My Little Pony: Friendship of Generations

by ConanLovesThePinkOne

Rating: mature
Tags: Gore, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Spike, Fluttershy, Tragedy, Alternate Universe
Length: 214294

Fifteen years ago, all but one of the mane six died or disappeared. Now, that one must put her faith in a new mane 6, before the force of the dark stars overtakes the land.

Fifteen years ago, the members of the mane six suffered a horrible end. Three of them died horrible deaths, two simply vanished, but one still remains. Now, the last remaining member of the spirits of the Elements of Harmony must put her dwindling faith in the hooves of six new friends as they embark on a journey to save the world from the looming threat of eternal death, darkness, and despair. Only the destined heroes can stop true Oblivion.

Published 2014-01-07 20:20:07 UTC
Last updated 2016-06-03 02:54:22 UTC

S01 E00 - Pre-Season Preview (Prologue)

Dear Diary,

It's been a long fifteen years since those horrible incidents, and I still can not understand why they could have ever happened. They all began when one of my best friends, Princess Twilight Sparkle, went missing along with the other three princesses of Equestria; Celestia, Luna, and Cadance. Their sudden and unexplained disappearance put the entirety of Equestria into a state of sheer panic and desperation. We thought it was the end of the world, and that all we had to look forward to now was deep darkness and sorrow the likes of which we had never known.

Fortunately for everypony, someone was willing to step up and rule in their place. Somepony was able to take the throne and the duties of raising the sun and moon, of ruling over the land. Prince Blueblood had recently wed a beautiful unicorn named Aurora Lights. Following the marriage and her ascension to princess-hood, Celestia herself turned her into an Alicorn. A momentous day for sure, but it was that very day that the other princesses disappeared. Twilight, I miss you so much. Where could you have gone to?

It had been weeks later, after the disappearance of Twilight and the others, that the accident happened. Another good friend of mine, Applejack, had begun to fall into sorrow. Her honest nature kept reminding her that she was saddened by the mysterious disappearances, and each time she only got worse and worse. It was Apple Bucking Season, and her mind wasn't on the trees. She bucked a weak one on accident, and the next morning, her brother found what was left of her. The apple tree had fallen on her, crushing her body and causing the flesh to tear and the innards to push their way out.

Big MacIntosh went into a state of depression after this, and the apple trees became quickly neglected. For months he would mope in the barn, until one day Apple Bloom and Granny Smith went in, only to find him hung from the rafters. A note he had left stated that he just couldn't live with the sorrow any longer. If it weren't for her friends, I'm sure Apple Bloom would've begun to think about it herself. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, as well as Granny Smith, helped her stay strong and survive in this unfair world.

It was a month before this all began that Rainbow Dash's dream came true. She graduated from the Wonderbolts Academy and was accepted into the group by Spitfire herself. But with all that had happened, she too fell into a deep depression. It was at that time, during a routine training exercise, that Rainbow accidentally flew into a tornado. The twister threw her into the pointed tip of a nearby buildings weather rod. You think as good of a flier as her could've recovered. I believe her sorrow took away her will to even try. Even someone as strong as Dashie couldn't ignore her pain.

After this, Pinkie Pie left one morning and never came back. She hasn't been seen or heard from since, and nopony knows what happened to her or where she went. Rarity was found in the Everfree Forest around the same time, having been mauled by an unknown beast whilst trying to collect the silk of the star spiders. What we found of her was terrible. What we didn't find of her only made us sick. I couldn't believe all of this had happened.

All of my best friends...dead or missing. I became a recluse after this, staying in my home and crying myself to sleep every night. I tried to end my suffering many times, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. If I had, all my little animal friends would have no one to take care of them. Although my pain was great, and a deep hole had opened itself in my heart, I could not selfishly act on it and leave them all behind like that. It was hard, but I had to stay strong for them, even if all I wanted to do was cry. Even now, fifteen years later, my thoughts are spent on remembering our fun times and the adventures we'd go on. "The friendships we formed would go beyond generations," Twilight once said. Such high hopes crushed so easily.

A few years following Rarity's death, Granny Smith passed away in her sleep. It was the same day that Apple Bloom finally got her cutie mark, a blooming apple flower. We all like to think that she died happy in her old age, even despite all the sorrow her family had gone through. Babs Seed had moved to Ponyville from Manehattan prior to this, along with her sister, to help tend to Sweet Apple Acres. Braeburn and a couple from Appleloosa came as well. Even the other two members of the Cutie Mark Crusaders lent a hoof whenever needed. They managed to make everything work out for the best, and eventually, a few more members of the Apple family came out from all over Equestria to help in whatever way they could.

Along with Apple Bloom, both Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo had finally earned their cutie marks as well. They all gained them right around the same time actually. Sweetie's is a musical note similar to that of the concert cellist Octavia Melody. It's so wonderful that she finally realized her natural singing talent. It's all that she had after her sister was killed. Her first performance was a dedication to Rarity with a song written specifically in her honor. She called it "Generous Love". Not a dry eye existed upon hearing it. The sheer beauty and emotion of it was breathtaking.

Then there's Scootaloo. Her cutie mark reminds me so much of Dashie's. A wheel with two lightning bolts and a cloud of dust behind it. Every time I see her, I have to hold back my tears. After Rainbow's death, Scoots found it really hard. Her idol had died. But not only was Dash her idol, but the big sister she never had. Growing up in an orphanage, she didn't have anypony else. So she decided that she would make Rainbow proud, and worked harder than ever to achieve her dream of reaching the clouds. One day, her wings finally sprouted. Tears of joy burst from her eyes as she took off into the skies.

She stopped when she saw a beautiful rainbow, and with a salute to her fallen sister, she vowed to become a Wonderbolt. Since that day, she's become quite an amazing flier. She achieved her dream in all ways, not only joining the Wonderbolts, but taking over after Spitfire's retirement. Every day she flies, she honors her big sisters memory.

Spike never left Golden Oak Library, and still lives there to this day. Unfortunately, I barely see him anymore, and usually only when he sulks past one of the windows. For the most part, he lays inside his little bed and sobs silently to himself as he looks up at the empty bed before him. In the Crystal Empire, Shining Armor remained steadfast and strong, despite the pain of losing not only his sister, but his wife as well. He took charge of the nation with all he had, and lead it to peace and prosperity. Pound and Pumpkin Cake have grown up in this time, and now help their parents run Sugarcube Corner. The two of them are very talented in baking. They even created a new cake recipe in honor of their old foal sitter, Pinkie.

Fifteen long years ago, everything changed. My life was thrown into a tailspin and through a series of horrible events, nothing would ever be the same again. However, only five years ago, hope finally reentered my life. I went to the market to get some cabbage when I met the new owner of the Carasoul Boutique, Grace Storm. She had been appointed as Rarity's assistant, and then took over following Rarity's death. She was with her younger sister Star Rider. Their parents were gone, and Star was raised by her elder sister.

I met and talked to Star Rider, and found that she reminds me so much of the wonderful friends that I lost. She's brave and wild like Dashie, but always smiling like Pinkie Pie. Like Rarity, she's dedicated and hard working, and is smart and studious like Twilight. Whenever anypony needs help, Star is always there, just like Applejack. For some reason, when I got to know her better, my sadness began to subside. It had been ten years of constant pain and misery, but for the first time I felt at peace again.

Maybe it was just me going crazy from all the sorrow I had felt, from losing all of my friends in such a short amount of time. Maybe it was me putting my faith in something because I just needed to. Whatever the reason, I just knew right then that Star would make everything alright again. No more endless crying. No more laying in bed without a hope in the world. No more pain in my heart. From that point on, I pledged to live my life again, and no longer mope around in the past. To my friends who taught me so much about the joys of friendship; of Laughter, Honesty, Loyalty, Generosity, and Magic. To all of you, I thank you sincerely, and I hope you're watching wherever you are.

~Fluttershy

S01 E01 - Rise of the Dark Stars Pt. 1

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5 Years Ago

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The alluring Equestrian sun brightly shines in the center of the noontime sky as the bustling Ponyville Marketplace rings out with overwhelming excitement and jubilance. Ponies of all ages and colors have come out to shop for the freshest foods in all of Ponyville, home grown by the world famous farm families of the land. Amongst these excited ponies perusing the stands is one quiet, yellow mare. A small hand-woven basket held tight in her mouth, she slowly passes through, trying to slip past the everyday ponies without being noticed. However, her triple butterfly cutie mark is quickly recognized, and captures the attention of all around.

Her name is Fluttershy. She is the last remaining member of six destined ponies from ten long years ago who wielded the Elements of Harmony and protected Equestria from numerous threats. And it's been these ten years since she last left her house for any reason. She had fallen into a deep depression following the mortifying loss of her friends, crippling her into becoming a recluse. Many other ponies would do their best to help her get whatever she needed, but never did they ever see her face to face, nor even speak to her once.

Every time one would come to visit the shy young mare, they'd be met with either a note or a grocery list. They were glad to help her get what she needed, but felt sorrowful that she was in such a state. When they brought food to her door, they were greeted by her pet Angel Bunny, who would take the food in and slam the door behind him. Eventually, less and less ponies came. Only a certain few kept up the help, and even they are getting tired of it. Naturally, everypony believed her to never leave her house again. So it comes to no surprise that they stop and stare in shock and awe as she shyly walks through the market.

"Miss....Miss Fluttershy?" a voice calls out to her through the enthusiastic murmurs of the crowd. The shy pony flinches in fear and unease, cautiously turning her neck to look behind her. Standing there is a pegasus pony with a faded purple coat. Her dark purple mane is beautifully styled, and a headband adorns the center of it. Sapphire eyes shine from her face, along with a smile of kindness and joy. Standing nervously behind her is a dark blue pegasus filly, hair striped in black and gold.

Stuttering for a moment, Fluttershy squeaks out and turns away, trying to ignore the ponies as she continues on. However, the two of them begin to follow her, which only increases her unease and fear. What could they possibly want with her? She only wanted to get some food for Angel Bunny, not talk to anyone or anything. Soon she realizes though that they aren't going to give up, and she turns around to face the followers, quietly asking them why they're following her.

The older of the ponies brightens up instantaneously, eyes glimmering with exuberance, as she rushes forth, asking, "Don't you remember me? It's me, Grace Storm. I was Rarity's apprentice ten years ago before her death. I run the Carasoul Boutique now."

Fluttershy is taken aback by the sudden outburst, but smiles out of kindness. She remembers Grace now, but it's been so long she just didn't recognize her. Back when Grace was just a filly, Rarity took her under her wing. The beautiful ivory pony had been looking for an apprentice for a long time. She had considered Coco Pommel at first, but she had become quite the fashionista herself back in Manehattan.

It was during one of her shows that she met Grace, a self-proclaimed super fan. Rarity instantly knew that this young filly would be her apprentice, since Sweetie Belle had no interest in clothing design. After that, Rarity taught Grace everything she knew, and then some. When she died, Grace was heartbroken, but she decided to become the best she could in order to make Rarity proud. Years later she would reopen the Carasoul Boutique and honor her mentor's memory in the most beautiful of ways.

"I never expected to see you out here," Grace exclaims, hugging Fluttershy tightly, "It's been so many years since the last time you left your cottage. Some of us were worried you might not even be alive in there, and we were just running errands for Angel."

As Grace says the word "alive", Fluttershy begins to sulk, tearing up as she falls to the ground. Instantly realizing her mistake, Grace comforts the sorrowful pony and lifts her back up, embracing her in a loving and comforting hug. She releases a minute later, and introduces Fluttershy to her younger sister Star Rider, who is still hiding behind her and trying to avoid direct eye contact.

"You know Miss Fluttershy," Grace warmly says with a smile, "she reminds me of you and your friends from back in those days. It was actually her that spotted you. She got so excited. She idolizes what you all did in the past. Hearing all of your stories, from your defeat of Nightmare Moon to even that time when you stopped the return of the Crystal Empire's former dictator, King Sombra. It seems she's a bit shy right now though. I guess it's because you're actually right here in front of her."

Quietly peering around Grace, Fluttershy meets eyes with the young filly that's been watching her. Star grows red and squeaks as she hides further behind her older sister. After some gentle coaxing from Grace, she proceeds to slowly step out into the view of the mare she idolizes. Looking at the little filly, she sees something she hadn't in such a long time. They say the eyes are the windows to the soul, and in the soul of this Star Rider, though she can't quite explain why or how, Fluttershy can see hope. Something about her puts this shy pony at ease, and for the first time in many years, she's no longer sad or angry. Everything is alright again, and so with a gentle smile, the pony bearing the spirit of the Element of Kindness greets the filly. Her decision to come out today was no mere conscious thought, it was destiny.

****************

Current Day

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The front door of the Carasoul Boutique loudly swings open with a thunderous crash. One by one, boxes of all shapes and sizes, filled with many different types of things, are thrown out haphazardly onto the front porch. A muscular brown stallion stands there and smiles as he begins to load the boxes onto a moving cart along with everything else that's already on it. Two more stallions come from the front of the cart, having just finished securing a couch, and go to assist him. Back inside of the building, a dark blue mare with black and gold hair wipes the sweat from her brow as she finishes throwing the last of her boxes out.

The day has finally arrived. Star Rider is moving out of her sister's house and is going out into the world to be on her own. This is a day she's been awaiting for so long now. And it isn't that she doesn't love her sister, it's just that she doesn't want to be under her care and protection forever. She wants to be able to take care of herself for the first time in her life; to be a responsible young mare. However, while she's more than ready for this huge adventure, her sister sees things quite differently. Trotting up, Grace Storm approaches her younger sister with teary eyes. This is a day she's been dreading.

"Are...are you absolutely sure about this Star? Can't you stay for one more year?"

"You said that last year sis," Star sighs, bringing her hoof up and resting it on her forehead, "and if I did, then you'd just say the same thing next year too. I want to do this. I NEED to do this." She notices that Grace begins to sob as she says this, so with a smile she places a hoof gently around her older sister's neck and adds, "You've always been there for me since mom and dad died, Grace. You watched over me and made sure I always had family to come home to. Even though we'll no longer be in the same house, I promise that I'll always be there for you, sis. We'll always be family."

"O...ok," Grace quietly replies with a warm smile, pulling the young mare into a bone-shattering hug. Despite her sister's unbelievable strength, Star manages to push her way out of the embrace, and smile as she shakes her head. She then reaches her muzzle back and into the saddlebag she's wearing, pulling out a green flier which she gives over to her sister. It advertises the upcoming Flankspeare play that's coming to the Ponyville Playhouse tomorrow night, MacHoof. She assures her sister that no matter what, they're still going together tomorrow, and she'll even spend the entirety of the day with her.

"By the way, did you ever get that big order finished for the toad guy?" Star asks, changing the subject to something she knows will cheer her sister up. And it works. Tears drying at the mention of the order, Grace smiles and laughs a little.

"Star, his name is Sir Frog Finest, not Toad. He's a very important client from Canterlot. But yes, I did complete his order. He picked it up just yesterday while you were at work. He simply loved his outfit for the Gala. Some of my finest work if I do say so myself. Lady Rarity would be proud!"

Chuckling to herself, Star rolls her eyes. Grace has always been this way, very proper and polite. She's always referred to her late mentor with the title of Lady. She even does the same thing with their good friend Fluttershy. Always calling her Miss and everything. To be honest, Star can't understand it. It's not like they're princesses or anything. She finds it a bit annoying, but in the end it's just part of what makes Grace who she is. So with one last hug, Star heads out of the open door of her sister's house, but only until Grace stops her once again.

"Wait Star, I forgot about something! Miss Fluttershy was looking for you. She didn't tell me why, but she seemed rather sad for some reason."

"Oh...well, that's understandable, considering what day it is," Star solemnly tells her sister, head lowering and staring sadly at the floor below, a new sorrow brought to the forefront of her mind. Looking curiously at her sister, Grace decides not to push any further. Instead she just wishes her sister the best of luck in the real world, and tells her to send word when she gets all settled in. Once again, Star rolls her eyes, but agrees to oblige to this simple request as she walks out the doors of the Carasoul Boutique. Standing there are the group of stallions, already hitched to the cart and ready to go. However, now Star has something much more important to take care of before she can even consider going to her new home.

"Hey guys," she says to them as she walks up and hands them each a few bits for their troubles, "thank you so much for all your help. Can you take this all to the new house without me for now? I just remembered that there's something I have to do first. My best friend Bri should be there though. She'll help you guys unload and get everything in. I'll get you all some snacks for afterwards as thanks for all the help."

"Of course, we'll see you there then," the lead stallion tells her before they run off with the cart, leaving the young mare standing there deep in thought. Her smile slowly fades and a singular tear falls from her eyes as she begins to walk in the opposite direction towards the rightfully forbidden Everfree Forest. She's heard the tales of the creatures who live in it. Manticores, cockatrices, even timberwolves. She doesn't even want to imagine what would happen if she ever entered those dark trees. It terrifies her to even consider such a horrible thing.

Trotting on, she changes the focus of her mind to that of what happened three years back, and why this day of all days is so hard for Fluttershy. Of course, it's hard for everypony who happened to know Angel Bunny. His death was sudden and unexpected, which made it so heartbreaking for Fluttershy and everyone else who considered him a friend. Unfortunately it's true that bunnys only live for about twelve years on average. By those standards, Angel lasted a lot longer than he should have. It must have been the love from Fluttershy that propelled him to continue on past his time. He was a strong little bunny.

Star makes her way to Fluttershy's cottage, but quickly realizes that the quiet mare isn't home. So she continues onward, and soon enough arrives at the gates to the Ponyville Pet Cemetery, which Fluttershy herself sanctioned. It's only about two hundred feet from the front gate of the cottage, so it's easy for her to visit it at any time she wishes. She tends to be there a lot these days. Whether it's to visit Harry Bear, Avery the Squirrel, or even Angel, she's always mourning the loss of one of her many friends.

Standing there at the front gate of the cemetery, Star looks out and sees Fluttershy seated among the grave stones, in front of a specific rabbit-shaped one with the words "An Angel Who Has Earned His Wings Rests Now In Heaven". Stepping up, Star takes a seat beside her friend and pulls a carrot from her saddlebag, placing it in front of the tombstone as she too cries tears of bitter sorrow. Looking over, Fluttershy sees her young friend smiling back at her, and gently smiles herself as she unfolds her wing and pulls Star in with it. Her eyes are reddened from all the crying, but she seems overjoyed for her friend to have come to be with her in this time. They embrace, and the older mare thanks her young friend for coming.

"Of course. I miss him too. We all do."

"You know Star," Fluttershy quietly says as she looks into the sky, "you're one of the only ponies I have been able to truly feel comfortable around since the incidents fifteen years ago. Since all my friends either died or disappeared, I've just felt disconnected from everypony else. Then, five years back, destiny pulled me out of my cottage and I met you."

"You've told me before that I remind you of all your old friends. What were they really like? Do the stories do them justice?"

This question seems to turn Fluttershy's mood right around. Her head drops and she begins to mope. Tears fall to the grass below, and the mare refuses to speak any further. Star understands, so she drops the subject. This is obviously something that Fluttershy is still not ready to fully discuss. It's too hard for her to remember them like that. So, looking back at the grave marker, Star smiles and remembers a joke her sister had once told her. She doesn't know if it's quite appropriate right now, but hopes that maybe it'll cheer her friend up anyways, even if just a little.

"You know, when my parents died, Grace told me that if I wished hard enough, I could make their tombstones come to life. She told me that they'll run away in the middle of the night, and then in the morning they'll have returned and be decorated with the most beautiful of flora."

Fluttershy begins to laugh and shake her head as she asks the young mare, "Whoever heard of a living tombstone?"

The two share a great laugh, and Fluttershy once again thanks Star for coming and supporting her during this hard time, and for also cheering her up in the midst of all this sorrow. Star shakes her head and tells Fluttershy that she wants to thank her for thinking of her today and wanting her to join her at the gravesite to honor Angel's memory. Smiling, the two just sit there for a moment, taking a moment of silence for their fallen friend, and all else who have left them in the past. Star then smiles and hugs her friend again before climbing to her hooves and telling her that she unfortunately has to go.

"I'm moving out today, and I have to get to the new house so I can help Bri and the stallions unload everything. I'm holding a party to break the new house in though. It's next week and you're definitely invited. Pound and Pumpkin will be catering it, so you know it's gonna be good."

In the north-west end of town, far away from the pet cemetery, a small but beautifully built house stands. A white picket fence surrounds it and a small garden sits beside the front porch. A couple trees sit in the yard, providing some great shady spots for relaxation. The front door of the house is wide open, propped by a rock so that the movers don't have to keep opening and closing it. The stallions themselves are carrying a few boxes into the house, and along with them is a wild looking young mare with a light blue coat and thick hair of pink and purple. She wears a dark blue outfit with red designs that appears to be made of a loose and breathable material.

The strength of this little mare is unbelievable. As she walks backwards into the house, she balances a heavy chair on her back while at the same time pulling a large wheeled table, on which sits about six boxes, by a single rope in her mouth. She brings it all in and sets everything up the best she can, a grin spread across her face as she wipes the sweat from her brow. An audible laugh escapes her as she heads back out and returns to continue helping.

As she returns to the cart, ready to carry more in, a voice begins to call out to her. She turns her head to see her friend running towards her from the south-east. She laughs again and rushes out to meet Star half-way. The two reach each other within record time and embrace with laughter and joy. It's been a long while since the last time they saw each other after all. So, stepping back, Star smiles and asks her, "How was the trip to Mustangia, Bri? Have fun? Meet anypony new?"

"Oh, it was bloody brilliant!" Bri replies with a loud, booming laugh, "I 'aven't had this much fun in a long time! It was definitely a lot better than Manehattan for sure! But I swear to ya Star. There was this barmy bird there. Her eyes were all screwy and all. But enough about that, it's fantastic to see you again!"

Briance Happer is an adventurous young mare with a wild, carefree attitude. She came to Ponyville about five years ago from Trottingham. It happened shortly after Star and Grace met Fluttershy at the market. Bri is known for sometimes leaving her home for weeks and weeks at a time just so that she can travel to different parts of Equestria for the sheer adventure of it. She always packs light, and goes for the journey, not the destination. One time she even went to the Tenochtitlan Basin and ended up meeting the famous A.K. Yearling herself. Of course, Bri was more interested in exploring the mysteries of the vast forests than talking to an author.

Star actually met her completely by chance. She was on her way home from work one day when the energy-filled mare nearly ran her over. They talked for a short time, as Bri was on her way out of town at the time, and they found that they have a lot in common with each other. For example, both of them adore the stories of the six legendary ponies from fifteen years ago. However, Star shares equal respect for all of them. Bri seems to hold the most love for the former owner of the Element of Laughter, Pinkie Pie. And though she's embarrassed to admit it, it's actually why she began traveling in the first place.

Bri has this belief that if she travels to every known part of Equestria, all of the unknown parts, and everywhere beyond, she'll eventually find the pink party pony who ran away fifteen years ago and hasn't been seen or heard from since. She dreams of one day locating and meeting her hero, and honestly, Star can hardly blame her. Eventually, Bri had gained a love for adventuring itself, and though she definitely hasn't forgotten about her search for Pinkie, she now tries to focus on enjoying herself instead. Hoping and believing that if and when destiny wills it, she'll find Pinkie when the time is right.

"Mustangia itself was brill! I tell ya mate, you need to go with me one of these days! An adventure with you at my side would be fantastic! I haven't explored Hollow Shades yet, or Saddle Arabia. Ooh, maybe we could go to the Frozen North and do some exploration there, what do ya say!?"

"I say we focus on this right now," one of the stallions suddenly grunts, capturing the attention of the two mares. They laugh as they continue to help unload the cart and get all of Star's things inside. They can worry about the specific arrangements of everything later. Right now their only mission is to get everything into the house. As the two continue to assist the stallions, Bri suddenly brings up the big play going on tomorrow, and mentions the specific star of the production, Sevulva Star, who is set to arrive in Ponyville sometime today.

"But there's also that mare playing Lady MacHoof," Star says with excitement, "I heard she portrays the character wonderfully! She's said to be the most beautiful stage actress in all of Canterlot you know."

"Oh, I know love. I've heard the stories too," Bri laughs as she pulls in Star's couch by herself. With the two of them helping the stallions, they finish unloading the cart fairly quickly. A hard days work completed in such a short time. As promised, Star goes to one of her boxes and pulls out party bowls she made especially for the movers this morning. Filled with fresh vegetables and fruits, there's an amazing assortment. She gives each of the stallions a bowl, then hands one to Bri as well. She takes one for herself last, wishing to make sure there's enough for everypony else first.

Smiling, the young mares go to the front porch to rest, and take a seat on the chairs set up specifically for that reason. The sun above them has begun to shyly hide it's face behind some passing clouds, leaving just enough light without being too bright. The two of them enjoy their snack and catch up with each other as time ticks on by. Star learns that while Bri was in Mustangia, she met this interesting guy who was there on business. According to her, his name was Fancy Pants, and he was an older stallion but very refined and still quite lively for his age.

As they continue to chat amongst themselves, the stallions have begun to prepare to leave. But before they can, a purple pony with berries on her flank suddenly runs through screaming her head off. At first none of them understand her, but she runs through again, yelling out that Sevulva Star, the famous stage actor who only minutes ago Star and Bri were talking about, has finally arrived in Ponyville.

Now of course, neither of the two mares or any of the stallions believe her at first. This is Berry Punch after all, the town drunk. She's done more than her fair share of running about and yelling random things for no apparent reason. But when they really stop to think about it, this is a rather big piece of news. Sevulva's coming to Ponyville has been talked about for weeks now, and it doesn't seem like the kind of thing somepony would shout out in an inebriated stupor.

A moment later, they soon realize that Berry hadn't been just spouting her usual nonsense as they had originally thought. For over the hill in the road just beyond the house now comes the stallion himself. Grey coat, black and white hair, and a black vest and cape. 2000 bit glasses cover his eyes, and it's more than apparent that this is Sevulva Star himself. He carries himself with a smugness as he trots on, the kind of attitude one would find in the snobbiest of Canterlot ponies.

The two of them drop their party bowls and rush in to join the increasingly growing crowd that's surrounding the sides of the street. Sevulva seems to ignore them as he passes by. He is followed closely by a couple of large stallion guards, both unicorns. Their horns are aglow with magic already, so it's best not to even try and get any closer. Star turns to her friend and gleefully mentions that a few years back she and Grace managed to get tickets to a performance of his that was playing on Bridleway in Manehattan called A Summer Sunrise Night's Dream.

Smirking back at Star, Bri flaunts the fact that she had seen his very first performance back when she was a young filly. She tells Star that it was The True Tragedy of Trotter III. Laughing hysterically at their one-upmanship, the two watch on as Sevulva just continues to walk by, ignoring the cheering fans and everypony who he considers to be beneath him. Once again, Star thinks of the pretentious Canterlot snobs she had heard of and seen before.

The two of them are about to head back to the house when suddenly, a blood curdling scream rings out through the air, breaking the excitement of all the ponies around and causing them to look around in confusion and shock. That's when they notice Sevulva. He's fallen to his flank, as have all the guards following him. His glasses have slipped from his face and he stares wide-eyed at the sky above, pointing up in absolute terror. Soon, ponies all around begin to look up at the sky, towards where he's pointing, and scream as well.

At first, both Star and Bri are confused as to what's going on. However, they too look up to the sky, and instantly understand the terror filling the hearts and minds of everypony that is now running throughout town screaming. In the center of the sky, right in front of the sun, sits a black star. A dark light seems to emanate from it, giving off the most eerie and unsettling of glows. At that moment, more black stars begin to seemingly appear out of nowhere, covering the entirety of the sky. The ponies of Ponyville panic worse than before, running about and trying to hide from whatever horrible disaster is on the horizon. Star and Bri just stand there, eyes as wide as dinner plates, before the former of the two lets out a scream of her own.

S01 E03 - The Honorable Way

The sun begins to fall under the horizon, drawing another peaceful day to a close. Most ponies have gone home for the night, spending time with their families and relaxing until bed time. However, one stallion with a dark yellow coat and brilliant orange mane is just now heading out. Walking out the door of his shop, he smiles as he locks up and turns to head back to his wife and newborn son. As he starts to trot along the road, a sudden noise captures his attention. He looks around for a moment, but sees nothing and figures it's just a small animal scurrying about. So with a chuckle, he continues on home as he thinks about the days sales and how tomorrow will go.

As the shop owner walks out of sight, a mysterious pony clothed in a tight black latex suit and a mask steps out from behind the building. He's of average size for a stallion, strong built but not over-muscled. His eyes glow a deep red from behind the mask, and he shows no emotion as he slowly approaches the front door of the store. Pulling out a lockpick from his saddlebag, the stallion gets to work, quickly unlocking the door and opening it. He lets out a slight chuckle and walks into the shop, coming back out a few minutes later with a sack filled with bits; his biggest score in Ponyville yet. As quickly as he arrived, he then vanishes with the money, leaving the door wide open, and a cobalt gem laying on the floor.

The very next morning, as the blue birds chirp beautifully in the sun-lit sky, Terra Lionmane trots throughout the town, watching with a ready eye for any signs of trouble. Since he arrived in Ponyville on Princess Aurora's orders, he decided that he'll be in charge of making sure everything and everyone remains peaceful and calm. With the looming threat of Sevulva Star and his dark stars on the horizon, he cannot let panic and fear sweep over this quaint little town. It would only cause to help the villainous pony. So he patrols the streets with vigor and eagerness, knowing that whenever troubles arise, he will be there to put a stop to them.

Then arises the problem of Sevulva Star himself. Since he blew up the Hay & Stay hotel that night, he disappeared and hasn't been seen or heard from at all. The dark stars haven't been seen anywhere in Equestria, and no sign of their influence has been noted by anypony. Everyone knows who he really is now, but the question still remains of how no one knew before hand. Even his most loyal fans never put together his connections with Antonin. This has confused the stallion this entire time. It makes no sense at all. But right now he can't focus on the issues with the legend connecting to the present. He has to focus on protecting Ponyville. He can determine the next move against Sevulva Star later, when he is with the other five destined ponies.

A sigh escaping him, Terra trots down the street by a small, homely-looking shop as he looks out for any signs of trouble. Suddenly, he hears an exasperated shout and angry sobbing that seems to be coming from within the shop itself. So, determination etched on his face, he decides to investigate. Walking forth, he cautiously enters the threshold of the building and sees only two ponies inside. The first of them is a stallion with a dark yellow coat and orange hair. He's seated on the ground and is angrily crying into his hooves while yelling out obscenities. Beside him stands a middle-aged police mare, taking notes on what the stallion is saying through his tear-filled screams of rage. As Terra continues towards them, the mare turns to see him and smiles slightly. Putting away her notepad, she approaches the guard and welcomes him with a worried expression.

"What's going on here?" Terra asks as he looks behind the mare to whom he can only assume is the owner of the shop. Sighing, she looks back at the owner as well, then shakes her head and explains.

"Sweet Deal here claims that his shop was broken into overnight. He says that when he came to open up this morning, he found the door wide open and both the cash register and the safe in the back emptied of all their money," the police mare tells him as she eyes his impressive, shined armor. Terra brings his hoof up and rests it on his lower lip, looking around the store inquisitively. He then asks the mare if he can scope the place out for anything that might clue him in to the identity of the perpetrator.

"Actually, Mr. Deal already found something that might be useful. It's a cobalt gem, and he says it was right in the middle of the floor when he arrived. Perhaps it's the criminal's calling card?"

"A cobalt? I've never once heard of anypony leaving behind something like a gem as their calling card. Something like that would be considered too priceless to use for a purpose like that."

"It's not only that, but this is actually the second robbery I've investigated this month alone. Ponyville is normally such a peaceful place, but on top of it all, I've heard of other cities across Equestria that have been having problems with strings of thefts too. They seemed to start in Los Pegasus and even occurred in places like Manehattan and Fillydelphia."

"That is certainly strange. Well then miss...oh, I didn't seem to get your name, did I?" Terra says, extending his hoof to the mare, "My name is Terra Lionmane, the former captain of the elite royal guard in Canterlot. I was stationed here in Ponyville by Princess Aurora when the dark star incident happened, and have been here ever since."

"Oh, I already knew who you were, Mr. Lionmane. You're not exactly an unknown. You can call me Officer Siren Sweeper. I'm the mare in charge of the Ponyville Police's larceny division. It's great to have someone such as you watching over the town. As for this case, I've got everything I needed from Mr. Deal here, so I have to return to the station and file this case. Can I trust you to take things over from here?"

With a salute to the officer, Terra speaks out with conviction, "Ma'am, yes ma'am!" Shaking her head with a smile spread across her face, Officer Siren Sweeper trots out of the shop and heads in the direction of the Ponyville Police Station. Turning, Terra walks up to Sweet Deal and assists him into getting back into a standing position. Smiling, he then asks the stallion if he's seen any suspicious figures around the shop lately. Shaking his head, Sweet tells him that no one who's come into his store seemed unusual in any way to him. Just the same regular customers he's always had. Terra stops for a moment and thinks about all of the information he's gotten. He then returns his attention to Sweet and thanks him for helping out. He then asks that he meet him at city hall tonight, and that they'll try to get things figured out then.

Later on that night, Terra stands on the great balcony of city hall where anypony can see him. All of the town's shop and independent business owners fill in, and he watches as they all start to chat amongst themselves, some of them not yet understanding why they've been asked to come. In the front of the hall he spots Sweet Deal standing at full attention. He seems really excited to get down to business, being the victim of a robbery just last night. With a smile, Terra walks up to the edge of the balcony's railing and calls out for attention, speaking as loudly as he can. Everypony stops speaking and looks quietly up at the balcony as they see the guard standing there, fully erect and ready to give them the speech he had prepared. At that moment, one of the ponies below steps toward the balcony. Her purple coat brightly shines in the light of the hall, and her face shows a determination for answers.

Staring up at Terra, Grace Storm asks him, "What are we doing here? What do you want from all of us?"

Looking down at her, the guard can see the inquisitive look on her face. The other ponies begin to question themselves being there too, and talk amongst themselves regarding what might be going on. Calling for their attention, Terra suddenly yells out, his strong confident voice echoing through the hall, "Listen closely everypony! You're all wondering why I've asked you to come here today! Why specifically I asked you business owners! We have a thief on the loose here in Ponyville, and I need all of you to work with me to stop him! He recently has been spotted all across Equestria, and now he's arrived here, in your town! We need to catch him before it's too late! Now, I want you all to answer me honestly here! Has anyone else been victimized lately by theft? Even if you think it was a simple shoplifting, please tell me!"

A few of the ponies in the great hall silently raise their hooves. However, for the most part, everyone seems to be more confused by this sudden revelation than when they first arrived. They question who this mysterious thief is. They hadn't heard of any robberies as of late. It's not a common occurrence in their little town. Now this Canterlot guard is telling them there's some thief out there. It's hard for them to believe. Looking down at them, Terra himself can understand this. He knows that this must be hard for them all to swallow, but it's something that they need to know. If they remain unaware, they too might become the unfortunate victims of this criminal scum.

"Then we have a chance!" Terra cries out with a smirk and nod, "we now know that as of currently, he's only gotten to a couple of us! This means that his work is not yet done here in Ponyville, and that he will strike again! From what I've already gathered, we can infer that he only commits his robberies at night! This means that he's smart and plans each job out with precision! He clearly knows what he's doing! Now, let me explain his calling card..."

As Terra speaks, the doors to the hall suddenly open again, catching him off guard and stealing the attention of the other mares and stallions within. Walking in, a pony with a mustard-colored coat and light blue hair looks around. She has freckles on her face and a very sorrowful expression. On her flank is a picture of a teapot, steam coming out from the spout. She walks forward, closing the doors behind her, and joins the other ponies underneath the balcony. She looks up to see Terra standing there and shows a sudden realization, recognizing him. However, she still looks around the room and introduces herself to everypony.

"I'm Chamomile Cabra. Sorry I was so late getting here, but my sister needed some help. She's not doing too well right now. I heard a little of what you were talking about before I came in, Mr. Lionmane. I'm also a victim of this thief you were talking about. It wasn't my shop he broke into though, it was my home. It happened early this morning. I woke up around five to a loud noise in my living room. I went to investigate of course, as did my younger sister. When we came down the stairs, we found someone walking around the living room, throwing things around. He appeared to be looking for something. We went right away to confront him of course, and were prepared to defend ourselves, but he attacked us and hurt my poor sister."

Terra quietly stares at the mare, thinking to himself. A minute of silence passes before he confirms with her, "You said your name was Chamomile Cabra?"

She nods, and once again cries out that this thief injured her sister, and that she wants revenge for it. The guard looks down at the floor beneath his feet. He can feel intense anger boiling up inside of him, taking over his mind and soul. He knows who she is. Chamomile Cabra is a tea maker in southern Ponyville famous for her bubbly attitude and warming personality. However, this is not the happy-go-lucky mare he had heard of. More importantly, he knows of Chamomile's family, specifically her sister. While their connection is still fairly new, he has grown fond of young Chupa Cabra. She's another of the prophesied heroes of Equestria that Princess Aurora gathered to fight against Sevulva Star. She couldn't have fallen to such a simple thief.

He remains silent for a moment, staring downward, deep in thought. The other ponies in the hall begin to talk amongst themselves again, not knowing what else to do at this moment. Sweet Deal, Grace Storm, and Chamomile Cabra are the only three still giving Terra their full attention. At that moment, he looks back up at the shop owners, his face reddened and eyes bulging. The business owners notice this and quiet themselves as Terra yells out at the top of his lungs, "WE WILL STOP THIS THIEF! PONYVILLE CAN NO LONGER SUFFER UNDER THIS PAIN! AN INNONCENT LITTLE FILLY GOT HURT BECAUSE OF HIM! ARE YOU GOING TO LET HIM GET AWAY WITH THIS!?"

Everyone remains silent for a moment. It's easy for them to see how much this latest development has emotionally charged Terra, and has given him increased determination and drive to stop this thief than before. They can tell that Chupa must mean a lot to him, or maybe it's just his honorable heart shining through. Whatever the cause may be, they can easily see that this means a lot to him. So one by one they begin to cheer, chanting out their support for the royal guard and standing strong in solidarity. As they begin to excitedly talk amongst themselves,  one of the stallions steps closer to the balcony. Orange coat and white hair, shop owner Super Sale calls out to Terra, telling him that he has a plan to catch the thief.

Later on that night, after the sun has already set for the day, both Terra and Super Sale stand there in the streets of Ponyville's north district, hidden behind a large tree. Across the street from them is the store belonging to S.S, which both of the stallions watch with a keen interest. Earlier in the day, following the meeting at city hall, Super Sale decided to advertise to the town that he was having a 50% price cut on all of his goods. This tactic helped bring in an influx of customers, which in turn garnered a large intake of bits. Both S.S. and Terra believed this to be the perfect plan to lure the thief into their trap. When he heard of the large increase in sales, he would find the shop the perfect target for his next theft. On top of the sale, Super also began to collect donations for the Canterlot Filly's Hospital, which went as successful as ever. With the money from the sale combined with donations, they have made Super's shop to be the perfect target for whoever this criminal is.

For the past hour, the two have stood there watching; staking out the store in hopes of capturing this thief and putting a stop to all of the troubles Ponyville is having with him. They've begun to get worried, however, as they would've expected him to have arrived by now. Maybe he had seen through their plans and decided to go somewhere else. It's not altogether impossible. One thing they've already seen is that this stallion, whoever he is, is very intelligent. Luckily enough, their waiting soon comes to an end as they spot a mysterious pony donning a black latex suit and a matching mask begin to slowly, and sneakily, trot up to the store.

His coat is a dark color, though with the lack of light they can't make it out exactly. They watch in silence as he approaches the store and pulls something out of a small saddlebag. Turning, the thief begins to pick the lock, and that's when Terra decides to make his move. Not even warning Super Sale, the guard advances, passing around the tree and walking right up behind the criminal. Though he isn't being subtle, the thief doesn't seem to notice him until the guard turns him around. But before Terra can even say anything, he dashes off down the street.

Gnashing his teeth in rage, Terra bolts off after the thief, galloping through the streets and yelling for him to stop. This is the pony who hurt Chupa. He broke into the Cabra's house and hurt a poor defenseless little filly! Rage once again filling his very core, the stallion leaps at the escaping thief, knocking him to the ground and pinning him down. Behind the mask he can see glowing red eyes, and it reminds him of Sevulva Star. He too had glowing red eyes when he and the others broke into the hotel room. Reaching down, Terra grabs the thiefs mask in his teeth and pulls it off.

Instantly recoiling, Terra's eyes turn from determination into that of shock and confusion. It just can't be. Backing away as Super Sale runs up to join him, the guard watches as the unmasked thief climbs back up and brushes himself up before galloping away again. This time Terra doesn't give chase; he just can't. This isn't what he was expecting at all, granted he really didn't know what to expect or who would be behind the mask. All he knows for sure is that this is not who he thought it would be. So, still in shock, the stallion slowly walks off. He needs to sleep this off for the night. Tomorrow...well tomorrow he can figure this all out.

"Are you sure? You might have him confused with somepony else," Star says after hearing the guard explain it all to her. But Terra shakes his head violently, repeating the story once again down to the very smallest of details.

"I'm sure it was him. I've only met him a couple times, but he's not someone you just forget," Terra insists, "there is no doubt about it. But why? Why would someone as famous and rich as Cobalt Sky need to commit these thefts? He has more money than most. It just doesn't make any sense to me."

"Did anything about him seem strange?" Star asks as she looks through her bookcase, trying to find the biography she had on the stallion, "his appearance or the way he acted maybe?"

"Now that you mention it, his eyes glowed bright red, like Sevulva's did that night. When I met him in the past, he had brown eyes. It's like he wasn't himself at all. And he didn't seem to even recognize me."

"I think he might be under the influence of the dark stars," Star quietly tells her friend, now looking instead for her newly bought copy of Ancient Equestrian Legends. She finds it and flips through until she finds the passage on the dark stars and begins to read to herself. Terra just contemplates the idea, wondering if that's even possible. He remembers that Sevulva Star absorbed the dark stars into himself. Would it be possible for him to influence other ponies with that power, and wouldn't that mean that the villain is close by? So many questions brought about by such a simple idea.

Looking up at Terra, Star shows worry in her expression as she reads aloud part of the legend regarding the evil stars, "Many have passed down stories regarding the dark stars for generations. They often deviate from each other, and from recorded history. However, one story seems to always come up, and always stay the same. As far back as can be found, stories exist of ponies claiming that the dark stars are not a simple spell-created weapon as many believe. These stories claim that the dark stars are actually the physical manifestation of a sentient force of terrifying evil. They say that Antonin Sevulva Star didn't actually create the dark stars themselves, but rather a physical body for the force to live within. Because of this, they believe that Antonin himself was under the influence of the dark stars, controlled by them instead of the other way around." Terra just stares at her, mouth hanging open. Why didn't they know about this before!? This is important information that changes everything! He asks Star about this, but she says that when she read the book back at the library, she doesn't remember ever seeing this part in the passage. It's as if it appeared in the book after the fact.

"But this isn't the same copy remember. I just bought this one. I've never heard of different printings of a book having such an important passage missing though. I'm wondering though. If this is true, and the dark stars are actually a sentient force. Maybe they're controlling Sevulva, and maybe they've done the same to Cobalt Sky. Sevulva said that fear increases his power, right? I think that it wasn't Sevulva talking, but the force behind these stars. I think it was speaking through Sevulva, like a puppet, and the reason they're controlling him and now Cobalt is to spread as much panic and fear as possible to grow stronger."

"It's certainly possible, but just so hard to believe," Terra responds, "Cobalt Sky is the owner of the Gem Palace Casino in Los Pegasus. He has a good nature, regularly giving to charity and holding events to raise money for different causes. Somepony like him would never do anything like this, especially hurt a little defenseless filly."

"That's the point though. If the dark stars are controlling him, then he isn't doing this on his own will. They're making him their tool; a means to an end. I suggest figuring out how to capture him so we can figure this all out. For now though, get some rest. You look tired. I'll go and see Fluttershy and see if she knows anything."

Terra thanks the young mare and bids her farewell. Walking out the front door of her house, he begins to think things over as he trots down the street back towards the home he was put up in while staying in town. Star is right. He needs to find a way to capture Cobalt and get him to talk. Maybe they can learn more about the dark stars and even Sevulva Star. If they can gain this kind of intel, they will be that much closer to saving Ponyville, Equestria, and all the world. So as he walks through town, barely watching where he's going, the guard contemplates his plans on what to do next. A voice rings out in his head suddenly. It's faint, yet so familiar. That's when he notices someone standing in front of him, and stops.

"Terra, is this a bad time?" Chupa asks, struggling as she trots forward, her back left hoof in a cast. Eyes widening, the stallion stares at the injured hoof in pure horror. This is what happened to her!? Cobalt Star did this to a young filly!? It still seems impossible to him for such a kindly guy to commit such a horrible act. However, he regains his composure and tells her that it's fine, asking if she's ok.

"I'll be alright. It's just hurt a little, nothing too serious. I'm more worried how this will affect my greenhouse. It's going to be so hard to take care of all my little plants like this," she says, taking a seat on the ground where she is, "I'm on my way home from school right now, but after this happened, I'd feel safer if you were with me."

"Oh...uh yeah, of course. Can you tell me exactly what happened though? I'm trying to catch this guy and I need all the information I can get. I've heard your sister's story, but I'd like your perspective too."

Frowning, Chupa looks down at her hoof and nods silently. She seems to be sensitive about the entire issue right now, but that's to be expected. An incident like this would easily scar a young filly, even one as brave as her. Sighing, she recounts to him exactly what happened. She remembers waking up earlier than normal because she heard a loud noise. It scared her so much, but her sister soon came in to check on her. She tells Terra that they went downstairs together and saw someone going around their living room, throwing things around. She says that he looked like he was searching for something specific. Nodding, the stallion remembers hearing the same thing from Chamomile. What in Equestria could Cobalt have been looking for in their house? Or more importantly, what were the dark stars looking for, if the legend is true. Continuing, the filly tells him that when her sister confronted the thief, he turned and seemed surprised. She said that he then looked right at her and smiled before running right at her.

"He came at you?" Terra asks, this part confusing him a little. Why did he seem pleased at the sight of her? He couldn't have been looking for Chupa? It doesn't add up quite yet. So he asks her to go on. She says that Chamomile stepped in front of him and tried to fend him off, but he managed to grab her hoof anyways.

"He wouldn't let go of me," Chupa says, tearing up, "it was so scary. My sister managed to beat him away and he escaped, but he twisted my hoof and pulled it from it's socket. It hurt so much. I don't know why, but he seemed like he knew me. I've never seen him before though. I think he did say something, but I don't remember exactly what it was."

Perking up, Terra leaps forward at the young filly and tells her, "Chupa, you have to remember! What did he say!?" She thinks and tries hard, and pictures those moments in her mind. He said it so quickly and quietly, and it didn't seem that important at the time. She thought it was just a random thought, not that it was as important as Terra is making it seem now. That's when it comes to her. She remembers what he said, and now that she thinks about it, she knows why it was so important. Looking up at Terra, she tells him exactly what the thief said to her.

"He told me 'I've finally found you, my precious element'." A single bead of sweat drips down the side of Terra's face. His jaw drops open, and his eyes widen to an incredible size. He knows what Cobalt...no, what the dark stars are after, and he knows why. Thanking the filly, he turns and runs off back the way he came. This is something he needs to tell Star about.

Once again, as night falls upon Ponyville, Terra stakes out the shop he knows will be Cobalt's next target. This time he does so alone, and on his personal choice. He had told Star of what he knew, and told her that this was his duty. While it involves all six of them, he knows Cobalt more than any of the others, and his honor rests on bringing his friend to his senses. As expected, the stallion returns and goes to pick the lock of the shops door. But before he can even reach into his saddlebag, Terra has come up to him. Grabbing Cobalt's hoof, he cuffs it to the close-curved handle of the door and makes sure that the stallion won't be going anywhere this time.

He removes the mask from Cobalt, seeing those glowing red eyes again. This isn't the same pony he knows. It has to be the dark stars controlling him. Struggling, Cobalt looks at the guard with anger, and says some choice words. Terra had expected something different, more like how Sevulva Star had acted. Not ruthless aggression like this. He isn't even saying anything, just screaming out obscenities. He won't get anywhere this way. So tying Cobalt up, Terra decides that maybe he can't do this alone like he thought. He has to bring his friend to Star. There has to be something in that book of hers on how to stop the influence of the dark stars.

He arrives a few minutes later, and the mare gladly lets him in. They bring Cobalt into Star's room and place him, still tied up, onto the bed. He thrashes about and yells at them, causing Star to feel slightly uneasy. However, she goes to her bookcase anyways and pulls out the large book, flipping it right to the marked passage. She reads and reads and reads, and when she finally finishes, she turns to Terra with a frown, telling him, "I'm sorry, but there's nothing in here about how to stop the dark stars influence. It only says that no cure was ever discovered, and all it's victims have either died or disappeared."

"NO! I can't accept that!" Terra yells out, garnering Cobalt's attention and causing him to go quiet for the first time all night, "this is my friend! He is a good, kind, caring pony who wouldn't harm a fly! He would not do this on his own! These dark stars are turning him into a monster! They made him hurt Chupa for ponies sake! I remember what you said to me the last time we met Cobalt! You told me that when you were just a child you dreamed of making ponies happy! Your goal in life was to bring others joy and give back to the community! You accomplished your dream and so much more! You created a wonderful place for ponies to have fun! You give back to the community constantly, and do everything you can to help those in need! All of your dreams came true Cobalt! You are lucky, successful, and inspirational beyond anything I could ever dream of! This is not the Cobalt Sky I know! This is not my friend!"

"You're right, I am not the Cobalt Sky you know," the stallion suddenly says, his voice dark and echoing, "I'm not Cobalt Sky at all, but you already knew that, didn't you? You're not just honorable, you're also very smart Honor. I underestimated you, just like I underestimated Peace. Of course, the little one did very little on her own. Her sister is the one who stopped me from killing her."

"Who are you?" Terra asks, although he already knows the answer.

Laughing, the possessed Cobalt cracks his neck and replies, "I am very essence of evil itself. I am what corrupted the line of Sevulva Star. I am what created the dark stars and now reside in this pathetic shell. I have a name, though an inferior life form as yourself could not understand it. You can instead call me Oblivion. And on the subject of this pathetic shell, do you know why Cobalt Sky was so easy to take over? Do you know what has happened to him as of late?"

Terra glares at the body of his friend. The voice coming out of him is dark and filled with malice. It alone is enough to know that this is not Cobalt Sky. His eyes glow redder than ever, and his coat seems to emanate with the same dark magic as Sevulva's had. He had not expected this though. This "Oblivion" is controlling Cobalt and Sevulva, and who knows who else? Then there's those names it used to refer to him and Chupa by. It called the filly Peace, and called him Honor. Why does it refer to their traits as their names? There's something more behind this, and he plans to get it out.

But at the same time, he wants to know what this thing is talking about. It claims that something has happened to Cobalt lately. It has been a while since he's seen his friend, but he thinks he would have heard if something big had happened to one of the most famous ponies in Los Pegasus. Is Oblivion trying to get under his coat, or is he telling the truth? He doesn't know what to believe anymore. After these incidents, nothing makes any sense.

"I see you're interested Honor, then let me explain. Cobalt Sky was in dealing with the mob. He was so kind and giving that he was giving away more money than he had. He was borrowing money from the mob to keep his casino open, but in the end he couldn't pay his debts. The mob kidnapped his wife and daughter and used them as hostages. He went into such a depressive state that his mind was very easy to take over. Sevulva put up more resistance than he did. It's as if Cobalt Sky let me take him over, knowing that I could end this pain for him, and I did. His family is safe now. Too bad for what's left of the mob."

"YOU KILLED THEM!?" Terra yells, falling back in shock. Oblivion laughs madly and confirms this, telling both Terra and Star that he did indeed kill each and every member of the mob who were involved with the kidnapping of Cobalt's family. It goes into detail on the gruesome murders of each one, ranging from decapitation with a rusted hacksaw to slicing the stomach open and disemboweling. Terra breathes heavily and gnashes his teeth. He can hardly believe this. It's disgusting and terrible. This isn't justice, it's revenge! It's not what Cobalt would have wanted! They deserved life in prison, yes, but not death!

"Cobalt!" he yells out, trying to get through, "don't let this evil control you! Force it out! Your family is safe now, you don't have to give in to Oblivion's influences anymore! If you need money for your casino, I'll help you. Star and everypony else will do what they can! Just don't let it control you anymore! You're not a killer Cobalt, or a thief! You don't need to be doing this!"

"HA! You think that...wha...what!?"

The grin on Cobalt's face morphs into a scowl. Surprise and anger fills him as he begins to convulse in his bindings; Terra knows what's going on. He's gotten through, and the real Cobalt Sky is fighting back against this evil. Removing the ropes from his body, Terra watches as he screams and thrashes around, violently cursing in some other language. It's a fight like none he's ever seen before. Soon, Cobalt's eyes return to normal, and his screams no longer echo with evil. A dark energy seeps from his mouth and flies through the air. Terra and Star stand at the ready, unwilling to let Oblivion control them in even the slightest. By what it had said, they know that it cannot control those who refuse it entry into their bodies. Their will power is too strong for it now, and Oblivion knows that. Flying out the window, the dark energy disappears into the night, leaving the three ponies behind.

Returning his gaze to Cobalt, he sees that the stallion is regaining consciousness. His eyes flicker open and shut, and his real voice begins to speak out through exasperated panting. Rushing forth, both Terra and Star help him to a seated position, and the latter runs off to get him a drink of water. As she returns, handing him the cup, he greedily chugs it down before falling back down and sighing in relief. He then looks over to Terra and smiles, saying only one thing before passing out again, "Thank you, my friend."

The sun shines bright in the noon sky as Terra and Cobalt stand behind a wooden table at Sweet Apple Acres. Star had contacted the owner of the plantation, Apple Bloom, early this morning and asked if they could hold a fundraiser for Cobalt there. Naturally, the mare was happy to oblige and offered to have the Apple Family bake some of their award winning deserts to sell off to help. Terra, Star, and Cobalt arrived early and helped the Apples set things up and even bake the goods, wanting to give back to everypony. Cobalt's been so ashamed of what he did that he wanted to do all the work himself. It's a good thing for him that Apple Bloom and Babs Seed wouldn't let him. He'd have been even more tired than before.

As they continue to sell their goods and raise money throughout the entire day, Terra and his friend quickly realize that they'll make more than enough money. Their goal was reached hours ago, and now they're trying to double it. Trotting up, Apple Bloom brings out another barrel of sweet apple cider and sets it up as more of Ponyville's citizens step up to give what they can and get some delicious food and drink. Cobalt looks over to his friend and thanks him once again. Everything is going to not only be ok, but be better than before. Smiling, Terra shakes his head and with a smile says, "It was my honor."

PREVIEW FOR EPISODE 4

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On January 31st, 2014, be prepared for a story about the history of one little filly. Be prepared to learn..."How I Got My Cutie Mark".

S01 E04 - How I Got My Cutie Mark

Trotting down the congested early-morning streets, the young filly Chupa Cabra is on her way to the Ponyville Schoolhouse for another day of class under the guiding eye of Miss Cheerilee. The sun has just begun to rise thanks to the magic of Princess Aurora, giving the sky a light glow close to the horizon, while remaining darker above it. It seems like just an ordinary day in Equestria. There are ponies on their way to work, young ones trotting off to school; it's as if nothing were ever wrong with the world. It's almost hard to believe that only a week ago, these same ponies were all screaming and panicking as the bright Ponyville skies were blacked out by the arrival of the dark stars, which had been absorbed into the very soul of the famed stage pony, Sevulva Star. Most of them went into their homes and refused to come out, and yet now they walk around as if it were just a bad dream.

A couple of days following Sevulva's escape, she and her five new friends had found out some new information regarding the dark stars, thanks to Terra Lionmane's recent investigation into the thefts that began to occur in town. The one truly behind the dark stars and their sudden arrival was not Sevulva Star at all, but an ancient evil force known only as Oblivion. The stars themselves were a physical manifestation and shell for the force that Antonin Sevulva Star created a long time ago. He had been influenced and controlled by the dark stars, forced to do their bidding. It's become the same with his descendent, as well as Los Pegasus casino owner Cobalt Sky.

The news of the existence of Oblivion; that the dark stars themselves were a sentient being who was behind the near destruction of the world all those years ago, and the looming threat of it again now. It's the thing of nightmares, but Chupa knows that this will only prove to aid them in their battle against the forces of evil. They say knowledge is power, and knowing what they do now, she and her five friends have begun to formulate a plan to locate and stop the possessed Sevulva Star by any means necessary. They need to save the country they love, and the planet on which it rests.

She suddenly flinches, one of her legs pulsating with an aching pain that while not too powerful still causes her discomfort. Back when Cobalt Sky was possessed by Oblivion and committing the thefts in Ponyville, he had broken into her house and attacked her. She still doesn't understand why he did it. What reason could Oblivion have for trying to kill her? On top of it, he referred to her not by her given name, but by the word Peace. What could this mean? She knows it isn't just a simple mistake, and that there indeed has to be something behind it, but what?

Cautiously continuing down the road, she tries now to pace herself. The injury has been healing well, but she doesn't want to do anything to irritate it and prolong the pain. Granted it was never too serious from the beginning, so if everything goes well, she'll be back to normal within a week. Then she won't have to wear these uncomfortable bandages and cast. It's awkward to move in them, and she has to be careful, for the slightest of wrong steps could cause her a horrible shock of pain, even at this point. Running is out of the question, and it's been hard to go long distances. Needless to say it's been impeding on her everyday life, but considering she didn't do much outside of visiting the Ponyville Greenhouse, nothing's really changed.

Her focus though, as she slowly walks down the street, is on school and today's lesson. She can't wait to get there and find out what Miss Cheerilee has planned to teach them today. She's the best teacher Chupa could ever hope for. Always so kind and helpful, never being overly strict but not too lenient either. Even the other ponies in town value the way she teaches her students. Nopony could do it better. If she remembers correctly, Miss Cheerilee told them when they left class last week that they'd be learning about cutie marks and their importance to Equestrian society today. It's a lesson Chupa's been awaiting to hear ever since the day she got her cutie mark a few months ago. She's been very curious to how they work, and what kind of impact they have on the whole of society and the world as a whole.

She ponders these thoughts as she aimlessly trots onward, barely paying attention to where she's going. She nearly bumps into Mr. Breezy as he's opening up his shop for the day, breaking her out of her stupor. She apologizes to the stallion, who seems to not be angry in the slightest, and begins to cross the street. She's only a few blocks away from the school at this point, and with every step closer, her thoughts begin to grow. She hums a little tune to herself, quickly reaching the very edge of town where the schoolhouse lies. As she prepares to go across the final stretch of the path, Chupa comes across a completely unexpected, but altogether pleasant, surprise. Just now trotting into town, hauling a large wooden cart behind her, is Briance Happer, the adventurous young mare who's always going off on some journey into the deep reaches of Equestria.

Her cart is filled with a wondrous variety of goods and souvenirs from her most recent venture into the wide world that lies just beyond this little town. Crates, boxes, and bags all lining the inside in organized piles. It's a mystery why there's so much, but knowing Bri, most of it is new; stuff she's gotten from wherever she went this time. The one big question that everypony always asks is where she gets the money to constantly buy all of this stuff. To her knowledge at least, Bri doesn't have a steady job. Yet somehow she has one of the biggest houses in Ponyville, and is always able to go on these marvelous adventures, bringing back tons of souvenirs and goods. She also frequents the Ponyville Playhouse to see all the new stage productions, visits the spa on a regular basis, and is always seen sporting some new fancy hat.

As she trots into town now, Bri seems as happy and joyous as she always does, a pink fedora resting upon her head this time. Despite her small size, she easily pulls the packed cart behind her with no problem, and is humming a tune as well. Calling out through the rowdy crowd of ponies walking around, the filly shouts to her friend, "Bri! It's me, Chupa! How was your trip!?"

At the sound of the young one's voice, the mare looks over and smiles, trotting up cheerfully with an energetic bounce in her step. Reaching her, Bri grins from ear to ear and replies, "It was brill! Germaney really is gorgeous at this time of year! They even 'ad a festival goin' on! They 'ad so much to do, and so much to see! The food was fantastic, if I do say; so much hearty greens. They did 'ave a lot of beer though, and I did unfortunately get a little loopy before it was all over. Other than that though, it was bloody brilliant!"

Right away the mare wonders whether mentioning getting drunk was smart or not, especially when talking to such a young filly. However, Chupa seems to not have noticed, as she just smiles widely at the sheer pleasure echoing out of her voice, asking, "Did you find out anything new about the pony you said you were looking for? Has anyone in Germaney seen her?"

"No," Bri sighs sorrowfully at the mention of this sad fact, her face suddenly shifting from sheer joy to downtrodden grief. She unhitches herself from the cart and begins to shake her head slowly, taking a seat right there on the cobblestone sidewalk as she peers up at the brightening sky above. "Nopony knew anything about 'er whereabouts, or 'ad even seen 'er in these past fifteen years. Sometimes I just feel as if all this were a bloody waste of time."

Frowning, Chupa places a hoof around her friend in comfort as she cheerfully tells her, "Don't let it get you down Bri. I know you'll find this pony eventually. You can't give up now. Just keep looking for the bright in everything, and enjoy yourself. One of these days you'll find her, as long as you never give up hope."

A warm smile begins to spread across Bri's face, and she nods as she gets back up and rehitches herself to the cart. Looking to the sun is always the right thing to do. What good is it to see only the darkness in everything? So with a grin, she begins to tell her young friend all about the fun trip both to Germaney and back, as well as everything she did while there. This time though she chooses to leave out the parts about the drinking, deciding it best. She wouldn't want to negatively influence the filly. Recounting an amazing ice carving competition, she laughs about how one pony made a swan, only for the head to break off right before the judges reached it. She mentions to Chupa how the town has an old-fashioned feel to it, and about the wonderful dinner she had at the Hoofarian Inn one of the nights she was there. The ride on the Hoofarian Belle River Boat and visit to the Germaney Historical Association Museum come to her mind as well, the excitement once again boiling up within her.

"That sounds amazing, and really, really fun!" The filly laughs, thinking that she too would love to visit Germaney one day. At that moment, a loud chiming echoes through town, catching Chupa off guard and alerting her to the time. She looks over at the Ponyville clock tower and sees the time. She cries out in fear, as she's going to be late for class. She gives Bri a quick apology, which is met with a simple smile and wish for a good day, and trots away in the direction of the schoolhouse as quick as she can without causing her injured hoof too much pain. It doesn't take long, and she reaches the building fairly quickly, walking through the threshold of the door right as Miss Cheerilee is walking up to close it. She got there without a moment to spare. The teacher turns and eyes the young filly as she takes her seat in the front row, but shakes it off and closes the door, ready to begin class.

"Good morning fillies," Miss Cheerilee loudly exclaims, garnering the attention of her many students, nearly all of whom had been talking with each other, "before we begin today's lesson, we have a new student joining us today. Would you like to come up here and introduce yourself to the class dear?"

All of the students turn around in their seats, looking to the back row. A young filly with faded yellow coat sits there, but quietly begins to get out of her chair as she's called on by the teacher. Slowly and nervously, she approaches the front of the room, trying to avoid direct eye contact with anypony. Chupa can tell right away that this new filly is younger than her, probably only by a year or two, but it is clear. She has a short, light blue mane with a tuft hanging out in the front. It blends well with her coat, giving her a very light appearance. She's small in size, and seems very apprehensive about being in the class, as well as being called out to the front of the room.

She eventually gets there and shyly looks around as she stands closely beside Miss Cheerilee. Someone snickers in the third row, and she blushes as she looks down at the floor beneath her hooves. Some of the students begin to chat amongst themselves, a couple of which even laughing as they point to her. The new filly grows redder and hides behind the teacher, who gives the rude students an icy glare before comforting the filly and asking her once more to introduce herself to the class, assuring her that everything will be alright.

"Um...well...my name is Spring Rise," she quietly tells everypony, voice barely reaching above a whisper. She seems to stutter over her words and continues to avoid meeting anyone's eyes. It's like she doesn't even want to be here at all. She begins to retreat back to her desk in the very last row, but Miss Cheerilee puts out a hoof to stop her gently, asking if there's anything that she'd like to tell the class about herself, like where she came from and what kinds of things she likes to do.

Spring looks back down at the floor, breathing in heavily as she replies, "Well, I moved...uh...to Ponyville from Detrot. My parents and I arrived just yesterday. I like to...well...I like to help my mom out with her...gardening. I also like to...draw pictures."

Miss Cheerilee looks down at the young filly with a pitying expression, excusing her back to her seat. She quickly listens, and trots to the back of the room while the teacher turns to the chalk board, writing out today's lesson, as well as a list of all the ponies who had been laughing at Spring. While her back is turned, Chupa quietly gets up without a second thought, grabbing her saddlebag, and moves to a seat in the very back of the room, right beside the new filly. Spring glances over at her nervously, expecting more teasing and laughing, and wondering why she moved there in the first place. Chupa smiles warmly over and greets her, introducing herself at the same time. Though Spring doesn't seem to wish to respond.

Right then, Miss Cheerilee turns back around to face her students, and Chupa focuses her full attention to the front of the room and to her teacher, quietly whispering over to Spring that she'll love being in this class. The day goes well, and as Chupa had guessed before hand, the lesson did indeed go over cutie marks and their impact on Equestrian society. She wrote down notes on every little thing that Miss Cheerilee told them, but couldn't help noticing how unenthusiastic Spring seemed about the entire thing. Every time that their teacher even said the words "cutie mark", the filly would quietly slip further and further down in her seat. After a while, she even began to cry a little, though nopony else seemed to notice. Chupa noticed when Spring went to the front that she's a blank flank, and from what she can surmise, she really takes it hard.

Ending about ten minutes late, class is excused with Miss Cheerilee assigning little homework. They're asked to simply come up with why their cutie mark represents them better than anything else could, and if they are without one, what they think their cutie mark should be and why it would represent them better than any other. Spring grabs her saddlebag, eager to escape the building as quickly as she can and avoid confrontation with anypony. However, Chupa stops her before she can even leave her seat. Smiling, she looks curiously at the new student and asks, "Do you wanna hang out today?"

She looks at Chupa, almost as if completely confused and surprised by this sudden invitation. She then shies away and tries once again to escape, wanting nothing more than to get home as quickly as possible. Chupa refuses to relent, getting right up into Spring's face and telling her happily that she doesn't have anything to be nervous about, because Ponyville is a wonderful town filled with amazing and nice ponies.

"Yes, there are those who aren't as kind, but for the most part, you couldn't find a more welcoming town," she tells Spring as they leave the schoolhouse, "I could even show you around and introduce you to all my friends, and the plants I care for at the greenhouse!"

"Ponyville...has a greenhouse?" Spring quietly asks, seemingly gaining an interest at the mere mention of this. Of course, Chupa had remembered her saying that she likes to help her mother with gardening. She too has a deep love for plants and taking care of them, and until the recent events with the dark stars, she too was very shy and quiet. The plants in the Ponyville Greenhouse had been her only friends. But then Princess Aurora summoned her, and she met five wonderful ponies that she now calls her friends. Now she wants to do whatever she can to help others become friends as well, and obviously she doesn't want Spring to feel like she once did. She wouldn't want anypony to feel that kind of pain.

"Yeah, it's amazing! We have flora from all over Equestria there! We've even managed to get rare Saddle Arabian desert flora! The bulbs are growing nicely in our mock desert climate. Mr. Greenhooves had a hard time getting those, especially because they only grow naturally in that part of the country. I've sort of been taken in as his apprentice. He's even said I can take over the entire greenhouse when he retires! Can you believe that!? I hope to get some of the Everfree Forest's flora soon. It's something the greenhouse is still missing."

"Everfree Forest?" Spring questions curiously, having never heard of it before. Of course, she's never even been in this part of the country until yesterday. It's not a huge surprise that she's never heard of it. So as they continue down the road, Chupa explains to her that the Everfree Forest is the dark and dangerous forest right outside of the town, and is filled with many rare plants and animals, both of which can be very deadly. Mayor Mare had actually forbidden ponies from going into it after Rarity was found mauled by a wild animal near the home of the zebra shaman, Zecora, but it really didn't stop anypony, so she eventually retracted the law. Very few ponies still enter it, but those who do for one reason or another wouldn't have stopped, especially those like Apple Bloom of Sweet Apple Acres, who's good friends with Zecora and visits her from time to time.

Spring seems to be warming up to Chupa quickly as they trot down the road. She's even opening up a little more, no longer shying away or trying to hide. That's when a voice seems to call out to the young filly, and Spring looks over. A pink-coated mare with a purple and white mane is standing right outside of a jewelry shop, opening up for the day. She points at the new filly in town and laughs loudly, chanting out the words, "blank flank" over and over. Chupa hears and sees this, and hurries her new friend away from it, trying to get her out of sight and earshot of Diamond Tiara's ruthless teasing.

The two move forward, having now gone silent. Tears slowly drip down Spring's face, the hurtful sounds of that pony's taunting still ringing out in her head. Back in Detrot, ponies had teased her constantly about not having her cutie mark yet, and it's shown so far to not be that different here. She had told her parents that moving out of town wouldn't change anything, but they didn't listen. They never listen to anything she has to say. So she trots on beside Chupa in silence, wondering to herself why this one pony is being so nice to her, while everypony else taunts and laughs like they always do.

"Chupa?" she quietly asks, remembering her new friends name. The older filly turns her head, looking over at Spring and asking what's wrong. She looks down at the ground again as they walk, but asks her, "how did you get your cutie mark?"

Chupa stops in mid-step, looking down at Spring with great pity on her face. It's more obvious than ever that she really takes being a blank flank hard, though at her age it isn't that unusual to still be one. It's usually not until around Chupa's age that most filly's find their special talent, and even then some ponies don't find it until much later on. She remembers hearing how it took a couple years late for Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle to find theirs. Her pitying expression morphs into that of a gentle, embracing smile as she thinks that maybe telling Spring the story of how she got her cutie mark might help her feel better after the rough time she's been having since moving here.

"Of course I'll tell you how I got it," Chupa happily replies. Spring's eyes widen and her mouth drops open into an excited, joyful smile. It's the first genuine one she's seen Spring give. So they walk on, soon reaching Ponyville's beautiful park. The two take a seat on one of the blue benches surrounded the central fountain. It's the most serene place in the entire town. As they sit there, Chupa begins to think to herself, wondering exactly where she should begin.

Months ago, before she got her cutie mark, she too felt like Spring does now. She can understand her new friends pain. She's only had it for a few months, so the memories of how things were before are still fresh in her mind. Revisiting this pain might be hard on her, and it will most probably bring back some rather hard memories from the past years of her life. Looking at Spring, she notices how eager and excited the little filly is to hear her story, and at once all of her fears and qualms seem to melt away. She no longer worries, and will tell her everything.

"Only a couple months ago," Chupa begins, closing her eyes as she recounts everything to the young filly seated beside her, "I was without my cutie mark, just like you. I went to school every day, and was always met with bullies telling me that I was a blank flank, and wasn't special. I got teased even by older mares and stallions, like Diamond Tiara who was doing the same to you a couple minutes ago. They picked on me so much, and so badly, that I often found myself crying myself to sleep at night. It just hurt so much."

"The funny thing is, I wasn't even really that desperate to get one. I mean sure, I did obviously want my cutie mark, but I was ok with waiting. I wanted to find my special talent the right way, and not try to force it to come quickly. I wanted to only discover it when I was truly ready to. But the teasing and the taunting of those other ponies quickly became to much. I began to want my cutie mark just so they'd leave me alone, and one day, it began to only get worse. The simple name calling turned to physical attacks. They'd throw rocks at me at first, but the rocks soon turned to punches. I was beaten up nearly every day, and I just didn't understand what I did wrong. What did I do to deserve all of that?"

"So I began to skip school. I'd fake being sick, or even just run away and hide under the park bridge. Eventually Miss Cheerilee began to talk to my mother about why I wasn't showing up, and they found out what had been going on. When the bullies got in trouble, things only got worse. Now I wasn't just a blank flank, I was a snitch. The attacks became so bad that I had to go to the hospital on more than one occasion. I was too afraid to rat them out though, because I knew already that it would only get worse if I did. So I began to cut myself."

At the mention of that, Spring flinches slightly. She had heard the stories of ponies taking razor blades and cutting their hooves with them. It's always bothered her, because she just can't understand how somepony could willingly cause themselves pain like that. She just doesn't get it, but she continues to listen to Chupa's story none-the-less. She never imagined someone as cheerful and kind as her would've gone through all of that. Even she hasn't been bullied that badly, even back in Detrot. Her fascination with this pony and how she got her cutie mark out of all this horrible pain continues to grow.

"I really can't explain why I did it, but I guess I felt that if I could cause myself more pain then them, there wouldn't be anything they could do to me anymore. I didn't want to die though, so suicide never came to mind. I just wanted them to not be able to hurt me anymore. My mother soon found out and began to worry. I was taken to a hospital to see a psychologist. After many tests, she told my mother that there was nothing wrong with my brain, and that the way I was acting had to be a cry for help, rather than a disorder. So when we got back home, she sat me down and pleaded with me to tell her what was going on. I broke down and cried, and she held me tight to comfort me. I cried for a long time. She says it was hours, but I don't know if it was that long. When I finally stopped, I told her what was going on; why I was cutting myself and who were the ones doing this to me. I showed her the bruises and told the truth about why I was constantly hurt. I had told her for so long that I was falling down stairs and just being clumsy. She told me that she knew it was something else, and hugged me again."

"Of course, she told Miss Cheerilee and they even got the police involved. With how badly I was getting attacked, something had to be done. But even then it didn't stop. So I ran away from class one day when one of the other students tried to break my hoof. I ran and ran until I reached the Everfree Forest, and then kept running. They other students stopped at the entrance, not following me in, and turned back. They figured I'd be killed by a timberwolf or something. I ended up running off the path and got lost. Luckily for me, Mr. Greenhooves was walking by at the time. He had been bringing some plants to Zecora and found me sitting beside a tree, crying my eyes out. With a smile, he asked me if I've ever been to the greenhouse, and when I told him that I hadn't, he smiled and invited me to follow him."

"I'd met Mr. Greenhooves before, but never actually talked to him. As he led me out of the forest, I told him everything that had been going on. I don't even know why. He didn't ask me, but for some reason I just felt like telling someone else. He listened and nodded his head, but didn't say anything until we got out of the forest. He brought me to the greenhouse and told me to tell the plants everything I had said to him. At first I was confused. Plants can't hear. They can't comfort me, or wipe away my tears. Why would I tell them? He insisted though, and so I did. I began to talk to the sunflowers, and soon to the roses. The dragon lilies, bonsais, and even zinnias. I talked and talked until I told my story to every plant in the entire greenhouse."

"What happened?" Spring asks, eyes wide with intensive interest and excitement. Chupa had never seen someone so interested in her story before. Smiling, the filly gets off the bench and walks over to the fountain, taking a quick drink as she looks at a tree standing not far off.

"I felt as if a weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. Talking to these flowers and plants just made me so...happy. They didn't judge me, or try and tell me what they thought about it all. The roses didn't try to say they knew where I was coming from. The tulips didn't give me any advice. The rotadandrin's didn't tell me what they would do. They just listened silently, and let me pour out my heart to them. I felt at peace, and when I was done, I asked Mr. Greenhooves if I could help take care of the plants that helped me feel happy again. He told me that he wouldn't have it any other way."

"The next day, I woke up early. There was no school, so I went straight to the greenhouse and got to work. I watered the flora, changed the soil in their pots, and pruned trees. I hauled around bags of dirt and carried heavy jugs of water. I did whatever Mr. Greenhooves told me to, and I loved it. As I worked, I would talk to the plants, and sing songs. I would tell them my thoughts and dreams, and they would listen to me. I was about to head home right as the sun was setting when Mr. Greenhooves stopped me. He was smiling really wide as he pointed to my flank. I looked at it in the window of the greenhouse and began to cry. These weren't the same bitter tears that I'd been crying all this time, they were droplets of joy. That leaf I saw on my flank that day was my destiny. I went through all those hardships, all that pain and misery so that I would go into the Everfree Forest when I did, and find Mr. Greenhooves when I did. It was all so that I could meet the flora that gave me hope once again, and find that one special something that I was meant for."

"Spring, I know more than anypony how hard it is to be a blank flank. I suffered through so much because of it, and I did some horrible things that never ended up working. I tried to cause myself pain so that others couldn't, but it never made me happy. I tried to run away, but that isn't what brought me peace. The thing that changed my life was to trust in somepony and tell them what was wrong. It was letting it all out. I told Mr. Greenhooves what had happened, and he told me to talk to the plants. I'm not saying your special talent will involve plants like mine. I'm saying that you shouldn't give up, and you shouldn't hide yourself from others. Don't be afraid to tell somebody if you're feeling sad. And don't worry about being a blank flank. You're full of wonderful possibilities, and when you do find your special talent, no one will ever be able to take that away from you."

Tears well up in Spring's eyes as she leaps off of the bench and goes to hug her new friend. The two embrace warmly, Chupa comforting her with all she has. Some ponies nearby stop and look, wondering what might be going on, but neither filly pays them any mind. They release each other and sit back down on the bench, and for the first time in a long time, Spring smiles as she feels at peace and begins to tell Chupa her story.

Later on, around five in the afternoon, both Chupa and Spring walk up to the door of Star's house, knocking for only a moment before the dark blue mare opens it and welcomes them in with a gentle smile. The four other friends Star had made a week ago are there as well, and so with a laugh, she enters with the young Spring by her side and introduces her to them all. Agelian, Devlin, Bri, Terra, and Star all welcome her with open hooves and tell her that they're just having a little party, and that she's welcome to join them now and any time in the future.

"Oh, and we got a surprise for you," Bri excitedly cries out, jumping up and down as she leaves for a moment. After Spring had gone home following her talk with Chupa, the latter had gone to plan things out with all of her friends. This party wasn't just another of Bri's random get togethers, and Spring can tell. She knows right away that they set this party up just for her, and she can hardly believe it. Someone actually did all of this for her? She's never been shown love like this before, outside of her family. Bri soon returns, this time joined by three fillies around Spring's age.

The first of them is a small, bright blue pegasus with a mane of hot pink and stripes of dark blue lining in. Her tail is as thin as her hair, hanging down behind her. An excited expression rests on her face as she bounces up and greets Spring. The second of them is an Earth pony with a tan-orange coat and blonde hair that's styled nicely. Her tail is braided, and she seems as equally excited as the first. The third and final of them has a dark gray coat and short black hair. His tail is as short and stubby. Unlike the first two, he isn't as excited and seems to be more quiet and brooding than them.

"These three young fillies are like you, Spring," Chupa says as she trots up to the four of them, smiling gently as they all look at her, "all three of them have blank flanks just like you. They're in the same class as us, and noticed earlier when the others were laughing at and teasing you. They told me that they didn't want to step in and get involved because they didn't want to be picked on as well. When you went home earlier, I found them though. They really would like to be your friends Spring, if you'd let them."

"Hi, I'm Gumdrop," the blue one with the pink and blue hair says, greeting Spring joyfully. She then motions towards the tan-orange colored pony and introduces her as, "Honeysuckle, she's a good friend of mine. And this gloomy looking guy here is Majus. He's not as tough as he wants you to believe. He just acts that way."

"I'm...I'm Spring Rise," she nervously tells them. The three others, though mostly Gumdrop and Honeysuckle, hug Spring and welcome them to their circle of friends. Looking back at Chupa, Spring smiles warmly, showing her thankfulness. She showed her so much kindness; the kind she has never been shown before. To hear the story of how she got her cutie mark encouraged Spring beyond anything she could have ever imagined, so to be introduced to new friends is a gift she never could have expected. She can't thank Chupa Cabra enough, and she will work together with these three other fillies to make sure she honors the kindness she taught her, and the peace she gave her.

Episode 05 Preview

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All these books! So much studying! Wait, Princess!? You want me to meet WHO'S family!? Well, I guess if it'll help, I'll be "Meeting The Family."

S01 E05 - Meeting the Family

A wide smile quickly spreading across the whole of her face, Bri Happer gleefully trots onward down the side of Clipper Street with the slightest bounce in her step. She thinks about the huge news that she cannot wait to tell her friends about, humming a simple yet beautiful little song to herself. It happened just yesterday evening; against all odds she managed to secure herself some tickets to the upcoming Detrot City Music Festival! She's wanted to go to it for so many years, but has never been able to due to her travels always taking her out of the way. This year it's going to be headlined by Kid Trot, DJ Pon-3, Octavia Melody, Forest Rain, Mic the Mic, and even Ponyville's own Sweetie Belle all in one massive three day concert! Of course, there would be other minor artists playing, but she honestly isn't interested in them. Her favorite artists ever are headlining, so they're who she wants to see.

Of course, the concert is still months away, and the excitement is killing her. All she can do is count down the days. With each rise of the sun, that's one day closer to paradise. She got tickets for all of her friends as well, so that she could finally share her love of music with them. She wants her friends to see her as more than just an adventure-loving mare who's always running off to try and find somepony she's never even met. She does love adventures, and wishes so hard that she'll one day find Pinkie Pie and bring her back to Ponyville, but she's so much more than that. So far, Star is the only one to know this side of her, and only because of how long they've known each other.

Star...what could she have been so eager about this morning? Upon awakening, Bri had opened her front door to grab the paper when she found a note taped to the outside of it, signed by her long time friend. It seemed to be urgently written, and told her to meet everypony at the Princess Twilight Sparkle Memorial Library as soon as she could. She can easily and rightfully infer that when the letter mentions everypony, Star was referring to themselves as well as their other four friends. However, why didn't she say why they were meeting? It's been bothering her this entire time. Star usually isn't the one to ask of something without explanation. Could something have had happened? Did somepony learn any new information regarding Oblivion or the dark stars? Maybe it's something deeper than that. With Star, she really can't be completely sure. She can only hope that nothing is truly wrong.

The worrying begins to overtake her mind, filling her overactive imagination with terrible thoughts. She imagines her friends tied to operating tables with their cutie marks having been cut right off of their flanks.

Feeling dizzy and a bit nauseous, Bri picks up speed as she pleads aloud to no one in particular. She wants her friends to be safe, and not be in any kind of mortal danger. She trots quickly on when she's suddenly greeted with a warm, gentle smile by a young, orange-coated filly. A black and orange scarf wrapped around her neck, she begins to trot alongside Bri, who can only assume that Star had left a note on her door as well. So, deciding not to bother Chupa to question her about why she's there, she instead focuses on getting to the library as quickly as possible, and not have any more gruesome thoughts.

They don't speak to each other at all, walking along in complete silence that's nearly unbearable for the mare. She didn't want to wait until she got to the library to tell somepony about the concert anyways, so she breaks the awkward moment by telling her friend with a joyous smile, "Hey Chupa, I scored some wicked tickets to this music festival coming up in Detrot in a few months from now! I happened to get tickets for all six of us, and the best artists around will be performing!"

"Anypony I might know?" Chupa curiously asks as the two of them walk right on by Sugarcube Corner, glancing inside to see Pound and Pumpkin serving an older unicorn stallion. Bri begins to tell the filly all about the different artists who are going to be there, making sure to highlight the six big ones. Listening quietly and respectfully, Chupa nods and walks slowly onward, smiling over at her friend. However, as Bri finishes up, the filly can't help but tell her, "Well, to be honest I don't like those kinds of music. Octavia's the only one there I'd be even a bit interested in. My flora seem to really enjoy her music, growing faster and stronger when they listen to it. So I occasionally play it for them, but those others are just too rough sounding. The plants just don't like them, and I don't either."

It's incomprehensible to the mare that somepony could say that they don't like artists like Sweetie Belle or Mic the Mic. They're so amazing on stage, and have some of the best vocals of any musician. She wishes to respect her friends differing opinion, but this would be like saying she wanted to eat animals. It's just inconceivable. She continues to keep up a false smile, however, as they soon reach the giant golden oak tree, finding the door to the library wide open for them. They enter one after the other, finding the remainder of their friends having already arrived. She wonders why Chupa was so late as well. She had gotten her cast off the other day. She herself had been busy, still unpacking from her last trip. A trip that once again led absolutely nowhere in her search for Pinkie Pie. She remembers it was Chupa who cheered her up when she first returned to Ponyville. Though they may have different opinions for music, she can't thank the filly enough for her kindness.

The mare takes a quick look around the room, seeing that all of her friends are looking over various books and scrolls, studying hard and showing her that this is another of Star's endless research sessions. She really does understand completely why her friend wishes to find out everything that she can, but sometimes she just feels that this is getting to be a bit too much. Star's always been a book worm though, ever since she first read the Diary of the Six. It's still surprising to her that Princess Twilight's will said she wanted the diary of her and her friends to be published after her demise.

Now it seems like they're studying as hard as the lost Princess did back in the day. They never just hang out anymore. They don't go out for hayshakes, or frequent Wonderbolt rallies. It's not that they're splitting apart, but they've definitely lost their closeness. She just finds this all too disheartening, especially as her friend notices her and trots up. Not greeting her with a smile or hug, Star hands her a book and explains that they're doing research on Oblivion and the dark stars, and that they need to work doubly hard to make up for lost time.

"We must find any and all information that we can," she tells Chupa and Bri, "if we're to ever stop Oblivion, we will need to be fully prepared. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find much as of yet. Whenever I look this all up, all I find is information about the Great Pony Wars that occurred over a thousand years ago. I love history and all, but right now we need to learn about this evil force before it can destroy everything."

Sighing, Bri nods her head and trots over to one of the free bookshelves, beginning her completely unwanted research. Chupa has also joined her friends, taking a smaller shelf on the left side of the library. Star then smiles at them both and returns to her own shelf, flipping through whatever books she can grab at unhealthy speeds. Suddenly, the sound of a book slamming hard against the floor surprises her, and she looks over to see Agelian angrily glaring back at her.

"This is a waste of my time! I'm scheduled to take part in a very important race today, you know! Now you're forcing me to say here and look at books!? Athletes don't read books, eggheads read books! Do I look like an egghead to you!? I need to go to this race so that I can meet Wonderbolt Captain Scootaloo! I'm telling you right now Star Rider, if we don't make any sort of headway in this by two, I'm leaving and there is nothing you can do to stop me!"

"There are much more pressing matters to worry about right now, you selfish idiot!" Star snaps back, shutting the book she had been going through with great force. The two get right into each others faces as she tries to explain how important it is that they defeat Oblivion, as they are the six ponies destined to do it. She tells Agelian that they need to do strenuous research on their enemy before they can hope to go against him, and that no race is as important as saving the world from destruction, not even if the winner gets to meet with the captain of the Wonderbolts.

"Then answer me this, oh wise one! Why are we even in this library!? Why aren't we out there in the real world looking for the Elements of Harmony!? Didn't the Princess tell us that we NEED those in order to stop Oblivion and save the world!?"

They begin to close the gap in between them, getting so close and showing so much blind rage towards each other that the others turn to watch, beginning to wonder if they're about to get into a full-fledged brawl. However, right at that moment, a bright light begins to shine right into the library from the open door, blasting itself inward and garnering the attention of not only Star and Agelian, but the rest as well. As they look over at the threshold of the doorway, Princess Aurora walks in, her beautiful pink hair flowing behind her in an endless breeze. A different flower adorns her hair than the last time they had seen her, and right behind her, outside of the library, they notice some armed pegasus guards standing beside the royal carriage. They all begin to bow before her, but smiling, the Princess tells them to rise and insists that they need not bow to her.

"You are both correct, my little ponies," she says as she walks up to Star and Agelian, looking between them with sterm, yet still bright and hope-filled eyes, "when faced with an overwhelming adversary, research is not only welcome, but a necessity. Going in blindly against any enemy would be a most terrible mistake, and could easily cost you your life, or the lives of those closest to you. However, you too are correct Agelian. The Elements of Harmony must be found as quickly as possible. I appreciate your interest in research Star, but will it not be all in vain if you cannot find the one thing that will be able to put an end to it all? But that is not why I am here."

"Why are you here, your majesty?" Star asks, taking a seat on the floor as she sorrowfully sets down the book she had been holding in her hooves. Standing tall, Princess Aurora tells the six of them that over the past few days, she had spent the majority of her time researching into things as well; both for information on Oblivion AND whatever she could find about the Elements of Harmony and where they might have disappeared to fifteen years ago. She also mentions that even the Canterlot Archives have had very little on the Elements, and absolutely nothing on Oblivion. It's as if all the books about these topics disappeared, but the count stayed the same somehow.

"I fear that Oblivion, whoever he is, might be a mystery lost in the pages of Equestria's history forever. But there is still one thing you can do Star. I want you to go to Canterlot yourself as soon as you are able. I have made arrangements for you to meet with a certain few ponies who might just be able to give you some insight into the events that occurred fifteen years ago. I have a theory that those very incidents, the deaths and disappearances, were caused by Oblivion somehow. Because of this, I want you to meet with these ponies. They might have memories from those years ago that could prove not only useful, but crucial in saving our world."

"Who are they?" Star asks.

"The family of Princess Twilight Sparkle," Princess Aurora replies, leaving Star standing there in complete and utter shock, "do not fret my child. This is a mission for Equestria that I am leaving on your shoulders. I trust you."

"Wait just a moment," Agelian suddenly speaks up, continuing to show his immense rage and irritation at being in the library, "why didn't you just meet with them yourself? You're the Princess, so why does Star have to do it?"

"The truth is, I shall be away from Canterlot for a while. I am off to Trottingham after I leave here. I am to meet with the city's mayor and discuss plans to protect their city from anything that is to come from Oblivion in the near future. I have already met with Mayor Mare here before coming to the library, and following Trottingham, I shall be visiting all the other cities of Equestria so that they may be protected as well. The well-being and safety of my country is my first priority. Your friends may join you, and you shall all be accommodated in my castle while staying in Canterlot."

Seeming satisfied by the answer, but still frustrated as he has been, Agelian quietly grunts and falls back. Looking down at the floor, Star bites her lip and shows clear anxiousness over the entire mission she had been given. However, Princess Aurora brings her to her hooves and assures her that everything will be alright. With that, she leaves, getting onto the carriage outside of the door and flying off towards Trottingham. Despite the Princess's reassurance, Star continues to mope. Meeting with the family of Princess Twilight Sparkle is something she never could have even imagined. To meet with such famous, amazing ponies like Twilight Velvet, Night Light, and Shining Armor is an honor she was not ready for, but she wants to make Princess Aurora proud, so she shall fulfill this mission to the very best of her ability.

"So...what do you all think?" Star asks, turning to face her friends and get their perspective on all of this. At first, none of the other ponies speak at all. They just look at each other, trying to take in everything they had just heard. None of them could have expected the Princess to give them a mission now, much less one like this. On top of that, the Canterlot Archives have NOTHING on Oblivion? Those archives have the most resources and information in all of Equestria. If they don't have anything, then there is nothing. This is disheartening news, especially for Star, who had put all this time into looking only to find out it was practically worthless to do so.

"I think we need to do it," Agelian says, completely different than how he had been only minutes ago, "this is a very important task. Meeting with ponies who were there will likely give us invaluable information. And Star, I'm sorry for the way I was acting. I have faith that you know what you're doing, and I hope that when you speak to the family, you can get the information we need."

"No, I'm sorry," the mare replies, "you were right. We do need to begin looking for the Elements of Harmony as Princess Aurora instructed. I'm also sorry that you have to miss your race for this. I know you love to race, and that meeting Scootaloo is a dream of yours."

The two of them quickly embrace each other in a forgiving hug, after which they turn to face the other four. Pacing before her friends, Star begins to discuss their plans, telling everypony that they need to get ready to leave for Canterlot right away. She notes that there will be a train leaving the station in exactly an hour, and asks her friends to meet her at the station before then. She then dismisses them, and the six ponies quickly head out of the library, dispersing to their respective homes so that they may get everything they'll need for the trip. As the six of them get out of sight of the large golden oak tree, the sound of light footsteps echo within. Suddenly, illuminated in the light coming through the windows, a purple scaled dragon slowly comes down the stairs, sobbing to himself as he remembers a friend from long ago.

The Ponyville Train Station bustles with mid-day activity as ponies of all varieties line up, ready to board the coming Friendship Express as it returns from Manehattan. The front doors to the station slide open, admitting entrance to the six ponies and their packed bags. Deciding only to stay for the night, they packed light and only brought the necessities. They need all the information they can get, but they cannot stay away for too long. From their jobs, or schooling for one certain little filly, to the search for the Elements of Harmony, they have too much to do.

When they meet with Princess Twilight's family, they're going to have to get right to the point. Whatever information they can get out of them will help, and they cannot afford to waste time getting to know them; not when the fate of the world is at hoof. A loud whistle rings through the station, alerting them that the train is on it's way, and so the six destined ponies head towards the tracks just as the giant steam engines pulls in.

"Are you ready for this everypony?" Star asks them, wanting to make sure they didn't forget anything they might need. The others nod, beginning to board as the doors to the train open and the passengers already in get out. It doesn't take long for them to find seats, getting comfortable in the third car back. Star pulls out a book to read on the ride to Canterlot; a biography written about Princess Twilight Sparkle. She figures that it will be good research to know, and can maybe help her connect with the family so that she can find out more information.

Devlin and Agelian take a seat beside each other and begin to talk. Their discussion turns to the race that the latter of them was to take part in today, at which point Devlin tells him, "Don't worry about a thing. I didn't have a lot to pack, so I quickly met with the race's sponsors. They agreed to reschedule it for next week so you can participate."

"Really? You got them to do that for me?" Agelian asks, surprised but immensely thankful and overjoyed.

Smiling back at him, Devlin just nods and responds, "What are friends for?"

Sitting a short distance away, Chupa clips off loose limbs of a small bonsai tree that she brought to give to the family as a gift. It's one of her favorite types of plants, as it requires constant care and work. She's found that pruning it every now and again is essential to keeping it beautiful and healthy. Beside her sits Bri, who holds a photograph of Pinkie Pie in her hooves. In fifteen years, no one in Equestria seems to have seen or heard from the party pony, and as the train pulls out of the station, the adventurous young mare wonders if she might be in Canterlot. It's one of the cities she has yet to check, as she thought it'd be too hard to hide in such a place.

Looking up, she sees Terra on the other side of the hall. Dressed in his old elite royal guard armor, he seems more excited than anypony else. Not only will he be meeting Shining Armor, brother of Princess Twilight and a former captain of the guard, but he will also be meeting the pony who took his place as the current captain. The look on his face tells it all. He is more ready for this than any of them.

The ride remains peaceful, and not much talking occurs between the six other than with Devlin and Agelian, who tell each other stories of their past exploits; from Devlin helping during Apple Bucking Season at Sweet Apple Acres to Agelian meeting Rainbow Dash once as a colt, before her untimely demise all those years ago. Star remains focused on her book, and Chupa has stopped pruning her bonsai and instead does some of the homework Miss Cheerilee had given her. Bri is looking out the window of the train and thinking about Pinkie Pie, while Terra is trying to go over in his head who his replacement could be.

It's hard to believe, as on the map the two cities seem so close, but after a long, tiring trip, the train pulls into Canterlot Station. It takes them a minute to grab all their bags, and make sure they don't forget anything, but as they do the six of them get off the train. They don't even have the time to look around though, as right in front of them are members of the elite royal guard, led by a dark blue pegasus pony in silver armor. An upgraded look from Terra's armor, she stands there at full attention, smiling as she watches them trot up. Terra looks at the mare and smiles. This is the perfect choice for the new captain. Strong, intelligent, and never willing to give up, she was his best soldier when he was in charge. There couldn't have been a better choice.

"Good evening ponies," she says, her voice emitting a wave of power. Every word she speaks seems to hold force and a commanding presence to it.

The six of them greet her with respect, and she nods back, continuing, "welcome to Canterlot. My name is Captain Everglade, and I shall be your escort during your trip here. I understand that you are to be staying at the castle, so we have prepared two rooms; one for the mares and one for the stallions. You are permitted on the castle grounds at your leisure, and have access to the private chef and all royal servants. You are our honored guests, and we wish to make you feel at home."

"Thank you, Captain," Star says with a courteous bow. Everglade nods again, then turns to Terra and smiles, greeting her old captain with a hug and pat on the back.

"It's good to see you again, Captain Terra," she says, saluting him.

"I'm not the captain anymore Everglade, that's your honor now. And from what it seems, you're handling it well. I'm glad Princess Aurora chose you as my replacement."

"You flatter me Terra," she laughs, "now let me show you and your friends to the castle."

On their trot from the station to the castle, Captain Everglade gives them a tour of the city. Showing them the amazing architecture of the buildings, she points out many of the city’s biggest tourist spots, such as the Canterlot Theater, Canterlot Colts ball park, and even the Museum of Equestrian History. The six friends look around in awe, wondering if maybe they should have agreed to stay longer so that the could check everything out. However, they're reminded quickly of the reason they're in Canterlot and remember that the have to focus on that, then get back to Ponyville for their lives, as well as their research into the Elements of Harmony, to continue.

Upon arrival, they didn't know exactly what to expect. They knew they were getting rooms at the castle, but thought they would be walking there themselves. The royal escort isn't something they planned on, though they don't plan to complain. It's nice to feel like celebrities for once. Just that sense of importance the ponies around town are getting from them excites them. Though Terra has felt it before, being the former captain of the guard, and Agelian has had some fame as a racer. For the rest of them though, this is completely new and unexpected. Walking through the capital city of Equestria, having the ponies all around staring and muttering amongst themselves is so different from their everyday lives.

Arriving at the castle, they enter the large door to find themselves in the main hall. Everglade stops in front of them and turns, welcoming them to the castle and telling the six of them, "This is the main hall of the castle. I wish for you all to meet back here an hour after you get to your rooms for briefing. The family of Princess

Twilight Sparkle will be here soon, and we need to discuss a few things. Now let me show you to your rooms."

She walks them through the hallowed halls of the castle, past portraits of previous rulers and sets of armor lining the walls beside them. They pass by the entrance to the castle gardens, exciting Chupa who looks out the window at the amazing flora and wildlife. They go through the chamber of Princess Twilight, in which pictures of her and all her friends sit on the walls. Bri looks up at a picture of Pinkie Pie and sighs, thinking back to her trip to Germaney and how much of a bust it was. They see Fluttershy's picture, and how different she looked fifteen years ago. Star smiles, wondering how somepony can seem to have changed in such little time.

Moving on, they soon reach the bed chambers and are led to the two set aside for them. Right next to each other, the two chambers are massive. The beds are made of a high quality material they could never find in Ponyville, and the beautiful covers are so soft and light. Each room has small rooms within them, and even a private study and kitchen. The stallions and mares go to their respective rooms and take it all in, realizing that until they leave tomorrow afternoon, these beautiful rooms are all theirs. Add the fact that they have the servants and private chef at their beck and call, and there's nothing that can rival the magnificence of this trip. It's better than they could have ever imagined, and it's only just begun. Everglade once again reminds them to meet in the main hall in an hour, then heads out to leave the ponies to unpack.

An hour seems to pass by so quickly, and before they know it, the six ponies are standing back in the main hall. It's as if they had just begun to look at their rooms. Everglade stands there with a couple of other guards, smiling as they trot on up. Looking at them, she begins to brief them on what's to happen; that when the family arrives, it will be Twilight Velvet, Night Light, and Prince Shining Armor only. No other members of Princess Twilight's family will be showing up. She adds that she doesn't want them to bother the family too much, as this will be a very sensitive topic for them. It may have been fifteen years since that day, but how does one just get over the mysterious disappearance of a loved one, followed by the gruesome deaths of her friends?

"I don't know exactly how they'll react to your questions," Everglade tells them, "so tread carefully. They know why they were asked to come in, but just try and take it easy. And Terra, I know it has been a dream of yours to meet Shining Armor, but try to not lose yourself. Keep your composure, just as you had once taught me."

Terra smiles and nods, knowing that what she says is true. While he's always dreamed of this day, he needs to focus not on his own admiration, but instead on the problem that plagues Equestria and finding out how they can stop it. Suddenly, the main doors swing open and a guard rushes in, galloping up to Everglade as he nearly yells out, "Captain, we've caught him! We've finally caught Psycho Joe!"

