The Beckoning of Nature

Chapters

Chapter 1- The Unexplainable
Chapter 2- Hospitality
Chapter 3- Searching for Survivors
Chapter 4- Gathering of Elements
Chapter 5- The 'Third Eye'
Chapter 6- The Fiends and Sombra
Chapter 8- The Wyvern Stops Here
Chapter 9- A New Lead
Chapter 10- Kelpie's Downfall
Chapter 11- Water's Down and Out
Chapter 12- Last Stand
Chapter 7- Doppelgangers Have Their Uses
Epilogue - Balance Restored

Chapter 1- The Unexplainable

"Come on, ya dweebs! We have to get a move on!" Gilda shouted as she led a few gryphon children away from the carnage that now made the Gryphon Kingdom. This....monstrosity just came up from out of nowhere and started wrecking everything. Homes. Lives. Objects of desire. Even the deceased were not safe, as their tombs were unearthed and tossed aside like mere twigs. It was just that, a monstrosity from nowhere.

"Gilda, where are we going?" Shouted one gryphon child.

"We're going to the Palace of Nature! No time to ask questions unless you want to become a pancake!" Gilda answered, flapping her wings as she clutched a gryphon egg in her talons. The children started to flap their wings as well to keep up with the adult gryphon leading the way.

The Hives were all but lost now. Queen Chrysalis and a few followers had barely escaped the destruction that conquered the Badlands. The buzzing of Changeling wings were heard throughout the forest.

"Your Majesty, we are not heading to Canterlot, are we?" Asked one drone.

"No. We're heading to an entirely new Palace. It lies between the Gryphon Kingdom and the Equestrian border. There, we shall explain what we had seen." Chrysalis answered with tearful eyes. All that work in the hives, now lost. Most of her children, her drones, her workers, her babies, wiped clean from existence.

"But how can we explain that.....thing that attacked us?!" Asked another drone.

"It's too much to bear.... I fear you are correct..." Chrysalis sobbed, her wings still buzzing.

Princess Cadence and Shining Armor had led a few crystal ponies southward. Down the mountainside, they saw a palace perched between land, sea, and sky. There was another palace a long ways from Canterlot, sitting directly in the middle of the ocean. One crystal pony was carrying the Crystal Heart, which thankfully remained unscathed.

"Why did we see such horrors...in as little as an hour....?" Cadence sobbed, throwing herself into Shining Armor's forelegs.

"Look, I see changelings and gryphons going to that palace too!" Shouted one pony.

"Then, we have to go there too...." Said Shining, still clutching Cadence.

"Almost there, don't stop flying until we reach the gates!" Gilda bellowed, her wings flapping at impossible rates. She still clutched the egg as tightly as she could. All six gryphon children dive-bombed down onto the balcony, as did Gilda herself.

They perched gracefully onto the tiled floor, and all sighed in relief. Suddenly, a flash of light came from nowhere and now there were Crystal Ponies standing before the Gryphon group.

"I assume you're here for the same reason?" Asked Shining Armor, who was looking at Gilda.

"Um, yeah.... this thing just came from nowhere and killed almost everybody. I managed to save a few, though." Gilda sighed as she cleaned the egg.

"Look, Changelings!" Shouted one pony.

"What?!" Asked Cadence, who looked skyward. They saw Chrysalis and a small band of drones heading their way. They landed on the balcony as well, and right then and there the Changeling Queen started sobbing heavily.

"This is serious. The Changelings were attacked as well?!" Asked Shining.

"Yes, and the Majesty isn't too happy about it. Many of our brothers and sisters were lost in the chaos. It makes me sad seeing her cry...." Said one drone, who began hugging the Queen's neck. "All our hard work, gone in a fraction of a second."

"I hope this egg isn't a dud. I'd like to see all these kids here have a bright future, not the current trash we ended up with." Gilda said remorsefully.

"What on earth is happening here??!" Shouted a mare's voice as everyone turned to look at where the voice came from.

Walking between the marble pillars and toward them was an alicorn mare. She was light purple with a darker purple mane, and her regal armor was a metallic violet. She spread her dark purple wings as though she were going to fight. Small purple sparks started dancing around her.

"Hey, whoa! Calm down! We're here because this thing wrecked our homes!" Gilda shouted.

"This.....thing.....?" The mare asked, closing her wings.

"Yeah.......it......killed almost everyone in the Gryphon Kingdom. I managed to save these kids and this egg." Gilda sighed, trying to hold back tears.

"The same could be said for the Hives and the Crystal Nation." Shining said, biting his lip.

"Follow me inside, you guys all look like wrecks!" The mare sighed, turning around to lead the stragglers inwards.

Shining could not help notice that this mare's eyes matched her mane. Furthermore, those sparks of electricity..... who was she? Why was she here? And how did she get her own palace?!

Chrysalis could not stop crying. Sometimes she let off pitiful shrieks indicating how much this had hurt her.

Gilda had been flying this whole time. She still had the egg to worry about.

"I've heard about your nations, and, to be honest, I was going to make negotiations with your respective rulers. But it looks like that will have to wait." The purple mare sighed. It had yet to occur to her that two of those rulers were right behind her.

Wait, negotiations?! Since when was this mare as important as Celestia?

"Um, miss.... where are we going?" Asked a crystal pony.

"We're headed to the throne chamber. The others must know about this." Answered the purple mare.

"The others?" Sobbed Chrysalis.

"Um, earth to dweebs?! Ever hear about the Elements of Nature?!" Gilda asked, getting ticked.

"About time you brought that up." The purple mare said.

"The Elements....of Nature?" Shining asked.

"Yeah! It was a big thing about ten years ago! Since then, less disasters hurt anyone." Gilda answered.

"And we're.....looking at one of them?" Shining said.

"Well, duh! Why else would she lead us to the 'others'?" Gilda pointed out.

The purple mare stopped before a grand set of double doors. Her horn began glowing with a purple aura, and this aura opened one of the doors. She walked inside, as did the group.

Sitting on four of five thrones were more alicorns. The first was orange with a scarlet mane. His wings were so huge he had to sit rather awkwardly. His armor was a brilliant crimson, and he wore a chest plate with a fiery red gem on it. The second was sky-blue with an oceanic mane. Her armor was the color of mist, with a teardrop-shaped gem in her chest piece. The third was tan with a dull brown mane. His armor was red-brown with a boulder-shaped gem, and he wore glasses for some reason. The fourth was a light green with an emerald mane. His armor was plant green, with a gem that resembled a gust of wind.

The purple mare trotted toward the others, motioning with her hoof to come to her. They stood up and walked to her, though the green one kept eying what was behind her. Gryphons? Changelings? Crystal Ponies?? The hell was going on here?

"What explains this?" The green one asked the purple one, pointing his hoof at the group.

"Their......their nations were wrecked by a thing. This thing I cannot get them to explain at all. Or how it wrecked said nations, for that matter." The purple one replied, using her hoof to pull down the green one's hoof.

"Wrecked?" Asked the blue one.

"Yes. And look at them, they're all in bad shape. We have to find this thing and get rid of it somehow." The purple one answered.

"You think there are other survivors of the carnage you speak of?" Asked the tan one.

"Not likely, given how the tall changeling is sobbing her fool head off. It's possible, but not likely." The purple one replied.

"What is the gryphon holding?" Asked the red one.

"An egg she managed to save. It's unhatched." The purple one said.

"Very well then." Nodded the red one.

The purple mare turned to the group she led into the chambers. Shining noticed she too had a chest plate with gem-encrusted sparks of lightning on it.

"I understand you all need to be in a set environment before you can explain to us this 'thing' we have been discussing. As such, we will allow you all to stay here in the palace until further notice. You will all take a select number of vacant bedrooms nobody used before, and we will have some maids arrive to you in a few minutes to show you to those rooms. Once you are most comfortable with explaining what you had seen, tell the maids to tell us." The purple mare said in a rather regal tone of voice.

