The Return of the Everfree Kingdom

Chapter One: Memories that can never go away

The icy air that had been moving around Equestria brought a chilling feeling to the small town of Ponyville. All the little ponies who reside there have either started to wear their winter attire or have locked themselves indoors and are sitting next to their fireplaces. One pony in particular has decided to ignore the cold by not doing either of these and is instead inside her treehouse reading one of her many books, entitled ‘How to Make Friends’ which is engraved in clear bold letters on the front cover “Whoever would have thought that I would’ve been reading this book. I guess I fool myself sometimes.” the lavender unicorn said with a small chuckle.

“Twi?” a voice from the upper level had asked. “What are you doing? It’s freezing! Why aren’t you wearing something to keep you warm? You could at least light a fire so that the both of us won’t freeze to death?”

“Now, now Spike. It isn’t THAT cold is it? Can’t you bear with it?” the reading pony said with a grin “And also, you’re a dragon. Can’t you just breathe some fire to keep yourself warm?”

“Come on Twi, It’s too cold to bring up any flames. Can’t you just use a spell and summon a fire?” the restless Spike said as his head hung over the ledge of the second floor.

“Spike, I haven’t even learnt a fire spell yet. Furthermore, if I tried that now I may burn the library down by accident. I’m not going to try that….” she paused for a moment turning her head to look at Spike with an awkward smile on her face. “Again.” Spike burst into laughter as he fell to the ground clutching his stomach

“Oh Celestia, I remember that. Thank goodness Rainbow Dash and some of the other pegasi were able to find some rain clouds in time, otherwise that would have ended really badly” he rolled on the floor in a laughing fit as Twilight returned to her book rolling her eyes in the process.

“One thing you need to know when making friends is that you should never betray their trust, otherwise the friendship could become stale or worse.” Twilight said out loud while reading the book she disregarded as a kid. “This sounds a lot like Pinkie Pie.” Twilight said to herself, smiling at how the author thought much like her pastel pink friend, but with quite the few mention of parties unlike what Pinkie would. “Also, if a friend happens to betray your trust is there nothing this book can offer as advice?” she read asking herself as she neared the end of the sentence, but shook her head and continued reading “The best advice this book can give is to listen to your heart on what you feel about what your friend did, and you may be able to trust them again. Over time, some cases someponys are known to never talk to their old friend ever again.”

“That’s so sad.” Twilight heard somepony say behind her. Literally jumping in shock, she turned to see her pink party standing behind her with a huge grin on her face.

“Heya Twilight!” Pinkie said waving a hoof “Watcha jumping for? Did you find some jumping beans? Did you eat them?” she asked obviously not knowing that it was her that made Twilight practically leap out of her own coat.

“Pinkie!” Twilight said her voice weak as she clutched her chest “You scared the living daylight out of me!”

“Sorry ‘bout that Twi, but I’m pretty sure that ponies don’t have living daylight inside them, or do they?” Pinkie asked as she herself started searching the bookshelves “Hey Twi you got any books on-”

“No Pinkie, there aren’t any books in this library on ponies having daylight inside them” Twilight answered in an unamused tone. “What are you even doing inside my house?” Twilight said just now realizing that that should have been her first question.

“Well…” Pinkie said with a hoof to her chin “Rainbow Dash is going to try a new trick, care to come with me? It’s going to be superly-dupperly-fantasticly-tastic!” Pinkie was leaping with each word she uttered.

“Well, I guess it wouldn’t hurt to watch her try one, since I’ve never seen Rainbow practice a trick.” Twilight said as she quickly went to return the book she was reading to its proper shelf.

“Oh you silly filly” Pinkie said bonking Twilight on the head “She’s not practicing, she’s going to perform her new move. And she calls it the DASHIMATOR!” Pinkie Pie did her usual prancing of joy as she yelled out the name of Rainbow’s new trick.

“I don’t even know how she comes up with most of the names for those tricks” Twilight chuckled “She should just perform her trick instead of thinking of the names for them.”

“COME ON TWILIGHT!” Pinkie called as she galloped out of the library “WE’RE GOING TO BE LAaaAATE~!”

“Coming…” Twilight answered back, grabbing a scarf to help her keep warm.
“Spike look after the place okay?”

“Urgh” was all that Spike muttered after Twilight left, “too cold, to do anything except sleep.”

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Although the town was shined upon by Celestia’s warm rays, there was still the feeling of the frosty weather that had lingered on for the past week. The two ponies Pinkie Pie and Twilight Sparkle made their way towards the nearby park where a jumpy Rainbow Dash was stretching her forehooves. She perked up at the sight of her two friends. “Well it’s about time! Where have the two of you been? I’ve been waiting all day” her voice clearly as full of energy as she always was.