"Really? Well that is certainly good news."

"Who's Psycho Joe?" Terra asks, curiously looking at his replacement with genuine interest. Everglade sighs and explains that "Psycho" Joe is a pony who once was a respectable member of Equestrian society. Something in him snapped in the last year however, and he became a serial murderer, committing six murders in Canterlot over the past few months. She tells him that she remembers finding the first victim herself; a young colt who's throat had been ripped out and stomach sliced open so that his innards would pour out. Each murder was more terrible than the last, and the most recent victim, a socialite mare, was found with mutilated head sliced off and shoved down the neck, hooves cut down the middle and back with chunks missing...chunks that still haven't been found.

"I didn't need to know that," Devlin says, feeling nauseous. The other five nod in agreement, and even Everglade herself looks light-headed and pale after explaining the murders. The guard who had told her of the capture also mentions that the family have gotten off the train and are on their way now. Thanking the stallion, she turns to the six and wishes them the best of luck, heading off to follow the guard to where they have the murderer locked up. Turning to her friends, Star begins to talk to them about what they're all going to say, and suggests that they make it as quick as possible, but at the same time, get as much information as possible.

The main doors soon open up again, and led by some guards, three ponies walk into the hall. The two stallions on each side of the mare seem to be staying strong, though it's obvious that they're still sorrowful over having to relive the events of fifteen years ago. In between them, Twilight's mother seems to be downtrodden as well, but has a very calm appearance. As the three walk up, Night Light greets the six of them, who then greet their visitors back. Shining Armor sighs, but tells them that they're willing to answer any questions, especially if it'll help them find and capture Oblivion, as well as learn what happened to their Twi and Cadance.

The nine ponies head to a large table set up for them by the royal guard, and take their seats. Silence comes across them all for what seems like the longest time. It's Star that breaks the nervous quiet of the group, explaining to the family exactly what happened in Ponyville a couple weeks ago with the stage actor Sevulva Star. She tells them exactly how they know Oblivion to be behind this all, and the events that have occurred since, including the possession of Cobalt Sky. She then asks the three if they wouldn't mind starting at the beginning, and explaining what happened in the days that led up to the disappearance of all the Princesses.

"Well, it was funny actually," Shining Armor replies, trying to hold back his tears as he remembers those days, "Twily and Cadance were preparing for a summit with some ponies from Tasmaneia. It was to be a very important meeting to unite the two lands and make Tasmaneia a part of Equestria. Naturally, my sister was stressing herself out, worried about making the best impression possible. She even studied up on Tasmaneian culture, learning everything she could about them, and had her friend Rarity make an authentic Tasmaneian dress for her."

"She wanted her friends to take part as well, so she invited them all to stay at the castle with her and Cadance overnight. Later on, both Twily and her friend Fluttershy were walking down one of the hallways. They had to get something for Pinkie Pie. Fluttershy had brought Angel with her, and looked away for a second to check on the bunny. When she looked back, Twily was...she was...gone."

Breaking down, Shining Armor begins to sob into his hoof. Velvet and Night hug and comfort their son, giving him the strength to continue, "The guards searched the entire castle, the grounds, and all of Canterlot. She was never found, and nopony could explain what happened. It soon was brought to our attention that Princesses Celestia and Luna disappeared at the exact same time, and I began to get worried. Three princesses gone just like that? It didn't seem believable. I was so scared, and began to search for my wife. I couldn't find her either."

"Did any of you three have direct contact with Princess Twilight before her disappearance?" Star asks them. She wonders if they had been around her in the days, or even hours before she vanished. This could lead to some possible clues about what happened. Velvet is the one to respond this time, telling them that all three of them were at the castle during this time as well. She says that Twilight wanted them all there for some reason, even though she and Cadance were the only ones who would be taking part in the negotiations with the Tasmaneians. Night Light then speaks up, adding that they had seen her only an hour before she disappeared, and that they and Twilight's friends were all having a party at the time.

"The reason they left was to get streamers for Pinkie Pie, who had planned the party," Shining Armor quietly says, "she had forgotten them at home. I think that's why she eventually ran away. She blamed herself for Twilight's disappearance, and the deaths of her friends that happened because of it."

"Actually," Terra says, "we believe that Oblivion caused those deaths. We don't yet know how, but something is telling us that he's just got to be behind it all."

"Yeah, and it's not Pinkie's fault! It just isn't!" Bri yells out, tearing up and getting emotional. She refuses to believe that her idol, whom she's been searching for, would be behind all of those horrible incidents, even if on accident.

"Did any of you happen to meet Sevulva Star prior to Princess Twilight's disappearance? Or did she herself know him?" Star asks, changing the subject as she angrily eyes Bri for the outburst. Twilight Velvet is the first to respond, noting that she had received a letter a week before she came to Canterlot back then. It was from her daughter, and said that she had gone to see one of Sevulva's plays with her friends. She asks Star how she thinks Oblivion could be behind all of this, and what it's got to do with Sevulva Star.

"Sevulva is being controlled by Oblivion," Star replies, remembering what had happened when the dark stars appeared over Ponyville, "and he probably has been for a long time now. He is the main vessel for Oblivion right now, and I fear he might have somehow kidnapped the princesses. If this is true that Princess Twilight and her friends saw his play a week before the disappearances, then it can be inferred that Oblivion had been planning this. It can't just be a coincidence."

"But how would he do it?" Shining Armor asks.

"Probably some kind of teleportation spell. Although Sevulva Star is an earth pony, since he is being controlled by a magical force, he can use spells like any unicorn. He's probably even as powerful as an alicorn. My guess as to where they were teleported to is as good as yours. Wherever it is though, I'm sure it's wherever Oblivion is at right now."

"That makes sense," Night Light states, quietly looking down at the floor. Shining Armor tells them to consider how much magical power something like that would take, especially since the princesses weren't all in the same place at the time. If they were indeed teleported simultaneously from various locations, the magical abilities of Oblivion would have to far surpass that of an alicorn. Looking at Twilight Velvet, Star narrows her eyes. She hadn't been listening to Shining Armor at this point. Something's been bugging her since the three ponies got there, and now she knows what it is.

"One more question," Star says, looking at the three, expression having become scarily serious. She gets up and walks around the table, approaching Princess Twilight's mother and getting into her face, "who are you, because it's certainly not the real Twilight Velvet. It's been bugging me this entire time. I would expect you to have been reacting the worst to all of this. On the train ride here, I read over the biography of Princess Twilight, and it talks all about her mother and how emotional she is, especially in sad situations. You have been almost emotionless, and I know that it's been fifteen years since the incident happened, but a mother as loving and emotional as described in that biography would have been crying a lot more than you have."

Twilight Velvet looks up at her accuser, then at the surprised faces of all around her. Shining Armor and Night Light are appalled, on their hooves and ready to defend Velvet's honor. All of Star's friends are even shocked, at their hooves as well and silently staring at the scene with open mouths. At that moment, a wicked sounding laugh escapes Velvet's throat, and a voice not her own speaks; A dry, raspy, evil sounding voice that breaths dark intentions with every word.

"Good job Dreams, you're more observant than I gave you credit for. It looks like between Honor finding me out before, and now you seeing through this guise, that I am not as good an actor as Sevulva Star. Oh well, ces't la vie. Doesn't matter anyways. It's not like you even have a chance of stopping me."

"Oblivion," Star growls. Shining Armor and Night Light back away in fear and surprise, wondering what happened to the real Velvet. All of Star's friends get ready to fight, knowing full well what Oblivion is capable of.

"Yes, that is correct, but tell me something Dreams. If you suspected me all this time, why in Equestria did you continue to milk information out of these other two? It did give me everything I needed. Oh, and speaking of you two, Shining Armor and Night Light, do not fret. This is the body of Twilight Velvet. I've just, well, gotten in her head a little."

"What are you planning Oblivion!" Terra yells out, grinding his hoof against the floor, ready to charge when necessary. Castle guards begin to come up as well, including Everglade, and everypony surrounds the possessed mare. However, Oblivion just laughs and suddenly, Velvet's mouth opens and a dark energy escapes it, flying out and then over to the now open door to the outside. Flying out, Oblivion escapes the blockade, leaving Twilight Velvet's body to slump to the floor. As Night Light and Shining Armor rush out to help the guards chase the evil force, Star and her friends help recover the passed out mare. She then looks out the window to see the two stallions running off into the city in the direction that Oblivion had gone.

It's getting worse, she thinks to herself. Oblivion is doing his research as well, and it's obvious now that he's planning something big. He had somehow taken Twilight Velvet over without either Night Light or Shining Armor noticing, and controlled her since they arrived. He's getting stronger, and more courageous. Unfortunately their trip left more questions than answers, and with everything that's gone down, they know it wouldn't be wise to question the family any more. They've got all they're going to, and she can only hope that it's enough. But now something else bothers her. Oblivion had referred to her as Dreams, and to Terra as Honor. What could this mean? She remembers hearing how when he possessed Cobalt Sky, he called Chupa by the name Peace as well. This has to mean something important, she just knows it, and she has to figure it out soon. But her first priority is to find the Elements of Harmony, because otherwise, with things looking as bad as they are, the world might be doomed.

Preview for the next episode

***********************************

It's been fifteen long years...and I've been so alone. All these books don't help me. I don't even want any gems. I just want my friends back, I just want Twilight.

S01 E06 - Dragon One's Tail

The golden knob slowly begins to turn, and the door to the small home cautiously opens to reveal Grace Storm peering out from behind it. Standing there in the threshold, she looks out with wide eyes and confusion expressed on her face. Her mane is wild and unkempt, messed up from her sleep, and she is still wearing her pajamas. She had just awoken for the day, and as such was naturally quite surprised to hear the doorbell ring at such an unexpected time. Never has she had company over at this hour, and because of this, her frugality is not only understandable, but quite expected. Her vigilance changes, however, as she quietly looks past the door. Alleviation passes over her face and unbridled joy soon replaces the confusion that had been etched on it shortly ago. It's the sight of the young, dark blue mare standing on the step that has caused her still tired state to slip away. The drowsiness she was feeling from awaking so early in the morning is now gone; Star is home.

Pushing the door aside, the mare leaps forth and pulls her younger sister to her, embracing her in a bone-shattering hug as she laughs with glee, shouting out in excitement. It's been so long since the last time they've seen each other, and she's been quite lonely. Two months ago, Star had left the house to go out on her own, and it seems that within this time, she's only seen her once. What could she possibly have been doing all this time that's kept her from being able to visit her own older sister? She cared for Star after the untimely, horrible passing of their parents; a day that has been plaguing both of them ever since it happened.

It all happened ten years ago now, on the eve of a beautiful winter's day. At that time, she was quite young, though she was still old enough to take care of Star, who was only a little filly back then. She had been foal-sitting her at the time that she received the news. Their parents had left Ponyville a couple days before then to meet with some ponies in Manehattan about a lucrative deal. They were business ponies, and those in Manehattan were going to give rise to their careers. According to the eye-witness reports, what occurred next is hard for her to even think about, and to this very day she has trouble comprehending what the police mare had told her.

Their parents were at the Manehattan train station, awaiting the Friendship Express to arrive and take them back to their hometown. It was then that something is said to have happened to them. The whistle of the train could be heard echoing out, and the engine itself was soon seen coming at a fast speed, which was normal at that time. That's when it happened; their parents supposedly just walked out onto the tracks. No warning, no words spoken, and not even a little bit of fear showing on their faces. They just stepped down in front of it as it came, and everypony there watched as their bodies were mortifyingly crushed as the train rolled over them, spraying blood and remains in every direction.

Some wonder if it was depression that caused them to do this; to commit suicide. No, she doesn't believe so though. Like anypony, her father and mother did have their share of problems. Perhaps even more so because they were in business. However, they would always talk them out, getting past everything that might have been going through their heads. They would always keep smiling in the face of any and all adversity. They never once gave up. It just couldn't have been suicide, especially because of what the ponies who were at the station at the time recounted to the police. According to their stories, the two had been happily chatting to each other about their children. They suddenly stopped speaking in mid-sentence, and the air itself almost seemed to be filled with a dense tension. Their expressions turned blank, and without a word they began to step forward. It's as if something had gotten a hold of them.

Things only became worse, however, when the autopsy was finished and the report was given. It gives her serious pain to even remember this, and even now it brings tears to her eyes as she thinks of what she was told all those years ago. She had learned that their mother was pregnant when she died, and naturally the foal inside of her was killed as well. She not only lost her parents, but also an unborn sibling she never even got to know. Since that day, she's held on tight to her sister with everything she's had. She never wants to go through that pain, and never wants to lose anyone ever again. Especially when that someone is the only family she has left.

She tries hard to express everything she has in that simple, loving embrace. She wants to try and tell her sister how much she's been worrying for her, and how much she cares. It's clear that her sister understands as she hugs Grace back. Just like her, Star has felt the pain of losing her parents as well. She doesn't want her sister to die either, and it was hard for her to leave the house two months ago. She knows though why Star felt she had to do it. She wanted to make a life of her own, out there in the real world; a life her parents would be proud of. Star knows she understands, and she herself understands why her older sister is so clingy. It's because of love, pure and simple. The love held between them that makes them act to protect each other in a cruel world that has taken so much away from them.

"I'm just so glad you're home," Grace softly tells her, relinquishing the grip upon her sister as she gently smiles.

"I'm glad to be home," Star replies as tears begin to well up in her eyes as she smiles back at her sister. However, her expression suddenly turns serious as she walks into the house that she had been born and raised in for all those years. Grace can instantly tell that something is wrong, and sorrowfully watches as her sister slowly trots over to the table, taking a seat.

"Would you like some coffee?" the purple mare asks her sister, walking over to the still heated pot on the counter. She pulls out a couple of cups and begins to pour one as Star accepts the offer with thankfulness. Giving the cup to her sister, she then pours one for herself and takes a little sip as her sister's mood once again becomes solemn. Grace then takes a seat across from her, looking into her eyes. It's more than obvious that she didn't come here for a simple social visit, especially on a beautiful Hearts and Hooves Day like today. As she woke up, she immediately recalled hard memories from her past, and only wonders now what could have Star so downtrodden, fear enveloping her.

"Grace," Star suddenly speaks up after taking another sip of her coffee, "I want to tell you everything, and why I haven't been able to visit you in such a long time. I want to tell you what those dark stars were, and why we might not be able to see each other again after today."

Though she wonders about the dark stars, and how Star could possibly know about them, it's the last part that pierces her heart like a white hot blade. What's going on, and why might they never be able to see each other again? This very idea is just terrifying to even consider. She can't lose her sister now too, not after everything else that's happened. So demanding that Star not say such horrible things, she demands that she explain herself. A sigh escapes Star as she repeats herself, and finally begins to tell her older sister what had been going on over the past couple of months.

Star tells her older sister all about the dark stars as well as her confrontation with Sevuvla Star. She mentions the revelation that the dark force Oblivion, unknown to all of history, had been controlling the famous pony Cobalt Sky, as well as Sevulva himself. She then tells her sister of all the information she and her friends have been able to gather up until this point. The visit to Canterlot soon comes up, and Star mentions to Grace the meeting with the family of the long lost Princess Twilight Sparkle, as well as how Twilight Velvet had been controlled by Oblivion as well. Finally, she tells her the theories that she's begun to have about Oblivion, and how it might be behind the disappearances and deaths of Twilght and her friends from fifteen years ago.

"Also," she adds after all of that, as Grace looks at her in shock, fear, and complete, utter disbelief, "I've been trying to deny it ever since I even thought of it, but I just can't deny the possibility anymore. If it's true that Oblivion was behind all of those deaths and disappearances, then maybe it was behind mom and dad's deaths as well."

Her eyes widen as she gnashes her teeth angrily, not wanting to believe what she's hearing her younger sister say. What could even propel her to say such things? It's nothing more than a wild accusation! This Oblivion, the one who's behind the arrival of the dark stars, is now suddenly the one responsible for the death of their parents ten years ago? She can't really explain why, as it'd make a great deal of sense, but she just doesn't want to believe it. She doesn't want to think that her parents were murdered by someone who then got away with it. She can't help it though. It is a very likely assumption, especially if everything that her sister has told her about Oblivion is true. She believes Star to be as honest as anypony; she raised her that way. However, something of this magnitude just doesn't seem believable to her. And why today of all days would she even bring something like this up? It's the anniversary of the gruesome deaths their parents were victim to. There has to be a reason Star would mention this today of all days, but what could it be?

The blue mare looks over at her older sister, head drooping as she slumps in her seat. She can understand her sister's feelings, and the thoughts that must be passing through her head. She sighs heavily and looks at Grace as she explains to her, "This is something I needed to let you know, sis. I couldn't go another day without telling you all of this. When I woke up this morning, I remembered that day ten years ago. I remembered how the police ponies came to out house and telling us the bad news. I remember my heart breaking and my very sense of reality seeming to dissolve right in front of my eyes. I needed to tell you all of this today because...I just needed someone who would understand to know how this has been making me feel lately. There are so many emotions going through my head right now...I need you sis..."

Tears begin to cascade from Star's eyes, dripping softly down her cheeks as she sits there. Without another second of hesitation, Grace jumps up from her seat and runs around the table, embracing her little sister once again. She cries as well, but assures Star that everything is going to be alright, and that she won't let anything go wrong again. Now she understands exactly why Star came here this morning, why she told her all of this, and why she said that they may never be able to see each other again. She's scared; terrified beyond reason. Star's afraid that if she remains connected to her sister through this terrible ordeal, this Oblivion force will go after her to get to Star. She can completely understand the pain and sheer, mortifying terror Star must be feeling. If they remain in contact, it'd be a huge risk for the both of them. But if they cut their ties, they'll both have a better chance of safety. This is a fight Star needs to face alone.

"Are...are you sure about this?" Grace quietly asks, understanding but at the same time saddened by what must happen, "this is going to be really dangerous you know. Taking on somepony as powerful as this...I just don't want to have the police come to my door to tell me you died too. I can't lose you."

"Yes, I'm sure. I need to do this sis, and I won't die...I can't die. I can never leave you behind Grace. In honor of our parent’s memories, in honor of all those Oblivion has killed or hurt, I will stop him. Princess Aurora told me that I am one of six destined ponies that will save the world. With my friends by my side, I cannot lose. We will do this, for everypony, for Princess Twilight and her friends...for mom and dad."

Grace holds her sister close to her, nodding with tears in her eyes. She knows full well that her sister is right, and she's more than proud of how mature she's become. Though it might have been hard, she was definitely ready to go out into the real world on her own. She's become a wonderful mare. As the two of them hug each other tightly, expressing all of their emotions and feelings at once, the front door suddenly opens, stealing away their attention. As they turn their heads to look, a yellow-coated pony with pink hair trots slowly in. By the butterflies marking her flank, Fluttershy is easily recognizable at once. The shy mare had a worried expression on her face, and seems urgent to tell the two of them something. However, as she comes in she sees the two of them hugging each other, tears streaming down their faces, and she begins to profusely apologize for barging in like she did.

"No...no, it's alright Miss Fluttershy. Don't even worry about it," Grace replies as she wipes away her tears, releasing her sister so that she can fetch their guest a cup of tea, knowing well that she doesn't care much for coffee, "you're always welcome here. But what are you doing here this early in the morning? I wasn't expecting this."

"Oh...I'm sorry. I didn't realize you'd be busy," the shy mare apologizes, trying to shrink out of sight for a moment. However, she regains confidence, and being slightly more assertive, she adds, "I, um, I actually came here because I was told that Star was seen coming over here."

"You're here because of me?" Star asks curiously as she wipes her tears away just as her sister had. Fluttershy nods as Grace passes her a cup of fresh tea. The pony accepts the drink and slowly walks over to the table to join the two sisters. She takes a quick sip of the drink, then breathes heavily as she returns her attention to Grace, explaining that it's okay if she hears this as well. At that moment, the mare goes silent as if she were remembering her own dark past, and as she begins to explain, the two others can quickly see that it's exactly the reason Fluttershy had come.

"When those terrible incidents happened fifteen years ago," she begins, "I was so sad and horrified by what had happened. I couldn't stop crying, and was too afraid to leave the safety of my cottage. Because of this, I became a recluse as you are aware. Though I had Angel Bunny and all of my other animal friends, it never ended up being the same. I felt empty and cold inside, and oh so lonely. I just wanted to die, so that all the misery and pain would stop. However, I felt as if something were stopping me from doing so. There was something telling me that it'd be wrong to take my life and leave behind those who still cared for me. I felt it'd dishonor my friends memories. So instead I decided to remain inside for all of those years, not talking to anypony the entire time and just barely surviving on what I could get."

"A while after that, years later, I began to feel sudden urges telling me to leave; to go out and do my own errands for the first time in a long time, and not have my animal friends make other ponies do it. I knew that I needed to get out of there, and so with caution, I did. I went to the market to do my own shopping, and that's when I met the two of you. Everything changed that day, and it was because of you Star. When I saw you, I felt something I hadn't in years. I felt hope, erasing all of the pain that had been filling my heart. And when I got to know you more, you began to remind me of the friends I had lost, as if their spirits lived on through you. I believe destiny got me out of my cottage that day, and allowed me to meet you. Now, I need you to help me once again. Just like I once had been, an old friend of mine is stuck up in his home and refuses to even communicate with anypony. He's been there since the incidents as well, and hasn't left once in fifteen years."

"It's Spike, isn't it?" the mare quietly asks. She knows that this is the only possible answer, but she doesn't just want to assume. However, she's proven correct as Fluttershy nods before looking out the kitchen window. The Princess Twilight Sparkle Memorial Library, in which the little dragon lives, can easily be seen from here. Fluttershy looks sorrowfully at it and breathes in deeply, turning back to them and taking another drink of her tea.

"He's been mourning the loss of his friends for so long. He lost his best friend Twilight, who raised him from an egg. He lost Rarity, whom he loved more than anypony else. He lost so much when that all happened, and hasn't been the same since. I want to get him away from the pain and misery, and show him the same hope I felt. You have to be the one to help with this Star. It was you who gave me that hope, and it's you who can do the same for him. I don't want him to wallow in misery anymore, but instead embrace the future, and the life he can live beyond the sorrows he's faced."

"What do you need me to do?" Star asks her friend, expression becoming serious. She knows full well that this is something very important to Fluttershy, and she feels honored that she'd come to her for help. She has to do what she can. Above everything else, she wants to help her friend, but she cannot deny that this'll benefit her as well. Spike would be an invaluable asset to their team. His deep knowledge of the library could help them with research, especially if he had spent a lot of these past fifteen years reading. But doing it for Fluttershy is her number one motivation, and it's what will drive her to make this happen.

"Can you and your friends go to the library and try to cheer him up? Um, if that's ok with you. I...I believe that if you can get him to be happy again, he'll be more willing to listen. Oh, and please try not to mention Rarity if you can. It's Hearts & Hooves Day, and it'll just upset him too much. He loved her so much, that even the slightest mention of her name would only make things worse. Oh, and please don't talk about Twilight either. I believe he misses her just as much, if not more, since he grew up with her as a sort of big sister."

"Of course I will," Star replies, "I'll do whatever I can to help, and will go right now to meet with my friends. Don't worry at all Fluttershy, we'll do everything in our power to save Spike from the pain in his heart."

"Thank you so much," Fluttershy says, smiling as a tear of joy trickles down her cheek. Grace looks at her little sister, no, her beautifully grown up sister with a proud smile on her face. Star's more grown up than she could've ever thought. Grace wishes her sister luck as she heads out and thanks her for listening. She tells Fluttershy to not worry about a thing, and shows a look of determination on her face as she walks out the door, ready to tackle this challenge with everything she's got.

A short time later, within the dusty confines of the Princess Twilight Sparkle Memorial Library, a small purple dragon with light green spines walks around, re-shelving books as he remembers the countless hours Twilight would have him do it. After all these years he's remained faithful, re-organizing and shelving the books periodically for her. He half expects her to walk in through that door one day and thank him for keeping the library so clean in her absence. Oh, what he would do to see that happen. He chuckles to himself as he remembers how she used to call him her number one assistant, and how he became jealous when Owlowiscious first arrived.

Continuing his work, Spike stumbles upon a book called The History of Hearts & Hooves Day, and right underneath it, Rare Gemstones of Equestria. He had almost forgotten what day it was, and with a sigh goes over to the nearby closet. Opening it, he looks at the pictures of all the friends he used to have, and pulls out one of a marshmallow-white pony with gorgeous purple hair and sapphire eyes. Crying, he stares at the photograph of the pony he loved, and wishes that he had confessed his feelings to her before her horrible death. He remembers how his greedy side once got a hold of him, and he almost lost sight of what was important. It was Rarity, who wore the fire ruby he had generously given to her, that brought him back.

He looks at the pictures of all his other friends, and cries for them all. For Rainbow Dash, who finally reached her dream, only to be impaled by a weather rod weeks later; For Fluttershy, who while still alive, hasn't been the same since; For Applejack, who was crushed by a fallen tree in the midst of depression; and for Pinkie Pie, who couldn't handle the pain of losing her friends and ran. He remembers the good times he had with all the ponies he loved, and cries bitter tears. It's the worst pain he felt in his life, and in fifteen years it has yet to subside. He puts the pictures back into the closet and closes the door, sighing to himself as he turns around to finish his job, only to find himself staring into the crazed eyes of a light blue pony with bi-colored pink and purple hair.

"Omigosh! So you're Spike, right!?"

He falls back, staring at the energetic mare in shock and surprise. He didn't even hear her come in. Where in Equestria did she come from? Getting to his feet, the dragon turns away from her and goes off to ignore and, well, basically hide from her. He doesn't want to get involved with anypony ever again. There's too high a risk of more heartbreak. However, the mare grabs him by the shoulder, refusing to let him run off. Instead, she turns him around and introduces herself.

"Hello mate! My name's Briance Amelia Jordan Happer! But you can call me Bri, everypony does! Fluttershy asked my mate Star to help you. So I came 'ere to cheer ya up!"

Fluttershy? He wonders what she could possibly be talking about. Isn't Fluttershy just as anti-social as he is? Didn't she become a recluse before even him? How could somepony as shy as her ever get past that, much less have the nerve to ask somepony else to do something for her? And how did this weird pony know his name? Could it really have been Fluttershy? But that's impossible.

"I got the perfect idea! I'll throw ya a party, mate! Pinkie Pie style! There'll be cake, games, dancing, music, and hey, even some tea and crumpets! Gotta incorporate some of my own style in there, savvy? All ya got to do is stop moping around and cheer up!"

As he remembers the amazing parties that Pinkie Pie used to throw, Spike's eyes glow in rage and steam begins to blow from his nostrils. How could this pony just come in here and say such a thing? To throw a party, Pinkie Pie style, is impossible and insulting! Nopony will ever be able to match her parties, not even Cheese Sandwich could be the same! Now this stupid little mare comes in and claims to be able to!? No, he will not stand for this! Angrily growling, he suddenly breaths flames at the pony, who backs away in shock and fear. Spike then retreats, running off to avoid and ignore her, leaving Bri to now turn sorrowful as she slowly walks back out of the library.

No less than an hour passes by, and Spike cautiously begins to come out from hiding. He's sure now that the annoying pony must be gone for good. He can't believe the nerve of her. To say such things like that after everything he's gone through. Surely if that "Bri's" story is true, then she would know how he would react to something like that. It's just horrible, yet for some unfathomable reason, she does seem to kind of remind him of Pinkie. Something about the way she carries herself just seems so joyful and carefree. It's just like how Pinkie was fifteen years ago, before everything happened. He sighs and rubs his temple, not wanting to think about that anymore. So he goes to return to the re-shelving, but as he comes across a book called "Partying For Dummies" he decides to just give up for the day, going instead to take a seat on a nearby chair. He leans back, trying to get some rest for the moment, and eventually dozes off.

Meanwhile, on the street right outside of the library, a dark blue pony with hair that goes from a deep red to bright gold steps up. It's been a while since a tearful Bri came back to Star's house, telling them all of how Spike had breathed fire at her, and scared her out of her wits. He's angry at the dragon, and wants revenge more than anything. However, he knows that Fluttershy's wishes are more important right now. He needs to get Spike out of that tree, no matter what it takes. So walking up to the library, he approaches the door and turns around. Lifting his hind legs into the air, he bucks the door open.

The loud crash of the door flying off it's hinges wakes the dragon, who cries out and falls back off of the chair he was sleeping in. Terra has turned again, and now storms into the library with purpose. Storming right up to Spike, he gets right in his face and decides that what the dragon needs right now is a little tough love to make him see the light. So, voice echoing loudly through the library, Terra yells out, "Stop this right now! I don't give a buck what you're feeling! You are being selfish and need to get out of this library this instant and apologize to Fluttershy for the worrying you've put her through!"

Almost instantly, Spike begins to cry hysterically, only angering Terra more. He continues to yell at and berate the dragon, hoping that it'll get him to take action and actually do something. Maybe if Spike acts, he can force the dragon out of here. However, he just continues to cry. Grunting, Terra turns away, and walks out of the library. This isn't going anywhere, and he'd rather not waste his time on a lost cause. He'll tell the others that his methods didn't work, then continue to patrol the streets of Ponyville and actually do something important.

One after another, the ponies enter the library, only to leave disappointed. Chupa is the next to arrive, and tries to tell Spike her past in hopes to show him that anypony can move past sorrow. He just yells at her, saying that he'll never be happy with his friends gone. After she leaves, Agelian takes his turn, using a similar method as Terra. However, instead of yelling at the dragon, the stallion simply grabs Spike's tail within his teeth and tries to forcefully pull him from the library. Spike doesn't take to it well though, clawing at Agelian's face. The stallion cries out in pain as the blood begins to seep out, then ducks right in time as the dragon breaths flames at him. As he heads out, grumbling under his breath, the stallion sees both Devlin and Star trotting up the street towards him. Meeting them half-way, he explains what he tried and how it didn't work, noting the still-bleeding scars on his face.

"The dragon isn't coming out," he tells them grumpily, "this is just a big waste of time. Now can I go back to my flight training?"

"Agelian, Fluttershy asked me to do this, and I'm determined to. I promised her that I would get Spike out of the library. Don't you realize how depressed he must be feeling? He lost as much as anypony else in those incidents, even more if you count his feelings towards Rarity," Star replies as Devlin pulls out a picture and hands it to her. He explains to Agelian that he managed to find this old photo of Spike with Princess Twilight Sparkle, believing that it might get to Spike, allowing them to talk to him and maybe even help him cope with his losses.

"Whatever," Agelian says, blowing them off as he takes to the air, "if you think it will help, be my guest."

As he flies off, Star turns to Devlin, worry in her expression. She asks him if it's alright for her to do this alone, explaining that if they both go into the library at the same time, it might overwhelm the dragon and hurt their chances of saving him from his sorrow. She doesn't want to make him angry, especially considering he might already be feeling so because of the previous invasions into his privacy. Devlin nods, understanding that she's probably right, and that it'd be much better for only one pony to go in. However, he suggests it be him instead, telling her that if something does go sour, he doesn't want to see her get hurt.

"It's alright, I can handle myself," she assures him as she turns to walk to the giant golden oak tree. Devlin watches and stands by, ready to rush in if the need arises. Passing through the open door, Star looks around, not seeing the dragon anywhere. The confrontation Agelian had with him must have scared the poor dragon off. So as she slowly trots in, she calls out his name, looking around to hopefully see his tail sticking out somewhere, or some other clue as to where he'd be. However, she doesn't have to look long, as a moment later the dragon leaps out at her, screaming and yelling.

Pushing her to the floor, Spike shows an amazing amount of strength as he pins her down, yelling out that they stop bothering him and let him wallow in misery, or he'll kill them all. Having heard the loud yelling and the thump from the dragon tackling his friend, Devlin rushes in and prepares to stop Spike, but Star calls out, telling him to stay away. He reluctantly does so, ready to strike if anything goes further. The look in Spike's eyes is terrifying. He meant what he said about killing them. He seems more than angry enough, but all of that changes within a second. Looking down to the side of Star's head, he sees a picture laying there.

Picking it up as he gets off of the pony, he looks at it, remembering the moment it was taken. It was his birthday, and he had just opened his gift from Twilight. For once she hadn't given him just an ordinary, boring book like usual, but instead a Gem Cookbook from his favorite chef, Amril LeGassy. It's something he'd been wanting for such a long time. The recipes in there were brilliant creations that the chef had come up with during his venture into dragon country. He had apparently befriended them through his culinary prowess, and has become one of the only ponies to have regular contact with dragons in all of history.

After opening the gift, he gave Twilight the biggest hug he could. He was so happy, and so thankful that he had such a wonderful friend like her. Somepony who paid attention to him and loved him so dearly. With the gems he had received from Rarity, the other wonderful gifts from his friends, and the fact that Pinkie had planned the entire thing, it had been the best birthday he's ever had before and since. Looking at this photo of him hugging the friend he loved so much brings tears to his eyes, and falling to a seated position, he just lets it all out.

For nearly an hour, Spike sobs out as he tells the ponies there about everything he's been feeling these past fifteen years, and how hard it's been for him. He vents his frustrations, and shares his troubles. He recounts the many times he tried to commit suicide and failed, and how he had eventually given up, figuring that he did something bad in life and it was now his destiny to live out the rest of his life in seclusion and misery. He tells them about how much he loved Rarity, and how losing her put an unmendable hole in his heart that has plagued him every day, especially on Hearts and Hooves Day. Sitting up, Star pulls Spike into a comforting hug, telling him that she knows how tough it can be.

"I also lost ponies I cared about. Ten years ago, my parents died in a horrible accident. I was depressed for the longest time, but I soon met Bri, and her friendship raised me out of my sorrows. Five years ago, I even met Fluttershy and became friends with her. You see Spike, happiness won't die when friends do, because friendship spans all generations. We'll be your new friends, and we'll help you whenever you're feeling sad, or angry, or just out of touch with the world. And Fluttershy is here for you too, so you don't have to worry about your connection to your past friends being severed. We'll all help you get past these feelings you've been suffering under."

"Also," Devlin says, trotting up, "Twilight isn't gone for good. She was imprisoned by a great evil named Oblivion fifteen years ago. This same evil caused the deaths and disappearances of all your friends, but we've made it our mission to stop it and save her. We're going to avenge Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash. We're going to find Pinkie Pie and Twilight Sparkle and put things back to how they're should be."

"It won't be the same," Star tells the crying dragon, "I won't lie to you, but you have to look to the sun. The night is always darkest before the dawn, but the dawn is coming Spike. You just have to be patient."

Standing up, Spike looks to a framed picture on the wall, showing his six pony friends from all those years ago. He smiles as he quietly tells them that he's going to move on, and live his life to it's fullest from this moment on. He thanks them for bringing these ponies to him today. Turning, Spike then tells Star and Devlin, "thank you, for bothering me."

"Anytime," Star says with a smile.

Later on that night, and far away from the library, Fluttershy is hovering around her cottage near the Everfree Forest. A feedbag in her hooves, she gives out the dinner for her animal friends, as she normally does at this time of the day, when she's surprised to suddenly hear a knock at the door. She quickly finishes up her chore and puts down the bag, trotting curiously over to the door and opening it. Star and Devlin stand there smiling, and in front of them is a small purple dragon who's eyes seem to be focused heavily on the ground below.

"Fluttershy, I'm sorry for.."

However, the dragon doesn't get to finish. Fluttershy suddenly tackles him, pulling him into the biggest, most emotional tear-filled hug she can. Telling him that she forgives him for everything, she says that she's glad to have her friend back. Spike returns the hug and thanks her for sending Star and her friends to help him realize that living in depression doesn't only hurt you, but those you care about the most. He tells her that he wants to help find Twilight so that they can be reunited, and with a smile, Fluttershy hugs him even tighter.

"We will get Twilight back Spike, and our friendships will last forever. Everything will be okay from now on," she assures her friend as she finally releases him. Fluttershy then invites Spike in, who then turns to Star and asks if she can find Bri and tell her that he wants that party she promised him now. A warm smile spreading across her face, Star nods and heads off with Devlin by her side, seeing how important friendships are for everypony, and how nothing can keep good friends apart forever. As she flies off to find her friend, Star knows now that they cannot be stopped. Oblivion will fall, and they will reunite Spike with the friend he misses the most.

Episode 07 Preview

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I'm finally meeting her! I'm finally meeting my hero! I just hope I don't make a fool of myself...I've got to have faith.

S01 E07 - The Element of Faith

A meteoric eruption of cheers violently rings throughout the great Pegasus city of Cloudsdale. The inhabiting pegasi of the city, as well as the specially invited Earth ponies and Unicorns, begin to fill into the giant Cumulonimbus Stadium, quickly getting their concessions and heading off to find their seats, all of which are constructed in the weather factory from special clouds called Regalis Cumulous, which hold their shape in a more firm way than most clouds, allowing ponies of all races to sit upon them. The stadium is sat upon a giant cloud, also made of Regalis Cumulous, and has replaced the old Cloud Arena once used for all of the city's events. Princess Aurora is the one responsible for this, having given the order fourteen years ago to construct the stadium in order to better unite the ponies of Equestria. It wasn't long after the horrible events that plagued the country, and everyone needed to band together like never before. It took eight long years to build, but the stadium was finally finished and has been Cloudsdale's elite sporting arena ever since. Two years back it even held the Equestria Games, marking the first time in history that the city has hosted them.

In the bright blue sky, far above everypony sitting there, the luminous mid-day sun shines brilliantly, basking all of those below it in a gentle light and warmth. Chirping birds flutter cheerfully around, greeting the ponies. They spend a good deal of time singing their happy little tunes to a kind yellow pony, who hums back at them with a smile, before flying off to spread their cheer to others. The crowd continues to chat amongst themselves, excited for the big event about to take place, when suddenly, a mature-looking pegasus flies up to a cloud that's been set high above the arena. He wears dark sunglasses and a brilliant black suit, and is excited as he looks around at the loud fans. A headset rests over his ears, with mic pointed towards his mouth. As he begins to speak to the crowd gathered there, his voice is amplified all around the arena through the headset.

"Welcome fillies and gentlecolts to the 45th annual Cloudsdale Best Young Flyer Competition! I am your eye in the sky, Breen Oaterlund, here and today we have a most impressive set of competitors! Dare I say, the most impressive in the history of this competition! Now please rise and join me in welcoming our very own Princess Aurora!"

A sudden silence enshrouds the entirety of the stadium, sweeping over everypony like a dense fog. Then, in the midst of the quiet, a gleaming starbow appears and joined by captain of the elite royal guard, Everglade, the princess flies overhead, and everypony explodes into ear-shattering approbation. Humbled by the praise, the princess lands in the royalty box quietly and softly, smiling kindly as she waves to everyone. Breen then speaks up again, adding, "And now, welcome our special guest judges, led by Captain Scootaloo, The Wonderbolts!"

At the exact second that the last syllable leaves his lips, a sonic boom explodes, sending the crowd into a wild frenzy. Flying in, keeping in perfect formation, the five ponies pass quickly over the stadium with trails of smoke billowing out behind them. The bright blue and yellow flight suits are unmistakable, these are the best fliers in all of Equestria. At the front of the team is an orange-coated mare. Her dark purple hair flies behind her and she performs the most amazing aerial acrobatics with a wide grin spread across her face. Leading the other four pegasi down to the judges box, she lands as an echoing cheers erupts all around them, and as Captain Scootaloo removes her rainbow-colored goggles, she waves around at the screaming fans, as well as the princess, who's she known since before her rise to power.

Not far away from the two boxes there are five young ponies seated in the center of the third row; five heroes destined to save the world from the threat that is now plaguing it. It's a menace that everypony has forgotten about in this time of togetherness and equality, for as they join together to watch this amazing annual competition, their focus on the bad slips away, even if just for this moment. One of the destined six is missing however, for Agelian Wingblade is one of the pegasi participating in the competition this year, although at this moment he's seated in the waiting room behind a large red curtain as he prepares his act.

A silent chill sweeps through the stone-encased room, leaving all the competitors waiting there to wonder when they will be called out to begin their performances. Each of them, twenty in all, don vests that showcase their number in the competition, made many years ago by the famous Coco Pommel herself. Prior to the building of the Cumulonimbus Stadium, the Best Young Flyer Competition would write numbers on white flags that would then be attached to the flanks of the competitors. When Princess Aurora demanded that the new stadium be built, the BYFC Council decided that they'd make full upgrades to everything, including these. They contacted Coco in Manehattan and she agreed to help.

The council believed that the vests would be more durable than the flags, able to remain attached to the ponies easier when they performed their exciting stunts. Many a pegasus was known to lose their number when they performed, and having to get another cost the council money in making extras for everypony. These vests are one-size fit most, so that anypony can wear them to compete and they don't have to worry about constantly having more made. So the vests have been utilized in the Best Young Flyer Competition since the new stadium was opened. The twenty pegasi seated there in the back each have their own vest on, and are joined by their respective managers. Each of the pegasai was allowed one to two managers to join and help coach them for the competition. Agelian, sitting directly in the center of the room, has taken advantage of this, bringing in two for himself.

Atop his blue coat sits the brown leather vest, the number one stitched onto the sides of it. A smirk shows on his face as he sits there, ready to take on this challenge. Unlike most of the other competitors, he's void of nervousness. Agelian knows all too well that he can take this competition with ease, and will finally be able to accomplish his goal. Ever since he was a young colt, he's looked up to the Wonderbolts, seeing them as heroes, especially back during the short time that the amazing Rainbow Dash was in charge of them. His dream has been to meet them one day, so that he could show them what a great flier he truly is, and maybe even join them.

Heh, Fluttershy has told him that Rainbow had the same dream herself, and that she accomplished it through hard work and continuing faith in herself and her friends. He knows this, for he's read the stories. Everything that she did is legendary. Even her faults are praised, for when she did fall, she would get right back up. He's been inspired by her so much, and only wishes to do her memory proud today. Afterall, it was this very competition that was the launching pad for Rainbow's dreams coming true. Maybe it can be his as well.

"Ok everypony!" he suddenly hears the announcer yell out through the arena. It's finally time to kick things off, and he's the one going first. Some would see this as a burden, for you really have to impress with everypony else going after you and being able to show you up. However, he sees it as a blessing. He gets to set this show off with a bang, and believes that no one will be able to match what he has planned. "Without any further ado, let us begin the 45th Annual Cloudsdale Best Young Flyer Competition! Introducing our first competitor, joined here today by two managers as well as all his fans and friends in the audience, 'The Thunderpony' Agelian Wingblade!"

As his name is called out, the pegasus laughs and pulls his goggles down over his eyes, galloping right out through the large red curtain and into the stadium. The bright sun meets his eyes, and the raucous screaming of the ponies in attendance enters into his ears. It's as if a shockwave of support envelops him, and any semblance of anxiety that he might have had is wiped off the face of the Earth. He can see his friends right there, not far off at all, cheering loudly for him and chanting his name. Star is applauding him, and Bri is on her back legs, screaming with a foam hoof on. Chupa has a flag with Agelian's face on it, and is waving it rambunctiously around. Even Fluttershy and Spike are there, the former of which is screaming out louder than any of the others while jumping up and down.

He soon spots the judges box and the Wonderbolts seated within it, looking down at him with watchful eyes. His gaze quickly finds that of Scootaloo, and he swallows hard. Just like that his nervousness has returned, for this is the moment of truth. This is his time to finally prove himself to them; to his friends and his idols. He must show them all that the training, exercise, and all the races he's competed in were not in vain. He needs to show them exactly what he can do. That's when he sees somepony else sitting there in the crowd; a grey pony with a wild brown mane. He hadn't expected this at all. He hasn't even seen his father, the former Wonderbolts trainer Soundspeed, in a long time. Not since their falling out. Why is he here now?

The whistle blows suddenly, and knowing he doesn't have any more time to think about this, Agelian seems to explode into flight, shooting straight up into the air. As he flies vertically, he heads straight for a large cloud. As he reaches it, he blows right through, then loops right around and plows into the side. The cloud, now with a hole in the center like a ring, is sent flying through the air, landing with precision over one of the stadium’s decorative pillars. It floats softly down over it without the inner sides of the cloud touching it at all. The crowd explodes into cheers, but they haven't seen anything yet. Continuing his performance, Agelian releases one of the smoke capsules that his managers had attached to his vest, creating a huge billowing spiral of red smog trailing behind him as he twists through the air. The spiral of smoke remains there, hovering in place for a moment, allowing Agelian to fly right through the center.

The spiral explodes outward in all directions, forming into a star-shaped burst of crimson. As he reaches the end of one of the points, he throws a specially crafted ignition capsule into the star burst. The audience gasps in awe as the smoke is engulfed in blue flames, lighting it up. The twister of fire dissipates quickly though, but Agelian's act is only part-way through at this point.  Next he rides up high into the air, spreading his wings apart as he stops dead center at the very top of the stadium. He looks over and sees his father staring back at him, and knows that this is his chance to finally make him proud.

Pure silence seems to encapsulate the stadium for a second, just as it had prior to the arrival of Princess Aurora minutes back. At that moment, he bolts straight down to the hole in the center of the bottom of the stadium. Everypony watches in anticipation and excitement, wondering what he's possibly going to do now. Soundspeed and the Wonderbolts all look on in awe as Agelian then pulls off the unthinkable, leaving them sitting there with mouths hanging wide open and eyes bulging out of their sockets.

Scootaloo leans forward in the box, and the other Wonderbolts have near the same reactions as she and the stallion’s father did, one of them even choking on his drink. Not far off, Fluttershy's cheers have escalated to an unexpected high, leaving Spike covering his ears as he too yells out his own. The rest of Agelian's friends watch in amazement as the pegasus continues to gain speed, reaching sonic levels in no time. Then, right at the moment that he hits the sonic boom, he unleashes his most important capsule yet. Joining the explosive sound of the sonic boom, a rumble of thunder is heard and lightning flash off in a huge strike upwards, seeming to shoot right off of Agelian himself. This is the coup de grace, the Sonic Thunderboom! As he glances towards his father, he no longer has a doubt in the world. The smile on Soundspeed's face tells him all he needs to know. If he could accomplish that, he's just won the competition.

As he returns to the starting platform and sticks the landing, he salutes the Wonderbolts and waves excitedly to his fans, passing once more through the curtain and returning to the back. In the stadium, Scootaloo calls the other Wonderbolts into a huddle and begins to discuss the performance, but backstage, Agelian is in elation as he's greeted by his two managers. The first of them is a gorgeous young mare with a gleaming blonde mane. Her coat is a faded purple color, almost to the point of being gray, and she has a cutie mark depicting three shining twinkles. Laughing in pure ecstasy, the unicorn runs up to the accomplished flier and tackles him into a massive rolling embrace.

"You did it! You did it, Agi! You're so amazing!"

"Heh," the stallion replies as he blushes while the mare kisses him all over his face, "it was nothing, really. And I couldn't have even done it without you and your freaky magic tricks."

"It's not magic, it's science," she tells him with a smirk, smacking him gently upside his head as she laughs. After that, the two of them meet lips and share a passionate kiss, embracing each other with love. Unfortunately for them, they're soon broken apart as the second of Agelian's managers trots up. He has a wild black mane, branching off in every direction as if it has never once seen a comb, and a thick graying beard that hangs down. For some odd reason, he has a rubber band hanging from his ear, and is wearing a yellow tropical print shirt. He certainly seems eccentric in appearance, and quickly gathers the attention of the other pegasi as he approaches. Agelian smiles as he gets Dinky to relinquish him, and gives Lou a respectful salute. "The Captain" Lou Haybano is one of the greatest pegasus managers there is after all.

"Kid, you've done me proud! Never have I seen such a fantastic performance, well, at least not since I managed The Hammer! You're one of a kind, something truly special!"

The other competitors in the competition are called out one by one, each heading into the arena to give their performances as he waits in the back. He knows that it's just a matter of time until they're all called out to the stage again, this time together, for the announcement of the winner. So in the meantime, he decides to just sit back and enjoy himself. He hangs there in the back, cuddling together with Dinky as they read the story about the Best Young Flyer Competition that Rainbow Dash won all those years ago. Lou stands beside the curtain, watching the other competitors very closely in order to possibly scope out some new talent to manage. A smile appears on Agelian's face as his very special somepony reads aloud from the book, gently rubbing against her mane and kissing her softly upon the cheek.

He can't help but wonder how his friends would react if they saw this softer, more loving side of him. Since they met a couple months ago, they've only known him to be this rough and tumble guy, acting strong and confident all the time, even to the point of being a little insensitive. This has always been a farce however, as he's never truly been like that. Outside of his confidence in himself, Agelian has always been kind and gentle. He fears though that if he shows ponies that side of him, they'll try to take advantage of him like they did to his mother. He misses her so much, and has always been told that if she weren't such a doormat, she wouldn't have died. So he hides this side of him, and acts tough. Nopony really even knows that he's been dating Dinky Hooves, mainly his friends and those he spends the most time around. He's done his best to keep it a secret, though he guesses that'll be impossible now.

He remembers that day well; the day he finally got the nerve to do what he had been nervously planning to do for months. One summer night he took Dinky to Canterlot for dinner, where they ate and basked in Luna's light. He still remembers the look of pure shock on her face when she found the ring in her champagne. How she looked up at him, mouth hanging wide open, and then back down to the diamond sitting there in her hoof. He remembers that moment when he got out of his seat and dropped down to his knees, asking her, "Will you make me the happiest stallion in Equestria and become Mrs. Dinky Wingblade?"

Her reaction to that was even more priceless; she nearly fainted! Of course, she hadn't been expecting it, and was surprised as heck. However, in the end, she answered yes and ever since, the two of them have been planning their wedding. But that's where the problem lies, for he proposed to her well before he even met these new friends of his, and not once has he ever mentioned Dinky to them. But with their engagement and approaching wedding, he just can't keep it a secret any longer. His friends need to know this, especially since he wants Star as his best mare. And he needs to tell his father as well. Although they don't get along, he wants him to be there on his special day.

Agelian's concentration is suddenly broken as he hears the announcer call out for all twenty competitors to come back out to the stage for the big announcement of the winner. So with both his fiance and "The Captain" wishing him the best of luck, he follows the other ponies out through the curtain, assuring them with confidence that he doesn't need luck. So as he enters back into the arena, he joins the line in his given place and awaits Breen Oaterlund to continue, nodding slightly over at his friends, who only continue to madly cheer for him.

"And now," Oaterlund begins as everypony in the stadium starts to quiet down, "the Wonderbolts will come forth to announce their decision! I have been told that this year’s competitors were a tough group to judge, but that there was one who shone out above the rest! So please put your hooves together for the Captain of the Wonderbolts, Scootaloo!"

Once again the crowd goes absolutely nuts, but subsides in only a moment. Flying up from her seat in the judges box, Captain Scootaloo quickly approaches the cloud on which Breen is standing, and with a smile, dismisses him. She too now wears a headset, and holds in her hoof a slip of paper on which the name of the winner is written. The twenty ponies standing in line watch in heated anticipation as she unfolds the paper, looking at it with a smile as she glances around the stadium at everypony who awaits her decision. Beads of cold sweat slowly drip down Agelian's face as he hears Dinky cheering him on behind the curtain. This is it, the moment of truth has finally arrived. Everything he's ever done has been leading up to this point, and all he's wished for is finally in reach. He watches as Captain Scootaloo slowly opens her mouth to speak, not coming quickly enough.

"The winner of the 45th Annual Cloudsdale Best Young Flyer Competition, earning one million bits and the chance to spend a day with myself and the Wonderbolts..." She pauses for dramatic effect, increasing the anxiety Agelian has been feeling from it already being drawn on. However, a moment later the crowd begins to chant a certain name. He looks around in shock, mouth hanging as if on a hinge. Agelian is what they all yell out into the air, and Captain Scootaloo quickly confirms, "The Thunderpony, Agelian Wingblade!"

Time seems to stand still, even coming to a complete stop. He doesn't cheer. He doesn't laugh, or even smile. He just stands there as the crowd goes wild with cheers. His friends excitedly jump up and down for joy, screaming out in exuberance. He doesn't move a muscle at first, even as Dinky rushes out from behind the curtain, forcing him into another of her hugs. That's when it seems to hit him all at once, and he slowly drops to his knees. Tears begin to well up in his eyes. He just can't believe it; he actually did it, he won. His marefriend gives him a passionate kiss to congratulate him, not even caring at this point that his friends and father can all see him. He then gives the kiss back to her ten fold. This is a moment of celebration. One he shall remember forever.

Scootaloo then leaps from the cloud, flying on over to the stage where she approaches the winner. Agelian notices she's wearing a saddlebag, and out of it she pulls a golden crown that has wings on each side of the head, as well as a lightning bolt on the forehead. It's the Best Young Flyer trophy, and nearly fainting as Scootaloo places it on his head, Agelian cries out in excitement. At this point he would've expected somepony as important and busy as her to fly off, however, she remains in place as the rest of the Wonderbolts in attendance join her side. The overwhelming emotion going through him right now is, well, overwhelming. Tears stream down his cheeks as he looks at the smiling faces of his idols. It's just so much to take in at one time. Suddenly, Scootaloo holds out her hoof, grabbing a hold of his, and raises it into the air. At this point, Agelian completely loses his composure, turning full fanboy over her.

"Calm down there," the Wonderbolt captain tells him, chuckling, "we wanted to congratulate you on your victory. You really showed us something amazing out there today. The ability to release those capsules while performing your stunts and maneuvers is top-level skill. You definitely earned this win today, and I guess that means that you get to spend some time with us. How about you come to our next practice session? Heck, you can even join in. We'll show you some of our best tricks. So how about it, Mr. Thunderpony?"

"Well, I'll have to think about it for a moment...OF COURSE! I'd love to go to Wonderbolts practice! But, um, one question. Is it ok if I bring my fiancée, Dinky, along with me?"

Scootaloo looks past Agelian at Dinky, who smiles and waves at her. She sighs and nods at him with a smile of her own. Agelian cheers out in delight as he turns on the spot, rushing into his mare’s open hooves and kissing her once again. As the two release, Scootaloo trots up and gives him a note that tells him exactly when and where to go to meet up with them for the training session. She then raises a salute to him, which the other Wonderbolts copy, and flies off, leaving him standing there with Dinky, both grinning widely as they watch Agelian's heroes disappear from sight. His friends soon arrive, having been allowed into the back to congratulate their friend. He narrowly avoids being tackled by them, afraid that with their numbers, it'd probably be even worse than Dinky's. However, it's not only his friends who have come to praise his excellent performance, for standing there with them is Princess Aurora. She has a smile on her face and walks slowly forward, telling Agelian that today is his day to celebrate, and that in this moment, he is an icon of Equestria. The problems that they've been facing indeed do seem quite unimportant at this moment. He knows that in the end, stopping Oblivion will come before all else, but for now, he just wants to enjoy this day.

Looking to his friends, smiling as he cries tears of joy, Agelian tells them, "Thank you all. I couldn't have done any of this without your support. And...and I'm sorry for not introducing you sooner, but this is Dinky, my fiancée. We became engaged shortly before I met all of you, and I was afraid you'd look at me differently if I told you all this."

He looks around at them, worried that none of them will accept her; that they wouldn't understand how such a tough, fearless pony could be in love with a beautiful mare like this, who they saw him cuddle with and kiss multiple times now. However, to his elation, they instantly take to her. Greeting the mare with kindness and welcoming her with open hooves, they begin to talk to her and ask her about herself. He can't believe it. This is truly the best day he's ever had. He's won the competition that once began the career of Rainbow Dash, his friends have accepted Dinky into the group, and he gets to hang out with the Wonderbolts and even train with them. His future is looking bright, and all his dreams seem to be coming true.

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As the sun rises in Ponyville the next morning, and the roosters begin to crow, awakening the ponies for a new day, Star Rider is walking through town. Already fully awake, she is joyfully singing a tune as she happily wonders what good will come of today. However, thoughts of her mission keep sneaking back into her head. Oblivion is probably getting stronger; biding his time while he prepares for his big attack. Yet they are no closer to finding the Elements of Harmony than when they first began. Since they returned from Canterlot after their visit with the family of the long-lost Princess Twilight Sparkle, she's been trying to find everything she could. Even "Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide" doesn't give any clues as to what might have happened to them or where they could be.

Her first thought was that they might be in the Tree of Harmony, where the Elements were originally taken from. She remembers hearing a story of when Princess Twilight and her five friends from fifteen years ago returned them to the tree, but when she visited the tree a few days back, they weren't there. She can only assume that at some point they had retrieved the Elements for whatever reason. Now she and her friends have to figure some other way in order to find them, but what can they do? No, she mustn't think about that now. She wants to wish her friend good luck as he prepares to head out to train with the Wonderbolts. It's his day to just enjoy himself, and she doesn't want to ruin it with thoughts of these troubles.

As she walks forth, she finds herself entering South Ponyville and soon passes by the Ponyville Pet Center. Just ahead is a small blue house, quaint and simple. She can tell by the lights coming through the windows that he's still home, and she smiles, thankful that she didn't miss him. Leaving this early in the morning isn't that surprising considering where he's going though. The Wonderbolts have always held early morning training sessions. So Star trots up to the door, knocking a couple of times. She hears him yell out to come in, and as she does, she finds the place to be a disaster-level mess. Things are strewn all around, and she quickly finds her friend running around, throwing stuff on the floor while attempting to find something.

Dinky is packing the things he throws to her, and smiles at Star as she slowly walks forward. Looking around in shock and confusion, she turns to Agelian's marefriend and gives her a questioning expression, to which the faded purple pony tells her, "He's looking for his Wonderbolts photo so that he can get it signed. You'd think he'd keep track of important things like that. He's already packed his entire set of racing suits, unsure of which one he should wear during the practice, as well as all the capsules I made for him."

"Don't you think this is a bit much?" Star asks her, watching as Agelian shuffles through a drawer, chucking papers and books out as he looks.

"Yeah, but these are his heroes remember. I mean, think about it. Captain Scootaloo started off her life being unable to fly for the longest time. She overcame all the odds and became not only the apprentice of Rainbow Dash, but eventually became so strong of a flyer, she took over as Captain of the Wonderbolts. With Agelian's past, well, he just looks up to her. He's trying to overcome his own weaknesses so that he too can reach the heights she has."

"Oh, you mean about his father right? He told me about that once."

She remembers that day, when Agelian was so distraught by memories of what he had gone through. Following his mother's death, his father pushes him hard, wanting him to become a Wonderbolt-level flyer right away. Whenever he failed, Soundspeed would berate and yell at him. And although it never progressed into physical abuse, the emotional harm Agelian felt was so great that it caused him depression for a long time. When he became old enough to move out on his own, he had a fight with his father and it went too far. He threatened his own father's life, and in instant realization, ran away. He never went back for his things, and he hasn't seen his father since. Well, until yesterday when Soundspeed visited the stadium to watch the competition.

"His faith in himself had been shattered long ago," Dinky quietly says. Suddenly, both her and Star notice that Agelian has stopped looking for the picture. He stands there by a bookshelf, looking down at the ground. They notice a tear drop to the floor and rush to him. They didn't mean for him to hear, and they didn't want to bring back such painful memories for him. The two run up and embrace him in a hug, whispering into his ear that everything is going to be ok, and that he had to have made his father proud yesterday. However, the stallion doesn't seem as sure as them, pushing them back and going to where his saddlebag sits.

"It's alright," he tells them quietly, "I don't need his acceptance. I gave up on that long ago. The Wonderbolts are my heroes now, and they give me the strength to go on. I was never the best flyer, and his influence only made it worse. When I discovered Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo, I began to truly understand what it meant to have faith in somepony. My love for them has strengthened me and helped me get to this point. It was because of their influences on me that I won yesterday."

Using the strength of his wings, Agelian lifts up the saddlebag and places it onto his back. He seems to have given up on the portrait at this point, and just wants to leave. She can understand, as he just wants to enjoy the rest of this day and get his mind off of these memories. So she decides to let him be, agreeing to stay behind and get the house cleaned up. Dinky, however, naturally follows her fiancé out, waving goodbye to her new friend as they pass through the doorway.

Trotting down the road, his lover behind him, Agelian grumbles to himself. He can't believe they brought that back up, especially at a time like this. When he's at the top of his game, about to go out and live his dream, they bring up those horrible times from his colthood. He understands that they weren't doing it out of bad intentions, but it still hurts to remember those times. His father hurt him so badly, and now he just suddenly shows up at the Young Flyer Competition? He had to have known that he was going to be in it. The advertisements have mentioned him leading up to it, as he was one of the first to be accepted into it. Why would he go there?

As he begins to contemplate these thoughts, the two of them reach the street that Sugarcube Corner is on. He still has some time before the practice begins, and so he decides that he just needs something to calm his nerves. They soon reach the large bakery and enter the doors. Dinky doesn't bother to ask him why, because she knows how he tends to eat when he's upset. Walking in, they approach the counter to find Pound and Pumpkin Cake walking around behind it, preparing another order. The latter of them looks over and smiles, telling Pound to take care of things. So as she takes over his task as well, utilizing her magic, Pound trots up to the counter.

"Good morning Agelian. I heard about your big win yesterday, congratulations."

"Thanks," he solemnly replies, looking down at the counter top, "can I get a muffin? Lemon surprise?"

"Uh, sure," Pound replies, taking the order while looking at the sad stallion in pity. He wonders what could be wrong as he takes the bits, but figures it better to just let it be. Walking over to the muffin rack, he grabs a lemon surprise and places it into a bag for Agelian, sealing it and passing it over the counter. Without another word, the two leave the shop to continue on their way.

Normally, the Wonderbolts practice in Canterlot. However, they've agreed to meet in the west fields of Ponyville today instead, to not inconvenience their special guest as much. So Agelian and Dinky head to the west at this point, ready to get there as soon as possible. The thoughts of his past still lurk in his mind, but he chooses instead to focus on the highlights of yesterday. How he wowed the crowd with the flaming spiral, and that Sonic Thunderboom he pulled off went perfectly. The timing wasn't even a millisecond off, and he reeked of confidence the entire time. But even so, something just seemed to grab a hold of him, and his faith in himself dwindled. NO!

He can't let these thoughts overcome him! He is his mother's son! He can overcome anything!

Suddenly overcome by his excitement to get there, he grabs Dinky's hoof and pushes off the ground hard. They instantly fly off into the sky, though the mare isn't as excited as Agelian. She tells him to let him go, and as he reluctantly does, she begins to use her magic to make herself levitate and fly beside him. He almost forgot she could do that, and smiles over at her as they speed across Ponyville, headed to the west side.

As they do, they reach the Ponyville Schoolhouse, and are interrupted by a familiar voice calling out to them. Miss Cheerilee stands there below them, waving for the two to come down. A sigh escapes the stallion, for he knows that this is time he won't be able to get back. But at the same time, he remembers being in her class long ago, and how great of a teacher she was. He can't just ignore her. So the two land beside the school yard, and trot over to the teacher, who smiles gently at them.

"I heard what was going on, and wanted to congratulate you on your big win. It isn't every day that one of my former students makes it big."

"What are you talking about?" Agelian replies, genuinely laughing, "What about Captain Scootaloo? Or Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, even Silver Spoon! They've all made it big!"

The three of them share a laugh and begin to reminisce of the old days. She reminds him of that one class project they did when he was still waiting for his cutie mark to appear. He explained what he believed his cutie mark should be and why, going into great detail and explanation. She reminds him that he even brought up his family history going back five generations to explain his choice. Dinky asks if he was correct about it, and laughing, Cheerilee tells her that he thought his cutie mark would be a bit.

"I was young, and barely knew how cutie marks worked. You hadn't gone over that yet," Agelian defends, blushing and slinking down to the ground, "I didn't know at that point that they had to do with my special talent."

"Listen Agelian," Cheerilee tells him, wiping the tears of joy from her eyes as her laughter dies down, "as somepony who knew Scootaloo as a child, let me give you some advice. She's very adventurous and wild, and responds very well to praise. However, she's also always been very self-conscious, and believes that you should never try to be someone you're not. Just be yourself around her, and she'll respect that greatly. You're a wonderful pony, Agelian. Always remember that. Now, get going before you and I are both late. I have to open up the classroom."

Agelian thanks her for the encouragement and advice before flying off with Dinky in tow. Continuing on towards the field, they can nearly see it right ahead of them. The sounds of the Wonderbolts speeding around and breaking the sound barrier echo towards them, but once more they're stopped as a voice calls out to them from below. This time, as Agelian slows himself, looking below, he sees a gray-blue coated pony with silver hair tied into a ponytail. It has a braid going down the center. Wearing a pair of thick-rimmed glasses, pearls around her neck, she smiles up at them and just as Cheerilee had, signals for them to come on down.

"Good morning Silver Spoon," Agelian says, irritation in his voice as he lands with a thud. He just wants to get there already, and while Miss Cheerilee's advice was certainly useful, what could this pony have to tell him right now? She sells the tableware that she herself crafts, and wasn't even a friend of Scootaloo when growing up. In fact, if the stories he remembers hearing are correct, she was actually friends with that Diamond Tiara mare, and picked on Scootaloo and her friends when they were all just fillies.

"I heard you won the Young Flyer Competition," she cheerfully tells him, but before she can go on any further, Agelian blurts out his inner thoughts, telling her exactly what he had just gone over in his head. She looks a little downtrodden, but nods as she replies, "Yes, I did do those things. Back when I was young, I had no friends. Diamond Tiara was kind to me, but she changed so much. She became a bully, and I followed suit because I didn't want to lose her as a friend. However, when we were getting ready to graduate, we went to prom, and she decided to pull something just horrible. I couldn't back her up any longer."

"What did she do?" Dinky asks, curiosity getting the better of her at this point. Even Agelian takes a seat where he is, interested in hearing where this goes. He had never heard much about Silver Spoon's past, nor Diamond Tiara's, apart from the many mentions of how they bullied the cutie mark crusaders. He knows he has to get to the field, but something inside of him says to just stop and listen.

"She secretly hated Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom. I was never sure why, but for some reason she just couldn't stand them. So on prom night, she rigged the votes for prom king and queen, making sure that Sweetie Belle, the one she hated the most, would be on stage. That's when she did the unthinkable. She had set up a bucket above the stage, and when Sweetie was in place, she tipped it over, releasing gallons of joke blood from the Ponyville Joke Shop. It covered Sweetie, everypony laughed at her, and she ran away crying. It was the biggest humiliation she's ever faced. After that, I left her. I couldn't be her friend anymore. I asked the crusaders for forgiveness for everything I had done to them, and though understandably reluctant at first, they agreed to give me one chance. They heard the desperation and sorrow in my voice, and even though I didn't deserve it, they had faith that there was some good in me. We've been friends ever since. Agelian, never lose the faith you have in your friends. But more importantly, never lose the faith in yourself. You can do anything that you set your mind to, and nopony can stop that."

Sobbing, he looks up and thanks her, not knowing what else to say. She had been horrible to them, and had done so many bad things. But she finally figured out that what Diamond Tiara and her were doing was wrong, and rebelled against it. She was shown compassion and faith by those same ponies she had bullied, and became a better pony because of it. Faith can move mountains, and he now sees exactly why that little voice in his head had told him to wait and listen to her story. It's something he needed to hear.

Ever since he was a young colt, his faith in himself and others dwindled because of the things he had been put through by his father. He had lost that which truly made him strong, and through this experience, he has come to a realization that yes, he will face hardships. Things won't always go the way he wants, and won't always make sense. Every week has a Monday, and he will have to struggle through it. Pain and misery are a part of life, but it's how you respond to it that determines who you are. If you let the sorrows control you, then you will be nothing more than a puppet on a lonely string. But if you control your sorrows, then you can move past them and see the light at the end of the tunnel. There's always a silver lining, and he thinks he knows what it is now.

Driven by his dreams, he can move away from his past and confront his demons. The future holds so many things for him. He's been so worried about what people thought of him, and if they'd accept him for who he truly is. He put on a tough act, trying to masque the sorrow and pain he's been feeling; the kind pony he's always been. He never truly had faith in who he really is, and it's only brought him down. Now he can finally go to the field, no longer worried about trying to make a good impression for Scootaloo. As Miss Cheerilee told him, he just needs to be himself. And as Silver Spoon advised, he must have faith. It's faith that will drive him far in this world, and that will make everything alright again.

Suddenly, he hears his name called out from a bit away. This time he doesn't even bother to sigh or complain. Maybe somepony else has something to tell him, and from now on, he wants to listen to the advice he gets from those who care about him. So turning around, he looks down the road to see two ponies trotting up. The first is one he had never seen before; a brown-coated Earth pony with a determined look on his face. But it's the second pony he focuses on. His father is coming towards him, also looking determined. However, he seems confused by the presence of the other stallion, and so it can be easily assumed that the two are not together, despite the fact that they both seem to be headed towards the same pony.

Tears in his eyes, Soundspeed flies forward and holds out his hooves. Agelian looks on and begins to cry as well. He knows what's going on, and so he too holds out his hooves and catches his father in a long-wanted hug. The Earth pony stops and just sits there, waiting respectively so that the two can have their moment. Pulling apart, Soundspeed looks at his son and says five words that Agelian's always been wanting to hear, "I'm proud of you son." The two hug again and the father begins to explain the past, telling his son why he acted the way he did.

"When I met your mother, it was love at first sight. I knew she was the one for me," he says. Looking down, Agelian understands, as it's how he felt when he saw Dinky for the first time, "and when I lost her, it was the saddest day of my life. The reason I began to push you so hard after that is because of the pain I was feeling. I had always wanted great things from you, and my sorrow pushed me to try and force it on you. You were all I had left, and I just didn't want any more disappointment in my life. It's been years since I last saw you, and when I heard you were going to be participating in this year’s Young Flyer Competition, I had to go and see how you would do. To be honest, I went for selfish reasons; to see how my pushing influenced you. But when I saw you do that amazing performance, I realized that I had been wrong to treat you like I did. I would have met you backstage, but when I approached I became too ashamed of myself and my actions, and ran away. Now I have faith that you will be great, even without my help. Can you ever accept this old pony's apologies?"

Looking down, Agelian remembers all that he had just been taught, and how Silver Spoon was given a second chance despite not deserving it. Scootaloo and her friends had faith that she could change her ways, and she proved them right. If he is to truly embrace this new outlook on life, he has to begin here. He must have faith in his father that he can change, and that though the memories will still remain, it can all get better. So with a tearful smile, he hugs his father and accepts his father's apology. They agree to talk to each other more often, and never stay apart again. And with a kiss to his son's forehead, Soundspeed heads off, having to go to work for the day. Right away, not even giving the stallion time to take all of this in, the Earth pony steps forward and introduces himself.

"Guten tag, I am Babe Chenko. So sorry to interrupt you, but I have a letter for a freund of yours," he tells the stallion in a thick Germaney accent that almost reminds Agelian of Bri's Trottingham one. And speaking of Bri, to his knowledge, she is the only one of his friends that has ever been to Germaney. She must be the "freund" he's referring to.

Sighing, Babe explains that he would've given the letter to Bri herself, but he wasn't able to find her anywhere, and he has to get back home. Thinking about it, Agelian doesn't believe she went anywhere. She would've told him and their other friends if she was going on another trip. With a smile, he accepts the note and thanks Babe for delivering to him. He wonders what it could be about though? Is this a friend Bri made during her trip? There are so many questions flying around his mind right now.

Babe nods and then begins to trot off back out of town, disappearing as mysteriously as he had come without saying another word. So with one more look at the envelope, Agelian shrugs and put it into his saddlebag, hoping he'll remember to deliver it to Bri the next time he sees her. Sighing, he asks Dinky if she's ready to continue on and finally get to the training, to which she nods. They're quite late by this point, but he's sure that Captain Scootaloo will understand when he tells her exactly what happened. He has faith that she will, and that all will go well. Today is the first day of the rest of his life, and he will seize it. “Carpe diem” is what they call that; seize the day. So the two of them walk away towards where the field is. That's when he sees it shining in the sunlight on the ground not too far away.

It's right where Babe was sitting while he was waiting for Agelian to finish speaking to his father. He wonders if the pony dropped it, but also wonders as he picks it up, what would an Earth pony be doing with flight goggles? They're gold in color, and have a shining purple gem in between the two eye pieces. It seems to emanate a strange aura that captures his focus. Nothing else matters anymore, not even meeting with Scootaloo. This can't possibly be what he thinks it is, can it? Can he truly have found one?

Frantic now, he turns and asks Dinky if she remembered to pack the Elements of Harmony reference guide like he had asked her to. His plan was to ask Scootaloo about the Elements so that he could see if she might know anything. She did know and hang out with one of the Elements’ former owners after all. And this purple gem, he knows he's seen it before, and he believes he knows exactly where. So as Dinky pulls the book out of his saddlebag, giving to him, he flips through the pages and looks for the illustration he remembers seeing.

It doesn't take him long to find the right page, and when he sees it he begins to tear up. Looking up, he laughs and turns to Dinky, kissing her passionately before telling her, "I've done it! By Aurora I've done it! She looks curiously at him and questions what he's so excited and happy about. So with a laugh as he puts the book back in the bag, he replies, "we're finally one step closer to saving the world! Star will be so excited when she sees this! Thank you Dinky, thank you for never giving up on me! And thank you Dad, Silver Spoon, and Miss Cheerilee! You gave me the faith I needed, and now I've finally found one; this is an Element of Harmony!"

Preview for Episode 08

*********************************

It's been so long since I've been here. So long since they died. But I can't help it, I need their help. I've unleashed something truly horrible this time, and my smoke and mirrors can't stop them all. I guess it's just like what Twilight told me once. Nopony is great and powerful by themselves. They need friends.

S01 E08 - A Great & Powerful Problem

An elephantine explosion rings loudly throughout the streets of the now apocalyptic Canterlot central sector. Screams of sheer, absolute panic are heard echoing between the burning buildings, and in every direction, ponies are running in terror as they attempt to evade the falling debris. A young mare is suddenly crushed by a falling shop sign, her innards exploding out of her body while her husband stands there screaming. They had gone out this morning for a simple cup of tea. How could something like this even happen!? She can't be dead, she just can't. As the stallion stands there, sobbing in despair, large chunks of the building above him begin to fall. But before they can take him from the world as well, a blue aura suddenly surrounds the debris, sending it safely off into the alleyway a few feet to his left.

Soaring around the city skies, Princess Aurora looks around at the destruction, eyes wide in fear. Summoning her magic, she tries to save the fleeing citizens as they escape the town. However, not even somepony as powerful as her can be in more than one place at a time. The screams of dying ponies sends shivers down her spine, and brings bitter tears to her eyes. She feels hopeless, unable to save everyone like she'd wish. This is just horrible. What could have brought these monstrous beasts upon them, and why now?

Equestria's been feeling months of peace since the last incident with the evil Oblivion. Everything's been going well, and ponies have been able to just move on with their lives as if the dark star incident never happened. Could this possibly be his doing? His way of telling them all that he's still there, lurking in the shadows and awaiting his time to attack? She'd hope not, but it's the only thing that makes any sense. Only someone as malevolent as he could cause such a catastrophic attack on the capital city of Equestria. They haven't faced a threat like this since...since the horrible incidents fifteen years back.

She looks solemnly down at the streets below, seeing a cerulean-coated mare quickly running away from an alleyway. A stallion standing there seems to have avoided certain death, and now joins the rest of the ponies in escaping. The mysterious mare dons a purple satin cloak and matching hat, and is rushing around and trying to save everyone that she can from being crushed, or worse. At that moment, a scream captures the attention of the princess, and she flies off in a hurry to rescue the pony attached to it. Meanwhile, the mare in the streets below is on the verge of screaming herself, eyes cascading with sorrowful tears as she tries to make this all right. After all, this is all her fault.

"What...what am I going to do? I can't possibly save everypony. I couldn't even get there in time to save that mare from her death. It's all my fault that this is happening. This is all because of me, because of my arrogance and pride. It's...it's all my fault."

That's when a sudden thought comes to the mare's mind, memories from long ago. She remembers that day when she first went to Ponyville to perform her spectacular show for all the ponies of the town. A purple mare and her friends showed her up and made her out to be a fool. Almost a year after that, she had found an ancient artifact called the Alicorn Amulet. Her hate had blinded her and she tried to get revenge by taking over all of Ponyville. She wanted that same purple pony to suffer for putting her life into a tailspin. And then, there was her last visit there. The one that went as horrible wrong as one could.

She wanted to make amends for all of the horrible things she had done to them in the past. She only wanted Twilight and her friends to forgive her, despite her not deserving it in the slightest. But in the end, everything only became worse. Her anger had gotten the better of her, and she slipped back into her old ways and tried to hurt those she came to apologize to. She left as an enemy of Ponyville, and was never given another chance. For it was only a few days later that Twilight Sparkle and the other princesses disappeared, never to be seen of again.

She's felt absolutely terrible ever since, and wished that she could've only left Ponyville on a better note. It's been fifteen years since then, and she hasn't been back. However, one thought keeps coming to the forefront of her mind. There was one small part of that last visit that gives her hope. She remembers how Twilight had reacted after she told the truth, after she revealed that she was jealous of the connections the purple mare had with her friends.

"You act like this because you don't have friendships like mine?" the princess had asked, staring down at the defeated showmare with a raised eyebrow, "That's it? Then why don't you make some friends, Trixie? Friendship is the glue that binds us all together. In the end, they can save anypony. There was another mare I knew who once had trouble making friends. Because of it, she let herself be overcome with jealousy and hate, almost causing the destruction of two worlds. I stopped her and she changed her ways. She embraced friendship and has been working to make things right ever since. No one is great and powerful on their own. You need friends."

That's got to be it; she now knows exactly what she needs to do. It's true that since she was a child, she's always found it hard to make friends. Her ego kept others at a distance, but it never really seemed to affect her. She's never seen the merit in needing to make any friends. It's just never been something that's mattered to her. Her studies and magic have always kept her company, and her performances have always allowed her to keep smiling.

So why does she now feel so saddened? Why has this dark cloud covered her life for so long? With Canterlot in peril, she needs to do as Twilight had instructed her to all those years ago. She has to finally take that advice and return to Ponyville one more time. Only one of Twilight's friends remain, and she needs to meet with her. If she can become friends with Fluttershy, she might be able to get the help she needs. Otherwise Canterlot, and maybe all of Equestria, is doomed.

Nary a cloud rests in the peaceful, bright, blue sky as the golden sun glares down on the homely little town below. Everything has been peaceful for such a long time; much too long it seems. The six destined ponies have begun to worry, especially Star. She knows that there has to be a reason for the sudden inactivity of the Oblivion force. It can't have just disappeared like that. So, in an attempt to get everything figured out, she's come to the small cottage on the Eastern end of Ponyville near the Everfree Forest to meet with Fluttershy and Spike. They need to figure all of this out and plan for the next inevitable attack.

Just recently they managed to happen upon one of the mysterious Elements of Harmony that went missing at the same time as the princesses. A golden choker embedded with the purple Element of Faith. It was Agelian that it appeared to, and him who has best represented it. However, it was not the only thing he had been given, and it's the other thing that now concerns them all; a small letter addressed to Bri that was given to the stallion by a mysterious pony from Germaney calling himself Babe Chenko. This has definitely become the most pressing matter for them, though they don't yet know if it has anything to do with the evil force that plagued the town only a short time back.

Scanning the parchment curiously as the seven ponies listen in, Spike reads aloud, "I know who you are Briance Happer, and I know what you want. You're looking for Pinkamena Diane Pie, and I know where she is and where she's been this entire time. She's been in hiding these past fifteen years in a hidden village, but recently has been spotted in the capital city of Canterlot. I happen to know that she will not be there for too much longer though, so if you wish to catch her, you might want to hurry. And by the way, I advise that you tread carefully, my little pony. If you don't, she will tear you to pieces. This is not the same Pinkie Pie you think you know. Be warned, and be careful."

"But...but this just doesn't make any sense," Fluttershy protests, flying up into the air, "Pinkie would never hurt anypony! She's not like that!"

"I don't think so either," Bri replies, staring down at the ground, "but whatever the case may be, I think that this is something we need to look into. We need her."

She has been searching for Pinkie for such a long time now; almost her entire life. This news distresses her more than any she had received before. It's true that she wanted so badly to find her, but at the same time, this doesn't sound right at all. She has never even heard of this Babe Chenko before, not even during her recent trip to Germaney. So who is he, and why is he suddenly come to give her this news? Not to mention, if he knows her like he claims, then why would he even tell her something this horrible? It's not the kind of thing she'd ever want to hear. She sighs and leans back in her chair, looking over to Fluttershy who tells them that she doesn't understand one part of the letter.

"According to this, Pinkie has been hiding out in some hidden village? And we're just supposed to believe something like that? I mean, what does this all even mean? Why in the wide world of Equestria would somepony like her do this? Think about it. Wouldn't she sooner return to her family's rock farm?"

"This could all be a trap you know," Star suddenly speaks up. She doesn't want to sound pessimistic, but can't help but look at the most realistic side of this all, "It could all be Oblivion's doing. He might be trying to get us to leave Ponyville for some reason."

"No, I don't think so. This is different than his past actions and methods," Terra says, pacing around the room as he thinks about all the details they know, "I cannot be sure that I'm right in this, but it just doesn't feel like something he'd do. That being said, I don't know who the real culprit might be. This Babe Chenko guy could be the one in the end, could he not? We don't know anything about him, and now we're suddenly supposed to believe what he's telling us here? It seems awfully fishy to me."

The seven ponies, as well as their dragon friend, begin to discuss this further, hoping to figure out what this letter could possibly mean for them all, and if Pinkie Pie is even truly in Canterlot to begin with, as the letter says, or if it's just a trap. On one hoof, if this is real, then to find the party pony and get her to return would definitely be top priority. Her help would greatly improve their chances of defeating Oblivion. However, if it turns out to be a false lead, then they don't know what could be awaiting them in the capital. Even with Everglade and the elite royal guard there, they can't be sure that they'd be safe if they were to go.

As they continue to chat amongst themselves, each giving a possible scenario and idea of how to take things from this point on, the door to the cottage suddenly implodes inward, surprising them all and stealing their attention away from their previous conversation. As it happens, Fluttershy is the first to react, letting out a loud squeak and falling to the floor below with a heavy thud. The others quickly respond as well, getting to their hooves and staring down the threshold, ready to attack whatever's invading the home. Their guard soon lowers as quickly as it was raised, however, as the eight of them watch an injured cerulean mare slowly trot in.

With every step she takes, it appears to be a struggle. Her body is covered in deep, bleeding gashes, and her mane is disheveled. She seems barely alive, and falls over as soon as she enters. Jumping into action, the six destined ponies rush to help her. Neither Fluttershy nor Spike follow suit, and both seem to be glaring at the mare with a vicious intensity. Agelian helps her back to her hooves, and with the assistance of Chupa and Devlin, brings her over to the couch. Star then quickly rushes into the kitchen, returning a moment later with a glass of water. She assists the pony in drinking it down as Bri removes the mare's hat and sets a pillow behind her head. They do everything that they possibly can, despite not even knowing the mare. But Fluttershy and Spike know her, and they can't see the hurt, helpless victim that the others do. All they see is bad memories.

Using his magic, Devlin begins to heal the mare of her injuries. This catches his friends off guard, as he's a rare sort of unicorn to not like or use his powers often. He'd rather work manual, hard labor any day. They often joke that he's an Earth pony trapped in a unicorn's body. However, they don't question him doing this, as it's the only quick way to help the injured pony, and he's the only unicorn amongst them. It's much faster and more efficient than trying to heal her the old fashioned way. They soon breathe a sigh of relief as she comes to, her eyes fluttering open and looking weakly around.

But who are these ponies? She doesn't recognize even one of them. Where's Fluttershy, and why is she not helping her? This is the shy mare's cottage, is it not? And Fluttershy has always been known to take care of anypony who needs it. Strength quickly returning to her, the mare shifts into a sitting position with the assistance of the others, and looks around the room. She soon sees Fluttershy on the floor not far away, not having moved since falling there a minute back. The kind pony is glaring at her like she's never seen before. Truthfully, she knows why and can't blame her in the slightest.

"Are you ok?" Star frantically asks her, sweat dripping from her forehead as she worried over the unknown mare. She tells the young, dark blue mare that she's doing a lot better, thanking her. However, Fluttershy doesn't seem to want to listen anymore, and storms forward towards them all, and most specifically, the newcomer. Getting right into the mare's face, she demands to know why she's here, and what she's planning this time. The destined six all look at Fluttershy in shock, never having seen her this aggressive before. But it's easy for them to put together that these two ponies must have a connection to each other, and very possibly a troubled past.

"I'm sorry Fluttershy," the mare tells her, tears slowly starting to form, "for everything I did to you and the others back then. I hurt you all so much, and treated you like dirt. I let my ego get the better of me and boasted about my magical abilities. I even tried to take over Ponyville, and then...then there was that last time. But I truly am sorry, and I hope you can understand that right now, I desperately need your help!"

Fluttershy raises an eyebrow, but remains silent. While she may not fully trust her, she can still hear the honesty in her voice. It almost reminds her of Applejack. She can't just accuse her of lying when she knows it might be otherwise. So she sits back and listens, suggesting to the others to stay close to her. Star and her friends look confused, but listen to her and get back to take a seat. Agelian turns to the yellow-coated pony though, questioning what this is all about and who this mare even is.

"Her name is Trixie Lulamoon, a showmare from Canterlot. Let's just say that she did horrible things to my friends and I when they were all still alive."

"It's true," Trixie responds sorrowfully, "I did do horrible things back then. It's been fifteen years though, and whether you believe me or not, I have changed. But...I'm not here about myself. I need your help Fluttershy; Canterlot is under attack!"

While Fluttershy definitely seems surprised at this startling revelation, especially right after they had been discussing the capital city, she is still unsure of whether or not she can trust the mare's word. However, the other six seem horrified by this news. Their mouths hang and eyes open wide. This is not something they had expected at all. They've been contemplating over this letter for a couple days now before deciding to meet with Fluttershy about it. If they had gone to Canterlot originally, who knows where they'd be now. Sighing, Fluttershy tells Trixie to explain herself.

"Ok, I guess I should start from the beginning," the mare tells them all, leaning back on the couch and looking quietly at the ceiling above, "It started last night. I was performing at the Canterlot Garden Party that Fancy Pants was hosting. It was a grand occasion, and all of the city's elite were there. I was honestly surprised they wanted me there. My show isn't the kind of thing one would expect to see at a fancy party like that, but Fancy Pants insisted. So I accepted, knowing that the pay would be good for a high class event."

"I was performing my usual tricks, and everypony seemed fascinated, but not impressed. I needed to do something that would skyrocket things, so to speak. So during intermission I went to find Princess Aurora, and asked her if I might be able to summon her from the throne room with my magic. She seemed perfectly fine with the idea, and so I went back to my stage. Something went wrong though. While I was using my summoning spell, I became distracted. Fancy Pants was talking to someone I didn't recognize. A tall, brown Earth pony with blonde hair."

Agelian nearly cries out, recognizing that description. It has to be Babe Chenko, the mysterious Germaney pony who gave him the letter for Bri. The others look to him as well, having been given his description. Trixie notices their reactions to this, and gives them all a quizzical look. However, she decides to move on, continuing her story, "I overheard them discussing something about Princess Twilight. Can I be sure that you all know what happens when a unicorn loses concentration while casting such a spell?" The others nod, having done their research in the past. They know that for spells such as summoning and teleportation, one needs to have good focus.

"Well, because I lost my focus on the spell, something went horribly wrong. I...I did complete the spell, but it wasn't Princess Aurora that I summoned. When I heard Princess Twilight's name, I thought back to the time when we first met. I remembered the incident with the Ursa Minor, and, well...I summoned an entire pack of them. But, it's worse than that. Their parents, Ursa Majors, sniffed out their babies and soon came upon Canterlot as well. Before I knew it, the entire city was under attack by the beasts. Dozens of them roaming around, destroying everything. I tried to save everypony, but I couldn't help them all. I watched ponies die as building collapsed on them, and as the bears devoured them."

The bitter tears that now flow down Trixie's cheeks tell the eight of them all they need to know; she is telling them the truth. She had accidentally set a pack of the vicious, starry bears upon Canterlot, and because of it, their parents joined in. It's mortifying to even imagine something like that, considering how amazingly large one Ursa Minor is, and that's just a baby. To have a whole group of them attacking the same city at one time, with fully-grown adult Ursa's there as well. It's just not comprehensible to even think about. That kind of attack would put the city in mortal peril, and even Princess Aurora would have trouble fighting off a threat like that.

"We have no reason to help you," Fluttershy tells her, shocking everyone else there. They look at the pony in complete, utter disbelief. How could she say that? The capital is under attack and she doesn't want to help at all? Sighing, Fluttershy gets to her hooves and trots over, adding, "After what you did to us before, you don't deserve my help. However, I'd be remiss if I just ignored this. I mean, I certainly can't do anything to help you, and I honestly don't much care to. But these six are stronger than I, and they can help. Talk to them."

With not a single other word, the normally shy mare turns her back to Trixie and trots up the stair and into her room, slamming the door behind her. Spike then leaves himself, headed back to the Princess Twilight Sparkle Memorial Library. Trixie seems devastated, and turns now to the six ponies still before her. She needs to fix this mistake of hers, but she isn't able to get it done alone. She once again asks them to help her, and after looking at her friends, Star steps forward and agrees, telling her that they'll do whatever they can to save Canterlot. Almost jumping for joy, the showmare thanks them all graciously, and tells them that she'll be ready and waiting outside the cottage, and that she'll just teleport them all to Canterlot when they're ready. Star agrees to this as well, and

Trixie takes her hat as she trots back out of the open door, closing it calmly behind her.

At that moment, Star turns on the spot and heads over to the staircase, climbing up to the top floor. She reaches Fluttershy's room quickly and cautiously knocks on the door. A few seconds later, it opens and standing there is the still angry pony, fuming over seeing Trixie again after fifteen years. Star and the others can't exactly understand Fluttershy's painful memories, and they have to get going. But for some reason, she needs to know why her friend is so bitter towards the showmare. She seems so nice and forgivable, so why is it that Fluttershy can't give her another chance? She asks this, and the shy pony comes out to tell them everything.

They head back downstairs and into the kitchen, where Fluttershy takes a seat and rubs her hoof against the center of her forehead, wishing she didn't have to remember that horrible day. She knows that simply telling them about Trixie's first two visits wouldn't mean much. She wasn't as bad then, and her actions, while horrible, were easily fixed. It was the last visit, fifteen years ago and only days before the disappearance of her friend Twilight. It seems so long ago, but at the same time, she remembers it as if it were just yesterday.

"Everything seemed normal. Just an average, ordinary day," she begins to explain to them, breathing heavily at the very thought of it all, "all of us had the day off of work, which was surprising considering how busy Sugarcube Corner had gotten by that time. Even I didn't have much to do for my little animal friends that day. So we decided to just have some fun together. We went to the day spa and had a nice, relaxing time. After that, we all went to the Ponytones rehearsal. I was finally starting to feel comfortable with performing in front of people, so Rarity and Big Mac made me a permanent part of the group. We even got to have lunch at the Hayburger. It seemed like a perfect day, until she came around."

"It seemed out of nowhere too. We were walking down the road when we saw her stage set up. Ponies were gathering around it. Now, on her last visit she tried to take over Ponyville. However, we all know it was because of the Alicorn Amulet, which was heightening her aggression. She apologized and Twilight seemed to forgive her, so we all did too. So when we saw her that day, we were willing to give her show the benefit of the doubt. We hoped she wouldn't be the same braggart she had been in the past."

"So we grabbed some seats right in the front of the crowd, deciding to give her a chance and take a look. It actually ended up being a really good show, and for once Trixie wasn't being egotistical and cruel. We were even enjoying it. Well, eventually everything just had to go downhill. She was ready for her big finale, and asked for some volunteers to come up to the stage. It was a little friend of ours, Pipsqueak, who agreed without a second’s hesitation. She then asked him to choose two more, and so he had his schoolmates Sunny Daze and Peachy Pie come up. All three of them were just young foals. They wanted to feel special and become involved with such a wonderful act."

"Well," the mare continues as she begins to tear up, "Trixie brought them all on stage and had them lay down in three separate boxes, which they then levitated, stacking on top of each other. She had planned to do her famous sawing in half trick, which was always a crowd favorite. This time though, she was going to do it with three ponies at once, something that's never even been considered before."

"So she summoned a saw and without another word, began slicing right down the center of the boxes. It was being done as normal, and all of us cheered her on. The three foals began to scream, but they were laughing at the same time. We knew that they were just having fun with all of it, that is, until their screams began to change. No longer cries of fun, they became filled with pain and terror. None of us knew how to act until we noticed blood begin to seep from the boxes. Trixie noticed this at about the same time, and tried to stop, but it was too late."

"All three of them died that day. Three innocent little children murdered as part of a magic trick. I've tried to convince myself that it was all just an accident, just as it ended up being this time. I'd like to think that Trixie didn't mean for any of this to happen, but we have to look at the facts. Those three foals never got to grow up and experience the wonders that their lives would've brought. And Pipsqueak...he never even got to discover what makes him special and earn his cutie mark."

Fluttershy begins to sob harder than ever, tears streaming down her face and onto the floor. Reaching forward, Star embraces and comforts her friend, giving her a loving and understanding huge. She now knows exactly why she was so apprehensive towards Trixie before; why she seemed to glare at her and wasn't even willing to lend her a hoof. However, while she understands, she cannot turn a blind eye and ignore this terrible tragedy befalling the capital. Trixie might have done some terrible things in the past, but right now she needs their help to save her hometown. Canterlot is on the verge of destruction, and they have to go and put a stop to these Ursas.

She doubts that Trixie would have knowingly murdered three little foals in front of a big crowd like that. Nopony could ever be that cruel, apart from Oblivion of course. There has to be more behind that incident, but right now she can't focus on the past. She can ask Trixie about that later. Turning to face her friends, Star tells them that they have to do whatever they can, and that the future of Canterlot rests squarely on their shoulders. They all nod in agreement, knowing how important a task like this is, and so they head back down the stairs, out of Fluttershy's cottage, and up to the blue pony awaiting them outside.

"About time you...I mean, thank you for coming. We need to hurry," Trixie says, pointing her hoof towards the city far off in the mountains. They can see where the city is by the large clouds of smoke billowing out of it, and the flames licking at it's uppermost reaches. They tell the unicorn that they're ready to go, and summoning up the height of her magical prowess, Trixie casts her teleportation spell.

The seven ponies open their eyes as a shrill scream pierces the air, followed closely by an ear-splitting roar. They've arrived in Canterlot, and are surrounded by the destruction Trixie had told them about. The buildings around them are crumbling into ash, and flames blaze everywhere. They can see the corpses of many a pony laying around, crushed by falling debris. Some burn in flames that now engulf them, and others are mutilated beyond belief, having their heads crushed, guts spilled, and bodies torn apart.

Not too far away they can see a multitude of terrible looking bears storming around. Light blue in color, though translucent, the Ursas tear up the place; rampaging over buildings and devouring the terrified citizens. Up above they see some of the elite royal guard trying to fight off the bears with their magic, and others on the ground gathering up the survivors and trying to herd them away.

"You!?" Everglade yells out, running up in full armor, "what are you all doing here!?"

"Captain, we've come on behalf of Trixie Lulamoon here to help stop the attack," Terra proclaims, saluting his replacement with respect. Everglade salutes back and tells them that Princess Aurora has managed to corner the Ursa Majors in one corner of the city, and is fighting them now, but that the Minors are still out of control. Taking charge of the group, Terra tells her that they will do what they can to help. Everglade salutes him again and runs off to do her part, leaving the seven ponies standing there.

"Ok, we need a plan," Terra tells them all, remaining calm, "Trixie, tell us everything you know about the Ursas!"

"I...I don't know much of anything about them. I've only seen one before this, and that was over fifteen years ago. I couldn't even stop that one Ursa Minor back then."

"Figures," the former captain of the guard replies, sighing. Reaching into the saddlebag he always carries with him, Terra pulls out a piece of parchment and a pencil, which he begins to diagram things out with, "Ok everypony, we've got to think about this logically. The Princess has got the Majors under control, so we've got only the babies to worry about. Star, Agelian, you two fly overhead and try to force the Ursas into one section, just like Princess Aurora did with their parents! Bri, you and Devlin go and try to help anyone and everyone you can! Chupa, you and I will assist the royal guard in their mission! Trixie, when Star and Agelian round up the bears, I'll need you to do a reversal on your spell from last night! You can do that, can't you? Put those Ursa Minors back where you brought them from?"

"I should be able to do that," the mare nervously replies, nodding her head while swallowing hard. The others all nod and begin to head off, ready to accomplish their assigned missions. Star, Agelian, and Trixie remain standing there in the street, all a part of the same group. However, before much longer, the two pegasi take flight and begin to speed towards the attacking bears. After talking it out, they've decided that the best place to corner them in at would be by the Wonderbolts Stadium. Trixie, meanwhile, gallops along on the ground, following them closely so that she doesn't fall behind. This is all her fault. She has to do whatever she can to help.

Terrifying roars pierce the smog-filled air, joined by the immense screaming of the panicking ponies all running away in every direction. In the air, Agelian has put on his goggles and is now flying around a group of three Ursa Minors. Like Terra, he too is always prepared for any situation, having his saddlebag on and stocked at all times. Reaching in, he pulls out not parchment and a pencil though, but instead a large smoke capsule that his fiancee Dinky had made for him. Releasing it into the air, a red stream of smoke billows out, frightening the bears and causing them to back away, towards the direction of the stadium.

He follows the smoke up with flares and fire capsules, causing huge pops of flames in mid-air that get the three Ursas back even further. Meanwhile, not far away, Star has rounded up a group of the bears herself. Though without the use of capsules, she has been forced to rely on brute force. Flying at top speed, she rams into the bears over and over, screaming out to get their attention. Though they swipe their claws at her, this method seems to surprisingly work, getting them to flee off towards Agelian's group. The two soon merge, and the pegasi take the opportunity to work together.

Giving her some of his capsules, Agelian throws firework capsules out. The large explosions and noises startle the Ursas, sending them running towards where the stadium is. After a while, the two manage to corral all of the Minors by the stadium, unfortunately partially destroying it in the process; a necessary sacrifice. Trixie runs up at that point, having kept up with the two this entire time. She's surprised by how easily they were able to do this all. Their friendship and trust in Terra gave them the courage they needed to follow his plans and accomplish their goal. Maybe, just maybe, friendship is the one thing she's been missing all this time.

Shaking her head, Trixie focuses on the problem at hand. All the Ursa Minors are now gathered in one place, and so with great focus, she summons up the entirety of her remaining magic, using a reversal spell on them. At first, nothing seems to happen, and she wonders if she just didn't have enough power left. However, the bears soon begin to fade, disappearing into the night just as quickly as they came. The three of them are about to celebrate when the sound of a collapsing house nearby captures their attention. Their job is not done yet. Looking to Trixie, Star shouts out, asking if she knows any spells to summon water.

"There are no spells that can just summon water, at least not that I know of!" the showmare yells back, nearly crying from the horrible atmosphere of the flames and smoke, "but there is one spell I know about! I can go to the Highland Resevoir back near Ponyville and force the water here to Canterlot, putting out all the flames and clearing everything up! It's risky though! I don't know if I have enough magic left in me right now!"

"We believe in you Trixie! You can do this, I have faith in you!" Agelian yells out, smiling down at her.

The tears in her eyes now are of happiness. No one's been this kind to her in fifteen years, not since the mercy that Twilight had shown her after she killed those little children. It was all a mistake. She had meant it to be a trick, and doesn't know why or how it went wrong. All she knows is that she didn't have control of her magic for some reason, and couldn't stop until it was too late and the three of them had been sliced in half. Even though it wasn't her fault, she always felt like it had been. She had those three foals come up in the first place.

Now these two ponies who have no reason to like her, or to believe in her, are not only doing that, but practically pushing her to do her best and save Canterlot. She can't help but cry; overjoyed and overwhelmed by the sheer impact of this moment on her. So without another word, but instead a warm smile to her newfound friends, Trixie teleports away to the Highland Resevoir. Agelian and Star begin to fly off when Princess Aurora suddenly comes up to them, surprising the two. She seems pleased, but still worried about everything, landing on the ground to take a breather after all the work she's done so far.

