used some more pillars tah fight, goin' high inta the sky with the crystals twisting around each other in all directions until they finally fell over and made Hercules shatter it tah protect us. The two didn't seem tah notice, instead Cadence directin' their fall out of town and slamming through the ice. Where was Ah? In one of the taller buildin'. Out of danger or not, her Hoofmaidens didn't want her out of their sight.

There were big old flashes goin' through the ice and Ah heard explosions, until finally the whole thing exploded up inta the sky spraying water everywhere! They two burst outta the ice fightin' like they hadn't missed a beat!

“It doesn't matter what you do!” Sombra roared back after they'd spent about fifteen minutes tryin' tah chop each others heads off and Cadence tryin' tah keep the fight outside the town. “Without the Crystal Heart, they'll never be rid of me! Soon, I WILL find where my Umbrum brothers and sisters are buried and then even Discord will fall by my hoof!”

(Interviewer's Notes (Applejack): Umbrum?)

Honestly ain't sure about that mahself. The Crystal Ponies didn't seem tah know it either except their legends said their Princess did somethin' tah them.

(Interviewer's Notes (Applejack): We'll need to look into tah later...continue.)

Cadence snarled, locking blades and the two of them blasting each other back. “A war between you and Discord would make things worse than they already are!”

“I fail to see how that's my problem,” Sombra replied, makin' tendrils of shadow rise up and go right at her. She let off a giant flash of light and burned them away. “It's my fate to make the Crystal Ponies' worst fears become manifest...and right now, that is exactly what they fear! So I shall deliver it!”

The weird thing was...he didn't sound happy about that...he sounded almost...

Queen Cadence...looked like she had an idea. She looked back at her Cutie Mark. “If the Crystal Heart links the bonds of the entire Empire...” She flew towards the center of the empire.

Sombra turned inta smoke and flew around before slammin' inta her and slamming her straight through a building. “No you don't.”

Just then, Hercules went up in a big pillar of blue fire and came out a good head taller with white armor all over him and his horn a great big pincer! He charged up magic inta it and blindsided old Sombra with a huge beam!

“Go my Queen!”

Cadence nodded and flew like the world was chasin' her. Hercules flew up on a roof and kept blastin' Sombra back, tryin' tah keep 'em pinned down in a crater that was getting' deeper and deeper with each shot!

Cadence landed and put her horn between those two spikes in the middle of the Empire. “CRYSTAL PONIES! WE DO NOT HAVE THE CRYSTAL HEART, BUT I AM BONDS! IF YOUR BONDS AND LOVE POWER IT, THEY CAN POWER ME! LET ME BE YOUR CRYSTAL HEART!” she yelled so loud yah could hear her on the other side of the Empire!

“NO!” Sombra yelled, using his crystal to launch out of the crater and make a dive at her...but gettin' blasted back inta the hole by Hercules again. It didn't seem tah hurt 'em much, but it was able tah knock him around. But from the looks of it, it was takin' a bit out of Hercules...

The Crystal Ponies blinked, looking at each other.

“PLEASE! I KNOW I CAN DO THIS! I KNOW I CAN SAVE YOU! JUST TRUST ME!”

The Crystal Ponies had had a good time tah get tah know her. So they had a reason tah trust her.

They all bowed down and...it was beautiful. The whole empire lit up with a light so bright Ah was surprised Ah wasn't blinded! Then it all just surged straight inta the middle!

Hercules finally gave out and fell tah his knees, his fancy armor disappearin'...right as the entire place seemed tah shatter, goin' from dark and spikey tah smooth and pretty.

Sombra came out of the hole and looked SCARED.

When the light faded...and Cadence rose outa the center glowing like a star. She looked like she was MADE of blue crystal, her mane blue energy. Her eyes...made meh think Ah was lookin' at everypony Ah ever cared about. Ah know that sounds weird, but it's how it felt.

“King Sombra, Terror of the Frozen North. Your reign ends now!” her voice sounded like the Crystal Ponies.

(Interviewer's Notes (Applejack): Which one?)

All of 'em!

Sombra snarled and shot at her on a pillar with his shadow ready tah strike...but she met him before he could get half way and punched him in the chest so hard he was launched straight back THROUGH the crystal pillar he'd been ridin' on. She moved so fast I thought she'd turned inta light herself and slammed inta him from behind and sent him flyin' like a rocket right inta the side of the castle!

He growled, jumping down. “I will not be defeated by the likes of you!” he roared, riding down a crystal and firing away at her. She just formed a big heart shaped barrier around herself tah block it and every attack he threw at her. Finally, she just shot the barrier itself at him, causing a huge explosion and blasting him into the ground!

Sombra got out of crater with his armor blown clear off, cracks going through his hide. Did yah know he's a blank flank? Cause he is.

“No...I can't fall here...” Sombra snarled. “Not when I...” He tried tah run but she flew behind him before he could get an inch.

“Sombra, surrender and I will be merciful,” Cadence said.

“Mercy?...Why should I accept MERCY?!” Sombra roared. His eyes glowed and he just seemed tah...dissolve inta shadows. “Mercy is for those who feel remorse for their crimes...I never had a choice but to do mine, so why should I feel anything?”

The sky turned black and became covered in howlin' shadows! Sombra's ugly mug came right of it, lookin' bigger and uglier than ever! “Now! Fall into darkness!”

His jaws slammed shut on Cadence! Tryin' tah swallow her whole!

It was a few moments, all of us lookin' with our hearts skippin' more beats than is healthy for anypony...then light began to pour out of Sombra's mouth!

“No! Stop!” Sombra screamed, his voice sounding like a million voices. Light started erupting out of him, cracks goin' all across him! It looked like he was turnin' inta crystal!

“You are nothing but a nightmare, Sombra! Now fade away in the light!” Cadence yelled.

“NOOOOOO!”

Sombra let out scream as a big flash of blue light went off, blowin' him tah smitherines and clearin 'the skies in a second! Meh and everypony else went all pretty as crystal for a bit too! Ah looked pretty if Ah do say so mahself. The Empire seemed tah just stat healin' than damage that'd happened tah it, like crystals growing back and everythin'.

+++
(Interviewer's Notes (Rainbow Dash): So why the buck did Cadence not just do THAT to Discord?)

(Interviewer's Notes (Applejack): Rainbow! I'm the one with the note book this time!)

Well, Ah don't know everythin', but she was in rough shape after she blew Sombra tah kingdom come. She said somethin' about 'tryin' tah fit the infinite inta the finite' or somethin'. But from what ah can gather, she just couldn't handle doin' it a second time right after that and Hercules was in bad shape too. Makin' matters worse, Discord would know Sombra was kaput pretty quick given what Cadence just did, so we didn't have enough time for them tah get back on their feet.

Cadence told meh she was gonna make the Empire vanish again tah keep the Crystal Ponies away from Discord and she wanted meh tah stay with 'em...and well, she did.

(Interviewer's Notes (Applejack): What was that like?)

It was...weird...Kinda like...Ah was a thing but Ah wasn't and kinda like getting' pushed. Next thin' Ah know, we're here. Ah'd be lyin' if Ah said it doesn't feel good tah know Discord's gone.

+++
Rainbow Dash

“That's all Ah know, hope it's helpful,” Mrs. Peachbottom finished. She kinda reminded me of Pinkie Pie...well, less crazy.