“Sorry, but Twi here was just studying really hard as usual so it was tough to get her to stop reading those books” Pinkie pointed at Twi with the her right hoof nearly poking Twilight with it. “Well, at least she’s not hitting them.”

“Pinkie, I already told you it was just a figure of speech. I didn’t mean I would literally hit my books” Pinkie responded with her usual giggle after Twilight’s explanation.

“Come on guys, FOCUS. I can’t have you distracting me while I’m practicing!” Rainbow Dash yelled, both non-pegasi ponies instantly falling silent as their winged friend leapt into the air “Okay let’s see. I pull of the Sonic Rainboom, but I have to make sure I perform it while going in loops” she mumbled to herself. Mentally simulating how everything would come together “Yeah, I just know this is going to work.”

Rainbow set herself up in her starting position waiting for the right moment, her wings ready to let her soar through the air, her mind ticking the seconds away as she braced herself.

A mental countdown clicked as she zoomed off, leaving a rainbow trail behind her like always, her two friends watching in anticipation. Waiting to see her latest and greatest move since the Sonic Rainboom.

She picked up speed as she started to see the outlines of the same cone that hindered and berated her each time she practiced for the Sonic Rainboom. She felt a little troubled but quickly tried to brush that feeling away as she knew she couldn’t let herself be filled with doubt now. Her revolutions were getting faster, and now as she grinned full of pride and joy with the knowledge that she could pull off this new move.

“Oooooooooh” Pinkie said, watching her friend fly in the sky above. “Twi, looks like she’s going to make it!” she repeated in anticipation and excitement, constantly poking the lavender unicorn next to her.

“Yeah, I hope she does pull th-” Twilight said before she stopped midsentence. Shaking her head as she stared off into the distance, her pink friend following suit as she tried to see what Twilight was so curious about.

“I don’t get it Twi. All I see is a pony minding their own business. Funny looking cloak though, looks like Zecora’s.” The two of them had completely forgotten about Dash’s new trick as they both stared at a cloaked figure with a saddlebag standing near a tree watching Rainbow Dash, a hood covering their face.

“I don’t know Pinkie, but that pony just seems…. Familiar. Somehow.” Twilight’s eyes were locked onto the figure, observing the shape and the way it stood.

“Hey, I just realized. I’ve never seen that pony before which means they’re new to town!” Pinkie announced, already making her way towards the figure before Twilight could do anything to stop her.

“PINKIE WAIT!” was all Twilight could yell out as the pink earth pony trotted up to the cloaked being.

“What in the hay was that for?” Twilight heard behind her. She turned around to be greeted by the sight of an angry Rainbow Dash brushing some dust off of herself. “If you two didn’t keep talking and if you didn’t scream, I would‘ve cleared it easy. Instead, I ended up crashing. I mean, I’ve already pulled off the Sonic Rainboom” Twilight could only nervously smile as her pastel cyan friend glared at her before letting out a long sigh. “It doesn’t matter, I’ll pull it off next time. What’s Pinkie doing by the way?”

The two of them turned to see Pinkie Pie and the cloaked pony making their way towards them. “Hey guys look! I made a new friend!” Pinkie gleamed with the same upbeat attitude she always had. Rainbow Dash floated over to the cloaked pony and practically shoved her face right in front of the face of the strange pony.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Rainbow asked in the same tone that Twilight recognised as the one she used when she accused her of being a spy. “I almost had that trick in the bag until you showed up and ruined it.”

“But I was here before you were. And besides, what’s wrong with watching? It’s not like I ruined your trick just by looking” the pony stated his voice clearly indicating he was a stallion.

“Well that is kinda true. It’s just weird that somepony else other than my friends watch me practice.”

“Only your friends are permitted to watch? Well that’s just a bit selfish for not sharing your talent with everypony” the stallion replied, catching Rainbow off guard.

“Well I do have quite the talent. Otherwise I wouldn’t be the fastest pony in all of Equestria” Rainbow Dash said back huffing up her chest out of pride. “I mean, I’m so fast I pulled off the Sonic Rainboom.” The stallion chuckled slightly as he shook his head.

“It wasn’t your speed I was complimenting about. You also have form and grace when you fly.” After hearing the last word come out of his mouth, Twilight tried to stifle laughter as best as she could while Pinkie Pie was already on the ground laughing her pink head off. And Rainbow Dash just stood there, slightly blushing but she shook the feeling away in an instant.