"Thank you for coming," she tells them, breathing heavily, "Everglade told me everything. When I saw the Ursa Minors disappear, I knew it was you all. And the Majors left soon after, apparently going off to wherever their young were teleported to. And speaking of such, where's Trixie? I wanted to thank her for the services she's done for Canterlot and all of Equestria today."

Suddenly, as she finishes speaking, a wall of water seems to come down upon them, spreading over the entirety of the city and snuffing out the flames. The three of them stand there, soaked from head to hoof, but smiling. Laughing a little, Star tells the princess, "Right on cue. Trixie has saved the city today, so I hope you can forgive her for causing this all in the first place. She needs forgiveness for once." A smile spreads across the princess' face and she nods in understanding before flying off to care for the survivors of the attack.

A few days later, the six friends sit by the Ponyville Fountain in the central sector, enjoying the bright, beautiful day. Once again, all of Equestria is at peace, and Oblivion still has yet to be seen or heard from again. But one thing still bugs them. Babe Chenko has now been spotted in Canterlot. He was there when the incident with Trixie happened, and had mentioned something about Princess Twilight Sparkle. They have no idea who he could be, and even the princess couldn't tell them when they asked her. So the six of them decided to visit Fancy Pants in the hospital to ask him.

He had been caught up in the initial attack when the Ursa Minors were first brought into the city, and was gravely injured. However, when the six of them got there, he had just passed away. For now, the secret of Babe Chenko ,and what he meant in the letter for Bri, shall remain a mystery. They can't help but think he's got something to do with all of this; with not only the Ursa Incident, but also the incidents from fifteen years ago, maybe even the disappearances of the princesses. He could even be in league with Oblivion for all they know, but that's just blind speculation as of now. They know nothing about him, and who knows if they ever will.

So, warm smiles spread across their faces, the six of them try to focus on the now, and not worry about the problems that they will need to focus on in the near future. Before them is a wonderful show being put on. A stage set up in the center of town, feats of extraordinary magic entertaining the masses of ponies. In the direct middle of it all stands Trixie, laughing and enjoying herself as she is able to give the crowd a reason to smile and be happy. She's able to give back to the town that gave her a second chance, and she's ready to prove herself to them all; and right in the front row, having finally decided to do as Twilight would have and give the showmare another chance, is Fluttershy, smiling and laughing right along with The Great & Powerful Trixie Lulamoon.

Preview for Episode 09

***********************

It's coming! We can't believe it's coming to Ponyville! Wait, is that...DEVLIN!? What is he doing competing!? What could his talent be!?

S01 E09 - Who is Devlin Speedster?

The vociferous whistling of the Friendship Express violently echoes throughout the southern-most tip of Ponyville. The thirteen car train speeds along the tracks towards Ponyville Station, returning from it's trip to the capital city of Canterlot earlier in the day. Over the past week, the capital has been undergoing reconstruction, and many of Ponyville's citizens have been going to lend a hoof whenever they've been needed. Princess Aurora has even contracted ponies from Fillydelphia, Manehattan, and Prance to help. With the amount of destruction suffered just recently, the damage is so extensive that it's taking longer than they originally thought, and now the day is reaching it's end. All of the ponies from around Equestria have either taken up in one of the standing hotels, or have returned to their own towns for the time being.

Almost all of the ponies from Ponyville have decided to return home to their families and friends for the night, as their trip isn't as far as some of the others. They can return to help within the coming days, and make sure to assist the capital in getting back on it's hooves in no time. And amongst the generous, helpful ponies on the train are three specific mares, and three specific stallions. All tied together by destiny, and kept together through friendship, they too felt called to help the city in any and all ways possible. It was they who were directly involved in the protection of Canterlot only one week ago. And now, following a hard days work, they feel fulfilled as the train pulls into a stop at the station.

The compartment doors open, and the six of them trot out onto the platform. At the flank of their group is the smallest of their companions, Chupa Cabra. She remains more weary than the rest. Her young age and underdeveloped body has caused her to feel the strain of the work more so than anypony else. Despite this all, she has bravely soldiered on, keeping her head and spirits high. It's always been her wish to get up the nerve to help somepony else, and now, she's been given the chance. Until she met her five new friends, she was a quiet loner who kept mostly to herself. The only real friends she had were Mr. Greenhooves and all the plants in the greenhouse. Now she has many friends, and wishes to make as many more as she can. As Star has put it, she's definitely grown into a wonderful young mare. However, while the assistance that her and her friends have given raises her spirits, it also dashes them in the same foul swoop.

"I still just can't believe it," she quietly says to the others, looking solemnly down at the cobblestone street below as she slowly trots onward, "it's just terrible. Canterlot is the capital of all of Equestria, and now it's mostly in ruins because of the ursa attack. It's already been a week, and everypony has barely put a dent in all the work that needs to be done."

"Yeah, and the worst part is that it's probably not going to be anywhere near done for months yet," Agelian sorrowfully replies, looking over at the mountain on which the destroyed capital sits. Not much can be seen from this distance, but they can all tell that it's not what it used to be. The once tall, beautiful, regal city now sits there destroyed. It's completely different than when they went up to meet Princess Twilight Sparkle's family.

Trotting beside Star, Bri sighs as she too looks downtrodden, suddenly speaking up, "I asked around while we were there. I asked everypony I could, but no one seemed to have ever seen or heard of Pinkie Pie being there at any point in the past fifteen years."

"I still maintain that this note is all a trick set by Oblivion to throw us off of his trail. He wants us to focus on something else for some reason."

Rolling his eyes, Terra gruffly replies, "No Star, do you not remember what Fluttershy said? Oblivion's previous actions have all been direct, forcing us into these arduous situations. It's as if he has been testing our resolve, and more importantly, our limits. This letter that's only led us into false hope is NOT the kind of approach that somepony like Oblivion would take. We know that by now. Because of these facts, we can only assume that this Babe Chenko guy is behind everything. For some reason, he wants us to believe that Pinkie Pie has been spotted in Canterlot. The only question we have now is why?"

The six of them ponder this, and whatever the case may be, it's now obvious that Babe's letter had been a lie, and that the party pony was never in Canterlot at all. It makes them wonder, however, if something must be up. If not at the hoof of Oblivion, and if it truly is Babe Chenko, what intentions could possibly be fueling this? Is he controlled by the dark stars as Cobalt Sky had been? Or is there something far more sinister going on here? Along with their mission to find the remaining Elements of Harmony, as well as their duty to defeat Oblivion and the controlled Sevulva Star, they know that they need to figure this all out, and quickly. Whatever the reasoning behind the letter, it can't be good.

At that moment, a thought comes to Bri's mind and her head pops up like a jack in the box. Smiling widely, hope shining in her eyes, she suggests to the others that Pinkie might have been in Canterlot after all, and that maybe nopony knew about it. The others all seem unconvinced by this explanation, but the adventurous young mare reminds them that the letter they had been given stated that Pinkie was hiding out these past fifteen years in a village somewhere. She then adds that maybe Pinkie had to go to Canterlot for some reason, and wanted to remain hidden and in secret. So she disguised herself or stayed in the shadows so that nopony would recognize or notice her. The others certainly see it as a possibility, but at the same time, it's so farfetched that Star can't help but point out that...

"It's just a ridiculous notion, Bri. Somepony would have had to have noticed her at some point! I've seen the pictures of her, she kind of sticks out you know!"

"Um...everypony?"

"Not if she were in disguise Star!" Bri retorts, "She could have been wearing a cloak! Or maybe she had her coat and mane dyed different colors so that she'd look like somepony else!"

"Everypony?"

"No, that doesn't make any logical sense! Somepony, whether it's Oblivion or Babe Chenko, is trying to throw us off of our game! Pinkie Pie was never in Canterlot! Can't you see that!?"

"HEY! EVERYPONY!"

The sudden, eruptive outburst of the young filly snaps both Star and Bri out of their frustration-building argument. The little mare has joined them in the front of the pack, and seems concerned. She points out that there's only five of them there right now, and that Devlin seems to be missing. The two mares leading everypony else begin looking around in confusion, freaking out at the revelation. Where could he have gone? He hasn't told them anything about going either. He doesn't seem to be the kind of pony who would do something like that. But then again, since meeting him back months ago, they haven't really known much about Devlin. The only thing they know is that he prefers manual labor over the usage of his magic, and that he always works hard around Ponyville to help the others. It's not really a lot to go off of.

Suddenly, Terra steps forth and lets out an exasperated sigh as he tells the others, "Devlin left a little bit ago, before you two began arguing. He told me that he had something he had to do, and not to worry you all about it."

Grunting, Star complains about this now, demanding to know why he never said anything. But Terra just reminds her that he said that Devlin told him not to worry them all about it. Star then returns the focus of her complaints to the letter, Pinkie Pie, and the reconstruction of Canterlot. That's when the others begin confronting her, arguing with her over all of her problems and whining as they all continue to trot onward into central Ponyville. That's when Chupa notices something attached to the nearby wall of a building. Trotting over, she looks at the flier in interest, grabbing it and rushing back to her friends in excitement.

"Everypony, take a look at this!" the filly yells out to her friends, once more capturing their attention. Without even so much as a word, Star grabs the flier right out of Chupa's hoof, scanning it over with curiosity and lingering frustration. Her mood suddenly seems to improve, and an actual smile spreads across her face as she continues to read.

"Oh, that's right," she quietly says to herself while everypony else walks up to her, "I had completely forgotten about that."

Her head cocking to the side in confusion, Bri asks, "What? Did something happen? Did you forget about something that you had to do?"

"Well, no. It has nothing to do with me specifically. With Canterlot now out of commission, all it's upcoming events had to be reassigned to other cities around Equestria. The high council considered canceling them altogether, but Princess Aurora insisted that at a devastating time like this, the ponies needed something bright to look forward to. She felt that a little entertainment would be nice after so much pain and misery. According to this flier, Ponyville was chosen to be the new host of Equestria's Got Talent in two weeks, and look who was hoof-chosen by Princess Aurora herself to judge! Trixie Lulamoon, Sweetie Belle, and DJ-Pon3!"

"Wha...wha...WHAT!?" Bri suddenly screams out, her voice reaching legendary octaves as she leaps into the air in pure shock and elation, "ARE YA SERIOUS, MATE!? THIS IS FANTASTIC! Two of the best musicians in all the history of Equestria are coming 'ere, to our little hamlet!? This is unreal! It's bloody brilliant!"

"Um, you do realize that both Sweetie Belle and Vinyl Scratch are from Ponyville, right?" Star asks her hyper friend as she rolls her eyes and smirks slightly, forgetting all about the argument they had just been having, "it's not like they've never been here before."

"I know, but still! I absolutely adore their music! I can't believe this! This is a glorious day! I can't wait for this!"

"Bri, hold on a moment. Take a look at what it says here," Star quietly responds, seeming confused and surprised, flipping over the flier again and again to make sure she's reading right, "this notes some of the featured acts and contestants that will be performing in the competition...this says...that Devlin is one of them."

At first, none of the other four react. It's hard to be sure if they had heard Star correctly. Does she even realize what she said? Devlin, of all ponies, competing in Equestria's biggest talent competition? How could something like this be? What kind of talent could a workhorse like him possibly have? Well, to tell the truth, they have no real idea. They barely know anything about the stallion. Since the six of them originally met months back, Devlin has always been the quiet one. A valued member of the group, true enough, but one who's always stuck in the background and stayed silent most of the time. He helps everypony out, and joins in their adventures and all they do around Ponyville, but in all this time he has barely ever talked to them about himself. Could this possibly be why he ran off earlier? Did he need to begin preparations for the competition?

The five of them stand there, filled with confusion and thoughtful pondering. They wonder exactly what could be going on with this, and their biggest question is simple; what else do they not yet know about their own friend? To have someone this close to them and not even truly know them is a scary thought. How can they consider a friendship like that to be real? They realize that they need to investigate this matter, and find out what they can about him without letting him know. They don't want to seem like those kinds of friends. So talking it over, they all come to agreement and decide to split up, asking around to try and get any and all information that they can. Without another word to each other, the five of them simply nod and head in different directions, all focusing on a different sector of Ponyville.

Hastily entering the northern sector of Ponyville, Agelian is ready to act and instantly begin his search. However, he finds himself lost on what to do at this point. He hadn't thought this far in advance, and on top of that, he knows little to nothing about his friend. He doesn't know who else Devlin happens to know in Ponyville, and who he communicates with on a regular basis. He could always ask around town, but then who would he even speak to? Would it be the right thing to do to just begin asking everypony he can find? What if those he asks have never even heard of Devlin. Wouldn't he just be causing himself unnecessary embarrassment? No, he has to at least try. No level of embarrassment is as devastating as being ignorant to who a true friend is. He has to act now, and have faith that everything will go well. Faith is what he builds himself upon, and it will not fail when he calls upon it. And so without another second of hesitation, he trots right on up to the nearest pony around.

"Excuse me," he confidently calls out to the stallion, stealing his attention away from what he had currently been doing. With a coat that is bright green in color, lined with white stripes and a matching muzzle, a messy green and white mane, and a tail that sticks out and up, he is certainly not the kind of pony one would ever forget meeting. Naturally, the stallion seems quite annoyed by having been interrupted from his work, and generally caught off guard. But Agelian isn't even quite sure what he was doing. He had an empty cart and seemed to be walking around aimlessly, as if bored or waiting for something to happen.

The pony turns to face the pegasus, grunting out if he can help him with anything. Smiling and trying to keep polite, Agelian retains his confidence as he asks, "Would you by chance be acquainted with a unicorn named Devlin Speedster?"

"Hold up a minute," the stallion suddenly asks as he looks over his questioner quizically, "don't I know you?"

Suddenly, the pony's eyes widen as instant realization seem to come to him. His mouth drops slightly and he stares at the pegasus for a good long while until Agelian can't take it any more. Getting frustrated at this point, he demands to know what is so fascinating all of a sudden, and that's when the stallion replies, "Oh...my...Aurora. You're Agelian Wingblade, aren't you? You won the Cloudsdale Young Flier Competition."

"Yes, but..." Agelian begins, his voice now echoing with confusion added to the still remaining frustration. However, he doesn't get a chance to finish, as the stallion continues for him.

"...I knew it! Pleasure to meet you! My name is Shan Mul! Oh, that competition must have been a sight to see! I really wanted to attend ya know, but I had just so much to take care of that day. Is it true that you're dating Dinky Hooves, the daughter of Ponyville's own head mail mare Derpy?"

"What are you, some kind of reporter!?"

"Well...yes actually. I work for the Ponyville Free Press under the leadership of Miss Hooves. I know, it's not nearly as fancy or big as Canterlot's paper, The Equestria Daily, but I find it superior. We actually report on the truth and important stories, not things only the elite care about."

"Listen!" the pegasus yells out, having gotten more than frustrated by this point, "this is not about me, and it's certainly not about you or your job! I need you to tell me if you know who Devlin Speedster is, and what you know about him!"

"Devlin?" Shan asks, thinking it over for a second, "Oh, yeah, I know him! He helped me out the other week. Miss Hooves asked me to deliver a case of papers to the general store in the central sector. I know, a menial job for a reporter like me, but she's the boss. Anyways, my cart broke down. Devlin happened to be near and he fixed it up for me, no charge. Such a great carpenter. Didn't say much though, and he left before I could even begin to thank him."

Sighing, the pegasus turns away from Shan Mul, who has begun to ask for an exclusive interview about the competition. However, he ignores the reporter and begins to trot away in the complete opposite direction, heading towards where the day spa is. Maybe Aloe and Lotus know something. Then again, Devlin doesn't seem like an avid spa goer. But this measly bit of information isn't nearly enough to even start on. It hasn't revealed anything about his friend that he didn't already know. Quiet and a hard worker who'll help anypony out when they need it. That much is obvious. He's known this about Devlin the entire time.

There isn't many places in the northern sector to go. There's the hospital, retirement village, and a few other places. Granted, if Devlin is as helpful as he knows he is, then these might be the perfect places to check. He could've been helping out with the retired ponies or the hospitalized ones. It's hard to say at this point. He has to keep trying though. Somepony is bound to know something about Devlin that he has yet to. He just has to keep his faith that this plan will all work out, and that he and his friends will figure out why somepony like him is competing in Equestria's Got Talent.

Meanwhile, in the Eastern sector, Chupa Cabra is trotting along the street, asking everypony she can. Time seems to be passing quickly, and everypony she could even think of has already been asked. She visited Grace's house, and even met with Fluttershy at her cottage to see if she knew anything. Unfortunately, both of them only knew the same little bit that she does. This side of Ponyville is mostly residential, apart from a shop here and there and the famous Ponyville Tower, which is just a landmark and nothing more.

At this point she's at a complete loss of who to even begin to ask, when suddenly, her luck seems to change. Passing through, hauling a cart filled with odd mechanical pieces and the such, is a grey unicorn stallion with brown mane and tail. On his flank is a cutie mark depicting a stop watch. She's not sure of what it could mean, but judging on his cart, she can only assume he might be a watch maker or something. She shadows him for a while, to see what he might be doing. She hasn't seen him around Ponyville before. But then again, she doesn't normally pay too much attention.

Following him for a while, she soon finds that her suspicions are correct as the stallion enters into a watch shop, brining in all the mechanical pieces with him. Why else would somepony like that enter a watch shop with all that stuff. She needs to be brave here and act out. She's asked so many ponies already, where's the harm in one more? So taking in a deep breath, Chupa enters the shop. The inside is filled with all kinds of wacky and strange clocks and watches. There's a sound coming from a back room, and no one standing at the counter. However, Chupa sees a bell there, and decides to ring it for service.

A loud crash now comes from the back room, and the same grey-coated pony from before soon emerges. He wears a strange hat that has a magnifying glass attached to it and situated over his eye. As he notices the young filly, however, he removes it and trots up to the counter with a smile. Without a word, he shows her his collection of children's watches, thinking she's there to purchase something. However, she soon explains the situation to him, and how she needs to find out more about her friend Devlin.

"Devlin Speedster you say? Yeah, I met him a few times actually. When I get new parts in for my inventory, I sometimes have a hard time hauling it all to the shop in a reasonable amount of time. So he's agreed to help me on restocking days. He comes by every Saturday to help haul the new materials in. He remains quiet most of the time though. I can barely get a word out of the guy."

"Oh, well, thanks anyways then," the little filly says, defeated and crestfallen.

"Now just wait a minute little filly, I said he barely says anything. That doesn't mean he NEVER says anything. He did tell me last week, right after that horrible incident in Canterlot happened, that the destruction might have put a damper on this talent show thing he'd been preparing for. Now, I don't know what he was planning, but he had showed me this weird circular shaped whistle. It's something I'd never seen before. Alas, he wouldn't let me take it apart though."

A clue! Chupa thanks the man, and asks for his name. He tells her that his name is Clever Contraption, and invites her to come back to The Contraption Time Shop anytime. Happily walking out the door, she looks out to the sunlight blaring in the sky. She's finally found something out about Devlin and his plans for Equestria's Got Talent. It has something to do with an odd circular whistle. She had never heard of such an object before, and this isn't really a whole lot to go on. But with her persistence paying off, she can't quit now. There has to be more to learn.

In the Western sector of Ponyville, trotting quickly along the street, the former captain of the elite royal guard, Terra Lionmane, has just exited the Carousel Boutique. Unfortunately, Grace hadn't been there today, but he was met by her assistant. Unfortunately, he didn't know anything about Devlin. Vigilance is the key now though, and he cannot give up no matter what. He was the one that his friend told before leaving, and he agreed to keep it a secret from his friends until the moment they ended up finding out anyways. Of course, he has to believe that Devlin knew they would. As he continues on, searching for somepony who might know, he comes upon a flatware shop run by Silver Spoon.

Walking to the door, he finds it open so as to let a cool breeze into the shop. Instantly as he enters, Silver Spoon herself runs up to greet him, right away wishing to show him her new premium dinner set. Her mane is let down in a new style, and she dons a new pair of red glasses today. Of course, this is not why he's there, and he tells her so promptly. Explaining himself, he tells her that he's looking for information regarding Devlin Speedster, and needs it post-haste. She seems disappointed at first that he's not there to buy anything, but begins to think about the question he had posed to her.

"Devlin Speedster? I don't recognize the name, sorry."

So, without hesitation, Terra reaches into his saddlebag and pulls out a picture he has of Devlin. He has a hobby of collecting photographs of all the ponies he knows. It's an old habit from his days in the guard. It helps him keep their faces fresh in his mind. He shows the picture to Silver Spoon, and she seems to recognize him right away by appearance, telling the stallion, "Oh, of course! I know him now!"

"What can you tell me about him, ma'am?"

"Well, Devlin is a very considerate and helpful pony. He's helped customers carry out their orders all the time, and has even helped me in here with stocking and sales. One time when I had to go meet someone about a new variety of silver, he took charge of the shop for me. I came back and he had made over 800 bits in sales! Can you believe that!? I was only gone for an hour!"

"Ma'am, I understand that Devlin is a very helpful pony. Is there anything else you might be able to tell me about him. Did he mention anything about hobbies, or what he does in his free time?" Terra asks, standing firm and unmovable. His expression is stoic and unemotional. He has learned to keep focus for long periods of time, and to not let things cause him to react in any way.

"Well," she says, having to think about it for a minute, "in south Ponyville there's a mare I know who might be of help. Her name is Mad Munchkin, and she often helps out at the Ponyville Pet Center. She had mentioned something to me once about a pony fitting the description of Devlin. He never talked much to me, so I really don't know anything else myself, but I'd definitely suggest Muchkin to you."

"Thanks, I appreciate the help ma'am."

Down in southern Ponyville, Star Rider sits on the steps outside of Agelian's house. She's searched and searched and searched, but hasn't found anything. She even stopped over at the Princess Twilight Sparkle Memorial Library to see if Spike knew anything, and even he was clueless. Her research won't help her now, and she honestly doubts going to the train station or joke shop will turn up any leads. Maybe someone at the bowling alley might know something. She could see Devlin bowling from time to time.

Trying to raise her spirits, the mare climbs to her hooves and begins to head in the direction of the alley. Despite Ponyville being small in comparison to many other cities in Equestria, it's still quite large in size. So the walk takes quite a bit just to get close to the alley from her friends small home. However, she soon reaches it, only to find that it's closed due to repairs. Only one place she hasn't yet visited, the Ponyville Pet Center. She wanted to save this place as a last resort. She knows that Devlin like to help other ponies, but what about animals? Whether or not he lends a hoof there is completely up in the air for her, but there's no harm in checking anyways.

It doesn't take too much longer, and she reaches the center in no time. Unlike the bowling alley, the building is open and she enters to be met with the sounds of rowdy, wild animals barking, mewing, and growling all around. The inside of the center looks more like a zoo than an official establishment, but that's not too unexpected. It was probably Fluttershy's doing, knowing how she can be with animals. And these ones are all abandoned, lost, or just without a good home, so of course she'd do the best to make them feel comfortable since taking the center over.

At the front desk there's an intriguing looking mare that she has never seen before. A light blue coat with a faded muzzle that learns close to being white. She has long dark teal hair and pierced ears. A large plaid hat and scarf adorn her, and her cutie mark is...well...she's not quite sure what it is. She walks up to the counter and greets the unknown mare, asking if she might know somepony named Devlin Speedster, and if she does, if she can tell her anything about him.

"Devlin Speedster?" the mare asks in a thick Trottish accent, "yeah, I know 'im. He's given us a hoof here many times in the past. He's a wonder with the animals he is, very calm and relaxed. He don't even need to talk to them, and that's good as he stays quiet most of the time. It just seems like he has an instant connection with them."

"Wow, I would've never thought," Star says in surprise. She did already know that he was quiet and didn't talk a lot, but never would've imagined him as an animal lover. She wonders what else she can learn from the mare, and so Star prods further, asking if she's ever known anything else about him. At the same time, she asks the mare her name, to which she laughs out.

"Oh, the name's Mad Munchkin! I thought ya would've remembered me Star. I mean, it's been a while, but you should still at least recognize the mare who foal-sat you when you were just a little thing."

Star nearly chokes out, she can't believe it! She had completely forgotten about that time in her life. It was prior to her parents death that Mad Munchkin foal-sat her and her sister. Afterwards, they mostly spent time with Fluttershy. Of course, Grace was old enough by that point to watch her herself. Smiling, the mare once again greets her old foal-sitter with glee, now remembering all the good times they had in the past, playing games like Battleclouds and Trotopoly.

"Oh," she suddenly says, remembering why she came in the first place, "I'm sorry, but I need to find out anything I can about Devlin. Is there anything you can tell me? Did he say anything about himself to you when he volunteered here?"

"Not too much. Like I said, he was very quiet. However, one time he did come in with a fancy suit and bow tie on. Not sure what it meant, but he claimed he was practicing for something. That was...two weeks ago now. Haven't seen him back since. Guess whatever he's been practicing for has been taking up a lot of his time."

Thinking, Star knows that this is definitely something to consider here. This suit and bow tie must be relevant. If he was practicing for something, it must be important and possibly formal based on his attire. On top of that, it could be Equestria's Got Talent, considering they now know he's to be competing in that. But what was he practicing? That's the question. Thanking Munchkin for her help, Star insists that they catch up again sometime before heading out. She's one step closer now, and has to keep trying. With only two more weeks until EGT comes, they need to get all the information they possibly can.

Right back where everypony started, in Central Ponyville, Bri hops around happily. She's already met quite a few ponies who knew a lot about Devlin. She had learned by this point that he'd been seen helping Mayor Mare out at City Hall, has lent a hoof at the marketplace, and even worked a few shifts at Sugarcube Corner with the Cake family. Plus, while at the sweet shop, she even got to talk to Pound and Pumpkin for a little about their past with Pinkie Pie. It was great to hear more about the pink party pony and how she used to be. She only wonders where Pinkie could be now.

She visited the Hayburger, the book shop, Quills & Sofas, the hardware and jewelry shops, and even the Ponyville Cafe, where Star works. She's learned a lot of what Devlin's done around town, but not really too much about his personality or talents. Soon reaching the fountain in the direct center of town, she decides to take a break. Sitting down on a bench, she leans back and relaxes for a moment. She's already spent all day searching for information, and she just needs a rest now.

However, she seems to be out of luck as a sudden outcry surprises her, causing the mare to nearly fall from the bench. Not far away is a white-coated unicorn stallion with a tidy blue mane. He seems confused and almost terrified by something. Without a thought, the mare gets up and rushes over to help. In one of the stallions hooves is a carrot dog, and in the other, a picture. He seems distraught and stares at the photograph with a mortified expression on his face. So naturally, Bri asks him what's wrong and if she can help.

"Help!? Help!? This is beyond help! I got ketchup on my only photograph of her! I can't believe I ruined it!"

"Photograph of who?" Bri asks, carefully taking the picture from his hoof. As she sees it, the mare falls back. Sweat begins to build up on her forehead, and she forgets all about Devlin. Her mouth agape, and eyes widened in shock, she stares at the photo, not speaking for a good, long time. She just can't believe it. It's as if fate had brought her to meet this stallion today. Her search for information on Devlin has led to somepony who might know something about the one pony she truly wants to know about; Pinkie Pie.

Just staring at the ketchup-stained picture of the pink party pony, Bri shakes her head and looks up. The stallion is giving her an odd look, and takes back his photograph. As he begins to turn away, the mare stops him and begs him to tell her all he can, explaining that she idolizes Pinkie and is trying to find her. She describes all of her adventures and travels to him, and how she's been trying to find out as much as she can. For some reason, she even tells him about the mysterious letter, despite having promised her friends to keep it a secret. She just can't help it. She needs to know if this guy knows anything.

"I...I once dated her," he reveals, tearing up as he remembers the bitter-sweet past, "back in the good old days. We had gone out once, but then she just ran away. She didn't tell me anything, and this is the only picture I ever had of her. Now it's ruined. I miss her every day, and wish so much that she'd just return for me."

"Do you know anything? Have you found out anything about where she might have gone?"

"No, I haven't. I gave up on that a long time ago. This letter you mentioned though. You said that it said she was living in a village somewhere? Would you...would you like to find that village with me? I want so badly to find her again, and I can tell that you do too. You mentioned going on all these adventures. How about one more? I think I know where this village is."

Staring at nothing in particular, Bri thinks about it. Her friends need her help here, to find out more about Devlin. And she just can't leave on a moments notice. What if something occurs with Oblivion? But then again, this is Pinkie Pie he's talking about; the mare she's idolized all of her life. If he knows where she might be, and was a former very special somepony of hers, then this could be the one chance she has of finding her. Can she really pass this opportunity up? It's such a hard decision for somepony like her to make.

"My name is Scatter Brain by the way, nice to meet you. To tell you the truth, Miss Bri, I...I kind of lied. It's true that I haven't looked for any information on Pinkie Pie in a long time, but that's because I hired somepony to do it for me. An old friend of mine. We should be able to catch him in Trottingham if we leave right now. I'd very much like for you to meet him. His name...is Babe Chenko.

About an hour later, as the clock tower strikes six at night, everypony reunites in the center of town, right around the fountain. Star, Chupa, Terra, and Agelian all run in at around the same time, as the five of them had agreed upon earlier in the day. However, Bri is not amongst them. Of course, Star is the first to give leeway to her friend, knowing her all too well. She tells the others that she'll arrive soon, but after another hour of waiting, even she admits to the three that something isn't right here.

"Where...where could she be?" Chupa quietly asks, beginning to tear up. Star goes to comfort her, knowing that the little filly just doesn't want to lose any of her friends. Neither does she. None of them want to lose their friends, and are all worried. Bri would never be this late, something must have happened. The four of them begin to talk to each other about this, trying to figure out where the mare might have gone off to, when Devlin suddenly walks up.

"Hey everyone, is everything alright?" he asks, noticing the concern and worry on their faces. Star tells him everything that had happened. She explains how they went their separate ways to find out about him, and how when they met back up, Bri never showed. Thinking to himself, Devlin wonders why they didn't just ask him about it in the first place. He could've saved them all the trouble. But he realizes that it isn't important right now. Finding out where Bri went must be their first priority.

"Ok, we have to find her. I don't think she would've left Ponyville. Star, you said before that she never goes off on one of her adventures without telling you first, right?"

"Yeah, she'd never just leave like that. Why? Do you think she might have?" Star asks, worried even more now. Devlin shakes his head, explaining that he also believes that she wouldn't have just left town. Taking charge, he has everypony split up once again, this time in search of something far more important than a little information on a friend; the friend herself. As they go their separate ways, headed back to the different sectors of town, they're oblivious to the cloaked figure watching them not far away. A cloaked figure, with a pink coat.

Preview for Episode 10

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We are the Cutie Mark Crusaders, and for one day, we're back.

S01 E10 - CMC Mk II

The wind fiercely gusts throughout town as Ponyville's citizens rush around the streets, their lives busied with work, family, friends, and so much more. These days, things such as these are what the ponies rely on to get by. Everyday life is not what it used to be, not with the threat looming over the town. Since the arrival of the dark stars months back, things have become different for everypony. While it's true that they have moved on and continued to live their lives, they are oblivious to the many attacks made against Equestria since. The attacks that six brave ponies have  halted by themselves.

Though they might not always notice it, things are not the same as they used to be. And as she trots towards the western end of town, Spring Rise wonders if they'll ever be the same again.

Far off in the south-western fields of Sweet Apple Acres rests a large and old apple tree. Long gone is it's ability to bear fruit, it has become hardened and sturdy, standing there in reminder of the importance and age of the acres. Many long years ago a small tree house was built there, and after it had been abandoned and long forgotten about, three adventurous little fillies were given the reigns, making the little tree house into their very own Cutie Mark Crusaders clubhouse. However, even those three left it eventually, having found their cutie marks and going out into the world to accomplish their destinies.

It's been just under fifteen years since they left that clubhouse for the last time, and through their generosity, Spring and her newfound friends in class have received it. Passed down through the generations, friendships have been forged and strengthened in the very wooden tree house that the little filly now approaches. The paint had begun to fade and chip, and the boards had loosened. When first given the clubhouse by none other than Apple Bloom herself, they decided to fix it up. Majus did most of the work, seeming to have a real knack for the job. She and the other two merely helped him, and they're pleased to the brim with how it all turned out.

A new wing added to the clubhouse, and the main wing expanded upon, they have added much to it. Now painted a deep red color with black accents, the clubhouse stands there, greater than ever before. As the young filly quickly comes upon it, she remembers how she first met her three new friends thanks to the kindness of her classmate Chupa. It was shortly after she first moved to town, and it felt wonderful to be shown such love that soon. Forging friendships has helped her cope with the sudden change of scenery, having moved from the bustling city of Detrot. It's helped her get through it all, and not only accept it all, but embrace it with open hooves.

Climbing the stairs, she reaches the main door of the clubhouse, pulling it open with excitement and enthusiasm. A bright smile spreads across the whole of her face as she enters, greeting her three friends who had already been there for an hour or so by this point. Gumdrop and Honeysuckle are seated at the makeover mirror, braiding each others hair, giggling to themselves, when they notice Spring come in. They turn and wave with wide smiles, excited that their friend had finally made it. Majus sits in the book nook, reading a copy of Daring Doo and the Temple of the Octivael that Spike had donated to the clubhouse from the Princess Twilight Sparkle Memorial Library.

While Gumdrop and Honeysuckle as quite outgoing, it seems that Majus is the dark horse of the group. Constantly brooding, he remains quiet the majority of the time and prefers to read or do things on his own. It had originally confused Spring as to why he was even in the group. However, things had soon been brought to light when Honeysuckle told her how they had saved Majus from being beaten down by a bully named Rough Knut. He had been hanging out with them ever since, and though he acts all tough and quiet, he really does appreciate and care for his friends.

"Well everypony! It's time to begin the first meeting of the new CMC-Mk II!" Spring shouts out with glee, excited to begin this new venture. It was an idea of Apple Bloom's when she donated the clubhouse to them. Since all four of them have yet to discover their special talents and earn their cutie marks, she explained to them what the Cutie Mark Crusaders once were, and how they could be the new generation of them, questing and crusading to find their destinies in this world. Naturally they were all excited to do this, and when they rebuilt the clubhouse, they made it perfect for being the headquarters of the Cutie Mark Crusaders Mark 2.

Gumdrop and Honeysuckle finish their braiding and trot over with giggles, taking a seat in the meeting area of the clubhouse. Majus closes his book and walks over as well, seeming more curious than excited, though a smile is still shown on his face. At the forefront, standing upon soap boxes behind a tall stand, is Spring Rise, who has been voted upon to lead the meetings. She wears a special red and gold silk cape, crafted by former CMC member and famous singer, Sweetie Belle, at her late sister's old business Carasoul Boutique, and modeled after similar capes worn by her and the other original CMC's years back. In her hoof is three more capes, which she proceeds to pass out to her friends.

"With the passing of the capes, I declare the first meeting of the Cutie Mark Crusaders Mark 2 officially open!" Spring yells out excitedly, causing Gumdrop and Honeysuckle to cheer out. Majus smirks a little as he ties his cape to his back, but says nothing more. "The torch has been passed and it's time we do whatever we can to find our cutie marks! Does anypony have any ideas?"

Silence fills the clubhouse for what seems like the longest time, and only the faint chirping of birds outside can be heard. It then shocks the other three as Majus stands to his hooves and is the first of them to speak up. His voice, which they have barely heard up to this point, is high-pitched and friendly, despite his dark and brooding personality. He smiles gently as he tells them, "I have an idea, if you're interested."

"What is it!?" Gumdrop shrieks out, her voice reaching an octave she had not expected. Instantly her hooves pop up to her mouth and she blushes in embarrassment. The others laugh, even Majus, which seems to break the tension that had filled the air following the sudden speaking of the gloomy little colt.

"Well, it's not my idea really, but it's their ideas; the original Cutie Mark Crusaders. Maybe we should think about the stories we've heard of things they did to try and get their cutie marks and go from there."

"Great Scott! That's a glorious idea!" Honeysuckle laughs in her thick Trottingham accent, "I bloody love it! But where should we start? There's a lot to work from."

The four of them spend the next two hours sharing stories with each other regarding the three ponies who at one time long ago had used this same clubhouse for their own meetings. Spring is the first to share hers, talking about how the CMC once went around town to ask their friends how they got their cutie marks. Majus follows it up with a memory of how he once heard that the three of them tried various different methods like hang gliding and even rocking out on stage during a Ponyville School Talent Show. Gumdrop goes next and reveals that her parents have told her about the CMC's adventures into the Everfree Forest long ago, where they attempted to find and rescue Miss Fluttershy's missing pet chicken, ending up coming across a dreaded cockatrice instead.

The final of the four friends stands now and replaces her excitable little friend at the stand, speaking out now as well. Smiling, Honeysuckle looks at them. She's had the perfect story this entire time, told to her weeks ago by Apple Bloom herself back when they first secured the clubhouse for themselves. She begins to tell them of the one time when the CMC members went out to try and earn their cutie marks through helping out everypony that they could in town. They helped Mr. Breezy fix some fans, cleaned the schoolhouse for Miss Cheerilee, bucked some apple trees with Applejack and Big MacIntosh, studied some classic literature with Princess Twilight Sparkle, and even ended up critter sitting the pets of their friends and families for Spike. All of that in the same day.

"We should really thank Miss Apple Bloom for letting us use this clubhouse," Gumdrop cheerfully tells the others, "and for lending us the materials we needed to fix it up! This has been a great thinking session and will definitely help us get some ideas down!"

"Yeah, we should definitely do that," Spring replies as the others nod their heads in agreement. She has never even met any of the original CMCs. With Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle off being famous, and since she was sick when her friends had gone to Apple Bloom to see about using the clubhouse, not once has she ever seen them outside of pictures. She knows that there are three of them in Ponyville, and others around Equestria in the Cutie Mark Crusaders branches, such as the one in Manehattan started by Apple Bloom's cousin Babs Seed. So without a second of hesitation, she tells her friends that she'll go to Sweet Apple Acres and meet with the owner to thank her and maybe find out a bit more. Her friends agree to let her and, for now, continue to discuss their ideas and plans.

Many hours pass by them, and the bright sun begins to lower behind the horizon, darkening the evening sky. Spring smiles as she heads out of the clubhouse, feeling that it's best to visit the farm around this time. Most of the work around Sweet Apple Acres should be finished by this point, so it wouldn't be as big an intrusion and interruption to go and meet Apple Bloom now. She knows the way, as there's a small path that leads in two directions branching out from the clubhouse. She knows that the one way goes towards the town, and the other heads to the main house on the farm, based on what she's been told by her friends.

The narrow road is encapsulated on both sides by towering apple trees. She's entered the south orchard, meaning that the main house has to be a short bit ahead. The young filly shyly passes by them. However, with the waning light, she can barely see her own hoof in front of her face. Being in an unlighted area, this is darker than dark for her, and the path becomes less and less visible with every passing second. Fear begins to eclipse her, and she notices that she's no longer on the path as she bumps into a tree. Exactly how long she's been off isn’t something she’s quite sure of, and the terror she's now feeling causes her a sensation of vertigo.

The filly falls to the ground with a plop, beginning to cry loudly as she no longer knows what to do. She's cold, lost, and alone. All she wanted to do was meet Apple Bloom and thank her for everything she did to help her and her friends. Maybe get some advice on finding her cutie mark. She never wanted this sorrow and fear. As she sits there sobbing uncontrollably to herself, a light suddenly shines towards her, seeming to split the very trees around. It's the light from a flashlight, and while not too bright, it certainly shows her the way to go. Getting back up, she gallops in the direction, tear-filled eyes closed to avoid looking directly in it. That's when she hits the pony carrying the light dead on, falling down to the ground below. Looking up, Spring is able to make out the form of a mare in the small bit of light. She has a brown coat with three seeds on the flank. Her hair is pink and hangs down on the side of her head. Her eyes are bright green, with freckles resting beneath them. A flashlight sits in her mouth, and as she looks down at the filly in curiosity, her head cocks to the side.

She motions for Spring to follow her, and the two head in the opposite direction, dodging tress to each side as they trot along. She makes sure to not let this mysterious mare out of her sight, knowing that if she does she could get lost again. So she sticks by her side, glancing up at her every so often. She looks familiar, but at the same time, she can't place why. This isn't a pony she's seen around before, but something about her is just well-known to her. The two walk on until they reach a clearing. Lit up with oil lamps and other lights set about, the large path of land before her is amazing. Tractors and cornfields around, a pig pen and a couple barns, even the main house that she had been searching for.

The mare leads her to the house and tells her quickly that Apple Bloom will help her. She then trots off to continue what Spring can only assume is guard duty. Knocking politely, not roughly, on the door, she waits for a moment. Voices come from inside, and a loud crash is heard. A moment later the door opens. Before Spring stands the pony she's been waiting to see. Light yellow coat emblazoned with an apple being cut by a saw. Her mane and tail are both a brilliant red color, the former of which is styled down with a bow near the bottom. A bow also rests near the bottom of her tail. Both are small, but fashionable. She wears a cowboy hat and a green ascot.

"Why, hello there," she says in a thick southern accent, "what can I do for ya?"

"Um...Miss Apple Bloom?"

"Yes, that's me."

"My name is Spring Rise, and I'm one of the new Cutie Mark Crusaders with my friends. I wanted to come to thank you for giving us the clubhouse, and for all the help you gave in helping us get it fixed up."

"Well why didn't ya say so!? Come on in, we're having pie!"

Following the friendly mare into the house, the little filly is astounded by the look of it all. It seems to be completely made of wood and decorated with various apple-related decorations. Pictures hang on the walls showing a large family of ponies, but it's the one that shows only five that interests her. She spots the filly Apple Bloom in the photograph right away, but the others...there's a large red stallion, an orange coated and blonde maned mare, an elderly green mare, and a pink mare with wild hair. Is this the Apple Family she heard so much about? Big MacIntosh, Applejack, Granny Smith, and Pinkie Pie? They look so happy. It's hard to believe that only one of them are still there.

The young filly continues to follow Apple Bloom into the large, homely dining room. When they arrive, Spring sees an older mare cleaning up a broken dish from the wooden floor. That explains the crash that she had heard before.

Now that she gets a good look at this pony, she reminds her so much of the one she saw outside; the one who helped her get here after she had gotten lost. However, this pony's coat is of a lighter shade, and her hair is styled differently. She too has seeds on her flank, but these ones are cracked open. Could this be who she thinks it is? Could this possibly be Sunflower Seed? If that's so, then she can only assume that the mare outside must be her younger sister Babs. She ponders this as she takes a seat at the table, offered to her by the owner of the acres. She then looks up and sees everypony else smiling over at her.

"Let me introduce ya to mah family," Apple Bloom cheerfully says, pointing right away to the pony that Spring had just previously noticed. She confirms her suspicions as she introduces her as Sunflower Seed. The mare then proceeds to go around the table, introducing the rest of the Apple Family currently living at the farm; Apple Tart, Candy Apple, Hard Cider, and even her husband Fuji.

The little pony smiles at them all, saying her hellos to the entire family. They all seem so friendly and welcoming, unlike most of the other families in Ponyville. Well, more so than the other ones at least; much more so. It's almost as if they've accepted her as one of them with a simple glance and introduction. Turning back to Apple Bloom, Spring asks her if she can, well, ask her something. The mare begins to laugh, assuring the filly that she can ask her anything that she wants.

"Um...how can my friends and I get our cutie marks? Could you maybe give us some advice?"

"Well mah friend, me and the other crusaders...wait, I got an idea! How about ya come back here tomorrow? I've got the perfect idea to tell ya all about it! But we can talk about that then, and when we're done tonight, Babs can take ya home. For now though, let's have some pie!"

Spring wakes up early the next morning, excited to be able to learn what she can from Apple Bloom. She wonders though why she couldn't have told her last night. Maybe she's going to put her to work on the farm. Or maybe she wants to spend the entire day telling stories of different things she's tried in the past. The thrill of it all is overwhelming! So barely doing anything to prepare, the young filly rushes off from her house, heading in the direction of west Ponyville and Sweet Apple Acres.

Last night, after pie, Babs Seed had indeed brought her back. They first went to the clubhouse to round up the others, and then were dropped off one by one at their homes. She remembers when they got to the clubhouse, and how she told her friends about what had happened. They were just as excited as her, but Majus had suggested that this be something for Spring to do alone. He told them that Apple Bloom probably wouldn't be expecting them all, and this is something planned between her and Spring. Gumdrop and Honeysuckle weren't as enthusiastic about the idea, but agreed to it nonetheless. So Spring decided to leave this morning without telling them anything, so that they wouldn't become jealous and possibly change their minds. To be honest, this is something she wants to do alone. She wants to be able to spend some time with the hard-working mare, by herself.

She arrives at the acres in short time, her trot turning into a run. She's so excited that she just can't hold it back. Her mind is racing fast enough to create a double rainboom! Galloping towards the main barn, where she was told to meet the farm mare at, Spring thinks of what she's going to be able to tell her friends after this. She stops as she reaches the door, opening it cautiously. Though she is full of energy, she doesn't want to just barge in screaming in enthusiasm. She peeks inside to find, surprisingly enough, a party going on. Music and dancing and balloons everywhere. However, the party is not the most surprising thing about it all, for right there before her stands five mares smiling down.

Apple Bloom walks up and welcomes the little filly before turning to introduce her friends; the friends she had made when she herself was just a little filly; the friends who joined her in countless adventures in trying to find their cutie marks. The first introduced steps forward, glimmering ivory coat and emerald eyes. Her pink and purple hair is styled elegantly, and she proudly shows the young pony the musical note on her flank. Sweetie Belle, the world famous singer, is really here in front of her.

The second of them steps forward. It's the same pony she had met yesterday before Apple Bloom. Now wearing a Cutie Mark Crusaders cape, Babs Seed grins and pats the filly on the head. Beside her stands an orange-coated pony with beautiful wings and a cool-looking purple mane. She wears a pair of rainbow-colored flight goggles on her forehead, and her Wonderbolts racing suit. Captain Scootaloo smirks and welcomes Spring Rise to the party, inviting her to have some punch and maybe a cupcake or two.

The last of the mares is one that she had not expected. A faded, grey-ish purple coat and blonde mane, Dinky Hooves trots up as well, having been dancing up until this point. She had heard that Dinky is going to get married soon to Chupa's friend Agelian. Out of these, she's also the only one Spring has met previously. The bubbly mare owns a muffin shop in town that Spring and her friends frequent. Stepping forward, Dinky greets the filly and pulls a blueberry muffin out of seemingly nowhere, passing it over to Spring.

"What are you all doing here?" the filly asks them all, her gaze focusing on Apple Bloom in a quizzical way.

"I told you that it'd be perfect! When you left last night, I called up the former members of the CMC to come here for a party today. Told 'em that ya wanted to know more about cutie marks and maybe get some advice. I thought it best for ya to hear it from all of us."

"But...I didn't know you were a Cutie Mark Crusader, Dinky," she says, looking to the mare who's begun to devour down a lemon surprise muffin.

"I joined only a year before we all got our cutie marks," the mare explains, voice muffled by the food stuffed in her mouth. She swallows the muffin and grins widely, adding, "I stayed friends with everypony after though. We had a lot of fun together."

"We sure did," Sweetie laughs, "all those crazy things we did. Honestly it kind of seems stupid now. Some of the ways we tried to get these cutie marks were definitely way off. We all grew up the best of friends though. When I heard that you wanted some help, I couldn't say no."

"Me neither," Scootaloo says with a smirk towards the filly, "practice can wait. I'm already awesome anyways, so one day off won't hurt."

Laughing, Apple Bloom places a hoof on Spring's shoulder and adds, "We wanted to all get together and help you. We thought that maybe you'd like to hear the stories of how we got our cutie marks, and how all of our efforts up until that point had been in vain, but was well worth the adventure."

Nodding her head a thousands miles a second, Spring smiles as wide as she can. She can't believe this is happening. Getting to hear stories from the entirety of the legendary Cutie Mark Crusaders on how they discovered their special talents and earned their cutie marks is just amazing! It's something any filly or colt waiting for their own would dream of. She takes the muffin that Dinky had given her, and grabs a cup of punch as well before taking a seat at a circular table. The CMC do the same, and begin to tell their stories.

Apple Bloom decides the order for them all, deciding that she'll go first, followed by Dinky, Scootaloo, Babs, then Sweetie Belle. She asks Spring if that's alright to her, but to be honest, the little filly doesn't mind what order they go in. She just wants to hear the stories either way. She nods anyways though, and smiles more than ever as the farm pony begins.

"It happened almost fifteen years ago now," she begins. Her smile seems to fade suddenly, and she tears up as bad memories are brought to the forefront of her mind for the first time in a long time, "it was after mah sister and brother had died. I'm sure ya probably heard, but Applejack was killed by a falling tree, and my brother...my brother..."

The others all go over to their friend and wrap their hooves around her, hugging the sorrowful mare as she tells Spring that her brother committed suicide because of her sister's death. It takes a minute or so for her to get a good cry out and be good enough to continue. Wiping the tears from her eyes, she breaths in and says, "It was so hard for me. The only pony I had left was Granny Smith. Babs lived in Manehattan at the time, and there wasn't really anypony else. With the constant bullying I received from Diamond Tiara, and now this, I attempted to take mah life as well. Luckily, Granny Smith was there to stop me."

"I was just so depressed, and because of it I needed something to take mah mind off of the pain. I began to work more around the farm, doing everything that mah siblings used to. I bucked the apple trees, I fixed up whatever needed it, and I pushed mahself to mah limits. Granny Smith didn't want me forcing mahself into doing all of that though, so she called in members of the Apple Family from around Equestria to help instead. I insisted to at least take Big Mac's place. For some reason, I had really begun to enjoy the hard work and manual labor. It was hard of course, but I always felt accomplished afterwards."

"Soon the other members of the family had begun to arrive at the farm, ready to help take care of the apple bucking and other jobs. I spent mah days fixing things around the farm, building barns, and so much more. It had become much more than just an escape for me, it became a passion. I absolutely loved doing it, and as Granny Smith had always told me, I did it very well. It kind of reminded me of when Applejack first gave the clubhouse to Sweetie, Scoots, and I. We all had our jobs to do, and I decided to fix it up. AJ told me that I did an amazing job."

"I begun to have a sneaking suspicion that this might be my talent, but I wasn't quite sure about it yet. Soon enough, both Sweetie and Scootaloo earned their cutie marks, and I felt left out. I even got angry, wondering why they got their special talents and I didn't. I resented my own friends, and it hurt me inside. But, then I suddenly understood. One day, while I was repairing the collapsed roof of the main barn, I realized what I had been denying about mahself this entire time. This hard work was what I was meant to do. The manual labor was mah ambition and passion, and mah destiny. I then watched as the image of a saw cutting an apple in half appeared on mah flank."

"Heh, I nearly fell off the roof I was so excited. I went and showed my friends at once, as well as nearly everypony else in Ponyville. I hate to say it, but Applejack and Big Mac's deaths led to me finding out mah destiny. If things hadn't happened like they did, then I probably wouldn't be where I am now. So I decided to live like they would have wanted. Granny Smith soon passed, and I took charge of the farm. It became mah life's passion to make sure that Sweet Apple Acres kept being as good as ever, if not better."

Spring looks at the mare in shock and awe. Such an amazing, wonderful, heart-warming story. She can't believe that she went through all of that and bounced back. Sweet Apple Acres is a staple of life in Ponyville, more so than any other time in history. And considering Ponyville was started with the farm, that's saying something. Apple Bloom took a seemingly hopeless situation and turned it around into a huge success. Dinky is the next to tell her story, explaining to the filly that she got her cutie mark while she was with her mother, Derpy Hooves.

She notes that it was bring your child to work day, and that she was helping her mother with the mail delivery. She had discovered through helping her, and making the citizens of Ponyville happy, that her special talent was bringing a shining joy to others. Her cutie mark appeared, three sparkles, representing her shining personality that reaches out to anypony who might need it. Just like with Apple Bloom, it's a wonderful story, but doesn't quite capture the oomph that the former did. She thanks Dinky anyways, knowing that everything helps.

"My turn then," Scootaloo laughs out. However, just like Apple Bloom did before, her smile quickly and suddenly fades, and she quietly repeats to herself, "my...turn then..."

Spring sits there, looking at the Wonderbolts Captain with excitement. The mare doesn't seem to hold the same enthusiasm however, and swallows hard before beginning, "I was a huge fan of Rainbow Dash, the Wonderbolts Captain before me. She's...she's a legend here in Ponyville, a true hero of her time. She worked harder than anypony else to achieve her goals, and remained loyal to those she loved. Well, she achieved her goal and became a Wonderbolt, and when Spitfire retired, she assigned Dash to take her place."

"I was so excited for her. I idolized Dash, heh, she was the best pony that ever lived. When she died, it devastated me. I heard the news quickly. She had been in a routine training exercise with the Wonderbolts. She hadn't been herself since the incidents with her friends had begun, and she was sinking into depression. A tornado had appeared on the course she was training on, and she flew headfirst into it. She must have given up on life, because I know she could've bested that tornado if she had tried. But instead she was thrown onto a weather rod. The impalement wasn't a quick death. She suffered..."

It seems to come out of nowhere. Right in the middle of her words, Scootaloo breaks down. Crying harder than Apple Bloom had, she loses it right there. Spring can understand that this must be hard for them to relive such painful memories. She's worried with how Sweetie Belle will be. She's heard how close Sweetie and her sister were. The bawling goes on for what seems like forever until Scootaloo is finally able to regain her composure. She apologizes to the filly, and continues.

"I stayed in my room for a long time after that, not even leaving to eat. I just didn't want to believe that somepony as cool as Rainbow Dash could be dead. Eventually I had to leave. Rainbow's will was to be read, and I was told that I was in it. So I went down to the funeral home for the reading, and what she left me changed my life. Her will said 'to my apprentice and friend Scootaloo, the little filly who always cheered me on and never gave up on me, even when I had, I leave my Wonderbolts goggles and racing suit in hopes that one day her wings will take her to new heights and allow her to soar into her dreams'. The same rainbow colored goggles and Wonderbolts racing suit that I'm wearing right now once belonged to my hero, and she had given them to me."

"That very day, I went out to Winsome Falls. It was where Rainbow had agreed to take me under her wing, and where she let me feel what flight felt like for the first time. I spread my wings, and forgot all the pain. I left behind all my worries and sorrows, and before I knew it, I had risen. My hooves left the ground and I had begun to fly for the first time in my life. I cried so hard, and flew even harder. I had to go fast, for Dash. I decided right then and there that my life's goal would be to make my hero proud, and become a Wonderbolt like her. That's when my cutie mark appeared, representing my never-ending determination to go fast and always exceed my limits."

Wow, and she had thought that Apple Bloom's story was powerful. Scootaloo had not only overcome her sorrow and pain, but she overcame her very inability to fly in order to make her idol and mentor proud. She changed her own destiny because of one bad event. Spring never even knew that one could change their destiny. It's amazing what ponies can do when they're determined enough. Babs is the next to give her story, telling the filly how she got her cutie mark when she returned to Ponyville.

She had come with her sister to help out on the farm after Applejack and Big Mac's deaths, as Apple Bloom had noted in her story. She and her sister were two of the ponies assigned to apple bucking, but she was also given the task of harvesting the seeds and replanting them. She would take care of the planted seed and help them grow into full trees, though none have become fully grown even by this time. She discovered that she had a love for helping grow plants and trees, and because of it she got her cutie mark. Just like Dinky's, it was a good story, but wasn't as amazing as either Apple Bloom's or Scootaloo's. Now it's finally time to hear how Sweetie Belle got her cutie mark.

"Well," the ivory pony says, beginning right away, "you can probably guess by now, but I also got my cutie mark after my sister's death. Scootaloo was the first of us to get her cutie mark, but I came soon after."

It's surprising to Spring that Sweetie hasn't begun to cry. Tears form in her eyes, but she isn't showing the kind of pain like her friends had. That's when she understands. She's not holding her emotions in, but rather she must have learned to deal with them more than the other two have. Sweetie soon confirms this as she adds, "I had begun as an apprentice to my sister at the Carasoul Boutique, and so even after her death I worked there with Grace Storm. I was around memories of Rarity every day, and I eventually learned something. Yes, it was horrible what happened. My own sister, mauled by a beast in the Everfree Forest while she was just trying to collect some silk. But at the same time, I remembered something that she had told me once."

"Sweetie Belle, she told me, when pain and misery fills your heart, when all hope seems lost, don't let it control your life. You must control it, and overcome it. She told me this only days before she died. She must have been feeling the same kind of pain from losing her friends. I listened to her wise words and overcame my sorrow. I didn't get rid of it, I was still sad, but I didn't let it control my life.”

"I began to work more and more in the boutique, and even thought that it might be what I was meant to do. However, Grace caught me singing one day. She thought I sounded beautiful. I had only ever sung for myself before. I had never even considered doing so as more than just for fun, aside from a talent show, but that didn't go too well." Scootaloo and Apple Bloom both laugh at the memory of that one time. Spring laughs too, trying to imagine it.

"Well, she convinced me into trying out for another. I reluctantly signed up, and I won it. I couldn't believe it. Something I had always just done for fun became a hobby. That hobby soon became an interest, and that interest became a passion. I loved singing, and so I went to Fluttershy. With both my sister and Big Mac gone, the Ponytones had split up. Fluttershy had been a member, and so I wanted to get her advice on it. She helped me to understand that sometimes singing in front of others can be a scary thing, but that sometimes we need to conquer our fears. It was the last thing she had said to anypony before going into seclusion, and I took it to heart."

"I began to work hard on my singing, and with the help of Mayor Mare and my friends here, I put on a concert for Ponyville. I...I had written a song in honor of my sister. I called it, Love is a Rarity. I was nervous beyond reason, and was sweating bullets when I stepped up onto the stage. I began to sing, and when I finished, the cheering and applause was deafening. I cried tears of joy, I had found my calling. My cutie mark appeared right then, a musical note. That's when I knew that music was my destiny, and that my love for Rarity had kickstarted what would become a dream come true."

The little filly sits there in disbelief. These five amazing stories have taught her so much. Love and loss, dreams and passion. From Apple Bloom whose destiny was discovered through necessity and the attempt to overcome the pain of losing loved ones, to Scootaloo who was left a meaningful gift that propelled her to achieve her dreams and overcome the greatest of obstacles. Sweetie Belle stayed strong in the midst of heart-wrenching pain and fell in love with the one thing she had always done. Babs, Dinky, all of them. They have given her so much to work with here, and she realizes now that one day, she too will discover her talent.

Whether it be from working with family, through a necessary loss, or from helpful advice, she will discover what makes her special. She and her friends wanted to know how to get their cutie marks, and now she knows exactly what she's going to tell them. Sometimes you can't rush things. You have to live life and let it come to you. When the time is right, you will reach your goals, and everything will eventually make sense. Life is about the experiences you have in the meantime, and how well you live, and love, for those around you.

Thanking the former members of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, the little filly excuses herself, wishing to head out and tell her friends everything that she's learned. However, the barn door suddenly opens, and the three little foals enter. Spring looks at them in surprise, and puts together quickly that they must have been listening in the entire time. Tears are in their eyes, and they smile over at what they had heard through their peeping. Majus steps forward and right up to Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle. He's crying harder than the others as he asks them how they've been able to deal with it all.

"My parents died when the dark stars came," he says through his sobbing, "they were crushed when the Hay and Stay Hotel exploded. I've been living in the Ponyville Orphanage ever since."

He then looks to his friends and adds, "That's why I've seemed so distant and quiet around you all. I didn't know how to deal with it, so I locked my feelings up inside. Being included in your group felt so good. To be accepted just like that made me feel happy again."

"Listen, sometimes we all go through horrible things,” Sweetie tells the young colt, “Our sisters never got to see our talents bloom, but do you know who did? Our friends and those who care about us. We've made friendships that will last through the generations, and because of it, even in the hard times, we will never be alone. Embrace your friends, and let them embrace you back," Sweetie tells the young colt.  She smiles as she hugs him tightly. Honeysuckle, Gumdrop, and Spring join in and show him how much they do truly care for him. Apple Bloom tells them all that there's nothing wrong with searching for your talents, but that in the end, you have to be patient.

The four children smile and laugh together as they thank the Cutie Mark Crusaders for helping them understand things a little better. Apple Bloom smiles back when suddenly, the door to the barn bursts open once again. This time, there are four adult ponies and one filly standing there, serious looks on their faces. Star Rider, Chupa Cabra, Agelian Wingblade, Terra Lionmane, and Devlin Speedster all look in, worried expressions etched upon their faces. Star then sees the fillies standing there, looking at them, and nearly freaks out. She runs up to Honeysuckle and hugs her tightly. The filly seems unsure of how to react, and begins to hug Star back. However, the mare releases and looks over at Apple Bloom and the others.

"I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry! I didn't mean for this to happen, I don't even know how or when it happened!" she cries out as her friends come in to try and comfort her. However, the dark blue mare just shrugs them all off and hugs Honeysuckle again. None of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, old or new, understand what's going on, but then, Star continues, saying something that etches fear into the little orange pony's heart, "Honeysuckle, your big sister...your sister Bri she's...she's missing! We can't find her anywhere! She just disappeared!"

Preview for Episode 11

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“Star, Agelian, please stop fighting!” They aren’t listening to me. Why aren’t they listening to me? They just keep blaming each other for Bri’s disappearance. Why can’t I just bring them peace?

S01 E11 - The Element of Peace

"Good morning Mr. Greenhooves," Chupa Cabra cheerfully says, greeting the whistling gardener as she trots into the Ponyville Greenhouse, a light spring in her step and lovely song in the core of her voice. She's more than ready to begin to get to work, having become an apprentice to the elderly pony. Since she began working with him many months ago, he has taught her so much about caring for plant life, and every moment of it has been unending joy for the filly. Lately though, times have become hard for her. With her friends having become so distant and quiet, only the flora have been there for her on a regular basis. Even Mr. Greenhooves hasn't been around as much, his health declining in his old age.

All of the plants seem to react to her arrival, gently swaying back and forth in the light breeze from the open door before she promptly shuts it and approaches them with a wide smile. On her back rests a large saddlebag, filled with all of the gear that she'll need for the day's work. She has a bright blue watering can, a shiny pair of shears to trim and prune the plants, packets of seeds so that she can begin planting new flora for the first time, a small hoof-sized spade, and so much more. Her entire allowance from the past couple of weeks gone, but put towards a very valuable use for her. She doesn't regret the spending of one bit.

Seated in his rocking chair beside a potted oak tree sapling, the weak-looking Mr. Greenhooves smiles and waves at the filly, then returns his focus to the little plant, quietly continuing to recite his favorite poetry to it. It's his favorite poem, The Black Rose by Alder Ellen Roe, and is about the plant life of the exotic and dangerous Everfree Forest. Chupa prefers Marigold's classic about the Equestrian Rainforest, as it's always been her dream to go there. Mr. Greenhooves has even said that when he retires and leaves her the greenhouse, he plans to take a vacation at the rainforest, and maybe even take her with him.

She can understand how much this all means to him; the plants, the gentle lifestyle, the overall sensation of joy with how things have turned out. Some ponies may trot by and tease or taunt the elderly stallion for the way he acts towards plant life, but she is on his side. These unorthodox methods truly do work wonders. She's seen it happen first hoof, and can attest to almost anything Mr. Greenhooves claims. A lot of plants respond to music, others to poetry, and still some of them react best when simply given positive feedback on their growth. Sometimes they just need a good compliment to get them going.

She gleefully trots over to the long, thick table on which a set of potted dandelions sit, at which point, after pulling out her newly purchased gear, she grabs the watering hose. Filling up her watering can, Chupa then begins to carefully pour the contents into the soil of the pots, evenly divided amongst them all. She finishes quickly, and then she pulls up a stool, taking a seat beside the flora as her mentor has. A deep breath escapes her as she thinks about how the past week has been so hard for her.

Ever since Bri had suddenly and mysteriously disappeared, her friends have grown more and more apart. It's reached the point where the five of them hardly ever speak to each other anymore. It's almost as if they all blame themselves for what happened, as if it's somehow their fault. Star is the only one of them that has even thought about looking at things in a non-depressive way, and her muzzle is so stuffed in her books that nopony can even get her attention.

"I think I know what might have happened," she quietly tells the dandelions, not wishing to be overheard by anypony, especially Mr. Greenhooves. It's doubtful that he'd do anything if he heard, but she knows that Oblivion has the ability to take control of ponies, so she can never be too safe these days. She hasn't even told her sister everything. "That Babe Chenko pony, the one who gave Agelian the letter for Bri, the one about Pinkie Pie. I think that he's somehow behind all of this. Maybe Bri had left with him, or just went out on her own to investigate his claims. It did say in the letter that she had been in some village. Maybe Bri went to find it."

The flora remain silent, doing nothing but sitting there and listening, which is comforting to the small pony. They don't try to refute her ideas, or argue against the validity of her logic, or even tell her that she's just trying to make mountains out of molehills. They do nothing but listen, and it's good to have that every once in a while. However, the question still does remain as to whether she's right or not. Would Bri really have just left like that? She hadn't even told her parents, or her little sister Honeysuckle. She didn't tell Star either. She never goes off somewhere without telling them about it. She's never been one to cause others worry, not with the immense love she has for everypony.

She continues to vent to the dandelions, hoping deep in her subconscious that doing so will make her feel better, even if just by the smallest amount, when suddenly, the door to the greenhouse bursts open. The filly looks over to see that it had been pushed open by a small brown bunny. Climbing down from her stool, Chupa walks up to the adorable little animal and notices that it has a letter in it's mouth. Taking it, she thanks the rabbit who then hops away. She recognizes the envelope holding the note, as it has three butterflies marking the corner. So she knows who it's from before even opening it, but she does anyways, and reads aloud.

"Dear Chupa, if you are free today, could you stop by the cottage at some point? I have something I would like to ask you. Sincerely, Fluttershy."

She's been to Fluttershy's cottage before, but never without her friends. It's an honor for a former bearer of an Element of Harmony to invite her over. She only wonders what it could be that Fluttershy wants to ask her about. She's more into animals than plants, so it's very unlikely that it'd be about that. And on that note, she knows very little about animals, so why would Fluttershy invite her over for that? There's got to be some reason though, and whatever it is, it must be important to some degree.

For the time being, however, she must finish up her work at the greenhouse, not forsaking it for the pleasure of joining such an amazing pony at her cottage. After all, Fluttershy had said in her letter to visit at some point. So she knows that she doesn't have to rush over, and is able to finish her responsibilities first. She finishes with the dandelions and moves on to the bonsai trees, which she prunes delicately and waters conservatively to make sure they're properly cared for. She trims the thorns of the roses, and the hedges lining the glass walls. The tulips are watered and the dragon lily seeds are properly planted.

Within no more than an hour or two, the young filly has finished her important jobs, leaving her with free time in which she usually sings or reads to the plant life. Today though, she has a new goal in mind, and bids Mr. Greenhooves farewell as she packs her things, heading out towards the eastern end of town, where Fluttershy's cottage lay. She greets many of the ponies she knows as she trots down the road. Young ponies from school, as well as those met through her time living in Ponyville.

So many new friends she had made, so many who care for her and are willing to help her when she needs it. However, the best of them are now locked in turmoil and sorrow, and although it hurts her to see her friends drifting apart at a time like this, she can't help but understand. She's going through the pain as well, her sadness over the disappearance of Bri aches in her heart as much as almost anypony else. Bri was the one pony in their little group that she got along with the most. While Star was always too serious, Agellian was too rowdy, Devlin was an enigma, and Terra was just always so tough and hardened. Bri was the only one light-hearted and free-spirited enough to take each day on with a smile.

Now she's gone, just mysteriously gone without the slightest bit of explanation. Anypony could easily come up with their own reasons for her disappearance, but few may ever know the truth, if they were correct or not. She wants to know, however. She wants the truth to be revealed to her and her friends, so that this horrible weight can be lifted off of their shoulders. So that they can once again be happy. But until that day comes, if that day ever comes, she will have to soldier on and be brave and strong. Her friends have all but given up, and she feels like she's the only one truly searching for answers by this point.

Shaking the sorrowful thoughts from her head, Chupa arrives at the cottage. It's a beautiful day, bright and sunny with barely a cloud in the sky. Just ahead, she can see Fluttershy standing there in the garden, talking to two animals that she can make out to be a beaver and the same bunny from earlier; or at least one that looks like it. However, as she gets closer, she can hear the conversation and quickly realizes that the yellow-coated pegasus isn't just merely talking to the two animals, she's mediating a fight between them. For some reason, for which Chupa doesn't know, the two animals have apparently been locked in vicious brawling. She can start to see claw marks, ruffled fur, and even blood as she gets closer. And in the middle of them is Fluttershy, trying to fix things.

"Now listen you two, there is no reason to be hurting each other like this! You both have families to care for and should not be setting bad examples for them. And Mr. Cottontail, you should know better than to steal Mr. Beaverton's food. He worked hard to get that for his family, and you should be doing the same, not taking what isn't yours. Mr. Beaverton, you shouldn't attack him because of it. Use your words. Now apologize, both of you, or you'll give me no choice but to use my stare on you!"

The two small animals show expressions of worry and fear as the pony looks down on them with a surprising level of anger. They then turn to each other and apologize in their own languages. A smile spreads across Fluttershy's face as the two then go their separate ways, Mr. Beaverton taking with him the food that had previously been stolen from him by Mr. Cottontail. Chupa just stands there in their wake, surprised and in amazement at how Fluttershy had handled the situation. Not to say that she's a pushover, but she's never known Fluttershy to be that direct towards anything. She's never seen her get angry before, or be as rough as she was. Then again, she's never seen her in this kind of situation before either.

Looking over, Fluttershy suddenly notices Chupa being there and smiles. The little filly begins to cautiously walk over, and in response the adult mare's mood does a 180, sending welcoming intentions out towards her little friend. As Chupa approaches, she asks the mare how she did that, and Fluttershy replies with a reddening face, "I learned a long time ago from a friend named Seabreeze that sometimes I have to be firm to get the message across. These two wouldn't listen to me when I was just being nice, and their fighting was getting out of hand. I had to be firm or it would have just gotten worse. But enough about that, I'm glad you were able to make it, and was just wondering if you might want to help me with the animals today. It'd been oh so long since I've had some help with them."

So then she was right, and it is taking care of the animals after all. But that's a problem, because she doesn't know how to care for animals. They aren't the same as plants after all; much different. But if she refuses, she'll just disappoint Fluttershy, and after she already came all the way out here. So she agrees to help anyways, hoping that the mare will teach her how to do things, and guide her in whatever needs to be done. So she follows her towards the back of the large garden, almost to the very edge of Fluttershy's property. She's worried, but will do her best to help her friend with whatever she needs.

Later on that evening, after all of the hard, yet somehow satisfying work, Chupa slowly walks away from the cottage feeling rather accomplished from all that she had done. She helped clean out the pens and cages. She fed the animals, helped give them baths and brush their fur. She did so much that her hooves are sore, and even walking right now is tough work. She manages to get back to her own house within good time despite this, and is greeted at the door by her older sister Chamomile.

Most fillies would expect their older siblings or parents to be angry for them being out so late, but Chamomile is different. She's just happy that her little sister is getting out there and spending time with others, so she greets Chupa not with anger and disapproval, but with joy and welcoming, telling her that she's prepared a wonderful citrus salad for dinner. Chupa trots in and begins to tell her sister everything that had happened over the course of the day, from her going to the greenhouse, to getting the letter from Mr. Cottontail, and of course everything she had done over at Fluttershy's cottage.

"That sounds absolutely wonderful Chupa! It's so great to know that you had fun and spent the day with a friend. Oh, and speaking of friends, your friend Star came by today. She wanted to tell you that she found something out, and wanted you to meet her and the others at the library tomorrow."

"Thanks, that's good news," the filly replies, heading up the stairs so that she can collapse in her bed, "I'll be sure to head over after I stop at the greenhouse tomorrow then. I'll be skipping dinner tonight, can you save me some of the salad for lunch tomorrow? I'm just too tired right now."

"Of course I will," Chamomile happily replies, sending a gentle smile in her sister's direction as she heads off into the kitchen to put away her little sister's share of the food. Meanwhile, Chupa herself continues up the stairs, soon reaching her bedroom. She heads inside and closes the door behind her before falling into her bed and falling asleep nearly instantly. Her dreams are of plants and animals, of her friends and of Bri. She hopes and wishes as she sleeps; that tomorrow will go well, and that everything will go back to normal. That everything will be at peace once again.

The next day, barely having passed mid-day, Chupa arrives at the Princess Twilight Sparkle Memorial Library, having already visited the greenhouse to take care of the plants within. Mr. Greenhooves hadn't been there, which makes her believe that he isn't feeling well today. He hasn't been feeling well a lot lately. As she approaches the front door of the library, she can hear the voices of her friends inside, most specifically, those of Star and Terra. However, the voices aren't joyful or happy, or anything even close. Instead, anger and fighting echoes out through the wood of the door, which only grows louder as the little filly slowly begins to inch the door open.

She finds herself to be correct as she cautiously walks in, seeing both of the ponies standing in the center of the room, arguing and yelling at each other. The others are watching from the side, unable to do anything to stop them. Listening in, trying to blend in to the background, Chupa overhears their argument, catching key words such as Bri, letter, and Oblivion. Sneaking in closer, she's soon discovered by Agellian, who shoots her a worried look but doesn't give her presence away any further, allowing her to take a listen to what the two are saying.

"You're wrong!" Terra yells out, his teeth bared and nostrils flaring, "why can't you see that!? It's an impossible hope!"

"No, YOU'RE wrong Terra! I'm telling you what I heard! Bri left Ponyville with somepony else, and those ponies around said it was Scatter Brain! Are you an idiot or something!? It's obvious to everypony except you!"

"Scatter Brain is locked up in the Canterlot Mental Institution! He has been for almost fifteen years after he tried to kill somepony for badmouthing Pinkie Pie! He was never here! Your sources were wrong, and thinking any different isn't doing anything useful to find Bri!"

"Why would they lie about something like this!? Who would lie about seeing somepony like that!?"

"They would apparently!" Terra retorts, getting into Star's face. The mare pushes right back and growls violently. The argument has reached new heights, and is honestly terrifying to watch. The former captain of the elite royal guard, a pony with heightened military experience and training taking on a seriously pissed off pegasus with a history of anger issues. Tears begin to well up in the fily’s eyes. She can't believe her friends would be fighting this much. Is this why she was asked to come here, to witness this horrible fighting? Overcome with sorrow, she runs out the door, sobbing uncontrollably.

The filly's hooves fly quickly across the ground below as she fiercely gallops through town, heading back to her own house. Bri's disappearance has brought nothing but pain and misery to all of them, and has only been getting worse with each passing day. Just a week ago they were all the best of friends: laughing and having fun together. Now it's become like this? It's just not fair. Chupa reaches her home quickly and swings the front door open with explosive force, bolting up the stairs without even saying a word to her older sister. She bursts into her headroom and slams the door behind her, leaping into bed before beginning to hysterically cry into her pillow, screaming at the top of her lungs, and punching her mattress with everything she has.

The door opens slowly and Chamomile walks in. She sees the lump of her sister screaming out on her bed and walks over, taking a seat on the bed beside her and pulling her limp body up. Wrapping Chupa in a hug, she whispers to her and tells her that everything is going to be alright. She asks her sister what happened, but the little filly just pushes her away and runs. She bolts away from her own sister, flying back out the door and in the direction of the greenhouse.

When she gets there, Mr. Greenhooves is still absent and all she has are the plants to keep her company. They'll listen. They won't try to pretend like they understand what she's going through. They won't try to offer comfort when all she needs right now is to be listened to, to vent over the horrible pain and sorrow she's going through. They're her only friends now, and her only family. The plant life is all she ever needs, and ever will. And so she begins to tell them what's going on. She tells them how this all began, not just with Bri's disappearance, but all the way back to when Agellian was first given the letter. That's when this all began.

Minutes turn into hours, and soon the whole day melts away like ice in the bright spring-time sun. All day long she's sat there, crying and talking to the plants, none of which can answer her questions, sympathize with her, or share in her misery. All they do is listen, "Why can't they do anything but listen!?" She knows that she has to return home. Who knows how worried her sister is by now? She feels bad that she ran off without an explanation. She just left, and didn't even try to let her sister comfort her. She just wanted to be left alone, and now she's alone.

Heading out, she leaves the greenhouse. She knows now that she has to head home and apologize to her sister. She needs to start talking to her about her problems, and trusting that she'll be able to comfort her in just the way that she needs. So she trots along the street in the pale moonlight, looking down at her hooves as she walks. She's not paying attention to where she's going, and that's when she bumps into someone. The sudden shock of walking into somepony causes her to look upwards, coming face to face with a tough looking stallion.

"Oh, I'm sorry for that," he says kindly, smiling down at the filly, "I didn't mean to get in your way. The name's J.D. Gumilla, nice to meet ya."

"Oh, I'm...I'm Chupa," she quietly says, trying to escape his interest and just move on home. Right now, she doesn't want to be bothered by anyone. She just wants to rest in the hooves of her big sister and let all of her bottled up emotions out. She wants to feel at peace with everything again, and doesn't have the time to waste meeting new ponies. J.D. notices the tears coming from her eyes, and the way she seems to be avoiding eye contact with him. He gently pats her on the head and asks what's wrong.

"I was told to never talk to strangers," she tells him. That causes a laugh from the pony, who just shakes his head and begins to recite everything he knows about her and Chamomile. This knowledge about them scares her, until he reveals that he's one of Chamomile's daily customers, and that he's had many conversations with the tea maker. She begins to feel strangely at ease with him, and explains what's been going on. For some reason, she feels as if she can trust him. She tells him about the letter from Babe Chenko, and the disappearance of Bri. She even mentions how her friends have been fighting.

"So it's already begun? I didn't expect it to be happening this soon."

The sudden reaction from the stallion surprises, and confuses, the young filly. She isn't quite sure of what he's referring to. What's already begun? What didn't he expect to be happening so soon? He looks down, seeing her expression, and seems to be swept over with instant realization. Shaking his head, he adds, "Don't worry about it, it's nothing. As for your troubles though, I suggest that you focus on the important things in your life right now. Focus on your sister. You need her right now, and she needs you to be honest with her. Friends will fight, my little pony, and they always will. In the end, you just have to wait. It will sort itself out in time. For now, go to Chamomile and tell her everything you've told me. She'll want to hear it from you rather than somepony else. She'll want to help you."

He's right, she does need to go tell her sister. But there's someone else she wants to tell, a friend who hasn't been fighting. A friend who can comfort her as well. So without another word, aside from a quick thanks to the stallion, the little filly gallops off to be with her older sister during these trying times. J.D. just stands there, waving and smiling at the little pony as she runs off, quietly saying to himself, "I'll see you again soon, Peace."

It doesn't take the little filly long at all to arrive in Eastern Ponyville, and most specifically, at Fluttershy's cottage. She burst in through the door without warning, causing the older mare to jump up in surprise. She had been relaxing on the couch with Mr. Cottontail, reading out some short stories when the front door exploded open. However, as she regains her composure, she turns her head to see Chupa rushing in, right up to where she is. The sudden interruption by Chupa had obviously not been expected, and as such the mare isn't sure of what to say at the moment, simply asking her, "What's wrong?"

She explains everything about the past week to Fluttershy, letting her in on what's been going on and how hard it's been. From Bri going missing to the now horrible fighting between her friends, she just lets it all out, not wanting to leave anything out. Fluttershy begins to see what's going on, and how hard it's been affecting the little pony. She's only a child, so of course something like this would be tough for her to deal with. Smiling down at her, the mare tells her that she shouldn't let this all get to her, and that when times are hard, she has to stay strong and be with those who will listen.

"But that's only you and maybe my sister," she replies, still sorrowful that all of her friends have been embroiled in the misery of the recent events.

"Then be with your sister," Fluttershy gently replies, patting the filly's head, "she'll always be there for you. You can tell her anything going on in your life, especially the hard parts. When things seem to be going wrong, when it's all falling apart, she'll be there to listen to you. You said that this J.D. Gumilla told you this as well, right? Well, then why are you here? I can help too, but she's who you really need to be with right now."

"A long time ago I was feeling very vulnerable too. I once felt like I was nothing but a doormat, and I saw things wrong. I wanted to be respected so much that it caused me to become a monster, hurting my friends in ways I never would've wanted to. Sometimes you think you know what you need to do, and you want to take matters into your own hooves. You think that the solution will be an easy one Chupa, but sometimes it will involve more pain. The night is always darkest before the dawn, and healing can't begin before more pain. I know it'll be hard for you to talk to your sister about this all, but she needs to know."

Thanking the mare, Chupa understands. She really wanted to put off telling Chamomile. She's afraid of what her sister might tell her, but now, thanks to Fluttershy's kindness, she knows that it's what she needs to do. So with a whole new outlook on things, the little filly heads back out of the cottage, gently closing the door as she does. Her new goal is to go home and to apologize to her sister for running off. She'll then tell her everything, every last little detail. She knows now that she needs to face this head on. Only then can healing begin.

A couple of days pass by, and through spending more time with her sister, Chupa has felt a weight lifted off of her shoulders. She's found happiness again, and has been comforted by Chamomile after telling her all of what had happened with the letter, Bri's mysterious disappearance, and of course, the fighting between her friends. She was able to tell her of all the pain and misery she had been feeling, and how it's the reason for her running away.

For those few days, she decided to remain home and stay away from everypony else so that she could just remain in a good mood by being close to her sister and feeling the unconditional love of family. However, it's now time for her to confront everything head on, and she's figured out exactly what she needs to do. She has the perfect plan to stop Star and Terra's fighting and finally bring peace to the both of them.

She had gotten in contact with Agelian, asking him to have everypony else meet them at the library once again. She told him her plan to stop the constant arguing and fighting, and he agreed to help in whatever way he could. Just being able to clear her mind over these past couple of days has allowed her to make sense of things. She thought about everything she remembered hearing Star and Terra arguing about when she last saw them, and of everything that she has found out through her own research into things. Naturally she hasn't been able to figure out everything about what has happened to Bri, but she believes that she now has an idea that they can look into.

Agelian had come to her house that morning to meet her, and agreed to walk with her over to the library as a form of solidarity. On the trot over, they begin to discuss the plan as well as the idea of what might have happened with Bri. It all centers around two specific ponies, and now she can shed a little light on things for her two friends. Upon their arrival, the two of them find the others already there. Spike is serving nachos to Devlin, and the other two are already embroiled in a huge argument, both of them having reached the point to where they're yelling obscenities at each other. The little dragon walks over, offering nachos to the two of them, but they decline, knowing that they have to focus on the task at hand.

"This has been going on for a couple of hours already," Spike tells Chupa, sighing as he goes back to the kitchen. The little filly looks over to her friends. They're arguing over the exact same things as last time. She looks to Devlin, who sits there quietly and eats the nachos he had been given. It's up to her now, with Agelian watching her back. She has to do this. If she even hesitates in the slightest, things could go sour in an instant. She wants to fix things, not make them worse. So she has to remain steadfast and strong. Walking up beside the two arguing ponies, she loudly clears her throat, garnering their attention. At once the argument ceases and both Star and Terra turn to face her, confused and annoyed looks spread across their faces.

"The other day I went to visit Fluttershy," she tells them, speaking loud, clear, and concise, "and she was mediating a fight between a bunny and a beaver. The two animals were clawing at each other, drawing blood. You two have become mindless animals arguing like it's going to solve things. This stupid arguing is only driving a wedge in between our friendships! Don't you see how much you're hurting us!?"

The two of them look around, eyes resting first on Agelian, who seems to be saddened but not to such a degree as Chupa had been. They then see Devlin, who's expression remains neutral as he eats more nachos. Finally, their focus returns to the filly, who's tear-filled eyes are glaring into their very souls. She has a determination about her that they have never seen before. It's almost as if she's an entirely new pony.

"You didn't even notice when I ran away crying the other day, did you!? And for what, fruitless fighting? You two should be ashamed of yourselves! Do you not understand how much of a waste of time this all is? We need to find Bri, not stand around acting like children! Now, I have an idea that might just help everyone, and allow us to find Bri faster and easier."

"What...what is it?" Star asks, feeling slightly ashamed at the way she had been acting. She can't believe she'd been doing that, acting that way towards one of her close friends. She shies away, and looks over at Terra with apologetic eyes. He does the same, also having felt horrible for this. He's tarnished his honor, and hurt the credibility he has with those he truly cares about. Now he just wants things to go back to normal, so that they can be friends again and not have to worry about fighting.

"Terra, I want to begin with you," the filly states, turning to the former captain of the elite royal guard, "the basis of your argument was that what Star was saying was impossible. You kept arguing that she wasn't making any sense, her claims of Scatter Brain being behind Bri's disappearance being impossible. I understand your views on this, I do, but please put aside your pride for a moment. I looked into things a little and contacted the institution. Scatter Brain was released one year ago. It is possible that he is behind this."

"But why would he have kidnapped her? What could he possibly have to gain?" Terra defends.

"It's obvious when you do a little research," Chupa retorts, causing the stallion's jaw to drop from the sheer gall the little filly is showing, "Scatter Brain was dating Pinkie Pie during the time leading up to her running away. If he is behind her disappearance, then there's a few options to why. First of all, he might be looking for Pinkie Pie as well. He might have known that Bri was, or have found out. Either way, he could have joined forces with her. The second option is that he kidnapped her, thinking that somehow it'd allow him to be able to locate Pinkie easier, whether through interrogating her or something else."

"I get it. So I was right the entire time," Star proudly says, laughing in an almost taunting way towards Terra, who growls angrily back at her.

"Maybe, but now I'm going to deal with you. Star, you may have been closer to being correct, but you were being disrespectful in the way you confronted Terra about it, and you're doing it again now. You need to learn to respect your friends, because it's practically your fault that this entire fight started. If you have ideas, you need to tell your friends about it in a kind, helpful way. If they have disagreements, hear them out. And Terra, if you disagree, say so in a kind, respectful way. I know you're used to being in the military, but you're not anymore. You need to treat your friends with kindness. Now, I want you two to apologize to each other, and work together from this point on to find and help Bri. She's your friend."

"I'm sorry I was so hard on you," Terra says, turning to Star, looking ashamed and sorrowful, "I acted out of instinct. I'm just used to being tough on others like that, and enforcing my own thoughts. I now see that when you're friends, you can't always have it your way though. Can we start this over and work together?"

"Of course we can, and I'm sorry I was so pushy and disrespectful. I didn't hear you out and only shot down your opinions from the start. I would love to start things over and work with you from now on." Chupa smiles and hugs them both, to which they return the hug to her and each other. Suddenly, Devlin yells out in surprise, gathering everypony's attention. They've never heard him yell before, or even speak loudly at all. They look over, right as the stallion pulls something out of the nacho bowl, staring at it in confusion and shock.

It's a bright, shimmering golden scarf, emblazoned on the front with a beautiful emerald jewel. The stallion looks over it for a quick moment, and then in the same instant as the rest of his friends, his eyes widen and he begins to laugh in exuberance and excitement. Her eyes widening far more than everypony elses, Chupa slowly begins to walk forward, approaching Devlin. She then takes the scarf from his hoof, and holds it there, looking down at it in awe. This is it, an Element of Harmony.

"The Element of Peace," she says quietly, realizing exactly what she did, and remembering how Oblivion had once called her Peace as well. She quickly removes her orange and black scarf, putting on the new one in it's place. It feels softer than cloud, and lighter than air, and when she wears it, she feels a warmth flow into her body, like something about it is just...right.

The five of them hug each other, elated that they were able to find a new Element and are that much closer now to being able to fight Oblivion. However, they know that this means that their enemy will be looking to grow stronger as well. Their time might become tighter than ever now, and they've got to work to find all of the remaining Elements as quickly as they can. The five of them all agree to do their best so that they can find, and possibly save, Bri, and then stop Oblivion to save the entire world. This is their moment, their time to make their predecessors proud.

Somewhere deep in a secluded mountain range, the sun has just begun to lower in the nighttime sky. Clothed in protective gear, both Scatter Brain and Bri Happer push hard against the blowing winds, trying to force their way through. They've been on their harsh journey for a week now, fighting against the fire swamp, ravenous jungles, and so much more. They even began with the Everfree Forest, and to Bri's surprise, Scatter proved to be a strong companion to have at her side. His ability to stop any and all creatures that got in their way is, well, surprising.

However, they've finally reached their first destination, a small camp set up on the side of the mountain path.

Already there are a small group of ponies that seem to be waiting for them. Each of them are wearing similar gear, and have their named written on the side. Mad Munchkin, Shan Mul, Clever Contraption, Cobalt Sky, and Sir Frog Finest are all there, just staring at them with keen interest. Then, one more walks up, shrouded in a special white outfit. He removes the hood, revealing himself to be brown coated with a yellow mane.

"Nice to meet you Bri Happer. I am Babe Chenko," he tells her, smiling, "welcome to the campsite of the Brotherhood of Silent Pathfinders. Our goal is...to find and save Pinkamena Diane Pie. Shall we begin?"

Preview for Episode 12

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It's the day before, and I haven't been able to practice as much. She disappeared, and that's been my top priority. Now I'm not prepared. Can I truly show them all that I have the talent they're looking for?

S01 E12 - Equestria's Got Talent

"Only one more day to go now Devlin, you can do this! You've been training for months now, preparing for this! You're ready, no, you're more than ready!"

Looking into the mirror at himself, a worried expression sits on the face of Devlin Speedster, his mind racing a million miles a minute, filled with nervous thoughts and extreme anxiety. His mane is unkempt, having not been brushed since he had awoken early on this morning. His eyes are a deep red, raw from his rubbing of them, a nervous trait of his. He's

clearly a mess, and talking out loud to his reflection hasn't been helping with his currently deteriorating mental stability.

Tomorrow is already, well, tomorrow. The big day is just 24 hours away now, and he's not sure if he's ready for this. It's not every day that the biggest nation-wide talent competition, Equestria's Got Talent, comes to Ponyville. In fact, this is the very first time that it ever has come to the small town. Normally, EgT is hosted by big cities like Fillydephia or Manehattan. Canterlot was the original scheduled host this time around, but due to the reconstruction, it had to be moved. So Princess Aurora decided on Ponyville, justifying it by claiming that the move is a show of gratitude to those who helped stop the Ursa attack. Devlin and his friends, in other words.

However, this sudden change in plans has only proven to make his anxiety worse than ever. Now he not only is competing to prove himself and his talents, but he's now representing Ponyville itself as he competes right there in the heart of the town. Naturally, he's not the only Ponyville pony competing, but he's probably the most well known of them. With him constantly helping others in the community, anypony he can really, almost everyone knows who he is by this point. He's done things to help them all it seems like, so he'll easily be recognized right away. How will it look if he messes up right in the middle of his act? He'll embarrass and shame Ponyville. They'll all laugh and taunt him, and no one will ever accept his help again.

"NO!" he suddenly yells out at his reflection, eyes widening menacingly as he gnashes his teeth, "you can't think that way! You can do this, Devlin! This is your time to shine! Don't let things get you down like this!"

"But what about Bri? She's been on my mind a lot lately, and it pains me to wonder what happened to her. If this theory about Scatter Brain is right, that only proves to make things worse. I feel like I need to be doing more to look for her. I should leave the competition. If I go through with it, it might end up being too late for Bri. What if it's compete and lose a friend? I can't accept that!"

"If you continue to think like that, you'll never find her anyways! Right now you need to focus on the big picture! Your friends, the ones still here, are expecting you to be on that stage tomorrow. They have done everything to help find Bri, and so have you. Taking a few hours off tomorrow won't change anything. You will find her, but for now, your friends have become disheartened by the lack of results in your search. They need something to bring their smiles back, and you know that Bri would want that more than her own safety. Now stop thinking about her, Oblivion, the dark stars, and whatever else! Focus already! Remember, the night is always darkest before the dawn, and the dawn is coming."

As he comes to conclude his anger-fueled arguing with himself, the bedroom door suddenly swings open. A small, cream-colored filly happily trots into the room and smiles up at the stallion. Her blonde mane bounces with every step, and her bright, joy-filled expression warms his heart. Stepping forward, she tells her big brother that she's ready to practice with him some more, and that she knows he's going to beat all the other ponies’ flanks in the competition tomorrow. Devlin chuckles and nods, breathing in deeply to gather his composure. All of this anxiety and stress has been Hell on him. He has one more day before the big event. One more day to perfect his act, and with Bright by his side, helping him get ready, he knows he can't fail. He needs to make his friends smile again, even if it's just for a short time. He needs to help them find happiness.

All the way on the complete opposite end of Ponyville, the new Cutie Mark Crusaders; Spring Rise, Honeysuckle, Gumdrop, and Majus, have arrived at Star Rider's home. They had been asked by the dark blue pony to come over for a special mission that only they can accomplish, and it's certainly piqued their interest. They wonder exactly what she could want from the four of them, and what kind of special mission this is. Will it help them find their cutie marks? They can only hope, but for some reason, they don't believe it has anything to do with that. Majus knocks on the door, and almost instantly it opens. Standing there, Star invites them in and before they all even pass through, begins to explain the situation.

"Ok my little ponies, as you know, Equestria's Got Talent is coming to Ponyville tomorrow. I know you all wanted to attend, but me and my friends need your help right now. With Bri still missing, we need to do everything we can to keep Ponyville safe during the competition. Majus, Spring, I want you two to go around town tomorrow. When everypony from all around Equestria is here, I want you to watch anypony you don't recognize. Look around and keep watch for anypony suspicious. If you see someone like that, report to me immediately."

"Oh...ok," Spring says, unsure of what to think about her new mission. She looks over to Majus, who grins and nods. She smiles back, but turns to Star again and asks, "why do we need to look for somepony suspicious?"

"I don't know if you've heard, but those dark stars that appeared all that time ago are the doing of an evil force named Oblivion. My friends and I fear that somepony working for him might show up tomorrow. Either that, or the mysterious Babe Chenko who I believe might have something to do with Bri's disappearance."

With every mention of her sister going missing, Honeysuckle seems to get more and more downtrodden. Noticing this, the mare lifts her head up by the chin, and with a smile, assures her that they will find her big sister and make sure everything goes back to normal. The little filly nods and tells her that she wants to do everything she can to help find Bri. That's when Star begins to give the next assignment to the group, this time focusing on Honeysuckle and Gumdrop specifically, telling them, "I want the two of you to ask around for any information about Babe Chenko or Scatter Brain. These two ponies are the only leads we have as to what might have happened to Bri right now. If we find out more about them, we might be able to find out more about where she is."

Saluting the mare, the four little ponies all agree to do their best to help. Naturally they are disappointed that they won't be able to see the competition tomorrow, focusing instead on their new missions, but in the end they understand that these things are a little more important at the moment. They agree right away to tell Star if they find anything out, and run out to begin their missions a day early, wanting to get right on it. Smiling, Star returns to the letter she had been writing, a note to Princess Aurora regarding all of the information and theories she and the others have come up with so far. She needs to know about this. She'll know what to do more than anypony else.

Meanwhile, down in Ponyville's southern sector, both Dinky and Agelian are trotting quickly around the latter's house. Like everypony else, they are preparing for tomorrow's competition. They want to make sure that they'll be ready ahead of time, and by this point the two of them have already procrastinated enough. The greyish-purple mare walks briskly back and forth between her storage cupboards and house laboratory, preparing different capsules and sacks for Agelian's flight routines. Outside of the Wonderbolts, no other pegasi use these kind of aesthetic tricks in their flying, much less in competitions. It's the main reason for Agelian's victory in the Cloudsdale Best Young Flyer Competition before. This time though, Dinky has prepared some special new capsules for the bearer of the Element of Faith.

Of course, Agelian is not competing in Equestria's Got Talent himself, as he wishes not to upstage his friend Devlin. Instead, he has been chosen to kick the competition off with an amazing flight stunt that will introduce the judges. He wouldn't say that it's been his dream to do this, but it's definitely going to be an awesome experience. He remembers how one time his hero, Rainbow Dash, had done a sonic rainboom after the first kiss of Prince Shining Armor and Princess Mi Amore Candenza. He knows that she never dreamed of that kind of thing either, but that it was the opportunity of a lifetime that the legendary mare couldn't pass up.

Even with everything that's been happening lately; from the mysterious letter given to him by Babe Chenko, to Trixie and the Ursa attack, and of course the disappearance of one of his dear friends Bri, he's just felt really downtrodden. He understands that finding Bri is a huge task, and honestly, he's even thought about giving up this chance to look for her more, but he realizes that in hard times, everypony needs something to lift their spirits, and he wants to help do that. Even if he isn't competing, he can make the kickoff one Hell of a show, and give them all something to cheer for. After this is all said and done, then he can put forth triple the effort in finding his friend, and he will not rest until she's back home.

Finishing up another capsule, the mare places it into Agelian's stunt bag and trots over to her fiancé, kissing him gently upon the lips and telling him how proud and excited she is for him. The excitement is obviously felt by the pegasus as well, but his mind has traveled to another topic, the three judges set for the competition, the very ones he'll be introducing with his stunt. The first of them is Trixie Lulamoon, the mare whom he and his friends helped to stop the Ursa attack. A talented magician and showmare, she's often been looked down upon because of her bad past. However, after her significant part in stopping the attack on Canterlot, her honor has been restored by a good margin.

Sales for her shows have increased greatly, and she herself has become a lot kinder and more helpful. She's even been putting a lot of effort into the reconstruction of the capital. She blames herself for the destruction, and wishes to help fix things properly. It's an honorable goal, and he can greatly respect her for it. The second of the judges is the Ponyville born Sweetie Belle, a world famous singer and the younger sister of the late, former Element bearer Rarity. She was also a member of the old Cutie Mark Crusaders along with Apple Bloom and Wonderbolts Captain Scootaloo. With the possibility of many singers in the competition, Sweetie is probably the most qualified of the judges, and will most likely be the toughest.

The third judge is another Ponyville born mare, and another who is world renowned. Vinyl Scratch, better known by her stage name DJ Pon-3, is a DJ in high demand across all of Equestria and the rest of the world. She performed at the wedding of Shining Armor and Mi Amore Candenza, is a regular at many big parties and events, and even showed up at Princess Aurora's coronation, since the princess is a big fan. She's also the roommate and best friend of classical cellist Octavia Melody, who herself is world famous for her amazing compositions. The two have collaborated on occasion as well, and are surprisingly perfect at harmonizing their two different styles of music.

So between these three judges, Trixie, Sweetie, and DJ Pon-3, he knows it's going to be a tough, but amazing competition. These three know talent unlike anypony else. One other thing that connects them, however, is the love that one very special pony has for them. Bri is such a huge fan of all three of them, and has been excited to see two of them in an upcoming Detrot concert. With her now missing, who knows if she'll ever get to go. Dinky sees the stallion's mood begin to drop, and walks over, wrapping him in a comforting hug. She knows how hard this has been for him. He loves his friends greatly, and to have one of them just vanish has really hurt him.

"Honey," she says with a smile, getting him to look up at her. He has tears welled up in his eyes, which seem to shimmer with the sorrow he's feeling, "come over to my house tonight for dinner with me and my mother. We'll have fun and celebrate your big accomplishments. Let's just try and focus on the good things, ok?"

"Ok," Agelian replies, smiling as he embraces his love with thankfulness. The two kiss each other again, and think about how tomorrow's going to go. He's going to do great, and both of them know it.

Over at the Ponyville Greenhouse, Chupa happily hums a little tune as she waters the dragon lilies. She's so excited for the big Equestria's Got Talent show tomorrow that she can't help but be joyful and tell her plant friends all about what she knows of the competition, even despite what just happened. It's not just Bri's disappearance that has broken the young filly down lately, but just yesterday, Mr. Greenhooves passed away. His illness had suddenly taken a turn for the worse in the past couple of days, and he fell asleep yesterday afternoon, never waking up. It's horrible to even think about, considering how lively he always seemed, even just the days before that. It's near impossible to accept that he's gone.