“Yes, it was, Ms. Peachbuttom, you're dismissed,” Queen Cadence XV said and we let her go get some fresh air. Seriously, if AJ hadn't made the room an illusion of a field she'd have had a panic attack.

“Alright, so that raises a few questions,” Magica said. “First and most importantly: what are the Umbrum?”

We of course all looked at Discord's crazy sister.

“I don't really know, but if it involves Sombra after he took the throne, I think I might know someequus who might,” Pandora said, taking out that cell phone thing. We're still trying to actually make those. Apple Computer is really helping with a lot of that junk, guy knows his tech. Came in handy rebuilding the gaming industry.
+++
Meanwhile in an adjacent Universe
Anarchy stood in the spirit world on an island kingdom that had decidedly been destroyed (the buildings, the population being saved by good old heroism) and in a cage of razor sharp strings.

He watched a white unicorn using invisible strings to fly and wearing a pink feather boa with red sunglasses fighting a red Earth Pony high in the sky. The Earth Pony had seemingly inflated his muscles to make himself threatening and powerful, skintight reddish black metallic armor on his front legs and forming flame markings on his chest. The unicorn rose up giant tentacles of string tipped in black metallic armor that seemed to have been transformed from the buildings below.

“You all, who were born as trash are only fit to be manipulated! You ponies and I are different!” the unicorn spat with smug superiority of one who viewed themselves as above everypony else by several hundred miles.

“Shut up! I'll kick your flank and get out of here!” the Earth Pony yelled, pulling a front leg back which seemed to contract like rubber in on itself.

Anarchy smirked. “Come one, come on...”

Suddenly, his cell phone rang and he answered it. “Hello?”

“Hey bro! Pandora here! Can I ask you something real quick?”

“Uh, sure...oh wait a sec...”

The Draconequus looked back, the Earth Pony now having inflated his cocked foreleg to the point it dwarfed his own body, the unicorn having made a spider web of super tough string in front of himself and launched the tentacles.

“Goma Goma no...” the Earth Pony started, throwing his foreleg forwards and the massive amount of compressed air combined with sheer strength launching the punch with unbelievable force. “King Kong Gun!”

A shockwave went out from the collision before the unicorn's attacks shattered and struck him with so much force he was slammed into the ground below so hard the city itself lifted off its foundations and a fissure opened that he fell into.

Anarchy smirked and snapped his fingers.

“KO!” announced a voice in the background like a fighting game.

“Nice! Man, this kid is doing work!” Anarchy said, marking a name off a list titled 'Tyrannical Despots.' “Okay, what you need sis?”

+++

“Uh huh...uh huh...Okay, thanks bro!” Pandora said, hanging up. “Okay, so my brother Anarchy knows every atrocity every tyrant who exists has done. Cause he's revolution and that's the driving force, you know how it works by now. And while he can't look into how Sombra was made or what have you, he could tell me HOW the Umbrum ended up getting locked up.”

“Spill it,” I said, I was getting a little fed up with all the confusing stuff by this point.

“Okay, well basically while Sombra was still...incubating, the Umbrum popped up and caused havoc until Princess Quartz Amore used the Crystal Heart to lock 'em up in a place called the Shadow Prison deep below the Empire.”

“Wait, so there's MORE monsters sealed away under the Empire?!” I asked, everypony else seeming to take that news just as well as I did.

“Kinda. From the sound of it they're not nearly as strong as Sombra, and it's not like somepony can just dig down and into their prison like some b-grade horror movie. It's sorta in a pocket dimension and only one door exists that could let them out and Amore buried it deep underground...then put it in the dark magic corrupted version of this building to make it extra hard to find.”

“Whao, reminds meh of the Phantom Zone Super Stallion uses some times...” Apple Pie replied. She's right. And dang, I thought Celestia could be thorough!

“Okay, so now we know WHY they're locked up, but what the buck are they?” I asked.

Magica tapped her chin and paced a little. “...Ms. Peachbottom said Sombra called the Umbrum his 'brothers and sisters,' right?”

“Yes, she did...” Rarity said.

“...If all that negative energy was being pumped underground to create Sombra by this Obsidian Zephyr, it must have somehow made the Umbrum as well, that's the only way Sombra saying that would make any sense...which explains why they'd show up before him!” Magica said, getting that 'I'm onto something face. “If the Crystal Ponies fear was creating Sombra, what BETTER way to cultivate it than release a big monster attack on them?”

“...She has a point...” I replied. Hey, I've LEAD enough monster attacks to know that!...And I'm not proud of any of them...like at all.

“That is a good point...but something else confuses me about this...” Rarity said. “Pandora...I thought Sombra was nothing more than a homunculus designed to follow his programming...but he didn't ACT like it in Ms Peachbottom's account...He sounded like he was more complex than that”

I didn't really care about that, but I guess that was a good point.

Pandora put her hoof to her chin. “That's...a good point. Maybe it went all wonky?...Oh! Or the power of love! That normally does it!”

“Yeah right, who'd love a monster like Sombra?” I asked. Yeah, tempting fate. We tend to do that a lot...

To Be Continued.

Harmony Day

Author's Note

OOC: Happy 4th of July! Wrote this because it occured to me I had a good set up for a holiday special I never thought I could ever do with MLP. Hope you like it!

Harmony Day

Note: This is set exactly one year after Eclipse was defeated, which (given Hearth's Warming happened) I'm saying was before Return of the Empire

"Hello, citizens of Equestria. I hereby declare the anniversary of the world's freedom Harmony Day, a celebration of the day the Second Age of Chaos ended. Of the day the world could return to peace and harmony. This is not a celebration of a villain's fall. It is a celebration of the world rising again.

Myself and my friends may have saved the world...but the Alicorn Witch refused to see the beauty in what is, instead obsessing over what once was...let us not be the same. Let us celebrate what we have in this new time of peace. Thank you, and I do hope you'll enjoy the holiday," Queen Libra, the Bride of All, said, standing on the balcony of Eden.

Howdy, Ah'm Bomb Pie. Ah came all the way back from Heaven because Ah wanted tah enjoy how the world is now (and make up fer what Ah did...but that's kinda not the point here), so Ah think it goes without sayin' Ah was kinda excited tah spend a holiday celebratin'...but then we kinda realized somethin'.

"So...how do you celebrate Harmony Day?" Magica asked. Ah met Magica in Heaven, but we didn't really get tah be friends until after Ah came back.

"That's...a good question…" Apple Pie said.

All us kids were standin' out in the yard. Apple Pie said bein' able tah just be outside and enjoy it without lookin' over our shoulders all the time was reason enough tah celebrate on it's own…

"It IS kinda the first one and Queen Libra is just havin' some parties," Poison Apple pointed out. "So what do we do?"

We'd have asked Aunt Applejack, but she wasn't going to be here until later since she was helping Libra preparations.

So, we did what we normally do: ask Granny Smith.

(Interviewer's Notes (Razzaroo): Isn't she your age now?)

Yeah, but she's still our...Ah don't know how many greats Grandma. Besides, Ah'm a couple hundred years old mahself right now.

"Granny Smith! How do we celebrate Harmony Day?!" Banana Pie asked as we ran up tah her.