Chapter 2- Hospitality

The stragglers were all in their rooms, save for Gilda. She was on the balcony in the dead of night, looking back at the ruined Gryphon Kingdom. A heavy cloud of smoke had concealed the moon, and in the distance a blazing red had been seen. The Elements of Nature did not stop the attack or the fire that raged afterwards, but then, they were only informed of the attack much too late. What would Rainbow Dash think of this? Gilda broke down into tears, clutching the egg tightly.

"I'm sorry your family had to die! If only I did something before this mess started!" Gilda sobbed. "If only I could redeem myself! Now I see why nobody liked me! I was a selfish prick! A two-faced liar!" The tears continued, hitting the tile floor.

The crying gryphon felt a hoof stroke her between the wings.

"It was so sudden.... You could not have been able to do better. You only did what you knew you could do." Said the hushed voice of the purple mare. She saw the carnage in the distance, knowing it was too late to go there now.

Gilda kept sobbing to herself.

"C-Could you do one thing for me....?" The sobbing gryphon asked.

"Yes?" Asked the mare.

"Take care of this baby gryphon for me. It deserves better than me." The gryphon answered.

"I understand. Please leave the egg with one of the maids." Said the mare, shedding a few tears of her own.

"So, we'll have a child?" Asked the green stallion.

"Yes. Adopted, but a child nonetheless." Replied the purple mare.

"I see." The green stallion said with a smile. "I wonder what we'll name it."

The two began walking to their room and opened the door. The egg was in a crib next to their bed.

The stallion took off his armor and covered up. The purple mare followed suit after checking on the egg.

"Good night." Said the stallion.

"Good night." Replied the mare.

"At least the Crystal Heart is safe." Sobbed Cadence.

"Yes. But at any rate, we aren't. What did that thing want?" Asked Shining.

"I'm not sure." Answered a crystal pony. "But it looked like it wanted something."

"But what did it want?" Asked Shining.

"I don't know. For now, let's sleep." Said Cadence.

"These alicorns trust us? After the Canterlot Incident?" A changeling asked.

"It would seem so. The purple one mentioned negotiations, so I assume she heard of it." Chrysalis said.

"But trust is very hard for us to get!" Said the drone.

"There's that." Replied Chrysalis.

"That thing sure was bad to the bone, huh?" Asked the drone.

"Yes."

"Isn't it time to sleep?" Asked another drone, who yawned groggily.

"He's right." Chrysalis said as she curled up in her cocoon.

"That thing was scary." Said a young gryphon.

"I know, right?" Said another.

"Alright kids, time to sleep now." Said Gilda.

"But I don't wanna sleep!" Cried all six gryphon children.

"Look dweebs, we gotta sleep." Gilda said. "Besides, we came here to get help, right? Well, let's make the most of it."

"Okay." All six gryphon children sighed. They crawled into their beds and turned out the lights.

The red and blue alicorns were on the balcony. They saw the smoke that emanated from the ruined kingdom in the west.

"So, this is what Yuuki meant when she said 'wrecked.'" The blue alicorn said.

"Dammit. We were too late. But a few survivors are better than none." The red one hissed.

"I suppose it is." Replied the blue alicorn.

"I wonder what the thing looks like. Or if we can defeat it." The red alicorn said.

"It's already wrecked three nations, Rekka! We can't just stand here lollygagging!" The blue alicorn shrieked.

"You're right, Koto. Tomorrow, we scout the wrecked areas." Rekka replied.

Chapter 3- Searching for Survivors

It was late afternoon, and the group of stragglers were standing before the alicorns. They were talking about how they were going to deal with this mess they've found themselves in. What was this thing? Where had it come from? Why did it wreck three nations in less than two hours?

The group of alicorns were talking about what the best approach to take was.

"We've come to a decision." Yuuki said, causing the stragglers to turn to her.

"That being?" Shining asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Three of us will go with either Cadence, Chrysalis, or Gilda back to their respective nations. Each one of us is personally responsible for the safety and well-being of those afflicted by the carnage." Yuuki replied. "The rest of you must stay put."

"Alright. But will we teleport?" Asked Chrysalis.

"Yes." Rekka nodded.

Gilda stood next to Rekka, Cadence with Koto and Chrysalis with the tan stallion. Soon, a flash of light enveloped all three of them, and when it faded, they were gone.

Gilda and Rekka stood in the ruins of the Gryphon Kingdom. The fires had died down, and all around there were bodies of Gryphons unceremoniously scattered across the ruined landscape. Many bodies were bloodied, others flat-out squashed. But nothing that indicated the 'thing' was left behind other than the death and destruction that lay around them. Buildings lay in complete shambles, not even resembling a city. It looked like there really were no other survivors.

Both did everything in their power to avoid throwing up. In the distance, the Gryphon Palace was still holding up, though there were fires on the roof.

"No time to waste, Gilda. We have to head to the Gryphon Palace!" Rekka shouted, spreading his wings. He started to race to the kingdom.

"Wait up, dweeb!" Gilda shouted, following behind the alicorn.

Cadence was digging through the remains of a ruined house. Tears streamed down her face. The whole Crystal Palace was nothing but a pile of shattered gemstones. All possible bodies were buried under rubble. Blood lay scattered throughout the carnage in puddles, splatters and the like.

"Koto! I found something alive!" Cadence called, lifting something up from the rubble.

"Alive?!" The blue alicorn said, rushing to the pile of rubble Cadence was digging through.

It was a crying filly. She was scared to death.

"It's okay, we're here now." Cadence whispered, trying to hold back tears.

"It hurts!" Shouted the filly.

"We have to look for more survivors. Cadence, tend to the filly while I check the surrounding area." Koto said as she ran off to search through more rubble.

Chrysalis and the tan pony, Tenmei, were standing in the walls of the wrecked hive. Green Changeling blood littered everything in sight, giving off a soft glow. Bodies were crushed against the walls like a giant flyswatter hit them. Some of the green goo dripped onto the floor like water.

"I hope we can find another survivor. This place is a mess." Tenmei said, clearly disgusted by the carnage around him.

"What did the thing do to my precious babies?!" Chrysalis wailed.

"We can't stand here. Let's start searching the hive." The alicorn said, casting a dust shield to prevent any goo from landing on him.

Chrysalis nodded, and both headed off in different directions of the hive walls.

The insides of the Gryphon Palace fared no better than the outside. Bodies lay scattered about. Chunks of blazing wood kept falling.

"Hey! Anyone alive?!" Gilda shouted.

The burning building kept collapsing.

"Gilda, keep searching!" Called Rekka's voice.

"Okay!" Gilda replied. She kept flinging rubble about, desperately searching for any signs of life.

"Anything else?" Cadence said, clutching the filly tightly.

"Only corpses." Koto said, shaking her head solemnly.

"Should we return?" Cadence asked.

"Yes."

"Nothing." Chrysalis said.

"I found a baby changeling." Tenmei said. "Let's head back."

"A baby?!" Chrysalis said, jaw agape.

"Yes." The alicorn nodded. "It's okay, just covered in goo like everything else."

"So, this......thing.....is a shadow?" Yuuki asked. Shining nodded.

"Yes, it can only be described as that. Unicorns tried firing their magic at it, and it only phased through."

Suddenly, a light flashed in the room, and Koto, Tenmei, Cadence, and Chrysalis had stood in the room. Koto and Cadence were covered in gem-dust, and Tenmei and Chrysalis this glowing green goo from the legs down.

"Any luck finding survivors?" Asked a drone.

"We found a hatching in dire need of a bath!" Chrysalis said. "Most of my babies, your siblings, were splattered so much the ceiling was dripping!"

"What say you, Cadence?" Yuuki asked.

"We found a filly who is scared to death. She refuses to speak." Cadence said, spreading her forelegs a bit so the filly could peek out.

"I dare say I am noticing a bit of a trend here." Said Nagare, turning to look at the drones.

"Guard!" Yuuki bellowed.

"Yes?" A guard replied. He was standing at the door this entire time.

"Head to the Gryphon Kingdom and search for our missing companions!" Yuuki said.

"Yes!" The guard replied, heading out the door. Someone was in a rush!

"Your division of guards work faster than mine!" Shining said.