His will was read by his wife this morning. She didn't want to put it off, believing that her husband would have rather gotten the mourning over with quick than harp on it for a long time. In the will, Mr. Greenhooves gave ownership of the greenhouse to Chamomile and Chupa Cabra, the latter of whom he had promised it to. Of course, the only reason her older sister was mentioned was because legally he couldn't give it to a minor. In reality, it's Chupa's. Her sister just has the deed and official ownership rights. It's the best gift she ever received, but came from something horrible and saddening. So now, fully in charge of everything, she has renamed the greenhouse in honor of her mentor; the Abel Greenhooves Greenhouse.

"I'll probably need some help running things now," she quietly says to a potted Venus Flytrap, "maybe hire some assistants. But they have to be ponies who I can trust. This is a place of peace and tranquility, and all of you beauties have to receive the best quality care possible. I can't just let anypony come in here and try to take care of you." She smiles and begins to move over to the sunflowers, grabbing her watering can in her mouth. Right now she wants to focus on something good and peaceful. If she keeps thinking of death, disappearances, and hard work, it'll just bring her down again. She has to stay strong.

In the center of town, the final of the remaining five friends is standing at alert, hoof raised in salute. His expression is stoic and serious, showing deep respect and honor towards the elite royal guards walking towards him. Led by Captain Everglade, the soldiers stop in front of the former Captain and salute back, showing just as much respect to him as he is towards them. It's been a while since they have met with each other; back when he and the others had gone for a day to Canterlot to help with the reconstruction. Well, it really hasn't been THAT long, but for someone like him, it feels much longer. It excites him to be in the presence of such honorable ponies, especially ones whom he knows and has deep relationships with.

He had never told his friends, or anypony else for that matter, but there was one time back while he was the captain of the elite royal guard that he had actually dated Everglade in secret. The two had been going out for months, but broke apart when their relationship threatened their duties. They still love each other, but feel that they have to keep things on a more professional level these days, to avoid more trouble. So for now, a simple salute and respectful smile is the most they can hope for. Maybe when all this trouble with Oblivion is over, things can change, but for now, things are just too hectic.

"So, how is the reconstruction going, ma'am?" Terra asks respectfully.

"We're ahead of schedule, and figure that within just a couple more months, everything will be back to how it was before. We reopened a lot of businesses just this past week. It was a very gratifying moment for everypony," Everglade replies, also keeping it respectful. It's obvious to anypony that the two of them are trying hard to keep it that way. Even the other guards can tell that things seem tense between them. Out of their own respect for the two, they decide to keep quiet however. It isn't their place to question things.

"Captain, I want to make sure that during the competition tomorrow, Ponyville is well protected. We have reason to believe that Oblivion might attempt to interrupt the show in some way. We don't know how or when, and we've already got some of our friends working on keeping an eye out for anypony suspicious, but we need the help of the guard to truly make sure it all goes according to plan."

"Well, I'm glad to offer the services of the elite royal guard," she tells the honor-bound stallion, "I'll have forty armed soldiers stationed around the central sector of Ponyville tomorrow, half of which will be right around the stage and crowd itself. We'll run searches on everypony's saddle bags to make sure everything is in order, and that no one is smuggling anything in. Anypony who looks suspicious, or seems to exhibit symptoms of the dark star possession which you have previously described to me will be apprehended for questioning."

Terra salutes her again and thanks the mare for her help in keeping things safe. He knows that some ponies may not be thrilled about the searches, claiming it as an invasion of privacy. However, considering the threat Equestria has been facing, these extreme measures have to be taken to protect everypony.  Safety is a number one priority in this time, especially during such a huge event such as Equestria's Got Talent. If everything goes according to plan, then things will turn out fine and he and his friends can return their focus to finding Bri, and after that, the rest of the Elements of Harmony.

For the remainder of the day, everything goes by smoothly for the five friends, all of their work and preparations going according to plan. The night soon comes and they take a break to enjoy dinner with their families and take a well deserved sleep, and soon enough, the sun rises once again, bringing forth a new day; the day that Equestria's Got Talent comes to town. After days of preparation, especially yesterdays hectic last-minute precursory measures, they're ready to finally reap the benefits of their labor, and enjoy a show of music, magic, and amazing talents.

With Devlin off with his sister, making final preparations for his big performance, the other four meet at the fountain in the center of town, all well rested and excited for the day. Agelian wears his racing suit, and has his goggles resting on his forehead. He smiles as he walks up to the others, Dinky beside him. He sees that he's not the only pony to bring someone with them, as Grace Storm, Chamomile Cabra, and Everglade are all there as well. They all greet each other with hugs, hoof bumps, and smiles, excitedly beginning to talk about the upcoming competition and all the expected acts.

"You know, I've been thinking," Dinky suddenly pipes up, a wide grin spread across her face, "Ponyville should have a stadium like Cloudsdale has, so that every time events like this are held, a big stage doesn't need to be built in the middle of town."

The others think about it for a moment, and quickly find themselves in agreement. It would be a good idea for the town to have its own stadium. The town's been much more than just a small location for a long time now. Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends had changed all of that, so why couldn't they have a stadium? They hold multiple events every year, and building an arena could help them hold even more. It's a great idea. However, Terra speaks up suddenly, sighing as he reminds them all that constructing a stadium like that would cost a great deal of money, resources, and increased labor. He notes that at this moment, Ponyville has many more important things to focus on, and put their resources towards. Dinky and the others seem downtrodden by this, but don't argue. They know he's right, and in the end it was just a dream anyways.

As the eight of them stand there, a large group of ponies begin to approach, walking towards the stage that sits not too far away from them. Excitement floats through the air as the ponies who had come from all over Equestria chat about their favorite hopefuls to win. Most of them have programs, which Fluttershy and Spike have been handing out a few blocks down. The competition is getting ready to start, and with only minutes left, the friends decide to get to their seats in the front row. Agelian heads out to get ready for his big opening stunt, leaving his seat beside Dinky open. The others sit there, trying to think about what Devlin's talent could be. It's something they had still not discovered. Their search for information had led to some new intelligence on him, but in the end, their focus on Bri disappearing that day became a bigger deal, and they hadn't been able to learn as much as they would've hoped to.

Ponies begin filling in the seats surrounding the large stage. Stallions, mares, fillies, and colts all find their way to seats cheering and talking loudly as music begins to play through a set of giant speakers on each side of the stage. At that moment, the tone of the music changes, and Agelian flies out at top speed from behind the large red curtain at the back of the stage. Soaring straight up into the sky, a pillar of red smoke trails down beneath him, the pegasus releases one of the special new capsules Dinky had made for him. A shrieking noise emits from the released capsule, followed by a huge explosion that creates a star design of smoke in the air around him. He then shoots downward and, to finish the opening stunt off, hits one of his patented sonic thunderbooms.

The audience erupts into a frenzy of uncontrollable cheering, their voices exploding throughout the area with enough force to blow Canterlot right off of the mountain it's built into, and louder than the roars of a thousand angry Ursa Majors. Making his landing, Agelian bows curtly and returns into the back. Breen Oaterlund soon replaces him, walking slowly out from behind the cutrain with headset on. As the crowd's cheers die down, he announces, "Agelian Wingblade everypony! Welcome to Equestria's Got Talent!"

After another huge burst of cheers, the older announcer continues, "Before I announce our celebrity guest judges, let's please give a big applause to our very own Princess Aurora!"

The crowd stands to their hooves and gives the princess a standing ovation as she glides down from the sky, having seemingly appeared out of nowhere. She smiles at everypony before taking a seat in a special section at the side of the stage, right beside where the judges table is. Already in the section are members of the Wonderbolts as well as Mayor Mare and some other high class citizens. Breen then introduces the three celebrity guest judges, Sweetie Belle, Trixie Lulamoon, and DJ Pon-3, who come out from behind the curtain and bow to the crowd before taking their places at the judges table.

Trixie is clothed in her typical wizards hat and cape, a wide smile spread across her face as the crowd cheers for her. Sweetie is in a beautiful sapphire coated dress that is very reminiscent of the works designed by her older sister in the past. DJ Pon-3 wears her typical headphones around her neck and purple sunglasses. The three of them are so different, but talented beyond belief. If anypony deserves to be a judge for this kind of talent competition, it's these three. After they have taken their seats at the table, Breen once again begins to speak, this time announcing the names of all twelve of the ponies entered in the competition.

"From Ponyville, we have Six String and Zipporwhill!" he announces as a large, manly looking pegasus with grey beard, short cut mane, and thick glasses comes out along with a quick mare with equally thick glasses. He announces the others, calling out, "Cleft Note of Fillydelphia! Day Dreamer from Manehattan! Delia of Prance! From Hoofington, Marshmallow Glaze! The Orange Sisters of Manehattan! Pestel Mort from Hollow Shades! All the way from Tall Tale, Rindin Fiera! Topaz from Vanhoover! Dodge Junction's own Vanilla Swirl! Devlin Speedster from right here in Ponyville!

And finally, The Mysterious Maeebjan from the Badlands Colonies!"

With each announced name, another pony walks out onto stage, or in the case of the Orange Sisters, two. They give a short bow to the crowd, then leave as quickly as they came. When Devlin comes out, the crowd goes nuts, cheering for the helpful pony whom they have all grown to know and respect. His friends in the front row cheer louder than ever, chanting his name as they stomp their hooves in excitement. Breen then awaits the crowd to quiet themselves again, almost seeming annoyed by their raucous nature. But with a smile, as it gets quiet enough for him to be heard, he continues.

"And now, without any further ado, please put your hooves together for the host of Equestria's Got Talent! He is the coach and personal trainer to the Wonderbolts, and a former one himself! He is the stallion who was trained by the legendary Spitfire, and went on to train both Rainbow Dash and the current captain of the Wonderbolts, Scootaloo! Please welcome to the stage, "Lightspeed" Racsni!"

Agelian returns to his seat right as the announcement is made and turns to do a double take, not believing what he had just heard. Racsni is one of the most famous racers in history! He's known for being the only pony besides Rainbow Dash to be able to create a sonic rainboom, and even created the Lightspeed Screecher, the move that gave so much inspiration to Agelian when he was young. It's similar to the sonic rainboom, but he flies upwards at top speed, and when he reaches the fastest he can go, he corkscrews at the end and creates a screeching funnel that explodes out in a wave of flashing light. It's actually harder to do than the sonic rainboom due to the heavy wind resistance of flying straight upward into the air. This is the pony to single-hoofedly revolutionize professional flying.

He had been secretly trained for years by Spitfire, and when Soundspeed left as coach at the same time that Spitfire retired, he came out of the dark to be appointed in his place. Ever since he had more than tripled the overall skill of the group. He trained the legendary Rainbow Dash and is the cause of her becoming Captain of the Wonderbolts so quickly, and after Rainbow's death, he trained Scootaloo by the late mare's request, and look where she's at now, Captain as well!

This is the only other pony outside of both Rainbow and Scootaloo who has been the inspiration to Agelian in his life. So as he trots out, brown hair spiked up with a blonde lightning bolt-shaped streak in it, matching tail, and brown training hoodie, the blue pegasus nearly goes mute from the volume of his cheers.

Smirking at the crowds reaction, the stallion raises an eyebrow and yells out in a thick Horsetralian accent, "Well it seems like your ready to get things started! Well then, why wait!? Let Equestria's Got Talent begin, and to kick things off, let's find out what the judges are hoping to see today!"

"Well Racsni," Trixie begins, I am hoping to see some great and powerful feats of magic! I want to be astounded with tricks that deceive the senses and stunned with showmanship that creates a perfect balance between the act and competitor."

The crowd applauds Trixie's words, but are interrupted as Sweetie Belle goes next, saying, "Well I want to hear, not see. I want my ears to melt in ecstasy as the sounds of beautiful music float gently through them."

"Yo everypony!" DJ Pon-3 suddenly yells out, raising her front hooves into the air and bobbing her head up and down, "I want to experience some wub-tastic talents here today! Who's with me!?"

The crowd grows louder and louder, their rambunctious cheers echoing throughout all of Ponyville. Vinyl Scratch has always been known for her ability to get loud, as well as to incite other ponies into loud reactions as well. It's just a part of who she is; her personality and style. Racsni thanks the judges for their thoughts, and welcomes out the first competitor of the day, the duo of Six String and Zipporwhill. The two return from the back. Six String has an acoustic guitar this time, and seems ready to play. Sweetie seems interested, as does DJ Pon-3. Trixie sits back and raises an eyebrow, curious but not altogether interested. Six String begins to play a slow, melodic song very reminiscent of his heritage. Zipporwhill then grabs the mic on the stage and surprises everypony, beginning to sing in her family's native language, Espanballo.

Following the performance, each of the other competitors come out one at a time, taking their turns and performing their talents. Cleft Note is the first, singing one of Sweetie Belle's songs in an acapella style. Day Dreamer and Delia are after her, doing a mind reading and stage magic respectively. Marshmallow Glaze bakes a pineapple upside down cake, and the Orange Sisters perform high-risk unicycle acrobatics. Pestel Mort comes out and displays her voodoo magic, and Rindin Fiera juggles bowling pins that were set on fire while riding a bike around an intricate course. Topaz breakdances, and Vanilla Swirl shows off her mastery of mimicry, copying the voices of all of the judges and Racsni perfectly. Only two remain at this point; Devlin and The Mysterious Maaebjan.

Returning to the stage following the hilarious mimicry of Vanilla Swirl, Racsni applauds right along with the cheering crowd. As they begin to grow silent, he laughs and announces, "This has certainly been an amazing show so far, and it's hard to believe that it's already almost over. But don't fret, for we've still got two more to go! And to start off, let me introduce the pony you all have been waiting for! Born right here in Ponyville, he's known for his selfless acts of generosity, never once asking for anything in return, not even a word of gratitude! Please welcome to the stage, Devlin Speedster!"

In the instant that his name is called out, the eight ponies in the front row stand to their hooves and let out the loudest cheers they can muster. They watch as the quiet, red-coated stallion steps out from behind the curtain, looking around at the erupting crowd with apparent anxiety. They can tell how nervous he is, and so Agelian yells out his name, capturing the stallion's attention. Devlin looks over, seeing his friends there smiling and cheering, and smiles back. He's so happy that they're enjoying themselves. Right now, that's what's important, and he can't let them down now. He may be scared, he may be worried, but he knows that no matter how it turns out, his friends will support and love him for it.

"Welcome to the stage Mr. Speedster," Sweetie Belle happily says. Both Vinyl and Trixie greet the stallion as well, the latter already having known and met him prior to this. The ivory singer then adds with a bright smile, "what are you going to perform for us today?"

"Well..." he nervously says, blushing loudly as he notices his friends lean closer to finally find out what his secret talent is,

"I'll...I'll be performing a song that I wrote myself."

"We've heard other ponies sing," Trixie grumpily tells him, interrupting the conversation between him and Sweetie, "what is it that you think will set you apart from the others? How will you wow us?" Sweetie and Vinyl both nod in agreement, wanting to know more. Everypony in the audience remains quiet, curious as well. Singing is a broad term. What genre will he be singing? What style? There's so many questions.

"Well, it's not just a song. It's a story about everything that's been happening in me and my friends lives lately. It's kind of a story about how ponies lives can change in unexpected ways, but that through everything, the bonds we form with our friends will always shine through and save us from any threat," Devlin tells them, having gained a small bit of confidence, trying hard to keep himself calm and collected, "I've been writing it myself ever since I first met my new friends, both the lyrics and the music that goes with it. It's a tribute to them." The three judges smile and nod, signaling for him to begin. The lights on the stage go out, all except one which shines down on him as silence fills the surrounding area. A peaceful tune begins to come out from the speakers, and before Devlin can even begin to sing, the ponies in the audience sway back and forth to the melody.

"It felt like it was all going downhill. My life was in dismay, I wasn't feeling any thrills. My sunshine had no ray, my fields had no hills. I was lonely, so lonely, forever more," Devlin sings out, the first verse of his song creating a chill in the air. They had never known this about him. Nopony had ever known of his struggles. He always kept so quiet. After a short instrumental break, he continues with the second verse, "It came in late one night. The dark stars in the sky. It was the ponies blight. Their fear echoed in their cries. It was a terrible sight, that made me so sad, so sad, forever more."

"That's when the princess came, and introduced me to my friends. We fought against the threat, my heart finally began to mend. I was welcomed with open hooves, and my fears, they did dispel. My life, was no longer a living Hell!"

After the final line, which he yells out at the top of his lungs, the beat of the song picks up. Getting faster and louder, it goes into a harder, rock-sounding style as Devlin drops to his knees and sings out the chorus, "Friends came to me, when I had nothing left to live for. They came to me, gave me something worth fighting for. Five ponies I never knew, showed me love I never felt before. Friends came to me, and saved my life."

"Things began to change for me. My life once more had purpose. The light I could finally see, the sorrow I would never miss. I was happy for once, never lonely, no longer lonely, any more! Then it happened again one night. She went missing suddenly. We couldn't find her anywhere, she was nowhere in sight. She vanished from our lives, and left us in sorrow, in sorrow once more! But we discovered many clues, and our fights were brought to peace! We learned that there was hope! This feeling we had to keep! We had a reason to move on, and our fears, they were dispelled. Our lives, no longer felt like a living Hell!"

"Friends came to me, when I had nothing left to live for. They came to me, gave me something worth fighting for! Five ponies I never knew, now that I couldn't live without! Friends came to me, and it makes me want to shout! Because I love them with all my heart, I love them with all my soul! Friends came to me, and my fears did soon depart! I will fight to find the one, who went away so suddenly! And when we reunite, when we reunite, the light we will see."

Devlin continues to sing his song, bringing tears to the eyes of the ponies watching and listening. His friends smile up at him as he kneels there, singing with all his emotion and soul. Everything he has is poured out into that tribute, a beautiful song dedicated to those who helped him out of a hard life he never wanted to live through. And as he finishes, ending on a long-held, high note and the words "Friends", every unicorn, earth pony, and pegasus there stand to their hooves and give the loudest, most authentic standing ovation yet. Even the princess, the Wonderbolts, and all three judges have joined in, applauding and crying out with tears cascading down their cheeks.

"Let me begin," Trixie tells the stallion, kindly smiling as she wipes the tears away from her eyes, "that when you first walked onto that stage, I had my doubts. But you just proved neigh-sayers like me wrong. You not only have one of the most beautiful voices I've ever heard come out of a stallion, but you have a beautiful soul. Never change that Devlin, not for anything in the world."

"I agree," Sweetie Belle adds, joyfully joining in with a laugh, "that was absolutely amazing! It's so hard to believe that you're not famous right now, because you could be. You put so much emotion into that song, and I believe that everypony here felt it resonate throughout the town. We didn't just watch an Equestria's Got Talent competitor, we witnessed a concert!"

"Dude!" Vinyl then quickly yells out, hardly waiting for Sweetie to finish, "that was truly wub-tastic!"

The crowd goes wild for the words of encouragement and amazement from the three judges as Devlin walks off of the stage with joy. He accomplished what he came here to do, and whether he wins or not, it doesn't matter. He made his friends smile, he made all of Ponyville and beyond smile. As he passes beyond the curtain, turning one last time to mouth the words "thank you" to his friends, Rascni walks out to greet the cheering audience. He looks around at the audience and mocks not being able to hear them, at which point their voices escalate to new heights.

Grinning, Racsni yells out as loud as he can to gain their attention and focus, saying, "How can our final competitor possibly top that!? Well, to answer that, I have to ask, what are we waiting for!? Let's find out right now! Our last competitor of this years Equestria's Got Talent competition comes to us all the way from the colonies deep in the Badlands! Very little is known about him, and he prefers it that way! Please give a warm, Ponyville welcome to...THE MYSTERIOUS MAAEBJAN!"

The crowd begins to cheer more raucously than ever as the final competitor finally steps out from behind the curtain.

Everypony is more than excited to find out what's going to happen now, and if this pony really can top what they had just heard and saw from Devlin. However, the most they see of the competitor as he walks out is exactly what they saw earlier during the initial introductions. He wears a dark cloak with the hood pulled down over his face. He slowly comes out onto the stage and pulls the cloak off, and at once, the applause echoing throughout the crowd stops.

Everypony's eyes widen and mouths drop. The creature before them is not a pony, he just can't be. They don't know what he is, but it isn't right. They can now truly see him for what he is, a monster. Tall and thin, his bones showing through his purple coat that's spotted with blood red. Both a twisted horn and deer-like antlers line his head, and his mane and tail are both wild and unkempt. He has cloven hooves and slits for eyes, bat wings and fangs for teeth. Glaring around at the crowd with a wide, vicious grin spread across the whole of his face, he chuckles slightly to himself.

The four friends sitting in the audience see him, and get to their hooves in an instant. This is exactly what they had been worrying might happen today. There's no other explanation, this has to be an agent of Oblivion. However, before they can even act, Trixie raises an eyebrow from over at the judges table and asks the creature, "Well Mr. Maaebjan, what is your talent? What have you come out here to show us all today?"

"What is my talent?" the creature repeats in an echoing, raspy voice, "what have I come out here to show you pathetic fools today? Hehehe. I think that these four ponies here in the front understand better than a two-bit showmare like you, Trixie. But I'll humor you. What is my talent you ask? Hmm, my talent is...MURDER!"

Without a second's hesitation following the last word, a black beam shoots out of his twisted horn, striking Trixie right in the heart and knocking her off of her seat. The crowd instantly begins to scream, and ponies leap up from their seats to escape. The other judges have run off, and have joined the panic now escalating in the streets as the showmare crumples to the ground below. The Wonderbolts and Princess Aurora rush the creature, but Maaebjan encases the flight team in a magical cage, and envelops the princesses horn in dark magic, causing her spell to backfire and knock her away. Bolting out from behind the curtain, Devlin sees what's going on and tries to rush the monster, but is caged just like the Wonderbolts had been.

As he laughs maniacally, the other four try to attack him as well, but just like everypony else, they're stopped, this time with a simple magical barrier blocking them from even getting near. Stepping forward as much as she can, Star Rider yells out, "Who are you, really!? Are you an agent of Oblivion, one sent by the evil force to commit acts of murder on his behalf!? Or are you Oblivion himself, once more possessing the body of an innocent pony!?"

"Innocent pony? Agent of Oblivion? Fools, you really don't understand, do you? This is far bigger than you could ever think! I am not a puny minion, or a pathetic lower creature! I AM Oblivion! The power I have grown in all this time, the strength I have locked into myself through all this time has allowed me to finally regain true form! This is me, in all my glory!"

Everypony still around the stage glares at the monster in anger. They can't believe this. Oblivion himself has come for them? Why would he make such a drastic move? Does it have something to do with Bri, and if so, what? Star decides to ask him this, but Oblivion just laughs and responds, "No, that was not my doing. Bri left of her own accord, right along with that pathetic loser Scatter Brain. They think they can do something. They think that they actually have a chance. It's funny really. Pathetic little mortals. You always believe yourselves to be stronger than you actually are. After I took over that impudent Sevulva Star, I've become so much more powerful. My minions have gathered me many sacrifices, and I have formed, as you call them, Agents of Oblivion. Actually, I kind of like that. My agents are across Equestria, killing and stealing the souls to feed my power. Soon, I shall rise to full power and destroy this planet, and ascend as a GOD!"

"You're insane!" Star yells out as she continues to try and force her way through the barrier, but to no avail. Turning around, she looks at both Agelian and Chupa and gives them a look as if to ask what they're waiting for. The two seem confused at first, but come to a sudden realization and step towards her and the barrier. Chupa unwraps the golden scarf around her neck and points the gem imbedded in it at the barrier and Oblivion, who raises an eyebrow. Agelian then does the same, pulling out his golden racing goggles and pointing the gem at the barrier as well. Instantly, the two Elements of Harmony seem to resonate with power, glowing as they suddenly let out a giant rainbow-colored power beam, shattering the barrier with ease and enveloping the evil pony.

Shrieking out, the creature yells, "NO! How could you have found them!? I got rid of the Elements of Harmony sixteen years ago!" Suddenly, the rainbow beam seems to dissolve his body, turning it into dust which crumbles and falls to the stage below. However, his force remains, and flies away to escape for now and plot it's revenge. The magic cages disappear, freeing everypony, and all the ponies around begin to wander back, looking around in shock and confusion. However, they ignore the others and rush to the judges table, where Trixie is in critical condition.

Blood exuding from her chest, she coughs more up and looks at the worried expression on Star's face right above her. A warm smile spreads across the showmare as she quietly whispers to them, "This...is what...I deserve. I killed....innocent young ponies...and...and...and I made other pony's....lives...Hell. Karma is...finally catching up with me I...guess." She hacks up a huge amount of blood, and laughs as she thinks about how Twilight Sparkle was always so forgiving of her, after everything she had done. She always gave her another chance. Maybe that's what true friends do for each other. Maybe Twilight just wanted to be her friend in the end. With a wink, Trixie adds, "This....was the....last hurrah of the....Great &....Powerful Trixie."

"Stay with us!" Star yells, "you can't die on us! Your magic shows were always so good! You changed for the better and made up for your past mistakes Trixie! Please...please don't die! You really are a wonderful showmare!"

Laughing, Trixie smiles for one last time as she says to them, "Was there ever any doubt?"

Episode 13 Preview

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They all make fun of me. They say that I'm a fool for believing they exist, but I'll show them. I'll show everypony that humans do exist, and when I do, I'll be the one laughing.

S01 E13 - The Mysterious Lyra Heartstrings

It's hard to believe, but one month has already passed since the horrible attack on Ponyville that many now refer to as the EgT Incident. It seemed like an ordinary Equestrian day. Everypony was enjoying the amazing talents of those competing for the praise of the three judges, and it seemed like Devlin Speedster was a horseshoe-in to win the entire thing. However, following the stallion's beautiful vocal performance, Oblivion himself interrupted the competition and sent a fatal attack out, revealing himself to have returned to a physical form. It was an unprecedented move, taking everypony by surprise, including the usually knowledgeable Princess Aurora. Not even somepony like her saw this coming. For him to have gathered the necessary power to make such a drastic move is just mortifying. It proves that his strength has begun to grow faster than ever, and that there isn't much time left. If he is to be defeated, the six destined heroes have to find and gather the remaining four Elements of Harmony as quickly as possible...or rather, the five of them still there.

Bri still hasn't been seen or heard from since her initial disappearance over a month ago now. With everything that they have learned about the Elements, they understand that five ponies cannot wield them all. Without Bri, their hopes of defeating Oblivion are crushed. So while finding the Elements themselves is a high priority for them, finding Bri is even more so. Therein lies the problem. They have no idea where to begin. Up to this point, all they have worked out is that she must have left Ponyville alongside Scatter Brain, the stallion once housed in the Ponyville Mental Hospital after the disappearance of his then girlfriend, Pinkie Pie. It's easy to assume that Bri and Scatter had been connected through their admiration for the long-missing pink party pony, but other than that, they are unable to even guess as to where the two of them have gone to.

On top of the horror of Oblivion's growing power and the mystery of where Bri is, now the normally content and blissfully unaware citizens of Equestria have begun to take notice of the ever-looming threat that plagues their land. Their lives have become fueled with panic and an overwhelming, crippling fear, and with every moment that passes, every minute that they continue to live their lives like this, Oblivion grows stronger. Getting on with their everyday lives is nothing but a pipe dream now. It's just hard to believe that only a couple of months ago, everything was as normal as could be. It was the arrival of those dreaded dark stars that turned Equestria on it's head. It was then that they knew that their lives would never be the same again, not with the threat of worldwide annihilation peering over their shoulders. Any breath could be their last.

But the dark stars had disappeared as quickly as they arrived, and with them, the famed stage pony Sevulva Star, who had been possessed by Oblivion. Life seemed to go back to normal, and though it was odd, nopony was panicking or living in fear anymore. They just went on with their lives as if the dark star incident never even happened. Some would say it's their strength that propelled them to pony on. Others would simply call it a weakness, and ignorance. Whatever the case may be, it cannot be argued that this gave the ponies hope, and the will to carry on. Yet even though everything seemed good and fine, the evil, possessive force was still watching them in the background, biding it's time and awaiting the moment when it could return.

Nopony knew that within their very town, six seemingly normal ponies were called to action by Princess Aurora, joining forces and forging friendships to research the dark stars and Oblivion, and hopefully figure out how to save the world. They didn't know that the thief who began to invade their homes and shops was under the control of a force of pure, absolute darkness. The same force that had given birth to the dark stars. They just went on with their lives as if it would all go back to normal. They now know how wrong they were. With the attack on Ponyville, the EgT Incident has brought their minds to the reality of the situation, and they found themselves wondering if, in the end, their past ignorance ever even did them any good.

One does have to wonder about this, especially with where things have now gone. Ponies of all colors and sizes from all over the country gather together now within the hallowed main room of the large, brooding Canterlot Funeral Parlor, seated in rows upon rows of chairs that sit only feet away from the essence of death. Bitter, salty tears stream carelessly down their faces as they all look with sorrow at the sleeping body of Trixie Lulamoon set before them. She just seems so peaceful in death, as if the weight of the world has finally been lifted from her shoulders. Resting against the casket that houses her body are framed pictures of the showmare in her prime, displaying her wide smile and determined eyes. Behind the casket hangs a copy of the poster from her very first show, and all around the stage, flowers decorate the display, all brought by the guests to pay honor to the late mare.

The room is nearly silent, the only sounds still going through it being the sorrow-filled sobbing coming from those seated there. In the very front row sits the only ponies who could have been considered close to Trixie prior to her untimely death; the six friends who had only known her for a short time, but for whom she had gained an insurmountable love; Princess Aurora, who had always shown care, love, and kindness towards the showmare when nopony else would, despite her sometimes unwelcoming personality; and of course, Trixie's very parents, who now cry harder than anypony else at the sight of their daughter’s motionless corpse, unable to help but remember the day thirty seven years ago when she was born.

One seat in the very front row remains empty, for standing there directly in front of the casket, is another pony who had known the showmare for such a long time now. Other than the parents, this mare had probably known Trixie longer than anypony else in the room. Tears cascade down her eyes as well, and as she quietly leaves a bouquet in the stiff, wrapped hooved of the late mare, Fluttershy slowly turns around and begins to walk over to the pulpit set up to the left side of the presentation. It had been decided that she would be one of those to address everypony regarding Trixie, and the life she lived. She was one of the first of the speakers chosen, and the last to actually speak. At first, she didn't want anything to do with this, and wasn't sure of what to tell Trixie's family, but she eventually accepted.

As she reaches her destination, standing stoically behind the pulpit, the shy pony says nothing at first. She just stands there, continuing to sob to herself along with the others. Nopony judges her, or even wonders why she has yet to talk. They understand the pain she must be going through. While Trixie was never the most humble of ponies, she always gave a good show. She would even, on occasion, perform for free as a way to thank her most loyal of fans. She was also a regular donor to different charities. Trixie was a far cry from the pony many often saw her as. She was more than just the boastful personality she used on stage. She did truly care for others, and in the end, she even died for them, working to help somepony else rise to fame and become a prominent part of the Equestrian spotlight.

"Everypony," Fluttershy suddenly speaks up as she begins her speech, allowing the remainder of her tears to freely flow from her eyes. She refuses to wipe them away, feeling that it would dishonor the memories of her lost friend. "One month ago, we all lost a great mare well before her time. I first met Trixie Lulamoon during her first ever show in Ponyville almost twenty years ago to this very day. At the beginning, my friends and I found her to be boastful and prideful, having an off-putting attitude that just rubbed us the wrong way. We acted rudely towards her, and even tried to show her up during her own performance. It was these very judgmental attitudes that caused two young colts to inadvertently unleash an Ursa Minor upon Ponyville, and in the end, cause us to show Trixie up once again."

"We didn't meet again until almost a year later. Trixie had come back to Ponyville, but this time she was corrupted by an ancient artifact of great magical power. It amplified her anger and aggression, and caused her to act out in revenge against us all, and most specifically, against the now missing Princess Twilight Sparkle, who she blamed most of all. We treated Trixie horrible, and in the end, although we were able to stop her anger-fueled tirade and bring her mind back to reality, she was the one who ended up begging for forgiveness. With how we had treated her, and everything that happened because of it, it should have been the other way around."

"We had made narrow-minded assumptions about who she was, and never were even willing to give her a chance. Time and time again it went the same way. Every time she came to Ponyville, she would leave nearly in tears because of how poorly we would act. But one day, she made a mistake during one of her acts. It caused her to accidentally take the lives of a couple of young ponies. We were all ready to imprison her at that point. Some of us had even called for her banishment, and in extreme cases, her execution. However, Princess Twilight reigned us all in. She knew that this wasn't Trixie's fault, that it was all an accident, and saw how devastated the showmare was by the entire ordeal. But because of our past actions, Trixie ran away in fear. None of my friends ever saw her again, having either died or disappeared by that point."

"It wasn't long ago," she continues slowly, taking a deep breath to reign in her emotions as everypony looks on and listens intently, "that Trixie returned to Ponyville to ask for my help. I had just come out of my seclusion and still harbored bitter, resentful feelings towards her, and because of it, although she desperately needed it, I refused to lend a hoof to help her. But despite my actions, these six ponies right here in front of me did their best to work with her, and in the end, helped her save all of Canterlot from a terrible Ursa Major invasion."

"I do deeply regret with all of my heart that I wasn't willing to help her in the slightest. In the end, I had allowed my anger and sorrow to get the better of me, and to control my actions. I wasn't able to save Trixie during the EgT Incident one month ago, and now I'm left with the knowledge that in the end, she probably did forgive me. I don't deserve her forgiveness though, and probably never will. Not once have I ever acted in any way towards her than with bitter hatred. Once, long ago, I represented the spirit of the Element of Kindness, and yet, I turned my back to somepony who needed that kindness the most. Instead, I showed Trixie hate and disdain. I acted against my very nature, and now she's gone. The only thing I, or any of us, can do now is honor her memory, honor everything that she once stood for. So with that, in honor of Trixie Lulamoon, I vow to change my life. I want to live, to love, and to show kindness once more to those who need it. I never want to forsake anypony again, and this time, I will NOT hesitate in working my hardest to save everypony that I can. I won't let anypony else die by Oblivion's hoof...for Trixie!"

The very next day, early in the morning not long after the sun had been risen for the day, the majority of Ponyville's residents find themselves gathered in front of the town hall. Just the night before they had all been asked to meet there for an important meeting that was to be held to discuss the future of the town. It wasn't the idea of the meeting that got them all interested, however, but rather who they were told was hosting it. Nopony would have ever expected somepony as shy and quiet as Fluttershy to ever hold a meeting, much less one of this much importance. Naturally, their curiosities had been piqued, and their interests quickly gained. So as they all have gathered there in front of the currently closed doors of the town hall, the ponies have begun to mutter amongst themselves. They wonder what could possibly propel Fluttershy to call forth the entire town like this. Has something else happened? Has this evil Maaebjan creature attacked again?

They don't have to wait very long, as Fluttershy suddenly flies down from behind a grouping of clouds in the sky. Her normally happy and content face now glows with a serious, hardened, and almost angry expression. They can tell from that alone that whatever this is about, it truly must be of high importance. Armed Canterlot guards suddenly come out on both sides and stand there stoically, as if to give off an intimidating presence. It works, and everypony begins to instantly quiet down. They want to know what all of this is about, and why they had been asked to come so early in the morning. For a moment, Fluttershy paces in front of them all, seeming agitated by something. She seems like she's going to speak once or twice, but stops and just continues to walk back and forth. However, as the chatter picks up again, the shy pony's actions having confused everyone, she growls and yells out, "ENOUGH!"

Everypony shuts up and once more turns to Fluttershy as her eyes twitch and she continues, "I've had it! I've bucking had it! I already lost three of my friends sixteen years ago, and the other two disappeared! Now Trixie's been murdered by Oblivion for no other purpose than to cause terror and panic! I cannot, I WILL NOT STAND FOR THIS ANYMORE! THIS ENDS NOW! With Ponyville defenseless without the Elements of Harmony, I believe that we as a town need a branch of the Canterlot royal army to be stationed here! No, we need our own military force! We need constant, round the clock protection! Especially with that flank, Oblivion, breathing down our necks!"

Cheering out in agreement, the ponies show their support for the mare and her idea. It's an exciting concept, and one that surprisingly hasn't been brought up before, despite everything that seems to go on in their town. They want to feel safe and protected for once, and the idea of a militant branch protecting them all day and night certainly seems like a reasonable thing to ask for. Fluttershy then calls for their attention again, continuing to speak and telling everypony that the first task in completing this goal is to assemble a militant task force to serve the town while she can meet with Princess Aurora and Mayor Mare to discuss the militarization of the town further within the upcoming weeks. However, she adds that because of this, she needs somepony to step up and lead the task force, telling them all that doing so would require a lot of expectations and constant, tiring work. A naturally daunting task for anyone to take on. However, right off the bat, one stallion steps forward to volunteer. Dark blue coat with a mane and tail and color of flames, the former captain of the Canterlot elite royal guard firmly but respectfully tells Fluttershy that, "I'm not only willing and able to take on the position, but due to my military background, I am the most qualified to lead the task force in this mission, ma'am."

"I agree," Fluttershy replies with a smile, "you'll do perfectly. So everypony, from this point on, the leader of the Ponyville Militant Task Force is Terra Lionmane! And one thing, the task force will NOT replace the police force already in effect. They will be a more militant force to protect our town from bigger threats, most notably Oblivion."

Smiling, the normally shy mare then asks everypony else if there's anyone who would like to volunteer to be a member of the task force to keep Ponyville safe, explaining that it will require constant work and is not recommended for those who aren't sure about making this the biggest focus of their lives. Right away, a group of other ponies begin to step up, unafraid of Fluttershy's warning. Among them are Pound Cake from Sugarcube Corner, Apple Bloom's husband Fuji Apple, Devlin Speedster, Agelian Wingblade, and even Star Rider. All of them step up, wishing to join the task force to save the town they love. A wide smile spread across her face, Fluttershy gives them all nods of approval before dismissing the remainder of the town so that the task force can begin their planning.

Everypony else begins to disperse, and as the last is out of earshot, the mare turns to Terra and asks if he could take charge at this point and give out his first orders. The former captain of the elite royal guard nods and salutes her, approaching his new soldiers as she then flies off to meet with the princess and mayor. Standing there, Terra looks at the remaining volunteers and with authority yells out, "Ok everypony, this is it! You have stepped up today to serve your town, to serve Ponyville! You have chosen to protect everypony else from Oblivion and his agents of evil! It was you who made this decision, remember that! Because from this point on, the entire future of Ponyville rests on your shoulders! Your first task will be to investigate and search for any and all information you can get on Oblivion, the dark stars, and the EgT Incident! Even if it at first seems unimportant, make sure you get EVERYTHING down! And if you happen to learn ANYTHING directly focusing on the Elements of Harmony, Oblivion, Briance Happer, or the like, you will report it to me right away! I will be here in town square to do my own investigation, now get to it!"

While everypony else begins to head out, Terra suddenly walks up to one of the individuals; a stallion with a gray coat and a black and blue mane. Turning, the stallion faces his commanding officer. He looks tough, but not too much so, and salutes Terra with respect. The new leader of the task force raises an eyebrow and tells the stallion that he doesn't recognize him, then asks that he introduce himself. Nodding, the pony tells Terra in a calm, almost quiet voice, "The name is J.D. Gumila, sir.” Nodding, the captain orders the newcomer off to complete his duties, unaware of the menacing grin the stallion gives as he trots away.

As she quickly trots in the direction of the southern sector of the town, Star finds herself more than ready to begin her search for information. However, she suddenly stops as a problem arises in the deep recesses of her mind; she has no idea where to even begin. She only wanted to join the task force in the first place so that she could put all the studying and research that she's already been doing to a better use. She wanted to work side by side with her friends and everypony else to help stop Oblivion once and for all, and make sure that nopony else had to die like Trixie. However, most of her research thus far has been through books and articles. She's unsure of how to start gathering intel in any other way, much less by just asking around. And she doubts that Terra would want her to just use the library's resources the entire time. He'd want her to get out there, pound the pavement, and start asking anypony she came across.

She continues to think this over, going through the different options in her head as she attempts to figure out some way to make this all work. She walks on without really looking, and suddenly, something hits her in the side, hard. Knocked off her hooves, Star's face contorts to that of surprise and she looks quickly around as she falls to the ground with a thud. Not more than just a foot away now stands a frantic looking mare. Eyes widened, she herself looks around. Her coat is a light blue color, and her mane is of a darker shade with white highlights. She has golden eyes and a cutie mark displaying the image of a lyre. Star gets to her hooves and notices that the pony has begun to pick up some oddly shaped boots that she had dropped when they bumped into each other. They seem to be made of a light, almost airy clear material and have five strange protrusions coming out of them. She sighs, but smiles as she walks over to help the mare pick them up.

"Omigosh! I'm sooooooo sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going!" the mare profusely begins to apologize as she quickly stuffs the weird boots back into her saddlebag as if she were trying to hide them. The bag itself is also made of an odd material, leather. Saddlebags aren't made with leather anymore. This one seems old, very old, and is even falling apart in a couple of places. However, Star simply shrugs it off and gives the mare the remainder of the odd boots before realizing that she doesn't recognize the mare at all. It's almost as if she were new to town. Knowing that this could be the lead she needs, she asks her for her name.

"Oh, I'm Lyra," she tells Star with a big grin, "Lyra Heartstrings."

It's almost as if a wave of instant realization seems to flood over the mare as she hears the newcomers name. She turns to Lyra with surprise etched on her face and just stares quietly for a moment before she finds the words to reply, "I know about you! My sister used to talk about you when I was younger! Aren't you that pony that everypony says is completely obsessed with mythical creatures?"

"HUMANS AREN'T MYTHICAL CREATURES!"

"GAH!" Star cries out in shock as she falls back from the surprise of the pony's loud outburst. Just moments ago, she had seemed as normal, cheery, and kind as anypony out there. However, with the sudden yell, her face has become filled with rage and distress. It luckily only lasts for a moment though, and she soon goes back to how she was before, once again apologizing to Star as she lends a hoof to help the pony up. She seems almost embarrassed and begins to explain that human beings aren't mythical creatures like everypony around seems to think. This time Star is the one to apologize, telling Lyra that she didn't mean to offend her, but adds that she also isn't quite sure of what she's talking about. Naturally she had heard the myths regarding human beings, but they're as made up as any other. There's no proof to their existence, and they're only out there to entertain young foals. Maybe ponies are growing differently these days, but she doesn't believe that Lyra Heartstrings is a foal.

"Oh, by the way," Star says as she desperately tries to change the subject, turning the focus to that of what she had been out to do in the first place, "would you happen to know anything about the evil force Oblivion, the dark stars, Bri Happer, of the Elements of Harmony?"

Lyra had been turned the other way, her attention caught by one last boot she hadn't picked up yet. However, she suddenly spins around on the spot at the question and with wide eyes, looks at the mare for a good minute. Surprise is clearly shown in her expression, and she doesn't seem to know how to react or respond. Biting her lip, the mare then turns back around and quietly tells Star, "Yes, I do. I know about all of that, a lot about it as well. I wasn't aware that you were her. I'm sorry for that Star Rider. I promise that I'll tell you everything I know about it all, but first I need you to do something for me. I need your help. Do this for me, and I'll give you all the information you need to kill Oblivion, find your friend, and save the lost princesses."

"Wait, save the princesses!?" Star yells out, "so they're all alive!?"

"I'll answer all of your questions once you have done this for me," she repeats, refusing to even slightly elaborate on the information beforehand. Star sighs once again, knowing that this might be the only way to find out everything that she needs to know. So she agrees to do what she can to help Lyra, who then smiles and grabs a hold of Star's hoof, leading her away. The two of them head towards a secluded part of the town that barely anypony lives in anymore. Run down, with buildings that are falling apart and plantlife that hasn't been cared for in a long time, Star is surprised that she's never been down here before. It almost seems like an entirely different town.

It takes the two of them only a short minute or two before they arrive at an old, run-down looking house at the very edge of the town's border. Smiling back at Star, Lyra turns and puts the key in, turning it to unlock and open the door as she welcomes the guest into her home. As the mares enter, Lyra heads straight to the kitchen, leaving Star to look around. Every inch of every wall is covered in pictures of the mythical human beings. The floor is littered with weird looking objects, and clothing that doesn't look like it's made right for any kind of pony. She looks back at the pictures of the humans and notices two stalks coming out of their middle body. On the end of each stalk is five weird appendages that seem to match the shape of those odd boots that Lyra had. It all seems to be coming together now.

Walking over as she takes in the overwhelming imagery of the room and tries to avoid stepping on the pictures, clothing, and more all over the floor, Star takes a seat on the couch, pushing aside what appears to be a stack of poems about humans. In the corner of the room is a lyre that seems old and unused, which seems strange considering the mare's very cutie mark seems to center around it. Some of the instrument’s strings are broken, and beside it sits a piece of unwrapped candy with a pink and blue striped wrapper, and a couple flowers, almost as if it were a memorial shrine or something. It's a certainly confusing sight, but at the same time it intrigues the mare. She wonders what it could be about, and why it seems like the house hasn't been entered in years.

However, her thoughts are quickly interrupted as Lyra returns from the kitchen with a cup of fresh brewed mint tea, which she gives to her guest before pulling up a chair to sit across from her. The mare sits down in a strange way and smiles over at Star. Considering how on the edge Lyra had been earlier, she decides not to question this, and instead quietly sips her drink as she awaits her host to speak first. Luckily, this happens quickly as Lyra pulls a book out of her saddlebag, in which are more pictures of humans. She tells Star that she knows all too well that humans do really exist, and has even seen one herself many years back. Naturally, Star is reluctant to believe her, so she explains the situation that led to her meeting a human long ago.

"It all happened one day when I was at the park with my fillyhood friend Bonbon. It was an ordinary day, and as usual, we were just sitting there on one of the park benches and enjoying the spring air. We had begun to talk about things going on. My lyre playing, her candy selling, that kind of stuff. It seemed like a wonderful time. Nothing too special at all. That's when I suddenly saw Pinkie Pie hopping by. I thought nothing of it at first, until I saw someone with her. A mysterious creature was struggling to keep up with her, and it just shocked me. I had always been a huge mythology lover, especially with the myths of human beings. So when I saw a real life one right there, I was so surprised, confused, scared, and excited all at the same time. Bonbon hadn't been looking and didn't believe me, but I knew what I saw. So I got up and went to try and follow him, but lost track rather quickly."

"I eventually was able to find the human again though. It was the next day if I remember correctly. Oh, but I do know for sure that I remember the human well. Tall, and he stood on two things called feet. He had a black, pointy mane on his head, but had no fur at all. Instead his body was covered with nothing but leathery skin. He wore a dark blue suit that covered his entire body, and his hands...oh his hand, they were BEAUTIFUL! I even tried to tell him so, but he seemed like he was looking for somepony and left rather quickly."

"You do realize how crazy this all sounds, right?" Star asks, frustration boiling up inside of her at this point. The entire reason she had come is because Lyra told her that she needed her help with something. If she had known from the beginning that it was only to hear this convoluted story about mythical beings, she would've never agreed to this. She needs to find this information about Oblivion, the Elements of Harmony, and Bri as quickly as she can. She doesn't have the time to go through all of this nonsense. So, she decides to edge things along a little and asks Lyra if she could move on. Surprisingly, the mare isn't hurt by this, but nods in agreement.

"Well, to be completely honest," she tells Star, sighing to herself, "I really don't know much else about the guy, that's what a human stallion is called. But one thing I was able to figure out is that he was definitely a human. I did also notice though that he was spending a lot of time around a few specific ponies, mainly Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends. Oh, but of course, this was well before Twilight even became a princess."

"Later on I had asked everypony about him, especially those who I noticed seem to have the most contact with the guy, but nopony seemed to know what I was talking about. They acted as if I were the crazy one. Not even Trixie Lulamoon, whom the human had direct contact with on multiple occasions during his time in Ponyville, would admit to knowing about him. It was weird."

"Trixie!?" Star says, surprise echoing in her voice.

"Yeah. I don't know why, but apparently it seemed as if the two didn't get along that well. From what I had seen, they almost outright hated each other. It was just so strange though, right? Nopony seemed to remember him at all, and it was only one day after he had left too. It's as if their memories were somehow tampered with. Or, the more likely explanation is that all of them were faking it. For some reason, everypony was hiding something from me. Something that I felt it necessary to find out about. So I began to do my research."

"Wait, why would they be hiding something? That doesn't make any sense."

"Oh, it makes perfect sense actually, Star! You see, it's all because of what happened with the Equestrian 500 and the death of Ace Swift! I figured it all out! The human must have been there because of the trial that had been going on. Rainbow Dash, one of Twilight's friends, was being accused of Ace's murder. She was going to be banished to the sun! I heard talks that the lawyer defending her was someone mysterious and unknown. I think it might have been the human, and...wait...Star, where are you going? I'm not done yet!"

Having gotten to her hooves, Star rolls her eyes, feeling that by this point, she's heard more than enough. This lead is obviously a complete waste of time for her. First this loony pony talks as if human beings were actually real, and now she's going on about the old pony's tale regarding Ace Swift, the cheating racer who has been proven on multiple occasions to have never even existed. The trial, even the Equestrian 500 itself are all lies! The last Equestrian 500 race occurred over 50 years ago! She just can't handle listening to this crap anymore, so without a word, she begins to head towards the door so that she can head out and get some real information regarding Oblivion.

However, Lyra suddenly trots up and stops her. Star begins to get angry at this point, but the mare suddenly leans forward and whispers into her ear, "Check the library, Star Rider." She then backs away, allowing Star to continue to the door. Opening it, she grumpily heads out, leaving the insane pony behind to wallow in her declining mentality. She had always heard that Lyra Heartstrings was a little weird, but now this is just crazy! It's as if she's unable to tell the clear difference between reality and fictional stories. This was just a complete and utter waste of time, and didn't lead her anywhere. Lyra didn't know anything about Oblivion. She just wanted a reason to talk about her insane beliefs.

But wait, how did she know her name? As Star trots on down the road, this question keeps popping up in her mind. She never even introduced herself to Lyra, and to the best of her knowledge, the two have never even met each other before now. So why does it seem like this insane mare knew so much about her? And then there were those last words she had said; check the library. What could she have possibly meant by that? For some reason, she actually doubts that it has anything to do with humans. It was the way Lyra had said it. It makes her feel like she can trust it as a real lead. Besides, checking the library couldn't possibly hurt the search for information any more. So, she decides to make a quick stop over at the P.T.S.M. Library before she continues her search elsewhere. Maybe Spike knows something about a book that can help.

Unfortunately, she never makes it to the library, as a few minutes later, she sees a flash out of the corner of her eye. Her head swiveling on it's axis, she sees Lyra running off somewhere. Something about this is still all too strange. This Lyra pony has got her on edge now. She feels that the mare truly does know something, but it's hard to trust somepony like that. She needs more information on Lyra before she can get the information on Oblivion. She remembers hearing the name of Bonbon the candy maker mentioned in the psychotic mare's fictional story, so she decides that it's as good a place as any to begin. If she can help her learn about how reliable Lyra is at least, that will be a start. Maybe then she can find out the truth.

The small bell rings as she opens the door, walking in to the candy shop. Bonbon stands behind the counter, smiling from ear to ear as she awaits the customer to make her order. Smiling back, Star goes up and greets her, saying, "Hello Miss Bonbon. I'm sorry, but I'm not here for any candy today. I just wanted to ask you a quick question while I was passing by. I just met with your friend Lyra, and I was wondering if you could tell me more about her."

It's almost as if a switch turned off in the room. A cold chill sweeps down Star's spine as she watches Bonbon's happy smile turn to an expression of pure, unadulterated rage. Her eyes widen, and pupils shrink. Her teeth gnash against each other, and veins pop out on her forehead. The most surprising part of it all is the tears that begin to fall from her eyes as she screams out in anger before literally jumping the counter and chasing a very confused Star out of the shop. Running, the mare doesn't turn around. She's afraid that if she does, it'll only slow her down enough to give Bonbon more of a chance to catch up.

After a couple minutes, however, she realizes that the candy maker is no longer chasing her, and so breathing a sigh of relief, she leans against a building and wipes the sweat from her forehead. She just doesn't understand what's going on. She goes around town, seeing if anypony else might know about Lyra, but everypony she asks only gives her weird looks or tells her to just go away. Something isn't right here. She knows that this might not be the lead she was looking for, but that it's definitely something worth looking in to. She has one last idea of who to go to, and so the mare rushes throughout town until she reaches the mayor's office, luckily catching Mayor Mare as she's just entering the building.

"Mayor, can I ask you something really quick!?"

"Star Rider? Yes, of course you can," the mayor replies, confused but always happy to help. So with a deep breath, the mare begins to tell the mayor of what happened with Bonbon and the other ponies, and how she only wants to know more about Lyra and where she might be able to be found around now. However, even Mayor Mare flashes her a strange look, and turns to walk away. Falling to the ground in desperation, Star grabs at the mayor's hooves and begs to know why everypony is acting like this. She just doesn't understand what's going on, and the actions from everyone is just so crushing and confusing to see. She can't stand being let down like this anymore.

Seeing this, the mayor sighs and tells her very quietly, "Star, Lyra Heartstrings was one of the ponies killed back when the Hay & Stay Hotel blew up on the night the dark stars disappeared."

"But that's impossible..." Star replies, confused more than ever, "I just met her earlier."

"Are you ok Star? There's no way you could've seen her. Her body was crushed, and she was cremated in accordance with her will. We had even given her ashes to Bonbon because of their relationship, though I doubt she'd let you see them now. Don't you see why Bonbon got so upset with you? It was a hard loss for her, and for all those who cared for Lyra. Maybe you should get some sleep. You've probably just been working yourself too hard."

Walking away without saying another word, Star just shakes her head in disbelief. This doesn't make sense. She knows that she had met with Lyra, and that it wasn't just her imagination. She remembers the taste of the mint tea, and the odd texture of the weird boots. The crazy house and the even crazier conversation. She knows that it was real, but if what Mayor Mare says is true, it can't be. How could Lyra have died back during the dark star incident and still be here now. It's just impossible. Now what should she do? Continue to figure out this entire situation with seeing dead ponies, or go back to her original goal of locating information on the three big topics that need her focus right now? She feels that the right decision would be the latter, but she just can't let this go. Something isn't sitting right with her about this.

Suddenly, as if on cue, she sees Lyra once again. Unless the mare is lying about her identity, this is the pony that others believe to be dead. For some reason, she doesn't believe that to be the case. This really is her, she just knows it. Watching, she notices that the mare seems to be heading towards the Everfree Forest. This is it, her decision's been made. She's going to continue to follow this lead and try to figure out what's going on with the mysterious Lyra Heartstrings. So giving chase, Star follows the mare throughout the remainder of town all the way past Fluttershy's cottage. Right ahead is the forest, and without even thinking twice, she follows Lyra in.

Turning her head as she continues to run, Lyra looks back at Star suddenly and smiles. She then returns her focus to the front of herself and bolts off faster than ever. It takes all the strength she has to keep up. She isn't an athlete after all, she's just your everyday, ordinary pony. They reach a clearing and the mysterious pony continues ahead full force and without warning...disappears. Just like that, she vanishes in mid-air. It happens so suddenly that Star nearly crashes into a tree just from the loss of concentration. Sitting there, staring right at the spot where the pony had last been, she rubs her eyes for a moment and looks again. She has to have seen that wrong. However, no matter how hard she tries to prove otherwise, she knows what she saw.

Curious, Star slowly begins to walk to where she saw Lyra disappear, and as she reaches the spot...nothing happens. She looks around at first, and even trots onward a little to make sure that she's not just losing her mind. However, the signs are telling her otherwise. Maybe Mayor Mare was right. Maybe she does just need some sleep. Sighing, she decides that she's gonna head home and turn in early. Everything that's been happening HAS been taking a lot out of her. It is true that her sleep cycle has been messed up more than ever in the past month since the EgT incident. She was probably just seeing things in her mind. Having heard about Lyra before, she probably just made up the pony's likeness in her mind and constructed it out of a need for sleep.

Turning back, she begins to head home. She can almost hear her bed calling for her now. She'll tell Terra that she didn't find anything useful, and from what it seems, she really didn't. At least now she'll be able to return her attention to finding Bri and the Elements of Harmony so that she and her friends can stop Oblivion once and for all. She soon reaches her house as the sun begins to lower in the sky. She hadn't realized how long she's been going around. It seems like just an hour ago that she was getting her orders from Terra, but apparently it's already night. Smiling, she sees her house coming and prepares to think about her comfortable bed. That's when the sight of lights coming from inside capture her attention.

She's sure she turned the lights off when she left this morning. As she gets closer, voices accompany the lights and worry begins to eclipse the mare. Something isn't right here. Why would there be somepony in her house? Could it be Grace? She does have a key, but why would she be over at this time? Maybe Mayor Mare had told her about the entire incident earlier regarding Lyra. It's definitely something that her sister would worry about. But wait, she can hear multiple voices. Are her friends there too? Could they be worried about her apparently declining sanity? Is this some kind of intervention? No, but wait, she doesn't recognize these voices...any of them. Who are these ponies in her house?

Slowly approaching, she cautiously looks in the window. Four ponies sit there talking and laughing with each other. But it's not just the unknown ponies in her house that confuse Star. The inside is completely different. The decor, furniture, everything, none of it is hers. What's going on here!? Panicking now, she decides that maybe she does need family right now. Grace will hopefully know what to do. So running full speed across town, she quickly comes to her older sister’s house. Once again she hears voices not belonging to anypony she knows. However, somehow these ones are different.

The voices coming from within are somehow familiar to her, comforting and welcoming. She doesn't recognize any of them, but for some reason she knows them. She does as before and approaches the window to look in, scared at what she might find. And as she looks in, time seems to slow to a stand still. Tears well up in her eyes at what she sees, and a hoof rises to cover her mouth so she can't scream out in shock and pure emotion. She doesn't know how to react, what to do, what to say. This doesn't make sense, what is going on here?

"Grace, eat all of your food," her mother scolds a young filly, unable to hold back a chuckle as she feeds a baby foal...her mother. No, but it can't be, it just can't! Not just her mother though, but her father as well. Both of them are right there, sitting at the table, only feet away and separated by nothing but a sheet of glass. And then there's Grace, the older sister she had come to get help from, just a young filly, and the baby being fed by their mother...but it's impossible. The coat, the mane, the eye color. It's...it's her. It's her as a foal.

Unable to hold it back any longer, Star screams out in a mixture of confusion, horror, and sorrow. Tears explode from her eyes as she turns and bolts away from the house, trying to escape the ghosts of her past that haunt her now. Why is this happening? How is this happening? So many thoughts race through her head as her wings unfold and she takes flight. She doesn't rise too far off the ground, and rather uses them to gain speed and momentum, trying to get away from the pain surging through her body after seeing that. However, her flight only lasts a few moments.

Just as she had been earlier, Star is knocked back suddenly as she collides with something, or rather, somepony. Fear begins to sweep over her right away. Who could it possibly be now? What's going to happen this time? Is it Lyra again? No, she can't fly, or can she? Is it somepony else who should be dead? By this point, the mare is laughing hysterically as her mental stability fades more and more. Her wings flap around excitedly without actually doing anything worthwhile, and her head jolts around, trying to locate the pony she had hit this time. She expects to see Trixie or somepony else she knows shouldn't be able to be here, but what she does end up seeing is somepony she never could've prepared herself for. Mind finally breaking, she passes out and falls with a thud to the hard ground below. The other pony, meanwhile, climbs back to her feet and looks around, still in shock that someone had run into her. Straightening out her wings, and levitating up all of her dropped goods using her magic, Princess Twilight Sparkle looks down at the unconscious mare.

"Oh Celestia, what have I done?"

...TO BE CONTINUED!!!

S01 E14 - Ascension

Mind still clouded after the heavy impact of the fall she had taken, Star awakens to find herself basked in the warmth of a bright light, encompassing the entirety of her body. All around her she can hear the worried sound of talking, figuring that it must be her friends, standing over her and wondering why she's just laying on the ground. She opens her eyes, which are still coming into focus after everything, and looks around, noticing right away that she's in the Princess Twilight Sparkle Memorial Library. Not too far off, in the open kitchen, Spike is walking around. He seems to be heating up a pot of something, based on the wonderful smell emanating from there. It smells like hot chocolate; delicious, rich, creamy hot chocolate. As the smell of the drink awakens her senses, Star comes to a realization of what must have happened now. She can see that the bright light is the sun shining in through the open windows, and understands that she must have been out all night. She has been studying, researching on Oblivion and the Elements of Harmony when she simply got tired, fell asleep, and had a weird dream. That's all there is to it.

Lyra, the Everfree Forest, her parents, and Princess Twilight Sparkle, all of it was a mere dream brought on by hours of endless studying, and now that she thinks about it, a mug of hot cocoa sounds really good right now. Smiling, the mare begins to rise to her hooves, shaking out the last of her tired daze and soaking up the beautiful warm light of the sun. It's a beautiful day, and now she can take a break and just spend some time with her friends. Of course, with Terra heading the Ponyville Militant Task Force, he's bound to be busy. Agelian and Devlin are both part of it as well, so they're out, and Bri is still missing. Maybe Chupa's free to hang out, or even somepony else. It's the weekend, so maybe she could have tea with Cheerilee, or cake with Silver Spoon. She could go to Sweet Apple Acres and see Apple Bloom. She's sure to be free to have a little fun.

"Spike," she calls out, "can I have a cup of cocoa, please?"

The quiet talking all around her comes to an instant stop, and she feels as if a dozen or so heads have just turned suddenly in her direction. A cold sweat begins to drip down her brow, and she fears looking around. In front of her, the little dragon has also stopped, and is just staring at the mare with open mouth and widened eyes. In his claw is a pot of something, which he seems to have forgotten all about. Star swallows hard, and though afraid of what she might find, slowly turns her head. As she does, however, the mare comes face to face with somepony she doesn't recognize. Staring intently at her, the mysterious blue coated mare eyes her up and down, as if she were examining her. Not saying anything, Star waits until the pony flies back, and that's when her fear returns.

The blue coated mare now hovers there in full view, a skeptical look etched on her face. Her mane is a rainbow of colors, unkempt and wild. Her cutie mark is a cloud, out of which strikes a rainbow colored lightning bolt. She knows now who this mysterious mare is, and it's not possible. Continuing to look around, Star sees a white mare with a styled purple mane, an orange one with a cowpony hat, an overly happy looking pink pony, and...Fluttershy!? But, she's visibly younger than she should be. She had just seen Fluttershy at the meeting too. And in the middle of them all stands exactly who she didn't want to see, and her presence alone reveals the identities of every other pony there.

Princess Twilight Sparkle steps up to the scared and confused mare, offering a friendly hoof as she asks, "are you ok? I'm so sorry that I bumped into you last night. I was so wrapped up in my own thoughts that I didn't even see you."

"I would've seen her," the rainbow-maned pony replies, smirking.

"Yeah yeah, I know that Rainbow. Not all of us can multi-task while flying though," the Princess tells her as she rolls her eyes with a smile. She then returns her focus to Star, whose head seems to be on a swivel as it darts back and forth between the two as they talk, "now, Spike made you some hot chocolate."

Suddenly, the happy pink mare bounces over to them, and mimics Rainbow Dash, looking over Star. She then gasps over-dramatically and yells, "Omigosh! You must be new to Ponyville! This calls for a party!" This is Pinkie Pie, there's no doubt. She remembers the stories Bri had told her about the party pony's attitude and actions. But this just isn't possible. Pinkie's been missing for almost sixteen years now, the same with Princess Twilight. And everypony else here; Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash, died. Fluttershy is the only one who could be here now, but why does she look so young? That's when it hits her, and everything begins to come together. Lyra's sudden and mysterious appearance in Ponyville, despite having died, and how she just disappeared in the Everfree Forest. How somepony else was living in her home, and how she saw her still living parents in her sisters house, and now, all of this as well. She doesn't know why or how, but she's traveled into the past.

As she notices everypony staring at her, Star smiles and tries to act as normal as she can. This isn't right. She shouldn't be here, and should somehow get back to her own time. She has an idea on how to do so, but first she has to get away from these ponies. So deciding to go with the only idea she has, Star climbs up to her hooves and gives them all a curtly thanks before turning and bolting out of the library as fast as she possibly can. More worried than ever, she begins to gallop through town, but takes off into the sky not long after so that she can go faster and get back to the Everfree Forest as quickly as possible. Right away she notices that the town is smaller and much less impressive than in her time, but that really isn't saying much considering how small and umimpressive Ponyville is even then.

Wanting to get back to her friends and family, the mare flies as fast as possible, heading East and soon finding the outskirts of town and Fluttershy's cottage. From behind her she can hear a voice call out, and without even stopping, she turns her head to see Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Princess Twilight chasing after, all having taken flight as well. Dash leads the group, being the fastest, but chooses to not leave her friends behind just to catch Star. Flapping harder than she ever has before, the mare flies off and into the Everfree Forest in no time. She knows how hard it would be to fly through, so she lands and begins to gallop again, her goal not only being to escape the three ponies giving chase, but to follow the path back to the clearing so that she can get back home.

Continuing to run along the path, Star notices a large patch of odd blue flowers in her way. She can't quite explain it, but something about them just doesn't seem right. So she avoids them, flying low overhead for a minute until the path is once again clear. As she lands, she notices the three ponies coming up to the beginning of the patch and stopping suddenly. Fluttershy begins to say something about sounding like a stallion, but deciding not to listen in to the entire conversation, Star continues to gallop away, hoping she'll be back home before they figure out how to get past the flowers. She soon finds the end of the path that leads right into the clearing and continues forward with a huge burst of energy. She runs through the center, and as last time, nothing seems to happen. However, as she turns around, ready to head back home with the knowledge that she must be back in her own time, she sees the three ponies reaching the clearing.

"No! I went back, you can't still be here! I went back home!"

Cowering down from all the yelling, Fluttershy squeaks out and begins to tear up. As Rainbow Dash goes to comfort her life-long friend, Princess Twilight gives Star a concerned expression and steps forward. She comes face to face with the now defensive Star, who falls to her flank and continues to scream at the top of her lungs, backing quickly away in fear. It's obvious to the Princess that she's terrified for some reason, and she attempts to offer her comfort to the mare just as Dash had with Fluttershy. However, the mare just continues screaming and backing away at full speed until she runs into a tree, slamming hard into it. The impact of her head smashing against the bark causes the crazed mare to knock herself out. Her overexertion, fear, and sheer confusion seems to have come out of nowhere. Wondering exactly what's going on, Princess Twilight levitates the unconscious mare onto her back and begins the journey out of the forest, Rainbow and Fluttershy following closely behind.

Waking up, once again in the library, Star notices that this time she's laying on a soft, comfortable bed. Above her, watching with worried expressions, are the six ponies and the small dragon she had seen earlier. All she can think about, however, is the forest. Something clearly had gone wrong. Whatever it was that had caused her to come to this time in the first place is now gone, and it seems unlikely that it's going to come back. Maybe it was Lyra herself. She is a unicorn, so maybe she created the portal through time. But why? What could require somepony to need to go into the future, and seemingly lure somepony else back to the past? On top of it all, from what she's heard, spells like that are supposed to be hard to cast. They're known to only be used by the highest level unicorns, or the alicorn princesses. From everything she had heard about Lyra Heartstrings, she doesn't fit either of those qualities.

First though she's got to figure out how to get back to her own time. Once she has a plan there she can focus on finding out exactly how Lyra relates to all of this. Now that she thinks about it, maybe Princess Twilight has the power to bring her back to her own time. She is an alicorn, so she should have a high level of magical skill. On top of it, she's said to have been highly skilled even before her ascension, her cutie mark focusing on her magical prowess. She can't just tell her who she is though. If anypony knew she had come from the future, she'd probably be locked up in the asylum, or even worse, alter history. She needs to use a pseudonym while here, just until she's able to figure everything out. Maybe then she can tell Princess Twilight alone, and get back. One pony knowing won't change much, especially if she doesn't actually tell her anything about the future.

Sitting up, Star cautiously looks around at the six ponies standing beside the bed, all of whom seem relieved at her return to consciousness. What does she do now? What does she say? She can't just introduce herself right out of the blue, not after what she did before. She needs some way to break the ice first, to get them all off to a good talking point, but what? Breathing in, she's about to fake a fangasm over being in the presence of a princess, but finds herself not having to, as just a second before she can open her mouth, Princess Twilight herself asks, "Are you ok? You scared us before, but I guess we must have scared you too. Who are you though? I don't recognize you. Neither does Pinkie Pie, and that's saying something."

"My name is," Star starts, suddenly remembering that she has to use a pseudonym to protect herself, and possibly even the future. Thinking quickly, she thinks of the bedtime story her sister had made up and used to tell to her when she was younger. With a smile, she continues, "I'm Midnight Glow, but you, you can't be Princess Twilight Sparkle, can you?"

"I am," Twilight replies, now blushing in humility, "but it's really nothing. I'm just glad you're ok. It was like you had a panic attack for some reason."

"A panic attack? She went completely nuts!" Rainbow Dash laughs, "you gave us quite the workout trying to keep up with you. Are you sure you're not secretly a Wonderbolt with flying skills like that?"

"No," Star replies with a laugh of her own, "I'm nothing like that. To be honest, I'm much more into studying and learning about things like history and astronomy."

As the words have barely left her mouth, Princess Twilight seems to glow in sudden excitement. Grabbing the hoof of the mare she knows as Midnight Glow, she flies at top speed downstars to the main part of the library. With the others following, she begins to show off her collections of history and astronomy books to Star, including her favorite, the Astronomical Astronomer's Almanac to All Things Astronomy. It's her second copy thanks to Spike having accidentally burnt the first prior to an important meteor shower. Star looks at all the books being given over to her and can't help but just laugh. This isn't what she would've expected somepony like a princess to act. It's almost as if she were a regular, everyday pony. It's weird, but she feels that Princess Twilight is almost just like her. Or maybe, she's just like Princess Twilight.

"I don't think she's as into it as you Twilight," Applejack says before turning to look at Star, "but I was wondering somethin' sugarcube. What got ya so spooked before? I hope it wasn't any of us that scared ya."

"No, it's just...well...I wasn't expecting to see you all around me like that. It caught me off guard, that's all."

Applejack looks unconvinced and raises an eyebrow at the mare, but decides to let it go in the end. Pinkie Pie then bounces over with a wide smile, rolling in a large steel cannon painted blue and pink. Right away Star knows exactly what it is. She remembers how often Bri had talked about wanting one ever since their first meeting. The party cannon is a specially made device constructed by the pink party pony herself with the sole purpose of launching out confetti and other party necessities whenever they might be needed. There are some who claim that Pinkie always has the cannon on her, somehow able to stow and pull it out of thin air at the most random of times. She's not quite sure that something like that could be true, although with everything she's already seen today, it's kind of hard to doubt anything anymore.

She had never even expected that she would be talking to Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends one day. And though there is the initial feeling of wonder, it turns bittersweet for the mare as she remembers exactly what happens to them all in the foreseeable future. Three of them die in horrible accidents, two disappear without a trace, and the last of them becomes a recluse for fifteen years. It's almost hard for her to believe that these indeed are the six storied ponies of history. The same ones who once rescued Princess Luna from the darkness in her heart, turned the villainous Discord back to stone and later befriended him, and caused the explosive death of King Sombra in the Crystal Empire. They're legendary, but right now, they seem like any other pony she's met during the course of her life. Suddenly changing the subject, Rainbow Dash asks Star what she's doing in Ponyville. The mare is surprised by the question. Should she answer truthfully? Maybe they can help her find Lyra. It's better than lying and having to search herself.

"I'm...I'm looking for somepony named Lyra Heartstrings," she nervously manages to tell them, stuttering as she does. Right away all six of them give her an odd look, then begin to huddle into a little discussion. While she isn't able to hear the entirety of the conversation, some key words manage to get through, such as humans, crazy, and oddly enough, oatmeal. Not sure of what to do, or especially of how to react to their sudden change in mood and discussion amongst each other regarding it all, she just watches and waits, hoping for at least one of them to be willing to help her. She has been expecting them to maybe question her, based on everything she had heard about the pony, but not anything like this.

"Are ya absolutely sure about that sugarcube?" AJ asks her, smiling gently and trying to be as courteous as she can. She tries to hide her true, hesitant feelings towards the situation, but Star can see right through it with ease. She remembers hearing that Applejack was the Element of Honesty after all. Somepony like that couldn't be good at hiding things or lying. She adds, "Lyra is, well, different. She's...uh..."

"What my good friend is trying to say," Rarity suddenly interrupts as she notices Applejack beginning to really stumble over her words, "is that Lyra is like a fine wine, darling. She's an acquired taste, and it's just really difficult for one to get used to her unique style. Do you know of her peculiar fascination with the human being mythology?"

"Yes, I know who she is already," Star replies, surprising them. However, she's the one surprised the most, by their reactions and attitudes towards the pony. This is just so unreal compared to everything she's heard about them. Sighing, she thinks about her sister and friends back home, of everyone she loves. If she can't get back, Oblivion will destroy everything. With his sudden rise in power, it's only a matter of time. She believes that Lyra can get her back home, and even give her the information she needs. She was brought here for a reason, and she needs to find out what that is. Tears begin to well up in her eyes as she tells them, "Everyone I love and care about is in danger. An evil force called Oblivion is attacking my home, and she brought me here. I need her help in getting home and stopping Oblivion from taking over."

Suddenly turning serious, Princess Twilight walks slowly over to her bookshelves, removing from them a book called Ancient Equestrian Legends, the very same book that Star had read prior to confronting Sevulva Star all that time ago. The book in which Princess Twilight had left a note about her search for the legendary seventh Element of Harmony and her believed connection between it and the dark stars. She said that the dark stars will herald the beginning of true evil's return, a force more powerful than the combined powers of Queen Chrysalis of the Changeling Kingdom, King Sombra, Nightmare Moon, and Discord combined. Looking through the book, Twilight stops on a certain page and reads it to herself before looking back at Star.

"You, your name isn't Midnight Glow is it?" she asks. Before Star can even answer, the Princess shoves the book into Star's hooves and shows her the page, on which is a picture of the legendary prophecy glass that talks about the return of the true evil. On it, at the part talking about how a famous star will be the key to everything, there's a small image of a blue pegasus pony with a gold and black mane. Princess Twilight then flips to the next page and reads aloud to Star, "When the Star arrives in a land to which it does not belong, the destruction of the world shall begin. Your name is Star, isn't it?"

"Yes...it is," she quietly replies, completely overwhelmed by all of the information she had just heard, by a picture of her in the prophecy glass. But this can't possibly mean what she thinks it does. If what Princess Twilight is insinuating is true, then the Star talked about in the legend was NOT Sevulva Star, and arriving in a land to which it does not belong isn't referring to him being from Canterlot and arriving in Ponyville. And that means that the dark star incident was not the beginning of the world's destruction. If this is true, then SHE'S the Star. She holds the key to everything, and just last night...while following a mysterious light blue pony...she arrived in a land that is not her own. Then...that means that the destruction of the world is about to occur.

"We have to get you out of here now!" Princess Twilight suddenly yells, having come to full realization of what this means as well. She quickly turns to her friends, who see her panic and stand up straight to do whatever she asks of them. She begins by ordering that Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy gather the Elements from the Tree of Harmony right away, that Pinkie Pie finds Lyra and brings her back, and that Rarity and Applejack evacuate Ponyville. They all go to do as they've been told, and turning back to Star, the Princess quietly and calmly asks, "Where are you from, Star?"

She knows this isn't a time to lie any further, so swallowing hard, she tells her, "I'm from almost sixteen years in the future. I followed Lyra Heartstrings into the Everfree Forest and somehow arrived in the past. Oblivion's attacked so many, and directly murdered Trixie Lulamoon. I don't know how my traveling here would affect things, but I don't want anypony else to get hurt or die, especially because of me."

She continues to tell Twilight everything that she can, and when she finishes, the Princess seems to understand more than she ever would've thought she would. And the death of Trixie is hard to hear. She hopes that the showmare was able to change beforehand. The door soon opens again and both Dash and Fluttershy enter with the Elements of Harmony. Princess Twilight whispers to her that they keep her secret exactly that. She takes the Element for herself, and gives both Dash and Fluttershy theirs. Pinkie Pie soon returns as well, accompanied by Lyra, who seems rather unexpressive. It takes longer for Rarity and Applejack to return, as evacuating an entire town takes a lot, even for somepony as trustworthy as AJ. However, they do soon return to tell their friends and Star that nopony should be left in Ponyville besides the nine of them.

"Good, now for you," Twilight says, turning to face the still unexpressive Lyra, "why did you bring Star here, and how did you do it!? You can't have enough magic to perform a spell of that magnitude! Tell her what she needs to know and then get her back home before the world ends!"

"Oh, but Magic," Lyra speaks in a voice not her own, "why would I send her back now, when I'm so close?"

Eyes widening, Star recognizes the voice and falls back. Everypony then watches in terror as the form of the pony begins to bubble and melt before them. It contorts in unnatural ways, and it's almost as if the very bone structure were being rearranged. Flesh begins to pop at certain points, squirting out blood through the fur. Princess Twilight quickly gives the rest of her friends their Elements as Lyra's body morphs before them all. Her horn twists and turns purple, her coat becomes stained in the blood squirting out from it, and horns rise from her head as her mane turns to black as if overcome with dark magic. A purple glow begins to cover the pony, leaving spots of the magic on her coat. Bat wings sprout from her back, and her muzzle squares out. A shrill shriek exits Star's throat as the form of Maaebjan appears before her, laughing maniacally.

Without a second's more hesitation, the six mares activate their Elements. A glowing light seems to envelop them all, which for some reason doesn't seem to alarm the monstrous Oblivion in the slightest. He watches calmly as beams of energy fly out of the Elements, combining into a giant spiral beam of rainbow-colored magic. It hits Oblivion directly, without him even trying to avoid it, and seems to encircle him in a sphere of the power. The six mares send forth everything they've got, but are suddenly knocked back by an unseen force. The rainbow sphere encompassing Oblivion seems to absorb into his body, and by the expression on his face, it's almost as if he were devouring the energy itself, making it one with his being.

A wicked cackle escapes him as he finishes consuming the magic. Regaining their composure, the six ponies climb to their hooves and stare in shock at the monster as he begins to glow. His eyes turn pure white and with a terrifying animal-like screech, he releases the energy back at them all. Star and the others fly back, the heat and energy of the magic burning at their coats and flesh, singeing the hairs and tearing into them. Hitting one of the bookshelves, Star lets out a throaty scream, her back arching over the edge. The pain is like nothing she's ever felt before; the combination of the pure magic tearing at her and her spine slamming hard against the sharp edge of a wooden bookcase. Suddenly, a bright light appears outside, and the three other Equestrian Princesses fly in.

As they enter, causing Oblivion to turn on the spot, Celestia seems to summon the light of the sun itself on her wings. Luna follows suit, bringing forth the majesty and wonder of the midnight moon, and Cadance with the very essence of love itself. The three most pure of magics begin to combine, but still do not seem to be enough as Oblivion releases his black magic at them. Leaping forth, Princess Twilight Sparkle yells out, capturing his attention as she unleashes the power of friendship. Her most powerful magic shoots forth, joining together with that of the other princesses, to form a giant flash of energy. The flash engulfs Oblivion at once, who screams out in rage and anger, then disappears suddenly. All signs of his presence disappear as well. The scars on the bodies of everypony fade, the destruction caused in the library seems to fix itself, and in the spot that Oblivion had been standing only moments ago, now lays the unconscious form of Lyra Heartstrings, her mind finally being her own again.

"Princesses, Cadance!" Princess Twilight calls out, excited as she greets them with a warm hug. The others begin to get up, and notice Lyra's body, rushing to help her as quickly as they're able. Star walks slowly over to the four princesses gathered near the door. The shock and awe of seeing the four princesses of old all gathered together is too much for the young mare, and with a smile, she fades and falls to the floor below. Twilight looks surprised at first, but a smile spreads across her face as well, and she asks Spike to grab a blanket for the exhausted pony.

"Twilight," Celestia suddenly says. The princess looks up at her mentor, whose face is as serious as can be. She knows that whatever Princess Celestia has to say that it's a big deal. Sighing, Celestia turns to both Luna and Cadance, who look as worried and serious as her, then continues, "we did not have the power to truly defeat Oblivion. I know that you too felt his presence transfer instead of diminish or die out."

"I did, but where was he transferred to?"

"We had to send him into the future, to a time where he can be defeated," Luna replies.

Cadance then steps up and adds, "We sent him to Star's time. She and her friends will suffer under his return, but in the end, it will be for the sake of everypony."

"Only in that time can Oblivion be defeated," Celestia continues from where Cadance had left off, "and only can he be defeated when the time is right. Star and her friends have found two of the Elements of Harmony, which by her time had vanished mysteriously from the Tree of Harmony. Once they find the rest, then and only then will they know how to stop this monster for good."

"But, I don't get it Princess Celestia. If we weren't able to stop him with the Elements of Harmony today, then how can they be able to do it in the future?" Princess Twilight asks her mentor. Looking out the window, Luna takes the question, telling her that one day she will find out, but that in the end, not everypony will be there. Celestia then speaks up again, adding that the Prophecy of World's End will be coming true sooner than expected, and not in the most welcoming of ways. She then says that the four of them must combine their powers one last time to send Star back to her own time, and that it's crucial they do so right away. And so they do, summoning up the rest of the magic they have available. A portal suddenly rips open right in the middle of the library, surprising the other five ponies sitting there watching and listening. Princess Twilight then levitates the unconscious Star through, knowing that she'll be safely inside the library on the other side.

"One more thing, Princess Twilight," Celestia says, "I want you to go to Germaney and meet with a colt there named Babe Chenko. Everything will become clear once you do."

Preview for Episode 15

*********************************

We’re finally here, the village is in sight, and so is Pinkamena Diane Pie.

S01 E15 - The Element of Joy

The subtle noise of distant talking awakens the young mare. Her eyelids slowly begin to part, and as her sight returns to her, Star takes a quick look around. She's home, back in her own time at the Princess Twilight Sparkle Memorial Library. As she lays there, trying to compose herself, she notices that her friends are standing not too far away, talking amongst themselves about how they had found their friend unconscious there. She can't make a lot of their conversation out, but from the little bit she can, she understands that they've been really worried about her since they discovered her there. It makes Star wonder exactly how long she's been gone. It felt like only a day, but her friends words make her think otherwise. Has she just been unconscious for a long time since her return, or is it something else? And of what she witnessed, can she even tell them all about it? Would any of them even believe her if she did? To travel through time and meet the six Element bearers of legend sounds more like the plot of one of Conan Royal's stories. It's certainly a tale that she herself would never believe had it been one of her friends telling it to her.

But what she had witnessed back then was huge. Everything she learned is a huge breakthrough for their cause. She now knows of how Oblivion had come to arrive in Ponyville those months ago, and why he possessed Sevulva Star; unable to achieve a physical form after the ordeal. Of course, when you're blasted through time by Alicorn Princess magic, it will tend to have quite an effect. Maybe for now she should keep this to herself, at least until she and the others are able to find Bri. This is something everypony will need to know, and she feels that she should tell them all at the same time. Finding her friend is more important at the moment. Star begins to climb to her hooves, gathering the attention of her friends who trot over with pleased, but still worried, expressions.

"Are you ok, Star?" Terra asks her, his face as white as a sheet. Eyes only half open, he has dark bags underneath them, and it's clear that he's been without sleep for some time. This only causes her more confusion, as she truly does feel that she's only been gone for a day at the most. Something isn't right here.

"Yes," she slowly replies as Chupa helps her over to take a seat on the staircase, "ugh, but my head hurts something awful. How long was I out?"

"That's the thing," Fluttershy replies, suddenly walking into the room from the kitchen. She too has a tired expression, and on her back lays Spike, fast asleep. She carries a hot towel in her mouth, which she places on her young friend’s head to ease her pain. "You disappeared two weeks ago, back when we first started the task force. We've been tirelessly searching for you ever since. Oh, Grace has been so worried about you. She's been crying for days now. We all had come back from Canterlot just this morning, after visiting the princess about it. We found you just laying there on the floor, and we didn't know what to do. Where did you go?"

"I...I don't remember," Star tells them all, trying to avoid eye contact as she hides the truth, "the last thing I remember is searching for information. Then...then everything just goes blank. But don't worry about me. If it's truly been two weeks now, we have to find Bri more than ever. Oblivion has to be getting even more powerful, and if we don't act soon, somepony else will die." The others all nod in agreement, understanding that what she's saying is true. Their worry over Star remains in them, but they can see that she is now back and seems to be alright for now. Their fear over Bri's fate overshadows all else now, and they wonder where the energetic young mare could have gone to, and whether or not it does truly involve Scatter Brain or Babe Chenko like they believe. In the end, they just hope that she's alive and doing well.

Meanwhile, deep in the massive Crystal Mountain Range of the Frozen North, Bri Happer shivers as a cold wind screams across the path, biting at her coat with vicious tenacity. Beside her trots the stoic and emotionless Babe Chenko, the leader of the Brotherhood of Silent Pathfinders, a secret organization dedicated to finding the long lost Pinkie Pie. On her other side walks Scatter Brain, a stallion she had met back when she was last in Ponyville. He claims to have been dating Pinkie prior to her disappearance sixteen years ago, and had joined the brotherhood after his release from the institution he was wrongfully put into. The Brotherhood has many other members, some of which she had already met. Scatter says that there's one hundred members in total scouring the entirety of Equestria for the pink mare. She, Scatter, and Babe are the head group, and as such, have gone ahead to the very deep reaches of the land.

Her mind travels back to Ponyville, and she thinks of the friends she just left behind. She hadn't even told them she was leaving. It's been such a long time now, and she can only imagine how worried they must be for her. And her family, her little sister Honeysuckle. She's probably the most scared of them all. Her little sister was closer to her than anypony, and though this is something she feels needs to be done, she can't help but miss Honey's cheery laughter and happy attitude. She didn't even tell Star, her best friend whom she's always felt the most comfortable telling everything to. She never had a chance to tell her, or anyone. It had come up too suddenly, and if she didn't leave when she had, it might have been too late. Time is running out, and if they can't find Pinkie Pie before then, all the world will fall to Oblivion.

As Bri’s mind races, Babe suddenly puts out a hoof to stop Scatter and her. Looking around, he nods and tells them that they're going to stop for the night and set up camp. By this point, Bri is used to this, and begins to unpack the cart. She hands the tent materials to Scatter, who begins to put them together to the side of the mountainous path. Babe, meanwhile, begins to set up a circle of dry firewood, lighting it to prepare heat and a source to cook upon. That's where Bri's job begins. Pulling out the package of haydogs, and a can of beans, she begins to cook the food. It's not the best, but it's all they have. The good food ran out a month ago, and since then they've had to ration out their goods a little more wisely. After she finishes cooking the food, Bri begins to dish it out to the three of them, giving to Scatter first, then Babe. She finally takes the remainder for herself and takes a seat on a log the leader had set up.

"We should be almost there," Babe quietly tells the two as he slowly eats his food, "the village should be close enough to reach tomorrow."

Looking at him frustratingly, the mare sighs and says, "You promised to tell me everything before we got there, remember? What is this all about, and why did you need me for this? It's been so long and you've kept me in the dark this entire time. To be perfectly honest, I'm getting sick of this." Scatter looks to Babe with a look as if to tell him to just do it. Bri sees this, and her anger subsides, replaced by confusion and intrigue. She wonders what the two stallions could be hiding from her, and why they deemed it necessary.

"I guess you do deserve to know," Babe tells her, finishing his food before he lays back on the log and looks to the stars, "but I warn you, anything you thought you knew about Pinkie Pie will be shattered when you hear this, because Bri, she wasn't just the happy party pony you would've thought. In truth, Pinkamena faced her inner demons for the entirety of her life. As a filly, she lived on a rock farm a short train ride out of Ponyville. Her parents were hard working ponies who never truly cared for their four daughters like they should have. Because of this, Pinkie often found solace in her relationship with Maud, the sister she was closest to. Marble and Limestone, her other two sisters, were more like her parents however, cold and uncaring."

"Pinkie left the rock farm at a young age, moving to Ponyville. By this point she had begun to try and raise her own spirits, throwing parties for others, including one that inspired a young Cheese Sandwich to go into the business himself. However, she was still haunted by the depression she had felt for most of her young life. As she grew up and made new friends, she became the bearer of the Element of Laughter, but it wasn't enough for her. You see, she had been hiding her deep sorrows from her friends the entire time, and when the incidents sixteen years ago occurred, she broke. Pinkie went into a deep depression unlike any other time in her life, to the point where she attempted to commit suicide and almost succeeded. It was her sister Maud who arrived in time to stop the mare from slitting her own throat, but it didn't help. Pinkie didn't run away from Ponyville. She didn't just disappear for these past sixteen years, nopony hearing of her since. Her weakness, her sorrow, her depression. All the pain she had been feeling caused her to be the perfect host."

"Host....wait...you don't mean!"

"Unfortunately Bri, I do," Babe woefully continues as he looks up at the sky, "Pinkie Pie was Oblivion's first host. For the longest time, I myself didn't even know all of the details. I had been only a colt back when this all began. However, I learned everything in due time, and I found out that while Oblivion had not the power to take full control of her, he entered her subconscious and convinced her to act upon her darkest feelings. She left town and has not been seen or heard from since, all because of her master's dark will. Without her, he would have the ability to grow strong again."

"All of this began long before the incidents even took place," Scatter suddenly adds, speaking up for the first time in a while. He looks with sorrow filled eyes at Bri and continues, "when Oblivion had been banished by the combined power of the princesses. Their goal was to send him to the future, to a time when his defeat would be possible, to this time. However, it didn't go as they had originally planned, and only a matter of years had passed before he was able to return. Though when he did, he was weakened, a shadow of his former self, yet still strong enough to spread his influence and cause plenty of destruction, leading up to the incidents sixteen years ago, where everything culminated with his takeover of Pinkie."

Nodding, Babe continues to speak from where Scatter left off, telling the confused mare, "This is why we need to find Pinkie Pie, and why we have to save her. It is our belief that she is still under Oblivion's influence, forcing her to hide out and keep herself from the public eye. This will stop anypony from trying to free her and stop Oblivion from enacting his will upon the world. He never counted on us, however, willing to do anything and everything to save the mare, even sacrifice our own lives if proven necessary. You see Bri, the Element of Laughter is the second most powerful of the six Elements that the bearers had back then, after the Element of Magic of course. She's the only one who can control the power and finally put a stop to this evil."

"But what about everypony else in the Brotherhood? Why do you need so many of us?"

"It's not just that there's a lot of us," Scatter replies, once again taking the reigns of the conversation, "it's who we are. Every single person in the Brotherhood has a personal connection to Pinkie Pie. Some of us actually knew her all those years ago, and others, like yourself, have been inspired by the stories of her. No matter what the connection, we all strive for her return. We've actually known about you for a long time Bri, and wanted you to join us because of your deep love for Pinkie, and wish to find her. That's why I had been stationed in Ponyville, so that you'd eventually find me in your search, and so that I'd be able to bring you to Babe Chenko here. This has all been planned since he was a colt, back when Princess Twilight took him under her wing."

Early the next day, back in Ponyville, four of the five remaining friends meet up with each other in the center of the town, right beside the ever-flowing fountain. They had awoken to find letters taped to their doors, telling them to meet Terra there at no later than ten this morning. Yet for some reason, the leader of the task force himself is the one to not be there at the aforementioned time.  Luckily enough, they aren't kept waiting for too long, as they soon see their friend trotting up the southern road towards them, but he isn't alone. A second stallion comes with him; coat of a deep brown with a silver mane. He looks nervous, almost as if he had been forced into following Terra. They look to their friend, who has a confident, pleased expression, and as he approaches, they ask him who this new stallion is.

"This is Nosittam Sinned," he explains, pushing the mysterious stallion forth, "he's a member of the Brotherhood of Secret Pathfinders, an organization to which Scatter Brain belonged. When I asked him if he knew anything about Bri, he tried to run. I believe he knows something about where she is."

"Well, that was fast. I didn't expect a lead like this so soon," Star replies, laughing a little out of whimsy. Stepping forth, the mare stares down the stallion for a moment, then asks him, "What is the Brotherhood of Secret Pathfinders? And what have they done with our friend Bri?"

However, Nosittam refuses to tell them anything. Instead he shuts his eyes in an effort to avoid eye contact with them, turns his head away, and shuts his mouth tight, refusing to speak a word. It's clear that whatever secret he's guarding, it must be big. It's also clear that he knows exactly where Bri is. The five of them begin to ruthlessly question him, asking any and every question they can think of regarding both the Brotherhood and their friend. However, nothing seems to loosen his lips. They know it isn't a lost cause, and prepare to take him to the makeshift dungeon prepared for the task force over these past couple weeks, when suddenly, a loud noise is heard above them. Flying down, a messenger hawk lands on Nosittam's back, a letter placed in the case worn on it's back. The stallion opens his eyes, showing surprise at the sudden arrival of the bird, but before he can do anything, Terra pulls out the letter and unrolls it to read aloud.

"Nosittam, we are close now. The village in which Pinkie Pie had been staying these past sixteen years is within sight now. I have included a map to our location. If you take the train to the Crystal Empire, the rest of the walk shouldn't take more than a week or two. Send Asian back with your reply, and we shall await your return. Briance, Scatter, and I will locate Pinkie before you arrive, and convince her to join our true cause, the cause that the princess had trained me for. Your friend, Babe Chenko."

Pulling the map out from the case as well, Terra looks it over and sighs. He shows the letter and map to his friends, then to Nosittam himself, who's begun to sweat profusely. The five of them, surprised and excited from this new information, resume their barrage of questions until finally, the stallion can no longer resist, and he breaks down. Nosittam tells them that he'll reveal everything, but only if they let him go. He explains that he needs to write back to Babe and head out there as soon as possible. And so, over the next few minutes, he tells them everything. All about the Brotherhood and their goal and why they need Bri.

"We have to go," Star quietly says, looking over the map again, "we have to go find these ponies, and Bri."

"Even if we do take the train, it will be Hell catching up with them. We're not prepared for that kind of journey Star," Terra tells her, to which the others all nod in sorrowful agreement. This kind of journey would be too hectic for them right now, especially considering how much they're needed in Ponyville, considering that most of them are members of the task force. However, Star refuses to give in, bringing up how they need their friend, and how they won't be able to stop Oblivion without her anyways. But Terra refuses to let up, adding, "I understand, I really do. I want Bri back as much as you Star, but you have to think logically about this. If we leave, Ponyville is defenseless. We'd be putting our town at risk, and I can't do that. My number one goal here is to protect Ponyville. Right now, it's the greater cause."

Screaming in rage, Star takes the map and without another word to her friends, gallops off alone towards the direction of the train station. If none of them are going to try and get their friend back, then she'll just have to do it herself. She can't believe how selfish they could be, refusing to help save Bri for a pitiful excuse like that. She hears hoofsteps behind her, and thinking it's one of her friends having changed their mind, she turns her head. However, Nosittam is the one coming up, deep in chase with the letter in his mouth. It's clear that he wishes to go as well, so the mare doesn't slow down, hoping that he'll catch up. She sees the clock tower not far off and sees that it's almost eleven, which is when the first train for the day will leave. She'll arrive right in time to get to the Crystal Empire, and from there, to the mysterious village where she knows she'll find her friend.

Trotting cautiously down the steep path, the three members of the Brotherhood can hardly believe what they're seeing. They're almost there. It's seemed like forever since their journey began, but now they can see the remote village hidden amongst the Crystal Mountains, a trek that little to no pony has been willing to make before. Pure white buildings made of the finest marble sit there, only ten minutes away or so. They can see the tiny forms of ponies moving around, unable to make anything specific out at this point. But just the fact that they've finally achieved their goal is enough to celebrate over. Just minutes ago, Babe had sent out a hawk to deliver a message to one of the other Brotherhood members. It was right at the first sight of the village, when they realized that today they would finally find Pinkie Pie, and bring her back to Ponyville.

However, one thing's been bugging Bri for a while now. Last night both he and Scatter had said some things that confused her, and gave her a lot to think about ever since. She feels that they know more than they're letting on, and that there's just more to the story that they have yet to reveal. As they continue onward, she brings this up to the two, and with a sigh, Babe agrees to finally reveal the remainder of the information regarding not only the Brotherhood and Pinkie Pie, but himself as well. Scatter suggests that they not stop for this, and so the ponies all agree to discuss this as they trot along the path towards the ever growing village in their wake.

"As Scatter had told you last night, I was taken under Princess Twilight's wing, twenty years ago now. It was only days after the princesses had banished Oblivion to the future. Princess Twilight came to visit me at my home in Germaney. I was just a colt, and had never even heard about the evil of Oblivion. However, she told me that I was to become her apprentice. A simple Earth pony like me from Germaney becoming the apprentice of a princess. It's hard to imagine, even now. She taught me the magic of friendship, and the power of belief. Four years later, she took me aside and told me something I never would've thought I'd hear her say. She told me that her time was almost up, and that one day, I would be required to start a movement that would save not only Equestria, but the entire world. She, and the other princesses, vanished the very next day. I didn't know then what she was talking about, but when the deaths began to happen, and when Pinkie Pie disappeared, I knew what I needed to do. I knew that I needed to form a group dedicated to stopping Oblivion upon his return. However, it wasn't until a few years ago that I was able to complete my goal."

"I began working with Princess Aurora, the only remaining one in all of Equestria. She took over Princess Twilight's role in teaching me, and I was finally ready to take charge. So I began to search out those with special connections to Pinkie Pie. My studies had revealed to me of how important she was in all of this, and so that became the main focus of the Brotherhood, to find and save her. To bring her back. After that, we would look for Princesses Twilight, Cadance, Luna, and Celestia, as they were needed as well. What I hadn't expected was to wake up one morning to find a pair of golden goggles, a gem embedded into them. Along with the goggles was a note with only one word on them, Agelian."

"I knew right away that it was an Element of Harmony, and that I had to bring it to this Agelian. But I did not know anypony by that name. I searched for a long time, until I heard about the Best Young Flier Competition, and the competitor Agelian Wingblade. It seems that the Elements have returned, and have chosen your set of friends as the new bearers, Bri. Pinkie Pie is the key to all of this. Even without the Element in her possession, she remains a bearer of it's magic. That is the true power of the Silver Element, or what had most recently been called the Element of Laughter. Unlike every other Element, it is the only one to permanently implant it's bearer with magical powers, no matter the race. Her very soul is the magic of the Silver Element, and because of this, she has the power to kill Oblivion for good, and end the pain and suffering he has brought to our world."

It's certainly a lot for the young mare to take in. All of this history, the news about the magic of the Silver Element. Has everything been connected like this from the beginning? Ever since that day when the princesses sent Oblivion into the future? Could this very moment somehow end up being intertwined in the stories that one day will be told of the grand battle that is to come? The grand battle between the Element bearers and Oblivion; a war she knows is coming and cannot be avoided. The only real question is not whether it will happen, but when. She feels that the answer is sooner than hoped, and it terrifies her. Will she and her friends be ready when Oblivion makes a full revival? Will they have enough time to gather the remaining Elements? So many questions, so many answers left open.

As the three of them trot onward, they finally arrive at the village. Larger than they could've ever imagined, they look in awe at the gorgeous marble architecture. Stone streets with no plant life to be seen. No small animals scurrying about. No singing birds, no bustling ponies, no smiles anywhere. Everypony in town seems to be stuck in the grind of daily life. Just going from point A to point B with no passion for their actions. They are surviving, and making a living, but what kind of life is that? Without happiness, life is meaningless. Without a joy and passion for what you do, there is nothing worth doing. The three of them slowly walk down the road, catching quick glances from the surrounding villagers, none of whom seem to even welcome them. A tear falls from Bri's eye at the depressing sight. This is nothing like home.

This is the village where Pinkie Pie's been for sixteen years? How could someone so brilliantly joyful live in such a dispiriting, remote part of Equestria? It just doesn't make sense. So they continue on, asking everypony they see if they know anything about Pinkie Pie. Few of the villagers even answer, and those who do can't give them any helpful information. This isn't right. Why does nopony seem to know who Pinkie is? The intel couldn't have been wrong, could it? Babe had been so sure of the lead, and now even he finds this situation distressing. Though Scatter is probably the worst. At his wits end, he rushes around, almost begging on bended knee for any information at all. Tears stream down his face as each and every time he comes up empty hooved. It's heartbreaking to watch, knowing how excited he was to finally see his long lost love.