“Look bub, I can’t have another pony become one of my fanatical followers and just one is already more than enough!” Rainbow said clearly with somepony already in her mind when she said that. Twilight stared at Rainbow, with a small grin on her face while Pinkie was still rolling on the ground having a laughing fit.

“Rushing to sudden conclusions aren’t we?” the cloaked stallion asked. “Don’t assume that me complimenting you automatically labels me as a fan. I actually think there are a LOT of things you can improve on. Like being able to not notice distractions, fail a trick, and then proceeding to fall into some shrubbery. Besides, I was just watching because I mistook you for somepony else.” the cloaked pony said. A snarky tone in his voice.

This was the final straw. Twilight couldn’t hold it in anymore as she too started laughing along with Pinkie Pie at how the cloaked pony was making a fool out of Rainbow “Well, then who did you think I was? There’s nopony else who could ever look like me.”

“Even if I tell you, nopony remembers her or even knows who she is.” The stallion said with a hint of sadness in his voice as he spoke before resuming his usual tone. “And also, I just don’t feel like telling you.”

“Then why mention it in the first place if you weren’t going to tell us?” Rainbow asked facehoofing.

“good question” he replied “maybe because I was bored, that seems to be the most likely answer.”

“Well, this was a fun conversation but I’d rather get going. I only came to town buy some supplies anyway.” He said looking over his saddlebags “hold on let’s see, I got the apples, sarsaparilla, water, pears, some fireworks and a bouquet of Lily’s” he muttered to himself checking his bags.

“Oooooooooh are you going to throw a party?” Pinkie asked as she instantly recovered from her laughing fit. “’Cause I love PARTIES!!”

“Sorry but no, just need to get some things for me and my friends, we were kind of running low on supplies.”

“Then what’s with the flowers?” Twilight asked.

“Mind your own business” the stallion said in a stern voice.

“Ah. Okay then” Twilight said, staring at the saddlebags, slightly taken aback by the suddenness and tone of his reply.

“Well it has been fun ladies, but I have to go now, everyone would be wondering where I snuck off to.”

“Wait, but what about your ‘Welcome to Ponyville Party’?” Pinkie asked which made Twilight remember how everypony was in the library on her first day in town.

“Sorry, but I have no time for parties.” He said, quickly turning around. His cloak flew along with him, exposing his cutie mark for the three mares to see. The Stallions cutie mark was just the symbol for infinity.

“That is quite a weird cutie mark” Twilight commented. The stallion said nothing back as he galloped away, and after he was out of their sight Twilight let out a small sigh. “Well, that was certainly weird.”

“OH NO!” Pinkie exclaimed with her hooves on her cheeks.

“What is it Pinkie?” Twilight and Rainbow asked in unison.

“I forgot to ask him his name to put on the cake when he got back!” Pinkie answered making both Twilight and Rainbow facehoof.
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At the edge of the Everfree forest, the cloaked pony stared back at Ponyville. “It was nice to see you again. Even if it’s only somepony who only looks and acts like you, my sweet little After Image.” He looked back towards the Everfree forest “Luckily, I can still do that voice changing spell” he said, letting out a sigh.

“It’s funny how it has been a few years since I got out of that accursed box, thanks to those treasure hunters. And even funnier were those three in my castle a little while ago. Thankfully, I had my cloaking spell that hid our presence during that whole nonsense with that Nightmare Moon” he said as his voice returning to its usual tone with the same demonic echo. A red unicorn stallion followed by a green pegasus mare appeared out from the shadows of the forest.

“Why did you leave the castle my lord?” the unicorn asked the cloaked King Everfree.

“To scope out what we will have to face in our future. But I didn’t expect them to look and act exactly like them. Well then again, I suppose I should not be surprised considering you two” Everfree spoke whilst looking back at Ponyville once again.

“Ponies that remind the Master of-” the green pegasus was about to ask before being cut off by the red unicorn.

“Please don’t say anything regarding them. The King does not wish to talk about it” he said before King Everfree walked towards them, both of them bowing as he approached.

“Diglet, Steady, there’s no need to bow” he said as the two of them stood up looking at the other’s cutie mark. Diglet’s was of a hole and a shovel half sticking out of it while Steady Skies’ cutie mark was a single cloud shaped as a resting pony. “We have been together for a few years now, and remember if it wasn’t for you two I’d still be stuck in that cursed box, that really cramped small box.”

“And if it wasn’t for you we’d still be scavenging around Equestria following wild goose chases and not having food in our bellies” both replied in unison.