"He has to. How else would he keep up with everything?" Chrysalis replied.

The filly sneezed. She was still between Cadence's hooves, looking at the strange black pony with holes in her legs.

"The four of us need a bath, and that is not counting the foals!" Koto shrieked, realizing that the goo smelled like death.

"Agreed. We shall wait for your return." Yuuki said.

The Gryphon Palace began collapsing at a terrific rate. If anything, the whole thing began to topple. Gilda found another hapless child under a pile of burning wood.

"I'm scared!" The child shouted.

"It's gonna be okay! Just hang in there!" Gilda replied, trying to throw the wood off the child.

The red alicorn arrived flying in.

"Gilda, we have no time! We have to leave!" Rekka shouted.

"I would get a move on if this child was not trapped under this burning garbage, dweeb!" Gilda hissed, trying to pry open the wood.

"Help me!" The child cried.

Rekka's horn began glowing a blazing scarlet. In an instant, the wood was flung out a window. The child clutched Gilda tightly.

"NOW we can leave!" Gilda said, flying downward. The alicorn followed her.

The burning building began to follow them, quickly ganging on them. The trio escaped the building and were flying back to the city entrance.

"Look!" The child shouted, pointing behind Gilda.

The adults turned around, and both their jaws dropped.

What....had happened?

A fiend born of the blazing carnage emerged from the wrecked Palace. It resembled a wyvern, wearing burning wood planks on most of its body. A low growl sounded from what must have been its maw. It raised its burning head skywards, then let off a draconian howl. The fires that were not part of the wyvern flooded to it, enlarging its wings.

A guard flew in, and he stopped next to Gilda. His eyes dilated with horror.

"W-WHAT IS THAT THING?!" Gilda shrieked.

"It's a mosnter of some sort." Rekka said. "We have to leave now"! With that, his horn began glowing. A bright crimson flash followed shortly afterward, and they were no longer there.

The blazing wyvern let off another howl, then flew away to the Changeling Hives. Each wing-beat caused burning ash to fly all over.

A bright crimson flash appeared in the room, and the guard, Gilda, the child, and Rekka appeared in the room.

"What kept you?" Yuuki asked.

"We were in a burning building. When we got out, it turned into a freaking wyvern!" Gilda answered.

"Is this true?!" Nagare said, raising a foreleg in shock.

"I am afraid so. It....built itself from the carnage." Rekka replied.

"A wyvern?!" Shining asked.

"Yes. You heard a dragon roar?" The guard asked. Everyone else nodded. "That was the creature that caused it."

Chapter 4- Gathering of Elements

Celestia was staring down each bearer of the Elements of Harmony, a rather scornful look on her face.

"Princess, what is it?" Asked Twilight.

"I have received a letter from the Elements of Nature. Remember that fiery wyvern from yesterday?" Celestia asked.

"Yes, we remember. Does that mean....?" Rarity asked.

"More than the doom of Equestria, I'm afraid. This....behemoth they call 'The Shadow' has destroyed the Gryphon Kingdom, Crystal Empire, and the Changeling Hives. And from the carnage of the Gryphon Kingdom emerged the Blazing Wyvern, according to the Element of Fire." Celestia said solemnly.

"Is Shining Armor ok?!" Twilight shrieked, wings spread wide.

"Yes, he, Cadenza, Gilda, and Queen Chrysalis all made it out alive with a few stragglers. They are currently in the Palace of Nature, and according to the letter Chrysalis is behaving for once, save for her....mournful pains." Celestia answered.

"What about the Crystal Heart?!" Applejack asked.

"Thankfully, that made it out unscathed." Celestia said.

"Should we pay our old friends a visit?" Rainbow asked.

"I think that is wise. Be careful." Celestia replied.

"Why does the Shadow want to wreck Equestria??" Shining Armor asked.

"I am not sure, but the world is more important than feasting on love." Chrysalis replied.

"Why say that?" Cadence asked.

"Without the world, how could we feed?" Answered the Changeling queen.

"Point taken." Cadence remarked.

"So, uh, what're we gonna do?" Gilda asked.

"Another point taken." Shining chimed.

Someone started to knock on the door.

"Who is it? It's open!" Called a drone.

The door opened, and behind it was an alicorn stallion. He wore glasses, and he had a dark mane and light grey pelt. His dark-grey eyes looked at Shining Armor.

"Please, all of you, head to the throne chambers." He said.

"Why is that, mister.....uh....?" Shining stammered.

"My name is 01. The Elements of Harmony are in the chamber with the Elements of Nature, and they wish to see you." The stallion replied.

"That's an odd name. Very well, tell them we will be there in about fifteen minutes." Shining remarked. With that, he and the other stragglers stood up and began heading to the throne chamber.

"So, it was too late to do anything?" Twilight asked.

"Afraid so. I think the Shadow is flat-out mocking us....and in a way I am reminded of the Quartet." Nagare sighed.

"But that was over ten years ago!" Rarity exclaimed.

"We are aware of that. It's not possible for them to come back from the grave unless the dark arts were performed. Only a lunatic would even think of bringing them back." Yuuki pointed out.

"Not likely. Nopony knows the dark arts these days." Twilight remarked.

"But if they did, it would be in secrecy." Tenmei said.

"He's right. The only way they'd announce it was if they attempted world domination." Rainbow said.

"The Blazing Wyvern....it looked like it was created from dark magic. Its eyes were....almost jet-black." Rekka recalled.

"I keep having nightmares about the Quartet becoming these......monsters...... and doing awful things...." Koto stammered, "but the sheer magnitude of the misdeeds....... made King Sombra, Discord, Nightmare Moon, and Chrysalis look like foals in a sandbox!"

"Yer third eye actin' out again, or is it just me?" Asked Applejack, raising an eyebrow.

"Who became the Wyvern?" Asked Pinkie.

"Maki.....he's the Wyvern......" Koto shuddered. She suddenly fainted, with her head landing right into Rekka's lap.

"I think we found why Koto's 'third eye' tends to act out." Rekka exclaimed.

"Care to share?" Asked Rainbow.

"She only sees those dreams when something is either due to happen or has happened right when she saw it." Rekka answered. "And when she sees those dreams, they always happen at a given time. We need to use this as an advantage so Equestria can continue to prosper."

"And what of the fourth member of the Quartet? You know, the toddler who never showed up?" Fluttershy asked.

"If Discord brought him here as well, I'll be damned." Yuuki said.

"But what if he's the cause?" Asked Applejack.

"Applejack, he cannot fight. Unless he was given some sort of freak enhancements. He cannot use magic, and if he is the cause, we treat him like a misbehaving toddler." Tenmei answered.

"And if he got the freak enhancements, then we worry?" Rarity asked.

"Precisely." Nagare said.

"We're here." Called Shining Armor.

"Shiney! I thought you were hurt!" Twilight said, running to give her brother a big hug.

"I missed you too, Twiley!" Shining replied with a smile.

"Gilda!" Rainbow cried, trotting up to the gryphon.

"Hey, twerp! You were worried after all?" Gilda asked.

Chrysalis and Cadence looked at each other like everyone suddenly decided on doing....questionable lewd acts for no discernible reason whatsoever. In short, everything became awkward.

"So, how will we deal with the Shadow?" Asked Chrysalis, who was looking at the unconscious Koto.

Chapter 5- The 'Third Eye'

Koto was wandering aimlessly in a world of darkness, her horn giving a mist blue glow. She's already tried flying, only to find she was trapped in a box, and said box was slightly above her horn.

Suddenly, the pitch-black ground shook rather violently, with black dust obscuring her sight and inducing a coughing fit.

A claw smashed through the ceiling of darkness, scratching and prowling for the alicorn. Instinctively, she jumped to a nearby wall where the claw couldn't reach. The claw took hold of the ceiling and started ripping out chunks of the darkness.

"No!" Koto cried as the claw kept smashing the ceiling. A draconian growl was heard, making the alicorn tense with fear.

"Come hither, little bitch......I know you're somewhere in there....." Called an all-too-familiar voice.