They continue through the village for what seems like hours, and eventually come to the last part they have yet to check; a giant monastery at the very end of the small commonage. Though it is made of the same marble as the rest of the buildings, it seems to give off an intimidating presence the likes of which Bri has never felt. Gargoyle statues guard the front gates, and spiraling towers decorate it’s large, ornate design. Inside the gates they can see monks slowly walking around with the same gloomy expressions as the rest of the villagers. They wear dark brown cloaks with black ties around the mid-section. The hoods are lifted up, hiding the majority of their faces. Just the atmosphere of the place is enough to drive the strongest of ponies to the brink of madness, and to bring Bri to tears.

She's lived her life traveling across Equestria, bringing happiness and joy to all of the ponies she's come in contact with. She's seen the beautiful Neighagra Falls,  breathtaking White-Tail Woods, and even the fantastic Stable Hills outside Fillydelphia. Everywhere she's gone, from Germaney to Trotland has been filled with ponies always accepting to her joyful attitude and happiness. Throwing parties has never been a problem, having fun has never been an issue. She's never been in a situation like this, where just being there has not only stumped her, not only thrown her off her game, but has brought her to the point of desolate sorrow. Seeing this, Scatter places a hoof around her, comforting the mare in this hard time.

As Bri mournfully sobs into Scatter's shoulder, Babe sourly approaches the gate, having been getting progressively frustrated as time has gone on. Looking around, he calls out to the nearest monk, "Excuse me, is there somepony I can speak to? I have an important question about someone." Nopony answers, and only stares intently at the stallion for a moment before one of them turns and heads into the building. A moment later he returns, joined by an older stallion in a black cloak. He walks forward, right up to the gate, and stares at Babe with the same blank intensity as the other monks had. It's obvious that this pony is in charge, the head monk as it were.

"Excuse me sir, but we're looking for Pinkamena Diane Pie. We've gotten information telling us that she's spent the past sixteen years here, but nopony has been able to tell us anything," Babe explains. The head monk cocks his head to the side at the mention of Pinkie's name, then begins to mutter to the other monk for a moment. He then orders the gates to be opened, and invites the three guests to come in, and for his followers to show them proper courtesy during their stay. So as the gates slowly swing open, the three ponies enter and follow the head monk into the main building.

Leading the three visitors to a secluded room in the back of the monastery's main hall, the head monk closes the doors and turns to face them. He has a serious expression, different than that of the stoic, unexpressive look he and the others had been showing prior to this. Pain, sorrow, anger, and so many other emotions are etched into that simple expression. A life lived through hardships and trials. Yet here he stands, firmly expressing his beliefs through active worship, and keeping watch over this remote mountain village with his associates. He is a stronger pony than most.

"I know of the pony you seek," the head monk tells them, causing all three to perk up in keen interest and excitement, "but she did not go by the name you have given us while she was here. I believe this is why nopony knew who you were referring to. Lady Diane came to our village, and to our monastery, sixteen years ago now. She spoke of horrors that nopony should ever have to live through. The brutal deaths of close friends, the pain and misery of a haunted past. She was at her wits end, and didn't know what to do. She had to get away from those memories, and so we agreed to do what we could to help."

"We took Lady Diane into the monastery. Gave her a home, a job. Though the one thing we were never able to give her was happiness. That simple task seemed to be beyond our means. All we could offer was security, and even that faded away in time. Just months ago, when the dark stars appeared in the skies of Equestria, she came to me in the dead of night. She said that she had to leave, and wouldn't explain why. The only thing she would tell me was that she was needed elsewhere. She left everything she had brought and went on her way right after that. Her room hasn't been opened since. I am sorry that your journey here has been in vain. I can tell that you've been going for quite some time. Rest your weary bones and have some food. Make yourselves at home."

As the head monk begins to lead them to a split quarters to rest in, Babe asks, "We are expecting a friend to join us. Will he be welcome as well?"

"He shall," the head monk replies with a nod, "all are welcome here."

They reach the split room and head in. Though it's still early, the three of them collapse onto their beds, exhausted from the long trip that has ended up being a waste of their time. The lead wasn't wrong. They were on the right track, but were too late. Pinkie had left long ago, and now they have no idea where to look. Where would a mare with nothing left in the world go? The only place they could think of is here. Sighing, Scatter goes to open the window, when suddenly, their messenger hawk flies in. The arrival of the bird causes all three of them immense surprise, which soon subsides, turning into mild curiosity of what Nosittam's response will be. Removing the letter from the birds carrying case, Scatter reads aloud, "On my way."

A simple note, and all they needed to hear. Bri returns to her previously relaxed position on her bed and looks up at the ceiling, wondering if she'll ever be able to meet the hero who inspired her so much. Apparently though, the Pinkie she thought she knew isn't the real Pinkie at all. All those stories of her happy-go-lucky attitude, her constant happiness. It was all an act to hide from the pain and misery she had been trying to escape her entire life. The events from sixteen years ago just cemented it, breaking her spirits and causing her inner demons to come out, taking over her mind, quite literally. With the sorrow she was experiencing, it's no wonder that she'd be unable to resist Oblivion's influence.

But now the monstrous evil is growing stronger. Surely those he possesses will no longer just be the ponies with weakened states of mind. He'll be able to take over those who still have the strength to fight back. After not much time, nopony will be strong enough to resist his influence. Not even the likes of Princess Aurora. If that happens, if the day comes when that terrible truth comes to fruition, then the entire world will be at his hooves, and nopony will be able to stop him. They need to find Pinkie Pie and the remaining Elements of Harmony before that can happen. They can't give up now. Looking over, she sees Scatter sobbing to himself by the window. He was so quick to comfort her, who would she be to not repay his kindness?

Stepping off the bed, she walks over and wraps the stallion in a hug. She too shares in his sorrow, his pain, but not in nearly the same way. She was simply inspired by the pink party pony, but he knew her first hoof. He took her to the Hayburger on Saturday nights. He shared milkshakes with her, and stared lovingly into her eyes as she stared back. He spent countless nights in an asylum, perfectly sane, but distressed. He dreamed of her, and fantasized about the day when they'd be reunited. Yet with every turn, his hopes seem to be crushed more and more. His dreams are shattered, and his fantasies proven to be just that. He truly loved her, and it's even more of a reason that they cannot give up now. They have to find her, for Scatter's sake. Then suddenly, Pinkie's inspiration explodes into Bri's mind once again, and an idea pops into her mind.

"Scatter!" she yells out, making the stallion jump out of her embrace, "I have the perfect idea!"

"Idea? For what?" he asks, confused as he wipes the tears away from his eyes.

"Let's throw a party for the entire village! And not just any party, but a Pinkie Pie style party! Everypony here seems to uptight and sad. I know you felt it too when we arrived. Maybe since we have time before Nottisam gets here anyways, we can liven this place up! Let's show them how much Pinkie Pie gave to our lives and make everypony smile smile smile!"

A week or so passes with just the two of them planning the big extravaganza. The monks, surprisingly, agreed to lend a hoof and even have the celebration in the monastery's west gardens. However, they had run into a problem regarding materials. The village, though large in size, didn't sell any party supplies. It almost seemed like the idea was a lost cause, until Scatter remembered that Pinkie had a room while living here, and that according to the head monk, she had left everything behind when she left those few months back. Of course, there's no guarantee that she had any party supplies with her, but there's always a chance, and so they decided to take it. Meeting with the head monk, they politely asked him for access to the room, explaining their reasoning. Though hesitant at first, he eventually agreed. Inside the two of them found everything they needed. She had indeed packed party supplies when she left Ponyville sixteen years ago, and they seem to still be in good condition to use.

So finally they reach the day of the party, and the villagers have all turned up. They were simply asked to come to the gardens, though had never been told the reason why. So pretty much all of them show confusion as they trot up, talking amongst themselves as they see the tables set up with bowls of punch and various snacks. Some of the chairs have balloons attached to them, and it almost looks like what they'd expect of a six year old's birthday party, though Pinkie would always take that as a compliment. An old record player is running, playing Pinkie's favorite song, but not a single pony seems to have even cracked the smallest of smiles. That's when both Bri and Scatter make their arrival, coming out into the garden from within the monastery. Behind them they pull something large underneath a tarp, halting right in front of the gathered crowd.

"Everypony, when we arrived here at your village, we noticed something. You all have plenty of food, good homes, and even a seemingly good community. But one thing you don't seem to have is enjoyment, happiness, smiles. Today we want to change that. We want to turn your frowns upside down and bring you a party the likes that would make Pinkie Pie proud, or as you probably know her, Lady Diane. Thanks to the head monk of this very monastery, we have planned this party using supplies that once belonged to Pinkie herself," Scatter tells them all, smiling as wide as he can with real joy filling his heart.

"Pinkie Pie had a hard life," Bri continues, "one that I never would have imagined her to have suffered through. I never knew her personally, like my friend here, but I knew enough about her that through all the sorrow, through all the pain and suffering she felt, she would always soldier through and make sure that everypony around her smiled. Yes, she faltered from that goal when she came here, but with what had happened, can you blame her? She was not herself. Who knows how long it's been since anyone's been to a good, old-fashioned Pinkie Pie party. Well, now we no longer have to wonder. Though she isn't here to throw this party herself, her spirit resides in myself and Scatter, who carry on her legacy through the inspiration she gave us all these years."

Smiling, she nods to Scatter who grabs one side of the tarp. She grabs the other, and as they pull it off, the villagers gasp in awe at what they see. A bright, shiny blue cannon with pink wheels on which sit floral designs. They can hardly believe it, just as neither Scatter or Bri could when they found it. The legendary party cannon, an invention created by Pinkie Pie herself to spread happiness to everyone whenever the situation called for it. After sixteen years of inactivity, sixteen years of no one seeing it's amazing beauty, Bri and Scatter fire the cannon together, shooting confetti and other party decor into the gathering of ponies before them. At first nothing seems to happen, but then one by one, they begin to smile.

These ponies, who hadn't known happiness in a long time, smile and laugh. Joy begins to fill the gardens. Ponies start to dance to the music. They sing, and talk, and enjoy each others company. They drink punch and eat snacks and even play pin the tail on the pony. And the two who had planned it all look on at everypony having fun, and with tears of joy in their eyes, smile like never before. On this day they have honored their memories of Pinkie, and brought happiness to a village that needed it more than most. They powered through what started as a depressing situation, and just like their hero always had, made the best of it to see others smile and enjoy themselves. It's all been worth it for this one moment.

A few days later, during another party, Nottisam and Star finally arrive at the village, their journey being nowhere near as long as the Brotherhood's, though still being tiring. The two of them walk into the village, completely surprised by what they're seeing. It's true that they had no idea what to expect from the place, but this certainly wasn't it. It doesn't take long for Star to find her friend, as Bri is standing on a table in the middle of the village wearing a lampshade and throwing buckets of confetti around. A wave of pure joy sweeps over her, finally seeing her friend after so long, and she can't help it. Lunging forward, Star tackles her friend in a warm, love-filled hug, pleasantly surprising the partying mare.

"STAR!?"

"BRI!"

They embrace for what seems like an eternity, overjoyed to just see each other again. When they finally release, Bri explains everything that's been going on. The entire journey and how she was able to bring joy to the village when there was not a bit of it to be seen. She explains why she left without telling anypony, and the situation with Pinkie Pie not being there as they had thought. And she introduces Star officially to her friends, Babe and Scatter, whom she's made such deep connections with on this journey. It's amazing how things can change so suddenly. She would've never thought something like this could happen, that she could bring other ponies joy like this, and she tells them all that. This isn't something she ever expected herself to be able to do.

"Bri, I came here when nopony else would because you've always brought me joy. When my parents died, it was your happiness that allowed me to keep going. Your friendship saved me from sorrow, and it's obviously done the same with all of the ponies here. Never doubt yourself, or think that you're just a silly pony. Everything you do makes your friends happy, and we'd all be sad if you weren't around."

"Thank you," she replies, tears once more in her eyes. Wiping them away, she turns to face her new friends, and with the greatest of love and respect hugs them as she says, "Babe, Scatter, I love you two as much as the ponies I've known all my life. You two are priceless friends that I am glad to have met, but this is unfortunately where we have to say goodbye. I'll always consider myself a member of the Brotherhood, but my place is back with my friends in Ponyville. I don't regret taking this journey, as it's made me value those I care for that much more."

As she releases the two of them, Babe nods and looks to Scatter. He seems downtrodden by this news, as he had become very close to the mare. Smiling, the older stallion tells him, "I want you to remain stationed in Ponyville, Scatter Brain. Who knows, Pinkamena might well return there one day, and one member of the Brotherhood won't be enough to keep watch over the entire town."

Eyes widening in pure joy, Scatter shouts out and hugs his leader before running forth to share a hug with Bri. For the rest of the day they all enjoy the party, having fun and celebrating reunions, friendships, and joy in a joyless world. At the end though, it finally reaches the time for the three ponies to return to Ponyville; Bri, Scatter, and Star. They need to return home and rest, preparing for their continuing search for the Elements of Harmony and a way to finally put an end to Oblivion once and for all. At request, the head monk brings forth his best magic users, who agree to teleport the three to the Crystal Empire so that they can take the train the rest of the way home. Bri and Scatter bid Babe farewell, and turn to the unicorn, ready to head out.

"I want you to have this," one of the monks tells Bri suddenly, handing her a package, "it belonged to Lady Diane when she was here. She told me to hold on to it and give it to the pony I deemed worthy of it. Please, wait until you get to the train to open it." The mare nods at her request right as she begins to disappear alongside her friends, heading to the Crystal Empire. It seems like not even a second passes until they rematerialize outside of the Crystal Empire train station. They hurry in, buying their tickets and getting on right on time. It's hard to believe that things have progressed this quickly. So much has happened since she left all that time ago. So many great things that she wouldn't change for the world. And as the three of them find their seats, she opens the package given to her by the mysterious monk. A small golden broach, in the center of which sits a pink jewel. Tears come to her eyes, and to the eyes of her friends. They know what this is, and exactly why Bri was given it. Pinkie is out there somewhere, and though she may not be her usual self, she had the foresight to save the Silver Element, now the Element of Joy, for the mare most deserving of it. The mare who brought joy to a joyless world.

Back at the monastery, as everypony around continues to party and have fun, the hooded monk who had given Bri the Silver Element heads back into the building behind her. Her hood hangs low as she slowly walks through the large hall and up the hallowed staircase that leads to the second floor. Another hall sits before her, this time a hallway of bedrooms. It's been such a long time since she's been in there, in this cold, unfriendly building. It seems so much more welcoming than before. Even the gardens are different than what she remembered. Though she guesses that she has Bri and Scatter to thank for that. Both of them have done well to make these other ponies happy.

She finally reaches the end of the hall, and her old room. A quiet peace comes over the monk, and she opens the door for the first time in many months, slowly walking in. With a quick look around to make sure nopony is watching, Pinkie Pie removes her hood and smiles for the first time in a long time, her flat hair inflating just a little bit as a small portion of incomprehensible joy enters her heart. The kind of joy she hasn't known since the incidents sixteen years ago. She knows now that she made the right decision entrusting the Element to that little pony. Maybe one day Bri Happer will even take all of her sadness away. Maybe one day, she can share a smile smile smile with the friends she has left. Maybe one day, she'll no longer have to hide.

Preview for Episode 16

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He's dead; why is he dead? And why is there a candlestick in the kitchen? The clues are many, and with suspects about, only one truth will prevail. Time to solve a mystery.

S01 E16 - Who Killed Snooty Shoes?

The shrill howling of the bitter nighttime winds pass throughout the dark, foggy woods. The sounds of unidentified animals lurking around every tree, and their calls biting through the thick air, pierces into the ears of the eight ponies who slowly trot along, hearts beating faster with every step. The six friends, finally reunited in full with the recent return of the long missing Bri Happer, slowly continue along the path. They're joined in their stride by Agelian's bubbly and cheerful fiancée Dinky Hooves, as well as the newest friend of their circle, and founding member of the Brotherhood of Silent Pathfinders, Scatter Brain. It's been a couple of weeks since Bri had returned, seemingly rescued by Star, who had gone previously to find her. With Scatter by her side, she finally came back home to tell all of her friends and family where, and why, she had gone.

Following a much needed time of celebration and the enjoyment of spending time with those she missed so much, Bri finally felt at ease again. She remains upset at not being able to find Pinkie Pie, even with the help of Babe Chenko and Scatter, but in the end, she brought smiles to an entire village, and that's what truly matters. She even earned the Element of Joy, which naturally all of her friends were ecstatic to learn about. She only wonders who that monk who gave it to her is, and why Pinkie entrusted her with the Element in the first place. This makes the third of the six Elements they have found by this point. They're halfway there, and now the only ones left to find are those belonging to Devlin, Terra, and Star. If they can find them soon, they can stop Oblivion before he returns to full power.

For now, however, the eight of them continue to slowly walk through these mysterious, dark woods. The smallest of noises surprise them, and keep the ponies on edge, for even a sound as simple as the snapping of a twig beneath them causes the entire group to jump. Even Terra, who is normally as calm, collected, and unnaturally brave as can be, shows a nervous side at this point. An owl calls out from a tree somewhere, and the wicked sound of a timberwolf's howl breaks through the fog. None of them know what might be only feet away from them. And with Terra already in a sour mood, the feeling given by their location does not help. A grumble passes over his lips as he leads the group.

"We should have never left Ponyville," he angrily complains, almost seeming to stomp down the path as he goes along, "what if Oblivion attacks while we're gone? What if this was all a trap in the first place to get us to leave? This was a bad idea."

"Stop being like that Terra. Captain Everglade stationed some of her elite unicorn soldiers in town to keep watch and protect the citizens from any and all threats, especially Oblivion, remember? Besides, the rest of the task force are still all there, and the Ponyville Police as well. Not to mention, if anything were to go really wrong, then with Canterlot not too far away, the Princess would make sure that nothing were to happen," Star reminds the antsy stallion as she cautiously steps over a gaping hole in the middle of the path, and then jumping slightly as she crunches down on a dried leaf on the other side.

"Princess Aurora? What the Hell is she going to do if Oblivion attacks? Why is she even an alicorn princess in the first place? I mean, her marriage to that louse of a prince Blueblood is enough to give her a royal title, but why is she an alicorn? What has she done to deserve that power? How does she deserve that?"

"It was Princess Celestia's decision. She was the one who turned Princess Aurora into an alicorn prior to her and the other three princesses disappearances. She had faith in Princess Aurora, and because of that, so should we. Princess Aurora has never let us down. She fought against the Ursas who attacked Canterlot, and during the EgT Incident, she even attempted to fend off Oblivion before Chupa and Agelian had. She's more than able to hold her own in any battle that could come upon Ponyville. Oblivion isn't at full power, and Ponyville has great security. I doubt he would try to attack right now. He'll be biding his time. Let's just try and enjoy this trip, and focus on spending some fun time with each other."

As he bows his head in defeat, Terra finally gives into Star's argument and lets out an exasperated sigh. In the end, maybe he is just being a little too worrisome. He doubts that Captain Everglade and her soldiers would falter. He trusts her, much more than he trusts Princess Aurora. It's strange though. He had served her for many years before this all started. Yet only now has he begun to question her. It must be his stress. Everything that's been going on lately has just put him under so much of it, and it's certainly been affecting his attitude as of late.

"I agree with Star," Chupa suddenly pipes up, her young, high-pitched voice echoing through the woods, "let's just have fun. I entered this contest to visit Transylmania because I wanted us to be able to get away and just relax. I wanted to bring some real peace to everypony. We're almost there now, and all everypony seems to be doing is complaining and arguing. Can't we just make this the best trip we can?"

"Agreed," Dinky happily replies, which gets a nod from the other mares as well as Scatter, Agelian, and Devlin. Terra still shows resistance at first, but gives in and agrees to do his best to make it a fun trip. The dark, spooky scenery around them seems to almost melt away as their moods change. They talk of what they're going to do while in town, from checking out the old castles, trying the local delicacies, and visiting the 40 Year War Museum, chronicling the longest lasting war in Equestrian history, which was started by Prince Vladimir Trotes III of the Hooflacian province. He was the powerful general most known for impaling ponies on wooden spikes and posting them around Transylmania for all of his subjects to see. That was a long time ago though, thousands of years before the Celestial Sisters even came to power. It was even before this land had been officially claimed as Equestria.

The eight of them continue to discuss their plans, excited for these next two days. They have so many plans, and so many ideas. There's probably so much they hadn't even considered as well. As they trot along, laughing and actually forgetting about their troubles for the first time in a long time, they soon come to the edge of the woods. The path continues on, and in the distance they can see a large, old style town that must be Transylmania. However, their attention is brought right before them to a large mansion, built in the old Germanic Gothic style and covered in a melancholy ambiance that reminds them of their previous fear. The building itself is covered in thick vines, and gargoyle statues line its balconies. Hedges sit in the dark yard outside, cut into perfect blocks. The gates appear to be old and rusted, and as the wind howls through them, a creepy whistling sound is heard.

On a large arch above the front gate sits the mansion’s address. Star looks at it, and then pulls a slip of paper from her saddlebag. She notices that it matches the address listed on the note for where they are to stay during their trip. They had expected a hotel, one in the heart of the town itself. A mansion on the outskirts of a dark wood had never even crossed their minds, and for good reason. Just looking at it almost makes them want to go into town, forgetting about free boarding and just paying for some nice, comfortable, safe hotel rooms. However, even with all of their combined bits, they do not have enough if they are to truly enjoy their stay here. So they approach the large gates, prepared to push them open. However, they suddenly swing forth on their own, granting entrance to the eight ponies.

Dinky, Bri, and Chupa all suddenly jump in fear as this happens, then tightly grip onto Agelian, Scatter, and Star respectively. Star looks down at the young filly holding onto her leg and gives her a comforting smile, patting her head gently to tell her that it's all going to be alright, though she herself is unsure of this. Walking alongside everypony else, she then follows Terra into the yard, looking around at the hedge garden around them. Suddenly, the gates slam to a close behind them, causing all eight of the ponies to jump in surprise this time, a few even letting out terrified shrieks. However, Terra and Star comfort them with calm words and kind eyes. They slowly trot on, walking towards the large, ornately designed front doors.

Just as the gate had done before, the large wooden doors now swing slowly open, basking them all in a bright, beautiful light. Inside they can see gorgeous rugs and a grand staircase, but from their perspective, not much more at the moment. An elderly pony steps into sight, greeting them with a courteous bow. His silver mane is well kept, and he wears a dark suit coat made of the highest quality fabric. He nods to them and motions for them to come inside. The eight of them exchange glances, but accept the stallion's invitation and slowly enter, their eyes being met with the most magnificent sight they had ever seen. Those rugs and staircase are only the bare minimum of what they had seen. Beautiful vases, delicate oil paintings, golden decor and gem-encrusted drapes. The walls are old, made of an older material, though in seemingly great condition. Their attention returns to the stallion, who bows once again in a respectful manner.

The stallion then proceeds to introduce himself, saying to the visitors, "Greetings to you all, I am the butler of this estate, Snooty Shoes. Your host, Mr. LaDix, has retired himself to his quarters for the remainder of the evening, and has asked that I help you all to do the same upon your arrival. It would have been quite the walk from the train station, and I am sure you are all weary from your trip. If you follow me, I shall bring you to the set of rooms requested in your letter."

As Snooty Shoes begins to slowly walk towards the grand staircase, the eight friends quickly follow, keeping up with the butler's stride without much of a problem. They keep going up, past the second and third floor, and finally reach the very top of the grand staircase on the fourth and final floor. Turning left, the stallion then begins to head into the east wing, continuing on with a steady pace. All around are more of the gorgeous decorations and paintings. Flora line small side tables, and even the lights above are encased in small golden chandeliers. It makes them wonder how somepony could amass a fortune this grand.

The nine of them soon arrive upon a long, narrow hallway. Doors line both sides, each one emblazoned with a number. Snooty Shoes tells them that these are the guest rooms, and that it's where they shall be staying while at the mansion. Reaching into the pockets of his suit, he pulls out five old keys and hands them out to Agelian, Star, Devlin, Terra, and Scatter, telling them, "Mister Agelian, you and your fiance Dinky shall have room G02, Miss Star, you and the young filly shall take room G03, Mister Devlin shall have room G04, Mister Terra gets room G05, and Mister Scatter and Miss Briance shall have room G06. Breakfast shall be served in the main dining hall at eight am sharp, and your host shall hope to see you there to welcome you to the mansion and Transylmania. Are there any other questions I may assist you with?"

"Yeah," Agelian suddenly speaks up, seemingly confused as he raises an eyebrow and steps towards the stallion, "I understand myself and Dinky sharing a room of course, and even Chupa being with Star since she's only a filly still. But why are Scatter and Bri together?"

Before Snooty Shoes can even begin to respond, Star walks up to Agelian with a gentle smile upon her face, and places a solitary hoof upon his shoulder. She chuckles a little and tells him to simply leave it be. Turning to Scatter and Bri, she then nods and tells everypony that it's about time they all got some well deserved rest. So with a courteous bow, Snooty retires to his own quarters, and the other eight do the same, unlocking and entering their assigned rooms to turn in for the night. They can only hope that after such a rocky night, tomorrow morning will start off well and get better from there. They wonder what kind of pony this Mr. LaDix is, and what he might say at breakfast. They pray that this trip turns out to be as good as they could ever dream.

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The bright morning sun rises as it always does, and the birds begin to chirp noisily outside of the windows. The eight ponies from Ponyville awaken from a peaceful sleep, well rested and more than excited for the day to come. They meet each other in the hallway outside of their rooms, all ready to head down to the main dining hall for breakfast. The halls are long and winding, but they eventually reach the grand staircase and begin their descent. They begin to talk to each other, sharing what they hope to do in Transylmania over the course of the day.

"Dinky and I are going to go around the town and check out the area and shops to see if we can get some inspiration for our wedding," Agelian speaks up first, telling the others with a smile and a kiss to his fiancée, who giggles.

Bri smiles over and replies with a laugh of her own, "Scatter and I are gonna get some party supplies and begin inviting everypony to a big party that we're going to throw tonight, hopefully with Mr. LaDix's permission we can even have it here!" She begins to excitedly bounce up and down as she goes down the stairs, Scatter grinning as he trots down alongside her.

Chupa is the next to speak up, noting that she wants to examine the flora around this part of the country, and maybe collect some samples to bring back home to the Greenhouse. Star adds that she'll be accompanying and helping the filly, who's too young to just go off on her own. Devlin tells them that his main goal for the day is to see the new musical Sweeny Trot at the Transylmania theater, and that otherwise he'll probably just be going around town helping out anypony who might need it. Terra goes last, explaining that he wishes to keep his mind on the important tasks at hoof. So he's going to ask around town to try and get any information he can on Oblivion and hopefully even the Elements of Harmony.

"Geez Terra, you're too serious sometimes," Bri tells him, gaining a laugh from all the others. They continue down the staircase as Terra rolls his eyes, thinking to himself that they're not taking this threat seriously enough. However, as they reach the bottom, they can instantly see that something's wrong. Servants and maids are running about. Some crying, some simply hysterical and confused. None of the eight can even tell what's going on. Deciding that they need to find out, Terra approaches one of the nearby maids, a middle aged mare with thick-framed red glasses, a pearl necklace, and a bow on her head. He stops her in the middle of her apparent panic attack, and tries to calm her down enough to talk.

"Ma'am, take a deep breath. Tell me who you are and what's going on here," he tells her, his voice echoing with honor and respect. She does as she's told, calming herself down with some deep breathing. She wipes the tears from her eyes and looks at the stallion with a thankful expression.

"My name is Madame Rosa Infante, I'm one of Mr. LaDix's maids. I'm in charge of cleaning the first floor."

"It's going to be ok, Madame Rosa," he assures her, smiling as he continues to calm the mare down, "I need to know what's going on here. Why is everypony panicking and running about, and where is Mr. LaDix?"

She begins to tear up again and falls into Agelian, hugging him tightly as she sobs out, "Oh poor Mr. LaDix. He's such a nice pony. Why does this have to happen to somepony as good as him? He...he woke up this morning as usual, and he came downstairs to meet with Mr. Snooty Shoes before breakfast. But...but...he found Mr. Snooty Shoes dead in the kitchen! Murdered by somepony!"

Eyes widening, Terra gallops in the direction that most of the others are heading, thinking that it must be the way to the kitchen. The others quickly follow, and soon catch up to the stallion as he's entering the doors to the main dining hall. Inside, a group of maids and servants have gathered in bunches, staring into another set of doors on the other side of the room. Terra and the others rush over, pushing their way through. They reach the doors and burst in to find a fancy, important looking stallion and a few other ponies standing over the corpse of who they all recognize as the same butler who let them in and showed them to their rooms just last night. He lays there, motionless with the ghost of his last scream etched upon his face. His eyes are widened, and his throat is slit, a pool of blood beneath him.

The stallion, noticing the intruders who had suddenly come into the kitchen, turns to them with an irritated expression on his face as he yells out, "Who are you!? What are you doing in my mansion!?"

"Sir," Madame Rosa says as she runs up, "these have to be the contest winners, the ones who are staying for a few days."

"Oh, I had forgotten. I apologize to you all for my anger, but you can understand my feelings at this time. I'd have rather given you all a proper welcome with breakfast this morning, but you're instead welcomed to this grisly act of evil. It would be rather inappropriate to do anything at this point."

"Mr. LaDix I presume," Terra says, face stern and focused, "I am Terra Lionmane, former captain of the Canterlot elite royal guard and current head of the Ponyville Militant Task Force. I have worked on murder cases on many an occasion, and if you will allow me, I could take a hold of this investigation to find out exactly who murdered your butler."

Sighing, Mr. LaDix gives Terra the ok, and so the stallion steps forward, carefully leaning down to examine the lifeless body of Snooty Shoes with precision, so as to not tamper with any evidence. As he had planned to leave following breakfast, the stallion has his saddlebag on. Reaching inside he pulls out two latex boots and puts them on so that he can move and examine the body closer. Turning it over, he takes a look at the slit throat, examining the deepness of the cut and comparing it to the amount of blood on the floor below him. He checks the rest of the body for stiffness to tell the time of death, and announces to everypony that he had to have died at around seven this morning.

"I have coroners coming from town to do an autopsy on him," Mr. LaDix tells Terra, "though as you can see, it does seem pretty open and shut. Somepony murdered my friend here by cutting his throat open."

"It certainly appears that way, though I'm not sure that it's that simple. The amount of blood throws me off, as does the deepness of the cut. He should have bled out more than this with a wound like that. I need to meet with every member of this mansion’s staff and residents right away, so that I can figure out who could have done something like this."

Once again Mr. LaDix gives Terra the go ahead, and calls out to the large group gathered in the main dining hall to meet in the front hall and make sure everybody is there so that they can be questioned regarding this terrible act. Terra then turns to his friends, a serious glare in his eyes, and tells them to head into the lounge area for the time being. Naturally they understand how big of a deal this is, and agree to wait in there. So without another word, they leave the kitchen, and their friend, and head out. Passing in silence through the main dining hall, and into the main hall, they head to the other side of the hall and into the large, luxurious lounge area. Snacks and drinks are set out, though don't seem that fresh. They can assume that Snooty Shoes had placed them in there prior to his death. Taking seats, they all just sit there and absorb what they had just witnessed, unsure of how to react.

"I can't believe he's gone," Bri says, quietly and calmly unlike her normal demeanor, "and he was so lively just last night."

Thought he can't see what she means by lively, as he had seen Snooty as kind of boring, Agelian is the next to speak up as he holds a scared Dinky close, "I know. For something like this to happen, it's just horrible," he quietly says as he too begins to tear up. Everypony there understands Agelian's feelings, as he had lost his own mother when he was young, and even witnessed the passing of Trixie Lulamoon at the EgT Incident. He's faced death before, more so than anypony ever should. It's a hard subject for him to take, and switching roles, Dinky now comforts her fiancé with a gentle hug as he remembers his mother, whom he loved with all his heart.

Star understands probably the most out of them, having lost both of her parents at a young age. Even Chupa had lost a good friend and mentor in Mr. Greenhooves. Scatter lost Pinkie Pie, while not to death, it still has hurt him a great deal in his life, and even cost his freedom for a good amount of time. Bri, Dinky, and Devlin, however, haven't lost anyone close to them. And to their knowledge, neither has Terra. As the seven of them continue to talk about it all, a blonde-maned mare suddenly walks into the lounge, appearing as if she had just filled an ocean with her tears. Tall with a purple coat, the unicorn slowly walks in and fills up a mug with the old coffee, kept warm through the maker. She takes a seat alongside the others and takes a drink of the black coffee, not having even bothered to put in any cream.

"Um..." Star speaks up, confused by the mares appearance.

Looking up at the seven others, who she hadn't even seemed to notice, the mare blushes and cries out, "Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't notice you all in here, I just...just...I just needed some time. Are you the contest winners? My name is Esmerelda St. Cainan, I'm LaDix's wife."

"I don't mean to sound rude, Misses Esmerelda, but shouldn't you be with the others so Terra can interrogate you?" Star asks.

"I was the first to be called in," she explains sorrowfully, "I still just can't understand who would kill Snooty. I'm sorry that this had to happen while you all were here. I'm the one who actually made the contest you won. You see, I absolutely love Transylmania. I was born here, and have never even considered living anywhere else. It's always been my goal to show it's beauty and wonder to others, so I held the contest to be able to do so."

She begins to cry harder than ever, and continues, "Snooty Shoes was my friend since childhood, a sort of second father to me, and honestly, more of a father than my real one. After I married LaDix, I insisted that Snooty be allowed to work here in the mansion. He was so kind and helpful, and even saved my life on multiple occasions. I just can't believe he's actually gone." The others try to comfort her, but before they can she just gets up and walks right back out of the room, crying.  As the door closes behind her, the seven still there just sit back, quiet after hearing how powerful of a connection this stallion had made with a pony who truly loved him more than life itself. They hope, for her sake, that the murderer can be caught and punished before long.

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"Madame Rosa Infante, can you please come into the main dining hall please," Terra calls out from the room. Nervous and terrified, the maid nearly breaks down as she slowly walks in. Sitting at one of the tables is Terra. He has a serious expression on his face, which is illuminated by the desk lamp he has set up, giving it an eerie, intimidating feeling. The mare approaches cautiously and takes a seat across from him, holding her hoof in front of her face to block out the brightness of the light. The stallion points the light directly at her, staring carefully as he holds in his hooves a notepad, obviously to write down the testimonies of everypony. For a moment he says nothing, only stares at her and watches her body language. After not too long, however, he nods and asks, "so, where were you this morning from six to eight am?"

"I only woke up at around seven thirty," she pleads with him, breaking into tears, "I wake up at that time every day to begin my daily routine of cleaning the first floor. When I met you this morning, I had just learned of the death myself."

"What is your relation to the deceased?"

"My...my relation? To Mister Snooty Shoes? He was a friend, someone I could rely on. When I was new here, he helped me get used to everything. He taught me tricks on how to clean faster and more efficiently."

"Did you have any connection to the deceased outside of your professional work?"

"Well...we would sometimes talk to each other, and we went fishing a couple of times, but nothing more. I viewed him mostly as a mentor to me," she insists. Looking closely at her, Terra can see that she's telling the truth. Though nervous and twitchy, she's not hiding anything. She couldn't have been the murderer. Excusing her, he asks the mare to return to the front hall to await him to finish the interrogations. Quickly leaving, Madame Rosa heads back out as Terra now calls for the next pony. Having finished with the mansion's staff, he now moves on to the residents. And by the list given to him, there's only two ponies he has to question.

The first of these is a temporary resident named Vale Kaid, who's only been at the mansion for a week and has taken up quarters in room G01, in the same hallways as he and his friends. A moment later, the stallion enters the hall. His coat a deep shade of brown, he wears a black bandana over his dark blue mane and a matching leather vest. He has a scruffy beard and thick, but not overly so, mustache. He enters the room with more confidence than Madame Rosa had, trotting in and taking a seat. His body language, from what Terra can gather, paints him as being very sure of himself, and very tough. He seems like the kind of pony who would be good at hiding things. He's going to be a tough nut to crack, no matter if he ends up being the guilty party or not.

Staring into Vale's deep green eyes, Terra asks the same first question as he had with everypony, "so, where were you this morning from six to eight am?"

"Sleeping," the stallion grunts out, his voice rough and raspy, filled with years of hard experiences.

"Is there anypony who can confirm this?"

"No."

These straight, simple answers are harder for the former captain to read. He's faced off against many suspects in his time in the guard, but none who were so straight and calm like this. It could mean that he's so confident that he won't be found out, or maybe that he really didn't do it and knows that he has nothing to hide. No matter what it is, he has to find out more.

"What was your relation with the deceased?" Terra asks him.

"None."

"Can you elaborate please?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Nothin' to elaborate on. I've been here a week. Didn't know the guy. Saw him around. That's it," Vale responds in an almost cold tone. Yawning, he leans back in his seat and rolls his eyes. The actions frustrate the stallion, but he can't see any lying. He's so hard to read, he can barely see anything in his expression, or hear in his tone. So he decides to change the line of questioning a little bit, moving instead to the pony himself.

"Vale Kaid, why are you staying here at the mansion?"

"My house in town burned."

"What caused the fire?"

"Don't know, don't care. Doesn't matter to me. What's done is done."

"How did you end up coming to live here?"

"I was invited by the mansion's owner."

"Why were you invited? Did you know Mr. LaDix before this all happened?" Terra questions, trying to pry deep into this all, thinking that if he is the culprit, maybe he did it to get back at Mr. LaDix for something.

"No."

"You've never met Mr. LaDix before a week ago?"

"Seen him around, never actually met him."

"Ok, this is getting ridiculous," Terra quietly says so that the pony can't hear him. He then leans back and excuses him. He can't read anything from this stallion, and he's already had better leads that he should focus on. One more pony to interrogate, then he can put everything together. He excuses Vale, who seems to be happy to finally get out of there. However, Terra asks that he have Mr. LaDix come in next. As the mysterious temporary resident heads out, Mr. LaDix walks slowly in. Unlike the other stallion, he seems uncomfortable. As he takes a seat, he shifts around a bit before finding a comfortable position. He then seems to be trying to avoid eye contact with the interrogator, who notices this.

"Mr. LaDix, where were you this morning from six to eight am?"

"I woke up at six am, and took a shower. A little before eight I came down to the kitchen to talk to Snooty about the day’s menu, as I always do. I found him dead."

"Besides him working for you, do you have any relation to the deceased?"

"He was a friend," Mr. LaDix tells the stallion, a phrase that he had been hearing from almost everypony, "a good friend. He was never a mere butler for me. Butlers don't console you when you're in a depression. They don't do things for you just to see you smile. They don't show you unconditional love. Snooty never once even argued with me. He never spoke against me or acted in any ill way. I myself never gave him orders. When something needed to be done, I would politely ask him. It seemed wrong to order around a friend."

"Understandable," Terra replies, smiling, "can you tell me though, have you ever done anything with Mr. LaDix outside of professional responsibilities?"

"All the time. We've gone fishing, had archery practice, even built things together. Oh, we loved building. From stages to simple little chests, we'd craft so many things. Sometimes we'd sell them, some of them remain in this mansion."

"You call Snooty Shoes your friend. How far did that friendship go?"

"Snooty ate with my wife and I. His quarters are beside our own, by his choice. As I said, I never considered him a butler. He only did that stuff by choice, because he wanted to serve us. I told you that I never once gave him an order, and I meant it. We never even forced him to stay. He's been free to go out whenever without needing to tell us, go on vacations, and more. He never did though. For some reason he just kept being the most respectful, helpful, kind pony I'd ever met. His friendship was magic for me and my wife."

"Just one last question Mr. LaDix. How long has Snooty Shoes been working here, and why did you decide to hire him into your staff?"

"He's been in my service for ten years now. It was just after my wife and I got married. It was actually her request. At first I wasn't sure of bringing a friend in to serve me, but I gave in and never regretted it."

"Ok, thank you Mr. LaDix, you can go now."

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With interrogations having ended, and following some basic investigating done by the stallion, Terra gathers the entirety of the mansion's staff and residents in the center of the front hall. As they all stand there in front of the grand staircase, he makes sure that everypony is present, including his seven friends who stand off to the side of everypony else. Since he had begun his interrogations, the coroners had come, done the autopsy, and given the report to him. He now stands there on the fifth step of the staircase, holding the report in his hooves as he reads with interest and curiosity. The results are surprising, and definitely not what he had expected to come across. Though what he found now makes a little more sense.

"Fillies and gentlecolts," he speaks out as he closes the folder with the report in it, "I now know how Snooty Shoes died, and it wasn't by his throat being slit as we originally had believed."

Curious chatter fills the room, but soon subsides as Terra continues, "He was murdered in a much different way, by poison. The coroners discovered trace amounts of the substance in his body, and have come to the conclusion that it was introduced through ingestion. This means that somepony here drugged something that Snooty Shoes ate or drank."

"This also means that the slit throat occurred after death, which is why the amount of blood did not match up properly to the wound. The slit throat was to throw the trail off of the poison, which was a very lethal substance that normally leaves no traces. However, this wasn't the poison in it's purest form, and as such was still detectable. Mr. LaDix, can you please shed some light on something for me? What would Snooty have been doing prior to his untimely death?"

"At that time?" Mr. LaDix questions, "well, I guess he'd have still been preparing breakfast."

"Did Snooty ever taste the food he made?"

"Of course he did, every time he cooked. Snooty would always taste the food he made, so that he could be sure it was perfect for my wife and I. But where are you going with this?" Mr. LaDix asks the stallion. Over to the side of everypony else, Terra notices Dinky being comforted by Agelian, still nervous after everything that had transpired. He hates that it has to come to this now, especially after seeing the two holding each other. He notices that Scatter's done the same for Bri, holding her tight as she seems visibly upset. All around the room ponies have begun to comfort each other, trying to keep calm in this moment.

"Vale Kaid, you moved here a week ago after your Transylmanian home burned to the ground, correct? And Mr. LaDix, whom you've seen before but never interacted with, just let you stay here?" Terra asks, curious about this since he had heard it in his interrogation.

"Mr. LaDix, no. It was his wife who let me stay here. She heard about my situation and insisted I come to stay," the gruff pony replies, speaking in an almost matter-of-fact tone. Terra thinks for a moment. To be honest, he's trying to stall at this point, but if he does it any longer, it'll only be harder in the end.

"I know who the murderer is," he sighs. Reaching into his saddlebag, he pulls out a cerulean feather and quietly adds, "this was found in the kitchen trash can, along with a bagged substance identified as the same poison that killed Snooty Shoes. The owner of this feather was the one who killed him."

Everypony looks around, and find quickly that only one pegasus in the entire room matches that color; Agelian Wingblade. Agelian stares at Terra in shock and confusion, but remains quiet as the stallion continues, "We also found trace amounts of the poison in with the pancake batter. I assume, Mr. LaDix, that Snooty Shoes had planned to make pancakes for breakfast. Am I correct?"

"You are," Mr. LaDix replies, himself surprised by the reveal of Agelian's feather, "we always plan out breakfast one day ahead, so he was going to make this without a doubt."

"We've already confirmed that Snooty Shoes tries the food he makes. The pancakes were what he was going to make for today’s breakfast, and the poison was discovered in the pancakes. This feather was found at the scene along with a bag of the poisonous substance. This case is cut and dry and far as I can tell...Agelian, you're the number one suspect, and as of now, I suggest preparing yourself for arrest."

"I didn't do anything!" Agelian shouts out angrily, breaking away from Dinky, "I would never do anything to hurt anypony! I couldn't have done it anyways! I was in bed with Dinky all night, and never left the room until I did so with her in the morning!"

"Dinky, is what he said true? Was Agelian in bed with you all night long?" Terra asks the nervous and confused mare. She begins to come to tears at this question, not wanting to believe that he could have done it. Terra asks her again, and so she answers, telling him that she believes it is true. She then adds, however, that she fell asleep sometime around one in the morning, and only awoke shortly before they came down this morning, so that she doesn't really know.

Infuriated, Agelian turns to Dinky and screams at her, angry as he thinks she's betrayed him. The already nervous mare turns ghost white and completely breaks down, sobbing hysterically and running from the room. As she gallops into the lounge, crying out in sorrow and confusion, Bri, Star, and Chupa all go off to comfort her. Meanwhile, Agelian shows instant regret in his expression and drops to a seat there on the step, ashamed at what he had done. However, Terra approaches the pegasus and whispers for him to follow him into the dining hall.

Having given up, Agelian obeys and gets to his hooves, slowly going in alongside his friend. As they close the doors behind them, Terra looks to Agelian and says, "Look, I know you, and you certainly wouldn't do this. But I also know that this is your feather, and that means that somepony is setting you up. Can you tell me what you did last night after we went into our separate rooms?"

Sighing with exasperation, Agelian nods and recounts, "Dinky and I were cuddling and watching movies all night. At around one, while we were in the middle of one, she fell asleep. I went to bed shortly after, wanting to finish the movie first. We both woke up at the same time because of the alarm clock. I know it's not a very good alibi or anything, but it's the truth, I swear it is Terra."

"I know, but we need to find out what really happened, and why you've been cast as the scapegoat. Do you know anypony who might be responsible? Anypony at all?"

"What about Missus Esmerelda?" Agelian suggests, thinking of how her story had seemed off to him. Terra asks who that is, which confuses the pegasus, who replies, "the first pony you interrogated, Mr. LaDix's wife. She's got a purple coat, blonde mane, and is a unicorn."

"Um, Agelian. The first pony I interrogated was a male servant named Jeeves. I never interrogated anypony named Esmerelda, or anypony matching that description at all."

"Wait...I just remembered. When we were in the lounge earlier, she told us that she was the one who held the contest that brought us all here. She apparently never went in for interrogation, and wasn't on the list given to you. Also, I remember her saying how she and Snooty Shoes were life long friends," Agelian tells him.

"And she also invited Vale Kaid to stay here," Terra adds, remembering the tough pony mentioning that just minutes ago, "I think I'm beginning to see what's going on here. I think that Esmerelda is the one behind this all, and this contest was a ruse from the beginning. She needed a scapegoat, and it just ended up being you."

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"I'm sorry Dinky," Agelian apologizes as the eight friends meet back up in the lounge, "I was just frustrated and confused. I didn't mean to take it all out on you."

"I understand," she replies, going to hug him. The two embrace for a moment, kiss each other, then turn their attention to Terra and Agelian, who are at the head of the rest of them. Within the next few minutes, the two stallions tell their friends what they discovered, and how Esmerelda might just be the murderer, and that if so, she would have framed Agelian for the act. Terra tells them about how he believes that since she set the contest up, it might have been a ploy from the beginning to find somepony to pin the blame on, but that it still leaves one question hanging.

"What's her motive?" the former Captain of the elite royal guard asks, "why would Esmerelda want Snooty Shoes dead? They were best friends according to multiple sources, and never had a bad thing to say about one another. We learned that Esmerelda had also invited Vale Kaid to live here after his house burned down. While it's good information, it doesn't give us the answer we need. So, I believe that we need to investigate further. We need to get into her room, and this means that she needs to be distracted. Somepony needs to keep her occupied while Agelian and I look for any kind of clue as to why she'd do this."

"Bri and I can take care of that," Scatter says, volunteering for the distraction team, "we'll keep her away with ease."

"Good," Agelian speaks up. He smiles at Dinky and asks her to stay with the others, explaining that having any more than him and Terra investigating might become too much of a risk. He then turns to his friends again, and specifically Devlin, and asks, "Can you ask some of the staff about Snooty Shoes and his connection to Esmerelda? We need any information we can get, and these ponies would know the most."

Devlin agrees to the plan, and with that, the eight ponies all split up, going their separate ways. While Terra and Agelian head upstairs, Dinky, Chupa, and Star remain in the lounge to await everypony else's return. Devlin heads to find some of the staff to question about the connections between the deceased and the suspect, and Scatter and Bri go off to find Esmerelda. They have little trouble doing so, spotting her through one of the windows to the outside. As they go out to meet with her, they find the mare sitting in the gardens, seemingly trying to relax and get all the horrors off of her mind. The two ponies approach her, and take seats beside the mare on each side.

"Sooo," Bri says with a smile, "can you tell us more about how you first met Snooty Shoes? Focusing on the good memories will make things easier." Esmerelda smiles back and sighs, remembering that day well. It was such a long time ago now, yet it feels like just yesterday. She tears up as she recounts it to the two ponies. Not tears of sorrow, but of joy and happiness from the memories she still holds deep in her heart.

On the upper floor of the mansion, Terra and Agelian slowly and quietly walk down the hallowed hallway. Doors on each side of them make it almost hard for them to figure out where the master bedroom could even be. The hardest part of all, however, will be searching the room but leaving no traces of such. It's not only Esmerelda's room, but Mr. LaDix's as well. They don't want to push their limits with this investigation, and break the trust Mr. LaDix has for them. It'd be better to stay in his good graces, especially with everything that's happened lately.

They soon reach the end of the hall and come upon a pair of large, mahogany doors lined in intricate gold designs. If this isn't the master bedroom, then nothing is. They slowly open the doors, hoping that Mr. LaDix didn't decide to come and lay down for a little. Luckily, they find the room empty. As they intrude, they notice the odd separation of the room. One side seems to be Mr. LaDix's things, and the other, Esmerelda's. Not the typical design for a married couple. Fortunately for them, however, this will make their search that much easier.

Looking around the room, the two cautiously go through drawers, cabinets, and jewelry boxes, looking for something that might help establish a motive for Esmerelda to have killed Snooty Shoes. Of course, they wish it weren't true, but somepony has to be responsible for this murder, and right now, they have no choice but to focus on her. So much makes her suspicious, especially the fact that she avoided the interrogations and wasn't even on the list given to Terra by Mr. LaDix. Of course, now that they see the room, maybe the two are simply having marriage troubles, and he didn't even consider putting Esmerelda on the list. That's the best case scenario though. Suddenly, Agelian quietly calls out that he found something, and as Terra goes over to see what it is, he knows that this could be the clue they were looking for.

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An hour passes, and with the help of his friends, Terra has once more gathered all the staff and residents in the main hall. As he stands on the grand staircase, looking down at everypony else, the guard sighs. He knows that this is going to be hard to do, especially with Mr. LaDix being right there in the front. Next to the mansion's owner is a mare that Terra can only assume to be Esmerelda. Though he had yet to really meet her, she matches the description Agelian had given to him earlier. Who knows how she's going to react to the accusation. Of course, they have motive now. They have everything they need to key her as the murderer, so no matter how she reacts, he knows he has found the right pony.

"Everypony," he begins as he gathers the attention of everyone there, "the lead we had received before was proven to be a ruse. Agelian is not at fault here, and was instead framed for the murder by another. To dissipate any doubt, I am not just saying this because Agelian is my friend. I have found proof to the real murderer's identity, including a sound motive for the murder itself."

"So who is it?" Mr. LaDix asks, looking at the stallion with a questioning look. He still has tears in his eyes from losing his friend. Those tears will be doubled when he learns the truth.

"Through investigation that was given the go ahead by our host, we have discovered evidence through the diary of the murderer herself! I have discovered that the murderer is in fact...Esmerelda St. Cainan!"

At once everypony in the room gasps, and turns to the mare, who shows a confused and scared expression. Mr. LaDix puts a hoof around her and comforts his wife while glaring up at the stallion. A piercing look that burrows into the very soul of its victim and speaks out for clarification on such a horrible accusation. Terra sees this and swallows hard. He knew this wasn't going to be easy, but it has to be done.

"We have learned that Esmerelda had been stealing money from her husbands private account. She didn't want extra jewelry or anything, because her husband could have easily gotten her anything she wanted. She needed this money to keep somepony quiet. You see, about two months ago, she was practicing archery in the woods with Snooty Shoes. It's something she's taken part in often, nothing out of the ordinary. However, an arrow went astray, and a passerby was killed as it hit him right in the head. Esmerelda and Snooty discovered the dead unicorn, but the mare was too scared to go to anypony and tell the truth. Instead she buried the body and hid any evidence that she and Snooty had been there."

"However," he continues, looking down at Mr. LaDix and Esmerelda with sorrowful eyes, "Snooty wasn't keen on keeping this a secret. He felt it would have been better to go to the authorities and explain what happened. So Esmerelda began using her husbands money to keep her own friend from telling anypony. This develops a clear motive for the murder, especially with what we found out happened next. Snooty had stopped agreeing to the pay off, not being able to live with the guilt anymore. He was planning to tell the authorities of Transylmania. We can assume that Esmerelda would not have wanted them to find out, and would do anything to keep this quiet, even murder her own life long friend. However, we can't just assume this without evidence."

Terra then begins to tell everypony what he had learned about the mare. How she was the one who started the contest days after the accidental archery murder took place. She didn't show up at the interrogations earlier, and even lied outright to his friends, claiming that she was the first to be interrogated, despite her name never even showing up on the list. She also allowed Vale Kaid to stay here after the burning of his home, a probable back up plan if she believed that none of us who won the contest would be a suitable scapegoat. It's obvious that it's all this contest was, a way to find somepony to pin Snooty's eventual murder on. Sighing, the stallion adds that he guesses Snooty was going to tell the police today, and that's why she had to kill him today, why he and his friends stay began last night, carrying over to this morning when it happened. It all fits together.

Letting go of Esmerelda, Mr. LaDix turns his head away as tears form in his eyes. He can't believe this. He doesn't want to believe this. Agelian then flies off to get the Transylmania police, knowing that he'd be the fastest. Then, Esmerelda suddenly steps forward, towards the grand staircase and Terra. She too has tears in her eyes as she looks quickly to her husband, then back to the stallion who had figured so much out.

"It's true, I did accidentally kill somepony back then. I did want to hide it and I even paid my own best friend off with my husbands money. And you're right that he did stop agreeing to take the hush money, and planned to tell the police today. But you're wrong about one thing. I didn't kill Snooty. I had given up when he told me he was going to tell. I had no way to keep him quiet anymore, so I just gave in and prepared for it. I was going to go with him to the station, and reveal the truth. I understand that everything points to me, and rightfully so. It would have made sense, but I swear to you, that it's the one thing I never even considered," the mare tells Terra, having even given up on hiding anything anymore.

This doesn't make any sense though, for he can tell when somepony's lying, and she isn't. She's not hard to read like Vale Kaid, and so it's obvious that she's telling the truth. She didn't murder Snooty Shoes. But then who could it be. Who could have done this? Fortunately, Mr. LaDix steps up, tears in his own eyes as he tells Terra, "I can't hide it any longer. I know who really murdered Snooty Shoes...because I saw it happen." Another audible gasp echoes throughout the crowd of ponies, and the host and owner of the mansion continues sorrowfully.

"When I woke up this morning, I came downstairs as normal to talk to Snooty about the rest of the days meals as well as tomorrows breakfast. It's something we'd always do right away. I was early, so I was going to get myself a glass of juice while awaiting him. I couldn't believe what I saw when I arrived at the kitchen. Snooty indeed wasn't down yet, but somepony else was in there, and I saw him in there. He wasn't doing much of anything, just putting out the pots and pans and everything for Snooty Shoes. I didn't feel it was bad or anything, so I went to take a shower, deciding that I'd talk to Snooty after. When I returned, I saw Snooty in the kitchen, and the other pony gone. My friend was making the pancakes, and he went to taste a bite of one. I was about to enter and greet him when I saw my friend suddenly collapse."

"Of course I was terrified, and I began calling for help, but he was dead by the time anypony else arrived. I hadn't thought that he would've been responsible, but I now see what he had done. The pancake mix wasn't poisoned. He never touched it while in there. He was handling the fork that Snooty used to taste the food though. I believe he had poisoned the fork. Enough for it to be fatal, but not to be instantly noticeable, especially by someone like Snooty, whose age had gotten to his eyes a bit."

"Are you sure about this?" Terra asks him, surprised by this sudden revelation, "this is vital evidence."

"I'm sure, and the kitchen does have security cameras that I'm sure will confirm this. The pony who murdered Snooty was somepony used to the act, Psycho Joe, the serial killer who escaped from Canterlot's prison just a couple of months ago, the same time Vale Kaid moved to Transylmania."

Everyone looks to Vale, who seems surprised by this, almost as much as Esmerelda had been when she was accused. However, he doesn't hide it. Smiling, the stallion nods his head and replies, "I'm impressed you knew it was me. I mean, dying my mane and tail and growing out my facial hair wasn't the best disguise, but I hoped it would work well enough."

"Wait," Chupa suddenly says, "I remember! When we were in Canterlot to meet with Princess Twilight's family, it was mentioned that Psycho Joe had been caught!"

"I escaped not long after that," the murderer laughs, "it was surprisingly easy. Sometimes I wonder whether or not Canterlot's royal guard is even that elite after all. I didn't account for cameras in the kitchen, a mistake on my part. But then again, this place has few cameras on the inside as it is. I guess that the police will be arriving soon. There's only one last thing I have to do before they get here."

Smirking, the murderous stallion pulls out a sharp knife from the pocket of his vest, brandishing it around menacingly. He then moves with amazing speed, grabbing Esmerelda and holding the blade of the knife to her throat, pushing with force, but not enough to break through just yet. Everypone else begins to back away, not wanting to get in the middle of this or set the murderer off any further. However, Terra remains there, slowly inching his way towards Joe and Esmerelda. He doesn't want to move too fast and possibly cause Esmerelda's untimely death, but he needs to stop the killer.

"Joe, please just put the knife down," he says calmly, "it doesn't have to end like this. It will only make things worse for you."

"Worse? I was sentenced to death, awaiting my euthanasia shot back in Canterlot. With everything I've done, there is no worse. At this point, it's free game, is it not?"

Another wicked laugh escapes the stallion as he prepares to take the mare's life. However, one of the front windows suddenly crashes in, taking his attention away. Everypony turns as Agelian flies back into the mansion at full speed. He rams right into both Psycho Joe and Esmerelda, knocking the blade away and sending the two ponies down to the ground. Mr. LaDix runs up and grabs his wife, helping her to safety while Terra joins Agelian in holding Psycho Joe down as the Transylmanian pegasus police force fly in as well, instantly seeing the serial killer and taking him into custody.

They begin to attempt to arrest Esmerelda as well, as Agelian had told them she was the one to murder Snooty Shoes, but Terra steps forward, informing the cops that she was set up by Psycho Joe, and is innocent of any crimes. She thanks the stallion, but shakes her head and tells him that it's ok before telling the cops what she had done two months ago, and how she's tired of keeping it a secret, even if it was accidental. She asks to be taken away as well, and the cops, hearing her confession, place her in hoofcuffs.

Running up to her, Mr. LaDix begs her to not do this, but she just smiles and after giving her husband a kiss, tells him, "I have to. I can't live with the guilt any longer. The pain of hiding it made me want to help others more. It's why I invited Vale Kaid to stay with us. I indirectly caused Snooty's death by bringing  Psycho Joe here, all because of the guilt I was feeling over accidentally taking another pony’s life. I need to face the consequences of my actions, or I'll never be able to live with myself again. I have to do this honey."

"I'll wait for you to get out then, and I'll visit you every day. It won't be long once they know it was accidental. They can't lock you up for that long for something you didn't even mean to do. I swear to you Esmerelda, I will make sure you come home again, and we can live together in love."

She smiles as the police take her and Psycho Joe away, headed for the Transylmanian police station to be booked. Terra stops them for a moment, and tells them to keep Psycho Joe from being able to possibly escape again, even if it means putting him in the the most confining cell possible with a straight jacket on. The police assure him that they will make it impossible for the murderer to get out. They then fly away, leaving everypony else standing there in the front hall, in shock of everything that had just happened in front of them.

Within the next couple of hours, the eight friends tell their host that they've decided to cut their trip short, and will be heading back in the morning. This isn't what they had expected, and after an ordeal like this, they feel it'd be best to just be at home with their loved ones. Though saddened by his wife's willing arrest, Mr. LaDix thanks them for doing what they could to help, even if it led them to falsely accuse two different ponies, one of which being Esmerelda. He tells them that he'll prepare dinner himself in Snooty's memory, and then in the morning, bring them to the train station in one of his carts.

They all then begin to head to their rooms, wanting to just take a bit of time to rest before dinner. All of the mansion's staff begin to disperse as well, exhausted from this terrible ordeal. The only one left in the hall is Madame Rosa, who looks around at the mess everypony had caused and sighs. It's her job to clean this floor, so she might as well get to work now. She trots over to the broken window, having decided to get that figured out first. She looks down at the broken glass and leaves, returning with a paper bag to put all the shards in. As she begins to clean up, however, two dark hooves reach in through the window, grabbing her. A chloroform cloth is brought to her face, and she feels herself begin to fade. Right before she passes out, the stallion kidnapping her laughs and says, "Hello Madame Rosa, I'm J.D. Gumila, and I'll be your chauffeur today. Let's go and meet Lord Oblivion, shall we?"

Preview for Episode 17

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Somepony's luring ponies into the Everfree Forest. We've found half-eaten victims strewn throughout the forest, and believe this to be the work of somepony very powerful, very crazy, and very dangerous. You can't go alone though, not with this kind of a threat. Let me introduce you to Equestria's Minister of Chaos.

S01 E17 - Creating Chaos

It feels so good to finally be back home. The dark, melancholy atmosphere of the Hooflacian province, and most specifically of the town of Transylmania and the large LaDix Mansion, has taken quite the toll on the weary young mare. Granted, the entire trip by itself has proven to be an entire fruitless, tiring one. She and her friends had gone to enjoy the area, see new sights, and have a vacation from everything that's been going on. However, they never got the chance, instead being flung into the middle of a murder investigation and trying to find out who killed the kindly old butler Snooty Shoes. All of their planning had been ruined in that one foul swoop, all because of a psychotic murderer who was unable to control himself, as well as a shameful secret kept by a sorrowful wife. Then, the morning after both Psycho Joe and Esmerelda St. Cainan were arrested, the eight of them boarded the train once again, wanting to just go home and forget about everything that had happened. Their life really IS starting to sound like a Conan Royal story.

Either way, they're back in Ponyville now and Star couldn't be happier. Unlike the large and gloomy Transylmania, they live in a smaller, more quaint and homely town that has plenty of sunshine and friendly ponies trotting about. It's their home, and it's where things just feel right. She loves this town more than anywhere else in all of Equestria. She wouldn't dream of living anywhere else. Just walking along the cobblestone streets causes the mare to whistle out a happy tune, greeting all of the residents with a smile as she passes by. Star soon comes upon Sugarcube Corner, going in for just a moment to purchase a peace muffin and say hello to Pound and Pumpkin Cake. Mayor Mare waves to her while en route to her office, and even Silver Spoon gives a smile as she heads to work on this beautiful day in a beautiful town. She can only hope that it stays this way, and that nothing goes wrong now.

When they had returned to town, after getting off the train, all of Star's friends had gone in separate directions. Terra had gone to the town's headquarters for the Ponyville Militant Task Force, which is basically town hall, wishing to get right back into protecting this town with everything he's got. Devlin had heard that Cheerilee needed help fixing a hole in the roof of the schoolhouse, and he can't turn down anypony who needs help. Chupa went to her greenhouse to take care of the plants, which in her leave had been cared for by Spring Rise, one of the new Cutie Mark Crusaders Mk II. Dinky and Agelian had gone back to the latter's place as a big race is coming up in the next couple of days and they want to be ready for it, and Bri and Scatter wanted to visit Sweet Apple Acres, as surprisingly, neither had ever actually been there before.

Unlike her friends though, Star doesn't have the pleasure or luxury of relaxation and fun right now. She has to get right back to work, and so as she travels down the road, she heads in the direction of the Princess Twilight Sparkle Memorial Library. She hopes that with some good, old-fashioned, strenuous studying, she'll be able to find something, anything, on Oblivion and/or the Elements of Harmony. There just has to be something she had overlooked during her last study session. Maybe there're some books she hadn't read yet on the subjects. There's just so much about both they have yet to know. Princess Twilight had to have had some information on them. Somepony as studious as her should have an entire section dedicated to them all.

As she approaches the large library, a sudden chill descends down the center of her spine. Just the mere sight of the building built into a giant Golden Oak tree is magnificent, and the history behind it is simply breathtaking. Everything that this library has been through after all these years. All of the long nights that Princess Twilight stayed awake, studying and learning. The day when she first arrived alongside her best friend Spike, who to this day remains inside the library, the home he once shared with the pony who raised him from an egg. He would know more about this place than anypony, and will more than likely remain here for the rest of his life. As she just stands there, considering all of this, the mare begins to wonder exactly how much the baby dragon does know. In pony years he'd be close to thirty years old, though for a dragon that's still very young. He must be teeming with the knowledge he's gained through living with somepony like Princess Twilight.

Of course, she had talked to Spike in the past about these subjects, asking him what he might know. However, his knowledge about both Oblivion and the Elements of Harmony seems to be as much as her own. Star never quite understood that, especially with the Elements. He lived with one of the bearers of them, and was good friends with the others. He should know more than he's letting on. Maybe he never quite showed an interest in learning about them, or maybe they're mysterious even to their bearers. She has to believe that Spike wouldn't just lie to her, or withhold information that could save the lives of everypony in the world. Maybe he just didn't know. But he could've found out something new since the last visit. He does live in a library after all, and has more access to it's resources than her. But then again, one should never just assume.

After she enters the library, time seems to fly by quicker than a Wonderbolt. The instant she had gone in, Star began to grab books off of the shelves and start studying. Before she knows it, night has fallen and the crickets begin to chirp right outside of the open window. Not far away Spike is reading one of his Power Ponies comics while eating from a bowl of his famous nachos. The smile on his face is so painful. She can only imagine the memories that comic must bring to him. He had told her the story about how he and his friends were once transported into the world of those comics. It sounds too fantastic to be true, but she's seen enough in these past months to never doubt stories like that, even if they do seem unbelievable. Now the sad little dragon just sits there, putting on a false smile and remembering the good times he's had with the friends who are now mostly gone. Her goal to find and save the long missing Princess Twilight and Pinkie Pie only means more now. She wants Spike to be reunited with the ponies who love him more than anything, especially the one whom he considered to be his big sister.

"Spike, can you please come over here for a second," Star calls out a few minutes later, closing yet another book. The dragon looks up from his comic and gives the mare a smile, climbing to his feet and quickly walking over as he asks if there's anything she needs. Since Star had begun making this library one of her regular hang outs, Spike had taken to serving her in any way he possibly can. She knows why. He used to do the same for Princess Twilight, and it lessens his sorrow to feel useful to somepony again. She doesn't feel right taking his assistance like this, but at the same time, she doesn't have the heart to turn him down. It'd probably break his spirit if she did. He needs this, but right now, she needs him. Something she had just read doesn't sit right with her. Quite frankly, it confuses the mare, and makes her question how she could even be sitting where she is right at this moment.

"This book," she begins as she shows the baby dragon the one she had just closed, "says something interesting, Spike. I was hoping that you could help shed some light on things for me. This is a book about Princess Twilight, written after her disappearance almost sixteen years ago. It says that there was a time where she felt unsure about her royalty, and that after a long fought battle in which she worked alongside her friends to stop a war that had been brewing, she became known as the Princess of Friendship, finally knowing what she's meant to do as a princess. She then ruled from her new home, the Castle of Harmony in the Kingdom of Ponyville. It also says that her original home, the Golden Oaks Library, had been destroyed in the midst of battle. Spike, how can we be inside of a destroyed library right now?"

The little dragon's face drops as he hears all of this, and it's as if bad memories begin to sweep over him, those that he'd rather forget. A sigh escapes him, and he walks over to a small desk at the side of the room, taking a seat on the stool there. Star walks over to him, and with tears in his eyes, Spike tell her, "It was so hard for her. Twilight had become an alicorn princess, but she never asked to be. All that responsibility, and she felt like it never amounted to anything. The most she had done was watch over the Rainbow Falls traders exchange, and smile and wave. Then, Tirek finally regained power after escaping Tartarus. The demonic centaur began to gain more power, stealing the magic from ponies all over Equestria. He eventually convinced the God of Chaos, Discord, who had been befriended by Fluttershy and come to our side, to betray us and return to his evil ways."

"In the end though, Tirek betrayed Discord. Twilight showed him what true friendship is, and Discord came back to our side. She and the rest of our friends then unlocked a chest that had come from the Tree of Harmony, and were filled with the physical manifestation of the magic of friendship. They defeated Tirek and freed Equestria, bringing back all of the magic he had stolen during his short reign. Before they defeated him though, Tirek destroyed the library using his dark magic. The Castle of Harmony was erected by the magic of friendship itself soon after. Twilight didn't feel right about it though, and so with the help of the other princesses, she put a powerful enchantment on the library. Over time, the tree re-grew at an amazing speed, and Twilight had the library rebuilt. She lived in the castle, but she wanted her true home to stand proud in the end."

"When Twilight and the other princesses suddenly disappeared sixteen years ago, so did the Castle of Harmony. Nopony knew why, but apparently the castle was connected to Twilight herself. Princess Aurora took charge, but because of what happened, had to remove Ponyville's status as a kingdom. It became just as it used to be; a small, friendly town. Then, everypony began dying, and I moved back in here, and...well, you know the rest."

Wow. This place has so much more history behind it than she could have ever imagined. What other memories and mysteries could this simple golden oak tree hold? It's incomprehensible to even think about. This library meant so much to ponies. It birthed a special connection with those who had spent time inside of it, among the shelves of books. She can only imagine how ponies felt when it was destroyed. The pain and sorrow they must have felt. As she continues to ponder all of this, tears come to her eyes. It's too sad to even imagine. Suddenly, her mind is taken away from the depressive past of the library as out of the corner of her eye, she sees something strange. Spike just stands there, gripping at his stomach as if he's about to be sick. For a moment, nothing seems to happen. He just stands there. Then, his cheeks suddenly bloat out, and the small dragon leaps up into the air. His mouth opens, and flames erupt out of him, shooting straight into the open air. As Star watches in amazement, a wrapped up letter suddenly materializes within the fire, then falls gently to the floor before her hooves.

It takes a moment, but the small dragon recovers from the ordeal and then notices his friend. Star is looking down at the letter with a wide-eyed curiosity, not sure what had happened. Of course, he isn't sure either. It's been so long since he's received a letter like that, ever since the princesses disappeared. Concerned, he walks up and picks up the letter, unwrapping it and reading, “Dear Spike, I request the presence of you, Fluttershy, Star Rider, and all of her friends right away. Please gather everypony and board the next train to Canterlot. Ponies are in terrible danger, and I believe that Oblivion is behind it. Signed, Princess Aurora."

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It takes around an hour to gather everypony up, both Star and Spike splitting up to cover more of Ponyville's ground faster. In the end, they succeed, and now all ten of them sit together on the Friendship Express as it heads towards Canterlot. It had been just this morning that they had returned to Ponyville, via this very same train. Now they're forced to leave once more. Naturally, none of them are quite too happy about this, but in the end understand the need. Oblivion is continuing to cause terrible trouble for the inhabitants of Equestria. All the world beyond it as well. With everypony at risk, they have to do their part to help save the land. They are the six destined ponies of prophecy after all, and four friends close to them. But they still wish that Oblivion would have waited just a little longer, to give them time to rest. A pipe dream of course, but one they actually had held their breath over. They just wanted some rest after the entire murder mystery in Transylmania.

The big question enveloping all of their minds now is what the princess could possibly need with them all. The letter was too cryptic to truly understand. It spoke of a terrible danger, with Oblivion possibly behind the reigns, but that's it. No further details, no explanation. It really makes them wonder exactly what could be going on that would call for all of them. Of course, Terra is the first one to speak out a theory, having faced threats against queen and country before. He's stared criminals in the face and trained rookie soldiers for the field. He's a veteran of many a battle, and has served his land with pride. However, even he has been proven unprepared for the threat that is Oblivion. Something about this evil force's power has struck him unlike anything else. Though through it all, he has kept to his honorable nature and fought to serve and protect Equestria's citizens.

"Oblivion's making his move," the former captain of the elite royal guard exclaims to his friends, face stern and unmoving, "it has to be. But something about this letter makes me uneasy. The princess claims that she BELIEVE'S Oblivion's behind it. This means she isn't sure."

"Are you seriously going to continue doubting the princess?" Star asks, sighing and rolling her eyes. The others begin to laugh, but Terra seems almost angry with the joke. Being right across from her, the stallion glares into the mare's very soul.

"You know it's not that. We've seen Oblivion's moves before, and this is different. If the princess herself isn't sure of whether or not this is Oblivion's doing, then it's not like the other attacks. Up until this point, Oblivion's been direct with his attacks. He never exactly kept himself in the shadows and hid the fact that it was him. I'm thinking that with this case, who or whatever is responsible, is unknown. The methods may be similar to Oblivion's, and that's why the princess would consider the possibility of him being behind it. However, I think the actions must be different."

"He's making his move," Scatter suddenly speaks up, gathering everypony's attention. Looking down, he sighs and continues, "It's been a while since his last attack, right? The Brotherhood has been tracking his movements as well. Think of this like a chess match. He made the first move back with the dark star incident, capturing the first pawn. It was then our move, and you six formed friendships, those destined to stop him. He possessed Cobalt Sky, you saved him. He took over Twilight Velvet, and you protected her. He murdered Trixie Lulamoon, and you all formed a militant task force.

With every move, both sides get closer to checkmate, but also are put in equal danger. You've been collecting the long lost Elements of Harmony to combat him, and have recently gained the Silver Element, the Element of Joy. It's one of the most powerful, and was a strong move against Oblivion. But now you've left yourselves open to his next move, and this must be it. It's different because the need has changed. He recognizes our power, and fears it. He knows that stealth is the best option right now. Cause panic without being direct about it to put us at unease. We will stop him here, but remember, with every move we make, he makes one as well."

The other ponies, and Spike, all look in shock at their new friend, having joined their group only a short time ago as Bri returned. They see now how valuable an asset he is. Intelligence and understanding, two very well defined traits. How could somepony like this ever be mistaken for insane and put into an asylum? Terra concedes, agreeing that it makes perfect sense. If this is indeed Oblivion behind whatever's going on now, then Scatter's theory must be true. They're becoming a threat to Oblivion, showing him that they're serious in their fight. But it's a double-edged sword. With every move they make, Oblivion is prepared to fight back. He won't give up easily, and will only prove to make this a true war for the fate of the entire world.

The Friendship Express soon pulls to a stop into Canterlot's station. The ten friends stand there, excited, waiting for the doors to open and let them out. They're ready to meet with Princess Aurora and find out all the details on this danger that's plaguing their land now. As the doors open, they quickly climb out and look beyond the station building at the amazing city laid out before them. Four months ago it was nearly completely destroyed by an unprecedented ursa attack, and now it looks almost as good as new. The constant work on reconstruction has been proving effective, and within weeks the capital will finally be fully restored.

A sudden, authoritative voice calls out to them, and they turn on the spot to see Captain Everglade and her soldiers marching towards them. Smiling, Terra greets his old unit, and most specifically his successor. Amongst the soldiers stands a particularly noticeable stallion. He has a golden coat, and underneath his helmet, a tuft of red and orange mane sticks out. However, the focus returns to Captain Everglade as she explains, "I've been sent by the princess to bring you safely to the castle. We believe that you all are in danger above anypony else. But...why are there ten of you now? Weren't there only six before?"

"Captain Everglade, ma'am," Terra respectfully replies, raising a hoof in salute, "these four are our friends as well. I am sure you recognize Fluttershy, one of the Element bearers of sixteen years ago, and Spike, the assistant to the missing Princess Twilight Sparkle. The young mare is Dinky Hooves, Agelian's fiancée and a good friend to the rest of us. Scatter Brain is the new stallion here, and our most recent compatriot. He is a member of the Brotherhood of Silent Pathfinders, and has extensive knowledge regarding Oblivion that shall prove useful to our cause."

"The Brotherhood of Silent Pathfinders? They're the radical group out to find the location of Pinkamena Diane Pie, correct?"

"Yes ma'am," Scatter now replies, walking up and saluting the captain, "our current goal is to find Pinkie, but our long term one is to put a stop to Oblivion. We were commissioned by Princess Twilight Sparkle prior to her disappearance, and our leader, Babe Chenko, is the lost princess' student. As a member of the Brotherhood, I know a great deal about Oblivion and his methods. I have studied his past actions, and believe I know how this current danger relates with him."

The captain raises an eyebrow, but shrugs it off. It's at that point that Terra notices the golden-coated pony behind her, and lets out a hearty laugh. Going up to him, he hugs the stallion like an old friend, then turns and introduces him to his friends, saying, "Everypony, meet Meteor Spark. After the Captain here, he was my best soldier when I was in charge. Lieutenant rank back then, and one Hell of a soldier."

"It's good to see you too sir," Meteor replies with a smile, "but it's Commander now. I was promoted three months ago, taking the rank vacated by the Captain when she received yours."

"We can talk on the way, but for now, we have to get going to the castle. The princess is awaiting you all," Everglade tells them. Nodding, the ten friends follow the guard unit, Terra catching up with Meteor while the others just stay quiet, listening and preparing themselves for what's to come. They can only guess what Oblivion has done now. His power is growing, but if he's been forced to the shadows, this must be different than his past attacks. It's apparently gotten the princess and royal guard on edge, and has given belief that they're in mortal danger. It's terrifying to know what he could do, but even more so to wonder what he would do when backed into a corner like this. They could be in more danger than ever before, and they have no clue what the danger might be.

The elite royal guard lead the ten of them through town and to the castle. Deciding to not waste any time, they quickly rush in and get to the throne room, opening the doors to find Princess Aurora seated upon her throne. Surrounding her are her dignitaries and guards, all vying for orders. A concerned, but determined expression on her face, the princess tells everypony what to do, then asks them to leave so that she may discuss things with her ten requested guests. The soldiers and dignitaries bow in petulance and do as they're told, rushing past Star and her friends as they head out to take care of things. In the meantime, the ten friends slowly approach their princess as the doors behind them are closed. They're almost afraid to find out what the problem is, and if their theory regarding Oblivion is correct.

"Thank you for coming everypony," the princess says, not even seeming to care that there's more than initially expected. Coming down off of the throne, she paces around them for a moment in silence, before standing right before the nine ponies and dragon. She doesn't hesitate or waste any time with idle words, instead getting right to the point as she alerts them, "somepony is luring others into the Everfree Forest and murdering them. On top of that, cities around Equestria are being attacked by hooded ponies calling themselves the Agents of Oblivion. It seems that Equestria is at war."

Nopony knows quite what to say or how to react to this news, and so the princess continues, "The elite royal guard have already gone to the forest and discovered corpses of ponies with chunks of their flesh torn from their body, as if bitten off. We believe that whatever is luring these ponies into the forest, is eating them as well. There have been eighteen bodies found so far."

The color instantly drains from their faces. Chupa nearly faints, falling to the ground, and Agelian comforts Dinky, who's sobbing and on the verge of throwing up. Fear eclipses their faces, and none of them seem sure that they heard correct. This is much worse than they could have ever expected. It seems that Oblivion indeed has made his next move, and it's his boldest yet. From simple and direct attacks on them, he's gone into a full on declaration of war. Sending his agents in to attack the country’s major cities, and even has somepony leading ponies to their horrific deaths in the forest. This is not what they wanted to hear from the princess. They had honestly hoped it would be something smaller, nothing like this. It's no longer a mere move on the proverbial chess board. Oblivion is going for the checkmate early, and it's thrown them off guard.

"Oblivion power has grown faster than I could have ever imagined. Whoever this pony in the Everfree Forest is, they are corrupted by powerful dark magic. According to the guards who were sent into the forest, the dark magic can be felt right when you enter, and that it almost feels like you're walking through a fog. With Oblivion's power having grown this exponentially, my soldiers and I are powerless to stop him. There's nothing more we can do but to protect this country with our lives."

"What are we going to do then? Why did you want us to come here if there's nothing we can do?" Star asks the princess, both confused and concerned at the same time.

"You misunderstand me. While neither any of my guards nor myself can do anything to halt Oblivion in this time, as his power has grown far beyond even mine, there is one left who remains powerful enough to at least halt this war for now. You need to find Equestria's former Minister of Chaos, the draconequus named Discord."

A collective gasp echoes throughout the ten of them, and even the remaining guards in the room show surprise. Naturally, Star had heard of the villain before. He was the ruler of Equestria prior to the Celestial Sisters. Nopony is quite sure where he came from, but upon his arrival following the first day of Hearth's Warming, when Equestria was founded, he took over. The land was turned into chaos, and the friendships forged by Smart Cookie, Clover the Clever, and Private Pansy couldn't even stop it. Around this time, Clover's mentor Starswirl the Bearded had passed away, and she was left in charge of his studies on advanced unicorn magic. She worked to find a way to defeat Discord and return Equestria to it's normal state. But she never succeeded, and it was only when Celestia and her sister Luna arrived that they were able to do something.

In the midst of the fight against the draconequus, the Celestial sisters had discovered a magical and legendary tree known as the Tree of Harmony. Embedded in the tree were six magical elements said to hold the most powerful magic in the world. They utilized these Elements of Harmony to encase Discord in stone, and return Equestria to normalcy. Both Starswirl and Clover the Clever had been lost in this time, and Clover's friends didn't last too much longer. The Celestial Sisters were hailed for their defeat over Discord, and following the passing of the unicorn king as well as his daughter, Princess Platinum, they ascended to the throne and began to rule Equestria in peace. She knows the history of what happened to Discord, and how everything played out. Why would Discord have become a Minister of Chaos FOR Equestria? Are there parts of the history missing?

She asks the princess this question, to which she's given the response that, "Discord had been shown the magic of friendship by our very own Fluttershy here, as well as Princess Twilight Sparkle. Though it took a while for him to truly understand it, following the attack by Lord Tirek, he was able to finally understand the importance of friendship and came to our side permanently. He was declared the Minister of Chaos in Ponyville Kingdom, but soon moved to Equestria, wishing to work alongside Princess Celestia. He remained there until the incidents sixteen years ago."

"So how do we find him then?" Star asks the princess.

This time, Fluttershy steps forth and answers the question, telling the young mare, "I know where his home is...that is...if he still lives in the same place." She looks to the princess, who nods and smiles. Turning to her friends, Fluttershy offers to take them all to Discord so that they can convince them to help. She then looks to Princess Aurora once more and asks what she wants Discord to do once they've gotten him to help.

"First, I need you to go into the Everfree Forest and stop the cannibalistic pony within. None of the Agents of Oblivion are committing murders as of now, so they are of lesser consequence for the time being. If Oblivion is corrupting this pony in the forest, then he is our main target as it will be a direct connection to Oblivion. Fluttershy, I know that Discord is an old friend of yours, and I am sure that he has enough power to stop Oblivion for now. But be warned; Discord might ONLY have JUST ENOUGH power. If it takes everything he has, it might just be the end of your friend. This could be the ultimate sacrifice for Equestria. Are you prepared to lose a friend to stop Oblivion?"

Looking down at the ground, Fluttershy thinks about her history with Discord. How she and her friends had been called in by Princess Celestia to stop them, how he had turned her against her friends, and how they turned him back into stone. She remembers Princess Celestia bringing Discord back to Ponyville, believing that she could reform him, and it worked. But he wasn't fully good. His chaotic side remained, and he caused trouble whenever he could. Then, after everything was taken from him, it allowed Discord to see friendship for how important it really was, and for the first time, he was truly and fully reformed. All of the good, and bad, times she's had with him. She wouldn't give any of it up for the world. Those memories will remain with her forever, and even if Discord has to relinquish his life to stop Oblivion here, she'll never forget her friend.

"I'm prepared."

******************************************************************************************

After taking the night to rest, it having been late when they arrived, the ten friends head out as the morning sun rises in the East of the brilliant blue sky. Their mission right now is to locate the draconequus and convince him to join their cause. According to Princess Aurora, he hasn't been seen in almost sixteen years. Like Fluttershy, it seems that Discord had become a recluse following the fall of his friends all that time ago. Does he even know that his best friend remains alive and there? Whatever the case may be, their main focus has to be on Oblivion, and the mysterious cannibal in the Everfree Forest. If they can stop the pony, then things will prove better for them in the long run.

It's doubtful that even Discord could completely defeat Oblivion in this one coup, but they have to try and do whatever they can. If they can even halt him for a while, that'll be more than enough for now. Just getting more time to prepare for the war they know is coming is what they need. So the ten of them exit the large castle, heading into the western courtyard. Ahead of them stands a giant hedge maze. It's overgrown and almost creepy looking. Upon awakening this morning, Fluttershy had briefed them on where they were going.

"Discord lives in a magical tree in the middle of the old Canterlot royal hedge maze," she had told them. It was surprising to hear, as the maze hadn't been entered in a long time. Though now that they think about it, that kind of makes sense. Ever since Discord retreated inside, nopony has had the nerve to try and confront him. The only pony who would have had locked herself into her own house. What's odd to them is that he lives in a magical tree. Does the tree house a building, like the Princess Twilight Sparkle Memorial Library? Or does he simply just sit around in a tree all day every day? As they trot along the path, heading into the maze, they follow the former Element Bearer as she leads the way, listening as she tells them about the creature they're putting their hopes in.

"Discord might seem scary at first, but he's really just a big sweetheart. All those history books say he was evil when he ruled over Equestria, but that just isn't so. He was never evil. Discord is the God of Chaos, a being that thrives on wreaking havoc. He was only doing what was in his nature, that's all. When I originally met him, he never did anything out of malice. All his actions were done out of entertainment and pleasure. I didn't make him good, I just awakened the good that already existed in his heart."

"But that makes sense," Scatter tells her, "if Discord is the God of Chaos, then of course he would have good inside of him. Chaos is simply disorder and confusion. It's unpredictability and randomness. Chaos is an unexpected collocation of everything and anything enacted in an erratic fashion. He is the combination of anything and everything, of good and evil. He contains the potential for all of existence, and therefore would contain good."

"I have no idea what you just said," Agelian stoically replies, causing laughter to explode from the group. They soon reach the center of the hedge maze. A small pond sits there, surrounded by apple trees. With the hedges on all sides, it's a tranquil, serene place that they could almost grow used to. However, the giant, bright green tree with purple polka-dots and leaves made out of origami swans throws them off. The trunk of the tree alone has to be about eighteen feet in diameter, and 150 feet tall. How could they have not seen this from outside of the maze!?

The ponies circle around it and look up, but are unable to see anything but the origami leaves. Not a single sound or motion seems to come from the tree, despite the others in the area shaking and swaying with the wind. It's almost odd to see, as if the tree doesn't fit in. Of course, it obviously doesn't fit with it's surroundings, but something's different. Reaching forward, Star touches the trunk curiously. It's smooth, without a single grove or bump, yet looks like an ordinary tree trunk, save for the color and polka-dots. How can she run her hoof so easily down it without feeling the noticeable imperfections? She looks back up and decides to just take a chance.

"Hello!?" she yells into the origami, "are you there? Discord?"

Nothing happens. No response. Not even a sound or rustling of leaves. The others begin to call up as well, but once again, nothing happens. The only one to not say anything is Fluttershy, who looks upward in sorrow. Sighing, Star decides to try and explain the situation, hoping that it will get his attention. Speaking clearly and loudly, she calls to the draconequus, "Discord, we know you're up there. Listen, Equestria needs your help. A great evil is threatening it, and ponies are dying. The entire world will be at stake soon."

"Go away."

Finally, a reply. The voice is gruff and filled with anger and despair. It almost sounds distant as well, as if being spoken from a good distance away. They can't give up now though. They've found Discord, and gotten him to at least say something to them. It's progress, and hopefully, they can take it even further. However, as they continue to call for him, and ask him to help, his responses disappear and he once more stops speaking altogether. Unsure of what to do, the young mare turns her head to Fluttershy, who is still looking upward. A tear falls from her eye, and it's clear that she can sense the emotion in her old friend.

Smiling, she takes a seat on the ground and begins to sing. Quiet at first, her voice begins to grow in volume. Her tone is beautiful, and the sheer sound of her voice seems to attract the nearby wildlife. Birds, bunnies, squirrels, and other such animals gather around her as she sings of friendship and kindness. A soft sobbing can be heard coming from above them, but nothing more. Looking back up, Fluttershy then halts her song and calls up, speaking the words the draconequus had hoped to one day hear again, "Are we still on for that picnic later?"

Before any of the ponies or Spike can react, the large form of the chimeric creature bursts out from the origami leaves and shoots itself right at Fluttershy. They watch as Discord tackles his friend to the ground, hugging her with tears in his eyes, finally seeing the friend who taught him that friendship is magic for the first time in sixteen years. The two embrace with joy, laughter, and excitement that even brings a tear to Terra's cold, stoic face. Both Fluttershy and Discord shed their own liquid pride, not wanting to let each other go. But they know that they have to, and finally relinquish grip as they just look into each others faces with smiles of pure elation.

This is the Discord they have heard so much about. His head is goat-like with a black frill on the back of the neck. He has a deer antler on one side, and a weird, twisted blue horn on the other. A snaggle-tooth sticks out from his mouth, under which sits a white goatee. He has a paw at the end of one arm, and an eagles claw on the other. Two brightly colored wings stick out of his lower back, and his tail is similar to that of a sea serpent’s. He has one dragon-like leg, as well as a cloven hoof, and glowing yellow eyes. The only word they could use to describe him is chaotic. There is a complete absence of order to just his appearance, and it's only obvious that he must be just as hectic in his known magic and attitude.

"I thought you were gone, like our friends," he cries, staring at Fluttershy in disbelief and happiness, "I thought you died when Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Rarity did."

"No, I just went into seclusion, like you did. But Star Rider here helped me come out again. But Discord, I'm afraid we can't catch up right now. We need to know if you know anything about Oblivion."

"Oblivion?"

The draconequis looks at them all, confusion clearly etched upon his face. Noticing this, his dear friend smiles and begins to describe to him who Oblivion is and what he's done up until now. Discord stares at them all for a moment, then seems to have a sudden realization, eyes widening and ears perking up. Laughing, he exclaims, "Oh, you're talking about Maaebjan! So he's going by the name Oblivion these days? How odd. But yes, I do know quite a lot about him actually. It's surprising he's only returned now though. All the times he could have chosen. Yes, I remember him very well. He was by my side when I took over Equestria all those moons ago."

"He was what!?" everypony simultaneously yells out, surprised by the revelation. They had read about Discord's reign of tyranny before of course, heard the stories. But there was never any mention of anypony being by his side during that time. All the stories tell of him doing it alone. To now know that Oblivion has been there way back then, is just unbelievable.

"Yes, he was right there. Of course, you'd probably have known him by a different name. It's...it's honestly a story I would rather forget."

"We need to know, so we can stop him," Fluttershy calmly tells him, rubbing a hoof on her friends' shoulder. The draconequus flashes Fluttershy a smile, and sighs, remembering everything that happened back then, and how he became Discord in the first place. It's the only part of his history that he has tried and failed to erase on many an occasion, the portion of his life that has haunted him for every waking moment of every single day, and now, he has to relive it to save the world from the biggest threat it's ever faced.

"Alright, I'll tell you everything," Discord replies, smiling at Fluttershy. He then looks to them all and takes a seat against his tree as he continues, "This will probably be hard for you all to swallow, and you might not believe me. But I swear that it's all true, and that I want Oblivion stopped as much as you do. You see, Maaebjan the Mysterious was a high-level unicorn in the highest ranks of the unicorn tribe. Some ponies in those days would claim that he was the most powerful of all his race, but though he was arrogant, he knew there was one who's magic was stronger; his brother, Starswirl the Bearded."

"Following the death of the unicorn tribe's previous leader, Queen Morgana, both Starswirl and Maaebjan were the next ponies in line for the throne. In those days, when there was no living successor in relation to the deceased leader, a new one was appointed. The brothers were both determined to have earned the title through their many heroic acts. However, the high council of the tribe were unable to come to a consensus on who best deserved the throne. Out of the kindness in his heart, Starswirl relinquished his rights to his brother, and allowed Maaebjan to be in charge of the tribe. All he asked was that his brother be a fair, yet strong, ruler. Maaebjan agreed, but never planned to keep the first part of that promise. He went after the power, and became a harsh, violent king."

"His lust for absolute power drove him to commit horrible acts within the tribe, and enact mortifying laws, including the outlawing of the prison system. He instead ordered all of his subjects who broke the law to be put to death, no matter how severe or petty their crime was. Though he never enslaved them or forced them into submission, he ruled with an iron first, and most knew him as only the Unicorn King. Soon, the other unicorns became as cold and heartless as their leader, and agreed to his rules. Starswirl saw this, and he wept for the future of his race."

"In secret, the wizard began to train up an apprentice. He found one of the few unicorns who still opposed the Unicorn King's actions, a young mare named Clover the Clever. Clover was a simple hoofservant to Maaebjan's daughter, Princess Platinum. It was because of this that Starswirl considered her the perfect pony to train. Her position within the unicorn tribe allowed her to learn secrets and information regarding the actions of her master's brother. It allowed Starswirl to begin preparing for a rebellion, in which he wished to take the throne from his brother and rule the tribe in peace and prosperity."

"However, there were two things that Maaebjan always had over his brother, a silver tongue and a wish to know everything. He discovered quickly that Starswirl was training his daughter’s servant, and he ordered his brother to be arrested. Starswirl didn't fight this. He knew that because the warrant was for his arrest and not beheading, that his brother wanted to confront him. He did too. So he willingly gave himself up. When the two brothers met, Maaebjan then utilized his coercive way with words to force his brother into accepting a magic duel against him, the winner gaining control of the entire tribe. During the battle, Starswirl could have easily won. He was stronger, but refused to fight and hurt his own brother. Because of this, he lost and was imprisoned in an anti-magic field."

"Why didn't he kill him like he did with everypony else?" Terra asks, confused by this inconsistency. However, Discord simply tells him that he'll explain it soon enough, then continues.

"Not long after these events, the wendigos arrived, malicious and cold spirits who fed off the hatred of the land and encased it in ice. Because of the threat now facing the three pony tribes, Maaebjan sent his daughter to meet with the other tribal leaders, Chancellor Puddinghead of the Earth Ponies, and Commander Hurricane of the Pegasi. While he was a tyrant, Maaebjan was also a strong politician and knew how to handle these things. However, the plans to unite the country fell through, as each tribe wanted something different. So all three decided to go out on their own to discover their own new lands to conquer, free from the wrath of the wendigos. Princess Platinum and the other leaders all soon discovered very welcoming lands, but found out that they all had found the same land and their fighting continued, calling forth the wendigos. Each of their assistants, Clover the Clever, Private Pansy, and Smart Cookie, ended up saving the land from the spirits and warmed the hearts of the three leaders. The Princess, Chancellor, and Commander agreed to work together and proclaimed the new land as Equestria."

"King Maaebjan didn't like this news however. His plan had been for the other two tribes to submit to him and his daughter, and serve them. He proclaimed that both his daughter and Clover were traitors and ordered the execution of both of them, as well as Lyrica the Lovely, Clover's younger sister and only living family. He planned it to be a lesson to show his power to his subjects. After Princess Platinum was executed, Starswirl discovered this and asked for audience with his brother. The King, curious at this, agreed and met with his brother. The wizard managed to convince King Maaebjan to spare the lives of Clover and Lyrica, offering himself to be the king's right hoof in return. Maaebjan liked the idea of his more powerful brother serving him and agreed to the deal. He knew that Starswirl's magic would be beneficial to his reign. So he let both Clover and Lyrica go free."

"However, Maaebjan was not an idiot. He knew that Starswirl was doing this so he could be close to him, so that he could betray and kill him when he got the chance. And indeed, this is what the wizard planned to do. So Maaebjan needed a way to brainwash his brother, and learned quickly of the perfect method. Maaebjan traveled to a far off land to seek out the assistance of the demon centaur Tirek and his brother Scorpan. He told Tirek of what he was trying to do, and how his brother aimed to kill him and take the throne. Tirek sympathized with Maaebjan and agreed to help, on the condition that when he needrd the favor returned, the king be there to do so. Maaebjan agreed to this, and so Tirek gifted to him the Dark Rainbows, the purest of dark magic birthed in the fires of Tartarus by the demon Cronus himself. It was the perfect weapon to stop Starswirl from ever being able to betray his brother."

"Upon his return to Equestria, Maaebjan used the Dark Rainbows on Starswirl. Their power was able to bring out the darkest evils of the young wizard's heart. His anger, greed, hatred, and more. It not only transformed his heart, but his body as well. Starswirl was no longer the wise young pony wizard. He had become a violent, terrible monster with strange magic the likes of which nopony had ever seen before. And though he had been turned to evil, he still knew who he used to be. All those memories remained in his mind, and haunted his dreams."

"Only a year later, Tirek and his brother Scorpan came to Equestria. Their plan was to take over the entire country, and steal back the Dark Rainbows, forcing Maaebjan into subservience. It was his way of forcing Maaebjan to pay back his debt. However, it was at this time that something miraculous and completely unexpected happened in Equestria. Maaebjan and Starswirl were preparing to completely take control of everypony in the land when two mysterious unicorns arrived. They showed prodigious magical ability and killed the king, as well as saved Starswirl from his dark madness. They didn't know that the spell they had used to cleanse Starswirl was temporary."

"During this time, Starswirl met Scorpan and befriended him. He managed to convince the beast to leave Equestria, though Scorpan could not convince his brother on this. So Scorpan went to find his friend, but Starswirl was gone. The spell that the two unicorns had used on him faded, and he returned to his monstrous other self, escaping deep into the Badlands. So instead, Scorpan sought out the two unicorns, and told them of Tirek's plans. With his help, they were able to send Tirek to Tartarus, imprisoned for eternity, and Scorpan left Equestria to return home. The two unicorns then decided to reveal their identities to the subjects they had saved from two tyrants in such a short time. They were Clover the Clever and Lyrica the Lovely."

"Prior to Starswirl's corruption, he had taught his student the exact spells she would need to defeat King Maaebjan, as well as how to banish somepony to Tartarus if needed; a fate he referred to as being worse than death. He had known that something like this would happen, and that in some way he would be unable to fight off his brother on his own. That day, something happened to Clover and Lyrica that nopony could have seen coming. For the first time in history, the full potential of a unicorn's magic was unlocked, and by two unicorns at the same time. Clover and Lyrica opened the floodgates and were overwhelmed by their newfound powers. This was something that even Starswirl had never been able to accomplish. Their new magic transformed their bodies, making them taller and more impressive than ordinary ponies. They also sprouted wings, becoming the first ever Pegasus-Unicorns, or what are now known as Alicorns."

"The ponies of Equestria hailed the two as their saviors, and honored them by giving Clover and Lyrica the thrones over Equestria. However, they believed that two princesses could not hold the names of peasant mares, and with the permission of the two sisters, gave them the new names that they carried for thousands of years after; Princess Celestia and Princess Luna."

"But Starswirl was still corrupted by the Dark Rainbows, and returned to Equestria to take it over. While both Celestia and Luna had unlocked the maximum magical potential that the two of them carried, they were still not strong enough to face Celestia's old mentor. Prior to being turned, Starswirl's magical powers was near the combined power of the two princesses as alicorns, and his corruption only increased his power exponentially. So the two sisters fled, and Starswirl took Equestria over, shrouding it in the effects of his unique style of magic. He utilized these powers to bring the spirit of his dead brother back from death, infusing it into a young, innocent stallion. Once more, Maaebjan was alive, but weak. Starswirl brought his spirit back, but not his magical power. However, because of the way he ressurected his brother, he knew that Maaebjan would be able to grow strong enough to regain his powers in time. So he made sure to keep his brother weakened, so that he would not be able to do anything to stop him. He then ruled Equestria with his brother by his side for many years."

"Celestia and Luna formed a rebellion, but every attack failed. They were prepared to give up when they happened to stumble upon the legendary Tree of Harmony, a magical plant that was said to hold the most powerful magic of all. No pony had ever been able to find it before, but they did. They harvested the Elements from the tree and went to stage one last coup against Starswirl. Maaebjan, still retaining his lust for knowledge, learned of this early on and managed to escape. The sisters then confronted the former wizard, who didn't take their threat seriously at all. Because of this, the sisters used the Elements of Harmony and encased Starswirl in stone."