Granny just got that one smile she always does when she's amused with somethin' we asked. "Ah have absolutely no idea. First one Ah've ever had!"

We all looked to each other.

"Besides, youngin's...Ah should probably get outta sayin' that considerin' Ah'm one now. Yer the ones who will be celebratin' this the rest of yer lives and Apple Pie there made it possible. Don't sound like mah place tah come up with traditions. Made plenty of 'em when Ah was alive. Give it a shot yerself first, Ah'll roll with what yah give meh!"

Apple Computer said about the same thing, so we were back tah square one.

"...How about we make a statue of Discord, then blow it up!" Cream Pie suggested, lookin' excited tah do that.

"But Discord wasn't even wantin' tah be that bad guy no more, Paradox was makin' 'em," Apple Pie pointed out. No pony questioned her cause, yah know, she was THERE.

"And the sea ponies wouldn't like that…" Cherry Pie pointed out. "Ah want Waterflower tah at least be able tah have fun with meh on Harmony Day sometime..."

Waterflower was in Sky Ocean right and Ladybird was in New Avalon. Ah heard the Sea Ponies were havin' a completely different thing right now.

"Darn...How about we make one of that Alicorn Witch then?" Cream Pie suggested.

"But she turned inta Half-Light...or got eaten by Half-Light...Hehe, don't know what happened really," Apple Pie remarked.

"Besides, Apple Pie's the only pony that knows what she looks like!" Banana Pie pointed out.

"Me, Poison Apple, and Bomb Pie know," Magica pointed out. "We watched from Heaven. But isn't making a stone statue and blowing it up what Libra said NOT to do?"

We all blinked and looked at her.

"She said today's for celebrating the world being free, not Discord and that witch getting their flanks kicked, remember?"

"Oh yeah…"

Poison Apple looked a bit disappointed there...can't say Ah blame her, given what Fluttercruel did tah her.

"Besides...I don't want to give Discord or Nightmare Eclipse or whoever did all this a moment more of my time..."

(Interviewer's Notes (Razzaroo): You're being quiet.)

Yeah, Ah know. Ah don't talk that much. Aunt Applejack says Ah remind her of her brother…

"...Yah know what every holiday Ah ever heard of has lots of?" Apple Pie asked. "Food! Even with Discord runnin' things, we still made a bit more for 'em!"

We all nodded, sounded great tah us.

"Sounds great but what KINDA food?" Banana Pie asked, giving that big grin of hers.

"Guess we just make it up as we go?" Apple Pie asked. "How we're doin' all of it anyway!"

We narrowed it down tah Cherry Pie and Poison Apple cause they actually knew how tah cook best out of all of us.

"Oh! Ah have an idea!" Cherry Pie yelled. "We're celebrating the way the world is now, right? What about goin' way up high and lookin' at everythin' down here and just enjoin it?"

Cherry Pie was normally a bit shy, but she did get worked up sometimes.

The rest of us all looked at our backs.

"I can cast a spell to give me butterfly wings, but I can't do that on more than one pony," Magica explained, giving a sigh. "So it looks like only two of us, maybe four could actually do that."

"Oh…"

And Spike was with Queen Libra, so there went that. He was the King after all. Scarlet...was in Dracotopia...and wouldn't be allowed tah fly us anyway...

"Oh...sorry…"

Poison Apple tapped her chin. "Hey! Back in Heaven, Ms. Hackney said she had a 'sweetheart' who flew hot-air balloons! That could work, right?"

"Yeah! Half-Light said she used tah have one!" Apple Pie replied, hopping a bit. "Let's do that!"

"Does anypony even know HOW to do that?" Magica asked, she is the voice of reason with us normally.

"Ah got a book on it!" Poison Apple yelled. "Ah'm sure Pa and Gideon would be able tah help us!"

"And Ah got plenty of stuff that burns!" Cream Pie yelled, lookin' over tah her stash of stuff that went boom. It was a big stash.

(Interviewer's Notes (Razzaroo): :) I love hot air balloons. Yes yes yes!)

Never been in one, but sounds fun.

"Okay, what else?!" Banana Pie asked, lookin' excited.

"We need decorations," Ah finally said. What? Ah've been with mom in Heaven since she died and had her family there before that. Ah know what a party needs...now. Ah don't need tah tell yah what Ah was like before Ah died...

Apple Pie got a big smirk. "How about the Elements?" she asked, pointin' tah the one around our necks and on Magica's head. Yeah, we wore 'em all the time. Why not? "All of 'em! Even the ones of the ponies Half-Light called tah help us?!"

"Yah REMEMBER all of 'em, sis?" Cream Pie asked her, raisin' an eyebrow.

"Kinda. Ah remember all the Laughter ones…"

"I remember them," Magica called out, giving a smile. "I was watching from Heaven, and MET a lot of them."

"Alright, sounds like we've got a plan!" Cream Pie said, giving one of the poses she normally did. "Let's do this!"

Cherry Pie

Okay, let's see, what food works?...Well, Ah like hamburgers, and those are something that is all over now and wasn't before Discord took over (cause cows were sa-pie-ant back then and those hadn't ascended to a higher plain of existence yet)…And Waterflower eats well...waterflowers. They're really good! And the sea ponies weren't here a thousand years ago so that'd work!

And Ah'll make it with love because the Changelings came out of hiding! That sounds good!

(Interviewer's Notes (Razzaroo): Hey, Cherry Pie, where did you learn to cook?)

Ah learned from Cousin Scarlet...before she...yah know, became a dragon. She was really good at it back then.

Poison Apple

Alright, let's see here...well, mah sis was the one that saved the world. So maybe apples and oranges would make sense? Yah, there's lots of stuff that Ah can make with that!

Oh! And a cake! What's a party without cake?!...Though Ah guess rock pie ain't fer everypony. Oh! Minty Pie helped too! Ah can make a mint pie! This'll be great!

(Interviewer's Notes (Razzaroo): Where'd you learn to cook, Poison Apple?)

Ms. Hackney taught meh in our cookin' classes. Has a lot in common with alchemy and chemistry!

Cream Pie

"Pa!" Ah called, runnin' up tah pa. He and Gideon were workin' on his computers. He was real close tah gettin' one that everypony can have.

(Interviewer's Notes (Razzaroo): Who's Gideon?)

Oh! He's a Gizmonk! After Apple Pie and her friends kicked Grogar's flank, the Gizmonks that were workin' for 'em did a lotta things. Gideon liked Pa's computers and decided tah join 'em makin' em.

"Hey, Cream Pie, how's the plannin' comin'?" Pa asked, lookin' tah meh.

"Goin' great pa! But we came up with somethin' and need yer help!" Banana Pie called hoofin' him the book Poison Apple gave us. Ah admit, Ah used tah think her goin' tah get those books was a dumb idea cause she had tah go tah the Chaos Capital of the World, but Ah see how good it can be now. "Think we can make one of these big enough fer the whole family?"

"Oh! A hot air balloon!" said Gideon, gettin' excited. "What a marvelous idea!"

Gideon liked tah make stuff just for the sake of makin' 'em. Said that's just how Gizmonks are.

"Might need a couple, family's pretty big, Banana Pie, but why?"

"Cherry Pie thought it'd be cool if we all went up high and looked over the place tah celebrate and it seemed like a plum good idea!" Ah said, givin' a point up, all enthusiastic like.