Koto's wings spread with fear. She began to wonder if flying was called for at this point.

"Come hither......" Called the voice once more.

Tears started streaming down the alicorn's muzzle. She reared up on her hind legs.

"You're MINE!" Shouted the voice in unison with a draconian roar as a claw smashed through the ceiling and snatched her up.

The alicorn kicked and struggled as the claw dragged her to the face of the Blazing Wyvern, crushing her wings in the process.

"You'll be mine as long as you sleep!" Shouted the familiar voice of Maki as the Wyvern lowered the mare into its waiting glowing maw.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" The alicorn shrieked as she threw the covers off of her. She fell off the bed with wings spread wide.

"Yep, Ah knew it." Said the voice of Applejack.

"Please, no........" The alicorn murmured as she put her hooves over her head.

"You're not in the dream world, Koto. Please get up." Said Twilight, to which the alicorn complied.

"My wings hurt......" Koto sobbed as her body began shaking violently.

"I think she needs some alone-time." Murmured Cadence.

"You said it." Whispered Chrysalis in Cadence's ear.

"Could you all let me and Koto alone for a while, please?" Asked Rekka, who was holding the sobbing mare in his forelegs.

"Sure thing. Just come back to the throne chamber when you're done." Nagare said before he gingerly closed the door.

"So, she has nightmares?" Shining asked.

"Yeah, and she's got em somethin' fierce." Replied Applejack.

"Does she always scream like that?" Asked Gilda.

"No, she doesn't. The last time she screamed like that was after we got drunk....." Yuuki shuddered at the thought.

"Drunk?" Asked Cadence.

"That was over ten years ago." Nagare sighed, rolling his eyes. "Vending lady gave us the alcohol."

"Who?" Asked Chrysalis.

"You know of those things fused with strange two-legged creatures?" Tenmei asked.

"Yes. Why?" Chrysalis asked.

"Q-hybrids. They are both helpful and harmful. It really depends on what object they're made of and, as a direct result, their purpose in life." Tenmei continued. "Vending lady is part vending machine, and yes, she can give you alcoholic beverages as well as the normal beverages. First time we met her after we kicked her metal flank resulted in us getting drunk and.....acting quite stupid."

"'Acting quite stupid?'" Quoted Gilda.

"If you want the incident in a nutshell, we went and staged an orgy. We were returned home and we received quite a lecture, especially the case with Yuuki and Koto because, well, they're girls!" Tenmei continued. He was receiving glares from Yuuki and Nagare, as if they told him to shut up or they'd punch him.

"That sounds pretty harsh." Shining said, taken aback. "We never saw the whatchamacallits at the Crystal Kingdom."

"Nor in my hive, though I did spot a few on the way here." Chrysalis recalled.

"Same with the Gryphon Kingdom." Gilda chimed.

"Please, show us these hybrids." Cadence said.

"Maid, fetch TV-girl." Tenmei sighed.

"Right away, sir." Replied the maid, who galloped out of the room.

Koto continued her heavy sobbing, her face buried in Rekka's chest. He took off his horseshoes to stroke her mane. His ridiculously large wings covered them both from wing-base down. He didn't terribly mind her horn stabbing him in the shoulder, that's happened who knows how many times before in the last decade.

"It was Maki! He said I'd be his as long as I continued to sleep, and then he swallowed me whole!" Koto sobbed, burying her face deeper into Rekka's pelt, her horn tearing his shoulder muscles. "I can't sleep alone anymore!"

The scarlet alicorn continued to stroke Koto's mane, his right foreleg ceasing movement because of the intruding horn.

"Daddy!" Shouted a mare's voice.

"Ocean Flame?" Rekka asked, ears perked.

"Yeah! Why's mom crying?" Replied Ocean.

"It's quite a long story. Come hither, please." Asked the alicorn.

The purple, red-and-blue alicorn came to her parents.

"Daddy, why's your right foreleg not moving?" Asked Ocean.

"Your mother is.....upset." Replied Rekka.

"Really?" Asked Ocean.

"Yes. You saw it happen before." Answered the orange alicorn.

"What happened this time?" Continued Ocean.

"Well, it's like this...."

Chapter 6- The Fiends and Sombra

"Where are my slaves?!" King Sombra bellowed, looking at the carnage that lay before him. Everywhere the Dark King looked, there was blood, wrecked houses, and piles of gemstones scattered about. Nothing else that was living or breathing was there aside from him. Because the Crystal Heart was removed from the vicinity of the ruined Nation, he was released.

"Who dares destroy MY kingdom?! Who dares challenge ME?!" Sombra hissed, as dark purple shadows began swirling around his form. Dark crystalline structures emerged from below him, raising him to the sky. From there, he saw all of Equestria-- the clouds, Canterlot Castle, the landscape, and....

"What's this?!" Sombra grolwed, noticing something jutting out from the ocean. It was another castle.

"So, it's spreading...." Sombra said as he turned his eyes to the wrecked Gryphon Kingdom. His eyes then glanced to the wrecked Changeling Hives.

A draconian roar reverberated throughout the air. It nearly sent Sombra falling down.

"Who's there?!" Sombra hissed as he rebalanced himself.

Silence reigned.

"ANSWER ME!" Sombra caterwauled.

"Oh, I apologize for destroying your kingdom. But it will be rebuilt later, wouldn't you say?" A voice answered.

"Who's there?!" Sombra yelled.

"In front of you." The voice said.

Sombra turned from the direction of the hives and his eyes dilated. In front of him stood a flaming wyvern. There were burning wood planks on its body, and its eyes were jet-black with small scarlet irises.

"You wrecked my palace?!" Sombra hissed.

"No, that was my leader who did that. I'll berate him later. Right now, we must get rid of the Elements of Nature." Said the wyvern.

"The who?" Sombra asked.

"Come with me, Sombra. I will explain everything to you when we reach out destination." Replied the wyvern.

"Very well." Sombra said, climbing onto the wyvern's back.

The wyvern let of a draconian roar before flying away from the ruined Crystal Nation. Ruined rubble flailed about in the gust created by the wing-beats.

"So, we have the Dark King before us, and he's angry that I wrecked the Crystal Nation?" The Shadow asked. He was just that, a shadow forged in the shape of what looked like a person with demonic features.

"Yes. I told him we'd deal with it later." Replied the Wyvern. "Explain to him the Elements of Nature, if you please."

Sombra looked to his left, and saw a creature created from what was left of the hives. It had a somewhat feminine appearance. It had long, wavy 'hair' that consisted of murky swamp water, glowing Changeling blood and plant vines for whatever reason. It was built in the shape of a unicorn, and it had eyes of glowing mist.

"Might I ask you, who are you?" Sombra asked, looking at the creature.

"My former name is of no importance. But you may call me Kelpie, if you wish." Replied the beast.

"Ah, I see. What have you on these so-called Elements of Nature?" Sombra repeated.

"There are a total of five: Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, and Lightning. In our previous lives, we've been bested numerous times by their bearers before they even were recognized as said bearers. They help resolve natural disasters. As such, they and a select group of others have become immortal alicorns, including the Elements of Harmony. I'm certain you remember them." Replied Kelpie.

"Does Celestia know of the damage you've done?" Sombra asked.

"Yes. But the good thing is that they're still reeling from it. However, the bearer of Water has seen us in her dreams. We must take care of her first!" Said the Shadow.

"Her?!" Sombra said, taken aback with shock.

"Yes, my dear Sombra. Her. I've got a little deal for you." Answered the Shadow.

"That being?" Sombra asked.

"We will rebuild the Crystal Nation, get you new slaves, put the Crystal Heart right at your doorstep for you to destroy once all that's been said and done if you bring us the bearer of Water. She is sky-blue with an oceanic mane. Her eyes match her mane, and her armor is mist silver. Bring her unscathed unless she proves to be.... a bit of an annoyance. But be weary: the Element of Fire is her mate. If you must do so out of absolute necessity, get rid of him." Replied the Shadow.

"I think I'll gladly take that offer." Sombra hissed with a wicked smile on his face.