"Wait...are you seriously saying..." Star starts, mouth hanging open and eyes widened more than they had ever been before. Behind her, all of her friends have the same reaction, having come to the same conclusion as her, and even Fluttershy is awestruck by this revelation. Discord simply nods sorrowfully.

"When Starswirl became corrupted by the Dark Rainbows, his brother gave him a new name. The wizard's magic had become strange and unique; powerful beyond reason, but seemingly unpredictable. Maaebjan decided to give him a name that would reflect those powers, and so Starswirl the Bearded became 'The God of Chaos' Discord."

The ten of them just stand there in shock and confusion. They just can't believe what they're hearing. Starswirl the Bearded, the father of the anthropomorphic spell and the greatest conjurer of the pre-classical era is Discord, the God of Chaos and Disharmony!? On top of that, Clover the Clever, the known apprentice of Starswirl and Princess Celestia are one in the same!? It's too much for them to handle, to believe. Though they try to deny it, they find that it makes sense. Everything Discord had just told them just seems to be perfectly reasonable, and the sincerity in his voice was clear the entire time.

But amongst the news of who Discord and Princess Celestia really are, they now know who Oblivion truly is. The Unicorn King mentioned in all the Hearth's Warming Eve pageants, father of Princess Platinum, and ruler of the Unicorn tribe prior to Equestria's founding. He was Starswirl's....Discord's brother, and talented in magic. A tyrannical king who made a deal with the Devil that turned his own brother into the mismatched creature that stands before them now. But there're still things they need to know. Revelations that Discord has yet to tell them.

"Do you know how your brother returned recently, and what the dark stars are?" Fluttershy asks him, weeping over his story and hugging him tightly. Discord weeps as well, but wipes away his tears to answer her question.

"I know little of what he has done since the time where  I was encased in stone. And as of these past sixteen years, I have not left my thinking tree once, so I know little to nothing. I had not even known he had returned again until you mentioned it to me. I only know of what I heard Princess Celestia say back when she was still around. He would come again and again to try and take Equestria over, but was always defeated. He was never able to become strong enough to defeat the princesses."

So Fluttershy explains everything, telling him of how Oblivion had returned with the arrival of the dark stars, how he's been possessing ponies, and all that they have known so far. The others chime in to tell the draconequus about their theories on how Sevulva Star's ancestor created the dark stars when corrupted by Oblivion's influence. Star then approaches the former wizard and tells him what's happening now. How somepony is luring others into the Everfree Forest to murder them and devour the bodies. She tells him that Princess Aurora suggested that he help, being the only one strong enough at this point to stop Oblivion, who's power has grown too strong otherwise. But Discord shakes his head, insisting that because he has not used his chaos magic once in these past sixteen years, it won't be as strong as it used to be.

"I believe in you...Starswirl," Fluttershy tells him as she once again hugs her friend, showing how much she cares for him. The others smile and express their belief as well, knowing that if he was strong enough to break free of the evil that had been brought to his heart by the Dark Rainbows, he can certainly stop his brother from destroying the world, and for one day at least, become Starswirl the Bearded one more time. And with the encouragement and love shown by the ponies, Discord smiles and agrees to help them save Equestria.

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It's been a couple of hours since Discord had revealed he and his brother’s past to the ponies and Spike, and they still find it hard to comprehend. However, they know that right now the mission Princess Aurora had given them rings of a higher importance, and must be focused on it to carry it through. Following Discord agreeing to help them stop his brother, he had teleported them back to Ponyville and to the Princess Twilight Sparkle Memorial Library, where the eleven of them planned out their next move. It was Scatter Brain who took charge of the conversation that normally would be headed by Terra. He had suggested they split their group into two so that they could keep Ponyville safe and enter the forest as well. Everypony agreed with the plan, and split themselves up.

Discord, Fluttershy, and Bri decided to go into the forest to stop the cannibalistic pony who's lured many to their deaths already. Discord is the obvious one, being the only one amongst them to have the power to stop Oblivion. Fluttershy is going to guard them from any unruly creatures and animals, as she works best with them, and Bri was chosen because she holds the Silver Element, contained within a golden broach, the second most powerful of the Elements of Harmony, which could prove to be useful in their quest. Since then, the three have arrived at the forest and entered, the remainder of their friends back in Ponyville working to protect the citizens from the Agents of Oblivion sure to come.

As they get deeper into the forest, Discord looks down at Fluttershy walking in front of him and suddenly asks her, "So...how have you been?"

"Good," she replies, smiling back at her friend, "Star and my other new friends have made it easier on me to no longer remain a recluse. And Spike being here as well is just so nice. Now you're back too. It's just so wonderful!" The three of them continue on in near silence, only speaking up at certain points and for no longer than a minute each time. As they go on, Fluttershy comes across the paralyzed, but still living, body of a manticore she had once become friends with. The puddle beside it gave her all the information she needed, and they continued on with caution. However, the creature responsible for the paralysis soon arrived, and Fluttershy ordered her friends to shut their eyes as tightly as possible.

The basilisk, a giant serpent hatched from a chicken's egg, holds the power to cause death just by looking into it's eyes. However, if seen through a reflection, it only causes what is known as petrification. The serpent had indeed been nearby, and when it attacked, Fluttershy combated it. However, she herself could not do much, especially her stare, as if she looked into the creature’s eyes, she would die, even when using the stare. So the serpent wrapped itself around her body, constricting roughly and causing the mare to cry out in pain.

Peeking out slightly, Discord sees the sight and feels a rage boil up inside of him. Without even thinking about it, he teleports himself onto the basilisk's back, where he would have no way to stare into it's eyes. Opening his own, he begins to fight it away from Fluttershy, not bothering to use his magic, but rather his claws and talons. Eventually, the serpent throws Discord off, and once more goes for Fluttershy. This time the basilisk opens it's mouth wide, it's fangs glistening in the narrow streams of sunlight leaking through the thick trees. The only known cure for basilisk venom is the tears of a phoenix, and those are so rare that it's almost impossible to find them.

Desperate, Discord screams out, unleashing his chaos magic. It envelops the serpents body, which begins to tear itself apart atom by atom in the most painful way possible. Fluttershy opens her eyes as the basilisk screams out in terror, and freaks out. Tears stream down her cheeks as she begs Discord to stop, but he doesn't listen. The darkness in his heart, the evil that was forced upon him, takes over. His eyes turn from yellow to a deep red and with one clutch of his fist, the basilisk explodes into unexistence, the very fabric of it's body torn piece by piece in one instantaneous blast.

Dropping to a seated position, Fluttershy goes into an almost catatonic state of shock, not moving or reacting to what just happened. Yet the tears flow harder than ever. Discord's eyes return to normal, and it's almost as if he had done a one eighty. Mortified by his own actions, he looks down at his claw and paw and drops to his knees. Tears begin to flow down his face as well, and he tells his friend the only thing he can, "I'm...I'm sorry Fluttershy...I don't...I don't know what came over me."

Bri walks slowly over to Fluttershy and helps her up. The mare seems to be coming back to herself, and looks at Discord in terror. Her fear of him causes the draconequus deep pain, and he goes quiet as they continue on. Fluttershy trots along, knowing that he truly didn't mean to do it, and was only trying to protect her, but she can't help but fear the kind of power he has. To be able to systematically destroy a creature by tearing it's very fabric of existence to pieces in a way that makes it cry out in pain worse than anything else possible is the most horrific thing she's ever seen. She witnessed the death of her friend Applejack first hoof, and would rather see that over and over again for the rest of her life than relive what just occurred.

The three of them continue on, reaching a small clearing within the forest. A small hut sits there, seemingly abandoned. Bri breaks the silence of their group, asking them both what this place is. Fluttershy explains that it's a house that once belonged to Zecora, a zebra and friend of hers. She recently returned to her home country, and so her home in the forest was left as it is now. She remembers all the times she spent with Zecora in the past, and how she had only seen her only a few short times since she stopped being a recluse. She wishes she could have spent more time with her before she left.

"If the place is abandoned," Bri quietly says, "then why is there a light coming from inside?"

Fluttershy and Discord look over and see that a light is indeed shining out from the window. But this doesn't make any sense at all. She knows Zecora had left a couple of weeks back. She was there to bid her farewell before she boarded the train. If she had returned, she would have let her know. The three of them walk slowly up to the window and peer in over the bottom edge. Nothing is inside, no furniture or anything else at all. The only thing in there is a dark blue-coated stallion with blue and white striped hair. He talks quietly to himself with a manic expression on his face, and seems almost nervous and fidgety. Though they can't make everything out, they can hear him mention him say that the panic being caused is working, and then in a different, darker voice he replies to himself, saying that it's only going to get worse from here.

"Discord, can your brother communicate with those he takes control of telepathically?" Bri asks. Fluttershy looks to her friend as well, curious about this. Up until this point it's seemed like he just takes over their body, speaking through them. It'd make sense for him to be able to speak to them as well. Discord confirms this, saying that it's one of the forms of dark magic that Maaebjan had learned early on. As they discuss this, a blast of the very same dark magic suddenly bursts out at them through the window, shattering it and causing them to leap back in shock.

Having narrowly escaped the attack, the three of them ready themselves to fight back when the stallion leaps out of the window at them. He lands right in front of them, but stops there and doesn't continue the assault. Instead, a deep, maniacal laugh escapes him and in the voice they had heard him speak in at the EgT Incident, he tells them, "Your plans will fail, you know this, right? You and your five other destined friends cannot stop me, Joy." Then, looking to Discord standing there, glaring at him, Oblivion laughs through the pony's mouth and adds, "And Starswirl, you're here too. I'm not surprised that your heart would be tainted with the thoughts of friendship. You may have the most naturally gifted magical talent, but you were always were the weakest."

Not saying anything, Discord growls a little and stays his ground. Bri demands to know who this stallion is that he's taken over now, to which Oblivion laughs again and replies, "His name is Atticus Omundson. He's a nopony; a simple cabbage salespony from Saddlebrook, nothing more. His life is inconsequential."

"No, that is where you're wrong. Everypony's life means something Even the seemingly lowest of ponies are important," Discord tells him, "and it's always been your greatest weakness that you could never see that. You claim that my friendships make me weak? I learned long ago now that if my friendships are my weakest point, then I am stronger than you could ever be. Something I wish I would have learned when I was younger, before I became this monstrosity."

"So what are you going to do then, dear brother? Can you really stop me and risk hurting this pony? If he's as important as you claim, can you kill him to get to me? Are you strong enough?"

Gnashing his teeth, the draconequus growls at the laughing stallion before him. His brother is right, he can't do this. He already disappointed himself, and Fluttershy, once tonight when he murdered the basilisk. He cannot take the life of an innocent pony too. As he considers this, Atticus lunges forward, taking Discord by surprise. Controlled by Maaebjan, the stallion knocks Discord down, but both Bri and Fluttershy rush to rescue him, fighting the controlled pony off of their friend only to be thrown hard from a magical discharge. It's almost strange for them to see an Earth Pony using magic, but according to what Discord had told them back at the library, Maaebjan can channel his magic through his hosts. It's how Sevulva Star was able to use magic during the dark star incident.

Suddenly, Fluttershy gets an idea. She knows that Discord's magic cannot be combined with other magic, as it cancels or reverses it. This is something she's seen happen in the past, and maybe something that could come in handy now. Going over to Discord, who had been thrown by the evil pony, she tells him her plan, and with a smile, he whispers back that it might just work. Frustrated by their hushed conversation, the possessed stallion leaps at them again, only to suddenly be plowed into by Bri. Having unlocked the power of her Element, the energetic young mare launched herself at an amazing speed, colliding right into the villain’s side and sending him flying hard into a nearby tree.

"Do it now!' Fluttershy yells, and without a second’s hesitation, the draconequus teleports to right beside the recovering stallion, instantly beginning to charge up his magic for the final attack.

However, turning to face his brother, Oblivion speaks once more through Atticus' mouth, asking, "Are you going to let this silly little mare control you brother? She is weak, but you are strong. You are the greatest wizard in history, revered by the likes of Princess Twilight Sparkle! You have your own wing in the Canterlot Archives, and are hailed as a hero of Equestrian history! Join me, and you can create new history! You shall have freedom, you shall have power! You will never be forgotten! You will never be betrayed! But you will be immortalized!"

"I've betrayed my friends once before. I believed Tirek too when he promised he such things. Freedom, and power. I have both already. I have immortality as well. I was cursed with a body that will never age, with magic far beyond the capabilities of any pony. I got everything you say should make me happy. Since this happened, only one thing has ever brought me joy."

Looking back, he smiles at Fluttershy and continues, "My friends. Fluttershy, Twilight, the others. They believed in me when nopony else would. They forgave me when I betrayed them before, and I will never betray their trust again!" Screaming, he envelops the pony in his chaos magic. Oblivion let's out a scream, not of pain, but of terror. He knows what's happening, and knows that it's not just his brother cleansing this stallion of his presence.

"Stop it! Stop it now!"

"NO! I must stop you!"

"You'd be willing to put everything into this, to kill yourself, just for that!?"

That last statement from Oblivion captures Fluttershy's attention. Before she knows it, she's holding on to her friend and begging him to stop as her eyes are flooded with tears. Bri stands back, watching in disbelief at what's happening, and when she sees Discord give her a simple nod, she knows what she has to do. Despite Fluttershy's fighting, thrashing, and protesting, Bri manages to pull her away from her friend and hold her back. She begins to cry as well, knowing what's about to happen. This is the ultimate act of love. Not necessarily romantic love, but the unconditional love where one is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of the friends they care for.

Turning around, Discord looks at Fluttershy one last time and asks her, "Are we still on for tea later?" and then, with one last push, his magic explodes. The two mares watch as Oblivion's essence leaves Atticus Omundson, sending the stallion flying off. It then evaporates in the air as Oblivion lets out one more cry of terror before becoming silent. The blast of magic encompasses the area, just enough to cover Discord but not reach the others. They watch as Discord's body shrinks, and Starswirl the Bearded returns to the world. But before anything more can happen, his body begins to tear itself apart, similar to how the basilisk had died, and before they know it, he's gone. The magic dissipates and silence fills the clearing. After an hour, the two mares depart from the scene in silence, the confused Atticus Omundson following behind them. However, as they reach the forest's exit, another stallion stands there in their way. A grey coat and a mane as black as night with dark blue highlights, the unicorn smirks at them with his glowing red eyes.

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Meanwhile, back at the Princess Twilight Sparkle Memorial Library, the other eight of them sit there patiently. Since Bri, Fluttershy and Discord had gone into the forest, they've been doing whatever research they possibly could on where the remainder of the Elements of Harmony might be, as well as any information they can find out about King Maaebjan and Starswirl the Bearded, now that they know the secret history behind them. They have no clue how long it's going to take their three friends to push Oblivion back and give them all more time to prepare for the final battle that is sure to come sooner rather than later. That's when Agellian suddenly notices something that seems off, and looking around the room for a minute or so, he asks the others, "Has anypony seen Devlin?"

"He told me that he had to go and meet his little sister," Star replies, "something about helping her out with something." Flipping through a book on famous unicorns of ancient history, she smiles as Agellian returns to his own pile of books. Suddenly, the front door to the library explodes inward. Everypony leaps to their hooves and stand back, preparing to fight anything that might walk through the open threshold. Almost instantly, a grey-coated stallion comes forth, trotting into the library with a cocky smile. Not a word passes over his lips as suddenly they're all enveloped in spheres of pure magical energy, at which point he takes them away, heading right back out of the library and away from Ponyville altogether. As they move along, a sudden voice rings out. Though loud enough to hear, it's quiet and weak. They recognize it though, from the EgT Incident. As they're taken away, Oblivion grunts out, "Bring them to me now Gumila, I need their power."

Preview for Episode 18

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I wasn't gone for long, where'd they all go? They didn't just leave. It looks like they were taken. Is this Oblivion's doing? Are they lost forever? NO! I have to find them! I must have the determination to rescue my friends!

S01 E18 - The Element of Determination

Cheerfully trotting down the cobblestone Ponyville road, as the cool breeze swiftly slices through the thick, warm, mid-day air, Devlin smiles and hums to himself a little tune reminiscent of the song he sung at the Equestria's Got Talent competition. At this time, it's already been a couple of hours since he had left the library. He had scheduled a prior engagement that he couldn't, and would never even consider to, break; helping his younger sister with some important work around the house. Naturally he does know the importance in researching more about Oblivion and the Elements of Harmony, but with the recent revelation he and his friends had received thanks to Discord, he believes that at the point their knowledge is currently at, they have a clear advantage over the former unicorn king. Bri, Scatter, and the draconequus had gone into the Everfree Forest earlier to stop Oblivion's current aspirations as well as the mysterious cannibalistic pony, and he's sure that they would have achieved their goal, especially with the immense magic Discord holds. Hopefully, there won't be much left to do now. By this point, all three of them should already have returned as well, and accomplished what they set out to do. Whether they were able to stop Oblivion for good or not though is a completely different story. Whatever happened in that forest, he's sure that they must have bought their circle some time for now at the very least.

A couple of pegasi fly high above him, situating the clouds around the bright blue sky. Not far off he even sees Miss Derpy Hooves, the town's mail mare, out on her delivery route. She waves at him, and he waves back. He's helped her in the past, and the two had become quick friends. Continuing onward, he soon passes by Sugarcube Corner. He can see the Cake Twins through the open door serving a drink to Miss Cheerilee from the Ponyville Schoolhouse. The cafe is packed, ponies enjoying the nice day as they eat their quality grade food. Even the writer Conan Royal is there, drinking a cup of herbal tea as he goes over some of his newest work. Near the end of his walk he spots Fuji Apple, Apple Bloom's husband, meeting with Diamond Tiara of Rich's Barnyard Bargains. The two seem to be making a business deal of sorts, and as they come to an agreement, Diamond gives him a briefcase of bits, while in return receiving a large cart of fresh apples. Everypony seems to be making the most of this beautiful November day.

Devlin soon arrives at the giant golden oak tree, the end of his route. The front door catches his eye instantly, being ajar. It's unusual for it to have been left open like that, but with how beautiful the day is, he can't blame them for wanting it open. Thinking little more of it, the stallion heads in, walking right into the library. At first the sight before him, or lack-there-of, causes him a bit of confusion. Not one of his friends can been seen anywhere, and after looking through the entirety of the library, he finds not a single one of them anywhere within. Star, Agelian, Chupa, all of them gone, just gone. Though now that he thinks about it, it is later in the day now. Maybe they had just all gotten tired after everything that happened and decided to head home for the day. It would certainly make sense. Convinced that this is indeed what happened, the stallion sighs and shakes his head with a smile, turning on the spot and heading right back out, past the remains of the destroyed door without even noticing.

He decides to head on home as well, as he is tired himself. He's done hard work before, but for some reason, everything he's done today has just tired him out more than normal. The next two days seem to pass by with very little happening. Just an ordinary couple of days in Ponyville, except something isn't right. Sitting on the porch of his house, Devlin looks out. Worry's begun to set in since he had left the library those couple of days ago, as he hasn't seen or heard from any of his friends since. His original assumption of them returning home proved false, as their families and friends haven't heard from them either. Upon going to Chupa's home, he was greeted by a distraught and terrified Chamomile. She's been a mess, claiming that the young filly had never returned. The same story traveled through town. Honeysuckle and her parents said that Bri hadn't been around at all, and the task force hasn't received a single command from Terra. Nopony has seen or heard anything regarding Star, Fluttershy, or any of the others as well. It's as if they all just disappeared suddenly. He has to find them, no matter what.

He decides that the best course of action at the moment would be to ask around and gather as much information as he can. So getting up, the stallion begins to look around. He has a few ideas to check out for leads, and the first of them is right nearby. So walking for a few minutes, he comes to the Carousel Boutique. He hasn't yet spoken to Grace, and hopes that she might know something. She tends to be very active in her younger sister’s life after all. The large, ornately designed building sits before him, but something doesn't seem right. The windows are boarded up, and as he approaches, he notices that the door is locked as well. He knocks on the door, but no one comes to answer, and not a voice or sound can be heard from within. He moves on, heading eastward and soon coming upon the house of Dinky Hooves, Agelian's fiancée. He hasn't seen her lately either, but then again, never really has, aside from when she's with Agelian. However, just like the boutique, wooden boards cover the windows and the door is locked.

As he travels throughout Ponyville, this same issue seems to be occurring everywhere. City Hall, Sugarcube Corner, the Hayburger, Quills & Sofas, the Day Spa, even the Bowling Alley. Now that he thinks about it, he hasn't seen any other ponies since early this morning either. Fear beginning to eclipse him now, he knows that something terrible must be going on. Running throughout the town, he goes everywhere he can, even door to door, but nopony seems to be around. Not even Button Mash and his wife Sweetie Belle, who is taking time off from touring for her recently discovered pregnancy, can be found. It's as if everypony in all of Ponyville just vanished mysteriously. That's when a sudden fear comes over him, and with tears in his eyes at just the thought, Devlin rushes back to his family's home. Bursting in through the front door, he finds it empty. His father, mother, and little sister are gone as well. Screams of terror escape his throat, and the stallion flees the house. Fear and sorrow fill his heart as he gallops through town, heading back towards the library.

There has to be something there that he overlooked, there just has to be. These disappearances seem to have begun two days ago, so maybe he could find some kind of trace of whatever happened. In record time, he reaches the giant tree and stares at it. It seems cold, almost dead. It's a weird feeling that he can't quite describe. He notices that the door is still wide open, and now he understands that something must have happened. Walking into the library, he sees now that it's been broken in. The remains of the wooden door lay to the side, where he hadn't seen them before. Slowly approaching them, the stallion begins to investigate the wooden shards to try and get a feel for what happened, and suddenly, the same cold feeling sweeps over him again. It's the same feeling he got back then, when the dark stars first arrived. Could it be?

"Dark magic?" he questions. Picking up one of the shards, a massive wave of energy seems to flood over him, and the stallion falls back, a look of shock and fear etched upon his face. The shard he had picked up had flown from his hand when he fell, and now sits there upon the floor. It almost seems to pulsate with that dark, evil feeling. This is indeed a sign of dark magic. Getting back to his hooves, he walks over to the doorway and closely begins to examine the area. Black markings can be seen where the door used to be. Not quite burn marks, but remnants of powerful dark magic the likes of which he has never seen before. He knows now what must have happened. When he was gone, somepony kidnapped his friends, and over the course of the next two days, the culprit took everypony else as well. But for something of this scale, it couldn't have been just one pony at fault. This would take a whole group of them.

Now that he knows what's happened, he has to do something. Heading back out of the library, the stallion prepares to check out the rest of the town for more signs of this dark magic, when a sudden noise catches his ear. Looking around, he attempts to find the source of it, but sees nothing. Yet the sound continues, and even increases in volume. That's when he figures it out, and right as he looks up, something collides with him. The crash causes the stallion to be plowed down, hitting the dirt hard. The impact disorients him, and it takes him a few moments to re-gather his composure and assess the situation. Getting back up, he instantly sees what hit him, or rather who. Definitely not somepony he would've expected to see here, but it definitely glad to. Getting to her hooves, Princess Aurora breathes heavily and composes herself as well before then proceeding to flip out.

"Oh thank Celestia somepony's still here!" she yells out as she rushes the stallion, grabbing and pulling him into a crushing hug. The sudden affection shown by the princess catches Devlin off-guard, and unsure of how else to react, he gently pats her on the back to comfort and calm her down. Releasing her grip on him, Princess Aurora slowly backs away. The stallion's vacant expression tells her that he's unsure of what's happening, and has yet to put everything together. He's as confused as anypony would be in a situation like this. So taking a deep breath, she tries to stay calm as she explains to him, "Devlin, we have a major problem here. All across Equestria, J.D. Gumila and his fellow agents of Oblivion have been kidnapping ponies. I don't know why or how, but it's happening really quickly. Judging from what I can see, Ponyville was hit the hardest, and nopony but you seems to remain. I managed to surround Canterlot in a barrier, but not soon enough. Many were already taken...my...my husband was taken. I'm just so scared! I...don't know what to do!"

"But...you're the princess," the stallion replies, confusion and shock echoing through his voice from her actions and the uncharacteristic tone in her voice. The fear she's showing terrifies him. She's the leader of this country, yet is affected this greatly by these events? It just doesn't seem natural. Though now that he thinks about it, everything she'd told him thus far has begun to bring things together for him. Oblivion's behind this all, that much is clear. For some reason he's having his agents kidnap the ponies of Equestria, though the method of which they are doing it is unknown. Is there some reason Oblivion wants them out of the way? This seems like a really drastic move for him to make at this point.

"I never asked to be the princess! I never wanted all this responsibility! I was appointed to this position by Princess Twilight! She asked me to take on the task, and because of my stupid little crush on Blueblood, I agreed! I feel like I've done my best, but I was never born into royalty. I don't know what I'm supposed to do in this kind of situation! I have no bucking idea why Princess Twilight wanted me to become a princess and an alicorn so badly! Unlike the other princesses, I never mastered any kind of magic, I don't deserve to be a princess! Just look at me, I'm a mess! I can't save everypony! I can't do anything! I'm a horrible princess, and I'm going to let them all down!"

Without a word, Devlin steps forward and returns her hug from before, holding the crying princess tightly in his hooves. Her eyes widen, clearly from the surprise of his actions, but she then hugs him back and sobs into his shoulder. Patting her on the back of the head, genuinely this time, he tells her, "Princess Aurora, you deserve your title, your alicornism, more than anypony. You care deeply for the well-being of your subjects. You love and care for even the smallest of us. While you may not be the calmest in the face of hard times and calamity, you continue to show your undying dedication for those who were taken, and in the midst of all this horror, you sought out help to rescue them from the evil that has taken them from us. You are a wonderful princess, and I'm just the stallion you need right now. I live my life to help ponies out, and today, I will lend my aid to the entirety of Equestria. I will save it's citizens, for you, my princess."

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Following a rough flight, the two of them soon arrive at the beautifully crafted, ornate castle directly in the center of Canterlot. Riding on the back of the princess as she flies into the throne room, Devlin fearfully holds onto her as they land hard in the center of the floor. However, unable to keep himself from being thrown off, the stallion flies across the room and slides to a stop across the stone floor. After a minute, he begins to gather himself as he suddenly notices the presence of two others in the room with the princess and him. Standing there, looking at him, as if they had been awaiting the princess's return are Captain Everglade and Commander Meteor Spark of the elite royal guard. The two look at the stallion in confusion. They hadn't been expecting the princess to bring somepony back with her.

"Devlin?" Everglade questions as the stallion gets to his hooves, "what in the hay are you doing here?"

"I'm..ugh...I'm here to help," he replies, rubbing his head as the throbbing pain starts to fade. Getting up herself, Princess Aurora shakes off the landing and walks over to the two soldiers, explaining the situation with Ponyville to the two of them. She mentions how Devlin's the only one left, and that it seems things are worse off than she thought. She seems to purposely leave out the part about her breakdown and Devlin comforting and encouraging her. It's not that surprising to the stallion though. She probably just wants to keep up appearances right now. Especially with two of her strongest and toughest soldiers.

"Ok, so what are we going to do then?" the Commander asks.

"Well, we have to save everypony who's been taken," Devlin replies, to which the princess nods, "but the problem begins there. Do we have any idea where the ponies might have been taken?"

Nodding his head, the Commander tells the two, "We've received a note via messenger hawk only a few minutes before the two of you arrived. The guard we had stationed in the Badlands have discovered a pathway that seems to lead into an underground facility. We don't have any more details than that however. We've checked Equestrian records, and the facility isn't officially documented."

"So we can assume that it belongs to Oblivion and his agents. But what would somepony like Oblivion need with an underground facility?" Devlin asks them.

"With Oblivion's power still rising, he needs somewhere for himself and his agents to work out of," Everglade adds, "Upon receiving this letter, I sent out ten Wonderbolt squadrons out to protect what's left of Equestria's main cities. This will give us the ability to focus on this facility. I myself would go, but have to remain here to command the rest of the guard and Wonderbolts."

"I volunteer to go," Devlin speaks up, stepping towards the mare," it's not even a question for me. I have to save my friends, my family, and all the others who were taken in fear by these monsters. I'm determined to do my best to rescue them all."

"I'm going as well," Commander Meteor Spark says as he too steps forth, smirking over at the stallion, "I'm not the descendent of the great General Firefly for no reason. But we can't go into this blindly. We need a plan of attack, a strategy to go off of. I've got an idea, but we have to work quickly."

Devlin looks over to Princess Aurora with a smile. She smiles gently back and nods, showing thankfulness in her heart. The stallion then turns to face Captain Everglade and Commander Meteor Spark again so that they can begin working on their plans. Though it's true he has never had experience working with the military before, Devlin shows great knowledge as he discusses everything. The Commander then relays to the others his strategy to get them into the facility and hopefully find and rescue everypony who has been taken. The others agree that it sounds like the wisest idea in light of the circumstances. If they can successfully pull this plan off, they'll not only return everypony to their rightful place, but also put a major dent in Oblivion's plans, putting his advancement back by quite a large margin.

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As a couple of hours pass by, Devlin and Commander Meteor slowly make their way through the dark, desolate wasteland wherein they are to meet up with the team who had originally messaged them back regarding the secret facility. Following their letter’s arrival, and the arrival of the princess and Devlin at the castle, a reply was sent back telling the team to await the two stallions’ arrival. So after being transported to the entrance to the Badlands, the two began to make their way in. They decided not to use magic if they could help it while in the mysterious area, as unpredictable effects could occur. Neither knows what kind of traps Oblivion or his agents could have set up to catch intruders, so they have to take things cautiously.

Laying beyond the Macintosh Hills to the south-east of Appleloosa and west of the Hayseed Swamps, the Badlands is a rarely explored area of the country. A ghastly, grim patch of desert, nopony knows what lays within. Rumors spread about endless sands and vicious pony-eating creatures, smoldering heat, and a silence so horrible that it drives even the strongest of ponies insane. No wind is said to blow through, as if any weather besides the summery fires of the sun had long-since abandoned the place. Unfortunately for the two stallions, the rumors seem to be more true than they could have wished.

They've only been in the Badlands for a few minutes, but already their fur is lined in a cool, sticky sweat as the blistering sun beats down upon them. No cool winds come to relive them of this horror, and not even a semblance of shade can be found. Luckily, having prepared for the worst of conditions, Commander Meteor pulls a shroud from his saddlebag, wrapping it around his head to block out the sun's rays. He then passes one over to Devlin as well, who has begun to breathe heavy from the sheer dryness of the air. It was so sudden as well, as if the moment they stepped off the green grasses and into the dry, cracked earth of the desert they were blasted with it all at once.

Neither of them are quite sure how far in the team is, but fortunately they were given directions to follow from the team. After sending out their response letter, they received another response as they were on their way. The leader of the team had told the Commander that they'd be waiting at a large eagle-shaped rock, and that when the two enter the desert through the narrow pathway, they should just head straight. So that's what Devlin and the Commander did. However, they have yet to see this specified rock. Nor have they seen any sight of the team.

"So," Devlin suddenly speaks up after taking a drink from the canteen he brought with him, "care to tell me a little about yourself Commander? It seems I know very little about you."

"Why do you ask?"

"Do you have a better idea to pass the time right now? It'll keep us occupied and take our minds off this unbearable heat."

Relenting, the Commander sighs and takes a drink from his own canteen before replying, "I was born and raised in Cloudsdale, despite working as a member of the guard in Canterlot. I'd move, but to be honest, I just feel more at ease in the clouds. It's my home, ya know? I have pride in living there, and if I have my choice, would never want to leave. What about you? You're from Canterlot I assume."

"No, why would you think that?"

"Oh...well, you're, uh, a unicorn," the Commander replies.

Raising an eyebrow, Devlin shakes off the assumption and tells him, "I'm from Ponyville, and have always lived there. Much like how you've always lived in Cloudsdale. I don't have any long-term career right now. I do small jobs for everypony around town to make a living. Just little things here and there. Currently though I've been saving up, so I'm staying with my parents and younger sister."

"What are you saving up for?" Commander Meteor asks.

"A plot of land. I'm going to fully purchase this small, beautiful piece of land not far outside of Sweet Apple Acres and build a house on it. It's always been a dream of mine to live in a house that I built with my own hooves. You ever have a dream like that?"

"I've always dreamed of being in the royal guard," he replies, smiling as he looks onward, "I come from a long line of military ponies, going all the way back to General Firefly, the first leader of the Wonderbolts. Ever since then, almost all of my family have served in one way or another. Even my father, who died eighteen years ago in the Changeling Invasion of Canterlot on the day before the big wedding of Prince Shining Armor and Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. It was then, after my father's untimely death, that I decided to one day join the military myself. I was proud of the legacy he left behind. He served an honorable life for his country, and I made it my goal to do the same. Heh, my mother wasn't always so supportive of this of course. She just didn't want to lose me like she did with dad. Every day she prays that I remain safe."

"Sounds like she loves you a lot."

"She does, and I love her just as much. She's who I'm fighting for."

"I haven't faced losses like you, Star, Chupa, or Agelian," Devlin replies, smiling over, "to be honest, I've had it good my entire life. I've never had to struggle, and because of it, I want those who aren't so lucky to be as happy as I often am. I dedicate my life to helping others, even in the most seemingly mundane of ways, so that they can enjoy life and live it to the fullest. Helping in even the smallest of ways can sometimes bring out the greatest of joy in ponies who really need it. I'm not the soldier type like you, but I'll give everything to make sure that nopony has to struggle or suffer in these hard times."

"You're just as much a hero as any soldier," Commander Meteor tells him, "you sacrifice your own time and energy to give to the community. You serve these ponies out of the kindness of your heart, and not for the compensation, but for the feeling of joy you get when you help somepony. That's what it means to be a hero; to sacrifice yourself for the sake of others."

Devlin smiles back at the Commander, when suddenly, he spots something in the distance. Stopping, he points it out to Meteor, who pulls out a pair of binoculars. Looking out, he sees what Devlin had noticed, and instantly his face drains of color. Dropping the binoculars on the ground below, he breaks into a full run, galloping at top speed towards the direction in which he saw the horrific sight. Running behind, Devlin wonders what it could have been. However, as they reach the eagle-shaped rock, the sight before them mortifies the stallion. The corpses of the team they had sent letters back and forth to, mutilated almost beyond recognition. Their stomachs slit open, entrails littered across the dirt. Two of them have their heads crushed in, another's has been sliced clean off. A female soldier’s body lay flat, her innards flooded out from her mouth.

The carnage of the scene causes Devlin an ill feeling, and after losing his lunch, he avoids all eye contact with the scene. However, the Commander examines the gruesome sight, checking the bodies. That's when he discovers something alarming. Turning to Devlin, he tells him the horrifying truth; that the soldiers have been dead for six hours at the very least. He then reminds the stallion that the first letter from them came only three hours ago, right before the princess and Devlin had come into the castle. Putting this together, the two instantly realize that this has been a trap the entire time, and before they can even react, a group of creatures surround them. Shrouded in shadows, the monstrous beasts lunge, overtaking and knocking out the two stallions.

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Feeling begins to return to Devlin as his eyes slowly flutter between open and close. A throbbing pain pierces his forehead, and a feeling of warm blood trickling down his forehead awakens him. Eyes opening wide, he looks around in confusion and fear, trying to figure out what's going on. He notices quickly that he's chained to a wooden bed of sorts, and looking over, sees the Commander in the same predicament. The wooden bed is a torture rack, and by the wheel on the side, he can instantly surmise that the plans are to separate the two halves of their bodies. Not far away are the creatures that had attacked them, and a sudden realization comes to the stallion.

He's seen these creatures before, while researching with Star and the others at the library. He turns to Meteor again, who's just begun to wake up as well, and whispers, "they're Yurupari ogres; violent, monstrous creatures that eat ponies. Look at the walls, those are pony skins, and I bet you anything that the team we saw were left there as bait to capture us. This means that the Yurupari are serving something."

"But, aren't Yurupari supposed to be dumb as nails?" Meteor whispers back, struggling in his binds.

"Yes, and that means that this must be the secret facility. I don't believe that the Yurupari sent us the notes, so that means they're serving under somepony, probably Oblivion and his agents. One of them sent the note, and had the Yurupari set up to attack anypony who came by. We fell right into their trap. Look over there."

Meteor turns his head in the direction that his friend is nodding to. A couple Yurupari stand there, grunting to each other over a giant cauldron of boiling liquid. They seem to be focusing on it, adding different things as time goes along. What throws them both off, however, is the steel walls and the intricately designed doors leading out of the room. That's what clued Devlin in to this being the secret facility. So for some reason, Oblivion or his agents wanted to get them both here too, probably for the same reason as the other ponies that were kidnapped. But that makes this scenario even more fearful. If they're being prepared to be eaten by the Yurupari, then have their friends already met this same fate?

Shaking the idea off, Devlin refuses to believe it. He's dedicated himself to saving them, and he will do so. They are still alive, he knows it. Oblivion wouldn't just kill them off and let the Yurupari eat them. Calming himself, Devlin closes his eyes. Meteor watches as his friend's horn illuminates and the chains around him loosen. Slipping out of his bindings, the unicorn then levitates the chains in front of him and slowly approaches the two Yurupari from behind. A sudden movement, and the chains wrap around the ogres' throats. Grabbing at them, the Yurupari attempt to pull the bindings off while letting out exasperated screams and grunts, but to no avail. After a short time, they weaken and lose consciousness, having been choked to death by their own prey. Running over, Devlin releases the bindings on Meteor, and tells him to keep quiet.

"We need to find everypony, but we have to be careful about it. We can't risk being caught again," he tells the Commander, who nods, understanding perfectly. Continuing on, they approach the doors, which open automatically before them. Peering out, the two see the halls completely empty and slowly walk onward, heading in one of the directions. Of course, they have no clue of where to go from here. They can only hope the way they choose is correct so that they can find their friends in a quick and easy manner. They seem to go around the halls for what seems like forever, carefully avoiding security guards as they are even forced into crawling through the ventilation system.

Eventually, after having to backtrack a bit and find various other ways to go, the two come upon a staircase leading down to what appears to be a dungeon-like area. The two reach the bottom, and instantly realize two things. First, that they were right. Multiple cells line the walls before them, though none seem to hold anypony. However, judging from how large the area seems to be, they have plenty of cells to check. The second thing they realize is that they were expected. Standing before them are three ponies, enveloped with a black smoke. They appear to be Canterlot soldiers, creating a discomfort in Meteor as he looks at them. The trio are obviously influenced by Oblivion, and quickly make their move.

At once, the possessed ponies all attack the two, screeching out with shrill, high-pitched voices. Devlin and Meteor go straight into a defensive stance, having been ready for the attack this time. They block hit after hit as it comes at them, and begin to send their own attacks out. Hooves fly wildly throughout the air, and before they know it, they've taken all three of the possessed victims down. Naturally they've chosen to knock them all out without causing any serious injury. They'd never want to hurt anypony on purpose, especially those who can't control their own actions. They look down at the unconscious bodies of the innocent ponies corrupted by evil, dark magic, and shed tears. The Commander, knowing all of the soldiers personally, situated their bodies against the wall, planning to return later when they rescue everypony else. They then begin to examine the dungeons before them.

Large cells seem to line every available space of every wall. Most of them have nothing in them at all, though a certain few do contain the fresh corpses of different prisoners. That's when Meteor finds a trap door on the floor on the corner of the large dungeon, and calls Devlin over. They examine it for a moment, but decide to keep looking. So for the next few minutes, they continue to go throughout the place, but have no luck in finding any of their friends, or anypony else who had been taken. So returning to the trap door, they open it and with extreme caution, climb down the attached ladder and into the lower part of the dungeon.

Unlike the level above, this section is void of any light. So mustering up his strength, Devlin illuminates the room, summoning a glowing orb of pure light in the center of the room. That's when they see it. All around them, circling the two, is a giant cell in which sit all the ponies who were recently captured by the agents of Oblivion, and right in front of them are their friends. Crying out in joy, Devlin shouts out to them, and looking up, they all cry out in surprise as well. Overjoyed to see the two having come to rescue them, they laugh and cheer.

"Quiet," Devlin tells them. They listen, and the stallion continues, "We need a way to get everypony out of here. Where's Discord? Can he not just use his chaos magic to free everypony?"

Fluttershy begins to sulk, and looking forlorn herself, Bri explains, "Discord is dead. He gave his life to stop the possessed pony, Atticus, in the Everfree Forest. He also reversed much of Oblivion's magic, reverting him back to the level of power he was at back during the dark star incident. And even if he were still here, nopony within this cell can use magic. It has an anti-spell barrier on it."

"I'm not in the cell," the stallion replies, and using his magic again, he unlocks the cage door and swings it open. But before anypony can even move, the cell once more closes and locks. Turning, Devlin and Meteor come face to face with three cloaked figures. The central one steps forward and removes his hood, revealing a unicorn with a dark grey coat, black and blue mane, and glowing red eyes.

"I am J.D. Gumila," he says, bowing in a mocking fashion, "one of the agents of Oblivion. I can see that you two managed to escape the Yurupari. Good, the master doesn't want you dead anyways. Those useless ogres acted against his orders and tried to devour you. Unfortunately, your escape ends here. You did well to make it this far, but the master needs you as well. So you have either two choices. You go into the cell of your own accord, or we have a little fun, then force you in between the bars. Your choice."

"I choose neither! I came all this way to save everypony, and that's what I plan to do! Even if it costs me my life, I will rescue them from you."

"I admire how you certainly live up to your Element, but that alone cannot save anypony. You do impress me however, so I'll give you this. A one on one fight against me. If you manage to defeat me, I'll let you and everypony else go. But, you'd better win, because I'm out to kill."

At the instant he finishes speaking, the agent leaps forward, summoning a sword of pure black magic. Devlin narrowly avoids the full contact of the blade, his cheek being cut into as he jumps to the side. Drawing his own sword, Meteor tosses it over to the determined stallion, who catches it right in time to block another oncoming attack from his attacker. Laughing, J.D. backs away and his sword evaporates. With a smirk, he then pulls out a bo staff from within his cloak, and lunges forth again. At first, Devlin blocks off the attacks easily, not understanding why his enemy would switch out for a weapon like that. However, after only a few moments of fighting, he quickly sees that this is the agent's specialized weapon of choice. Speed and power unlike that of the magical sword he wielded before, J.D. attacks with more brutality than before.

Meteor and the others watch on in heated interest as the two unicorn stallions exchange blows, neither of them actually using their magical abilities. Suddenly, J.D. knocks the sword away from his opponent, and goes in for the kill blow. Devlin luckily avoids the attack, rolling to the side. He grabs the sword and throws it with great force at J.D. The blade slices through his cloak, and barely misses actually hitting him. The rest of the cloak being torn off from the attack, the pony stands there fully unveiled. His cutie mark is that of a glowing red orb, one that just gives off the feeling of evil itself. Having been distracted, J.D. doesn't notice as Devlin lunges at him. Crying out, the stallion plows head first into the villain's torso, sending him flying back.

"I will save them! When my friends are in danger, I will always be there for them! My determination will always shine through!" Devlin tells him as he retrieves the sword then leaps onto the downed agent and presses the sharp blade to his throat, "I've won this battle! You will let everypony go now!"

Utilizing his magic, Devlin once again unlocks and opens the cell door, then climbs off of J.D. The other agents begin to move to stop him, but keeping to his word, the villain simply nods and replies, "You indeed may have won this time, but don't get cocky. This war is far from over, and this, well this was only the distraction needed."

Laughing, J.D. Gumila and the other two agents of Oblivion suddenly disappear in a haze of dark magic, allowing everypony to go free as he had promised. Without any more hesitation, the ponies file out of the cell, and right at that moment, a siren begins to go off, surprising everypony. Red, flashing lights appear, and without warning, Meteor rushes back up the ladder. Turning, Devlin sees his friends come out and rushes over, greeting them warmly with a large embrace. He then asks if they're ok, and is pleased to be told that they are. A moment later, Meteor returns with the three guards that he and Devlin had defeated resting on his back. Breathing heavily, he yells out to the crowd, "Is there anypony here with magic powerful enough to teleport us all out of here? Those sirens are not a good sign!"

"I do!" a regal voice calls out in thick Canterlot accent. Stepping forward, Prince Blueblood makes his way to the front of the crowd. Everypony seems surprised at his sudden outburst, until he adds, "I know I may not seem like it, but I'm actually quite skilled at magic, especially spells such as teleportation and illumination. Now that we're no longer in the anti-spell barrier, I can send everypony back to where they were before they were kidnapped. You just have to have a mental image of your desired location in your mind."

"Ok, good, then everypony get ready!" Devlin shouts out. A small tap on his shoulder alerts the stallion, and looking over, he sees Star standing there with a gentle smile on her face. In her mouth is a golden pendant necklace with an emerald gem sitting right in the center of the pendant. Mouth dropping open, the stallion takes it from her and stares for a moment at the Element of Harmony now in his hoof. She explains that she just found it in the corner of the cell. A laugh escapes him, and he places the pendant around his neck before nodding to Prince Blueblood, who then activates the spell.

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Back in the hallway of the castle, Captain Everglade stands in awe as she looks out the window. As she watches, ponies begin to pop back into being right there in the streets of Canterlot, as if they had been appearing from a teleportation spell. She has to tell the princess. Running down the hall towards the throne room, excitement fills her mind. Devlin and Meteor must have succeeded in their mission! Princess Aurora's going to be so pleased! She gets to the ornate doors and pushes them open. However, the sight before her shocks the mare. Standing there in the throne room are three unknown figures, two cloaked. The princess lays on the floor, bound and gagged with the intruders above her. The uncloaked figure turns to face the captain, and smirks as a black mist surrounds them all. Within a second, the three mysterious ponies and Princess Aurora are just gone. And right away she knows what happened. Suddenly, Prince Blueblood pops in right in front of her, and shock still etched upon her face, she tells him that his wife's been kidnapped.

Preview for Episode 19

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She's been waiting for months now, and the time has finally arrived. DJ-Pon3, Mic the Mic, BlackGryph0n, even dBPony are going to be there! This is the biggest musical festival in Equestria! The only question now is, will they even get there?

S01 E19 - Darkness

"You want to WHAT!?"

A piercing indignation boils within the stallion as he glares angrily into the awkwardly smiling face of his friend. He can't believe what she's saying. It's just ludicrous! After all that they've gone through in these recent months. Everything they've been doing to stop the return of Oblivion. The hardships, pains, losses and funerals. Now she just wants to go and throw it all away for something as trivial as this!? It's not even worth considering! It's not going to happen. So, standing firm in place, body erect and expression stoic, Terra looks straight into her eyes and forcefully tells the young mare “no”. However, to his chagrin, Bri just doesn't seem to understand, and continues to argue her position on the matter.

"I won these tickets months ago, Terra. Going to the Detrot City Music Festival is something I've dreamed about since I was a filly, and now, now I finally 'ave the chance to go. I am NOT missing out on this once in a lifetime opportunity just because you're being a no-fun stick in the mud."

"A stick in the mud!? Are you bucking serious!? Oblivion is on the ascent you idiot! Every day we spend wasting time, he just gets stronger and stronger. Eventually he's going to become too strong to take down, and then what!? Oh, and on top of it all, he's had his agents kidnap Princess Aurora! Get your priorities in line for crying out loud! We need to be working with the royal guard in finding and rescuing the princess, then stopping Oblivion once and for all! We already took that worthless little vacation, which ended up just being more work anyways. We don't have anymore time for leisure! Equestria's lost four princesses already! We can't afford to let it lose another!"

"I'm the idiot!? If you haven't noticed, Oblivion isn't at full strength! He's not even close to it thanks to Starswirl's sacrifice! That put him back by a LARGE margin, you bloody twit! He doesn't even 'ave enough power to do much of anything over a couple of days, and I doubt he has any reason to even try! I for one have faith in the royal guard. I trust that they will rescue the princess, and they don't need us getting in the way! We are more than deserving and needing of some REAL time off!"

Raising a hoof to his face, Terra lets out an exasperated sigh as he turns his back to Bri. He tries hard to control his growing frustration and anger, but it just continues to bubble up inside of him with every naïve word the mare speaks. Eventually, he just isn't able to take it any longer, and angrily yells out, "You know what!? FINE! Abandon Equestria! Abandon everything that truly matters right now and go to your stupid little concert! But I'm staying here, and will actually be working to try and stop this catastrophic threat! You can go and waste your life away on petty little entertainment! It just goes to show how little you bucking care about the lives of all those who have already died, and all those who probably will continue to die in the future!"

The remaining seven of the friends stand there beside the two arguing ponies, watching as the scene unfolds before them. Their mouths drop open at the words both had been saying, and especially Terra's final accusation. Star had never heard either of them speak like this before, especially Bri. She's known the mare for almost her entire life, and in those many years, she's only known her to be joyful, kind, and considerate of her friends feelings. Sure, she's always been a little eccentric, but she's never gotten mean and angry like this, at least not seriously. Star never could have imagined that the bubbly mare she befriended when she was but a little filly could hold, much less unleash, so much animosity towards a friend like that.

Standing to the direct left of the confused mare is Scatter, who seems to be at just as much a loss for words as her. It's true that he's one of the newest members of their group, and hasn't known Bri or any of the others for that long. However, for the short time he has, he's always seen Bri as happy and cheerful. The only times when she wasn't was when she was sorrowful over the lack of joy in others, such as when they went to the mountain village with Babe. Her personality has always been bright and happy, and has always brought a smile to his face. It's terrible to see her like this. Nopony is smiling now.

"I...I agree with Bri," Scatter suddenly speaks up, looking down at his front hooves as he stands in solidarity with the friend who had shown him so much love and kindness. Something that he hadn't experienced since the disappearance of Pinkie Pie almost sixteen years ago now. The sudden declaration captures Terra's attention, and the stallion turns on the spot. His face shows an anger-filled, but surprised and confused, expression. He just can't understand what could be going through these ponies’ heads. To choose a concert over the fate of Equestria is madness! At that moment, he watches as more of his friends join Bri and Scatter, also choosing to go to Detrot over helping find Princess Aurora. Star, Agelian, and Dinky all stand beside the two, appearing nervous but confident in their choice.

Of course they understand that finding the princess is an important task. Celestia, Luna, Cadance, and Twilight had all disappeared all those years ago, and Princess Aurora was the only one left. Now she's gone too, and all of the country is in a panic. However, right now, they honestly do need a break. Everything they've gone through lately has taken it's toll on them. However, Devlin, Chupa, and Meteor all clearly show their disagreement as they walk over to Terra's side instead, standing firmly upon their wish to do whatever they can to save Equestria from Oblivion's threat.

Terra glares over at the other group, then grunts out, "I guess that's it then, our friendship's over. We're splitting up." Turning, he then faces those who had agreed to stay with him, and adds, "Thank you all for making the right choice and not abandoning your country in its time of need. You are honorable, wise, and strong. And you will be remembered in history, while others fizzle out into obscurity."

Glaring over at him, having overheard his words to the others, Bri mimics Terra's actions and turns to those who had decided to join her. With a bright smile, though not as genuine as those she had given in the past, she loudly tells them, "Thank YOU for staying by my side. We've 'ad so many troubles lately. Atticus' possession and forced cannibalism, Starswirl's death, the Snooty Shoes’ murder, and that long journey into the mountains that I 'ad to undergo with the Brotherhood of Silent Pathfinders. A break from all that to enjoy some great music and wonderful fellowship with friends will be good for us all. Those prats can go and overwork themselves all they want, but we're going to make sure that we see the light amongst the darkness. We're going to spend this time actually living life. That's what Princess Aurora would want us to do."

A large blast of hot steam explodes out from the train as the brakes begin to kick in. The Friendship Express slows to a stop as it pulls into the small Hollow Shades station, about fives miles north of the swamp town itself, and one stop before Manehattan. The five friends who had decided to leave Ponyville and instead attend the three day music festival climb down from the train, their bags in tow. They smile at each other, ready to continue their journey to Detrot, which unfortunately for them, doesn't have its own station yet. The tracks that will lead to it from Manehattan are still under construction. Right now, because of how clear and straight the path is, this is the quickest way to get there. So now they have to undergo quite the hike if they are to reach the Trotor City before nightfall and get some well deserved rest at the HenCen Hotel.

As they leave the station after making sure they have everything, the ponies begin their northward trek to Detrot, following a crude and worn out map they had bought from a shady stallion with a brown coat back at the Ponyville Station. Now that she has time to really think about it, Bri has to wonder if she paid a little too much for it. Thirty bits for a dirty old map seems to be quite steep. Fortunately she has been saving up her money for this trip for a long time now, so it's not like she doesn't have the funds. Still though, it's almost seems like they were ripped off. Either way, it's too late now. So there's nothing she could do about it anyways.

For the early portion of their walk, the group is encompassed in a gloomy silence. The sting of the rage-fueled disagreement is still felt within their hearts. They lost friends today, and it seems doubtful that they'll ever get them back. Terra, Chupa, Devlin, and Meteor. They've gone down a separate path that they can't, and won't, follow. It pains them all to have to split like this, but in the end, maybe it's for the best. Maybe this was a long time coming. Maybe...friendship isn't magic. Now they just wish to continue on in silence. Peace and quiet for once. Even the train ride just to get to this point had been unusually quiet for them. But right now, it's what they need.

About half an hour passes, and the wooded area begins to grow in density. Trees surround them on all sides, insects buzz around unapologetically, and every now and then, the roar of a wild animal is heard somewhere in the distance. Almost makes them wish they had brought Fluttershy along. Suddenly, Agelian stops and decides to break the silence, asking his friends, "Is this right?" At first, as his friends all stop and turn to look at him, he's met with some odd stares and confused glances. So he explains, "Was it right for us to leave Ponyville for something like this? I mean, maybe we SHOULD have stayed back to help. Terra was right when he said that Equestria's in huge danger right now. And with Prince Blueblood being the only royalty left in the entirety of the country, we're in really bad shape. Even if Prince Shining Armor could come from the Crystal Empire to lend his support, it'd only endanger his own home."

"I understand your concern, but let's look at the facts here. We were kidnapped by those Agents of Oblivion as well, and since being rescued, Princess Aurora's abduction was the ONLY move they've made. Otherwise, it's been fairly peaceful for these past two weeks, despite everypony panicking over the entire kidnapping. We spent this entire time since then working on finding the princess and protecting the country. We've done our part, and deserve a break to just enjoy ourselves and have fun for the first time in a long time," Scatter replies.

Bri nods in agreement, a gentle and thankful smile spreading across her face as she turns to her friend. However, Agelian reiterates the fact that Equestria NEEDS Princess Aurora, and that the very leadership of the country is in as much danger as the safety of its citizens. Everyone comes to a full stop now, deciding it's as good a time as any for a break anyways, and so the ponies all take a seat against the thick trees to sort this new argument out. Just ahead of them is a forked path. One side leads almost straight to Detrot, while the other veers off in the direction of Neighagra Falls. Bri walks up to Agelian and places a hoof on his shoulder, giving him a wide and understanding smile.

"I get it Agelian, I really do. You're worried about everypony back home. Your friends, your family. All those we left behind. You've even worried about those who used to be our friends. I'm worried too. But in the end, no matter how messed up their priorities are, no matter how self-destructive they tend to be, Terra, Devlin, Chupa, and Meteor are all strong ponies. They're more than able to handle things back home, and I believe that Equestria's in capable hooves because of that. Plus there's Captain Everglade and the royal guard, and even the Wonderbolts. Princess Aurora will be found, and the rest of Equestria will be protected in our absence, even if it doesn't need to be. We need a break from all this Agelian. Remember how we were imprisoned not that long ago? We deserve a real vacation."

Agelian looks down at the ground in front of him, thinking back to the dark, circular prison cell underground in the Badlands. It was near impossible to even see, the darkness being overwhelming. The ground was hard and uneven, making sitting, sleeping, or even standing as uncomfortable as possible. A dank, moldy smell wavered within it. If only those were the only problems. They also had to deal with the prison guards. Those horrible, sadistic ponies. Evil, a word usually reserved for only the most terrible of villains, can't even describe them. They berated and psychologically attacked the prisoners, but it went much further. Whippings, torture, and in a couple of cases, straight out methodical murders. He still remembers that cute little filly, how her head had been slowly sliced in half. How her hooves were broken, then pulled from the body. All because she dared to laugh and try to have fun. They denied the prisoners the satisfaction of enjoying themselves. They denied food, water, pretty much everything. All they could do was cry, and wallow in their despair.

It was the worst experience Agelian had ever undegone, and the memories brought back to him sent terrible chills down his spine. Just reliving all of this is a Hell of the worst imagining. But on the other hoof, to imagine Princess Aurora going through torture. To imagine her being slowly murdered by sadistic bastards like that. It's unbearable to even consider. So, as tears flow from his eyes, he looks back at Bri and calmly tells her, "I want to go back. Just imagine what Princess Aurora is going through. What is my family is captured and tortured too? I...I just can't do this. All that pain and misery. Just think if it were you. You'd want everypony working to rescue you as quickly as possible, not go on vacation."

Slowly trotting over, Dinky stands by her fiancé and gives him a quick kiss and hug, wiping the tears from his eyes for him. However, Scatter just shakes his head in disagreement and replies, "It's too late now anyways. We're more than halfway there by this point, and are actually closer to Neighagra Falls. We're not far from Detrot, and should just continue onward and attend the festival. We're all worried about our friends and families, but they're going to be fine. They're protected. When this concert is over, we'll take the train right back to Ponyville and get back into helping out."

Once again, Bri agrees with Scatter, though seems to be in understanding of the stallion's feelings. Agelian disagrees with this, however, and the two stallions begin to fight, their petty argument now exploding into a tirade of yelling and insult slinging. It's no better than before with Terra and Bri. Dinky and Bri stick to their respective sides, not wavering in their opinions, but not getting into the fighting either. At that moment, both Agelian and Scatter turn to Star, who's the only member of their group to be keeping quiet and neutral in all of this. Walking up to her, they demand that she be the deciding factor. However, Star is more confused and nervous about the entire situation, and doesn't want to only appease one side, while disappointing the other. So quietly, she tells them both that she's going to abstain from making a decision. Unfortunately, this angers them both even further, and the fighting begins to escalate to an entirely new height.

"Whatever!" Agelian shouts, muttering some choice words under his breath, "you fools can continue on. Dinky and I are heading back to be with our families, and to help protect everypony. Terra was right about you idiots." With those final words, the two of them indeed turn back and begin heading in the opposite direction, towards the Hollow Shades station. The remaining three of them stand there, both of the mares in shock, confusion, and clear sorrow over the events. Two more friends lost. However, Scatter just turns and begins to lead them away, towards Detrot, determined to get to the music festival, for her sake.

The massive, ornate doors of the Central Canterlot Royal Guard Station swing open with great force and volume. The heads of all within turn to the now open doors as four ponies walk in. The friends who had remained behind, Terra, Devlin, Chupa, and Meteor, walk into the packed room. They stop in front of the soldiers and stand erect, straight faced and honor-bound purpose showing in their expressions. Already inside the large station are the two Equestrian military forces; Captain Everglade and her legions of elite soldiers, and Wonderbolt Captain Scootaloo and her elite flying squadrons. Both groups watch as a smile spreads across Scootaloo and Everglade's faces. The latter of the two trots up to the others, followed by Captain Scootaloo. Each captain has two soldiers with them, and in the hooves of the guards are armor. Two sets of elite royal guard armor, and two sets of Wonderbolt flight suits.

"Devlin Speedster," Scootaloo begins as one of the Wonderbolts holds a flight suit towards the stallion, "do you promise to risk your life and serve your country!? Do you hold to your honor and duty, and pledge to do whatever you can to locate our princess and save Equestria from the threat of Oblivion!? Will you do everything in your power to accomplish this mission, even if it means watching your friends die at the hooves of the enemy!?"

"Ma'am! Yes ma'am!" the stallion replies, saluting the captain. She smiles back at him, and nods to the Wonderbolt, who hands over a Wonderbolts flight suit. Not needing to repeat the lines to Meteor and Terra, who are already members of the guard, Everglade has her soldiers hand over the armor to them right away instead. Scootaloo then turns to Chupa Cabra. She's still just a filly, not old enough to officially join the Canterlot Royal Guard. However, in the young filly's eyes, Captain Scootaloo can see a burning passion, a tenacity to help in whatever way possible. It's the same look she had given Rainbow Dash all those years ago. Holding back tears, the Wonderbolt Captain decides that right now, rules need to be broken. She can deal with the consequences later. So she asks Chupa the same lines of questions that she had to Devlin, and receives a very passionate response. She's clearly as strong as any of the other stallions and mares already in the group.

"Ok soldiers! We need to get to work! Princess Aurora has been kidnapped, and it's our duty to save her! Even if it costs us our very lives! I won't lie, some of you will NOT make it back! It is not our mission to come home safely! It is our mission to save the princess and return Equestria to a harmonic state! We must stop this threat before it can get any worse! Are you with me, royal guard!? Are you ready to fight!?"

The ponies of the Canterlot Elite Royal Guard let out a booming cheer, not a single one of them showing fear or unease in the slightest. Smirking, Wonderbolt Captain Scootaloo then steps forth as well. Looking around at her squadrons of elite fliers, she nods and asks them all, "Are you just everyday, ordinary pegasi!? NO! You are Wonderbolts! You are the best of the best, the most elite fliers in all of Equestria! No excuses! Let me tell you a story. Many years ago, there was a pony who had a dream. And after a long time coming, she achieved that dream and made it into our ranks! She'd been among the best fliers for a long time, but had never been able to join us before! Well, she made it! She succeeded Spitfire as Captain! That's right, I'm talking about former Wonderbolt Captain Rainbow Dash! My mentor and hero! She showed loyalty and dedication as she served Equestria with everything she had! She died during training! Training for the purpose of bettering herself so she could continue to serve our country to the best of her ability! Are we going to let her death be in vain!? Or are we going to do her memory proud, and be the Wonderbolts that she always idolized!?"

The squadrons of the fliers all let out a loud cheer, matching that of the royal guard. They stand before their Captain, getting themselves pumped. They're all ready and able to fight and serve Equestria with their lives, and have no reservations about it. Everglade and Scootaloo then turn back to the four who had come in. Terra and Meteor are both saluting Everglade, but Devlin and Chupa seem to be a little less excited. Seeing this, Scootaloo asks them if there's anything wrong, and if they're having second thoughts about joining her ranks and working to fight against Oblivion and his forces.

"No ma'am, it's just that, we're not pegasi. Both Chupa and I are Earth Ponies. How can we serve in the Wonderbolts?" Devlin asks Captain Scootaloo.

"Captain," another Wonderbolt suddenly says, flying up to them all. She has a light blue mane and white coat underneath her flight suit. She salutes Scootaloo, who gives the nod, and continues, "I have heard word of a spell that is said to be able to temporarily give wings to non-pegasi. It is said that the wings match the ponies who gain them, and that flight will come naturally to the ponies transformed by this magic. However, it only lasts for twenty four hours at a time."

"Thank you Brightwing Blitz. This information is of great value," Captain Scootaloo tells her. Brightwing salutes her captain and flies back. The Captain then asks Everglade if any of her royal guards have enough magical prowess to perform such a spell. Nodding, the Elite Royal Guard Captain heads into her ranks and calls out for somepony named Aurus Skye. A unicorn soldier with a dark blue coat, and a duo-colored mane and tail of dark and light blue steps forth. Saluting his captain, he listens to what she has to say, and as she mentions the spell to give wings to non-pegasi, he smirks and nods.

"Yes ma'am, I can do that! I've used it myself on multiple occasions in the field!"

Captain Everglade then points him to where Devlin and Chupa is. She then turns over to Terra and Meteor, as well as the rest of her soldiers. She tells them all to prepare themselves. However, she waves over Terra and Meteor, and brings them instead into an adjoining room; the War Room. She knows that with the oncoming threat, they need to be strategizing exactly what they're going to do to try and get Princess Aurora back. They need to be more prepared than ever. Otherwise, the princess might die.

As the two of them travel southbound along the rough, rock-covered path, Agelian and Dinky look briefly at their surroundings. The trees, the wildlife, something about them isn't right. They're unsure of exactly what it is, but everything around them just leaves the two in a more than confused state. Continuing on, they soon reach what appears to be a small, circular clearing. In the direct center of the open space sits a tall rock formation roughly in the shape of a dragon's claw and worn down with age. Dinky looks around for a moment or two, and suddenly notices a group of woodland animals watching carefully from the trees surrounding the clearing, but not approaching any further. It's almost as if they're wary of the giant rock, and Dinky for one can't blame them. It seems to give off a very eerie feel, one that certainly makes her feel uneasy.

However, the two of them decide to just continue on, and pass to the other side of the clearing. They find where the path continues, and trot along as they attempt to make their way back to the Hollow Shades train station. Dinky continues to look around as they walk along. She's sure that something isn't right, but just can't place her hoof on it. That's when it suddenly clicks. They've never been here before. That's why everything hasn't seemed right. Stopping, she places her hoof onto her fiancé's shoulder to get his attention. He halts as well and turns to face her as she tells him, "We're lost Agi. We must have taken a wrong turn somewhere. Maybe we should go back and find Bri and the others again. They have the map."

"We're not going back."

"But Agi, we need to. We obviously can't get back to the station on our own. We don't know where we're going and..."

"...I SAID WE'RE NOT GOING BACK! AND THAT'S FINAL! Now, we're going to continue on and get back to that train station on our own. We don't need help from anypony, especially THOSE ponies! So let's keep going, NOW!"

Dinky begins to tear up, but knows there's nothing more she can do. Bowing her head, she relents and follows Agelian onward, her head dropping in sorrow. Meanwhile, just a couple miles north of them, Bri, Scatter, and Star continue to travel north along the path heading right to Detrot. The music festival is set to begin tomorrow morning, and of course, Bri doesn't want to miss a second. She's been awaiting this for months now. However, not all of them are as excited for the big concert as she is. Lately, Star has been feeling down. It's mainly been since they left Ponyville. Growing up with her sister, Grace had always told her to keep her friends close. But lately, she's been doing almost nothing but losing friends, and all because of petty little arguments.

She'd rather forget this horrible truth. The very idea of her friends splitting up has haunted her for a long time now, and with it coming to fruition, it's the worst kind of pain she's ever been in. Unfortunately for her, she seems to be the only one of her now three-pony group that feels this way. Both Bri and Scatter are being as stubborn as a mule, and seem unwilling to do anything other than badmouth their former friends and proclaim themselves as the ones in the right. They won't even try to look at how the others might be feeling, or see things in another pony's perspective. It's like the Bri she used to know is gone, and the Scatter she had come to know lately was just a farce.

"Um..." she begins, avoiding future eye contact with the two. However, unsure of how to continue, she just stops and stands there, poking her hoof around in the dirt. This catches Bri's attention, and the mare turns to face her lifelong friend, asking Star if everything's ok. Though highly nervous, Star decides to just go for it. So she tells Bri that she's not sure about all of this, and hates that everypony has been splitting up. She specifically mentions how Agelian and Dinky are without a map right now, and because of it, they could be lost trying to find the train station. Bri begins to show worry and sorrow at her friend's words, but turns away and shakes it off. Shrugging, she then continues on.

Star continues to plead with Bri and Scatter, wanting them to see what this has done. They're playing into Oblivion's hooves by doing this. According to the prophecy, they're the only ones able to stop him; the prophesied heroes of Equestria. With them suddenly breaking away from each other like this, it's only going to help Oblivion, and allow for him to ultimately destroy the world and rebuild it in his liking. To her sorrow, Bri and Scatter refuse to listen to her, and just trot along, acting as if there's nothing wrong, and that they're better off without the others.

When Star continues to persist, however, Bri gets fed up with it. Turning back, she yells out, "They knew what they were getting into when they decided to leave us! Those twits went off on their own accord, and we aren't responsible for them!"

"But Bri...what would Pinkie Pie have done?"

A pent-up rage suddenly erupts out of the normally cheery mare, who turns once again and swings forward with amazing force and speed, punching Star right in the face and knocking her off of her hooves. As she falls to the ground below, Star looks up at her friend with bitter tears filling her eyes, and an expression of the greatest shock spread across the whole of her face. Glaring down at her, Bri seems to be on her last nerve as she screams, "DON'T YOU BUCKING DARE LECTURE ME! DON'T YOU TRY AND TELL ME WHAT PINKIE PIE WOULD OR WOULD NOT DO! PINKIE PIE IS GONE, YOU BUCKING MUNTER! NOW SHUT THE BUCK UP AND EITHER MOVE YOUR FLANK OR STAY BEHIND! I DON'T BUCKING CARE ANYMORE!"

Sobbing, Star reluctantly gets to her hooves and follows Bri and Scatter onward down the path. Now terrified of her lifelong friend, she wants to just go back to Ponyville and embrace her sister. At least Grace is always there for her. However, because she knows she can't do that, there really isn't any alternative choice to continuing to Detrot, which the three ponies can now see far off in the distance. A large grin spreads across Bri, and she yells for them to double their speed. Though at this point, Star feels differently, and already knows the horrible new truth that has come to light. Rubbing her still hurting cheek, she cries silently to herself as she walks forward, no longer caring about Detrot, the music festival...or Bri.

The War Room of Canterlot's Royal Guard Station is much larger than Meteor had ever expected. He's been a member of the guard for many years now, yet not once has he ever been in here. And now that he has, he almost wishes he hadn't. Reports line the walls from the past wars that have plagued Equestrian soil. Newspapers that count up the numbers of those killed in those horrible battles. Reports of families who eagerly awaited the return of their loved ones when the war ended, only to be met with tear-filled disappointment. It's almost too much for him to handle. Keeping strong, however, Meteor walks inside and up to the large table, at which the ponies of the elite guard plan out their methods of attack, infiltration, and more.

Looking over at Terra, he sees that the former Captain of the Guard feels right at home. Hardened after years of service on the front lines, the stallion holds himself in a firm, erect posture, showing no signs of weakness or sorrow. Meteor understands the pain Terra goes through, hiding his emotions and staying strong. It must be a constant hell. Right now though, they cannot focus on things like that. They have to begin strategizing for their rescue of Princess Aurora, and attack on Oblivion and his forces. With the two of them are Captain Everglade and a couple of the other high-ranking royal guards. All of them stand around the table, ready to hash out the details of their plan.

"First, we need to pinpoint the location of Oblivion's base of operations. We should begin in the Badlands, as that's where the last victims were taken," Captain Everglade says, authority ringing out in her booming voice.

"Ma'am," Meteor respectfully says, "the base within the Badlands had been destroyed following our previous infiltration. It is very unlikely that the enemy has rebuilt it, and just as unlikely that they'd use the same location for a second base."

Nodding, Terra adds, "It was said by J.D. Gumila, one of the so called Agents of Oblivion, that the entire kidnapping of all the ponies before was a mere distraction. This means that their goal must have been capturing Princess Aurora the entire time."

"That makes sense. As the leader of our country, Princess Aurora is a strong sense of harmony to the ponies in Equestria. She represents the unity of our fair nation. Since her kidnapping, ponies have already begun to panic, bringing disharmony to our land. It's obvious as to why somepony like Oblivion would want to cause this, but for an actual motivation, I am beyond guesses," Captain Everglade responds, biting her lip and trying hard to contemplate the exact reasoning. It's at that moment that Terra asks her what the plan is going to be, and how they're going to not only figure all of this out, but get the princess back as well. For a minute or so, the guards standing around the table think and think, unsure of what course of action to take.

"How about this," Meteor suddenly speaks up, having finally thought of something, "let's search the less inhabited areas of Equestria first. It's very unlikely that Oblivion would create his base of operations in a largely inhabited area. I see it more likely that he'd do so in a dark forest, under some giant stone or something."

"I agree," Terra states. The two of them, as well as the rest of the elite guard, look to Captain Everglade for a response. Sighing, she nods her head and agrees that right now, this is the best idea they have. So they begin planning it all out.

The ever-winding pathway in the southern part of the forest continues to become thicker and thicker as the two ponies trot onward. On every side of them the trees and plant life seem to increase in number, and even the animals seem to become more scarce. They continue to walk along anyways, and soon it becomes more and more clear to Dinky that they're only getting more and more lost. She can only assume that Agelion knows this as well, yet for some reason, he just doesn't seem to really care. Instead, he continues to move along, keeping up with his stride as if nothing were even slightly wrong. It's his stubborn attitude that drives him to continue moving aimlessly forward like this. He doesn't want to admit that he was wrong, and that his actions had led to this. So he ignores their troubles and just walks on.

Dinky, however, cannot simply turn a blind eye to what's right in front of her face. Neither of them have any idea where they are, and their continuing trot has no real aim anymore. They're just walking, without purpose. Agelian continues to claim that they're on their way to the station, and even says that he knows exactly where to go. But truthfully, they should've been there over an hour ago. He has to know that they're not heading in the right direction, but he refuses to admit anything. Neither of them know where they are, and with the sun beginning it's descent in the sky, they'll soon be unable to see altogether, making their trek that much more dangerous and unpredictable.

"Agi, we need to turn back," she pleads with him, scared and sorrowful about the day’s events, "we just can't keep walking around like this. We're lost."

Unfortunately for her, Agelian pays no mind to her words. Not even turning an eye to his fiancée as he walks on, he ignores her worries and cries. However, she continues to try and get to him, even to the point of threatening to just leave him and go back on her own if he continues to remain as stubborn as this. But nothing she does seems to phase him in the slightest. It's almost as if he can't hear her, or just doesn't care. Either option is terrible for her to even consider, yet at this point, she really does have to wonder.

Eventually, the young mare is unable to take it any longer. This has gone on for far too long. She has to do something, she has to take charge in this relationship for once. She just can't let this go on. So she grabs his shoulder forcefully and orders Agelian to stop right now and turn around to face her. The clear command in her voice surprisingly works, as the stallion halts his trot and stands there, no longer moving forward. A smile crosses her face. She can't believe it actually worked. She's never had to use force like this before, but thinks now that maybe she should continue to do so in the future, if it yields results like this.

As she stands there, smiling to herself at her small victory, Agelian turns around to face her as she had told him to. Instantly, she wishes he hadn't. She's known that there was something wrong with him. She thought it was his stubbornness or an inability or unwillingness to listen to her. Now it's clear that those were just wishful thoughts. His eyes glow a deep red and teeth having become like fangs in his mouth. A snarling grow escapes the depths of his throat as a sinister grin slowly appears on his face. This isn't the Agelian she knows, and so Dinky backs away in fear, mouth hanging wide open. Then, he lunges at her.

Screaming in terror, she tries as hard as she possibly can to push him off of her. However, his strength is horrifying. He pins the mare to the ground as he hisses with rage and vile intentions, pure malice in his eyes. Laying there on the ground, Dinky cries as thoughts of her mother come to her mind. The wonderful, kind mailmare who took her in all those years ago. She took her away from the orphanage and gave her a loving home. Something she hadn't experienced in her life before. She was given love like never before, and she's always been grateful for it.

The monster controlling Agelian has taken full control. She can only guess of its origin, though it's obvious that this must be Oblivion's doing. That could mean that the entirety of the arguments her friends underwent over the course of the day could have been influenced by him as well. As she considers all of this, the stallion lets out a monstrous roar, and without hesitation, bites down on her shoulder with extremely painful force. Blood sprays out from the wound as tears cascade from Dinky's eyes. The pain is unbearable. A horrible feeling she's never felt before.

Another scream escapes the mare's lips as her fiancé continues to mercilessly tear into her flesh. Bite after bite, ripping chunks of her away, his unrelenting attack continues. He suddenly raises a hoof and swings it across her face. The impact of the hit is harder than anything she's ever experienced before. The sheer force of it knocks her head back so hard that it slams against the cold, hard ground. Terrible pains rush through her, and though her tears don't stop, she quiets down the crying to try and avoid more violent abuse.

She begs and pleads for him to stop, apologizing for anything she might have said or done to upset him. She knows it isn't really her Agi that's doing it. She knows that he's possessed by an extraordinary evil. But still, she has hope that he might be able to hear her sorrow and push control back to himself. However, he ignores her cries and continues to feast upon his victim, tearing further into her shoulder. Not knowing what to do, she just lays there and takes it, crying as the mortifying pain flows through her.

Her consciousness soon begins to fade, and any bit of hope she had disappears from her mind. She's given up, knowing that there's nothing more she can do. It's all over. The stallion she had fallen in love with now murders her in the most painful way possible, and all she can do is let it happen. Final thoughts of home, of her loving mother, and of all the friends she'll never see again flood her mind. She remembers the happy times, all the fun she had with her friends. She remembers when she first met Agelian, and the instant feeling of love that erupted within her. With those pleasant memories bringing a smile to her face, Dinky's eyes close for the last time.

As the beast continues to devour his victim, three ponies suddenly appear. Leaping out from the thick forest surrounding the pathway, Star, Bri, and Scatter rush at the possessed Agelian. Taking the lead, Scatter plows into him, knocking him off of Dinky's body and hard against a tree. He tries to pin Agelian against it, but is easily thrown off. As Bri and Star join Scatter's side, staring their friend down, a chilling laugh escapes the stallion.

Pacing back and forth in front of them, Oblivion speaks through his host. His grainy, deep voice echoes through the forest as he says to the three of them, "So you've come after all. It looks like my influence wasn't strong enough to break the bonds of your friendship. Too bad."

"You caused us to drift apart!" Bri angrily yells, "you made me say things I would never say! You made me hurt Star!"

"NO! You don't seem to understand, do you, Joy? I didn't make you do anything. I simply brought out the darkness inside your heart, the darkness that everypony carries within them. Your words, your actions. Those were of your own doing. I am curious though. How did you manage to escape the bindings of your own twisted rage?"

"I reminded her of what really matters. I reminded her of our past together, of everything we've gone through as friends. Our friendship is more powerful than your hatred!" Star tells him. However, this only causes Oblivion to laugh.

"You have a very positive view of this world. Too bad it's just a figment of your naïvety. This world was covered in darkness well before me, and it always shall be. Greed, fear, shallow minds. Don't you see how corrupt Equestria already is? I've done little to change things, because face it, I don't need to. I'll admit, you did well in enlisting my brother to fight for you. His sacrifice has set me back, but in the end, it's only delaying the inevitable. There is nothing you can do to stop me, not with the darkness filling your hearts. With the princess now in my hooves, you have nothing to stop me. Your precious little country shall fall to it's own fear and paranoia."

"Agelian! Snap out of it!" Scatter yells out, "fight back against him! You can do it, we believe in you!"

Laughing maniacally, Oblivion rushes forth and plows into Scatter, sending him flying hard into a tree. He then does the same to the two mares and says, "Oh Love, it's funny how you act like the beacon of hope when you've got the darkest secrets of them all. Your past will come back to haunt you, and when it does, you'll fall to your darkness just like everypony else."

"I...I will never...hurt my friends!" Scatter tells him. His breaths come heavy after being knocked into so hard, and his desperation to protect his friends comes clear as he gets to his hooves and despite the pain going through him, firmly stands to face his enemy down.

"You think that now, Love, but your darkness will take you over. I'd suggest not being anywhere near her when it does."

Star and Bri look confused at the mention of a "her", but shake it off as Oblivion continues, adding, "Let me warn you now, Elements. You're on your way to the Detrot City Music Festival. Be prepared for it to be more exciting than you ever could imagine. I hope you have a fun time." Suddenly, Agelian's mouth opens wide, and the dark essence of Oblivion explodes out of it. Retreating, the villain flies off as Agelian's body falls to the ground below. Without a second's thought, the others rush to Agelian's side to make sure he's alright. The stallion slowly begins to awaken, his now-normal eyes opening as he looks around in confusion. They then lock on Dinky's body and open fully.

Fear covering his face, Agelian leaps up and gallops over to her. Tears begin to stream down his cheeks as he pulls her close to him. Blood continues to pour from her shoulder as a bruise forms on her face. He listens closely, but hears no heartbeat. Screaming out in terror, he looks over at Scatter and yells out, "SAVE HER! YOU HAVE TO KNOW SOME KIND OF HEALING SPELL! PLEASE, SAVE HER!" Walking over, Scatter examines her and quietly tells Agelian that she's already dead. However, the stallion refuses to believe it. Crying harder than ever before, he demands that Scatter use his magic to save her.

"I can't bring the dead back to life. It takes S-Class magical prowess to even attempt something like that. The only ponies who have ever had that kind of power are Princesses Celestia and Luna, Starswirl the Bearded, and...Oblivion."

"YOU'RE LYING! YOU'RE BUCKING LYING! SAVE HER NOW!"

Stepping forward, Scatter leans down beside Agelian and hugs him. Not a single word spoken, he just embraces his friend in love and understanding. Dropping Dinky's dead body, he buries his face into Scatter's coat and cries for what seems like hours. Hours? To him it might as well have been days, or even months. Star and Bri embrace the two as well, showing their support to their hurting friend, tears flowing from their eyes as well over the loss of a good friend.

Hours pass, and the four of them stand there looking at the pile of dirt before them, containing Dinky's body. After Agelian had finished crying, the others told him that they should return to Ponyville right away. However, Agelian insisted instead upon continuing on. He told them that he knew what Oblivion had said when he was possessed, and that Detrot and the music festival are in danger. Since he couldn't protect Dinky, he tells them that he wants to never abandon anypony again, and wants to protect Detrot at any cost. So they buried Dinky, and now, now they head onward towards the festival. Their goal is no longer to enjoy the music, but to be the heroes Equestria needs. To put an end to Oblivion's terror once and for all.

Preview for Episode 20: Power of the Wubs

***************************************

She's...she's gone! You have to help me. She's my best friend, the only one who truly cares about me! Please help me save Octavia!

S01 E20 - Wubs Concerto

One by one, every light in the behemothic Horse Field fade to nearly complete darkness, casting an eerie feeling upon the excited ponies in attendance. Murmurs pass throughout the rows, everypony wondering who's going to play the festival's big finale. They've already seen all the headlining acts, from Forest Rain to Octavia Melody. MicTheMicrophone and Feather. Even BlackGryph0n and his brother Baasik. And of course there was the always entrancing sounds of DJ Pon-3 and dBPony. Soon, the chattering slows to a halt as the beautiful sounds of a grand piano begin to echo throughout the stadium. A gloriously alluring sound ringing in everypony's ears, capturing their attention and pulling their gaze to the stage. A spotlight bursts on, encasing the large, ornate grand piano and the mare playing it.

Octavia Melody, the famed concert cellist, sits there, softly entrancing the crowd with soothing melodies and symphonic sounds. A camera is set up against the front of the piano, showing the mare's stoic, but focused, face to the crowd via large screens set up around the arena. Not too far from the stage sit four special ponies, there due to winning a contest many months back. Bri, Star, and Scatter all watch in awe and interest. Agelian, however, remains in a state of sorrow following the events that had transpired only a couple days ago. Though he enjoys the music greatly, he cannot take his mind away from the terrible acts of mortifying evil that he had unwillingly committed to his own fiancée. And although his friends try to sooth his depression, claiming that it's not his fault due to the possession that had overcome him, that is was an accident, he knows what he did. Though they call it an accident, it was murder, pure and simple. A rose by any other name, as they say.

The euphonious tones of the piano continue to cascade through the audience, sending a wave of harmony crashing down upon every mare, stallion, filly, and colt there. Like a fine mint after a savory meal, it's the perfect palate cleanser to end off the amazing festival they had attended over these past few days. Suddenly, however, the sounds of the piano fade off into obscurity, and silence once more fills the arena. It can't be over yet, it's only just begun. A grand finale couldn't end this quickly. They watch both the stage and screens, hoping to see something happen. Octavia looks down at the keys she had been pressing, and a sly smile spreads across her face. That's when something happens that nopony would've ever expected.

In her thick Trottingham accent, Octavia speaks out three words that completely turn the performance on it's head. Three simple words that send a continuous chill of excitement through all the ponies watching, even gathering the attention and interest of Agelian. Three words that nopony would have ever expected a high society Canterlot pony to ever say. With that smile across her face, Octavia quietly speaks out, "Drop the bass."

In that very instant, as another spotlight appears, shining down upon a blue and purple turntable. On the front of it is one simple word, "wubs", and behind it stands a pony who had never before performed a duet with Octavia before. Right as Octavia speaks those three words out, right as the lights shine down onto the turntable, the pony behind it begins to work her magic, and the sweet, dulcet sounds of classical music are replaced by the explosive beats of DJ Pon-3's own special brand of music, PonStep. The crowd explodes into cheers, twice! Even Agelian forgets his troubles, screaming enthusiastically along with everypony else as his favorite music artist screams out, "Crank it to eleven, Tavi!"

Octavia once more begins playing her piano, harmonizing its beautiful tones with the erratic wubs of DJ Pon-3's turntable. In a completely unexpected turn of events, both completely different styles of music blend perfectly. But before long, both stop. For only a moment, the crowd watches with bated breath, then, as pyro shoots off into the open top of the arena, both of the musicians erupt into a crescendo of musical brilliance. Neon signs light up on the back of the stage, spelling out, "Tavi & Scratch: The Wubs Concerto". The screams of the audience escalate to a deafening volume and the two mares give it all they have got, finally performing together to everypony's surprise and elation. And for the first time in days, Agelian finally finds something to smile about.

The over packed stadium slowly begins to empty out following the fantastic, and completely unexpected, closing performance put on by the duo of Octavia and DJ Pon-3. Amongst the joyous crowd are the four friends who, over the past few months, had lost so much in their lives. Friends, family, and hope; all gone. It felt like nothing was going to change, especially with the terrible loss suffered only days ago. However, one thing they can all agree on now is that in the end, Bri was right. In the midst of all the heartache and pain they've been suffering, they needed this to give them a little happiness...and it worked.

They have not forgotten Dinky, and never shall. For Bri, Scatter, and Star, she was a good friend. Always there when needed, and always willing to help. Her kindness could give Fluttershy a run for her money, her gentle soul brightening up whatever room she happened to enter. To Agelian, she was the love of his life, the light that brightened his soul and gave meaning to his existence. She was his everything, and it kills him inside to know how she died. It's a terrible truth he shall never be able to forget. One that will haunt him until the end of his days.

Even despite all of this pain in his heart, a smile still rests under his muzzle as he chooses to look to the bright side. This festival, and the fellowship he had with his friends during the course of these days, have made him realize what she would have wanted him to do. She'd tell him not to mourn over his losses, but to work to make sure more don't occur. She'd tell him to save Equestria, and everypony within it. She'd tell him to soldier on and make sure her death was not in vain, and that's exactly what he's going to do. Moping around won't help anypony. So instead, he's going to make a difference in this world that's on the brink of Oblivion. He's going to save everypony he can, and make sure nopony has to undergo the same sorrows he has. That's his mission, and he chooses to accept it.

While his friends discuss the amazing performances they saw and heard over the course of the weekend, he thinks about what he can do to protect those he loves. It makes him think of his hero, of Rainbow Dash. Her loyalty always shone through, and she'd do anything to help her friends. Utilizing her skills in flight, she'd rush any enemy to protect them. She'd turn her flight tricks, such as the Sonic Rainboom and the Fantastic Filly Flash, into methods of attack. So he can do the same. The moves he would practice with Dinky's help, the many smoke capsules and tricks he would perform. All of them can, and will, be put to use in this battle against an evil the likes of which hasn't plagued the world in many generations.

Suddenly, he stops and turns to face his friends. Through their laughter as they discuss the festival, the three's lack of attention cause them to nearly run into the stoic stallion as he stares at them with intensity and purpose. They give him a questioning gaze in response, and with a voice carrying the hardened tones one would normally hear in a war veteran, he tells them, "We had our fun, and I won't lie, it was a blast. However, Oblivion won't have taken a break as well. His terror is still active within the hearts of Equestria's citizens. Princess Aurora is still missing, and we must lend our hooves to the search."

"Wait, didn't Oblivion say something about attacking the music festival?" Scatter asks, looking to the others who all nod in agreement.

"What he said," Agelian responds, remembering from when the demonic presence of the former unicorn king had possessed him, "was 'You're on your way to the Detrot City Music Festival. Be prepared for it to be more exciting than you ever could imagine. I hope you have a fun time.'"

"But nothing happened," Bri pipes up, her normally cheery voice filled with uncertainty and consternation. The other two echo the statement, noting that the festival went off without a hitch. Even Agelian nods, knowing that something seems off. Oblivion usually wouldn't make empty threats, especially ones on this grand of a scale. Did something happen that they're just unaware of? Something a lot more subtle? No, that can't be it. He said that it'd be more exciting than they could ever imagine. It has to be something big. But the festival is over, and nothing happened. This makes no sense.

As they ponder these thoughts, the sounds of exasperated gasps and shrieks of excitement begin to explode around them. At first they think nothing of it, at least not until they hear the sounds of a mare screaming out, "HELP! SOMEPONY HELP!" The ecstatic cries turn to confused murmurs, and turning, the four of them see a tearful, mortified looking DJ Pon-3 galloping in their direction. Looking in shock at the caterwauling mare, Agelian sees something all too familiar to him; fear. A shaking, horrifying fear encompasses the musician as she begs for somepony to help her, and not another second of thought goes through his head before the pegasus bursts from the ground, flying at top speed to meet her.

"What's wrong!?" he asks DJ Pon-3 as he lands directly in front of her, scaring the bejeezus out of the mare, "what happened!?"

After the initial shock subsides, the mare falls to a seated position and sobs hysterically for a moment. As the other three gallop up as well, she wails out, "It's Tavi! She's gone! Tavi's gone!"

Agelian looks to his friends in concern, then without even giving it a thought, hugs the mare to console her. She wraps her hooves around him and lets it all out, crying in miserable sorrow as a crowd begins to gather around them. For almost a half hour, she just continues to cry into the pegasus' shoulder. Eventually though, she is able to calm herself down. Thanking Agelian, she wipes the tears from her eyes as he asks her, "What happened, Miss Pon-3?"

"Vinyl," she corrects him as her heavy breathing begins to slow, "my real name is Vinyl Scratch. DJ Pon-3 is only a stage name. And I don't know what happened. After the performance, I went to meet her at her locker room. We were to go out for a drink, as we always do following a show. But when I got there, the door was broken in, her cello lay smashed on the floor, and the entire room was a mess. I tried searching for her, but couldn't find her anywhere. You have to help me, she's my best friend. I can't imagine what she's going through right now."

"We can," Agelian tells the mare, causing her to look up in shock and confusion, "we had been ponynapped by Oblivion not long ago. And if Octavia's suffered the same, then she's in real danger. Don't worry Miss Scratch, we'll help you find her. We just need to know more about what's going on. Was there any camera footage, or a ransom note of some sort?"

"Oh!" she cries out, having just remembered, "yes! There is a note!"

Reaching into the pocket of her stage outfit, Vinyl pulls out a folded piece of paper, which she gives to Agelian to take a look at. Unfolding it, he reads aloud, "Dreams, Faith, Energy, Love. Four traits that give hope to the naïve. You think that you can stop Oblivion? You say you can save the world? Here's the question, my little ponies. Can you save Octavia Melody? You'd better hurry, because the sale is about to happen, and it's on a piece by piece basis. With love, The Harad."

Over the course of the next hour, the five ponies comb Horse Field, asking ordinary ponies and celebrities alike if they've seen or heard anything about Octavia. They ask Rising Star, better known by his stage name Neon Lights, Kid Trot, Brave Grohl and the Hoof Fighters, and even Aviators. They scour the area, asking everypony they come across as well. However, to their chagrin, nopony seems to know anything. Taking a seat beside the giant hoof statue, they begin to wonder what to do now. Not a single lead from anypony, the letter doesn't give them even a slight hint, and the camera footage back at Horse Field has mysteriously been erased. Vinyl, on the verge of depression, lays there on the ground as tears begin to fill her eyes once more.

"Miss Scratch," Agelian suddenly speaks out, getting her attention, "maybe there's something we need to know about Octavia herself. Maybe the clue is in who she is. Can you tell us more about her?"

"Well, I can tell you about how we first met."

"Anything will help."

Breathing in, she begins to tell them the story she hadn't thought about in a long time. "We were both budding young musicians. She was this up and coming concert cellist in Canterlot, making a name for herself in the high class world of those fancy pants ponies up there. I was from Ponyville. I'd never been interested in the Canterlot life. My only love since fillyhood was music. I would use my allowance as a child to get the best albums from the music shop, and on my tenth birthday I was given a small turntable by my parents. I had no idea what it was, but when I put that record on there and scratched it for the first time, my world lit up. That's when I got my cutie mark. But even though I discovered my passion in life, I was lonely. I didn't have any friends. When I turned eighteen, my parents bought me tickets to an upcoming concert by Octavia Melody. I had begun to try and make a name for myself around Ponyville at this time as well. I had become friends with Pinkie Pie, and would perform at some of her parties, but something was still missing in my life."

"I didn't want to go to Tavi's concert back then. I wasn't a fan of classical music. But I didn't want to disappoint my parents, so I went anyways. When I saw her up on that stage, something clicked. I can't quite describe it. After the concert, she was signing autographs, and I wanted one. Unfortunately, the only thing I had with me was a flier for my next performance at the upcoming Summer Sun Celebration party in Ponyville. When I finally got up there, I handed her the flier. She looked it over and smiled, telling me that she'd be there. She didn't know that I wanted her to sign it. She thought I was inviting her. Yet I didn't care. She just told me that she'd be attending my performance."

Agelian and the others watch in keen interest and wonder as Vinyl continues, "When the night before the raising of the summer sun finally arrived, I was getting my turntable set up in the town square. That's when I saw her. Trotting up, she wore a beautiful hoof-woven scarf and a pair of purple glasses. I was nervous, and my performance probably suffered for it. But when it was all said and done, she came up to me and told me that it was "wonderful" and "lovely". I made a fool of myself, laughing nervously. But she just smiled and...and...she took off her glasses and gave them to me." The mare tears up as this memory floods through her mind, filling her with heavy emotion.

"We went our separate ways after that, and I began idolizing her. I'd go to her concerts, and I wore the glasses everywhere I went. They soon became part of my look, just as her bowtie was a part of hers. A couple of years later, the year that Ponyville was hosting the Summer Sun Celebration, I received a letter in the mail. It was from her. She wanted me to invite me to Canterlot's party for the celebration where she was performing, just as I had unwillingly invited her to my own performance. I took the next available train, and on the day before the celebration, met with her at the Wonderbolts Stadium. I got to see a show with her in the boxed seats, and we went to a fancy restaurant after. We began to talk about ourselves. I learned that her parents moved to Canterlot from Trottingham a couple years before she was born. And she picked up her accent from them. I found out that she too had a deep love and passion for music from fillyhood, and that she got her cutie mark the first time she strummed a cello."

Smiling, tears well up in her eyes as she continues, "After dinner, she told me that we should hang out more often, and we did. We became quick friends. I'll never forget what happened next. She asked me to open for one of her concerts, and I naturally agreed. We were signing autographs after, and some heckler began saying that her credibility was going down the drain, having somepony like me open for her. It hurt me, and I felt like crying. But she stood up, looked that stallion right in the face, and told him, "Perhaps we're not so different, she and I. Genre be damned. It's the music that drives us, the harmonies that bind us, the friendship that found us." She defended me in the most amazing way, like nopony had ever done for me before."

"My parents ended up kicking me out of the house not long after. They wanted me to go into a well paid, respected field such as becoming a doctor or lawyer. Though they had supported my love of music in the past, they wouldn't support me going after it as a career. I went to Canterlot, and to Tavi's home. I told her what had happened, and without a word she got up, walked over to a bedroom, opened the door, and ushered me in. She gave me a home when I had none. She cared for me more than anypony, and now she's gone. We have to find her, we just have to!"

Tears now cascading down the cheeks of Agelian and the others after listening to the amazing story, they wrap her in a hug and promise that they'll find Octavia no matter what it takes. After releasing her, they sit there and begin to think upon what they had heard, wondering if anything in there could possibly hint to where this "Harad" pony has taken her. That's when a thought comes to Scatter. Turning to the others, he tells them, "We've been asking the wrong question. What we need to know more about is The Harad himself! If we can learn something about him, then we can find out where he might have taken Octavia! Vinyl, do you know anything about who this pony is?"

"No, I don't. I've never heard the name before."

"Didn't think so," he quietly says, "I'm guessing that this is another Agent of Oblivion. I don't know too much about this city, but from my work with Babe Chenko, I do know of a Brotherhood member stationed here who might be able to help. His name is Ratchet, and he's supposedly got an encyclopedic knowledge about this city and it's citizens. I've never met him personally, but I bet you anything that he has the information we need. So let's go and find him, so we can find your friend, Vinyl."

Suddenly, a cool breeze flows into the Canterlot Castle as the Wonderbolts, Devlin, and Chupa fly in through the open window, returning from their most recent trek across Equestria. For the past few days they've been in search of the missing Princess Aurora, who had disappeared following everyone's return from the dungeon in the Badlands. It's obvious that she was ponynapped by the Agents of Oblivion, but as to where they were taken, one can only guess at this point. As the group lands, the wings on both Devlin and Chupa disappear, the twenty four hour limit having just run out. It seems they returned right on time. Unfortunately, their search had been in vain, and over these past few days, none of their searches have even given them an idea as to where the princess could be.

Stretching out, they stand there as the ground team trots up, having returned hours before them. Captain Everglade, Terra, and Meteor all look as solemn as the flight team, revealing to their friends that they hadn't gotten anywhere in their searches either. A deep sigh echoes around the room, and the two groups report their findings, or lack thereof, from their searches. Everglade notes that the ground team scoured the remains of the base in the Badlands, and while they didn't find anypony alive there, they were able to locate a sheet of parchment on which is scribbled an unknown spell.

"We brought it to the Arcane University," she tells them with another sigh, "unfortunately, not even the Arch Mage knew anything about it. He warned us against trying to cast it though, and took the parchment for research purposes."

Grunting loudly, Terra complains, "This is all THEIR fault! If they hadn't abandoned us and went to their silly little music festival, we probably would have had better luck in finding her majesty! I should've called out a cancellation on the entire festival!"

"That wouldn't have solved anything. Even with their help, it seems like this search would've remained a lost cause. Oblivion is smart, and I believe that after our infiltration into the Badlands base, he'll have made sure we will never find his new one," Meteor tells the former Captain, looking down at the ruby carpet covered stone floor beneath him. However, despite Meteor's words, Terra continues to show his disdain for those he once called his friends. His anger boils over, flooding out of him on the verge of exploding.

Suddenly, Wonderbolt Captain Scootaloo walks up with a smile and places a hoof on the stallion as she tells him, "Sometimes ponies need a break. Try to see it from their point of view, Terra. They've been under so much stress and pain lately. They've lost so much, and unlike you, they aren't used to all of this. After all these traumatizing experiences, they needed something to make them smile again. Something to raise their spirits and bring them out of the darkness that's been plaguing their lives."

Rubbing his temple, Terra drops the subject. He wants to understand their side, he really does. He wishes he could understand their need for this, but he just can't. It angers him to have seen his friends abandon him when he needed their help, yet for some reason, as he thinks about them, he can't stay angry. He misses them so much, and just wants them all to be ok. Bri, Star, Agelian, Scatter, and Dinky. Despite his anger, he wants them all to come back safely. He wants to apologize for the hurtful things he had said back then. For now though, he has to return his focus to Princess Aurora. That's the priority.

"So what's Plan B then?" he asks Captain Everglade.

Almost on the verge of tears, the Captain shakes her head and sorrowfully replies, "I...I don't know. I have no idea what to do now. This has never happened before."

"But what about sixteen years ago, when all the princesses disappeared suddenly?" Meteor asks.

"It was different, I wasn't Captain of the royal guard back then. I've never had to handle anything like this. I'm terrified. Who knows what they've done to the Princess."

Devlin goes up to the now crying mare and hugs her as he gently replies, "It's alright, let it out. I got a chance to really know Princess Aurora, and don't worry. She's stronger than even she knows. She'll survive. Besides, I doubt Oblivion wants her dead. If he did, he wouldn't have gone through all the trouble of ponynapping everypony just to cause a distraction so he could get to her. He needs her out of the way. If anything, it's a way to cause panic amongst the citizens of Equestria and throw us off of our game. We need to soldier on and do everything we can. Until we've expired all of our options, we cannot give up."