(Interviewer's Notes (Razzaroo): You get along with Rainbow, the Changeling Rangers, and Ilea don't you?)

You bet! How'd ya know?!

(Interviewer's Notes (Razzaroo): Just a lucky guess. Yes yes yes.)

Magica

Okay, let's see. That one was Saint Sweetheart. Her Cutie Mark was heart and she had an Element of Kindness, so it would be pink.

We were making a bunch of ornaments to put up in the shapes of their Cutie Marks, but also making a large paper with them in the same arrangement they were in when they defeated Nightmare Eclipse. I got to meet some of those mares, it was fascinating to learn about the First and Second Ages of Ponykind. I really want to learn mor-

"BOO!"

"AHHH!"

(Interviewer's Notes (Razzaroo): What happened?!)

"Masquerade don't scare me like that!" I yelled at the green, blank flank virgacorn filly wearing a skull mask who'd just popped up front of me out of nowhere.

(Interviewer's Notes (Razzaroo): Who's that?)

Masquerade Midsummer, the filly we got the Alicorn Amulet from to make the Elements of Chaos from...that wasn't easy. We had help from a pony who knew a lot about it, but that thing was dangerous enough with an adult using it, a sad lonely filly who had no one and was mischievous to begin with is another story…

(Interviewer's Notes (Razzaroo): What's she doing here?)

She still had nowhere to go...she had to go somewhere and part of how we got her to take the accursed thing off was saying we'd be her friend and Apple Pie paradoxing her a billion times...at least she felt sad for all the curses she'd put on hometown with it after that thing wasn't messing with her head anymore...Plus it tried to get ME to try and put it on after we got it off of her, I know how tempting that blasted thing could be.

Masquerade giggled and took the mask off. "Hehe, sorry. What are you doing?"

"Making decorations for Harmony Day. We're making these based off of the Cutie Marks of the ones who defeated Nightmare Eclipse," I replied, showing the ones we'd already made.

"Oh...what about my Great to the tenth power Grandma Trixie?"

I blinked. "Huh? Why?"

"Well, she gave Twilight her Element, right?" she asked, looking a bit hurt…

"...I admit...I hadn't thought of that...thanks Masquerade."

She gave a stage bow. Did I mention her entire family line has apparently had a thing for theatrics? "You're welcome...OH! I have an idea!" she said, then did a cartwheel into her room and then one back, wearing a mask that looked like her own face but made of crystal. "Why don't all of us that weren't brought back to life wear these?"

I cocked my head. "Why?"

"To celebrate all of you coming back to life of course!" she replied, taking the mask off and giving a smirk. "After all...I know I'm grateful, you wouldn't have saved me if you weren't dead, would you?"

I blushed a bit. "You're right...thanks...but we'd need a mask like that for everypony."

"Already done!" she said, giving a smug grin.

"...Not that it's not helpful, but WHY do you have crystal masks of everypony in the family?"

"...Cause it's fun to make masks."

Considering she threw a giant goat monster with a mask for a head at us when she had the Amulet, that's honestly not that surprising.

Apple Pie

"My word, you children have been busy, haven't you?" Aunt Applejack asked, walking' in tah see what Magica and meh did! We the place looked like it Hearth's Warming! Except with Elements of Harmony!...So it ain't really. Hehe…

Masquerade did a cartwheel and handed her a mask of her own face except all crystal. Ah was wearin' one too! Hehe, kinda weird wearin' a mask of yerself! That's the opposite of what masks are for!

"The masks are to celebrate everypony coming back to life, it was Masquerade's idea," Magica explained, giving Masquerade a smile.

"Sounds like a wonderful idea, dear," Aunt Applejack said, puttin' hers on...and givin' herself an illusion of havin' the gem eyes. Hehe, disguise inside a disguise! She smiled tah Granny Smith. "I certainly don't argue with the idea of celebrating having those we lost returned to us."

We gave all the ponies who'd came back a BIG hug! Ah hugged mah sister the hardest! Wish Caster and Puella were her tah hug, but they're with their folks right now. So Ah'll just hug 'em when they get back!

Cherry Pie

"Hamburgers, waterflowers, apple and orange everything, and mint pies. Quite the interesting combination," Auntie Applejack said, looking at the job meh and Poison Apple did…

Ah looked down. "We...kinda didn't talk with each other about what the other was makin'..."

Poison Apple nodded, doin' the same. "It ain't very harmonic…"

But Auntie just grinned. "I think it works just fine, dears."

"Huh?" we BOTH asked.

"Well, part of the world IS Discord's chaos he left behind, isn't it?" she asked us. "So the meal being a bit of a mix of different things that are still good feels like a wonderful idea. To remind us chaos is still part of the world, and that a little bit of it isn't that bad. I mean I DO have one of the Elements of Chaos for my heart. That sounds like a good way to celebrate, doesn't it?"

We looked to each other and nodded. "Yeah!"

(Interviewer's Notes (Razzaroo): Reminds me of an old friend of mine...her special talent was mixing at least three things together to make something really good...Yes yes yes...Just remember, some things just don't go together.)

Yeah, Ah know. Like fish and ice cream! That isn't as good as it sounds! Yucky! But this time everything tasted good! Ah think Ah ate so much Ah won't be able to fly for awhile...

[=Lunar Eternal Blue – Wonderful Victory=]

Banana Pie

"Alright, all aboard!" Pa called and we all filed onto the big old hot-air balloon he and Gideon had put together! The balloon had Apple Pie and her friends' Cutie Marks on it too.

"My word, how long has this been here?" Applejack asked as we got on board.

Pa gave a smirk. "Tonight. Meh and Gideon made it. The kids had a really good idea: go up high and look down on this big world and celebrate it."

Applejack seemed tah like that! "I must say, it is a good idea. I think I might suggest that one to Rarity for next year."

Hear that! We made somethin' that might be what everypony's doin' next year!

Anyway, we took off and went up high as Pa said the book said was safe and we were lookin' down on the whole area! Rock farm looks right fine from way up here! Those apple trees are really lookin' pretty too!

New Avalon's new capital city was right next door, where their old capital used tah be 500 years ago, so Pa decided tah float of it. The Changelings were shooting their fire up into the sky, but not high enough tah hit us. We got a little lower and saw 'em puttin' on some kinda show. Ah think it was of Apple Pie and her friends kickin' Discord's flank.

"Hey, that ain't what happened…" Apple Pie said. "We never even fought Discord…"

Aunt Applejack put a hoof on her shoulder. "It's called 'artistic license', dear. Remember for most ponies Nightmare Eclipse kinda came plum outta nowhere and us beatin' Discord is the part they remember."

"Hehe...Ah guess Ah can see that, the comics they're makin' of us have the Elements give us armor or somethin'."

All Ah know is Changelings can put on one Tartarus of a show! Charry Pie got tah wave tah Ladybird too.

Next we headed over Ponyville where the Virgacorns were shootin' off spells and everypony was havin' a big festival of some kind. Looked like a lotta fun! Apple Pie smiled tah see a few of 'em had her and her friends' Cutie Marks and stuff on 'em! Don't blame her none, she earned it! Pa said we'd come back and play some of the games on the way back, Ah sure hope they're still open!