Chapter 8- The Wyvern Stops Here

The Wyvern was flying to the ruined Gryphon Kingdom, letting off terrific roars of bloody rage as ponies and Q-hybrids alike started to panic en masse. Sometimes it breathed fire on a house or two during it's trip.

"Put out the fires!" Shouted everything in the immediate vicinity of the stricken areas. Fire ponies and firetruck-men attempted to douse the flames.

A series of draconian roars sounded in the distance.

"Elements of Nature, get to the balcony!" Nagare bellowed, drawing his sword. It had been years since he last wielded it.

Everyone rushed to the balcony to see what was going on. The Blazing Wyvern was raging about, heading westward.

"Looks like someone's mad!" Tenmei said, readying his crossbow.

The Wyvern took notice of the group and turned his head in their direction.

"Long time no see, bastard!" Rekka shouted as he materialized his laser gun.

The Wyvern started flapping his enormous wings.

"Looks like he won't fall for the switcheroo again!" Yuuki remarked as she stood on her hind legs to grasp her ball.

The Wyvern began flying toward them.

"I wonder how stupid he really is!" Koto giggled as she clutched her boomerang.

The Wyvern roared as he came closer to the Palace. Apparently, he heard Koto's remark from quite a distance. And he was not too happy about it.

The alicorns started flapping their own wings, and they launched themselves off the balcony.

"Your mother was a cackling hen and your father was a perverted werewolf!" Yuuki hollered as her wing-beats caused sparks to appear around her form.

"Your willy is so tiny no wonder you're still virgin!" Rekka shouted as burning ashes surrounded him.

"I bet ten thousand bits you kidnap innocent children to trade on the black market for a living!" Tenmei bellowed as a brown dust cloud embraced him.

"We laughed at you before, and we will laugh again! I bet you're sterile!" Nagare caterwauled as a mini-hurricane followed his body.

"You will be old and lonesome in the depths of Hell when we're through with you!" Koto shrieked as mist emanated from her wings at a surprisingly terrific rate.

"HOW DARE YOU INSULT ME, YOU PATHETIC BRATS!!!!! YOU WILL PAY IN WAYS YOU NEVER FATHOMED!!!!!!" Roared the Wyvern as he and the Elements stopped in front of each other.

"Oh really? How about we wreck your face!" Yuuki bellowed as her ball became behemoth-sized. She kicked it with all her might and it hit him square in the stomach. The Wyvern roared in pain as he was electrocuted and knocked back with the crushing force of a steamroller.

"You won't punish anyone! You're nothing but a selfish, low-life blemish on all that is holy!" Shouted Tenmei as his crossbow grew in size. It fired a ground-shattering bolt at the Wyvern's right wing, almost immediately rendering it useless.

"How'd you come back from the dead?! What freak of damnation brought you back?!" Nagare hollered as his sword grew until it was just big enough to sever the Wyvern's left wing clean off. The wing landed into the ocean with a loud splash, dousing some of the burning wood on the Wyvern's body.

"You think you're better than everypony?! Why don't you prove it here and now?!" Rekka caterwauled as his gun grew in massive proportions. He fired his destructive laser at the beast, sending his entire hind quarters plummeting to the cold ocean waiting below.

"Your miserable, unfulfilled life of causing untold suffering on others ENDS HERE!" Koto wailed as she threw her boomerang, which grew in size as it approached the burning beast. With one single arc it severed the Wyvern's head, causing what was left of him to fall into the ocean. This, however, made a tidal wave that was quickly approaching the land on which Canterlot was founded.

Instinctively, Koto flew faster than the raging waters in a chaotic storm, and the moment her hooves touched land her horn began glowing a majestic silver, stopping the tide before it even reach the half-mark. She then hoisted it up out of the ocean and flew to the burning homes, dousing them just enough for the ponies and hybrids to finish the job. When all the water was used, she teleported back to her mate and friends, who were now surrounding a rock where the Wyvern had fallen. On it was a fatally injured and not to mention soaking wet stallion who was all too familiar to the group.

"Your efforts.....are but......in vain......weaklings........" Maki wheezed as the last breath of life escaped his body. His horn cracked and turned to dust as his body turned into stone, merging with the rock on which it lay.

"Like I asked: Who the hell brought him back?" Nagare said as he raised his head to the sky.

Chapter 9- A New Lead

"So, he was the Wyvern?!" R shouted in shock.

"Yes, he was. But he didn't put up a fight after Yuuki started off the barrage. In short, we won that fight before it even began!" Rekka answered.

"He did say what we were doing was in vain, though. I call horseapples." Tenmei said.

"They grew up so much......" Mikarya murmured, trying to hide the fact she was shedding tears.

"I may have found what brought them back." R said wryly.

"WHAT?!" Everyone else in the room shouted.

"Yes, let me explain....."

"So, he fell before he even could attack them?!" Roared the Shadow.

"Yes. They created these weapons from nowhere and literally ripped him to shreds." Sombra hissed, "And I saw it all without them knowing. The body landed in the ocean with enough force to make a tidal wave. Take a wild guess as to who stopped it! Afterwards, he said something to them in his original form before turning to stone. His horn no longer exists as anything but windswept dust."

"They've grown much stronger than we imagined. What did they say to him before the beat-down began?" Asked Kelpie.

"They fired the worst insults imaginable. They insulted his parents, his occupation, one flat-out laughed at him, and the red one....." Sombra trailed off, ".....the red one insulted his......err.....special area. They said he was, and I quote, 'a blemish on all that is holy.'"

"So, you're saying they provoked him and then kicked his ass?" Asked the Shadow. Sombra nodded.

"Their weaponry is what I fear the most. How were they even allowed to have those things in the first place!" Sombra shrieked.

"Did they wear anything on their hooves aside from the horseshoes they've acquired?" Asked Kelpie.

"No. Nothing else." Sombra reported.

"Let me summarize: First, we get tricked with a switcheroo, then Wyvern-boy flies off, then he gets insulted, and the brats did not even wear their devices?! This is truly serious, Sombra. What say you, Kelpie?" Asked the Shadow.

"When all is calm again, I will embark to the Palace. My new-found armor should hold out long enough for Sombra to knock them out. He will be watching this battle as with the previous." Kelpie answered.

"Alright. I am surprised they've yet to find my weakness." The Shadow said, a white smile forming on his 'face.'

"That being?" Sombra and Kelpie asked in unison.

"To truly defeat me, two elements must be combined into one. Take Wind and Water, for instance. A hurricane with a flood-giving rainstorm. Easy enough, right?" Replied the Shadow. "Anything more or less will not topple me!"

"Where'd you find all that information?" Asked Nagare, an eyebrow raised.

"From an anonymous Q-hybrid. His 'master' has been arrested by the Royal Guards and brought to our dungeon." R answered.

"Who is his master?" Asked Yuuki.

"It will be hard to believe, but it was another Royal Guard!" R replied.

Everyone's jaws dropped simultaneously.

"A WHAT?!"

"Yes. Like I said, he's in the dungeon." R answered.

"EVERYPONY! I FOUND SOMETHING!!" Koto shrieked as she ran into the room. She had a bad case of bedhead.

"What did you see this time?" Applejack asked.

"The Shadow's weakness!" Koto answered.

"It has none!" Shining chimed.

"Shut it!" Cadence said, turning to Shining.

"Yes, Shining. It has a damned weakness. We simply combine two elements together, like Lightning and Earth. No more, no less or he won't be stopped otherwise." Koto said.

"You're kidding." Chrysalis said, ears perked.

"Am not. Why would I look like I just woke up otherwise?" Koto pointed out.

"She has a point." Gilda said.

"You know who we need for that, then?" 01 asked.

"What?" Chrysalis said. "Who do we need?"

"My daughter, Ocean Flame." Koto said with a smile.

Chapter 10- Kelpie's Downfall

Ponies and Q-hybrids once more started to scramble like there was no tomorrow. The reason? A giant stone unicorn marched right through towns, cities, forests and the like. Her destination? The Palace of Nature.