"Here here!" Brightwing Blitz of the Wonderbolts yells out, a few others echoing her, "besides, I've got an idea! I know somepony who's studied the events from sixteen years ago many times over. He's probably gone more in-depth with it than anypony else, and might know something more about this all. He could help us!"

"Who?" Everglade asks, wiping her tears away as she thanks Devlin for his helpful sentiment.

"My brother, Conan Royal."

The very sight of the high-end Detrot cafe before them surprises the five friends. It's beautiful, well kept, and a welcome sight after having passed an elderly, homeless stallion playing a saxophone for money only moments ago. It's so wonderful and awe-inspiring to see something like that in a city like this. However, confused by it all, Bri turns to Scatter and asks him, "Why would somepony from the Brotherhood be working at a cafe here in Detrot anways? It just seems a little weird, especially with someone from the Brotherhood."

Laughing, Scatter looks back at the cafe, and with a wide grin spreading across his face, replies, "Look at the sight before you. This dazzling, beautiful cafe rests in the middle of a city that's been plagued by thefts, murders, and so many other horrible crimes. Amongst all the pain and suffering that this city undergoes on a daily basis, this simple little building stands as a beacon of light in a dispiriting city of darkness. It's hope, Bri. This cafe is hope. Our Brotherhood is dedicated to bringing hope, peace, laughter, and happiness back to this broken world. That's why we're trying to find Pinkie Pie. This cafe is a sign of things to come, a glimpse into the future that we're trying to make into a reality. That's why Ratchet works here."

"Not to mention, it's got to be a great place to get some good information," Agelian suddenly adds, earning a narrow-eyed glance from Scatter and blank stares from all the others. Shrinking down, the pegasus returns to silence as the others return their gaze to the cafe resting in front of them.

They begin to trot in, entering through the open doors, when they are instantly greeted by this beautiful young mare acting as a server. Cheerfully and politely, she asks the five of them if she can escort them to a table. They smile at the kindness shown, and turning to the others for a moment, Scatter then nods and turning back to her says, "Why not?" So they follow her and soon reach a nice-sized table near the back of the restaurant, where they take their seats on the plush, comfortable chairs. All around them are beautiful, glossy, polished floors and tables, gorgeous decor, and the sight of friendly ponies and servers talking, laughing, and just having a good time. It's almost as if they were oblivious to the terror happening in Equestria right now.

Smiling, the young mare asks them if they'd like to begin with something to drink. After ordering, they thank her as she trots away. However, Agelian doesn't seem as keen to enjoying this time. More focused on the mission they're undergoing, he asks Scatter where this Ratchet guy is, telling them all that they have to save Octavia, and that they can't let her die like Dinky had.

A sorrowful sigh escapes Scatter at the reminder of Dinky's death, but he gestures to the front counter and tells them all, "Look right over there." Standing there, talking to one of the customers, is a stallion with a dark brown coat and lighter brown striped patterns on it. His mane is black, and although is messy in the front, bangs hanging down over his forehead, the back is braided quite intricately, apart from a small tuft right at the bottom of it. They notice that his tail is also braided, and also has a small bit hanging out at the end. He has grey eyes and a stern, but joyful expression on his face as he laughs along with what the customer is telling him.

"So then, how are we going to get him to come over here and talk to us?" Bri then asks, quieting down as she notices the server coming back. Setting their drinks down, the mare smiles kindly at them all and is about to head off when Scatter stops her. Thanking her for the lemonade, he points out Ratchet to her.

"Excuse me ma'am. I'm a good friend of Ratchet's, and I haven't seen him in a long time. Would it at all be possible to get him over here? I'd love to catch up with him again."

"Of course. I'll go tell him you're here," she replies with a smile.

As she then happily trots off, Scatter turns to Bri and the others with a cocky grin on his face, almost as if he were bragging about what he had done. Shaking their heads, they look over to where they had seen Ratchet. The server walks up to him and the two begin to talk. As she motions towards their table, they see the stallion glance suspiciously over at them and then begin to walk over.

As he closes the distance between himself and the table, they all notice his large, muscular frame. He almost has the appearance of a body builder, or some kind of athlete. He has a stern, speculative expression upon his face, and as he reaches them, he glances down with a raised eyebrow. For the next few moments, he just stares curiously at them all, glancing from pony to pony. That's when a sudden smile replaces his distrusting look, and with a burst of excitement, he shouts out, "DJ PON-3!"

Everypony in the cafe turns to look towards them, curious at the sound of the famous pony's name. Vinyl herself cracks up as Scatter looks down at the table in embarrassment. Smiling widely, the large stallion tries hard to keep himself from geeking out any further as he tells her, "It's such an honor to meet you! I'm a big fan! Saw your performance the other day, and it was amazing! Unfortunately I've had to work all day today, and wasn't able to catch the finale. I heard that you and Octavia Melody performed together for it. That would've been so awesome to see!"

"Listen Ratchet," Scatter grunts, irritated by how this has turned out, "we need to talk."

"No need to be so salty," the stallion laughs. However, his expression suddenly turns serious again as he adds, "what can I do for you? And how do you know who I am anyways?"

Without a second’s hesitation, Scatter swiftly rises from his seat, getting into Ratchet's face and staring him in the eye. The stallion once again raises an eyebrow as Scatter then proceeds to quietly and calmly ask him, "What is the meaning of life?"

Though all the others seem confused by the weird code used between the two, Ratchet simply smirks and replies, "Happiness, pure and simple. So, what does Babe want me to do then?"

"Actually, I'm the one who needs your help here. You see, Octavia's been ponynapped and we've agreed to do everything we can to help Vinyl here find her. Unfortunately though, the only clue we've been able to get so far is that the pony who's taken her is apparently called The Harad. We were hoping you could shed some light on who he is, and give us some information," Scatter says as he hands the ransom note to his fellow Brotherhood member.

Looking over the note, he brings a hoof to his mouth and begins to ponder everything for a moment, almost as if he were scanning through his "encyclopedic mind" for the specific information he needs. For a couple minutes, he just continues to stand there and mull over everything he's read in the letter, and what he was briefly told by Scatter. Then, with a smile, it comes to him suddenly. Looking back at them all, eyes focused on Vinyl, who appears hopeful but still sad over everything, he reveals everything he knows.

"Well, to be honest I don't know of anypony named The Harad, but that does sound a lot more like a code name anyways. I doubt anypony would name their child THE Harad. That being said, there IS somepony that I know quite a lot about actually with the surname of Harad, if that'll help."

"Any information will help. Please tell us what you can," Scatter replies in a thankful tone.

"Well, Bran Harad was a high-level business pony here in Detrot around two decades ago. He ran Horse Field, and even owned the Detrot Lions hoofball team. Later on in his career he ran for the office of Detrot Mayor, and won by a landslide. He seemed like the perfect politician. He was kind, charitable, involved, and did everything he could for the community. The city was seeing a lot of prosperity and seemed to be picking back up. However, everything changed right around sixteen years ago."

"Without warning, he stopped donating to charities and became a lot more secluded. It was soon discovered that he was embezzling money from the city to use for his own personal uses. However, most of the money's uses were never discovered. Because of this, he was booted from office, and was set to be tried and convicted. But before he could even stand trial, he mysteriously disappeared and hasn't been seen or heard from since."

"So he went bad and disappeared around the same time that all the princesses went missing, and all those horrible deaths occurred," Star suddenly notes, which prompts everypony else into a deep thought, "and the fact that he just vanished like that. We've already come to believe that Oblivion was behind those incidents sixteen years ago, and if this is true, then maybe Bran Harad could have been involved with it all. Maybe that's why he was stealing money from the city, and why the whereabouts of a lot of the money were never discovered. It may be a long shot, but could he be an Agent of Oblivion?"

"That would actually explain quite a lot," Agelian responds, "such as that message Oblivion told us before the festival began. If The Harad is indeed this former mayor, then we can assume that Octavia's ponynapping was what Oblivion told us about. He said that the festival would be more exciting than we could ever imagine, right? This has to be what he was talking about."

Nodding, Ratchet notes that he's been thinking that Bran Harad might have defected to Oblivion's side as well. He says that it would make perfect sense, and fit with all the pieces of the puzzle. However, before anypony else can begin to speak on the subject, a huge explosion suddenly rings out through the city. A large shockwave hits the diner, knocking many ponies off their hooves and out of their seats. Dishes fall to the floor and shatter, and cries of shock and confusion echo around the building.

The five ponies seated in their chairs leap to their hooves, and alongside Ratchet, rush quickly to the front door. As they exit the building, they look around in confusion and notice a giant plume of black smoke rising above the buildings in the direction of Horse Field. Screams resonate all around them and without a thought, the ponies run off to find out what happened.

Hastily running up to Horse Field, the six ponies look upon the terrible sight before them in shock. The entirety of the massive stadium is engulfed in blazing flames. The building itself crumbles to pieces, stone and metal falling to the ground below as the black smoke billows up into the sky above. All around them are ponies running around frantically in fear, attempting to escape the danger of the scene. That's when one stallion running by stops and sees them just standing there, unsure of how to react at this point, or what to do in general.

"What are you doing!? Horse Field just exploded, you've got to get out of here! There might be another bomb!" the stallion yells to them. They look over, but only for a moment as the loud crashing of the large neon sign falling to the ground brings their attention back to the destruction. The stallion runs past them as ponies continue to panic and run about without any real aim or goal other than to escape the mortifying situation.

At that moment, a voice rings out as clear as day amongst the sounds of the ensuing chaos. Even rising above the volume of the destruction and screaming ponies by a large scale, a deep male voice echoes loudly throughout the city as it's owner yells to the six ponies standing there, "Welcome to the show, my little ponies!"

They look around them in confusion, but are unable to find the source of the voice. However, suddenly rising out of the stadium, cloaked in black with glowing red eyes showing beneath his hood, they see a stallion who they can only assume is The Harad. Cackling evilly, the cloaked pony rises above the burning stadium and then motions with one hoof to the stadium. Another bomb explodes in Horse Field, shooting the already broken up debris outward at the city. A support beam shoots through the air at an inexplicable speed, and as it comes down, the end flies right into an unexpecting mother. As she tries to help her child escape, the beam shoots right into her body, impaling her upon impact.

Covered in his mother's blood, the young colt looks in shock and screams out at the top of his lungs. Tears cascade down his eyes as he shakes his mothers lifeless body, yelling for her to wake up and be alright. Turning from the sight, Vinyl throws up on the rubble covered street, horrible thoughts swimming through her head about how horrific it'd be to find Octavia having suffered a similar fate. The explosion sends one of the letters from the Horse Field sign out, slamming partially into a stallion. As the sign continues to fly onward, it takes half of the stallion's body with it, leaving the rest to fall to the ground with blood and innards pouring out.

Everywhere they look, ponies are dying from the explosion and spreading of debris. A cart that was near the field crushes a mare and her coltfriend as they try to escape. A small child trips on some of the rubble, and is proceeded to be trampled by an oncoming group of ponies running away. The body count rises and rises as the paralyzing horror builds within the six friends’ hearts. They can't believe what they're seeing. This is ghastly, horrifying, blood-curdling! It's the scariest thing they've ever witnessed, and there's nothing they can do to stop it.

"Fortunately for you all," The Harad suddenly yells out, regaining their attention as he just somehow floats there in midair, "you've made it just in time for the grand finale! It would've been so sad if you weren't able to see this. Let the party commence!"

The Harad raises his hooves upward. His eyes glow brightly and he begins to chant something just loud enough for them to hear but not actually understand. Unanticipatedly, ponies begin to appear in mid-air. Average sized with coats of varying color, but all stained with blood. Their eyes are as blank as an empty canvas, and fangs protrude from their mouths. All of them have these demonic looking wings and points at the ends of their thin, hairless tails. It's clear that these ponies are not your everyday inhabitants of Equestria. It's confirmed as The Harad orders them to attack, referring to them as Hellions.

Shrill screeches, louder than anything else going on, begin to come from the throats of the Helliions as they suddenly begin to divebomb the city. Agelian watches the horrible sight with widened eyes as the creatures fly into the streets, indiscriminately murdering the Detrot citizens with extreme prejudice. Above them all, The Harad laughs maniacally at the sight and makes hoof movements as if conducting an orchestra. Not far away, Agelian notices a mare running from one of the monstrous ponies. She has an off-grey coat and a dark blonde mane. Though not quite the same, she shares similarities with Dinky. The Hellion catches up to her and with one quick flick of it's tail, decapitates her.

The head of the mare flies towards Agelian, falling right in front of his hooves. Her blank eyes stare straight up at him, and something in his brain finally snaps. Screaming out in a mixture of rage and sorrow, he bolts off into the air. As he goes at top speed, he rushes The Harad with everything he has. He didn't know that mare, or any of the victims. However, he still wishes to make sure their deaths aren't in vain. He has faith that he will do their memories proud and stop The Harad and his act of terror. As he does this, the other five ponies begin to attack the Hellion army, trying to stop them from attacking and killing innocent ponies by fighting them off with everything they've got.

Smirking as Agelian speeds up, The Harad swats the emotionally distraught pegasus away with ease, sending him flying in the opposite direction. He notices that the others have begun attacking his army, and laughs frenziedly. He opens his mouth widely and, as Agelian gets his composure back, shoots a jet-black stream of flames out at the ponies. Watching in horror, Agelian's heart drops as the flames hit Star head on, sending her into the brick wall of a nearby building while burning her dark blue coat.

Angrier than before, a furious scream escapes Agelian's throat as he once more blitzes the cloaked pony. This time he is able to connect with his attack, ramming right into the distracted villain. He maliciously tears at The Harad, ripping his cloak right from his body and revealing his true form. A dark red coat with wild orange hair. He's a pegasus, though he isn't flapping his wings as he just levitates there. A psychotic expression rests upon his face as he grins at his attacker. However, the force of the attack manages to knock The Harad to the ground, where Agelian pins him down and begins to brutally attack him with unyielding punches and even biting. The ferocity of his attacks only grow with each passing second.

Vinyl and the others, who have succeeded in taking down a good number of the Hellions, notice the merciless attack and run over to stop him. Star, recovering from the flames that The Harad had spit at her, comes as well as they all work to pull the enraged pegasus off of the Agent of Oblivion. They don't want him to act like this, to show himself to be no better than the enemy. They manage to get him off right as Star walks up. Seeing that she's fine, Agelian breaths a sigh of relief and calms down a bit. However, Vinyl then switches places with him, storming up to the downed Harad and yelling out, "Where's Tavi!? What have you done to her!?"

"You poor naïve little pony, Octavia's exactly where she has been this entire time," he laughs, baring his fangs with a wide eyed grin, "back in Horse Field, the basement level to be precise. I never took her out."

Without a seconds hesitation, Agelian turns to everypony else and yells, "GO! Go now and save her! I'll take care of this one, you just go and find Octavia before it's too late!" The others all nod in agreement, and along with Vinyl and Ratchet, Star, Bri, and Scatter rush towards the continuously burning building. As they approach, they find the only available entrance blocked by the remaining fallen letters of the sign. Conjuring up her magic, Vinyl throws the letters to the side to unveil a tight space through which they can enter the building.

Forcing their way inside, they find themselves standing amongst the ruins of the once great arena. Flames lick at their bodies as they begin to search around. While there over these past few days, they had no need to enter the basement level. They were on the ground level the entire time. Ratchet soon locates a staircase going downward, and calls out to everypony else. As they all run up, Vinyl screams out Octavia's name and leads the charge down to the basement level. Burning rubble falls all around them, however, Vinyl summons up her magic once again to create a protective shield around them all. The rubble falls atop the shield, but doesn't break through as they soon reach the lowest level of the stadium.

Within little time, they step out into the nearly destroyed basement level and begin to thoroughly search the entirety of it. Rooms upon rooms, all of those they can access and with the help of their strength and magic, even the ones normally inaccessible due to this horrible destruction. Bursting through doors and even into the open arena portion of Horse Field where the seats and previously set up concert stage are sitting. However, through none of this they are able to find Octavia.

Suddenly, as all hope seems lost, a loud scream echoes around them. Star, Bri, Scatter, and Ratchet run to where the sound came from to find Vinyl standing by where an exit door once stood. Now it's covered in the fallen pieces of the building. Underneath some of the rubble is Octavia, unconscious and unmoving. Frantically, the terrified mare begins to throw pieces of the destruction off of her friend. However, she finds it too hard, especially with her magic being worn out. Running to her aid, the others begin to help move the rubble as well, and soon, they uncover the mare and pull her from the wreckage.

"WAKE UP TAVI!" Vinyl yells out with bitter tears flooding her eyes as she cradles Octavia in her hooves. Untying her body, she begins to violently shake her as she sobs hysterically. For a minute or two, Octavia remains still and lifeless, but soon enough, her eyes begin to flutter open, and her body moves slightly in Vinyl's grasp. Looking down in joyous shock, she smiles as she watches her friend’s consciousness return to her. Overwhelming elation overcomes her and she hugs her friend as hard as she possibly can.

Looking around in confusion, Octavia rubs her throbbing head and asks, "Vinyl? What happened, where are we? Are you alright?"

For the next few minutes, Vinyl and the others explain what happened. How The Harad had ponynapped Octavia from her dressing room and hidden her down here. How Vinyl freaked out and went looking for help, and how the four friends from Ponyville helped her find and rescue her best friend. The entire story seems to be a bit much for the mare, but she listens intently as Vinyl continues to shower her with affection.

"Thank you all," Octavia tells them, looking around. She then turns to Vinyl, and adds, "and thank you for working so hard for me." Suddenly, Vinyl and Octavia's lips meet, and for a moment, they share a passionate, beautiful kiss, not as friends, but something more. As they finish, however, Octavia passes out once again from the pain after having been covered in all that fallen rubble. Levitating her onto her back, Vinyl leads the charge once again, telling the others that they have to quickly get out of there for Octavia's sake.

Running back to the staircase, they quickly ascend to ground level again and through the continuously falling building. They dodge the falling debris of the stadium and eventually force their way to the outside again. As they run out the same door they had entered through, Vinyl raises her glasses to her forehead because of the dust and smoke clouding her vision in them. Marching forth and away from the arena, she finds a safe place away from the ruins of Horse Field and places her friend down. The others follow behind and watch with smiles as Vinyl plants another kiss on her unconscious lover.

A scream and explosion ring out, turning their attention to the ongoing battle in the air. Agelian and The Harad fly around at their top speeds, attacking each other and exchanging heavy blows. Both of them are bruised and bloodied from the violent battle they've been undergoing since the others had ran into the arena. Seeing the sight of his friends out of the corner of his eye, Agelian looks down to see them all safe and sound. He then turns back to his opponent and demands to know, "Why did you reveal where Octavia was so quickly and easily!?"

"Because, my dear Faith, it wasn't important in the slightest. Whether she lived or died, it didn't matter to me, or to the Master. It was just a mere distraction. Funny, it seems like you and your friends have been falling for a lot of those lately."

"Distraction!? For what!? You've already got Princess Aurora, what more could you want!?"

A disturbing laugh comes from The Harad as he floats there with the same wide-eyed grin on his face and replies, "I guess there's no harm in telling you. It's not like there's anything you or any of your dumb little pony friends can do to stop us now anyways. Let's just say we needed all of you out of the way. We've found the remaining Elements of Harmony, and because of these distractions, we were able to secure them."

Surprised by this sudden news, Agelian lowers his guard for a moment, allowing his opponent to land another heavy blow into him. The force of the brutal attack sends the pegasus crashing down to the ground. As he lands, he looks up angrily. His friends come to help him and look at The Harad as well. Without warning, the Hellions who had been attacking the city disappear. As they all vanish into thin air, The Harad does the same. The fireponies finally arrive and begin to put out the flames covering the ruins of Horse Field. The survivors of the attack gather near the Lobo Center, and the seven ponies remain by what's left of the stadium as Octavia awakens once again.

Agelian begins to tell everypony what The Harad had told him regarding the Elements of Harmony. Fear sweeps over them all, but Bri tells them to focus on the here and now, and that they'll worry about everything else when they return home and re-allign with the others. Vinyl and Octavia walk up, and take a quick moment to look around. They then look into each others eyes with smiles spreading across their faces and tears welling up.

"Thank you oh so much for helping Vinyl and me," Octavia tells them all, "I probably wouldn't have made it if it wasn't for all of you. We can't show our gratitude enough for what you did."

"You were all absolutely wub-tastic! If you ever need our help, with anything, feel free to send a letter! We'll do whatever we can to help ya!"

Sighing, Agelian looks down at the ground beneath his hooves, then to the destroyed city around him as he says, "Unfortunately, that might be sooner than we'd want."

Episode 21 Preview

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"I'm not like anyone else, ‘cause they just wanna hurt me, stop me, and torture me. But that's alright. Cause I know who I am, but still no one believe me."

"I will defend your sanity, your dignity, your honor."

S01 E21 - The Element of Honor

As the dark shadows of the pegasi fly high above him, situating the heavy clouds to bring forth the oncoming storm, moving along the cobblestones of Ponyville East Street Market, Terra sits silently against the wall of the First National Bank of Ponyville. A sigh escapes him as he watches the citizens running about their business, his mind filled with thoughts of the events that have been plaguing the once peaceful Equestria as of late. It's funny to him. It seems almost like it was just yesterday that he was serving as Captain of the Elite Royal Guard, leading the squadrons of soldiers on dutiful missions to protect their land against any and all threats that would arise. That one specific day still echoes deep in his mind, a memory bringing both the positive and negative along with it in equal measure. A memory of when the world he knew once upon a time began it's descent into darkness.

He had been serving his country, per usual. While things were a little slow, he had been assigned the task of training up some of the newer recruits alongside the then Commander Everglade and Lieutenant Meteor Spark. Everything seemed so normal and unexciting. Then, Princess Aurora galloped into the training field, almost knocking over some of the obstacle course barrels. She told him that something was about to happen, that her advanced Alicorn magic had alerted her to an oncoming threat. Though unknowing of exactly what was to come, she told him that it was probably the threat prophesied, and that the six destined heroes had to be brought together. He didn't quite understand. What destined heroes? What prophecy? He didn't dare question it however, and agreed to do his best to help.

Surprising to him, even the princess wasn't quite sure who the six destined heroes were. So she had sent him to Ponyville to meet with somepony who she knew would know a lot more. A stallion of great knowledge, it seemed like Conan Royal was the perfect pony to see regarding this matter. He arrived at the Wordsmith's house and asked him about the six destined heroes who were said to stop an evil the likes of which the world has never faced before. Luckily, Conan had heard the legend, and had a copy of the original prophecy, including the illustrations made by Madame Esaria, who had been the one to create the prophecy. They looked over the illustration, and Conan was able to identify who the six ponies in it were.

The first was Terra himself. Thanks to Conan, he was able to locate three of the others. Devlin was the easiest to find, as he was helping prepare for the oncoming arrival of famous stage actor Sevulva Star. When he explained the situation to the other stallion, Devlin was instantly ready to help. The next pony to find was the youngest of the destined heroes, whom Conan identified as Chupa Cabra, the young and unexpected gardner. They began by going to the Ponyville Greenhouse, but had no luck finding her there. Fortuitously for him, Devlin knew the young filly, as he had helped her and her sister out in the past. They ended up finding Chupa back at her house. Unlike Devlin, however, it wasn't as easy to get her on their side. For one, there was her elder sister Chamomile, who refused at first to let her go. However, Chupa herself was also wary of this. Two random stallions show up at her door and tell her that she's some hero prophesied from long ago to save the world from darkness? Even he understands how crazy it had sounded. That's when it happened.

Screams began to explode into being. Ponies all around town were running in every direction, absolute terror etched upon their faces. And the sky, how mortifying a sight! Black stars popping up one by one in rapid succession. Covering the entirety of the country in darkness. It's as if all the light in the world was suddenly extinguished in one fell swoop. It's at that moment that Chupa believed their story, and agreed to help. Chamomile wouldn't have it though, and insisted that now that she knew they were telling the truth, she couldn't just let her little sister out into all of this. But Chupa convinced her. The words that came from her mouth, the way she spoke. She was no ordinary little filly. It wasn't until much later that he learned she was a classified genius and child prodigy.

Now they just had to find the rest. Suddenly, however, they received a summons from Princess Aurora. She wanted Terra to return to Canterlot, and bring along with him everypony who he had already gathered. Though only having half of the destined heroes, he obeyed his order and brought both Devlin and Chupa back with him to the castle. Upon arrival they learned more about the prophecy. It dated back to before the birth of the Celestial sisters. That the dark stars weren't just a coincidence, and that Sevulva Star was somehow connected to all of this. So over the next couple of days, she had them research into this and try to find out what they could, the entirety of the Royal Canterlot Archives and Library at their disposal. Unfortunately, they couldn't find anything.

The dark stars became worse, and so the princess had to act and protect her land. She sent the three ponies back to Ponyville to confront Sevulva Star and find out what he knows. Taking the train, they quickly came to the small town and began to look for information regarding where Sevulva might be. They managed to come upon another stallion, however, and his fiancée. A top-notch flyer, Agelian Wingblade, and Dinky Hooves were trying to escape everything that was happening. But Terra recognized the Pegasus. He matched the appearance of one of the destined ponies. So the three of them went to him and asked for his help. He agreed to do so, and asked Dinky to return home and wait for him.

At that time the streets were practically deserted. Everyone was so scared that they didn't dare go outside. Business were closed and a cold, eerie wind blew throughout the streets. The question remained though. Where was Sevulva Star? They went back to visit Conan again, but not even he had this information. Their only resort was to search the hotels, and so they did. Eventually they came upon the Hay & Stay Hotel, not far from Sugarcube Corner. They went in and interrogated the timid concierge at the counter. When they demanded to know about Sevulva, they were surprised to hear that two others had come in about the same thing. They got the location of the room and heard what was going on. They burst in to save the other two, and instantly Terra knew that they were the remaining prophesied ones.

That's when Sevulva harnessed the power of the dark stars, blew up the hotel, and fled. They were formally introduced to each other by Princess Aurora, who had seemingly come out of nowhere, and agreed to do all they could to fight this threat as it presented itself. That was so long ago now, yet it seems otherwise. Since then so much more has happened, and just recently, it's escalated to a horrible new height. The others had returned from Detrot and told him, Chupa, and Devlin how Dinky had died and everything that happened following the festival. The Harad, another of the Agents of Oblivion, had arrived. And now they've located the remaining Elements of Harmony. On top of it all, they then had to go to the home of Derpy Hooves and give her the bad news. The bright smile and beautiful eyes of the kindly mare as she answered the door made it all the harder. And the way she broke when they told her the news. How her smile remained on her face for just a moment, but her eyes had widened in mortified sorrow. The gaze of someone who has lost that which was most precious to her. The way she slammed the door in their face and the sounds of hysteric crying coming from within afterwards. Agelian was hurt the most out of them, and flew off after that. It's been so hard for everypony, and now it just seems like fate is killing them slowly and methodically. One by one with dreadful precision, almost like Psycho Joe's murders.

"Mr. Lionmane!"

The voice seems to break him out of his depressive daze. Those memories will never leave him, but for now, he can at least focus on something else. Trotting up at a steady speed is Officer Siren Sweeper of the Ponyville Police Force. Though the town has never had any soldiers stationed there, these cops have given their all to protect it anyways. He can respect them for that, and especially Siren Sweeper, the star officer of the force. He remembers the last time they worked together, and how things went from there. Hopefully she doesn't need him for anything of that sort this time.

"Mr. Lionmane, thank Aurora I found you," she says, trying to catch her breath after having searched the entire town for him, "I need to consult with you on a certain matter."

"What's the problem?"

"We just stopped an attempted suicide on the other side of town. A mare named Screwball wrote out a note then tried to slit her own throat. Luckily her friend had been worried about her and called the cops to check in on her. We got there right on time and were able to stop the act. We really could use your assistance here. We currently have her held at the station and under watch."

"Of course I'll help. Bring me to her."

As he follows the stoic Officer Siren Sweeper into a surprisingly small Ponyville Police Station, Terra takes a quick look around. Despite being the head of the Ponyville Militant Task Force since Trixie Lulamoon's unfortunate death, as well as working with the police on a couple of occasions, he has not once visited the station in the past. Though now that he has, he can see why the town was in need of a task force in the first place. There's got to be no more than eleven, maybe twelve, ponies around the inside of the building, and none of them seem like they even care about what they're there to do. Instead they just sit around eating, reading, laughing and chatting with one another, or even playing games. It's as if Siren is the only member of the force actually taking her job seriously. It honestly angers him to see this, but right now he has to focus.

They pass through the short hallway, Terra glancing around at the pitiful sight before him, and soon reach an enclosed room at the back of the station. Not a single window lines the walls of the room, and the door itself is clearly made of a thick, durable steel. It's the most impressive, and probably most expensive, part of the entire station. The officer pulls out her key ring and quickly unlocks the steel door, then closes it behind them and relocks it after they walk into the room. The room seems to be a combination security and interrogation room. A table with monitors shows the entirety of the station, which is honestly very little. A tough looking stallion sits behind it and nods to Officer Siren Sweeper as they come in. In front of him, and behind the security set-up, is a large glass window, on the other side of which Terra can see the pony in question.

Right beside the window is another large steel door, this one leading into the interrogation chamber. The window is obviously a two-way mirror, so Screwball doesn't even know they're there right now. But they can see her, and the more he looks, the sadder Terra feels for her. Turning from the sorrowful mare to Siren Sweeper again, the stallion gives her an expression of understanding heartache. He too has felt anguish in the past, everypony has at least once in their lives. He knows all too well how painful it can be, and how suicide can seem like a viable option. But he knows it isn't the answer, and that all Screwball needs right now is somepony to be there for her.

He gives a slight nod to Siren Sweeper, who opens up the large door to the interrogation chamber, at which point the stallion breathes in heavily and walks in alone to confront the young mare. The door closes and locks behind him, but he knows that the other two are watching. It gives him a sense of ease, though he doubts Screwball will be violent or anything. As he trots up, she raises her head to look at the newcomer. Bitter tears flow from her eyes as she sits there, dwelling in her melancholy. Dark bags make their nest beneath her entrancing purple eyes, and her mouth hangs slightly ajar. Her mane, a beautiful white and purple, is disheveled and unkempt, and it seems that with each passing second, she nods off more and more.

It's clear that she's been without sleep, though for how long is unclear. She probably hasn't been thinking clearly, and it might be why she attempted suicide. He has to approach this with care and caution. He doesn't want to set her off or upset her even more. It'd be harder to help that way. Luckily for him, Officer Sweeper had given him some information on Screwball during their walk to the station. She's apparently been alone for a long time now, no family to speak of. Not many know her either, so she probably doesn't have very many friends. On top of it all, her name isn't even registered in the work registry, so she's also without a job. Who knows what she's been undergoing.

"Hello Miss Screwball," Terra kindly says as he takes a seat directly across from the mare. He smiles gently at her, showing her that he's there in peace and just wants to talk. She narrows her eyes at him, or maybe is just falling asleep again. Either way, the stallion sighs and continues, "I'm here to help you, but I need to know more. May I ask you about why you tried to do what you did earlier?"

Turning her head away from the stallion, she refuses to talk and just continues to silently cry to herself. It's as if she were trying to hide her emotions from him. Something is bothering her, and to a terrifying degree. He's been around enough ponies, and taken part in enough interrogations to know that much. It seems as if it's not that she just doesn't want to talk. Whatever she's hiding is so horrible to her that she can't seem to find the strength to let it out. He has to continue to be patient, otherwise he won't be able to get her to tell him anything. Without a word, he gets to his hooves and walks around the table. As he approaches Screwball, she turns her head the other way, consciously trying to avoid him. Not a word passes betwixt them, but the silence is broken anyways as a sudden gasp seems to explode from Screwball's mouth. Without warning, the stallion had reached forth and grabbed a hold of her, pulling her into a comforting, and loving, hug.

Who in the hay is this stallion and why is he doing this? What could somepony like him possibly have to gain from being kind to her? Why would he be helping her? Nopony would ever do anything like this without some kind of ulterior motives. These thoughts and more bolt around the young Earth pony's head as she sits there in this strange, unknown pony's embrace. However, as he continues to hold her, all of the pain and distrust seems to fade from her heart, replaced by the feeling of thankfulness. Just the fact that somepony actually seems to care about her for once, even if it is just a ploy, feels so good. Her tears erupt harder from her eyes and she decides to just give in. She cries hysterically and buries her face into Terra's coat, releasing all of her pent up sorrow and pain in one explosive lament. And in response, he holds her close to him and gently pats the back of her head in a consoling fashion. They remain like that for minutes on end, though it seems like much longer, and as they finally relinquish their hold upon each other, Screwball shyly thanks Terra.

"It was no problem at all. As I said, I'm here to help you, but you need to tell me more. I can't help you if you don't let me in."

"Yeah, you're right I guess," she replies, wiping her tears away as the stallion returns to his seat across from her, "I'll talk."

"Tell me then, Miss Screwball, why did you try to commit suicide? What's hurting you?"

"It's my mother, Screwy. Around sixteen years ago now she was falsely accused of...murder. During the course of the trial, she had been framed so badly that it was clear she wouldn't make it out. So her lawyer convinced her to make an insanity plea. She was sentenced to three years at the Ponyville Mental Hospital for rehabilitation therapy, with possibility of an early release if her mental state could be proven to be in a good state. It seemed like it would all be handled before long."

"So what happened then?" Terra asks, intently staring at her as he closely listens to every words she speaks.

"After the first couple of years, my father just left. He didn't want to wait for her to be released, and just walked out. I was only eight at the time, so I was forced to live in the orphanage. I had no other family. I didn't really know back then what had happened to my mother. All I know is that she had to go away for a long time. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to remain blissfully ignorant, awaiting her return.

“The other ponies at the orphanage were horrible to me. Not only the other fillies and colts, but the workers too. I was treated horribly and oftentimes would be beaten for no reason at all, other than the workers just being drunk and angry. At one point, one of the workers flaunted over me how my mother was crazy and put into the 'funny-farm'. I had no idea what she was talking about, but I soon found out. I was mortified, especially because I was led to believe that my mother really was insane. I had to know more. When I finally left the orphanage, I tracked down my father. He was a horrible shell of his former self, but he told me everything I wanted to know, even who the real killer that my mother was framed by was."

"Who was the real murderer then?"

"His name was Archer Cane," Screwball quietly replies, seemingly disgusted at the mere act of mentioning his name. Surprised, Terra contemplated this information. He's heard of Archer Cane before. He was a well respected member of Canterlot society, and ran the business that Vale Kaid once worked at. If this is true, if Archer Cane was a murderer who framed Screwball's mother, then could he be behind Vale Kaid becoming the serial killer Psycho Joe? Shaking his head, Terra decides to focus on the case at hand right now, and asks the mare to continue.

"I wasn't able to track down Archer, but at this point, something else caught my attention. I now knew that my mother was only supposed to be in the mental hospital for three years. So why hadn't she come back to get me? It's been ten years since she was taken there. So I decided to check at the hospital. The head doctor, a stallion by the name of Doctor Strangehooves, brought me to see my mother. It was horrible. She was barking and acting like a dog. I didn't understand. She did seem like she really was crazy. So I left, but as I did, I happened to see something out of the corner of my eye. Another doctor injected my mother with something, and it caused her to have a seizure. Nopony seemed to care, and so I ran away as fast as I could.

“I've been back a few times since then to check in on her, but it's always the same. Something isn't right there, and I think that somehow the doctors are causing her insanity. Just this morning, I went back to check on her again. I wanted to also try and get some evidence of what the doctors were doing to her. My camera was confiscated for security purposes, and in the end, I saw the most horrible thing. A doctor was injecting her with something right as Strangehooves and I came in. She let out a terrible, blood-curdling scream like I've never heard. I can't even imagine the pain she must have been in. The doctors told me that she was acting uncontrollably and attacking, so that they had to calm her down. No, they were torturing her. I know it.

“I just couldn't take it anymore. There was nothing I could do. The police wouldn't believe me without some kind of evidence, and who else would believe an orphaned daughter of a mental patient? I didn't want to live in a rotten world where this kind of stuff happened. I couldn't live knowing how my mom was being treated. So I tried to end my misery. They were giving my mom experimental drugs, and were forcing her into a submissive and mentally unstable state. I know they're why she's like this nowadays. Please, help my mommy! Please, save her!"

Putting a hoof to his mouth, Terra tries hard to hold back his own tears as he watches the mare before him cry in absolute sorrow and hopelessness. If all she's said is true, then this is definitely something he has to look into. Being falsely accused of murder, then forced into becoming insane by corrupt doctors. He can't even begin to understand the amount of pain this has been causing her, or how bad it's been for Screwball to know her mother's like this. Who would he be if he didn't help out this young mare begging for it? He has too much honor for that, and he will save Screwy, no matter what it takes. Getting up, he goes over and embraces the crying mare once again, whispering in her ear, "Don't worry, I'll save your mother."

The Ponyville Mental Institution was erected thirty six years ago after mass murderer Trillion Knives claimed insanity in his trial. He scored a deal to be institutionalized in his hometown of Ponyville. Unfortunately, he had to stay at the Ponyville General Hospital. The doctors there didn't quite know how to handle a mental patient, and it resulted in the untimely deaths of three nurses, five patients, and one of the doctors. It was then that Princess Celestia and Mayor Mare decided to build a specialized institution specifically for those of mental instability. Within a year, the mental hospital was up and running. Patients from all over Equestria were sent there to receive treatment, and everything seemed to be going good. Then, the Incident of 5089 happened.

A patient managed to escape the facility and run to the mayor's office. He then pleaded with Mayor Mare to save him, insisting that the doctors at the facility were performing experiments on the patients. A few citizens heard these claims, and soon they spread like wildfire. Mayor Mare had no choice but to begin an investigation into things. She got a top notch investigative team from Canterlot to come in and check the facility out. They found nothing. The escaped patient was returned to the facility. He died only days later. The doctors claimed that he broke into the facility's drugs and overdosed. The town's citizens were divided, however. Some believed the doctors, but others believed the stories the patient had spoke of days before. Nopony knows for sure what truly happened, but ever since there have been rumors and distrust floating around concerning the institution.

Now, ten years following that last incident, it seems that rumors have begun to surface again. Screwball claims that her mother was falsely accused of murder and was put into the facility due to a last minute insanity plea. What was supposed to be three years has already turned into sixteen, and it seems that although Screwball claims her mother was never insane, the doctors have found reason to keep her there. Trotting along the street, Terra thinks about everything he's heard today and what he's going to do now. He promised her that he was going to save her mother, but what if she really is crazy? What if Screwy needs the care and attention she can only get at the facility? Then again, what if she's not?

All these questions and scenarios pop to life in his head, but no matter what's to happen, he at least has to check this out for himself. It would be dishonorable to both Screwball and himself to turn his back on the terrified and depressed mare. Even if it doesn't turn out the way he would want, he has to go there and see Screwy for himself. However, he still questions this. Is this the right thing to do at such a sensitive time in Equestria? With The Harad's attack on Detrot and the news that the Agents have found the remaining Elements of Harmony, it seems that Oblivion is getting closer to victory while Terra and his friends, the so-called destined heroes, have gotten nowhere. They weren't even able to find the kidnapped Princess Aurora. Taking time away from missions such as those to help a mare rescue her possibly falsely institutionalized mother, is it truly something to focus on?

"NO!" the stallion shouts aloud to himself, breaking away from the negative and unsure thoughts he had been struggling with, "I can't give in to this! I have to help Screwball no matter what! She's depending on me!"

Ponies around him have stopped to stare, surprised and confused by the sudden outburst from the former soldier. Seeing their judgmental gazes, Terra grows red and continues to trot along the street, ignoring the muffled chatter from everypony. He has to focus, get it together. Moving along, he thinks back to how Screwball acted and reacted while they were in the interrogation chamber. Her tears were real, that much is obvious. She definitely believes what she told him, but did she tell him the whole story? There probably could have been more to squeeze out of her, but with the condition she was in, he had decided it best to not push her too hard. Even if there is something more to this, he can figure all that out later.

Reaching the facility at the north end of town, Terra breathes in and continues forth, ready to confront the doctors and see Screwy for himself. The property appears to be well kept and actually, quite beautiful. Lush green grass surround the building. Hedges, fountains, benches and more. Even a large statue of the now five missing princesses of Equestria. The building itself is quite large and well designed. It's hard for him to believe that anything bad could happen in such a wondrous place as this.

As he continues towards the door, he sees a doctor rolling one of the patients out in a wheelchair to get some fresh air and enjoy the beautiful day. It seems perfect, but almost too much so. An eerie feeling suddenly brushes over the stallion as he reaches the front door, grabbing the handle to go in. It's as if an unseen force is trying to tell him not to enter. Like something bad is going to happen if he does. But that's just silly. It's got to be his imagination, nothing more. So opening the door, Terra walks into the hospital. The inside of the building is as impressive as the out. Clean, shimmering floors, high quality furniture, pictures of beautiful landscapes, and friendly looking staff walking about the place. Yet for some reason, that unsure feeling remains within his mind. He knows that something isn't right here, but what?

"Excuse me, may I please see Doctor Strangehooves? I need to ask him about a patient of his," he asks the stallion seated at the front counter. Looking up from the copy of the Equestria Daily he was reading, a sigh escapes the young pony. Turning on the intercom, he speaks into it, asking for the doctor to come to the front counter. The sound of his voice echoes throughout the hospital for a minute, then quickly dissipates. The stallion then tells Terra to take a seat, and that Doctor Strangehooves will be here shortly.

Doing as he's told, Terra goes over to the waiting area and takes a seat on one of the plush chairs. It takes a few boring, quiet minutes, but soon a stallion in a doctor's coat walks up to the front counter and begins to consult with the pony behind it. A faded green coat and neat, shiny black mane, the doctor stands out for some reason, and once more, the precarious feeling sends a slight shiver down his spine. This is the head doctor that Screwball had been talking about, the one who showed her to her mother. There's no doubt about it. Turning, the doctor suddenly begins to walk over, and with a smile, greets Terra.

"Welcome to the hospital, sir. I'm Doctor Strangehooves. I heard you were wanting to discuss one of my patients with me?"

"Yes," Terra replies, getting to his hooves to meet the doctor on eye level, "her name is Screwy. I've recently talked to her daughter, Screwball, and I just wanted to check in on her mother for her. If that would be possible."

Eyes narrowing, the doctor nods and in a completely different tone than before, replies, "Yes, I can show you to her. I assure you though, sir, that everything is going well with Miss Screwy. Her treatment is going well, and we expect her to be out of here within a year. Miss Screwball has spoken to us as well, and seems to believe otherwise for some reason. She's got a wild imagination, but she's just looking out for her mother, so we can't blame her too much. It's good to see our patients are so cared about."

"I'd still like to see her, just to be sure. I promised Screwball that I'd check in on Screwy for her today."

"Of course. Follow me."

Those last words were harsher than the rest. Something really isn't right here, and that just confirmed it. Following the doctor anyways, Terra keeps an eye out for anything else suspicious, with the other kept on Doctor Strangehooves. The way his tone descended from kindly and joyful to almost angry is more than odd, it's dubious at best. As they continue on down the hall into the west wing, the doctor tells Terra in that same impassioned tone, "We're currently holding Screwy in solitary confinement. Last night she had gotten violent and went after me, biting onto my ear."

Shaking his head, Doctor Strangehooves' hair flips back, showing a large, red bite mark on his ear. According to Screwball, her mother had been barking and acting like a dog. Could this be part of that by any chance? The doctor uses his magic to return his hair to normal, and soon the two of them reach the padded cell. Walking up, the doctor pulls out a key and unlocks the door. Then, as he begins to open it, he warns Terra to be careful. As they go in, Terra instantly spots Screwy. She has a sky blue coat and silver mane, and seems to be ignoring them as they come in. Sitting on the floor, the mare rocks slowly back and forth while facing the wall. Every few seconds she lets out a loud bark, but then goes right back to her rocking.

"To put it simply," the doctor says to Terra, "she has a deep psychological condition in which she believes herself to be a dog. We were told back when she first arrived at the institution that she had a dog who died a tragic death when she was a filly. We can only assume that it had something to do with how she is now. It could also have something to do with the murder, and why she's in here in the first place."

"I've been told that she was framed for the murder," Terra insists, to which Doctor Strangehooves gives him a sort of glare.

"Screwball again, I presume? Listen sir, we have no doubt that Screwy had committed the murder she is accused of, the proof was overwhelming. And based on how she has become since coming here, it's clear that she has a screw loose upstairs. She needs to be here, so we can treat her and help her to one day return to society."

Pulling a small bone out of his coat pocket, the doctor throws it into the cell. Without warning, Screwy turns and pounces at it, devouring the treat rather psychotically. Turning, the doctor then begins to lead Terra out, believing that enough should have been proven by now. As he follows, Terra turns his head back for only a second, but it's all he needs. He watches as tears begin to fall from Screwy's eyes. The same kind he saw on Screwball. That seals it, something is definitely wrong here. Screwball is obviously pretending to be insane for some reason, but for what reason? Why would somepony pretend that they were crazy? Is it for the sake of the doctors, or is there something else behind all of this? He needs to find out more, and he's sure that Doctor Strangehooves won't reveal anything. As they reach the front desk again, Terra thanks the doctor for allowing him to see Screwy, and heads out to discover the truth.

A stallion named Windy Roads was admitted to the Ponyville Mental Institution six years ago now. He chose to go there himself, claiming insanity shortly after he was fired from his job. He felt that due to the unstable mindset he had been suffering from after that, he might be a danger to society. When he asked them to be admitted, they initially refused. A test proved his mental state was in a healthy condition. He insisted though, and eventually they agreed to take him in. He stayed there for two years, refusing to leave on many occasions when told he could. Something compelled him to want to stay there, yet from what Terra saw earlier, another patient didn't want to be there at all.

That story had circulated throughout Equestria, and even Canterlot, after he was released. It was big news, because after he left, he refused to comment on the hospital and his experiences there. He wouldn't say anything good or bad about it. When asked, he would usually avoid the question altogether, or at least change the subject. No one had ever figured out why, but in the end they just began to accept it and stopped asking him as they let him move on with his life. As he walks away from the hospital, however, Terra knows that Windy wasn't talking because he was hiding something. He must know about the happenings at the facility, and possibly even about Screwy herself. At the very least, he hopes to learn more about Dr. Strangehooves. He doesn't trust that doctor, and is sure that he was hiding something regarding the falsely imprisoned mare.

Not too far away from the hospital, no more than ten minutes, Terra soon reaches Windy's home. It's a very simple, everyday little house, nothing altogether special. The flower garden in the front yard is quite beautiful, as are the decorative vines that cover the building itself. Chupa would be really excited to see something like this. A large oak tree rests in the yard, overlooking the house with authority and presence. Deciding not to waste time, however, Terra walks up to the door and begins to knock. He needs to meet with this stallion as quickly as possible, for Screwy and Screwball's sake.

A couple seconds pass, but the door soon opens. Terra finds himself surprisingly face to face with a beautiful, blue-coated mare. Definitely not Windy Roads. This must be Windy's wife, Stormy Seas. She'd been with him for sixteen years now, and supported him in his decision to go to the facility. The question is whether or not she knows anything. Has Windy even told her about what happened in the hospital? It's a gamble, and one too risky to take. He should talk to Windy himself about this.

"Hello, Mrs. Seas I presume?"

"I am. Can I help you with anything?"

"My name is Terra Lionmane, ma'am. I'm the head of the Ponyville Militant Task Force and am working an investigation for a mare named Screwball. I've been led to your husband, Windy, and I want to know if I could ask him a few questions regarding the Ponyville Mental Institution."

Pupils shrinking, and eyes widening, Stormy suddenly goes pale and just stands there, staring at him in a sort of terrified manner. That's when Windy himself comes to the door. An orange coat with light blue hair, he smiles at Terra for a second, then guides his wife away from the door. As they leave Terra's line of sight, he hears them talking for a moment before Windy returns to the doorway. Joining Terra outside, he closes the door and sighs, looking intently at the visitor before asking, "Why do you want to know about the asylum?"

"Asylum? I've never heard it referred to as such before," Terra states.

"Hospital, right? Facility, institution, home? Whatever you've heard it called, don't believe it. That place is nothing more than an asylum, a prison, a Hell on Earth. I ask you again sir, why do you want to know about the asylum?"

Windy's gaze is almost as cold and judgmental as Doctor Strangehooves', yet it's different. While the doctor seemed to be angry and hiding something, Windy's is almost that of a nervous fear. A subject he wishes not to divulge information on. A past he wishes not to relive. Yet Terra has to know what this stallion knows. If Windy can give him any information at all, it will definitely be helpful to the case. He has to save Screwy no matter what, even if it means having to discuss a horrible past with someone who'd rather forget. So, explaining the entire situation with Screwball and Screwy, Terra lets Windy know exactly why he wants to know about the "asylum". A story that captures Windy's interest, and gets him to take a seat on the step before letting out a rather heavy breath.

"When I stayed at that Hell hole, I was subjected to countless experiments. New drugs, treatments, injections of all kinds would be forced into my body. I would be strapped down on a cold metal table and one by one have these experimental injections pumped into me just to see what would happen. Because of this, I was constantly sick and mostly unresponsive. The doctors would taunt me, and ask me if I wanted to go home. Since I admitted myself there, they would manipulate me into telling them no so that it seemed like I wanted to be there."

"How did you escape then? And were you being treated by Doctor Strangehooves back then?"

"Heh," he laughs softly, looking at the sky, "Doctor Strangehooves. You met him then? I bet he gave off a suspicious vibe, huh? Don't worry though, he's not like that. No, he's much worse, Mr. Lionmane. Yes, Doctor Strangehooves was one of the doctors taking care of me, and I use that phrase lightly. In reality, he didn't do anything to care for his patients. He was the one performing all the experiments on me, and all the others as well. But I had another doctor as well. Due to Strangehooves' constant busy schedule, a doctor by the name of Zebasiz Shadowbane would watch over me when the experiments weren't going on."

"What was he like then?" Terra asks.

"Doctor Shadowbane was kind, helpful, and caring. He wanted to help me, and very openly opposed Doctor Strangehooves and his experiments. He was one of the only ones though. Everyone else seemed to be on Strangehooves' side, as if brainwashed by him. But not Zebasiz. He took me outside and let me smell the fresh air, let me feel free if even for just a half hour a day."

"I saw a doctor walking outside the facility today. He was with a patient in a wheelchair. "

"Yes, that was probably him. I've heard that these days, Doctor Shadowbane handles the more complex cases. The sort of "pet projects" that Doctor Strangehooves takes on are often co-run with Zebasiz. If Strangehooves is in charge of Screwy's case, then Zebasiz might be too. I know where he lives, and I'd love to help you out here. Doctor Shadowbane won't be home until late tonight though, so you'll have to wait a bit. But anything to put away that damned Strangehooves will be worth it. You want to save Screwball's mother. Keep that determination, and you'll succeed."

"Thank you for your help," Terra says to the stallion, "but I do have one more question for you, if you wouldn't mind. You never answered me before. How were you able to get out of the asylum if Doctor Strangehooves was forcing you into a mentally unstable state so you'd stay there?"

"I never truly escaped that Hell. It still plagues me to this day. But as for how I left, ask Doctor Shadowbane. He was behind the big escape. Now I've got to get going, my wife is waiting. If you can't do anything else, Terra Lionmane, do this one thing for me. Take Strangehooves down, no matter what it takes, even if you have to kill him. And that might just be your only option."

"Finally, I can rest. I hate having to go in there every day, but if it gives me the chance to try and reverse the effects of Hugo's serum, then it'll all be worth it. I have to save those poor ponies, before it's too late."

Leaning back in his hoofchair, Zebasiz Shadowbane places a warm, damp washcloth upon his forehead and lets out a long held in sigh. All these years he's been working under that horrible excuse for a pony, and for what? It seems like all the work he's been doing has turned up nothing for his efforts. He's not even close to figuring out the secret behind the serum that Hugo Strangehooves has been injecting into his patients, no, his victims, that force them into an unnatural state of pre-determined insanity. All the mortifying things he sees on a daily basis, they take a deep toll on his mind. Yet through it all he still gets the chances to meet with everypony affected by his superior’s evil intentions. He can show them what it truly means to care for somepony, and understand the troubles they're going through. It's the kind of treatment they need, and the kind they deserve. Despite this, however, it still seems like nothing is getting through to these ponies. They're just too far gone.

Another exasperated sigh escapes the weary stallion as he climbs back off of the chair, getting to his hooves as a massive headache begins to pound it's way into his head. Utilizing his magical prowess, he removes the washcloth and slowly walks into the kitchen, where he places the damp rag into the sink. Grabbing a small teapot, he then proceeds to fill it up with hot water, and places it on the stove. Turning the heat to it's highest setting, he watches it, waiting for the water to boil so that he can have a nice relaxing drink. However, right as he goes to take a seat while waiting, a sudden knock at the front door surprises him, causing the doctor to nearly jump out of his coat.

Who could be knocking at this time? On that note, who would be visiting him in the first place? His family lives across the country, and he's purposely kept himself from making any friends. Who would want to be his friend anyways once they knew what he took part in? The knocking continues though, and so he figures that at this point, he might as well just answer it and tell whoever it is to go away. He can't deal with this right now. He just needs a cup of tea, a chapter or two from the newest Conan Royal novel, and then a good night's sleep before going back to that Hell hole in the morning.

Trotting cautiously over, he looks out through the peephole near the top of the door. Standing on the other side is a stallion about his size with a dark blue coat and a mane that looks like it's ablaze. This pony looks somehow familiar, but at the same time, he's sure he's never seen him before. Who is this stallion and what could he possibly want? Opening the door, Zebasiz prepares to defend himself if necessary. However, his visitor doesn't even make a move forward. A moment of awkward silence passes between them as they just stare at each other before the doctor finally asks, "May I help you?"

"I'm going to get right to the point, Doctor Shadowbane," the stallion says in a deep, yet quiet, voice, surprising Zebasiz, "I've come here on suggestion from Windy Roads. I've been told that you might be able to help me. My name is Terra Lionmane. I'm looking to save Screwy from the Ponyville Mental Institution, and from Doctor Strangehooves. Can you help me?"

"So let me get this straight. Some pony I don't even know comes to my door at this ungodly hour of the night, somehow knows who I am, claims to know a former patient of mine, and tells me that he's here to break a current patient of mine out of the hospital she's being kept in for the safety of herself and others, and you expect me to NOT report you to the police for it?"

"Uh...yes?" Terra asks sheepishly, grinning wide. Rolling his eyes, Zebasiz rubs his temple for a moment then turns back, motioning for Terra to follow him inside. Doing so, he takes a look around. It's surprising the kinds of things a doctor's house might have in it, but he would have never expected something like this. Posters from the shows Doctor Whooves, Game of Pones, Death Letter, and Cipher Giazz line the walls. A large bookshelf filled with all kinds of different stories sits against one wall, and on the other is a large hoofchair and side table. Looking back, Zebasiz once more motions for Terra, capturing the entranced pony's attention.

"Would you like a cup of tea? I just brewed a pot," he asks the guest, motioning to the kitchen table as they continue on.

"If it's not asking too much, I'd love one," Terra courteously replies, taking a seat on one of the wooden chairs. Trotting away, Zebasiz pulls out a couple of mugs with his magic and sets them upon the table. He fills them with honey and fresh tea leaves, as well as a little ginger and turmeric. The whistling sound of the water boiling inside the pot begins to hum throughout the room, and so he grabs that as well, pouring it's contents into both of the cups. He sets the pot back on the stove and proceeds to use his magic to move the water within the cups itself, stirring the tea in a certainly unconventional way. He then takes a seat across from Terra and stares intently into his eyes as he takes a sip of the still intensely hot tea.

"This is a special brew of mine. It helps stimulate the mind and keep one in good health. But regarding Screwy, why do you wish to release her from the facility?"

"Doctor Shadowbane..." Terra begins, but the doctor stops him and raises a hoof.

"Please, I am off right now. You may call me Zebasiz, or Zeb for short. I prefer to avoid the formal title when at home."

"Well, you see, I run the Ponyville Militant Task Force, and was called into a case by Officer Siren Sweeper of the police force. A mare named Screwball had attempted suicide, and told me that it was because of the situation with her mother and the facility. I also talked to Windy Roads, and he told me that there has been some very shady happenings going on at the facility, but that you were opposed to Doctor Strangehooves’ actions. I came here to ask if there's anything you might be able to do to help with this case."

A tear seems to well up in Zebasiz' eye as he contemplates this for a moment. He then nods and tells his guest, "You came to the right place then. It's unfortunate, but true. The facility is a place of corruption and terror. Experiments done on the patients, unknown serums injected into them. It's awful, but it wasn't always like that. Twenty years ago, somepony else was the head doctor of the hospital. Someone who truly cared for the patients and did everything in his power to help them recover, not make them worse."

"It was you, wasn't it?"

"Yes. I loved my job. Getting to help others and make a difference in not only the lives of the patients, but their families as well. It meant so much to me, and still does. But around sixteen years ago, the board elected to demote me for some unknown and unexplained reason. They replaced me with Hugo Strangehooves, a prodigal young doctor who had begun only a year before. He didn't have the right to be head doctor, nor the experience. I mean, he had skill to be sure, but was still too new. I was a doctor for five years before I became the head, and I worked hard to achieve that status. I assume that by now you've heard about why Screwy was admitted, right?"

"Around sixteen years ago she was framed for murder by Archer Cane, and her lawyer called for an insanity plea for three years in the institution when they realized they couldn't win, right?" Terra asks, reiterating what he had heard from Screwball earlier.

"Well, yes and no. It's true that she was framed for murder, and that an insanity plea was called for, but it wasn't by her lawyer. The prosecuting attorney is the one who called for the plea. No one was quite sure why, but she made a valid case for it. Screwy became upset at that and began lashing out during the trial, only adding fuel to the insanity claim. The judge then agreed to sentence her to three years minimum at the facility with chance for early release if and only if the doctors could provide the court with a clean bill of mental health. Hugo was already in charge by that time, and decided to take Screwy as his patient.

At that time, no one would have ever dared suspect Hugo of anything, not even me. He was a model doctor; talented, smart, kind, and hard working. But then, when he took Screwy in as his first patient, the experiments began. He began to administer a non-cleared medical serum to Screwy. A strange, green injection that before long had the mare barking like some kind of dog. She soon began acting like one as well, and it just progressed from there. I believe it to not only be the experimental drugs, but also conditioning and some kind of dark magic. About a year later, Hugo had the board assign me as his direct inferior. I would work with his patients when he couldn't. So I began to care for them, to TRULY care for them. I had to do something, and that was all I could."

"Why didn't you tell the board about this!? Or even report Doctor Strangehooves to the police!?" Terra asks, angered by the new information he's received, but also angry at the fact that no one has become a whistleblower for this travesty yet.

"It's because of Hugo himself. He's a master manipulator Terra, and has been blackmailing the staff. We can't say anything. We can't do anything. Some of the staff just began to go along with it. They convinced others, and soon, everypony was in full support of Hugo's experiments. I was the only one who refused to play along, and so he continued to blackmail me so that I wouldn't talk. He won't even let us quit."

"Then how and why are you telling me now? Aren't you afraid of what he'll do if he finds out?"

"I've had enough of this! I've met Screwball before. She's a beautiful, lovely young mare. For her to have been driven to attempt suicide because of this!? I will not stand for his actions any longer! I will do everything in my power to help you save Screwy from the hospital, even if it means I have to give up everything!" Zebasiz shouts out, standing to his hooves and knocking over his chair. Smiling, Terra thanks him and begins to tell him his plan.

As the harsh brightness of the morning sun rises over the Equestrian horizon, Terra and Zebasiz walk up to the old comic book shop in the town's central square, which closed only around a few months ago. Just recently, however, the building was reopened as the new official headquarters for the Ponyville Militant Task Force. Already standing there, beside the currently locked building, are the four ponies Terra had called to arrive. Last night, after his meeting with Zebasiz had ended, he sent out a last minute letter to Canterlot, telling Captain Everglade to bring Commander Meteor Spark and two other guards and come down to Ponyville first thing in the morning. Now there they stand, as requested, waiting for the former captain and his new friend to arrive.

As the two of them walk up, they salute the four members of the guard honorably, who then do the same. Stepping forward, Captain Everglade then asks with a cautious and unsure smile, "So Terra, what was so important that you needed us to come all the way out here this morning? We do need to continue our search for Princess Aurora you know. Have you found anything new that could lead us to where the princess is?"

"Unfortunately no. This doesn't have to do with the princess. It's a completely unrelated case that has been brought to my attention yesterday. There's a corrupt doctor at the town's mental health facility. He's performing illegal and dangerous experiments on his patients, including a mare named Screwy, who was falsely accused of murder and put into the hospital. He's been experimenting on her and using a mysterious substance to induce her insanity. Doctor Zebasiz here, the only member of the hospital's staff who isn't corrupt, will be helping me take down the head doctor, who's behind it all, and save Screwy from the pain and horror she's been put through for the past sixteen years."

"That's..."

"...I know, ma'am, that it may not seem THAT important on the surface," Terra says, interrupting the Captain, "but believe me, this is something I absolutely need to do. I made a promise to Screwy's daughter and am now honor-bound to do everything I can to stop this horrible travesty. I understand that finding and rescuing the princess is of high importance. It's probably THE most important case in Equestria right now. So I do plan to return all my focus to it upon finishing this case. I cannot turn my back on Screwy though."

With a deep sigh, Captain Everglade looks at her predecessor with a gentle smile and replies, "Well there's nothing we can do to stop you, huh? You're not a member of the royal guard anymore after all. If this is really something that you have to do, then I guess I have nothing else to say."

"Yeah!" Meteor suddenly shouts out, smirking over at the former captain with a salute, "don't worry about it! We'll make sure that we do our absolute best out there! We've already sent out Captain Scootaloo and the Wonderbolts to perform another aerial search, and even Devlin and Chupa went with them again. We will search like never before! So you go out there and do what you have to do!"

"You're a little too okay with this all," Everglade says, glancing over at her inferior officer.

Looking back, Meteor salutes the Captain and tells her, "Forgive me ma'am, but is honor not an integral part of being a soldier in the Canterlot Royal Guard? Did we not take a pledge of honor upon being sworn into service? Terra is not even a member of the guard anymore, and he's out there living by that same code of honor. He's trying to save somepony who can't save themselves, putting aside everything else just to make sure this mare he doesn't even know makes it out alright. Is that not the kind of honor we pledge ourselves? Is that not a deeply respectable trait, ma'am?"

Smiling at the pure moxie of him to speak to her that, Captain Everglade nods and gives Terra a salute as well. Saluting back, Terra thanks the Captain and then begins to head out, Zebasiz at his side, in the direction of the mental health facility. They're ready to finally confront Doctor Strangehooves for the final time, and put a permanent end to his horrible experiments. Meanwhile, Captain Everglade turns to face the three soldiers under her command, and proceeds to order them to do just as Commander Meteor had said, and search like never before.

With a loud "yes ma'am", they salute their Captain and head off in haste to begin today's search for Princess Aurora. However, one of the guards remains behind, trotting up to Everglade instead. Raising an eyebrow, the Captain watches as the grey-coated stallion steps forth and lowers to a knee. He wears a typical guard's helmet, under which he has s mid-length black and blue mane. Rising, he salutes her again and asks, "Ma'am, may I please talk to you for a moment?"

"What do you need soldier? Present yourself to me and answer quickly. We have a mission to attend to."

"Yes ma'am! I am Infantry Second Unit Lieutenant Juan Diego Gumila! And I would just like to tell you something about Princess Aurora, ma'am! Just a quick moment of your time."

The doors of the Ponyville Mental Institution explode inward, knocked right off of their hinges by a massive burst of magical energy. The staff and patients in the lobby cry out in surprise as two stallions slowly walk in, surrounded by the smoke billowing from the door frame. Hardened and ready to do everything and anything to save Screwy and the other victims of Doctor Strangehooves, the two of them walk in with resolution and look around. The doctor is nowhere around it seems. Trotting right up to the front counter, Terra gets right into the now terrified secretary's face and demands, "Call Doctor Strangehooves, NOW!"

Nodding nervously, he gets on the intercom and speaks out, "D...D...Doctor Strangehooves to the front...counter please..." He then turns back to Terra and gives him a look as if to ask if he did well. Rolling his eyes, the stallion swings his hoof at the secretary, knocking him into the back wall. Without much damage done, the pony slumps unconscious to the floor below. A scream rings out and the remaining staff begin to run out through the destroyed doorway, panicking over the sudden attack on the hospital.

A galloping sound from the west hallway is heard, and within short time Doctor Strangehooves runs out, his expression being that of immense consternation. He sees Zebasiz first, causing him even more surprise. Doctor Shadowbane is supposed to have the day off. However, he then notices Terra as well, who had gone back towards the doorway to help a pony who had fallen whilst trying to escape. Looking between them, at the destroyed entrance, and at the ponies outside who are still running away from the facility, he yells out, "What the Hell's going on here!?"

"What's going on is something that's been a long time coming!" Zebasiz replies, anger growing on his face and in his heart with every spoken word, "Enough is enough, Hugo! I'm done pretending that what you're doing here is ok! I'm done just sitting around and letting you get away with experimenting on innocent patients! Things are going to change, and it's going to start with you going to prison for all of this!"

Stepping forward, Terra walks right up to the doctor and adds, "I know everything Strangehooves! The experiments, the drugs, the mysterious serum you've been giving to Screwy and the others to induce their mental instability! It's time to end this, once and for all!"

"Heh, do you really want to do this?"

"We do! We demand you step down right now and surrender! We don't want to have to hurt you, but we're fully prepared to if we have to!"

"Wow! You are so cliché! Do you not remember, Zeb? Your mother's quite the sickly one. She's here as well, and with one simple word, I can have her life ended just like that. No, actually that'd be too easy. I'll make her suffer instead."

Without even a second's hesitation, Terra leaps at the doctor, spearing him into the front desk with all of his might and force. Pinning the stallion against the desk, he yells for Zebasiz to go to the police station and get Officer Siren Sweeper right away. Looking down, Zeb grunts that he can't stay to help. But he knows he's not a fighter and that he'll be more of a burden if he stayed. He needs to do whatever he can to help, and the best way to do so right now is to get the cops. Running out, he leaves Terra there to take care of the doctor, knowing that his new friend won't let Doctor Strangehooves do anything to his mother.

Glaring at the doctor and gnashing his teeth, he grunts out, "I won't let you cause anypony pain ever again!"

"It's unfortunate. Pain can be such a great thing. It can be so exhilarating, or even freeing. Screwball knew that, and it's why she tried to take her own life. She wanted to be in pain, not to stop it. But your little police friends had to stop her before she could feel that rush of adrenaline that comes with the fear of being hurt. Did they really save her? One has to wonder...Honor."

Stepping back in shock, Terra's eyes widen. "What did you just call me?"

"See, you're getting it now. Did you really think this was a mere coincidence? After so many attacks, after Detrot, after Dinky. Did you really think The Harad was the last you all would be seeing of us for a while? If your little club of "friends" are as dense as you, how long do you think you'll all survive? Who's next? Star, Devlin, or how about little Chupa? She's the fresh meat of the group, that's for sure."

Roaring out in anger, Terra begins to attack the doctor, sending punch after punch right at his face. However, to his immediate surprise, Strangehooves lets out a psychotic laugh as he begs, "MORE! MORE! Hit me again Honor! Oooh, it feels sooooo good! No? Then how about I take a turn?"

Pushing Terra away with surprising force, Doctor Strangehooves suddenly begins to rise up into the air. Watching in shock as he notices that the doctor is opting to not use his magical powers, and is floating upwards by some other unknown force. The laughter coming from his mouth becomes higher pitched, sounding crazier and crazier as it goes on. Suddenly, syringes begin to manifest themselves out of nowhere, and float around the doctor as he levitated there in mid-air, his hair spreading outward. Using syringes as weapons?! Terra notices they're filled with an odd, glowing, purple serum. What is that, and what will it do if it injects into him? He doesn't even want to think about it.

However, he doesn't have to worry about it, as a few seconds later, the syringes turn towards Doctor Strangehooves and inject into him instead. The laughing intensifies to a completely unexpected height as he pushes the plungers with the same unseen, unknown magical force, injecting his body with the contents of at least a dozen of the needles. Screaming out in a combination of a painful wail and pleasured laugh, he begins to violently pulsate. Then, a few seconds later, he just stops. Head slumping downward, he smirks and laughs again, this time quieter and more controlled than before.

"My name is Hugo Strangehooves! I am an Agent of our Lord Oblivion! And pain is my pleasure!"

"What was it that you injected into yourself!?" Terra yells out.

"The serum? Oh, that was just a little drug of mine. It's a non-lethal toxin that causes severe physical pain throughout every single part of the body when injected directly into the bloodstream.," he replies as he twitches wildly and laughs again, "it's as I told you, Honor. Pain is my pleasure. I adore the feeling of pain, it makes me all giddy inside. And you know what I love even more than being in pain? Sharing that pleasure with others!"

Bulleting down at Terra, he surprises the former captain as he flies right into him, forcing him back. Pinning him to the ground, the doctor pulls out a considerable sized syringe from his pocket. It too is filled with the pain-inducing serum. Seeing it, Terra begins to struggle to escape. He doesn't want that horrible stuff injected into his body. However, no matter how much he tries to force Hugo off of him, it proves ineffective. The Agent is just too strong. Shoving the needle into Terra's neck, the doctor pushes the plunger, injecting the serum into his newest victim as he lets out a manic, terrifying laugh.

Less than s split second passes before the pain begins to surge throughout his very blood. A mortifying, intense pain as if a thousand suns had been condensed into a blade that is now slicing into every part of his body at once. Hugo floats back up into the air, giggling at the sounds of the screams echoing from Terra's throat. Eyes widening as much as possible, mouth forcing itself open to release the pain-filled sounds of a pony who can't do anything to fight back. Laying there on the ground, he rolls in place and just yells out. He can't let this defeat him though. So with the most strength he can muster, he lifts up his hoof and bites down as hard as he can. He has to try and take the focus off of the pain in the rest of his body, even if it means causing other pains.

Still giggling, Hugo floats there twitching madly as he continues to inject himself with more of the serum. He sees his victim try to block out the pain through biting down on his own hoof, and raising an eyebrow, uses his magic to remove the hoof and pin all four to the ground. Terrified beyond anything he's ever felt before, Terra begins to scream again as the pain retakes him. Hugo's laughter is joined by pleasured moaning, a soft cooing sound from the ecstasy he feels at his own pain, and the screams of his new victim. Biting down on his lip, he injects himself again and unleashes another burst of wild, uncontrollable laughter.

Suddenly, the voice of a multitude of ponies galloping towards them distracts the doctor, and looking over, he sees Zebasiz running back with the entirety of the Ponyville Police Force following behind. Grinning madly, he barricades the open doorway of the facility with the secretary's desk and other furniture from the waiting room. He then turns his attention back to Terra, who's writhing in pain so badly that he's barely conscious anymore. Once again, he drops downward and slams right on top of the victim. The blood-curdling scream that explodes out afterwards is like nothing Hugo had ever heard. The sound of the pain felt from the serum and the breaking of the stallion's ribcage is like the best kind of drug to him.

Blood begins to leak out of Terra's open mouth and his eyes roll back into his head as he finally loses consciousness. Bending down, Hugo's smirk fades for a moment. However, it returns as a terribly evil idea enters his mind. Licking the blood from the side of the pony's mouth, he giggles quietly and whispers into the unconscious stallion's ear, "Don't give up now, buddy. The fun's only just begun." Suddenly, he kicks his victim right in the crotch. The sensation of the attack awakens Terra again, only to begin screaming at the pain still flowing through his veins.

"I need you to hear this, and pay attention, because I'm only gonna tell you once. This toxin that I've injected into both of our bodies is something I like to call Happy Juice. You see, it tricks the brain into believing that the body is in severe pain. Now, this pain does come in stages, but once a stage occurs, it doesn't go away. Others just begin to build atop it until you get one big stack of hellacious agony! Isn't it absolutely wonderful!?"

Looking down at his victim, who hasn't stopped screaming for a second, he giggles and asks, "Still don't get it though, do you? Let's put it this way, Honor. The first pain felt is white hot slicing pains, as if you were being cut open slowly and methodically with blades hotter than Hell itself. Next we have the sensation of being shot to pieces over and over again while your teeth are being pulled one by one, third is being buried in white hot flames that lick sensually at your body, and the fourth stage is having your limbs torn apart chunk by chunk. The fifth stage is my personal favorite though. Just imagine, on top of everything else that's already erupting within you, the feeling of being castrated as slowly and painfully as possible. JUST IMAGINE IT, HONOR! DOESN'T IT MAKE YOU AS GIDDY AS ME!?"

The screaming escalates to the point where Terra's mouth is being stretched so badly that the very fibers of his flesh and coat are tearing at the corners. The blood coming from his mouth meets with that now bursting from the sides and pour down onto the floor below. The sounds of Zebasiz and the police on the other side of the barricade can barely be heard over Terra's reaction to the "happy juice" as they attempt to get in anyways. However, none of it matters anymore. Hugo can see now that he's won. The so called destined hero of Equestria is done for. He won't last much longer, which of course Hugo sees as a bit of a shame, but in the end, it has to be done for Lord Oblivion's goals to be reached.

Smirking down at the squirming body of his victim, the doctor then drops down again on Terra, aggravating the already shattered ribs of the pony. Pulling out more syringes, he proceeds to inject him with more and more of it as he taunts, "Someone like you, who isn't used to the toxin, will suffer much more beautiful effects. The pain your mind makes you believe your body is in will transcend that and cause physical effects on your body. It brings you as close to death as physically, mentally, and emotionally possible. But it just misses going over the edge. Isn't it wonderful!? Now, how about we go for a few more, or a few dozen! Who's counting!? Oh, and by the way, when I finish with you, how about we take care of Screwy, and of course Screwball after her. Like mother, like daughter. Both shall have a taste of the happy juice as well."

Closing his eyes, Terra suddenly summons up an enormous amount of strength, pushing Hugo off of him. The doctor manages to regain his composure quickly, only to see his victim somehow forcing himself through the intense pain and climbing to his hooves. A shocked grimace rests on his face, but then he smirks again and says, "I'm impressed by your willpower, Honor. You're definitely stronger than you look. An ordinary pony probably would've tried to kill themselves by this point, but you powered through it, and even managed to stand back up. But do you realize the toll it's putting on your body to do that? Shattered ribs, deadly pains shooting through your body. You won't last."

"Y...Y...You're...wrong!" Terra grunts out as he struggles to keep standing, "it's...not my will...power that's allowing me to...push through this pain. It's...it's....IT'S MY HONOR! You've taken Screwy's honor from her these past sixteen years! You've made her suffer so much, and for what? What possible reason could you have to do this to ponies!? WHAT DID YOU EVEN DO TO HER!?"

"Why? Because it's fun, that's all. Don't expect any more profound reason than that, Honor. Oblivion told me that I could have fun, and I took full advantage of that. As for what I actually did to her, it's simple. The serum I had been injecting Screwy with wasn't my happy juice, no. I didn't want to waste that on her. Instead I used a simple mental control serum. It dissolves the mental activity of whoever it's injected into to a degree that they're easily influenced by anything. I simply manipulated her into believing she was a dog, and it all went downhill from there. The real question here is, what are you going to do about it? What do you honestly expect to accomplish when you can barely stand up?"

"It's not about me, Hugo. When I was a kid, I got to meet someone. A certain princess of Equestria who taught me that friendship is magic. I didn't know what Princess Twilight meant back then, but recently, my mind has been cleared on that little mystery. I never forego the opportunity to help restore the honor to those who have lost it, and now, I have a question for you. Why don't we hear the sounds of Zebasiz and the police anymore?"

"WHAT!?"

A scream echoes out from behind Hugo, who turns right in time to see somepony he hadn't expected. Lunging at him, Screwy slams the doctor down to the ground and begins to bite at him. As Hugo tries to fend off his attacker, Zebasiz and the police come in from the hall and smile over at Terra, who motions for them to hold off for now. Stepping forward, Terra pats Screwy on the head and tells her to back off for a moment. Nodding, the mare gets off of her victim and backs away.

"Such simple mistakes Hugo. You may have blocked off the front door, but what about the other entrances to the building, such as the ambulance bay?"

"HOW!? HOW ARE YOU MOVING STILL!? WHY ARE YOU NOT IN PAIN!?"

Laughing himself now, Terra winces slightly and replies, "The pain's still here. It looks like you're the one clueless this time, so let me elaborate. Nothing is more important to me than the lives of others, and my honor won't let me abandon them, even when I'm in this much excruciating pain. I'm struggling through it because I know I need to, because ponies like Screwy and Screwball NEED me to. And on that subject, unfortunately you also had one other misstep here."

"What's that?" Hugo growls as Terra holds him down.

"You thought you had me in your control," Screwy suddenly says, still growling slightly at the doctor. "Your drugs never worked on me. The barking, acting like a dog and all, I was faking it. I knew that someone would come to save me some day, so I kept up the act for sixteen years, even...even when my daughter came. I had to."

"BUT HOW!? WHY DIDN'T THE DRUGS WORK!?"

"Because Screwy is not only innocent, but she's of a very sound mind. Your drugs didn't affect her because she refused to let them. You told me that I had honorable willpower, well what do you think of Screwy's? Isn't she just as admirable?"

"Let's find out exactly how strong she is then," Hugo laughs. Once again he pushes Terra off of him and rises into the air. He then bullets down at Screwy, grabbing and lifting her up into the air with him. Everyone watches in horror as he summons dozens upon dozens of syringes of happy juice. Screaming out for somepony to stop him, Terra winces again at the pain his body is still in. He's unable to do anything. The cops begin to lunge for him, leaping off of furniture and walls to try and get to him. Some of them even using their magic to lift them higher up towards him. However, none of them can reach where he is.

"FOR OBLIVION!"

One by one, Hugo begins injecting every single syringe into Screwy's body. The terrifying sight completely breaks Terra, and he falls down in defeat. Zebasiz looks over at his friend and snarls. Summoning up his magic, he shatters the wooden desk blocking the door, and taking the sharpest shard he can find, throws it at Hugo. Laughing, the doctor notices the attack, and in desperation, holds Screwy in the way. Time seems to stop as everypony watches the wooden spike pierce the mare's stomach. Blood flows out and her eyes widen as it goes right through her.

The grin on Hugo Strangehooves' face disappears as well, replaced by a horrified look of shock as the wooden spear that has passed through the meat shield of Screwy enters him now too. A scream escapes him, different from the pleasured one he had given before, and in the blink of an eye, he disappears. Falling to the ground below, Screwy slams onto the floor, splattering her blood all over. Running up, Zebasiz grabs Screwy and orders the police to take her to the Ponyville General Hospital's Trauma Center right away. Meanwhile, the pain becoming too much, Terra once more passes out.

As he slowly begins to return to consciousness, a deep breath escapes Terra's open mouth. The pain is gone, no longer spread across the whole of his body. However, most sensation is missing. He can't seem to feel much of anything right now, and as he breathes in again, his eyes flutter open. Surrounding the stallion, with tears in their eyes and smiles on their faces, are all of his friends. Everypony who has been there for him and always will be. Star, Bri, and Chupa. Devlin, Agelian, Scatter, and Fluttershy. Spike and Zebasiz, and even Screwball. All of them are there for him, and as they watch him return to his senses, a cry of joy echoes out amongst them.

Bending down, they simultaneously hug their friend. A sudden sharp pain surges through his body though, and following a short outcry, they release him in a mix of surprise and fear. Rubbing his shoulder, the stallion slowly begins to try and move, wanting to get up into a sitting position. Zebasiz and Screwball step forward and assist him in this, then back away after as Bri steps up, asking him with worry in her eyes, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I think so. I should be fine. But what about Screwy? What happened to her?"

Smiling, Screwball's tears explode out even heavier than before as she lunges at the stallion, gripping him in a tight hug despite knowing the pain it causes him. Wincing, Terra smiles down at her as she cries out to him, "She's going to live! My mother's going to live! You saved her!"

"She's healing in the other room right now," Star tells him as Screwball continues to squeeze the life out of the stallion, "she's been hurt badly, and it'll take a while for her to fully heal, but the doctors say she will make a full recovery in time."

Smiling, Terra leans back against the headboard of the hospital bed, thinking about everything that had occurred. After the Detrot incident, it's pleasing to know that nopony died this time. So much of that has been plaguing them lately, and they need a break. Unfortunately now it seems that the Agents of Oblivion are becoming more active. What could this mean? Wait, what happened to Hugo Strangehooves? Did he escape then? Asking the others, Terra looks around in fear.

"He escaped," Zebasiz replies to Terra's chagrin, "he disappeared into thin air, and we haven't seen or heard anything regarding him since. Officer Siren Sweeper did have a warrant put out for his arrest though, and has sent the news to the rest of Equestria. He will be caught eventually."

"As for you," Scatter suddenly speaks up, "you're going to be fine as well. The doctors have taken care of your injuries, and although you are going to have to take a lot of time off to heal, you'll be able to make it out of this in one piece. The mental facility, however, will have to shut down now, and all the patients are being transferred to Canterlot."

"Wait, then what about Screwy and Zebasiz!?"

"Don't worry about me Terra," Zeb replies with a gentle smile, "I can move to Canterlot if I need to and work at their facility. My mother's being transferred with the other patients, so it'd be helpful for me anyways. Screwy will be released with a clean bill of mental health. After all of this, she's more than capable of proving her mental stability and capacity for conscious thought."

Shaking his head, Terra stares right at Zebasiz and replies, "No, I want you here. Join the Ponyville Militant Task Force. We could definitely use somepony like you, especially while I'm healing. And don't worry about money either. We'll make sure everything is well taken care of for both you and your mother."

"Wow...thank you. Thank you so much," Zebasiz says, tears forming in his eyes at the generosity, "I'll do anything and everything to help with the task force. Whatever you need."

Nodding, Terra and the others then share a well deserved laugh. Smiles spread across the faces of everyone in the room, and it seems as if all is finally going to be alright. A few minutes later, as they discuss things regarding the recent news from The Harad about the Agents having the remaining Elements of Harmony, a nurse walks into the room, pushing a cart. Terra straightens up, seeing the food and more on the cart, and thanks the nurse ahead of time.

Everypony gets back and allows her entry. Trotting up, she sets the food on a standing tray on the bed. It's not the most exciting meal, but if it'll help him heal, Terra will eat anything. Smiling, he thanks her again, at which she smiles back and asks him, "Would you like a hot towel for your head to relax? Or anything else I can get you?"

"The hot towel is enough, thank you again," he responds. She passes him the towel, but as she does, it begins to unfold. Something drops from the folds and onto the stallion's lap on the best. He looks to the nurse, who seems as confused as he is, and then down to the object, which he then lifts up to get a better look. A golden hoof gauntlet that's embedded with a sapphire jewel. As the others all look at the gauntlet in shock, staring at what can only be an Element of Harmony, Terra smiles and once more leans back against the headboard. They're now much closer to saving the world and stopping Oblivion once and for all. Though he does wonder how he got the Element of Honor. Did defeating one of the Agents have anything to do with it? Maybe The Harad was lying and trying to throw them off. Whatever the case, they do now have another key to the salvation they're striving for.

Before anypony can begin to celebrate, however, the door to the hospital room bursts open once again. This time it isn't a nurse or even a doctor who enters, but instead Commander Meteor Spark. Running in with panic on his face, the stallion bolts right up to Terra's bedside and despite panting heavily from running all the way there, he manages to tell him, "Captain Everglade! It's...It's her body! We found her body at Ghastly Gorge! She's dead!"

Episode 22 Preview

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She's missing! We haven't seen her since she found out! The mail office hasn't seen her either! Please, you have to help us find her! Help us find Derpy Hooves!

S01 E22 (Pt. 1) - The Search for Derpy Hooves

Episode 22: The Search for Derpy Hooves

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It had been five days now; five days since that grievous moment when the news of poor Dinky's death had been brought to their doorstep. The day had begun just as any other. Everything was peaceful in Ponyville, a surprising feat considering everything that had occurred in the eight months since the arrival of the dark stars. It's almost seemed to be non-stop terror since then, one trouble after another. Yet, for some unfathomable reason, their small town had suddenly undergone an unexpected period of tranquility, breaking out from the misery they've faced and wrapping the ponies in a much needed, warm embrace. Everything just seemed so right for the first time in a long time. However, Derpy Hooves wasn't too sure about this abrupt harmony.

The adoptive mother of both Dinky Hooves and Amethyst Star, Derpy is a Ponyville mail mare. Unlike most, who had been enjoying this peace, she was skeptical to say the least. The day prior to the news of her daughter's untimely demise, she had been saying to Amethyst, "Do you get the feeling that everything is just too peaceful around here? This isn't right." Those words have stuck with the young Amethyst ever since, and seemed to herald that fateful knock at the door. Right as the sound hit her ears, she knew this wasn't a cordial visit. Something was wrong; her mother was right.

So why did everything seem so ordinary? Even just ten minutes prior to the knock echoing out through the house, it appeared to be an ordinary Equestrian day. Derpy had just returned home from delivering the day's mail throughout the town. It's a job she takes quite seriously. It's true that compared to some of the country’s more luxurious locales, Ponyville is on the small side. Everypony knows that. But for her, the effort and overall rewarding experience of being the mail mare in such a small town is the best thing she could ask for. She loves meeting with the ponies, and delivering their letters and packages to them directly. To get to chat with them and leave them with one of her brilliant, heart-warming smiles. It makes her day, every day.

Yet there are some who aren't as thrilled with Derpy. It's not that she's a poor flier, like some ponies ignorantly think. That isn't the main issue most have with her. Hay, it isn't even true. She's actually a highly skilled flier who's even captured the attention of the Wonderbolts. And for Equestria's top aerial team and military unit to give her their stamp of approval is saying something. Yet, ponies still don't seem to care. It's instead her eyes that cause the biggest issue. She suffers under a medical condition called strabismus, aka: heterotropia. This means that her eyes aren't properly aligned with one another, causing her cross-eyed appearance.

It's a treatable condition, yet Derpy refuses to get the necessary surgery. She claims that she likes the way she looks; that it makes her unique and special, and is a part of who she is. She can see perfectly fine, and in some ways, better than other ponies. However, the condition also has some negative effects on her. Some of the recurring symptoms she faces include double vision, headaches, and dizziness. She'll crash into buildings while flying, or even other ponies. She causes problems, and sometimes accidentally drops mail or delivers the wrong letters to ponies. It's not her fault by any means, but many still fabricate assumptions about her, and give her a hard time.

"Hey everypony, look over there! The wonky-eyed mare is ditzing around again!"

"She's so clumsy!"

"Look how ridiculous she looks. Why isn't she in some kind of hospital?"

She's heard these kinds of hurtful words and more thrown forcefully at her, and yet, that's only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. These ponies who do these horrible things, speak horrible words, don't know anything about her. They don't know who Derpy Hooves really is, and what she's capable of. A single mother who adopted her two daughters from an abusive orphanage. A regular volunteer for local and country-wide projects for the sake of lending a helping hoof. A pony who goes out of her way to help a neighbor in need, even when inconvenient for herself. A genius-level IQ, a caring heart, a loving personality. THAT'S the kind of pony Derpy is, the kind of pony that Amethyst aspires to be one day.

Yet no matter what all the other ponies say or think about her, Derpy will always give them her warm, gentle smile as she wishes them a wonderful, blessed day. Is she even hurt by their words? Well of course she is, but in the end, she never lets it get her down. She refuses to let her life be ruled over by negative feelings. If she can help others and make the world a better place for the good of all ponykind, then that's all that really matters to her. Amethyst looks up to her mother because of this. She's her hero. Despite all the circumstances, she always powers through with the strength of a thousand stallions, with a heart as strong as a horse. But then, five days ago, that knock came to their door.

Standing there on the step was Agelian Wingblade, Dinky's fiancé. Both of the mares greeted him with a smile, having been close friends with the pegasus prior to his falling in love with Dinky. He couldn't return that happiness, however. He told them of what happened on their trip to Detrot; how he was possessed by the force behind the dark stars, Oblivion, and was forced to murder his own fiancée, Dinky, in the most gruesome, mortifying way possible. It was then that the calm, gentle, loving demeanor of Derpy Hooves finally broke. For a moment, she just stood there in the doorway, her smile not yet having faded. However, even though her expression remained the same, they could see that it was no longer filled with the joy it had been. Now blank, void of any positive emotion, the emotionless expression was left spread across her face, echoing the resonant sounds of her heart breaking.

They both knew right away that he wasn't lying either. Agelian would never fabricate something as hurtful as this. The tears cascading down his cheeks, the cracking of his voice, and intense sorrow shown in his eyes and every word he spoke. His honesty was clear to both Derpy and her daughter. They couldn't believe him though. They just couldn't believe that Dinky was really dead. Why wasn't he lying? Why wasn't this just a joke?

A few moments of silence passed then. Nopony said anything, and instead looked down at their hooves as they contemplated this single piece of time. In delayed shock and horror, Derpy's eyes suddenly widened and mouth dropped. Tears dropped from her eyes, and the expressionless smile twisted and morphed into the most terrible of expressions. Her face showed a depressing sorrow that none of them had ever seen as she then slammed the door in Agelian's face. Breaking down, she began to cry hysterically as she flew up the staircase and into her bedroom, slamming that door behind her as well and locking it shut.

She had lost one of her beloved children that day. It was one of her greatest fears, as she had always bragged to others of her love for them. She would often refer to Amethyst and Dinky as her entire reason for living, and in one fell swoop, one of those two things more precious to her than her own life was taken from the world. Looking out the front window, tears streaming down her own face, Amethyst watched as Agelian turned and flew away, crying almost as hard as Derpy was. So turning, she went to try and comfort her mother during this hard time. Truth be told, she needed the comfort of her mother just as much. She had lost a sister here as well, one with whom she had been insanely close to. She was almost breaking down herself.

She knocked and knocked and knocked for minutes on end, yet Derpy refused to answer a single one of them. Her cries resounded throughout the home, the volume increasing and decreasing at varying rates. It easily could have been hours that Derpy was continuously bawling, and truthfully, Amethyst laid there at the door, doing the same. The lack of blood-relation didn't matter to either her or her mother. They were closer than a lot of blood-related families. She can remember how they'd always spend time together. Playing games, reading, having fun. Amethyst and Dinky even competed in the Sisterhooves Social together every year at Sweet Apple Acres. She knew what her mother was feeling, and so she too went to her room to cry into her bed. Days have passed since then, and now she sits at her mother's door once again.

She has yet to see Derpy since five days ago. She had locked herself into her room, and hasn't left even once ever since. None of the family's closest friends or co-workers have seen her either, including the post office Derpy works at. She hadn't been showing up for work, and they had begun to worry about the normally cheery mail mare. The issues this has caused at the post office alone have been terrible. Fortunately, they all understand what the family must be going through. It's surprising considering how some of the town's residents treat Derpy, but it only goes to prove that there are some there who truly care about her. In contrast, the general public's response has been quite different; mixed to negative. While there are still some ponies who do genuinely feel sorry for Derpy and Amethyst, especially those with children of their own, or those very close to their families, there are also those who find no sympathy for the mares, continuing instead to act on the maturity of a wet blanket.

They laugh at and taunt her. Cries ring out, calling her pathetic and whiney. Some say that it's all a ruse she's pulling to try and make other ponies feel sorry for her. And it's those accusers that Amethyst despises the most. She just wishes she could lay into them, yet for her mother's sake, she has chosen to bite her tongue and keep her anger in check. She can understand why her mother hasn't left the bedroom since five days ago. She's at her weakest point, and those hurtful words that normally wouldn't affect her now pierce her broken shield and into her flesh. It's a horrible thing to ever face, and a lie just would've been easier to take. Amethyst's surprised that she's even been able to keep standing after this all. In the end, she knows that it's her mother's influence. She's become a lot stronger since she was rescued from that orphanage by Derpy. She still cries, she still feels the pain, but she pushes past it and lives on.

"Mom?" she quietly calls as she leans against the bedroom door, knocking gently as she listens in. Nopony answers, nothing but dead air escapes from the room. She can't even hear a bit of crying anymore. So she knocks again, thinking about how much pain her mother must be in. She just wants to be there for her in this time. She wants to hold her and cry into her fur. She wants to be there for her, and for her mother to be there for her as well. No response of any kind comes from the room. No rolling around in the bed, shifting positions in the room, moving across the floor, or anything else. Worry begins to eclipse the mare. She tries for the knob and is surprised as it turns fully, allowing her entrance.

"The door's unlocked?" she whispers to herself. But this isn't possible. She swears that her mother had locked it when she flew in five days ago. Has she since unlocked it? Amethyst wonders if she should even go in. Maybe her mother still wants some privacy. She probably wants some time to be by herself and rest...no, she has to help. It's been too long now. She has to see her mother again. So she turns the knob again and pushes the door slowly open.

"Mom, it's Amethyst. Are you alright?" she asks as she cautiously enters, pinning herself to the door. However, as she trots in and takes a look around, her heart sinks into the depths of her chest as the only thing she sees is an open window and empty bed.

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The horrible, and untimely, murder of Captain Everglade Falls had taken everypony by surprise when they first heard about it. There was not a single warning sign, threat made against her, or anything. It just sort of happened, which in and of itself is actually the most shocking part of the entire ordeal. The fact that she was able to be killed in the first place is something that should have been impossible, especially when it was done without evidence left behind. Following the Dark Star Incident all those months ago, security measures were put in place so that she couldn't be going anywhere alone. She would have constant accompaniment by high-ranking members of the guard. Yet she was found alone and horribly mutilated in Ghastly Gorge somehow. It was only an hour or so following the last time she was publicly seen in Canterlot as well. How could she have even gotten to the Gorge within that time? Nopony knows, but hopefully it'll be figured out soon as the investigation team continues to look into it. Canterlot's entire guard is on the case as well, now being led by Everglade's replacement as Captain, Meteor Spark.

His promotion to Captain was a lot more bitter and unceremonious than he would've hoped only months ago. He always dreamed of reaching that rank, but never in this way, as he held a very high level of respect for his superiors. During his initial, and only, address, he announced that he would do his best to make sure those responsible for the murder would be taken care of, and that justice in this case by any and all means necessary was his number one goal. He also announced that Lieutenant Leclerc would be taking over as the new Commander, and that a strong-willed guard named Montes would be the new Lieutenant. Since then, none of his friends in Ponyville have seen much of him. Of course, it's to be expected considering his new and highly important duties, but they still miss having him around either way.

Everypony's mood has been declining more and more lately, something that both Bri and Scatter just couldn't bear to witness. So they decided that what everypony needed was a big party to cheer them up, one for the entire town and anyone else who might want to come from other parts of Equestria. Thanks to past experiences, they were able to secure some high name ponies for the party. Vinyl Scratch agreed to come on as the event's DJ, and even the Cake Twins from Sugarcube Corner agreed to cater, supplying tons of delicious foods for everypony, both savory and sweet. Neon Lights was supposed to come as well, but was unfortunately held up and couldn't make it on time.

Fortunately enough, however, even without Neon Lights there, the party seems to have worked well in what it was going for. Everypony has packed into town hall and are now having one hay of a time as the music blasts loudly throughout the building and bright, colored lights flash over the dance floor. Ponies of all ages are dancing, talking, and generally having a great time. Of course, they haven't forgotten the problems that have been plaguing their country lately. Who could forget things like that? Instead they've just pushed those troubles to the side for now so that they can enjoy their time. The night is always darkest before the dawn, and this simple little get together has helped a lot of them realize that the dawn is coming.

Over at the large turntable set up in the back of the room, Vinyl begins to switch records for the next song when suddenly, the CMC MkII trot up to her. Their eyes are filled with overenthusiastic glee and every step they take has a little bounce in it. Smiling up at the DJ, who peers over at them all curiously, Honeysuckle bats her eyelashes and asks in her thick Trottingham accent, "Miss Pon3? Would ya mind if we maybe helped ya? We're trying to get our cutie marks, and we thought that maybe we could be dj's too!"

"You just thought you could be dj's, just like that?" Vinyl asks with a smirk.

"Well, it was actually Majus who thought it," the little filly explains, motioning over to her friend, "he's a BIG fan of yours!"

Looking over at the dark-coated young colt, who blushes and turns away, Vinyl chuckles quietly to herself and replies to the four of them, "Well then hop on up and help me send out some sweet wubs to all these awesome ponies!"

The four of them let out a chorus of excited squees, though none as prevalent as Majus', and run up the short stairs onto the platform. Grabbing her microphone, Vinyl then looks out to all the ponies enjoying the party and asks, "Does anypony know what time it is?" Everpony turns to the turntable with confused and inquisitive expressions. Quiet murmurs begin to rise up as everypony questions why the DJ would be asking this. On stage, Vinyl passes her mic over to Majus and leans over, whispering into his ear. Eyes shimmering with ardor, he raises the microphone to his mouth and shouts out at the top of his lungs, "IT'S TIME TO DROP THE BASS!"

All the ponies in the hall cheer out, their voices erupting violently. Smiling over at Majus, Vinyl lifts him up and tells him that it'd be her honor to let him start the next song, then telling him exactly how to do so with the turntable. Grinning from ear to ear, he does as instructed. And as he does, his friends watch with shock and awe, their mouths dropping open. Vinyl herself is surprised, but returns to her cool beam as she once again grabs the mic, yelling out above the music, "THIS SONG IS DEDICATED TO MY MAIN COLT MAJUS HERE, WHO JUST GOT HIS CUTIE MARK!"

Now as shocked as his friends, Majus leaps down and turns to look at his flank in the flashing lights. Tears begin to fill his eyes as he sees a shiny vinyl record looking back at him. Spring, Honeysuckle, and Gumdrop cheer out and hug their friend in celebration, then pull him off to join the party of all the ponies now applauding the colt and chanting his name in beat with the music. The room then begins to get pumping once again, and the dancing and jubilation resumes.

Over on the dance floor, the large crowd has begun to gather themselves into a circle, cheering now for two specific ponies on the floor. The music playing, a mix between one of Octavia Melody's concerto's and Vinyl's own dubstep sound, gets the crowd excited as Scatter Brain and Bri Happer begin to cut a rug in the middle of the hall. Rocking out, they pull all kinds of intricate and wild moves. Spins, flips, and some strangely robotic motions. They dance as if they were only one pony, moving in perfect synchronization with each other. Their pacing with the beat of the song is perfect, and the crowd around them celebrate in their joy. The CMC MkII pull Majus onto the open floor and begin to join the two, to which the ponies begin chanting out the newly marked colt's name again.

Over by the doors to the hall, Agelian sits there, staring off into space as he thinks back to when he told Derpy and Amethyst about Dinky. Heart aching, he lets out an exasperated sigh and leans back against the wall. He can still remember killing her in vivid detail. Although it wasn't actually him, he can still see, feel, and taste every awful moment of it. And her mother's face when he told her, it was just so poignant. Piteous chills run down his spine as he thinks about it. He doesn't want to remember, doesn't want it to be real, but he knows it is. There's nothing he can do about it. As he wallows in his misery, Terra slowly approaches, looking at his miserable friend with pity and sorrow of his own.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" he asks Agelian, "a cup of punch maybe, or some snacks?"

"Just leave me alone."

Ignoring his friends command, he solemnly takes a seat beside Agelian and looks over. His friend glares back at him, angry that he decided to stay. Sighing, Terra tells him, "I know how you must be feeling right now. With Everglade dying too, it just seems like we're all losing loved ones lately."

"Yeah, you seem REALLY upset by all of this," the pegasus grunts back, rolling his eyes.

"You're right. I'm not as reactive towards these things as I should be. My time in the guard has desensitized me, and I hate that it has. But while I may not show emotions like I once did, I still feel. I've loved Everglade for years now, and I never got to tell her that. At first I was more angry than sad. I wanted to find Oblivion and kill him alone. But then I saw her body, or what's left of it rather. It was a powerful wake up call for me, Agelian. We can't do anything to change what happened, but what we can do is honor their memories. Dinky wouldn't want you to sit here in your sorrow and just slump around. This is the mare who would always cheer you on to do your best, the one who always wanted you to never give up. Make sure her death wasn't in vain, and fight back."

"I...I just don't know if I can," Agelian sobs.