Next we head off up tah Cloudsdale. What were they doin'? Rainbow Dash and her Wonderbolts were doin' an airshow! And Ah'll tell you Ah ain't never seen one of those before and it was somethin' awesome!

Rainbow lead Gilda, Scootaloo, and the others alongside us and gave Apple Pie a salute! We didn't see all of it, but Ah can see why Rainbow liked all this stuff back before Discord if this is what it was like!

Sky Ocean actually floated by US and...it weren't as happy. The Sea Ponies were puttin' on one of their shows and mournin' Discord...then they started singin' Ding Dong The Alicorn Witch is Dead and puttin' on a real big show! Waterflower popped out of the water and waved.

"Big Hat Discord…" She fell back inta Sky Ocean then swam out AGAIN. "Wouldn't want us…to spend today...all sad...so we mourned...him and now we're...celebrating that the...world didn't get...destroyed!" she said, havin' tah jump out like eight or nine times. Girl was dedicated.

We headed for Canterlot last, and boy was it lit up like it was Hearth's Warmin'! Eden was actually DANCIN'! Not growin' legs, but yah could tell!

Spike flew up on the mountain and breathed fire up inta the air while Rarity grew as big as him (and so did the big pretty dress she was had) and fired a beam along side it! BOOM! It blew up and sent an aurora across the whole sky! We all stared as it danced up there!

"Rarity's a lot of things, but one thing she won't do is anything half way," Applejack said, giving a smile.

+++

Bomb Pie

We floated over Devil's Fall (the big sea Cadence, Tiamat, Bahamut, and...everyone made beatin' Lord Tirek last time he showed up), watchin' the sun set. Weren't any big shows goin' on, no celebrations...we were just watchin' Celestia put the sun down…

...Yah know, sunsets just didn't exist when Ah was alive the last time...just 'it's night, now it's day' every five seconds...It's so pretty…

(Interviewer's Notes (Razzaroo): Yeah...it is, isn't it?)

Yeah…

So we all just sat there on Pa's hot air baloon, watchin' the sun go down, somethin' no pony could see before now…

That's what Harmony Day's supposed tah be about, ain't it?...Seein' how great the world is now?

Ah think this is a good way tah spend it.

Atonement

Pony POV Series
Loose Canon
Dark World Drabbles
Twilight: Atonement

WARNING! MAJOR SPOILERS FOR "Party At Canterlot Castle"!!!

I'm free…But that doesn't mean the past never happened.

My name is Twilight. For the last thousand years I was Twilight Tragedy and served the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony Discord as his loyal minion. I was also Sparkle, who hated Discord with all her heart but was nothing more than a toy for him to play with. But now, thanks to one little filly brave enough to laugh in the face of tragedy, I'm no longer Tragedy, Discord's slave, or Sparkle, Discord's toy, I am Twilight, I am me.

I put a flower that grew from my parents on the grave in front of me and bow my head. "Trixie…I wish I'd made friends with you in life…may your soul rest peacefully now that your journey is done…and may all of us be forgiven for allowing you to be taken away."

I leave the flower laying there and move on.

But washing out the grey doesn't mean I've washed away a thousand years worth of crimes. It doesn't mean all the pain I've caused never happened. It doesn't mean I don't need to atone for what I did.

"Thank you all for coming," I say to gathered the dust maids, making sure no one else is there to see. "…Please forgive me for what I've done to you…You're free."

And they're all gone, back to their world, back to their families and friends. Huh?

"Hey, what about you?"

"Oh, we like it here."

"Oh…Well, that's your choice, I'll leave you to it. You're free to do as you please."

There's a difference between punishment and atonement. Punishment is inflicted on someone to make them pay for what they've done. Atonement, true atonement, is making amends for your own wrongdoing. Washing away sins with pure, good deeds.

As I walk through the castle, looking at every vase and letting my horn briefly scan it. I don't have time for a more detailed search, I have much to do.

I'm making up for my sins, but I'm not letting them crush me.

Discord thought it was clever to make a hundred copies of the vase. That it'd keep ponies from finding her and freeing her from her fate, and that sooner or later anyone that could find her would not even know she existed at all.

Being his slave for a millennium did have one advantage; a good assassin is able to find a target when they're hiding. And to do that, you need spells to see someone hiding in nearly anything. And the only way to do that is to look for their aura. And Discord doesn't have the power to copy someone's soul, or was too lazy to do it one hundred times to hide one of his playthings.

Finally, I find the right vase, on a mantle in a room overlooking the gallery were the Princesses and Sparkler are kept. I don't have time to undo those spells now, but someday…

I replace the vase with an identical one for safety, then find as private room as possible and put a soundproof barrier up. I use telekinesis to crush the pot into powder, then light it aflame. I keep an eye out. Discord's eyes are not everywhere. Tragedy tried to tell him that, but he was too busy playing with Sparkle to listen.

Finally, the ashes in the flames erupt upwards, and in an explosion of flames take the form of a phoenix.

As the ashes of the pot settle to the floor. She perches on a table, shaking fearfully. I can't blame her. One thousand years of being trapped between life and death.

"Philomena…I'm sorry for all you've been put through…I'm sorry for everything…I'm trying to set it right…Will you forgive me?"

The firebird looks at me in confusion. I do nothing to hide my emotions. I'm tired of hiding them.

She finally nods slowly, but gives me a glare. I can tell it'll take awhile to truly earn her trust back…I accept that.

"Thank you…" I reply, then follow her gaze towards the gallery. "I know, I want to free them too. But now is not the time," I respond. "Philomena, listen, I know you don't trust me, I don't blame you, but right now, the important thing for you to do, the best thing you can do for Celestia, is to get out of here, to get to safety," I tell her. "She doesn't want you to suffer anymore, I promise when Discord is beaten, I will find you again, but for now, you need to hide. Go find some Changelings, they've been protecting Ponies for over a thousand years now, they'll keep you safe."

Philomena gave a sad look, looking hesitant.

"Philomena…you and I both know Celestia loves you, and you love her. But if she were able to talk to you right now, what would she tell you? Would she say to stay were Discord might torture you again, or get somewhere safe until he can't any longer?"

Philomena looked thoughtful, looking the direction of her master's statue. She then sighed and nodded slowly.

"That's right…please be safe," I tell her.

She flies over and gives me a nuzzle and a little squawk.

"I'll be safe too, as safe as I can be," I said, giving her a genuine smile.

I watch Philomena fly off, hiding anywhere she can on the way. It'll be a long, hard road for her…I can only wish her the best.

I set out to make new friends…I think I just made one...Time to make some more.

Author's Note

Alexwarlorn helped me with this chapter. It originally wasn't a part of this but it was retroactively made in it.

Hearth's Warming Omake

“Hello everypony, griffin, equus, and shadow! It’s me Pinkie Pie! Once again atop the fourth wall! Though I’m not here to review a bad comic book! We’re here for another Hearth’s Warming/Christmas/Holiday special!”

“Even if this isn’t the main story!”

Pinkie looked over, seeing a straight maned, but overall happy looking version of herself. “Oh! Hi! You’re the Dark World me, right? But you‘re not a big grump anymore?”

“Yeah! That’s me!…How do we tell each other apart?”

“Hmm…How about we call you Pinkie and me Pinkie Diane? Since you didn’t change your name I don’t think.”