Shining Armor and Cadence were trotting happily back to their spare room of sorts. The whole while they were chatting like they were newlywed all over again. Chrysalis trotted alongside them also, occasionally throwing in her two bits.

Suddenly, everything shook, but not like one earthquake. No, a series of small, rhythmic earthquakes, each only lasting about a split second before the next.

"Again?" Chrysalis hissed.

"Seems like." Shining sighed, rolling his eyes.

Suddenly, the Elements of Nature ran past them, with Koto trailing behind. She however caused the couple and the Changeling Queen to spin in circles when she ran past. Their spinning in place lasted about three seconds before they stopped altogether.

"I'm so dizzy...." Shining said, his eyes spinning in their sockets.

"Me too....." Cadence replied, holding a hoof to her head.

"The world is spinning......" Chimed Chrysalis, whose wings were buzzing.

"Who is THAT?!" Tenmei asked as he saw the giant stone beast approach the Palace.

"Rocks. Wavy mane. Changeling goo. Unicorn. Hmm, let me take a wild guess." Yuuki said.

"I know! I know! Vulnerable to wind!" Nagare shouted like a preschooler before taking flight.

"Might as well follow the leader." Rekka said as he launched off the balcony like a bottle rocket.

"Here we go again after ten bucking years." Koto hissed as she took off.

Yuuki and Tenmei exchanged glances and simply shrugged before following suit.

"Well, well! What have we here? A bunch of brats, that's what!" Shouted Kelpie, who was now more than pissed.

"Your mother was a hamster and your father reeked of elderberries!" Shouted Nagare as his sword stabbed the stone beast. Despite it being huge and being forced into Kelpie's chest it did virtually nothing. "What?!" Shouted the green alicorn, who was now in panic mode. He kept trying to dislodge the sword, only for it to become stuck.

"Looks like someone was reckless. Now, what was that about my mother and father?" Asked Kelpie as she merely flicked Nagare off his sword.

"This does not look good." Tenmei murmured as he aimed his crossbow at the eyes of the beast. He fired fifteen consecutive bolts from the enlarged weapon.

The beast stood there unblinking. She took the shots in the eyes without wincing!

"Horseapples." Squeaked the tan alicorn.

Kelpie flicked him off in the direction of the Gryphon Carnage.

"Two men down! Koto, get your gears going!" Yuuki bellowed.

Nagare had flown back to his sword and continued his fruitless attempts at prying the damn thing out.

"Scratch that, one man down!" Yuuki hollered as her ball enlarged to behemoth proportions again. She kicked it where the bolts had landed, forcing them deeper into the beast's stony skull.

The beast let off a yawn, then flicked Nagare and Yuuki in the direction of the Crystal Wreck. Yeah, this was not going anywhere.

"Rekka. Aim for the mouth when she opens it." Koto said as her boomerang became huge. She threw it at the beast-- and the beast caught it mid-flight.

"Awww. Even Water can't best me. You look so adorable. You know, it would be even better if Master made you his personal bitch before my eyes." The beast said before smacking Koto with her boomerang like it was a baseball bat. The blue alicorn plummeted into the ocean below, and the beast unceremoniously dropped the weapon as well as a sort of insult to injury.

"KOTO! OKAY, THAT IS IT!" Rekka hissed as his gun enlarged to house-sized laser-firing monstrosity. "I'M TAKING YOU DOWN RIGHT HERE AND NOW!"

"What are you--" The beast was cut off by a gun in her mouth. No, her weakness--!

The laser attacked the insides of Kelpie's mouth. Her internal organs exploded from the inside out. Green blood rushed between all the crevices the rocks made in her body. A glowing orange-white peeked out in slim rays between the cracks in her skull. And then the coup de grâce: the stones making the entire body crumbled as though it were a landslide, with what made the head fly out in all directions.

Yuuki, Tenmei, and Nagare had teleported next to Rekka to watch the spectacle. Each had re-obtained their weapons. But there was no sign of Koto.

"Stay with the mare behind the stone statue. Koto's underwater!" Rekka shouted as he suddenly performed a peregrine dive into the cold ocean below.

"What?!" The other three shrieked.

Rekka made a magic field of air around him so that he could explore the ocean. But there was a time limit to how long this bubble could last. He pushed the bubble down. He caught a glimpse of something falling deeper. He pushed onward. It was without a doubt Koto.

"Koto!" Rekka cried in the bubble, continuing to go deeper into the ocean's depths.

At last, he was at the bottom. On the sand bed lay the unconscious and quickly-dying Koto.

Rekka pushed the bubble until he was just above her. He then levitated her with his magic into the bubble. He found the bubble was quickly being depleted of precious oxygen, and now it was too late to surface.

At least, that's what he thought until he spotted another bubble approaching him. It contained..... Cadence?

The bubbles merged together, forming an even bigger bubble.

"Cadence!" Rekka shrieked.

"We must surface now!" Cadence replied, helping her fellow alicorn push the bubble upwards.

"Pitiful........wouldn't you say so......brats....?" Saki coughed as blood escaped her mouth and nostrils. "To think.....I was.....beaten once more.....is there.....a light.....at the end......for ponies like you......?"

"There may not be a light for us. Then again, the same is said about you, Saki. You've lost all hope." Tenmei replied.

"Is....that so? When.....the Master.....comes around......you won't.......beat him....." Saki coughed as her eyes closed for the last time. A smile crept on her lips but stopped abruptly. Like Maki, her horn shattered into windswept dust and her corpse turned into stone, merging with the rock she was dragged onto. Strangely, she was dragged onto the rock Maki first petrified on as well via water.

Suddenly, Rekka and Cadence emerged form the water nearby, both attempting to hoist a comatose Koto between themselves.

"She needs medical treatment?" Asked Nagare.

"Yeah, once we get out of the water!" Rekka replied.

Chapter 11- Water's Down and Out

"Great, now we're stuck without the Third Eye helpin' us!" Applejack complained.

"But hey, we already know the Shadow's weakness! Now it's just him and Sombra!" Rekka replied with a mix of anguish and glee in his tone.

"There's that." Shining chimed.

"How many times must I tell you to shut it?" Asked a rather ticked Cadence, who shoved her muzzle in front of Shining's nose.

"You and your timing with words..... I think she loves you enough to not kick your sorry ass whenever you don't do what she says." Tenmei said a bit mockingly, only to once more get glared at by Yuuki and Nagare who, mind you, could say the same about Tenmei himself. But this time, Rekka was also glaring at him which, frankly, was worse than both Yuuki and Nagare combined.

"Eep." Tenmei squeaked, ears folded back.

"Yeah, we thought so too." The other three alicorns said in eerie unison. "So shut it."

"I think I know who the Shadow is." Started 01, "I mean, think about it: Koto finished off the Wyvern, and Rekka the Kelpie. One was Maki, and the other was Saki."

"Frankly, we came to the exact same conclusion-- unless Discord did a switcheroo himself." Yuuki chimed.

Twilight, Rainbow, Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie's jaws all dropped.

"You're kidding!" The mares shouted, save for Yuuki who sided with the stallions, albeit silently.

"Are not." Replied the alicorn stallions.

"Are too!" Repeated the mares.

"Are not!" Repeated the stallions.

"Quit fighting. Please. Before the Shadow senses it and kills us all." Sighed Chrysalis as she rolled her eyes.

Shining was going to raise a hoof and speak, but he remembered Cadence getting pissed. So, he remained silent this time.

"So, when the Shadow comes, all we need is Ocean Flame?!" Asked Gilda.

"Yes, but she's still....in training. Look at her flank, she's yet to earn her cutie mark." Answered Rekka, who held a hoof to the back of his head.

"We've very little time. However, if she succeeds, then she earns that mark?" Cadence remarked, tilting her head sideways.

"Maybe, maybe not. But we'll head into battle first before she does. Send her in if we fall in, say, fifteen minutes?" Nagare replied.

"You'll hold out until then?" Chrysalis said.

"Yes." Replied Yuuki.

"I have some good news, and some bad." Misaki said as she walked into the room.

"That being?" Asked Twilight.