“Don’t give me too much credit. If you didn’t tell me anything about current events I would have probably gone insane! Or at least be wandering around aimlessly for the next century or two blowing stuff up. I don’t really know which one I would be doing.”

“What was it like in that box?” Diglet asked. “Like were you conscious the entire time?”

“I was forced to watch past events of my life over and over again” King Everfree let out a heavy sigh as he started to continue “seeing all my family and friends, seeing them in their best moments and their worst over and over just made me want to try to end myself to make it stop.”

“Well we can see how well that whole killing yourself plan went” Steady remarked giggling.

“Right you are Steady” Everfree said joining the giggling.

“But my Lord, why are we going to attack the Elements of Harmony now? Couldn’t you have done that when we woke you up?” Steady Skies asked

“Ah, yes. You saw what happened while we were cloaked during that battle at my castle?”

“Yes, King Everfree. The battle between the student of the current ruler of Equestria, Twilight Sparkle and her friends against the fabled Nightmare Moon from the old pony tales.” Digger answered, summing up what they saw that time.

“Indeed. That Nightmare Moon or Princess Luna, whichever one tried to destroy the elements, thought she had succeeded but failed in the end. But it shall be different for me. I know that in order to succeed, patience is a must.” King Everfree proclaimed whilst striding back into the forest that was now his namesake “and it shall be different for me since they have not unlocked their full potential yet. Which means, they are weak and untrained. But then, that gives us time to prepare.”

“Why? What do you mean we have to prepare?” his two subordinates asked as they followed him into the forest.

King Everfree let out a sigh before opening his mouth again. His voice still followed by that demonic echo. “Because ever since the creation of the elements, there has always been a pony who teaches them. Makes them stronger physically, magically, mentally and emotionally. It is a rule that was made by the very alicorn that created the elements of Harmony. And that same alicorn became the very first Mentor.”

“The creator of the elements was an alicorn and became the Mentor?” Diglet repeated out loud. “But why create them if he had to teach the bearers? And wasn’t it Princess Celestia who created the Elements?”

“No, she did not create the elements and that was a decision the Mentor made so I don’t know what that pony was thinking when they decided to train those chosen by the elements.” King Everfree’s face was blank as he continued talking “Moving on, the Mentor must already know about my return. I presume he or she was waiting until the right moment to approach them. So while he or she is busy training them, we will be training and coming up with a plan of attack.” King Everfree said, resuming his way back to his castle. “Don’t worry Diglet and Steady. I’ll tell you more about my past, what your training will be. After some dinner first. I’m somewhat hungry. I shall be cooking some food for us all to eat.”

The two ponies stared at each other after their King vanished into the forest undergrowth. “So, what do you think Steady?” Diglet asked his companion.

“I don’t know. This is treason. But even if he is trying to take down our old sovereign, he didn’t hurt or kill us when we met. And he has taken very good care of us for a couple of years now.”

“That is true, and I believe that you aren’t as loud or bossy as you were several years ago. I believe that us meeting him has changed us.”

“Yeah me too, you got angry too easily. But the reason he didn’t kill us might be because we remind him of his old companions at court.”

“I’m also surprised he can cook. I didn’t know royalty cooked their own meals” Diglet said, scratching his chin with his hoof.

“Well Diglet, I thought you would be thinking about how we remind the lord of his old companions, and not about the fact that he can cook.” Steady Skies said in an unimpressed tone.

“Yeah, you do have a point there. But it was weird when he called us ‘Tunneller’ and ‘Breezy Winds’.” He shrugged as he talked.

“Are the two of you coming or not? The food is either going to get cold when you get here or somepony else might eat it. I think I may be the one to eat it. I have been rather hungry lately” King Evergreen’s voice resonated throughout the forest, reaching their ears, making them both jump and start galloping towards the old castle.
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In Canterlot, Capital City of Equestria, the regal Princess Celestia sat upon her throne, routinely tending to her royal duties. A single guard trotted up the stairs to her throne, clearly having something important to tell “Your Grace, you have a guest here to see you.”

Princess Celestia smiled at the news. But that smile quickly turned into a grim frown when she saw a familiar cloak and red eyes. “Is it time already?”

“Yes, Princess Celestia. It is time for them to finally learn what being a bearer of one of the six Elements of Harmony is truly like. But I fear an old friend has come back to our land and he will be tougher than anything the other generations have ever faced.”

“What do you mean?” Princess Celestia asked. Her head filled with worry for her student, her subjects and her kingdom.

“Remember that old ponytale I told you about the once beautiful Kingdom of Everfree, and their King who was one of the most gifted and powerful Unicorns who ever lived?”