“Sounds fine by me!”

“Anyway, Dark World might have been saved but the story is being continued by another Shadow showing how everyone‘s getting along after mean old Nightmare Eclipse was taken care of! And today we’re going to be giving you a nice little story about Hearth’s Warming Eve!”

“This story is the same level of canon as the original Hearth’s Warming special! Keep that in mind while reading!”

“Enjoy the show everycreature and everyshadow!” both announced.

“Pinkie!” called Rarity, trotting in. “What are you-oh Celestia there’s two of them!” the fashionista cried before doing her faint onto a couch.

“…Huh, we’re both saner, you’d think they wouldn’t be worried about us causing a world destroying mega party like me and Bubble Berry almost do in that one universe…is us visiting that canon to this story?”

Pinkie shrugged. “It is to the guest Shadow’s verse, but I don’t know…”

Pinkie Diane nodded. “Alright, let’s just enjoy the show!”

Pony POV Series
Dark World Drabbles Omake
I-Don‘t-Have-A-Clue-Either-Canon
“Hearth‘s Warming Eve Revisited”
“The first Hearth’s Warming in a thousand years not under Discord’s clutches! I’m actually looking forwards to it!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, flying next to Spike, Applejack, Apple Pie, and Bomb Pie on his back. The Pegasus did a loop, just enjoying the feeling of freedom they all now had.

“First Hearth’s Warming in a thousand years I’m breathing for,” Gilda remarked, flying next to her friend. “So there’s that.”

“And I get to spend it with Rainbow Dash!” Scootaloo announced excitedly, the crystal pegasus filly flying with her friends.

Rainbow Dash gave a chuckle, flying next to Scootaloo and rubbing her mane mane. Scootaloo may have been over a thousand years old and could act mature when she needed to, but she was still picking up her fillyhood where Discord had taken it from her.

“Yeah. Too bad Inquisition couldn’t be here, but can’t blame her for wanting to spend the first Hearth Warming in a long time on with her dad,” the Element of Free Will replied.

“But doesn’t that go for yah too, Rainbow?” asked Apple Pie, the filly giving a chuckle.

“Yeah, but dad told me to spend Hearth’s Warming Eve with you guys then Hearth’s Warming with him,” Dash replied, giving a wave. “Point is, can’t blame her and the other Bearers for wanting to be with their families for the holiday!”

“Alright everycreature, we’re here,” said Spike, the king of New Equestria touching down near the main house of Sweet Rock Acres. The stone building had been expanded and renovated some, now that hiding from the evil overlord and his enforcers wasn’t a factor in its design. It looked less like a simple rock structure and more like a proper farm house. The area also had a new section that appeared designed to grow trees, some saplings and apple trees transplanted from elsewhere in New Equestria. currently covered against the snow and cold of winter. Queen Libra had made sure the first Hearth’s Warming under her rule would be a white one. Discord had strangely allowed a few white Hearth’s Warmings, but the idea they were customary was unusual to the ponies of this world.

“Wherever is Rarity? She said she’d meet us here,” Applejack asked, the mare carefully stepping off the dragon and helping her multiple times great niece and nephew off him.

“Don’t worry, Abigail, I’m here,” said a familiar refined voice.

A crystal skeleton gracefully emerged from the ground, soil flying in to cover it to serve as skin, followed by freshly fallen snow in place of fur and hair. The unicorn shaped statue glowed white and became a familiar white unicorn with a purple mane.

“Hi Rarity! Did yah forget yer wings?” Apple Pie asked innocently, galloping up to the ponyification of the Mortal World.

Rarity gave a chuckle. “No, darling, I simply made this avatar in the shape of my old self. I was feeling a tad nostalgic today,” she stated, flipping her purple mane that currently wasn’t composed of energy.

Rainbow smirked. “Sounds like a good idea to me.”

Applejack gave a nod of her own. “This is quite nostalgic as it is, isn’t it?” she asked, turning and looking to Sweet Rock Acres. “After all, this is where we started turning the tide after a thousand years.”

The group nodded. “Yeah, this is were Ah met most of yah for real!” Apple Pie chimed in.

Spike looked over. “And I think right there was where my Element of Generosity ignited,” he said, pointing nearby.

“It was where yah gave meh the Element of Desire, Apple Pie,” said Bomb Pie, the foal smiling to his cousin and getting a high hoof.

“Hello everycreature,” said a voice from the house.

“Pa!” called Apple Pie, running up and hugging her father. Bomb Pie ran over to meet two other crystal ponies, Apple Sauce and Powder Cake. “Happy Hearth’s Warming Eve!”

Apple Computer nodded, wiping a bit of sweat off his brow. “Howdy Apple Pie, Bomb Pie. We’ve all been working real hard on a meal for all of yah,” he said, giving a bow to Rarity and Spike. “Come on in!”

Spike blinked, looking down at the relatively tiny ponies and house. “Uh…”

“Don’t worry, we already got a spot set up outside for yah, King Spike.”

“Uh…just Spike, please...it’s kind of embarrassing coming from friends.”

Apple Pie laughed. “Spike, how are yah blushin’? Ah thought Dragons couldn’t do that!”

The bookworm of a dragon gave a blank look. “…I…don’t know either…”

Soon, Spike was sitting next to the living room, the wall now having a self opening mechanism to allow a hole to be made for him to look through (Apple Computer was quite the gadgeteer). Several fires also burned outside to keep the gigantic dragon warm, as well as keep the living room from getting cold due to the weather. While he was kept warm by his inner fire, he did admit it was more comfortable than being exposed to the elements.

The responsibility of telling the traditional Hearth’s Warming tale fell upon Applejack. She’d wanted Granny Smith (or rather Apple Smith as she was generally known except to the foals) to tell it as per tradition, but…

“Applejack, Ah was the one that told yah that story before that sidewinder took over. Ah had plenty of Hearth’s Warming Eves tah tell it, it’s time yah got a turn.”

“I…I understand, thanks a lot…”

“Plus, Ah’m a filly again! Ah ain’t had that story read tah meh since Ah was a foal! It’ll be fun!”

“Hehe…you’re really enjoying the second foalhood, aren’t you?”

“Darn tootin’! Every minute of it!”

“The Ponies tribes back then weren’t as friendly as they are now, they couldn’t stand one another! In fact, they hated one another,” Applejack recited.

The Apple Pies were shocked to hear this. Even in a future ruled by the Duke of Disharmony as Discord sometimes called himself, if anything ponies were closer than they were a thousand years ago. They had to be when they were fighting every day to help one another survive. The idea of ponies hating each without the evil overlord forcing them to was even more foreign. Especially to the hospitable Apple Pie clan.

“Windigos? Are they like the Windy-Gos?” asked Minty Pie, blinking as she listened to the introduction of the Windigos.

“No, the Windy-Gos are nice. The original Windigos were nasty things that tried to freeze the whole world!”

“Wow…”

“…and they called the new land Equestria. And to this day, we celebrate the defeat of the Windigos and Equestria being saved,” Applejack finished, smiling to her family. While it was obvious they’d seen enough weird stuff the Windigos probably seemed normal, they still enjoyed a good story as much as anyone else.