"The good news is, Koto will only be out cold for two weeks. The bad news is she won't be able to move much after waking up in four months. The pressure underwater broke her hind legs." Misaki answered, realizing her wings were open and deciding to close them.

"So, even when she wakes up, she'll still be down and out?" Gilda asked.

"Yes." Misaki answered again.

Two weeks of extensive and not to mention harsh training made Ocean Flame wonder what the hell was going on. Magic training, learning how to fly, and don't forget trying to make her own weapon appear and failing miserably on every single occasion. One day, she made Yuuki grow a beard, though only briefly. The next day after that, she turned Tenmei into a mare, which lasted for three hours and got her hit on by the Changeling drones. Day after that, she turned her dad blue. And the day after that, Nagare became a potted cactus.

One day of training, after failing a spell miserably and turning Rekka into a talking tree, she began to wonder if something was wrong with her. She should've been able to master magic, because her parents did that in two freaking months!

"Daddy, I think something's wrong with me." Complained Ocean.

"I think your mind isn't focused." Replied Rekka, whose branches started moving.

"My mind?" Asked Ocean.

"To truly understand magic, put it like this: make up an image in your head, like a picture drawing. Keep your mind and magic focused on that drawing. Now, do that but instead with making me, well, not a tree." Explained Rekka.

"But it's not that simple!" Ocean pointed out.

"I know it isn't-- for first-timers, anyway. But with experience, one will learn eventually." Rekka said, shaking a branch like he was waving a hand. "Now, take a deep breath and focus."

Ocean's mind began to form an image of her dad, well, not a tree. She closed her eyes and focused on the image. Her horn started to sputter with magic as she kept herself focused. Sweat started to form on her forehead, but she remained true to the image in her head. The magic began sparking and hissing fiercely. She suddenly fired it at the talking tree... and opened her eyes. Her dad was normal again!

"I knew you could do it, sport!" Rekka shouted in glee as his daughter tackled him.

Koto was laying in bed, just having scarfed down her lunch. As a matter of fact, she was about to drift off into la-la land had Rekka and Ocean Flame not barged in all of a sudden.

"Mommy! I learned how to concentrate my magic!" Ocean cried as she pranced to her mother Pinkie Pie-style.

"Really?" Koto beamed with a huge smile.

"Yeah!" Ocean replied, hugging her mother.

"It was a long story. I heard Tenmei ended up a mare for three hours." Rekka said with a smile.

"Seriously?" Koto asked.

"Yeah. He had to postpone training because of that." Ocean said.

"Rekka, does she know healing magic?" Koto asked.

"No, but we can try." Rekka replied.

Ocean's horn started sputtering again, this time aglow with a purple aura with blue-and-red sparkles. Her mother's hind quarters became encased in this glow as well. Broken bones started regenerating and then loudly snapping in place. The pain was quickly fleeting. Numbness lasted for only five seconds longer. The glow abruptly stopped as the mare's lower quarters landed back onto the bed with a pomf.

Koto approached the floor with caution, then carefully placed all four hooves on it. She walked around for five seconds before taking her daughter and giving her a great big hug. And then, it turned into a group hug.

Chapter 12- Last Stand

"Sombra......they knew her weakness too?!" Asked the Shadow, whose white maw had dropped.

"Yes. But not before three of them were flicked away like mere insects." Sombra answered.

"Which three?" Asked the Shadow.

"Earth, Wind, and Lightning. They were the most foolish. Water was knocked into the ocean, which I find rather befitting of her Element." Sombra replied.

"I will go to their Palace myself. You will follow once more." Said the Shadow.

"Alright." Sombra said.

Ponies and Q-hybrids started to scramble once more-- the Shadow was so huge he blacked out the day just by flying over towns and cities.

"What is that thing?!" Shouted Time Turner.

"It's scary!" Caterwauled Minuette.

"This isn't good! Celestia help us!" Hollered Berry Punch.

"What will we do?" Wailed Octavia and Vinyl Scratch, who clutched each other in their forelegs.

"We can't see! This is bad!" Yelled a nurse-truck.

"I don't think Celestia can resolve this!" Shrieked a pair of sandal-twins.

"Who will help us now!?" Screamed a canvas-woman.

"I don't think we're safe anymore!" Bellowed a car-man.

"Oh, the looks on their faces are priceless. Spreading mass panic really is a good idea." Sombra hissed as a smile crept on his face. Purple wisps started emanating from his eyes.

The Elements of Nature, as well as Cadence and Ocean Flame, were on the balcony watching what looked like an approaching storm.

"Holy shit! Is that the Shadow Shining Armor spoke of?!" Shouted Rekka, whose jaw dropped.

"I fear it is." Cadence squeaked.

"I think I see a Sombra perched on top of an oh-so-familiar face." Said Yuuki, whose hoof was over her eyes.

"We have to take to the skies now! Otherwise, we won't be able to see even with our magic!" Hollered Koto, who immediately took off faster than Rainbow Dash.

"She's right! We have to fly now!" Called Tenmei, who followed suit.

"I have the Crystal Heart with me. But you must deal with the Shadow first!" Cadence said as she took off.

The other alicorns followed suit, racing into the sky as they prepared to take the Shadow head-on.

"Sombra, stay back. If you must, perch yourself on those crystal towers you always make." Said the Shadow as his white eyes darted on each of the alicorns before him. Sombra complied once more, taking a spot on a mountainside. "Look what we have here! I might as well take on my old form." Said the Shadow as his blackened wisps of darkness made his face more unicorn-like. The shadows he trailed behind quickly gathered around his black form, adding a mane, tail, and wings of pitch-black darkness. His dark hooves separated Canterlot from the ocean. "Much better! Now, shall we begin?" Smiled the Shadow as his white eyes seemed to dim.

"Is it me or does he look too much like Nightmare Moon?" Asked Yuuki.

"It's not just you." Answered Nagare.

"I'll be generous today. I won't attack until you all have done so. Go on now, don't be shy. Take your sweet, precious time, little ponies." Smiled the Shadow, who seemed to have slightly tilted his head.

"I would fire insults, but here, it's unneeded." Nagare said as his sword grew in size. He and Tenmei teamed up their weapons and attacked in unison. This was followed by Yuuki and Koto, who flung their weapons at the monstrosity before them. Then, Rekka and Nagare teamed up and did the same. It did not even faze the Shadow. As a matter of fact, he laughed as though he swapped places with Pinkie Pie.

"Foul!" Bellowed the Shadow as his wings suddenly turned into hydra heads and wrapped around the Elements of Nature in such a way that not only were they helpless, they were silenced. Gagged. Soon, they were dragged screaming into the dark abyss. The only ones left were Ocean Flame and Cadence.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did I forget about you two?" Asked the Shadow as his eyes brightened again, taking note of Ocean Flame's sputtering horn. "Oh, little pony, magic is useless against me. Did you forget Shining Armor's words, or did you never hear him in the first place?"

Suddenly, a vortex engulfed the purple alicorn. But it was not just any vortex. No....fire and water.....were.....mixing?

"What's this?! Stop your tomfoolery at once!" Caterwauled the Shadow, who now realized what was going on. At the same time of the vortex, the trapped Elements broke free of their confinement, hoisting themselves out of the cavities where the hydra heads were. The water and fire continued swirling and merging around the mare, whose eyes were now glowing purple with fury.

"YOU DO NOT TAKE MY PARENTS AWAY FROM ME!!!!" Bellowed Ocean Flame, who was now surrounded by scalding water and frozen-cold flames. With all her might, she fired the deadly mixture right at the Shadow's face. The Shadow reared up on his hind legs roaring in pain. Again and again the mixture of elements was flung at him, making him shrink more than ever before. When he was just shrunk enough to manhandle, the mixture took hold of him and dragged him over the rock that had the petrified corpses of Maki and Saki on it.

"YOU DO NOT GET TO LIVE!" Hollered Ocean, whose eyes were still purple with rage. With that, the Shadow was dissolved away into his former self: Baki. He was then slammed into the rock and held there until petrification took hold of him as well, crushing his horn in the process.