Rainbow chuckled, looking to Scootaloo. “I wonder how Luna’s handling this with the Windy-Gos…”

“…And that twas how your ancestor was born, as the remnants scattered to the winds by the Fires of Friendship would come together to form a new one, which I granted fullness and completed to make the first true Windigo!” the Princess of the Night announced, towering over the little Winter Spirits…despite being a filly.

“Amazing! Tell us more mighty Princess of theNight!”

Luna smiled, she‘d naturally left out how the Windigos had gotten to Equestria in the first place for her sister‘s sake, but she was glad her tiny worshipers enjoyed the story. “Perhaps later, our sister will be upset if we doth not eat cake promptly!”

“Yay! Cake!”

The group sat down to dinner at a table in the living room so Spike could attend properly. Applejack, being the resident saint and priest, said the blessing and they soon ate.
Rainbow blinked, looking at the spread of food. There were meat and rock based foods, as to be expected, but also a good number of apple pies, jams, and other foods. “Uh…interesting choice of food.”

“Thanks,” Apple Computer replied, giving a smile. “Apple Smith and Ah argued for a tad bit over what tah serve.”

Apple Smith, or Granny Smith to some, nodded. “Ah had mah Hearth’s Warmin’ Eve traditions and they have theirs. And, well, nopony really wants tah back down on their old family traditions.”

“But ain’t we all the same family?” Apple Pie pointed out, giving a laugh at how silly it seemed.

The two nodded with chuckles of their own. “That’s what we figured in the end,” Apple Computer replied to his daughter.

“So we decided tah do the smart thin’ and have both our traditions at the same time,” Apple Smith finished up, smiling to her multiple times great grandson and getting one in return.

“By the Father, is this…” Applejack exclaimed, looking at the homemade bread and jam in front of her in shock. The rainbow jam.

“Zap Apple Jam,” Apple Smith replied with a smile.

“B-But I thought the trees died with the other trees when Discord had a volcano erupt over Sweet Apple Acres and the rest were wiped out when he destroyed Old Avalon and what used to be the Everfree Forest…”

“So did Ah! But would yah believe it? The trees sprouted straight up about the time Ah came back and came inta season a couple weeks ago!” Apple Smith replied, giving a smile. “It was a wonderful little welcome back for meh! Enjoy it!”

Rainbow Dash looked at Rarity, giving a grin. “Your doing?” she whispered as Applejack savored her Zap Apple Jam like a gift from a friend she hadn‘t seen in forever.

Rarity chuckled. “Darling, Zap Apples may grow in me, but they’re magic and so are their rules, and that’s not my Concept.”

Rainbow gasped. “So…Twilight?”

“Perhaps, or just a Hearth’s Warming miracle or maybe the trees she brought here with her own two hooves decided to welcome their ‘mother‘ back. But why look a gift horse in the mouth when we should be filling our own and enjoying a dinner with friends?” Rarity asked, eating some bread and Zap Apple Jam of her own, and being noticeably less delicate than a thousand years ago.

“Hey Rainbow,” Spike said, looking over. “That’s not the only Apple Family recipe here.”

Rainbow’s eyes went wide as she followed Spike‘s gaze. “Is that…” the pegasus looked at the barrel on a nearby table like it was water and she’d been lost in the desert for ages.

“Well, we had tah get the Apples from the transplants, but it didn’t feel right tah not have some traditional Apple Family Cider for special occasions, and our first Hearth’s Warmin’ back together sure counts!” Apple Smith replied, giving an aged grin that still seemed to have a home on her youthful face.

Apple Computer poured the pegasus a mug of cider, which she downed quickly for the first time in a thousand years. “Good?” the patriarch of the clan asked.

“It’s every bit as good as I remember!”

Rarity gave a smirk. She didn’t want to spoil the moment by pointing out she’d found surviving apple trees and had them transplanted to Sweet Rock Acres on the Apple Family matriarch’s request. Seeing Rainbow’s unrestrained glee at having something she’d not had the pleasure of drinking in a millennium was enough of a reward.

As the sun set at its proper time, something the former denizens of Discord’s chaotic kingdom were still getting used to, the ponies heard hoof steps on the roof.

“Hohoho! Merry Hearth’s Warming every creature!” announced a jovial voice before the form of Santa Hooves came down the chimney. The foals quickly gathered around him as he began handing out gifts, making sure to give each of them a kind remark or remark along with their gift.

“For Apple Pie! You’ve been such a good filly this year!”

Apple Pie received a four dimensional puzzle cube she found hilarious, and spent the rest of the year solving.

“Bomb Pie, good to see you on my list again! Especially on the nice one!”

Bomb Pie received a game consol (Rainbow Dash had been rather busy helping the video game industry restored and running, something Apple Computer was helping with considerably) and games to go with it.

“And here’s Minty Pie’s, thanks for rescuing the Windy Gos, they’re friends of mine!”

Minty Pie received a candy making set to let her begin really making what her special talent actually revolved around. She also found some strange berries in her stocking that felt so very familiar, as well as instructions for planting them.

“Poison Apple, I think you’ll find this useful for putting that new knowledge of yours to the test!”

Poison Apple was given a new chemistry set.

After the Apple Pies had received their gifts, the reindeer came to the thousand year old creatures.

“Here you go Scootaloo! I think you’ll like it!”

“Wow!” the filly exclaimed, looking at the copy of her old scooter with a red bow on it. “Thanks! My old one got eaten by a butter toad!”

“Hello Spike! You’ve been a nice dragon this year! Here’s your gift!” announced Santa Hooves somehow producing a dragon-sized book from his bag.

“The Complete Works of Hoofcraft, in dragon size? Thanks!” the dragon replied, sitting up to examine his book. It was so tedious reading pony books when you were a gigantic dragon.

“Here you go, Gilda! This is for you!”

Gilda hid her gift, apparently not wanting anypony to know what she’d gotten.

Santa Hooves approached Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack. “Well, you can’t very well say you don’t deserve a good gift now! The saviors of the universe can’t well go on my naughty list!”

Applejack and Rainbow looked a little sheepish at the praise.

“Before you give us our presents,” Rarity said, more confidently. “May I ask a question?”

“Yes, Libra?”

“If you’re as powerful as you seem, why did you continue your yearly ritual with Discord after he realized how naughty he truly was and was only doing as Nightmare Eclipse forced him to?”

“Good question, but a very simple answer: it was what he asked me for.”

Rainbow Dash blinked. “Wait…Discord WANTED to be punished like that? Why?”

“Same reason you and Applejack requested socks and underwear, he felt he deserved it. I tried to talk him out of it, but he was so stubborn. However, I didn’t feel right giving him coal all this time, never set well with me so I made sure to repay him properly now that he can act on it and be a nice Draconequus!”

Applejack blinked. “But…Discord’s dead…”

Discord gave a sigh of relief, scratching his neck were the depowering collar had been. “I can’t believe they managed to actually have a different creative death each time! Very impressive! Now to get all the nursery stuff out of my realm and then off to actually do my job!” he said, digging in a pocket dimension for a key and producing one that looked like a Star Trot phaser. “Huh, might want to change the skin on this thing…”

The Spirit of Chaos and Diversity unlocked the portal/door/dimensional rip to his realm…and was promptly buried by a literal tidal wave of wrapped presents and a couple fruit cakes.

“Nothing stops Santa Hooves from delivering his gifts! Plus Mortis and I have some long running agreements! One of which applies to your gifts!” the old Reindeer said, putting his sake on the ground.

Rainbow Dash blinked. “What?”

The deer opened his bag and out popped a pink Earth Pony’s head with a straight mane. “Hello everypony!”

Multiple jaws dropped to the floor. And one massive one outside hit the ground.

“Mom?!” Bomb Pie, Apple Sauce, and Powder Cake exclaimed.

Pinkie Pie gave a giggle and climbed out of the bag. A scarred pink maned yellow Pegasus followed her out. “Um…hello…Pinkie, was hiding in the bag necessary?” she asked as she was stared at wide-eyed by all involved except their escort. One Griffin looked especially shocked.

“Nope! But how else would a Pinkie Pie come back as a Hearth’s Warming gift?” Pinkie asked as Rainbow slowly approached her.

“P-Pinkie Pie? Fluttershy? I-Is that really you?”

Pinkie hugged her friend. “You bet Dashie! Sorry we didn’t get to talk much before I died last time!”

“B-But how?” Rarity asked, the Concept of the Mortal World stunned. “Mortis bent the rules just to let me bring back the ones I have, and he rarely if ever does that…”

Santa Hooves gave a jolly ho ho ho. “Mortis and I have a long running agreement that each year I can bring three ponies back to earth for Hearth’s Warming night to help me spread the spirit of the season! So I decided to give you three your gift at the same time!”

Pinkie nodded. “Yep! Later we’ll get to scare the Dickens out of a grumpy pony and teach him to stop being such a big meanie!” she said. “I’m Ghost of Chri-Hearth’s Warming Present!”

“Um…Hearth’s Warming Past…” said Fluttershy timidly.

“So…they have to go back in the morning?” asked Applejack, in a mix of acceptance and disappointment.

“Afraid so, Applejack, that’s how my agreement goes, one night only” the reindeer replied, giving a frown. “But you can enjoy a night with them, isn’t that better than nothing?”

Rainbow wiped her eyes, trying not to let her tears be seen. “Y-Yeah…T-thanks, this is the best gift we could ask for…”

Rarity hugged Fluttershy. “It’s good to hug you, Fluttershy…I missed you so much…”

Fluttershy returned the hug and nodded. “I missed you two, Rarity. I missed all of you.”

The two may have shared another connection, but Rarity wasn’t about to let another shocking reveal spoil their moment.

Bomb Pie and his adopted siblings rushed their mother once her hug with Rainbow was done and hugged the Pink Pony.

Rainbow Dash smiled, then blinked. “Wait a minute, you said three ponies, who’s number three?”

Santa Hooves blinked and peaked into his sack. “Are you lost in there, dear?”

“Yeah! A little! I’m with the Neighpon stuff!”

Rarity gasped. “That…that voice…”

“Oh! Head right and climb up the Roedina presents!” Santa Hooves called back.

A few moments later, a white unicorn filly with a pink and purple mane climbed out of the sack, and smiled up at Rarity. “Hey Rarity! I get to be Hearth’s Warming Yet to Come!”

A few seconds later there was a couch and a fainted unicorn avatar in the living room.

“Libra, I was on my way back to Roedina when I decided to stop and wish you a merry-” said Mother Deer, poking her head into Queen Libra’s throne room. The Mother of All Deer blinked, looking at the Alicorn of the Mortal World fainted on a couch. “Um, is this a bad time?”

Luna, Celly, and Tom looked at their little sister/mother’s other avatar currently fainted on a couch, the Windy-Gos and Sun Spirits gathering around her as well. “…Did she used to do this a lot?”

Luna nodded. “Yes, quite often. Something surprising most have happened…” she stated while Tom tried to fan their mother back to consciousness.

Queen Cadence XV blinked, watching Queen Libra faint onto her couch in the middle of her Hearth’s Warming speech to Avalon. “Is this part of the speech?”

Applejack explained things to Apple Computer quickly while Sweetie awakened her sister (and her various incarnations and Avatars with her) and hugged her close, earning Pinkie another hug as well. “Good to have the family together for the holiday!”

Scootaloo had been left dumbfounded for several moments before approaching Sweetie and Rarity. “Sweetie Belle?”

“Hi Scootaloo!” the unicorn gave her friend a hug once she managed to convince her elder sister to let go. “Good to see you again!”

Scootaloo returned the hug. “Yeah, it is…” she said, smiling back. “Too bad we didn’t have the chance to do this a few years ago! Then we could’ve been…”

The thousand year old creatures covered their ears quickly as the two fillies inhaled.

“CUTIE MARK CURSADERS GHOSTS OF HEARTH’S WARMING EVE!”

The Apple Pies and Gilda were left covering their ears and groaning while the two smiled big at each other.

Scootaloo then looked at the sack for a few moments, expecting a certain Earth Pony to scramble out but finding no such thing. Applejack seemed to share the resulting disappointed look. “So…no Applebloom?”

Sweetie frowned and shook her head. “No, there were only three places…And Fluttershy and Pinkie got two, so it was either me or Applebloom and Applebloom said this would be my last real chance to see my sister again so…”

Applejack nodded. “I understand, dear: I’ll get to see my sister again someday, I don’t mind.”

Scootaloo still looked a little disappointed, before Rainbow Dash put a hoof on her back. “Scoots, don’t complain about the one gift Santa Hooves couldn’t bring ya! Enjoy the big one he gave you!” the cyan pegasus advised.

The crystal pegasus gave a thoughtful look around her, and at Sweetie Belle and nodded. “Yeah…You’re right…Hehe, Applebloom wouldn’t want me throwing a pity party for myself when my friend is right next to me! And besides, I‘m sure she‘s with us in spirit!”

And so Scootaloo, Rarity, and Sweetie went aside to enjoy each other’s company and just talk and share old stories.

A certain Griffin slowly approached Fluttershy. “Uh…hey, Fluttershy…Uh…I know it’s really old news by now but…about last time we actually met…” she said, rubbing her head nervously. She wanted to say this now because otherwise she’d probably never had a chance to do it again. Even she knew Fluttershy’s present ‘condition’ meant they wouldn’t have the chance to do it in Heaven. She muttered something under her breath.

“Um…excuse me, but…what?”

“I said I’m…I’m sorry, alright? I was a big jerk to my best friend’s friend for no good reason and I’m sorry!” Gilda spat out, looking down.

Fluttershy looked on in shock for a moment…then hugged her. “I forgave you a long time ago…Mercy can’t hold a grudge,” she replied, whispering the last part.

Gilda let her hug, but seemed a tad annoyed at it, but smiled when she was forgiven. “Thanks…I guess…”

“Alright, everypony!” Pinkie announced. “Let’s party!”

A jukebox appeared out of nowhere and began playing holiday music. The room broke out in dancing and singing. Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo, Rarity, and Applejack took every moment they had to spend time with their loved ones on their brief night back on earth.

And it was the best Hearth’s Warming any of them had had in a thousand years.

“And there you go! A nice cute little Hearth’s Warming Eve story and actually on the right day this time!” Pinkie Diane exclaimed. “Pinkie had to go, she’s having a blast with her friends just like the story said! Everypony, everygriff, and everyshadow, we all hope you enjoyed the show! I have my own Hearth’s Warming parties to get to! Bye bye!”

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!