"OCEAN FLAME! STOP RIGHT THIS INSTANT!" Yelled the voice of her father. It snapped the purple alicorn back into reality, her aura having ceased in a mere second.

"Dad! He-He hurt you!" Ocean whined, her eyes reverting to normal.

"I know he did. But it does NOT excuse that behavior. For today, however, I'll let it slide." Rekka said, his wings keeping him aloft.

"B-But..." Ocean started.

"I know. You...did something bad. But you did it for the sake of the world, maybe even the galaxy in which our world sits." Koto said, her wings creating mist.

"Really?" Asked Ocean. Both her parents nodded.

"Who wants Barbequed Sombra?!" Called Yuuki, who was chasing after Sombra's fleeting shadow. Strangely, she was trailing behind Cadence, who held the Crystal Heart with her horn.

"HELP!" Hissed Sombra before he was wrecked into a million pieces once more.

"I would never have predicted the one responsible was one of my own Royal Guards. What did you do with him after the Shadow was killed rather violently?" Asked Celestia, who had the Elements of Nature before her.

"We....kinda had to thrash the information out of him. Don't worry, it involved nothing more than our hooves." Yuuki said.

"So, he was stubborn?" Celestia asked, an eyebrow raised.

"More than stubborn. He called us....things I refuse to mention in the Royal Court." Tenmei answered, shifting his glasses so they'd sit properly on his muzzle.

"I see a baby Gryphon on your back, Yuuki. Tell me what that is about." Celestia remarked.

"Gilda saved him as an egg before he hatched. She asked us to put him in our care. He's imprinted on me since. His name's Breezecatcher." Yuuki replied.

"You didn't have a foal?" Celestia said, trying to hide her shock.

"It's not that I wouldn't, it's that I couldn't. I am infertile, sadly." Yuuki answered.

"I see. How is Ocean Flame?" Celestia asked, turning her gaze to Koto.

"She received her cutie mark after she...erm....attacked the Shadow. It's an ember and water droplet crossing paths to form mist. She's been really happy about it." Koto answered with a smile.

"I see. Very well, then. You can go back to your Palace now. I am sure your companions are eager to see you. And please give the Q-hybrids you have my regards." Celestia said smiling.

"Will do. I hope you visit us sometime." Rekka said before he and the others teleported out of the room.

Chapter 7- Doppelgangers Have Their Uses

"They're planning to rebuild the Crystal Empire with Sombra as it's leader if he takes you to the Shadow?!" Cadence shrieked.

"I am afraid so. I don't think we can do anything." Koto replied, her head hanging low.

"Wait one damn minute!!" Shouted Mikarya. "Who is this 'Sombra' you all speak of?!"

"He was the tyrant of the Crystal Empire before I showed up. He was a nasty ruler, figuratively and literally speaking. He required a blood sacrifice weekly!" Cadence answered.

"He sounds like a really bad pony!" Shouted Miki, whose body was still foal-like.

"He is a really bad pony." Cadence murmured.

"HOLD UP!" Shouted a drone.

"Yes?" Koto squeaked.

"We Changeling drones are expandable. We got our species name because we steal the appearance of ponies!" Replied the drone.

"Wait! I have an idea!" Chimed Shining.

"Hurry up and say it! We're losing time!" Mimi called.

"We will use a drone to 'replace' the real Koto. When the drone is captured, we give the signal to retreat. You said that's what they want, right?" Shining asked.

"Yes. But the drone has to be unscathed." Answered the alicorn mare.

"Koto, hide yourself and the Crystal Heart. At any rate, they'll fall for it." Cadence said.

"Chrysalis, I hope you don't mind." Shining said solemnly.

"I don't mind. I may be saddened by this, but at least the drone did what was right." Replied the Changeling Queen.

"Rekka?" Asked Cadence.

"Yes?" Replied the scarlet alicorn.

"Stay with your mate. It's much safer that way." Answered Cadence.

"Will do." With that, he and Koto teleported out of the room.

The drone's horn began glowing a bright green as changeling fire engulfed his form. His hard, black chitin was replaced with silky, sky-blue fur. An oceanic mane began sprouting on his head. His tiny horn grew longer, sharper, straighter and sky-blue as well. His insectoid wings grew oceanic feathers with mist-grey tips. A set of mist-colored regal armor appeared on his body, though mainly the chest and hooves. His double-ringed irises became single-ringed with white sclera, with the cat-like pupils becoming orbs. Now, the drone looked every damn bit like the real deal. 'She' giggled for a few seconds before looking back at Shining Armor, who was impressed.

Sombra's shadow-engulfed body was rapidly shooting itself toward the Palace of Nature. He was eying his target: the bearer of Water who was carelessly lollygagging on the balcony. She suddenly spotted the approaching shadow, gave off a filly's scream, and then flew off the balcony. She was heading to Canterlot.

"Foolish mare!" Shouted Sombra, who redirected himself in order to follow Koto.

"Let me be, foul beast!" The mare shouted.

Sombra's shadow separated itself from him and continued to tail the alicorn, all the while Sombra himself made another dark crystalline structure to perch on.

The alicorn made a jerk to the left, only for the shadow to catch her and bring her screaming to the waiting Dark King.

"Shall we do this the easy way or the hard way? It's your choice." Asked Sombra.

"T-The easy way?" Koto squeaked.

"Excellent choice, my friend." Sombra hissed, engulfing himself and his captive in the shadows before teleporting back to the Beasts.

"He really did fall for it." Cadence said. Nobody noticed she was watching the whole thing.

"Tell us what you saw!" Bellowed the Shadow.

"No!" Replied the captive 'alicorn' for the sixteenth time.

"Sombra, do your thing." Said the Wyvern.

The Dark King smiled as he pulled a knife from the shadows. He approached the shackled 'mare' before him.

"Now, my pretty, start talking!" Hissed Sombra, who was readying the knife above 'her' stomach.

"No!" Replied the 'alicorn.'

"Stab her." Kelpie chimed.

Sombra stood on his hind legs, clutching the knife between his forelegs. He raised it as high as he could, and in one movement, he cut the 'alicorn' open. Green blood splattered his pelt.

Wait, green blood?!

"You idiots fell for it." Smiled 'Koto,' who revealed 'her' true form to be that of a Changeling drone.

"WE WERE TRICKED BY THE ENEMY!" Bellowed the Shadow.

Sombra, now beyond pissed, started stabbing the drone until no more life was left in him.

"I don't believe this. I'll find her myself even if I have to destroy it all!" Shouted the wyvern, who flew away into the sky.

Epilogue - Balance Restored

The Hives, Crystal Nation, and the Gryphon Kingdom were repaired and restored to their former glories in three-years time. Cadence once again ruled the Crystal Palace as did Chrysalis her hives. Gilda helped everyone she could, doing good deeds left, right, and sideways.

Cadence, Chrysalis, and the newly-throned Gryphon King all made negotiations with Celestia and her fellow alicorns, including the Elements of Harmony and Nature. The Changelings would be allowed to roam free in Equestria as long as they did not cause trouble. If one drone did cause trouble, he was condemned by the Hives-- as in, sent to the gallows. Unless he was proven innocent. They still had to feed on love, of course, but criminals who did serious misdeeds were sent straight to the hives. It was simply a sacrifice that needed to be made in order to keep the balance of the treaty.

The Gryphons had a new route on which to transport goods: They first had to stop at the Palace of Nature before going to Canterlot or the Crystal Empire. It was much easier that way because from the tops of the Palace one could see the landscape and thus make accurate judgements. It also used less energy on the individual.

As for the Crystal Ponies, they too roamed free within Equestria, though as with all species, some chose to stay secluded. Many adored their crystalline coats, and some ponies from the larger cities made it to the Crystal Mountains to become crystal ponies themselves. As a matter of fact, all the alicorns in the Palace of Nature went there as well just to see what it felt like. And for the hell of it, they brought TV-girl with them to see if it would affect her the way it affected them. It did give her a crystalline figure, though they were shocked.

At last, balance has been restored.