"You can, I believe in you. And though it'll be hard to push through it all, I'll be here for you."

Looking around, Agelian notices that on the other side of the hall, Chupa's joined in on a game of Pin the Tail on the Pony, and Star and Devlin are at the snack table, enjoying the Cake Twins' marvelous treats. He sees Bri, Scatter, and the CMC MkII dancing over by the turntable, and all of the other ponies enjoying the party despite all the pain they've been feeling. Venus Greenhooves, the granddaughter of the old Ponyville gardner, Mr. Greenhooves, who passed away, is laughing with some of her friends; Bonbon from the sweet shop is playing Twister with Roseluck and Doctor Whooves; and Trixie Lulamoon's parents from Canterlot are even having a good time.

All these ponies who have lost loved ones before their time, how can they be having such a good time? Looking back to Terra now, Agelian nods and agrees to give it his best. Terra was right, after all. Dinky would have yelled at him if she could see him now. She'd never want him to just give in to his sorrow. Climbing to his hooves, he smiles and steps forward to go join the run when suddenly, Zebasiz Shadowbane gallops over to them. Wearing a party hat and multi-colored beads, he laughs as he tells them that this party is just amazing.

"Yeah, Bri and Scatter are the ones who put it together," Agelian tells him as he wipes away his tears, "they're really good at it."

"I can tell. By the way, Terra, I was meaning to ask you something. With Princess Aurora still missing, shouldn't the Task Force be working with the royal guard right now to find her? I haven't gotten to do much since joining. With Captain Everglade having died, I know the guard is trying to find out what happened to her, but we need to focus on finding the princess still as well."

"Heh, you sound like I did a while back. You know, I was against my friends going to Detrot. Not because I thought something bad was going to happen, but because I felt that it was more important to continue our search for Princess Aurora. Thanks to Bri, I ended up learning that if you continue to push yourself too hard, it'll only lead to ruin. You have to take a break every now and again, and one little party here couldn't possibly hurt," Terra replies with a smile, patting his new friend on the shoulder.

"I see. I guess you're..." Zebasiz begins when the doors to the hall suddenly burst in. Although most of the party-goers continue to enjoy their time, not even noticing the sudden entrance, Terra, Agelian, and Zebasiz all look towards the open threshold, in which stands a very distressed looking Amethyst Star. Standing at full attention, Agelian notices something is clearly wrong and runs over.

"Amethyst! What's wrong!?"

"Agelian!? Oh my Celestia, I'm glad I found you!" she tells him through damp eyes, "my mother's missing! When you guys told her about Dinky's death a few days ago, she locked herself in her room. But this morning I found the room empty and her window wide open! I don't know where she is! Not even the post office has seen or heard from her, nor has any of her friends! I don't know what to do!"

Hugging the mare, Agelian pats her on the back of the head and tries to calm her down. While holding her, he calls out to Terra and Zebasiz, telling the two of them, "Get the others right away. We have to help find Derpy no matter what."

"Listen Amethyst," he then adds as the other two stallions run off, "we're going to find her. I need to know more details. You said she had locked herself in her room?"

Choking through her tears, the mare nods, "Yes, right after she slammed the door in your face. She flew up to her room and locked herself in to cry. She hadn't left these past five days. I went to check in on her today, but when I went in, she was...she was...gone! Dinky was so important to my mother. She was her first adopted child and she loved Dinky more than anything else in the world. I came a few months later, at Dinky's request. We knew each other in the orphanage and she wanted to get me out too. I just don't know what to do! Who knows where my mother's at right now! With her in this state, she could be ready to do anything!"

"Don't worry, we'll get to her before then."

At that moment, Terra and Zebasiz return, joined by Bri, Scatter, Chupa, the CMC MkII, Vinyl, Star, and Devlin. Nodding, Agelian begins to take charge as he tells them all, "Ok, we need to find Derpy Hooves. She's missing and in a very bad condition. We need to get to her before she can take any rash actions. Chupa, you and the CMC take the southern end of town. Star, Bri, and Scatter. I need you three to go north. Terra, Vinyl, you two will come with me to the east. As for you, Devlin and Zebasiz, you two go to the west. She's likely not here in the center of town, as this is where everypony is right now. Also, Vinyl, do you have somepony who can take over for you here? We need to keep everypony in good spirits."

"Well, there's this little guy here, Majus. He obviously has the skills to do the job," Vinyl says.

"We can't go without him!" Gumdrop yells out, "he's part of the CMC MkII!"

"It's alright, go ahead. I finally found what I'm meant to do. I grew up without knowing any family, and you three gave that to me. Now I need to do my part to help, and if that means staying here and making sure everypony here has the time of their lives, then that's what I'm going to do."

"Thank you Majus," Agelian says with a smile, "now as for everypony else! Let's head out and find Amethyst's mother!"

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As they gallop down the hill in the road leading from the party at town hall, Chupa and the remaining three members of the CMC MkII begin what is to most likely be an exhaustive search in the southern most section of town. A deep, worrisome concern begins to float around Chupa's mind. She earnestly wants to do whatever she can to help, but she's only seen Miss Derpy before in passing. The two of them have never met on real terms before this. And on top of it all, she wonders if the bubbly mailmare would even want to be found in the first place. If not, then would it not be a great deal harder to find her? Nopony tends to run away and go into hiding, yet stay in plain sight. Some can pull it off well, but for the most part, it just isn't practical for someone trying to avoid others. So many thoughts and ideas, so many options.

Sometimes it's hard for the filly to have such prodigal intelligence. Every possible scenario and outcome develops for her, and some more painful and hard than others. She may be the Element of Peace, but her talents in that focus more on bringing peace to her friends and the other ponies in Equestria. She's always had trouble doing the same for herself, especially in such stressful situations. But she has to keep calm and continue the search. She can't let Amethyst down after everything she's gone through this past week. Stopping in her stride, the filly takes a quick moment, breathing in and releasing. It's a trick that Fluttershy had taught to her, who herself had learned it from Princesses Twilight and Cadance back in the day. And it seems to work.

Feeling refreshed and more focused, a smile spreads on her face as she turns to face her three friends. It's about time she's taken charge of their little group and begin planning out their search a little better. However, as she tries to do so, she notices that the other three are nowhere to be seen. Instantly, the panic returns, causing her to have to repeat the breathing technique once more before now expanding her search to include the three crusaders who have run off on her. She just hopes that they haven't gotten into trouble.

Trotting down the street, she call out to them, "Spring! Gumdrop! Honeysuckle! Where did you go!?"

Almost instantly she's met back with the echoing sound of young laughter coming from one of the nearby buildings. She gallops over with haste to find it to be a fine china shop. A terrifying thought comes to her mind, and she rushes in, bursting through the door. Inside the shop, among all the fragile dinnerware, the three little fillies turn on the spot towards their friend in curiosity. In front of them is the store's owner, a thin, lanky stallion from Japony named Glass Jaw, who also looks over in surprise. The poor guy had jumped at the sudden outburst, and now stands there looking near terrified.

"I'm so sorry Mr. Glass," Chupa says with a slight bow, "but have these three been bothering you?"

Timidly straightening his glasses, the stallion replies, "No, no. Not at all. They were just asking about the mailmare, Derpy. Are you also looking for her then, Miss Chupa?"

"I am. Have you seen or heard anything? She apparently could have gone missing at any point over the past five days."

"I'm sorry Miss Chupa, but I have not seen Derpy for days. She usually hoof delivers my mail right to me here in the shop. It's funny really. Despite her issues, she's never broken anything. She seems to take extra precautions to make sure she doesn't. She's a really nice mare, and I hope you find her. I'll keep my eyes and ears open as well, and will let you know if I come upon anything."

"Thank you, Mr. Glass," she says, bowing once again. Turning to the CMC, she adds, "now you three, listen up. We can't just go running around haphazardly. I've been reading this Sherclop Pones book that Star leant me recently. It says in there that the proper way to begin any investigation is to gather clues and evidence. We need to go to places that Derpy frequents and try to find something that might tell us where she could have gone."

"We're sorry. We just really wanna help," Honeysuckle tells her friend, head lowering in sorrow.

Smiling, Chupa lifts it up by the chin and tells her, "It's alright girls. Let's just focus now on really getting this search going. And even if it's not us that finds her, one of our groups will. We will make sure Derpy comes home, and see Amethyst smile again."

"Ok!" the CMC yell out together as they high hoof before following Chupa out of the shop.

***********************************************************************************************************

"Hmm...well, by my calculations, Derpy must have been around here recently. No, she was DEFINITELY here, I'm positive about it," Zebasiz tells Devlin as the two of them look down at a small, gray feather pinned underneath a loose cobblestone on the Hoof Street road, "this feather very clearly matches that of the missing mare."

"Seriously? How can you tell? There have got to be tons of other Pegasi in this town with gray coats, at least enough to cause doubt to the owner of the feather. How can you be so sure this is Derpy's?"

Glancing from the feather to Zeb and back again, Devlin ponders this, wondering if his new friend could possibly have an explanation for something like this. To his surprise, the former doctor reaches into his saddlebag, pulling out a small, framed picture which he proceeds to thrust into Devlin's face. Smiling, but hiding a subtle sorrow, he explains that he knows that this feather is from Derpy and not some other Pegasi because he knows the mare personally.

"You see, twenty years ago, before I even began working at the mental institution, I was employed over at the Ponyville General Hospital. Derpy had come in one day, having injured her wing in a flying accident. She needed some quick assistance, nothing too horrible, and I was currently free. I agreed to treat her, and we actually became good friends through everything. Whenever she'd get hurt, I'd jump at the chance to treat her. I care about her, you know? I've seen her feathers up close and personal time and time again. I can tell you with absolute certainty that this feather does belong to her. The size of it, as well as shading of the gray, matches her perfectly."

"Wow," Devlin responds, smiling back with a newfound understanding, "I never would've guessed. So this search is quite important to you as well then."

"It is. I pray that she isn't hurt, or have been ponynapped. I feel a sense of duty concerning her, a need to protect and help her whenever she needs it."

"It sounds like you love her." The words unintentionally come out in a harsh, mocking tone. However, Laughing, Zebasiz just nods and affirms the assumption.

"I've never had anyone before. I never had the time, always believing that I had to focus on my work and study as hard as possible to be the best in my field. I've always pushed relationships to the back burner. I mean, it's true that I'd try to be as friendly as I could to all my patients. I always cared for them. But at the same time, I never really bonded with any of them like I did with Derpy. Leaving the hospital and beginning work at the institution was the hardest thing I've ever done. I guess you could say I was scared. Scared of my feelings for a beautiful mare who lives her life in a way that should be an inspiration to us all, not a cause for mockery. I haven't seen her much since then, only in passing and when she'd deliver my mail. I feel like I left her behind, and now, now I have the chance to do something about it. I can finally show her how much I truly love her."

Standing up straight, a new gleam in his eyes and excitement in his soul, the other stallion pats his friend on the shoulder and replies, "Well then, let's find Derpy and make sure she knows exactly how you feel about her!"

Tears come to Zebasiz' eyes as he thanks his friend and they resume their searching. Pulling out a baggie from his saddlebag, Zeb carefully places the feather inside, citing it as evidence. He then labels the bag with exact detail as to where they found the feather, and nods as he accompanies Devlin onward.  Their search throughout the western sector of town continues on for the next few hours, not finding much more evidence of Derpy's location other than a couple more feathers. Certainly nothing that tells them where she might be, or what she's doing.

Eventually, after exhausting themselves to the point of having no more ideas, the two stop beside a small grouping of public houses. Sighing, they take a seat beside one of the buildings to rest. Zebasiz, looking forlorn and disconsolate, buries his face into his hooves as he practically gives up. They've searched this entire sector of town and not a single valuable piece of evidence to note. Just a bunch of damn feathers that have done nothing for their investigation. Taking a seat beside him, Devlin puts his hoof around his friend and consoles him, reminding Zeb that just because they personally haven't found anything doesn't mean another group hasn't.

"Remember, we have ponies out in all of town. We'll find her, don't worry."

"What if she's not in town!? What if she left Ponyville!?" Zebasiz angrily yells back, frustrated at the entirety of his life at the moment. In his mind he blames himself. He shouldn't have left the hospital for the stupid facility! It's ruined his life, and possibly Derpy's as well. The rage within him boils to new heights as he begins to unleash his anger, violently slamming his hooves against the wall of the house behind him. Nothing happens. No bricks fall and no one is hurt by the act of aggression, yet still, it calms him slightly. Even if just a small amount, his anger subsides as he looks up at the cloudless sky and contemplates his future now, wondering what he's going to do at this point. He looks back down, and that's when something catches his eye.

Over at the neighboring building, sitting against the wall as they are now, is a small pile of sand. Just an ordinary lump of granular material, nothing out of the ordinary at all. Well, except that it's there in the first place. Climbing to his hooves, he surprises Devlin as he slowly walks over and picks up a few grains with his magic, analyzing them with deep scrutiny. Devlin trots over as well, asking, "What's the matter? It's just sand."

"No...it's not," Zebasiz tells him, eyes widening in horror, "this is not just sand. This...this isn't sand at all. Sand is finely divided rock and minerals. This is, organic. I don't know exactly what it is, but it feels like it's alive. I just...I get this eerie feeling from it. Follow me, I know this scientist in the central sector. He might be able to quickly analyze it and tell us what it is. We have to hurry though, this might be important."

********************************************************************************************************\

Up in the northern sector of Ponyville, the group of Star, Scatter, and Bri slowly trot onward down the cobblestone road. Their eyes peeled as they scan the surrounding area for any and all signs of the bubbly mailmare, the three of them remain mostly quiet and focused. The occasional sigh escapes one of them, but not a word passes over their lips. While it's true that none of them have ever really known Derpy Hooves on a personal level, they had seen her flying around Ponyville from time to time. She stands out like a sore hoof with her bright blonde hair, shiny grey coat, and lovable personality. Yet since they began their search, they haven't seen hide nor hair of her. Not even a single clue to give them a head start.

Feeling hopeless, Star's mind begins to wander. Traveling from the task at hand to other little things, she wonders how the other groups are doing, how her sister is, and even such menial things as what she's going to do for dinner tonight. Images of her various friends and family pop into her consciousness. Feelings of happiness, sorrow, and dread plague her as she walks aimlessly alongside the other two. It's all because of Oblivion. The status quo has changed, and life has gone with it. Nothing has been the same since the Dark Star Incident, and now it's caused the disappearance of an innocent mare.

Her eyes dart over to Bri and Scatter, narrowing as questioning thoughts arrive. It isn't that she doesn't trust them. She does, and she cares deeply for them too. There's few in the entire world she trusts more than Bri, a childhood friend from years and years ago. And Scatter, well he's more than proven himself to be a faithful, loving, valuable friend. Neither of them have done anything to warrant any sort of distrust. Yet for some inexplicable reason, her mind is drawn to them. Something isn't right here.

The Brotherhood of the Silent Pathfinders, the mysterious organization to which both of these friends belong. She knows that the group is more than just an old pony's tale., but otherwise is completely in the dark. She knows next to nothing of who they are. What is their goal? Who is their leader? Is there anypony else she knows within their ranks? The questions pile up in the shallow recesses of her mind. She wants to ask them everything she can, but wonders how they'd respond. She doesn't even know if the Brotherhood is meant to be a secret organization or not. So she couldn't even begin to fathom what they'd say if she brought it up now.

Shaking her head violently, which luckily goes missed by the other two, Star nearly slaps herself at the realization of it all. She's spent so much time focusing on this unrelated thought, that she hasn't been keeping an eye out for a sign of Derpy. If she lets these questions in her mind take her focus away from what really matters, they could miss an important clue. She has to just get it over with, to ask them no matter how they'll react. It's a risky move, but she'd rather just end the torment of her insatiable curiosity before it builds up to a destructive height.

Closing the gap between her and her friends, she waves her hoof to gain their attention. As both Scatter and Bri look her way, she begins asking them every single question she had been pondering in rapid succession. The speed at which she relays them is ungodly. The fact that she doesn't even mess up a syllable is shocking. The faces of her friends afterwards? Confused and slightly worried for the young pegasus mare. Bri and Scatter turn to face each other for a quick second, before Bri turns back to Star with a wide smile and begins, "Well, the Brotherhood is..."

"...what in the hay are you doing!?" Scatter suddenly shouts out, startling both of the mares as he forcefully covers Bri's mouth. Pushing his hooves away, she gives him a confused and irritated look, to which he sighs and continues, "You're seriously going to just discuss the Brotherhood with a non-member? We shouldn't have even told the others about it existing. We definitely can't give up any specific details. Let's just worry about finding Derpy right now, and put a pin in these questions until after we can discuss it with Babe."

"Scatter, Star is my best friend. I trust her more than anypony else. Why can't she know? It's not like Babe swore us into secrecy or anything, and even if he did, I don't think she'll be a danger to anyone if we let her know."

"Babe?" Star curiously asks, having heard the name twice now in the past minute. This causes Scatter to blow up, screaming loudly to nopony in particular before stopping his onward trot. He then steps in front of Bri in a confrontational manner, forcing her to come to a halt as well.

"Why in the ever loving hay would you say his name!? Are you daft!? I didn't think you NEEDED to be told to keep the Brotherhood a secret! It's common sense for crying out loud! I mean, the only reason we even told you about it and let you join was because we knew that you have certain skills and knowledge that would help us! But if you're going to just go around gabbing to everypony about what we're doing, and who's in the Brotherhood, then maybe you're not fit to be a member!"

"Well excuse me for thinking otherwise!" Bri snaps back, her normally happy-go-lucky demeanor a lovely memory of the past, "I'm sorry if I apparently stepped over the line, jackass! But maybe you should've made things more clear! I was never bucking told that I couldn't tell anypony about the Brotherhood or it's members! Hay, the only reason I haven't before is because nopony has asked! What am I supposed to tell Star!? That she's not worthy of knowing!?

The sudden outburst surprises both Scatter and Star, the latter of which begins to lower herself down, emotions welling up within her. This fighting, it's not friendship. It's nothing but depressing and horrible, an act of pure malice playing out right in front of her eyes. Two of her close friends are throwing venom back and forth, spitting at each other like cobras ready to strike. It's absolutely disconcerting.

"I don't give a buck what you say to her! As long as it's not confidential information about the Brotherhood!"

"Hey Star!" Bri calls out to her friend as an angry, antagonizing smirk spreads across her muzzle, "the Brotherhood of Silent Pathfinders is a group dedicated to finding Pinkie Pie and utilizing the magic of the Silver Element to protect the world from threats like Oblivion! Our leader is an Earth Pony stallion from Germaney named Babe Chenko, and many ponies from all over the world, including Ponyville, are in our ranks!"

Blaring in rage, the unicorn pounces at Bri, tackling her onto the hard street below her. Helpless to do anything but watch as her two friends exchange blows, Star drops to her flank and begins to cry into her hooves. Bri and Scatter lay into each other, shouting various colorful expletives. Star's mind begins to wander again, wondering if all of this was her fault. Her stupid curiosity, the idiocy of her mind going from one focus to another. Why couldn't she have just stayed silent about it all? Why couldn't she have just moved on and focused on finding Derpy? It's...it's all her fault...

********************************************************************************************************

"Sooo...what's the deal with this Dinky gal? She important to you?" Vinyl asks, looking at the solemn-faced Agelian as they search the eastern end of town. Terra makes a motion for Vinyl to shut up, but the pegasus just sighs and looks up at the clouds, worrying both Terra and Vinyl.

"Dinky was...she was important to me, yes. I loved her, more than anything in the world. More than flying itself. She worked as a flight manager for me, a personal assistant, and she soon became something more. We began dating, and after a while, I proposed. She agreed, and we were set to be married. But then we were going to Detrot, where I met you. On the way there, I was possessed by Oblivion, the leader of the Agent who attacked the city. Because of his influence I...I..."

Tears flowing down from his eyes, Agelian visibly shakes in sorrow. Both Terra and Vinyl go up to their friend and nuzzle him in comfort. He continues, "I...killed Dinky. I ripped her flesh away and...killed her. I was forced to watch, unable to do anything, as the monster possessing me tore into her shoulder. As the blood sprayed out from her. As the tears streamed down her cheeks. I...I still remember her last words to me..."

The soft crying now turns into a full bawl. Dropping to the ground, Agelian's body twitches and vibrates wildly against his control. The stones of the street become soaked with the river of tears cascading from his eyes. Ponies all around stop to look, confused and slightly disturbed. Some of them realize who it is, and walk along, knowing the pain that he must be going through. Others slowly pass on by, murmuring under their breath, calling the sorrowful pegasus a freak, baby, or loser.

"It's ok," Vinyl tells him, hugging him tight as tears form in her own ducts, "I couldn't even imagine if something happened to Tavi. You don't have to continue."

"No...I have to let this out. I can't keep this bottled up inside any longer. Her last words to me...I'll never forget them. Every night, I hear them in my mind. I have nightmares, seeing her horrified expression as I take another chunk out of her flesh. The last thing she said to me was...was...'I love you."

As he begins to wail again, his pain and misery is felt by the two friends now embracing him. Vinyl thinks of Octavia, and how much she means to her. Her entire life has been shaped by Tavi. Every concert, every great moment. If Octavia ended up dying, and if Vinyl herself was at fault, she'd probably commit suicide. For Terra, he knows much more about how his friend is feeling. Though he's hidden his feelings well, an unfortunate side effect of tough military training, he cannot repel the tears as he thinks of Everglade. His successor as Captain of the Guard, she was an amazing soldier and leader. He never got to tell her how he really felt. He wasn't at fault for her death, but when he saw her mutilated corpse, he could barely contain the sheer terror and depression welling up within him.

For a solid few minutes, the three of them just sit there in the middle of the street, holding each other as they cry in shared sorrow. To the average pony passing by, it would almost seem funny. But the citizens of Ponyville know the plight faced by at least two of these three. They know not to bother them, to not judge them, and to not see them as any less for their actions here. It seems to go on forever, but they soon calm themselves down and wipe away their tears. Agelian thanks Vinyl for letting him finally get things off his chest, but notes that they should probably get back to their search.

"Do you know Derpy Hooves at all, Vinyl?" Terra asks as the three of them trot on.

"Well, sure. I used to live here ya know. I mean, I didn't REALLY know her. We were never hanging out and whatnot. I was too into music, while she was more of a helpful soul, ya dig? But anyways, I did know her a little. We talked from time to time. She could actually get pretty deep."

"Hmm, well I don't know if meaningful conversations like that would be useful," Agelian replies with a sigh, still wiping away salty tears, "unless she told you about herself during any of your talks."

"Nah man, not really. It was more about other ponies, and political situations. That kind of stuff."

"Well, we're not really having any luck here," Terra proclaims, looking around at the buildings and streets, hoping to find something, anything, that could help them. "The three of us alone just aren't enough it seems. The eastern end of this town is just too big."

"Oh, I can fix that!" Vinyl suddenly exclaims, smirking. Her horn begins to glow, and veins pop out from her head. She begins to gnash her teeth together as she struggles with the spell. Both of the stallions just watch in awe as a glowing blue cloud forms in front of her, and an instant later, a grey-coated pony with black hair appears within it. Wrapped in a purple towel, she has her eyes closed and is humming a melodic tune. She doesn't seem to notice anything at first, until a wind blows and sends the towel flying off of her.

As Octavia Melody opens her eyes, she sees that she's no longer in her bathroom back in Canterlot. Once again, the ponies walking along the street have stopped to stare. A bewildered expression forms on the mare's face as her head darts around from Agelian to Terra, and then finally to the now exhausted Vinyl, who gives her a loving smile. She looks at the ponies around her, and instantly goes to cover herself up while screaming in a combination of shock, embarrassment, and anger.

"Um...Tavi, you know we normally don't wear clothes, right?"

"Vinyl, what in the buck is going on!? Why did you teleport me here!? I just got out of the bath for ponies sake! I'm still dripping wet!"

"Baby, calm down," Vinyl softly replies, her tone reaching an almost condescending sound, "just chillax Tavi. We needed your help, and there wasn't time to check in on you and see if ya were good to come. We just had to get ya here right away, ‘kay babe?"

Rolling her eyes, Octavia drops to all fours and neatly begins to fold up the towel. Vinyl uses her magic to transport it away, bringing instead Tavi's bowtie, tying it onto her marefriend with an apologetic smirk. A sigh later, and Tavi asks them, "So what is it that you need me for?"

Vinyl gives the two stallions a nervous look, then begins to explain everything; from the events that happened with Dinky before the concert in Detrot, Derpy's disappearance, and everything they've done since. Their journey has thus far been fruitless, with not a single sign of the mailmare anywhere. Another sigh escapes the mare following the story, but is followed by a confident nod and smile. Straightening her bowtie, she tells them, "Let's get started then."

The four ponies continue their trek through town, searching low and high, high and low, for any clues possible. They pass by many stores, houses, and other ponies, yet not a hair nor feather of the missing mare can be found. As they near the end of the town's border, they're almost ready to give up. However, Vinyl suddenly pipes up, noting to the others, "Wait! We're right by the schoolhouse, right? We can ask Cheerilee if she's seen anything...she still works there, right?"

"Yes, she does!" Agelian laughs, surprised that he had never even thought of this. Vinyl's right, Cheerilee should be there at this time, working on things to prepare for tomorrow's class. She's always been close to Derpy, the two having been in the same class together growing up. Granted, he doesn't know if they're remained close all the years since, but if she has, she might know something. It's definitely worth the shot.

Not too far ahead they can see the looming building of the Ponyville Schoolhouse before them. A small building, yet one that serves it's purpose well, it has an almost nostalgic feel to it, despite having been fixed up and worked on for years. Hay, almost none of the original building is left at this point. Yet it looks as beauteous as the day it first opened. Right outside the door they see Cheerilee standing there, a smile on her face as she speaks to two stallions unknown to the four of them.

The first of the mysterious stallions has a golden coat, yet no mane. Even his tail is bare, yet he does have a thick brown mustache on his face. A pair of dark sunglasses conspicuously cover his eyes. Atop his head, a black bowler hat. His cutie mark is a beaker filled with a green liquid, making the four friends think of chemistry. Beside him stands a dark blue coated stallion with a short blonde mane that sits down over his forehead. Unlike the mysterious look and quiet, unassuming demeanor of the first pony, this one is wild eyed and doesn't seem to have a serious bone in his body. A smirk on his face, and cigarette in his mouth, he eyes Cheerilee up and down as she speaks to them.

As the search party approaches them, they hear the unassuming stallion ask Cheerilee, "Come on, don't you know who I am? Say my name."

"Walter Whinny," she replies, chuckling a little.

"That's right."

Shaking her head with a laugh, the mare notices the others walking up and waves them over. Looking at each other, Vinyl, Octavia, Agelian, and Terra give each other a nod of conviction and move forth. They choose to not waste any time, instantly telling Cheerilee why they've come and asking if she knows anything about where Derpy might have gone. To their disappointment, however, she tells them that she hasn't seen or heard from the mailmare in a long time.

"Our schedules have been really busy these past few years. We just haven't had the time to be able to chat as much as we used to. I wish I could help you, but I don't even know many ponies who she'd be really close to right now apart from the ones you've already been talking to."

"It's alright, thanks anyways," Agelian replies, downtrodden. All this guilt and sorrow plaguing him since Dinky's death has only been magnified with the disappearance of Derpy. Now it seems their entire search has been in vain, and of course, he hasn't heard or seen anypony from one of the other groups, so he can assume they've yet to find anything either.

Noticing his pained expression, Cheerilee smiles and motions to her two friends, "Let me introduce you. These two are transferring to Ponyville High School." She first points to the gold-coated stallion and adds, "This is Walter Whinny. He's a chemistry teacher who prefers hoofs on methods to his classes. He moved in with his children, and his wife Sky. And this," she says as she now looks over to the other stallion, who nervously jumps and begins whistling as he turns to face the four, "is Eikichi Onibucka. He's going to be going in as a homeroom teacher. He's a little...wild, but his teaching methods are well known. They speak for themselves."

Courteously, they greet the two teachers with a gentle smile, hiding their desperation and worry. They know that they can't be wasting all this time, but they also don't want to just wave Cheerilee and the other two off. Stepping forward, Walter suddenly seems to have an epiphany and tells them, "That mare you're looking for, I think I actually might have seen her around. You said she was a pegasus with a  grey coat and blonde mane, right? Well I saw a pony just like that this morning. She was flying off towards Sweet Apple Acres."

"Oh my gosh, thank you!" Agelian shouts out, shaking Walter's hoof violently. Saying their goodbyes, the four of them thank Cheerilee, Walter, and Eikichi and begin to head out. They now have a big lead on what to do, and hopefully, they'll find the mailmare at the farm with Apple Bloom and the others.

**********************************************************************************************************

Following the unanticipated and unsettling discovery of the mysterious grains of a strange sand-like substance during the exhaustive search for the missing Derpy Hooves, Devlin followed his new friend Zebasiz to Ponyville's central sector. An exasperated sigh escapes the former doctor, still upset over the disappearance of the bubbly gray mare. He thinks back in fondness of all those times he had helped her at the hospital, and knows that no matter what, he has to save her. So only a few feet from town hall, he brings Devlin to a large, gray building. The windows are completely blacked out with a strange kind of magic, and the handle-less door is made of a shimmer, hardened steel with a thin eye slot in the upper part of it. Looking down, Devlin sees that the grass right outside of the building is old, dried, and seemingly uncared for. A cool wind slices through his spine, and an unwelcoming chill comes over the stallion. Something about this place really puts him off, though he's unable to place why that is.

As he stands there, a worried expression carved across his face, he watches as Zebasiz slowly approaches the door and gives a short, sharp rap upon the steel. Directly after, he steps back and advises his friend to follow suit. Right as they do, the slot on the door swings open violently, creating a terrible shrieking sound. That's when a long, metallic stalk suddenly bursts out at blinding speed. It's clearly a different material than the door, and moves in a snake-like manner as it waves back and forth in the air. Stretching further out, the end of the stalk opens to unveil a large eyeball with a shutter for an iris. Though afraid, and unsure of what's happening, one thing is chillingly clear; that is a real eye. Yet at the same time, something seems off about it, as if it were modified through some scientific procedure. The very sight of it is sickening.

"Nok Teveil Soruut!"

The strange language, the echoing dialect, explodes through the still air, invading Devlin's ears like some kind of viral infection. Each syllable crashes into him with a screeching rasp. It's not a sound he's ever heard before. Not from any other pony, or creature in general. Zeb, however, seems to understand the violent-sounding statement and replies back in the same raspy, unnatural sound, "Aishuu Gervak Razuk. Niimas Veram Grot." It's only upon finishing that he notices the unsettled twitching of his friend, and chuckles to himself. It had slipped his mind. Of course Devlin would have never heard this language before.

"Sorry about that," Zeb tells his friend, rubbing the back of his neck in meekness, "have you ever heard of something called the Leeds Devil?"

"Uh....no. Should I have?" Devlin asks, more befuddled than ever. Now that he thinks about it, he has heard of the province of Leeds across the sea. It's a strange land that bears similarities to their own, but at the same time, is vastly different. There are ponies there, according to school textbooks, but they're nothing like the ones here. And the creatures that are said to live in Leeds are the likes of which he could never even begin to imagine. Is this "Leeds Devil" one of them? But then wait, why is Zebasiz suddenly asking about this? He couldn't possibly be insinuating...no, it just can't be. Devlin looks over from Zeb to the strange metallic eye stalk and back, and a look of fear comes to him as sudden realization hits. It explains everything. The strange language, the dead grass, the odd appearance of the building that sticks out from the rest of Ponyville's architecture. It could all be taken from this creature's homelands. That creepy eyestalk, it could be a part of the Leeds Devil himself, and the very thought of it is terrifying. He doesn't even want to imagine what the rest of the thing looks like.

Before Zeb can say anything more, the stalk then retreats back into the slot, with slams behind it. The door then slowly creaks open. The sound is as if the hinges hadn't been oiled in years, and sends even more shivers throughout the stallion's body. The monstrous being that steps towards them is more terrible than he could've ever imagined. A tall, muscled, bipedal creature with dark brown fur covering most of his body. His hooves below the fur are cloven, and he has two strong-looking arms sticking out of either side of his body, each of them gray and scaly, and ending in a horrifying claw. The gray, furless neck that stems from his torso has a slimy, yet leathery, appearance. It's thin and terrible, and the head that sits atop it is not but an elongated skull with glowing green dots for eyes and razor sharp fangs. He has two long, multi-pointed antlers sticking out from it, and spines running down the whole of his back that end in a dragon-like tail. Exploding from his shoulder blades are two giant bat-like wings with a span of at least 10 feet when unfolded.

Atop the Devil's head is a strange metallic helmet with the eye stalk growing out of the top. Attached to the helmet is a scope that sits at the Leeds Devil's right eye. Then, what Devlin can only assume to be a grin spreads across the creature's...well...skull. A cold sweat drips down the stallion's face as the monstrously tall beast bends down in curiosity, staring at him for a split second before removing the helmet and tossing it back inside like a flying disc. Though he expects to hear a loud clang, one never comes, only increasing the mysteries surrounding this creature.

"Kerak Deras Bii!?" he grows at Zebasiz, his voice sounding enraged as he keeps his glowing eyes glued to the petrified Devlin standing before him.

"Num. Tiis Dar Leome," Zeb calmly replies as he then turns to Devlin and tells him in their own, normal language, "he's a little shy around new ponies. Don't worry though, he's very friendly. This is Professor Vore Siirak, a Leed's Devil. He's one of the only remaining of his kind."

"What in the name of all that is holy is he doing in Ponyville!?" Devlin shouts, unaware that he's shaking violently and sweating profusely from the terror still echoing through his bones. The Professor leans forth and begins to uncivilly sniff him down, only adding to his discomfort.

"Well, he moved here about a year or two ago, I don't exactly remember how long. He was run out of Leeds by a dark creature, and has since made his living trying to help the ponies here. I've hired him time from time while I worked at the mental institution. The medicines and flora that he brought over from his homeland work wonders on ponykind. However, his specialty is that of a geologist. He can help us to identify this strange organic sand. Right professor?"

"Uknatah!"

Reaching into his saddlebag, Zeb pulls out the bag of sand and gives it over to Professor Siirak, who then turns and flies back into his laboratory at a startling speed, leaving the door wide open. Smiling, Zebasiz begins to head in, followed closely by the timid and terrified Devlin. How could he have not known this monster was living in town this entire time!? Shaking his head, he just continues inward, down a long metallic hallway. As they step into the main part of the darkened lab, the door shuts behind them, causing the already nervous stallion to jump up, and let out a terrified shriek. Responding from somewhere not too far away, Professor Siirak asks, "Tat Yuur Tiis!?"

"Han. Orkak Erul Neas. Urom Reeka."

It's unsettling to Devlin as Zebasiz continues to speak in this creepy language. It's just not right. Suddenly, lights spring to life in the lab, floating mysteriously in the air above the two ponies and Leeds Devil. The sights around the building continue to surprise the stallion, for the inside of the lab is as metallic and disturbing as the out. In fact, one could make an argument for it being worse. On metal tables and shelves are vials and beakers, each filled with strange liquids of colors that Devlin can't even identify. Rock samples sit neatly beside them, each of them marked with a slip of paper on which sits the written form of the strange language the Professor and Zebasiz had been speaking.

Professor Siirak sits on a stool at a table at the other end of the room. On the table are various scales, beakers, and more. He empties the bag of sand into a Petri dish and begins poking at it with a pair of tweezers. He drops some samples into a vial and adds in some strange chemicals before turning his head a complete 180 degrees and saying to them, "Urak Nokiim Zerr Varaum!"

Nodding, Zeb tells his friend that they're going to head into the waiting room while the Professor works. Nodding cautiously, Devlin follows Zeb off to the side of the room, finding another attached to it. Opening the door, they head inside and instantly one of the floating lights shoots in as well, illuminating the entire room for them. It seems simple, with a few seats and tables. Newspapers, magazines, books, and more reading material is scattered around, and even a couple of board games like Battle Clouds. For the next hour or so, the two of them sit there and talk, play games, and read, just trying to alleviate their boredom and waste time as they await the analysis of the sands to be finished. It's hard to believe that it could take this long, but Zeb assures Devlin that the results will be trustworthy.

"How can you be so sure? I mean, how can this creature be a scientist?"

Sighing, Zeb replies, "Creature huh? You know, he doesn't like being called that."

"Oh, I'm sorry! Did I offend that monstrous thing back in there!?"

"Listen Devlin, I know he can seem a bit frightening at first, but you gotta believe me, he's a good guy. Back in the province of Leeds, he was a respected scientist and researcher who helped improve the quality of life for everyone there. His species began to die out though due to the fact that being a carnivore and a friend to all living creatures at the same time just doesn't work. He told me that this dark creature suddenly appeared one day and began attacking the citizens of Leeds, and drove him out of the province itself. He came here to Equestria hoping to get help, but everypony feared him. So he moved here under the protection of Princess Aurora and began to work with the medical facilities. He had no other choice. He still doesn't even know what happened to his friends, his family, or his homeland in general."

"That's another thing. How can you even understand him? I've never heard of that language before, and I doubt you can learn it in medical school."

"Heh, well he actually has this ability to share knowledge of language with ponies. He can understand our language perfectly fine, but prefers to speak in his own. He allowed me to learn his as well, and since then I've respected him by always using it when speaking to him."

"Well," Devlin sighs as he leans back in the seat, rubbing his temple with his hoof, "do you know anything about this dark creature? I mean, it could've been Oblivion, right?"

"I don't think so. He told me that this dark creature had a physical form, but that he's unable to accurately describe it due to the sheer terror he felt when he saw it. He did tell me what he saw it do though. Apparently, whatever this thing was, it was able to shatter reality and rearrange the atomic and subatomic structure of all matter. He saw it destroy his own sister by tearing her apart atom by atom."

Devlin suddenly thinks of his own sister, of Bright Notes. He couldn't imagine seeing her killed in such a mortifying fashion. For the first time, he feels more than just fear of Professor Siirak. He feels sorrow, regret, and pity. It's hard for him to fathom, but this Leeds Devil is a thinking, feeling, and loving being that has lost more than he could ever imagine. Maybe he can give the professor a chance, just to show him that he's not like that monster that killed his sister, and very probably, his entire nation. Right then, as if knowing he was being talked and thought of, Professor Siirak slowly walks into the room. With his newfound respect for him, Devlin sees something on his face, an expression, actual emotion...terror. Something isn't right.

"Yrok Gevul Narsakara! Teruum Isav Erek Zuul! Pokak Lerr Tizuk, Rekom Saruk Uviir!"

Zebasiz looks at the professor in confusion, turning to Devlin to say, "He says that the sand isn't sand at all. They come up with the same biological signature as a pony. I don't understand what he means though. Give me a moment."

"Terasuu Rikako Waruum?" he asks the professor. However, Devlin doesn't need to wait for a response, as it suddenly dawns on him exactly what's going on here. A look of sheer, unadulterated horror spreads across his face. This can't be happening, it just can't be. Both Zeb and Professor Siirak seem to notice the sudden change in the stallion, and watch as he falls to the floor. Acting quickly, Zebasiz approaches his friend and helps him back up, asking him what's wrong.

"I...I...I know what that sand is  now."

"What!? Tell us then!" Zebasiz replies.

"Taruuk," the Professor nods in agreement.

Shaking in the most terror he's ever felt, he explains to them, "That sand...it's...it's a pony. That's why the biological signature is the same. And that means...one of the Agents of Oblivion is in Ponyville."

S01 E22 (Pt. 2) - The Search for Derpy Hooves

Episode 22 (Part 2): The Search for Derpy Hooves

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As the bright, shining sun begins to lower in the late afternoon sky, Chupa lets out a sorrowful sigh at the seemingly hopeless endeavor they're facing. It's been a long, tiring day of non-stop searching for these four little fillies throughout the entirety of south Ponyville, and not a hair nor feather pointing to Derpy Hooves' location has been discovered. She's had the help from the members of the CMC MkII, save for Majus who's keeping the party in the center of town going, and has looked everywhere that she could possibly think of. They've asked shopkeepers, random passersby on the street, and even visited the post office where Derpy worked. Nopony knew anything, and it was beginning to seem pointless. From Glass Jaw at the fine china shop to the mare's closest friends and co-workers, all of their options have been thoroughly exhausted.

Just ahead of her, the other three are running around asking everyone in the near vicinity if they know anything. Even those who they've already asked. By this point, a faint rumble begins to build deep within the pits of Chupa's stomach, and she realizes that she hasn't had anything to eat or drink in hours now. She's sure that the other three have to be just as hungry as her, if not more so. So she decides that it's as good a time as any to take a quick break for some food. Maybe they can even formulate a new plan while doing so.

She shouts out to them, and within a second they stand before her at full attention, asking if she'd found anything. Their disappointment upon learning that she hadn't is heartbreaking in and of itself, but at the same time, it's also encouraging to her. To see these three young ponies this determined to help find Derpy, and this sad at hearing no news, is amazing in this day and age. Most fillies wouldn't even give this kind of thing a thought. They'd only care about having fun and stuff that concerns them. The CMC MkII are certainly a step above the rest it seems.

"Listen girls," Chupa says to them with a gentle smile, her tone mature for her age in an almost big-sister like fashion, "we've been looking for quite a long time now. I think we all deserve a little reward for our efforts. How about I take you down to the south market and get us all something to eat?"

Realizing their own growing hunger, the three giggle slightly and then in unison, shout out, "YEAH!" So she begins to lead them away, heading about a ten minute trot directly south to where the stands of the marketplace are set up. When they arrive amongst them, the wafting smell of the fresh fare coming from each makes all four fillies drool in anticipation. One specific stand captures their attention. Behind it sits a burly stallion selling some delicious, hot, butternut squash soup in bread bowls. However, as they rush over, a sudden soft voice steals away all of their ears.

Walking up to them is a yellow pegasus pony. On her head, resting over her long pink mane that's braided to one side, she dons a green headband adorned with some small, yet very beautiful, flower caps. They retain their freshness and lovely smell, most likely through an enchantment. On the mare's front hooves are multiple bracelets of varied colors, and three pink and blue butterflies seem to radiate from her flank. This is the first time Chupa's seen Fluttershy dressed in such a manner. It's odd for sure, but yet still somehow undeniably beautiful. It's almost as if she were embracing the very essence of nature itself, becoming one with it.

"Hello Miss Fluttershy, what are you doing here? You certainly seem dressed up today," she says to the older mare.

Blushing in embarrassment, Fluttershy explains, "Oh...well, uh...this was my friend Tree Hugger's idea. She says it'll help release my inner chakras and make me feel at one with nature. Oh, but I'm here just to get some food for my animal friends. They just love the fruits and veggies that the south market sells. Heh, I remember this one time when I came here to get some ingredients I needed to make a special salad for Angel. I ended up meeting Rarity and Pinkie Pie here, and it became, well, an interesting day to say the least..."

The sudden mention of her long lost friends causes the pony to tear up. It's been a decade since she's seen Pinkie or Rarity, and even if Pinkie does some day return to town, she'll never see Rarity again. Seeing this, Chupa quickly changes the subject and asks the mare, "Have you heard about Derpy Hooves? She's been missing from her home for some time it seems, and her daughter Amethyst has asked us to help find her."

"Oh! That's terrible," Flutershy squeaks out in shock, hooves raised to her mouth, "and I was wondering why another pony from the post office was delivering my mail for the past couple of days. Oh, I so wish I could do more to help, but I honestly don't know where she could've gone. She's a good friend of mine from when we were younger too. Me, her, and our other friend Bulk once even helped Rainbow Dash out with qualifying for the Equestria Games, and later on, competing in them."

"Bulk?" Chupa quickly asks, not wanting Fluttershy to begin sulking over saying Rainbow Dash's name too.

"Bulk Biceps, right!? He's a professional body builder!" Honeysuckle suddenly pipes up out of nowhere. Everypony turns to look at her in surprise, which only makes the young filly blush before explaining further, "Bri had come home one time from a trip to Trottingham. She told me this story about him, and said that he used to compete in the Equestria Games every year, always competing in different events. She also said he once tried to join the Wonderbolts, and even helped raise water from the Highland Reservoir to Cloudsdale for the weather team."

"That's right," Fluttershy affirms with a warm smile, "but don't let his outward appearance deceive you. He may be big and tough looking, but he's very sweet and kind. Unfortunately though, while he may have been a good lead long ago, Bulk moved to Trottingham eight years ago. He hasn't been in much contact with us back here since. That's probably how your sister heard about him. She might have even met him during her trip. Even if you were able to get there within good time to find him, he wouldn't be of much help. Have you tried the post office or Sugarcube Corner yet?"

"We have checked the post office, but nopony there has heard anything. We haven't gone to Sugarcube Corner though. Would the Cake twins know anything?" Chupa asks.

"Well, Derpy always did love muffins, and Sugarcube Corner is known for having the best in all of Ponyville. It'd be all of Equestria if it weren't for Sugar Belle over in Our Town. So that'd be the best place to look. I don't think Derpy would've gone all the way to get muffins from Sugar without telling anypony."

"Thanks for all of the help, Miss Fluttershy," Chupa says with a smile. She turns to the others and adds, "We don't have anypony currently checking out the central part of town actually. We'll be sure to head there and find out what we can from whoever we can. After some soup of course."

"Well, I wish you the best of luck. I wish I could help more, but my little animal friends need me to get back there." As she heads off to continue her shopping, waving to the four of them, the cogs in Chupa's mind begin to turn. Sugarcube Corner then? At this point they've more than exhausted their efforts with this part of town, so they don't seem to have any other choice. But wait, aren't the Cake twins at the party? As she steps into line, the other three following closely, she continues to think about what they're going to do. They didn't ask anyone at the party now that they think about it. They have to find out something, even if they have to crash the party to do so.

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Bitter tears stream down Star's reddened cheeks as she watches the actions of her two friends. One newer, and the other, her oldest and best friend, roll around on the hard ground throwing their hooves at each others faces. Screams of uncontrollable rage echo throughout the streets as they attack with vicious tenacity, the likes of which she's never seen before. She knows it isn't their fault. This is all Oblivion's fault. His influence is powerful, controlling the minds of those weakened by fear, even without them realizing it. But even though she knows not to blame her friends, she can't help but hate the sight before her. So with a loud outcry, she suddenly climbs to her hooves and rushes forward, ramming right in between the two and knocking both Bri and Scatter apart.

The two look at Star, anger etched into their expressions, and then to each other. Something seems to break in their minds right then, and their eyes widen. They look from themselves back to Star, and then once more to each other. It's as if they had awoken from a terrible dream, and at once, their eyes too begin to water. As they cry, Scatter and Bri hug each other and yell out their apologies, mortified by what they had been doing. Then, as they finish, a laugh escapes the earth pony mare as she turns to face her best friend.

"And I thought Chupa was the Element of Peace."

She can't help it. A laugh escapes Star as well, and soon after, Scatter. Before long, the three of them just sit there in the middle of the road laughing together, garnering more attention than they had been when fighting. It's good that their fight hadn't lasted long, Star thinks to herself, she probably would've broke if it had continued after that. Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, Star notices a mare she hadn't seen before. They certainly hadn't asked her about Derpy yet. So she points the mare out to her friends, who smile and nod, agreeing that it's worth a shot.

"Excuse us," Star says as they approach. Dark blue in coat, similar to that of Star actually, the pegasus mare has a mane of gold and sky blue. Her purple eyes travel constantly from place to place, as if looking for something. She glances over at the three, but returns to what she was doing before, seeming to ignore them.

"I'm sorry, are you busy right now?"

Sighing, the mare turns to look at Star and explains, "I'm surveying the town for a project, alright? I'm sorry that I can't talk much right now. So can you hurry it up?"

"Of course, my name is Star Rider. These are my friends Bri Happer and Scatter Brain."

"Star Rider? Interesting name. Mine is Starflight."

"Starflight," Star parrots, "that's beautiful. Anyways, we're actually searching for somepony. The mailmare, Derpy, is missing. We were just wondering if you might've seen here, or know anything about where she might be."

"I'm sorry, I actually don't live here. I'm just visiting town for this surveying job, so I don't even know who this Derpy pony is. If I knew anything, I'd tell you, but I don't."

Thanking the mare anyways, Star leads her friends away. So far, no luck at all. They have no clue where Derpy could have gone. Not even a slight guess. She just hopes the other teams are doing better than theirs, for Amethyst's sake.

****************************************************************************************************

Sweet Apple Acres! Thanks to Walter Whinny, a friend of Cheerilee, they've gotten their first clue towards Derpy's location! Of course, he didn't say too much, just that he had seen a pony fitting their description flying off toward the farm this morning. But it's better than nothing, and much more than they had before hoof. Agelian is the most excited of all of them, considering how important this search is for him. After he was forced to murder his own fiancée by that bastard Oblivion, he'll do whatever it takes to make sure her mother is safe.

Terra understands his friends emotions well. He, after all, lost someone he loved because of that monster too. Though he never did get to tell Everglade how he felt. It's his biggest regret, but there's one thing he knows for sure now. She worked her brains out to serve and protect, to help the citizens of Equestria in every way. He would do the same in her memory, and it would begin with Derpy Hooves. He knows he has to save her, and protect her. Not just for Agelian or Amethyst. Not even just for his lost love. But for everyone who's lost somepony in these trying times.

Vinyl and Octavia came into this just today. They knew Derpy, but never closely, and never really knew Dinky or Amethyst at all. But when Agelian told Vinyl about his past with Dinky, and what he did to her, she understood. She loves Tavi with all her heart. She couldn't even begin to imagine losing her in the same way. She admires him for pushing past his sorrow and working to save somepony, and she wants to do what she can for him. Octavia was pulled into this by her marefriend. Vinyl didn't even warn her before just magicking her here from Canterlot. Yet she too finds the horror in what happened to Agelian, and the inspiration from him now. She doesn't truly understand, but she'll help however she can.

And now, the four of them have somewhere to go. No more endless wandering. Somepony from the Apple Family should be there to greet them, hopefully Apple Bloom or her husband. But anyone would be fine, as long as they can give whatever information they can on the missing mailmare. So they trot along, wondering why Derpy could've been headed to the farm in the first place. And why only this morning? Does that mean she's only been gone for less than a full day now? Or has she been gone for a while and only just today headed over here? So many questions, and only a hope for answers.

"So, I've never been to Sweet Apple Acres," Vinyl says, a slight chuckle escaping her, "is it cool? I mean, I'll go either way, but I'm just hopin' it doesn't cramp my mad style."

"Do you talk that way on purpose to annoy me?" Octavia jokingly responds, causing Vinyl to roll her eyes with a smirk. Agelian tells them both about the farm. It's fields of fresh produce, the gorgeous apple trees, and the well built barns. It's a sure sight to behold, and nothing like the city at all. Even homely little Ponyville is nothing as calming and serene as Sweet Apple Acres.

It takes them only about fifteen minutes to reach the farmland from the schoolhouse, and as they do, they are greeted by an air of, well, nothing. Not a sound reaches their ears outside of the clopping of their hooves on the dirt. Not a soul can be seen. Nopony harvesting apples, tending to the other crops, or even just hanging around. Thinking about it, Agelian doesn't remember seeing them at the party. But then, if that's the case, where could they be?

"Hmm, maybe they're at the house" Terra suggest, as if reading his friend's mind. They decide that it's worth a shot and head onward to the center of the land. A large farmhouse sits right there, surrounded by bales of hay and a few scattered trees. A small barn sits beside it, and a fenced in area for sheep sits not far away. As they walk up to the door, Agelian knocks a few times and backs up to await an answer. None comes.

He tries again, and even a third time. Only silence answers. Is no one home? Then where could they possible be? Were they at the party and they just didn't see them? No, thinks Terra, he would've seen Apple Bloom at least. She's one to stick out in a crowd. A bad feeling sends chills up their spines, and turning to the others, Agelian suddenly suggests, "Check the fields, look for clues. Not only for Derpy now, but for any sign of the Apple Family too. Something is clearly going on here."

They nod in agreement and spread out, heading to separate parts of the land. Agelian goes straight toward the orchard, feeling that it'd be the most probable place to find an Apple. Terra goes to the crop field, Vinyl checks the barns spread out around the farm, and Octavia searches the rest of the central area., as well as the paths leading every which way. For an hour, the four of them search and search as thoroughly as possible. As Agelian begins to come back from his overhead search of the orchard, feeling defeated and broken, a sudden shout awakens his attention.

"Oi! Everyone! I found something!"

Octavia's loud voice rings out through the empty farm, gaining the attention of the other three. They rush as fast as possible to the farmhouse where they find the grey mare awaiting them, holding up a grey feather. She smiles as Agelian shouts out in excitement, "This is hers! I'd know it anywhere! Where did you find it?"

"It was in the grass behind the barn here. I didn't notice it my first time over. I decided to double check and saw it there. It was good that I decided to check again, right Agelian? You had the same idea, didn't you?"

Looking at her, a confused expression spreading across his face, he asks her, "What do you mean?"

"Wasn't that you flying back over towards the orchard about ten minutes ago? I swear I saw a flash of blue."

"No...that wasn't me. I haven't been out of the orchard in an hour, not counting just now. But you're saying you saw somepony else then? A blue pegasus?"

"Could it have been part of the Apple Family?" Vinyl asks.

"No," replies Terra, "none of them are pegasi. Even those who marry into the family tend to be earth ponies. That means someone's watching us. Think about it. No one's around, and then as we near finish our search, one of us spots somepony mysteriously flying away. And then happens to find a feather matching those of Derpy? I have a feeling that you didn't see that feather there before, Octavia, because it wasn't there before. Whoever that was put it there for you to find."

"Could it be one of those Agents?" Octavia questions, remembering the incident with The Harad back in Detrot, and all the death and destruction caused by it.

"It's possible, but don't just assume," Terra replies, "either way, we have to take this seriously. This is definitely Derpy's feather, we know that for sure. The question remains of who left it for Octavia to find, and why."

***********************************************************************************************************

Running into the center of the town, Devlin and Zebasiz smile as they spot the large fountain right outside of town hall. The sun has just set, leaving an ethereal glow sitting on the horizon. As they approach, they see three ponies seated against the fountain. Looks of absolute forlorn failure adorn their faces. However, as they turn their heads up and see their friends galloping over, those expressions are replaced by that of excitement and hope. They stand to their hooves to greet the two stallions, hugging and laughing for a moment. However, neither Devlin nor Zeb can forgot telling them the horror that they discovered during their search.

"We were looking out for any information we could," Zebasiz begins, a sigh escaping him, "when we found a feather. I instantly recognized it as belonging to Derpy, as I had treated her in the past."

The news gains a gleeful cheer and joyous smiles from the others, but neither of the two stallions joins in with their friends. Bri, Star, and Scatter soon realize this and stop, waiting to hear the rest. Devlin then adds in, "We also found something else. Some kind of sand-like substance that wasn't native to Ponyville. So Zeb took me to visit Professor Siirak and see if we could find out what it was and where it came from."

"Who in the hay is Professor Siirak?" Bri curiously asks. Her already bright eyes seem to peak with a deep interest as she stares at her friend.

Zebasiz takes the question, telling her, "He's a friend of mine from overseas, but that isn't the point right now. We had the Professor analyze the sands for us, and through such we discovered that it's an organic substance that gave off an identical biological signature as a pony. It was a pony at one point. This is only a guess at the moment, but we believe that there must be another Agent here in Ponyville."

"The Harad!? Doctor Stangehooves!?" Scatter cries out in shock, thinking to those two and the other Agents of Oblivion, those they know and those they don't.

"I honestly don't know. It could be any of those we've already met, or even one we haven't. Either way, we have to be careful. If there is an Agent here, they could be after us. In the meantime, have you three learned anything regarding Derpy?" Devlin asks.

"Unfortunately we haven't," Star tells the two stallions, her look of sorrow returning, "we haven't found out anything."

Right as she finishes her sentence, they all notice four more ponies headed their way. A group of young fillies led by Chupa gallops up to them, joining their friends at the statue. They begin to give their report, and specifically mention what Fluttershy told them regarding Bulk Biceps and the Cake Twins. Noting that the later is a valuable lead they should definitely check out when they get the chance. Star smiles and nods in agreement, saying that it's definitely a good idea, but that they should wait for the others to meet up with them first.

As if on queue, Agelian's group comes up to them next. Alongside Terra, Vinyl, and Octavia, they reach their friends and after the same pleasantries, begin to swap stories. As their turn comes, Agelian explains the entire situation that led them to Sweet Apple Acres, and naturally, everything that happened when they were there. From the abandoned farm to the search, and finally, Octavia finding the feather and their belief that somepony left it for her to find. The last piece interests Zeb and Devlin most of all.

"So two of our groups found a feather. Do you think this mysterious blue pegasus left the feather for us to find as well?" Devlin asks. Everypony else shrugs and begins to contemplate what the significance of these feathers could be. Why would anyone leave them for their groups to find? And why only those two groups? Either way, they have to follow whatever leads they can. And as of now, it seems like that would be the Cake Twins.

"Wait," Chupa suddenly speaks up, "I just thought of something. If everypony at Sweet Apple Acres is missing, maybe it's tied in with Derpy's disappearance. If I remember correctly, Rich's Barnyard Bargains has a lucrative business relationship with the farm. Wouldn't it be a good idea to go there and ask if they know anything about the Apple Family? It might lead us to Derpy."

Everypony looks to Chupa in a mix of surprise and excitement. What she says makes sense. In fact, it's genius. The mysterious disappearance of not only Ponyville's most known mailmare, but an entire family who supplies the town with a good portion of it's food? This has to be connected somehow. In agreement, the now reformed group heads out to the large building that houses Ponyville's premiere wholesale market.

They soon arrive and enter right before the shop is set to close, all of them breathing heavily after the immense amount of running. As they catch their breath, they notice the shop's current owner, Diamond Tiara, standing not too far away. Judging from her tone and volume, as well as the look on the face of the pony she's speaking to, she's angrily lecturing him on what he did wrong or something of the sort. She's never been known for her tact, but her business sense is unbelievable. So the group heads over to her, and as she finishes with the other stallion, she sneers over at them and asks what they want.

"Hello Miss Tiara, we could actually use your help. I don't know if you've heard, but one of the town's mailmares, Derpy Hooves, is missing. We've been searching for her all day, yet haven't found anything. We even checked out Sweet Apple Acres, but weren't able to find anything there either, as the Apple Family seem to be gone too. We just wanted to know if you might know anything about where Derpy or the Apple Family are," Agelian explains to her.

A wily smirk on her face, Di shakes her head and asks them if they have any money. The question catches them all off guard, and so she explains that she doesn't give out anything for free, not even information. "This is a business here, you know. If you want the goods, you gotta have the bits. Now pay up or you're welcome to leave."

As the others begin to lodge their complaints, Agelian steps forward and pulls his wallet out of his saddlebag. He opens it up and dumps every last bit inside on the floor in front of Diamond Tiara and then steps back, lowering himself to her and begging for any information she can possibly provide. Laughing, the mare begins to count the money, but then to Agelian's dismay, says that it isn't enough for information as prudent as this. Once again, everyone begins to complain, and rightfully so.

Walking up, however, a grey-coated mare with a silvery-white mane and glasses smiles and tells them, "Everypony from Sweet Apple Acres went to a produce competition in Appaloosa today. I'm surprised you didn't hear about it."

"SILVER SPOON!" Diamond shouts in anger, "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!?"

"Helping some ponies in need, and not trying to cheat them out of all their money. Can't you stop acting like a spoiled, selfish bitch for once? We're adults now Di, not fillies. I've long since made amends with the CMC and turned myself around. Yet you still go about insulting ponies and treating them like fertilizer. What do you get out of this? Does it make you feel big or important? Guess what, you ARE big and important. And not because you act like that, but because you're an amazing business pony. But face the facts, your family's business is going to the dumps. Ponies don't want to shop here when the owner berates her customers."

Everypony, especially Diamond Tiara, stares at Silver with shock. And at least for the group who had come in, with a little admiration. They've heard of the relationship between these two, and could've never expected Silver Spoon to speak in this way to the pony she's always followed. But they got the information they needed, and so before any more heat begins to form, they decide to make their leave. So the Apple Family is out of town, all of them. It's odd that nopony stayed behind to watch over the farm. So what does this mean then?

"We still don't know about Derpy," Star quietly says as they leave the building, "all we know is of the Apple Family's disappearance."

"DAMN IT!" Agelian shouts out in an unstable rage. The others try to calm him down, but he continues to cuss out nopony in particular and thrash around. "We've gotten nowhere! All this searching and asking around, and it's led nowhere! What was the point of all of this!? I just can't take this anymore! I killed Dinky, and now I can't even do a thing to help her sister find their mom!? What good am I if I can't even do that!?"

"Agelian, please calm..." Bri begins. Agelian shoves her to the side and begins stomping at the ground when suddenly, a nearby couple look over.

Walking up, Sweetie Belle and Button Mash approach them, with the former asking, "Oh my, what's going on here? Is he...is he alright?"

"NO! I'm not alright!"

Still yelling, Agelian tells the singer and her husband everything that's been going on. All that their group has gone through over the course of the day, and how it's led to them learning absolutely nothing. As he finishes, to his surprise and anger, Sweetie and Button both begin to laugh. Running forward, Devlin, Terra, and Scatter work to hold the enraged Agelian back. In response, Button steps in front of Sweetie in a defensive stance.

Sighing, Sweetie says, "Agelian, you have no need to worry. Derpy's perfectly safe. She went with the Apple Family to Appaloosa today."

The sudden revelation breaks the pegasus out of his rampage. His sudden stop sends the three holding him falling back in surprise. He just stares at Sweetie for a moment as she steps back in front of Button, pushing him back with an eye roll and smirk. Walking up to the formerly agitated stallion, she places a hoof on his shoulder and tells him and everypony else exactly what happened to Derpy Hooves.

"I'm telling you the truth. She went with Apple Bloom and the others."

"But why would she do that?" Star suddenly asks for Agelian, who can't seem to speak at the moment.

"She needed to get away. After learning about her daughter's death, she was distraught. It was the worst pain she's ever felt and she spent quite some time locked away, crying. When she was in her room at one point, a bird delivered a letter to her window. Apple Bloom had heard about what happened and invited Derpy to come with them. It was a last minute invite though, and so Derpy didn't have the chance to tell anypony about it."

"They should be returning in the morning," Button adds with a smile, "we only know this ourselves because we were at the acres seeing them off. Derpy realized right as they were going that she forgot, and asked us to tell Amethyst. We actually just got back from doing so. We had forgotten before now, shamefully."

Tears begin to fall from his eyes as Agelian hears all of this. A smile covers his face as he lunges forward and hugs the two, thanking them over and over again as if they somehow saved his life. Sweetie manages to use her magic to force him away, after patting him gently on the back, and apologizes for this not coming to light sooner. She tells them that they have to head back home though, and bids the group farewell. They do the same for the couple and begin to cheer in relief and joy as they hug Agelian. They can't believe it. They've finally found Derpy.

********************************************************************************************************

The sun begins to rise over the tops of the Sweet Apple Acres treeline, illuminating the bright blue sky. Fluffy white clouds slowly pass overhead as a rooster somewhere close by crows. Trotting along, the Apple Family begins to arrive back in Ponyville, and specifically at Sweet Apple Acres. Leading the group is Apple Bloom, Fuji, Babs Seed, and of course, Derpy Hooves. The bubbly mailmare smiles over at her friends, once again thanking them for inviting her to come along. This trip was just what she needed. She still hasn't fully gotten over the pain from her daughter's death, but the fun of the competition has at least allowed her some momentary relief.

As they pass over the hill, a deafening roar fills their ears and the sight of all their friends standing in front of them takes them all by surprise, Derpy most of all. Banners and delicious foods everywhere, ponies ready to have fun and party. It's all so much. As they trot up to everypony, the grey mare asks them, "What's going on?"

"MOM!"

The sudden cry comes, of course, from Amethyst Star, who runs up at full speed, tackling her mother in a tear-filled hug. Though still confused and surprised, Derpy smiles down at her daughter and holds her tight, wanting to never let go. She lost Dinky, but she still has one daughter. And though this pain won't go away that easily, she'll have someone to help her through it. In fact, judging from the sheer amount of ponies here, maybe more than just Amethyst.

"We were so scared for you mom," the mare says to Derpy, smiling up as she rubs against the fluff of her chest. "You just disappeared without any warning. We only found out last night from Sweetie Belle and Button Mash."

Stepping forward, Agelian tells Derpy everything that happened. How Amethyst had asked them to help search for her, what happened to everyone in their selective searches, and of course, the news that there might be an Agent of Oblivion in Ponyville. The news is so expansive for the mare to take in, but she listens intently and understands the gist of it. She worried all of them with her departure. It was wrong to just up and go without even letting her own daughter know. She knows that now, and will never do anything like that again.

"Agelian" she says to the upset stallion, "I understand. I don't blame you in the slightest. It wasn't your fault. I know that it's Oblivion who's behind Dinky's death."

She then turns to Terra and smiles, adding, "I want to join the task force. Oblivion and those working with him...they stole Dinky from me. I want them to experience the pain I did, tenfold."

"We'd be happy to have you," Terra replies, smirking as the others cheer in agreement.

Over on the outskirts of Ponyville, Starflight smiles and hums a little tune as she trots down the road. As she gets about a mile out, she suddenly stops as the air before her shimmers. It morphs and transforms into the manifestation of a demon-like pony head. Looking directly at her, the being's eyes glow red. A growl escapes it as the mouth opens, followed by the question, "How was the surveillance, Starflight?"

Bowing before the ghostly apparition, Starflight grins maliciously and tells him, "Ponyville will soon be ours, my lord."

S01 E23 - A Well Earned Laugh

The sun begins to set over the tall hills on the outskirts of Ponyville, casting an ethereal glow upon the nearly cloudless skies. All of the birds and animals begin to retreat to their nests, dens, burrows, and in general, homes; ready to sleep away the night with hopes of another good day to come. In the nearby town, the various ponies of all shapes and sizes do the same, locking up for the night in order to rejuvenate their tired bodies. It's a beautiful end to a beautiful day.

Down on a fairly large rock farm seated on a patch of land outside of town, the Pie family begins their last loads of the day. The heads of the family, Igneous Rock and Cloudy Quartz, tend to the granite in the north field right by the house. It's a tough job for even the strongest of Earth Ponies, but these two have been working the fields for many years now, and have more than enough physical capacity to handle the labor. Over in the west field, the youngest of Igneous and Cloudy's children, Limestone, hauls a cart filled with metaquarzite to bring to the barn. The smallest and physically weakest of the family, she's been given an easier job than the rest. Simply transporting rocks doesn't take much effort, thanks to the wonders of simple machines.

With her in the field is her sister Marble. A little older than Limestone, Marble is also small in stature. However, unlike her sister, she has an amazing amount of physical strength she claims to have inherited from her father. So, working alongside Limey, she does most of the heavy lifting and actual labor. The two switch between the west and east fields day by day. She enjoys working with schist the most, though will do near anything her parents ask of her.

Finally, the last member of the family on the farm, Maud Pie, breaks down a large pile of breccia rock in the south field. The eldest and strongest of the sisters, Maud has a deep admiration for her work, even to the point of studying the field to earn her rockterate in rock sciences. Her true passion, however, is the physical labor of tending the fields at home. She can think of no better joy than doing her job, even if it means having to miss the occasional party her younger sister Pinkie invites her to.

Pinkie, the final member of the Pie family. Though not living at the farm, she's as much a part of their family as any other. Though honestly it did take some time for the rest of them to realize this. At first, the idea of Pinkie leaving the rock farm to move to town and take an opening at Sugarcube Corner as an apprentice baker, as well as pursue her passion for throwing parties, was just strange. They didn't understand it and only saw her leaving as abandoning the family. However, to keep relations within themselves good, they remained on good terms with Pinkie, despite their feelings.

Everything ended up changing that one day though. The rock farm was in trouble, and they had to go into town to seek help from Princess Twilight Sparkle, only to realize in the end that it was Pinkie who held the answers. Because of her and the awesome party she threw, business with the farm began to boom, and they've been better off than ever before. Since then they see her every now and again, and they definitely respect her lifestyle choices much more. But still, they remain on the farm while she stays in Ponyville. Not much in that way has changed.

Wiping the sweat from her brow, Maud looks out towards the large windmill on the property and gives off a very subtle smile. Her thoughts were of Pinkie, the sister she always connected with the most. It's around that time of year again. She and Pinkie make rock candy necklaces and send them to each other. In only a few days, they'll be continuing the tradition per usual. The very thought of receiving the edible jewelry warms Maud's heart. She may not like the candy itself, but she does love Pinkie Pie.

Suddenly, as she stands there, thoughts of her sister's wild antics running through her mind, the sudden shouting of her youngest sister, Limestone, awakens her. Running towards her, the young mare with straight, light grey mane and tail seems panicked. Something isn't right. Instantly Maud begins to worry about Boulder, whom she left in the care of Marble and Limey today. Rocky, Pinkie's pet rock, is over there as well, always wanting to join Boulder in whatever he's doing.

"Maud!" Limestone yells as she reaches her elder sister. Sweat cascades from her face and her breathing is labored. She's been running non-stop this entire way. Maud gives her some time to breath, then asks what's happening, subtly asking about both Boulder and Rocky.

"Pinkie's here! She just suddenly arrived without any warning, but...but.."

"But what?" Maud asks, her normally stoic and emotionless voice cracking in fear, "what's wrong with Pinkie?"

"We don't know. Father saw her coming up to the farm, but when he tried to greet her, she began to cry and ran into the house, locking herself in her room."

Without a second thought, the older sister enters full gallop, worry eclipsing her face as she runs as fast as possible to the house. Pinkie's never sad, certainly not enough to act like this. Something happened; something absolutely mortifying. She soon reaches the rest of her family, standing outside and talking to each other with concern. Limestone runs up soon after, having fallen behind her sister on the journey back.

"Father, mother, what's happening!?" Maud yells out, tears beginning to form in her eyes as she automatically fears the worst.

Igneous and Cloudy look to their daughter, and the former replies with a gloomy tone, "She won't answer us. We try knocking on the door to her room; calling out to her, but she doesn't answer. Marble here says she heard sobbing coming from inside, but we don't know anything else."

"What did you say to her, when she returned?"

The question catches Igneous off guard, but with a sigh, he tells Maud, "I simply asked her how her friends back in Ponyville were doing. That's when she burst into tears and ran off. Can you please try and talk to her, Maud? She might answer if she knows it's you."

Nodding, the eldest sister enters the house and slowly trots up the staircase leading to the bedrooms. She stops in front of Pinkie's, and checks the handle. It's locked, as her parents had said. Giving the door a short, sharp rap, she calls out, "Pinkie, it's me. Is everything alright?"

Inside the room, the pink mare lays on her bed as countless tears flood from her eyes. Her head buried in a pillow, she hears Maud's voice come through the locked door and considers answering back. But her voice locks up, replaced by moans of anguish. First, Twilight and the other princesses disappeared without a trace. She hoped it was just a sudden duty that had called them all away, but now she knows better. As only two days later, she stopped hearing from Applejack as well. She didn't think much of that either, as AJ was usually quite busy. So she went on with her life.

Then Big Mac, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash all seemed to disappear. She figured at that point that something was wrong. When she went to Sweet Apple Acres though, the horrible truth began to unveil itself. Applejack...died. She had apparently bucked a weak tree. Apple Bloom found her a few hours later, crushed underneath. Because of this, Big Mac committed suicide a few days later, hanging himself in the main barn. This news devastated Pinkie. Applejack wasn't just one of her best friends, but extended family. She looked into Rarity next.

Hondo Flanks, Rarity and Sweetie Belle's father, hadn't heard from his oldest daughter in days. Pinkie offered to help, and that night, they discovered her remains in the Everfree Forest. She had been mauled to death by a wild creature. If it weren't for her saddlebag, they wouldn't have been able to even recognize her. It was too much for the young mare to handle. Her fear overcame her, and she began screaming as she ran through town, trying her best to find Rainbow Dash. Though she was currently in a relationship with a stallion named Scatter Brain, she always felt a certain connection to the daredevil mare. Only now was she brave enough to admit her feelings, even if just to herself.

But she was too late there as well. She learned that during a routine Wonderbolts exercise, Rainbow was thrown by a rogue tornado and impaled on a weather rod. It was Spitfire who told her this, and who helped her back home after she threw up from grief. It's been six days since then. She couldn't stay in Ponyville any longer, it hurt her to hold those memories. Fluttershy was her only friend left, and after she had learned of her friends deaths, she locked herself in her home and hasn't been seen or heard from since. So she ended up coming back home, hoping that things would be better. But it wasn't. Her pain was only worsened as her father asked about the friends she had lost.

Now, as she hears her worried sister calling for her, she cries into the soft pillow. She's never known sorrow like this before, and she never wants to again. Suicide comes to her mind. She could easily do it. All she'd need to do is go to one of the fields and loosen a rock at the top of a large pile. It'd fall down onto her head, ending this misery in an instant. Suddenly, the door to her room explodes, sending shards of wood in every direction. The loud sound causes the pink mare to jump, a loud scream escaping her as her head swivels as if on an axis, and her eyes focus on the threshold where Maud now stands.

A vein rests on her elder sister's forehead. Tears stream down her cheeks. She gnashes her teeth and stomps over to the bed, grabbing Pinkie and pulling her into the biggest, most comforting hug she possibly can. The feeling of her sister's body held against hers calms the mare, and she hugs Maud back, crying into her neck. The rest of the family runs up the stairs to see what the commotion is about, but stops as they see the two embracing each other. A few minutes later, they release each other and begin to talk.

Later that night, Pinkie lays back on her bed again, staring at the ceiling. She had told her family everything. They understood of course, and comforted her all night. Now she just wants to rest before she begins working on the farm again in an attempt to calm herself down following this horrible tragedy. Then, with no warning, a new thought comes to the forefront of her mind. What if she just left? Not only the farm, but Ponyville as well? What if she just ran away and left everything behind? She could begin anew somewhere else, where ponies don't know her.

"No," she quietly tells herself, "I can't do that now. I can't just leave my family behind."

She pushes the thought from her head, but as the minutes pass by, it keeps coming back. Over and over again, and each time the impulse to act on these ideas grows stronger. A voice is speaking to her in her mind, telling her that she needs to go, that it's her only option left. This voice scares her; it's not her own. Foreign, intimidating, and yet, somehow entrancing. She trusts it, and doesn't understand why. But for some reason, she does indeed trust it. Her family must be asleep by now, she could easily sneak away. They'd never be the wiser.

And so, Pinkie Pie climbs off of her bed and begins to pack up the small amount of things she had brought back to the farm with her. She wonders where Gummy ran off to, as she hasn't seen him since she returned and ran into the room. Knowing him, he's probably with Maud. He's always loved to sleep beside her for some reason. Tears fall from her eyes again as she slowly begins to leave the room and head downstairs. However, as she reaches the bottom step, the living room light turns on.

Sitting there on the armchair is Maud, Gummy seated on her lap with his expressionless face staring right at his owner. Staring at Pinkie for a moment, she quietly pleads, "Don't go," and says nothing more. Pinkie sees her sister begin to cry, but turns to the front door and walks out anyways. She takes one last look back at her sobbing older sister before turning her eyes away for the last time, and leaving behind the last of what she has to care about.

********************************************************************************************

(Current Day)

Darkness encapsulates the whole of Ponyville as the bright sun falls beneath the horizon, replaced with the soothing shine of the night time moon. Only a short week ago, the entire town was abuzz with the sudden disappearance of mailmare Derpy Hooves. Four teams of ponies had gone out to search for her, and eventually found out exactly what happened. In the end it was nothing more than a simple misunderstanding and lack of communication; a definite relief for the bubbly grey mares remaining daughter, Amethyst Star. And now, Ponyville's gone back to normalcy.

Everypony has returned to their everyday lives as if nothing had ever happened, because that's just how Ponyville works. Something happens, the issue gets solved, and everyone moves on with their lives. Things have been like this for many years now. Yet, despite this truth, the town's militant task force have kept their ears and eyes focused, listening and watching for any news on the whereabouts of the still missing Princess Aurora; Equestria's last remaining princess. If it weren't for the Canterlot Grand Council, ponies would have begun panicking over this too. There would be no more changes from day to night. However, working together, the council have continued to change the celestial bodies of the sky.

In this week, the task force has begun to receive assistance from both Derpy and Amethyst, who are eternally grateful for the willingness to help by the citizens of the town, and even those who were only guests in Ponyville. The former of the two has even agreed to outright join the ranks of the task force in order to seek out vengeance against the monstrosity that killed her darling Dinky. Then there's the Apple Family, headed by Apple Bloom and her husband Fuji. They two have agreed to lend a hoof when needed, utilizing their connections to family members in other towns across Equestria.

Unfortunately for the task force, these new additions haven't been of much assistance as of yet. Granted it's only been a week, but that's one more week that Equestria is without a princess on the throne. Not even a glimmer of a clue has led them to where Princess Aurora could be. They've truthfully begun to lose hope by this point. And their most recent meeting led long into the day, causing its members to become irritable. Two of them, Bri and Scatter, have just stepped out as the meeting finally came to an end. Now they just have to get home and relax for the first time all day.

"You know," Bri sighs as the two trot along the cobblestone street, "I just wish that we were able to do something more. I feel so worthless with how things have been going."

Though their home is only a short walk away from the task force headquarters, it seems to be taking forever tonight, only adding to Bri's frustration and sorrow. Smiling gently, Scatter rests a hoof on his friends back and hugs her for a moment before they continue on, replying, "Don't worry, we'll figure something out eventually. Think about it this way, what good does it do Oblivion to keep us in the dark? It can definitely throw us off of our game, but it'd be better for him if we are able to find something more."

"Why's that?"

"Well, it's simple. Anypony can hide somepony else away and allow for panic to build up. It's unoriginal and honestly lazy. I don't believe Oblivion is either of those two things. He'd want us to continue to prevail, because then when he defeats us in the end, it's harsher on us. To build us up only to knock us down again and again. It's like a sick game of chess, and right now, he's got us in check."

"So all we have to do is make a move he isn't expecting?" Bri asks, perking up at the very idea.

"Exactly. We have to throw Oblivion off. We need to do something he isn't expecting. And what is it that he's expecting us to do right now?"

"Continue looking for Princess Aurora?"

Laughing, Scatter slaps Bri on the back and yells out, "Now you're getting it! In order to catch him off guard, we have to make a completely different move! Something really unexpected and impactful! Now we only need to figure out what that is."

A confident laugh bursts out from Bri suddenly. She's been filled with a new hope for the future. They can do this, they just have to figure out where to move their piece to! Ever since returning from the mountain monastery, she's felt so useless. What has she really done to be able to help with all the troubles that has been plaguing them? Her duty as a member of the Brotherhood has been pretty much non-existent lately, and in terms of her work with the task force, very little has happened. Most of her time has been spent throwing parties or quietly hiding in the background and watching her friends do everything. What right does she of all ponies have to hold the Element of Joy; the Silver Element? She's done nothing to deserve an honor as great as this lately. But now, all that can change.

She doesn't know how yet; nor what to do. But she does know what to look for. Some kind of big, surprising action. As these thoughts swirl around in her head, she looks over to Scatter with a smirk, who smiles back sweetly. He appreciates her confidence, and believes she can do wonders to help Equestria in the future. Nodding, he tells her, "At this point, let's get home and have some dinner. We'll begin looking for that elusive impacting act tomorrow. How about this, I'll make you your favorite cinnamon apple salad."

"Sounds great."

Suddenly, the mare reaches out and hugs her friend. She doesn't even think about it, just wrapping her hooves lovingly around the stallion and holding him close to her own body. The action surprises Scatter, much like his plan for taking down Oblivion. For a moment, he just stands there on the spot, unsure of how to respond. But then, as if his body moves on it's own, he hugs her back. Holding the mare in a calming embrace, without a word spoken he tells her that he'll always be there for her. Whenever she's sad, whenever she's hurting, and whenever she's in any kind of trouble; He'll always be there.

The two break apart after a short time and continue to walk along the path in relative silence. They reach their location only a few minutes later and unlock the door, walking in. As Bri turns on the lights, the two of them find that the house....is exactly how they left it this morning. Nothing out of the ordinary, and to be honest, both kind of wish something had happened. Just so they could make some kind of move against the enemy. If they do truly need to make that unexpected move, they need something to trigger it. To give them some kind of idea at least. Just the chance to do something. For the past fifteen years, Scatter has felt this way. Ever since Pinkie Pie just up and vanished, he wished he had been able to do something. Something to cheer her up, to bring out that joyous smile he so loved.

But Pinkie Pie is gone. She's been gone for fifteen years now, and though the Brotherhood are trying to find her, he honestly doubts they'll find her at this point. But on the positive side, he does have somepony else to watch over these days. Somepony new he cares for, and he will do his absolute best to make sure she keeps smiling no matter what. As they continue on into the house, closing the door behind them, Scatter smiles and says, "I'll get to work on the food. You need to go into the living room and get nice and relaxed. Tonight, I'm going to treat you. You've been asking to hear about my past with Pinkie Pie. Well, I've got some stories for you."

Laughing, Bri skips over to the sofa in the living room, taking a seat and sighing with relief from being off of her hooves. Laying back, she glances over to the kitchen and calls out to Scatter, "You know, ever since you moved in, we've been acting like one of those old married couples or something."

The words had just come out, and right as she finished, instant regret set in and her face began to grow red. Of course, she meant it as a simple joke, but the way it came out...the teasing tone to her voice...he has to have heard it. Over at the kitchen counter, Scatter stops for a quick second and looks out into the living room. He sees her laying there, hiding her face, and shakes off the feeling that had just come over him. Smiling, he laughs back, "Yeah? Well I hope I've been the ideal husband then."

A snorting laugh echoes from the living room as Scatter too now begins to glow. She's right though. He's seen the parallels himself, and kind of wishes it were true. The security and joy that'd come from marriage. It'd be a lot more comforting right now. But that just makes him think of Pinkie. He wanted to propose to her too. Suddenly, a loud knock at the door breaks both of them from their awkward thoughts and conversation. Sighing, Bri climbs off of the sofa and begins to head towards the front door, assuring her friend that she'll get it while he continues working on the food.

As she approaches the door, a letter suddenly slides in from the mail slot at the bottom of the door. Naturally this is strange. Mail never comes this late. Trotting up, she picks the envelope off the floor and looks for a return address, only to be disappointed by the lack of anything of the sort. The only thing on the envelope is her and Scatter's names and the word "URGENT!" written in red at the top. Nothing more, not even an address. She assumes that it means someone specific must have dropped it off, and not the mail ponies.

Bri opens the door and peers out, but sees no one and closes it again, making sure to lock every latch. As she sighs, Scatter calls out, "What is it?"

"It's a letter, but it doesn't say who it's from or anything," she responds, trotting back to the sofa, where she returns to her seated position. A minute passes as Scatter continues to mix the salad. He begins humming a little tune to himself, but is broken out of it as Bri suddenly shouts out to him, "GET IN HERE NOW!"

Dropping the apple slicer he had just picked up, Scatter bolts out of the kitchen at top speed, tripping at one point and flying into the wall. He runs over to where Bri is waiting, finding her seated there with the letter opened. She seems to be reading through it again, and as she sees him approaching, she begins again, reading aloud this time.

"Bri, Scatter, this is of the utmost importance and secrecy. Burn this letter after you read it. Our agents in the Brotherhood have tracked down the party pony Cheese Sandwich in Manehattan. He is said to hold the key to finding Pinkie Pie. I implore that the two of you prepare to leave for the city immediately upon receiving this letter. Take the first train to Manehattan in the morning, find Cheese Sandwich, find out what he knows, and whatever you do, BE CAREFUL! The city streets have eyes. Sincerely, your friend Babe."

Upon finishing her reading, Bri immediately follows Babe's instructions and takes the letter over to the fireplace. She throws it in among the logs and lights a flame, watching as the parchment begins to burn and shrivel down. She then turns to face Scatter and with the straightest face possible, asks him, "Who's Cheese Sandwich?"

"Wait...seriously? You've studied Pinkie Pie and you don't know who Cheese Sandwich is? He was a party pony like Pinkie, and one of her good friends. He was actually inspired to become a party pony because of her. One time they had a Goof Off to see who would be the one to throw this awesome party for Rainbow Dash. It did end with Pinkie forfeiting, but that was mostly due to the fact that she wasn't doing it for Rainbow's sake, but for her own selfish reasons. The two made amends and even began working together. But what I'm concerned about is the last part of Babe's letter. He said that the city streets have eyes. Does this mean that the Agents of Oblivion are watching us?"

"That’d be my only guess. Or at least somepony on Oblivion's side, like a scout. Either way, we know that he can possess ponies, right? So anything's possible at this point. I'd be careful about who we talk to during this trip. Finish the salad, I'll begin packing. We have no clue how long we'll be gone, so I'll bring more than enough just in case. I'll pack for both of us, so we can head right to sleep after we eat. We need to be up in time to make the train. We've found our move, Scatter. Something Oblivion won't be expecting. Let's find Pinkie Pie, the bearer of the Silver Element's true magic."

*******************************************************************************************************

A painting crashes down to the floor, the frame breaking. The frantic clopping sound of the hoofsteps against the wooden floor of the house scream out in the quiet morning. The sun has yet to rise, yet Bri and Scatter already have. Running around their house, the two grab everything they had packed the night before, adding more to it, and even taking some away. Since they received the letter from Babe, they've been on edge. The very idea of possibly finding Pinkie Pie is too much for them both, though for entirely different reasons of course. Scatter wants to find the mare he once loved. And Bri wants not only to find her idol and inspiration, but knows of the importance of the Silver Elements powers that are said to still reside within the former party pony. This is necessary for bringing down Oblivion.

They've decided after some confliction to not alert their friends of where they are going. Of course they'll leave a note to let them know they'll be gone, but no details. Babe's note was meant to be confidential, and they aim to keep it that way. Running to the front door, Scatter throws it open and rushes out, grabbing the cart Bri had bought a few weeks back from beside the house. Pulling it up to the door, he calls for Bri who begins to bring out their bags. Scatter joins in helping her, and within only a couple minutes, they head out towards the train station.

After galloping the entire way there, the exhausted duo step onto the platform leading to the tracks. Unlatching themselves from the cart, Bri and Scatter sit down. Between heavy breaths, Scatter tells his friend, "I'm gonna head over to the ticket booth and maybe get a smoothie from the snack shop. Do you want anything?"

"Ooh, maybe some roasted kale chips?"

"Gotcha," Scatter replies with a grin as he rushes off, leaving Bri seated there alone with the bags. More ponies soon begin to file onto the platform, including a few unicorn mares Bri is all too familiar with.

"It's going to be great to get back home," the mare with the straight red and purple mane says, straightening her glasses with her magic.

"You just want to get back to your books, Moondancer," one of the others, a blue coated mare with a blue and white mane, replies with a laugh.

"No," Moondancer replies with a sigh, looking downward, "it's just...every time we come back here, it kind of hurts, you know? It's never been the same since Lyra...or Twilight..."

"...We know," a third pony quietly interrupts, her coat as bright yellow as a lemon, and mane as blue as the ocean, "we all miss them too. But that's why we come back here."

"Yeah, to be with Bon Bon. Lyra was very close to her too. And to check in with Fluttershy and Spike, both of whom dearly miss Twilight as well. It's not only the four of us who lost friends," the last of the mares replies, her coat a beautiful alabaster with a mane of different hues and shades of purple. She nudges to the other two, who nod in agreement.

"Thank you Twinkleshine," Moondancer says with a smile towards the most recent speaker, "and thank you too Minuette, Lemon Hearts. I guess it's just harder on me. You four had been friends for longer, and were easy to accept Twilight's apology. I came to the party late, after so much anger and apprehension. I lost two ponies who meant a lot; one who helped me realize the importance of friendship, and another who I hadn't even gotten the chance to know as much as I would've liked."

"I guess you're right," Minuette replies, "and we're sorry."

"No, it's not your fault. It's just...Twilight and Lyra. I'm worried that one of you might be next. I don't want to lose any more friends."

The three other mares suddenly hug Moondancer, who returns the favor as Lemon Hearts assures her, "We'll never leave you."

Returning with the chips, smoothie, and tickets, Scatter looks to Bri and notices tears welling up in her eyes. He turns and sees the four she's watching, and smiles, walking up to his friend and giving her the snack. Taking a seat beside the mare, he wraps a hoof around her shoulders and pulls her in, telling her, "Remember how they told us of how Pinkie Pie helped with that party? The one that brought them all together as friends after so long? Those four are why we're going to Manehattan today. Ponies like them who have been impacted by Pinkie and who have become better off because of it. And that's also why Cheese Sandwich is our best bet at finding her. Nopony's been as impacted by her as he has."

Cuddling up against the fluffed up fur on his chest, Bri asks, tears still in her eyes, "You'll never leave me, right?"

"Never."

As they sit there, holding each other close, the loud whistle of the oncoming train captures their attention. Their heads instantly perk up and they look down the tracks to see the large frame of the Friendship Express coming toward them from the direction of the now rising sun. The other passengers on the platform begin to get ready to board, their tickets in hoof. Scatter and Bri give each other one more warm, loving hug and then proceed to do the same.

Bri thinks of her friends and wishes she could've told them where she was going. They could've been there with them to send them off. But she does understand that Babe's instructions wanted them to keep this secret. For all she knows, an agent of Oblivion could be lurking around. From Dr. Strangehooves to that psychopath from Detrot, The Harad. And then there's the agents yet revealed. She's more than sure that the ones they've come to know up to this point are but the tip of the iceberg. Somepony like Oblivion would make sure to have an army behind him before making the kinds of moves he has.

As the train screeches to an ear-splitting halt, she thinks back on everything they've gone through. From the events surrounding the sudden arrival of the dark stars and Oblivion's host, Sevulva Star, to the discovery of the Elements of Harmony they have now. The trip to the mountain monastery, the Detrot City Music Festival and Dinky's death, and the search for Derpy Hooves. Now, despite all of the heartache and trouble they've faced, things have a chance of turning around with the possibility of finally finding the long lost Pinkie Pie.

Her thoughts return to the current moment as she and Scatter give their tickets to All Aboard, the train's conductor. They then grab their bags and head on. As they make their way to their seats and place the bags above them, she looks to her friend with an almost confused smile. When she met him, she didn't know what to think of him, and now...now she trusts him more than anypony else besides her own family. She just feels so comfortable around him. It's as if nothing wrong can happen when they're together, yet she knows that isn't true. Still though; just being beside him helps her feel a little safer.

Suddenly, Scatter turns to face her, unknowing that she had been staring at him for the past minute or so. She blushes as he smirks, then lowers his voice to a whisper and asks, "Are you sure you're ready for this?" Despite him being the one to say this, she can see worry and nervousness in him as well. His voice even cracks and shakes like an earthquake in San Horsay.

"No, I'm not ready for this," she whispers back, tears beginning to well up in her eyes, "I thought I would be. I've always idolized Pinkie Pie and wanted to find her so badly. I always thought that I'd be ready and excited when and if this moment ever came. But now, I just feel uneasy. What if we find her and she doesn't want to come back? What if she flat out refuses and goes even further into exile than before?"

"I've had these fears too. As a long time member of the brotherhood, and someone who knew Pinkie on a personal level, you'd think I'd be more ready for this. I've tried to stay strong for you, to be a rock for you to hold onto. I just feel like I'm failing you by being so afraid. I need to be stronger for you," the stallion tells her, tears falling down his cheeks as he bites down onto his lower lip.

Leaning forward, Bri pulls him in for an embracing and comforting hug, but suddenly feels overcome with a new emotion. It's something she's felt for a long time now, and that's when it happens. Leaning close to him, she kisses Scatter full on the mouth. Not a word spoken between them, but a comforting unspoken assurance that everything will be alright. He begins to kiss her back. Thoughts float around in his head, telling him that this isn't right if for no other reason than their age difference. Yet right now, he doesn't care. He's felt this way about her for so long, and now he knows she feels this way too.

The two break apart after a few minutes of pure ecstasy and stare lovingly into each others eyes. Blushing hard, Bri turns her head and whispers, "So...uh...what's first thing on the list? When we get there...I mean. Should we find a hotel?"

"Oh," Scatter says, embarrassed as well as he finally notices that the train has begun to lurch forward, "yeah, that's probably the best idea. It'll be good to unload our stuff before we begin the search for Cheese Sandwich. I just wish Babe had told us a little more in his letter. Manehattan's quite a large city after all. How are we supposed to find Cheese in all of that?"

"Maybe we should look for a party," Bri suggests as she returns her gaze to the stallion.

"That's a nice idea, but Cheese Sandwich hasn't thrown a party since Pinkie disappeared. On top of that, we just assume he'll even know where Pinkie is. There's no actual confirmation of that. I mean, it's said that he knows something, but that doesn't mean he knows exactly where she is. What if he ends up being like Fluttershy, or myself. We were close to Pinkie, but even we don't have a clue as to where she could've gone, or where she'd be now."

"We've got to try though. We need her help, and the power of the Silver Element within her, to stop Oblivion. At this point, we don't stand a chance without her," Bri notes. Scatter nods, knowing she's right.

Suddenly, a voice sings out from right behind them, "Excuse me, but I couldn't help overhearing your little sitch. You're looking for Pinkie Pie, eh?"

The out of nowhere question catches both of them off guard, causing them to jump as they turn on the spot. Sitting there in the seat behind them is a red-coated pegasus mare. She has a wild black mane with streaks of purple within it. Her tail is held into shape against her flank by a studded black collar, matches her mane in color but not style. Around her neck rests another collar of the same make. Her lower lip is pierced with a stud, and she has eyes of the deepest purple that bares right into their very essences. They can't make out her cutie mark from their current positions however.

"WHO ARE YOU!?" Scatter screams out in a combination of shock and terror, gathering the attention of the other ponies seated around them. The mysterious mare snickers a little as the train passes by a small wooded area. Pulling a granola bar out of a satchel on the seat beside her, she begins to munch on her treat before answering.

"The name's Spades, and I'm gonna get right to the point, k? Just like you two, I'm also searching for Pinkie Pie. You could call it a secret mission. It all goes back twenty years by this point. I was but a filly then. Pinkie threw me one hay of a shindig, ya dig? It was probably the best party I've ever attended. So recently I decided I'd put my special talent of finding things to good use and find her."

She shifts her position in the seat to reveal her cutie mark; a magnifying glass. Bri and Scatter exchange worried looks, but listen close as Spades continues, "I heard from a very reliable source that an old friend of Pinkie's named Cheese Sandwich is in Manehattan. He was inspired by her to become a party pony in the first place, so it stands to reason that he'd at least know something. Even if it ends up being a dead end, it's always better to follow a lead when ya get it, right?"

Shock flowing through their bodies, Bri and Scatter stare open mouthed at Spades, not even the slightest of sounds being made between the two of them. They certainly don't want to tell Spades that the reason they're searching for Pinkie is also because of a tip regarding Cheese Sandwich. They definitely don't want her to know about them even going to Manehattan. She could be the enemy, but at the same time, she seems to know too much as it is. Maybe she somehow already knows. If she is an agent of Oblivion, that'd be very bad.

"Well, either way, maybe our paths will cross during the search, eh? Or you could always join me? It's always better when we search together."

"No, thank you," Scatter replies, still in shock over all of this. He begins to eye the mare in a very untrusting manner and adds, "We've already got everything fully planned out for our journey. Unfortunately that means we can't focus on changing anything by this point. But thanks anyways."

Nodding, the mare sits back against the seat and rests a pair of blue headphones on her ears. As she lays back and begins to jam to her music while munching on the granola bar, Scatter and Bri turn back to face the seats in front of them. Something isn't right about all of this. Spades...something isn't quite what it seems with her. She's a lot more than some random pony who happens to be searching for Pinkie as well. Though, they aren't sure what it is about her. All they can tell for sure is that she clearly cannot be trusted right now.

The train continues to chug along, and the two members of the Brotherhood contemplate the pony behind them. What her goal is, and who gave her the same tip they received from Babe Chenko. That party story is too easy. What could her real reasons for wanting to find Pinkie Pie be? The only thing they know for sure right now is that they have to find the party pony before Spades, and make sure she comes back to their side.

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(15 Years Ago)

The sorrowful pink mare slowly traverses the dull, dirt-covered path of the Silent Woods. With a mournful sigh, she looks at the unfriendly scenery around her. Trees with hanging leaves, an absence of small woodland critters, and not a song to be heard in the winds passing through. Since leaving her home only yesterday, she had stopped in the hidden town of Hollow Shades for the night. She wanted to go back. Back home to the friends and family she still had. She wanted them to comfort her and let her know that everything would be alright. Yet something inside her told her no. An unknown force that seemed to have more control over her every choice than herself.

Stopping, she pulls out a canteen of water and takes a small drink. The sun beats down heavily on her; a beautiful late summer day. She thinks back to swimming in the lake with Rainbow Dash, drinking fresh squeezed lemonade with Applejack, modeling one of Rarity's fabulous summer garments, and of course, getting Twilight to stop studying and having some fun in the sun. All those wonderful memories of the friends she lost are now just that; memories. It's all she has left of those friends.

Wiping the sweat from her brow, Pinkie continues down the path. Judging on the direction she's headed, it's likely that she'll be able to reach Fillydelphia within no time, maybe a few hours. Though she doesn't plan on staying there too long either. She doesn't plan on staying anywhere for any extended period of time. She can't risk anypony recognizing her at this point, and there's only one way to truly do that. Once she reaches the city, she'll hire a ship to take her to Ash Island. She's heard tale of a mysterious mare there who has the power to physically alter one's appearance. If she can get that done, she can form a new life and forget all about the pains of her past.

It's a good thing she still has a good portion of the fortune that her Granny Pie left her when she passed. She should be able to make this trip with fair ease. But some questions still remain; where will she settle down when she has her physical identity changed? What will her new name be? How will she fake legal documents to get a steady job? And when she's done all of this, then what? Will she be willing to make new friends? Find somepony as comforting as Scatter had been to settle down with? Maybe she'll have a foal or two. It kind of reminds her of that crime boss from that awesome story about the girl from the frozen north who became a huge force for the world. But then there'd be ponies trying to equalize everyone.

"Just like that one time," she reminisces, thinking back to how she and her friends went to a small village where a frankly psychotic mare was trying to force other ponies into conformity by stealing their cutie marks and special talents away. She kind of wonders how things are going there these days. Sugar Belle, Party Favor, Double Diamond, and naturally Night Glider. They were an awesome bunch of ponies who did so much to change their small village after they were able to stand up to Starlight Glimmer. They even worked to build an entire town out there eventually. Maybe she could go there after changing herself.

As she thinks over this, another voice suddenly pops up in her subconscious. A dark, eerie voice that she doesn't even begin to recognize. Stopping in mid-stride, she looks around and notices nopony around. She's almost out of the woods by this point, but has yet to even come across an animal, much less another pony. So where did this mysterious voice come from? It didn't say anything in particular, yet she was suddenly overcome with a feeling of regret and sorrow. After a few seconds pass, she shrugs it off and continues on her way.

"They don't care for you," the voice suddenly returns, speaking with terrifying clarity. It's as if she were speaking herself, yet she knows her mouth hadn't opened. Who doesn't care for her? Sugar Belle and the others? She knows that isn't true. Up until she left, she had been receiving constant letters from them all the time. But the voice continues, "Those ponies only act like they care about you because you saved them. You're nothing more than that to them. You're not a friend to them. You're nothing."

"NO!"

This time it was her own voice, shouting out the single word in horror. Sweat dripping down her forehead, eyes filled up with tears. She didn't want to believe it of course. Who would readily admit to themselves that ponies they considered friends had been playing them like that? She continues to walk on, trying to ignore the eerie, deep voice. However, she can't for too long. Unable to block out the sound from her ears, unable to do anything to stop it, the voice returns, and more clear than before.

"Pinkie Pie. Oh, Pinkie Pie. Why do you fret over your friends? Rainbow Dash found you annoying. She tried to run away from you every chance she got. Rarity didn't have time for you. She was far too busy with more important things. Applejack was the same way. With the farm and her family, you were the last thing on her mind. And don't forget Twilight; the Princess of Friendship. Do you think with such an important role in Equestria she cared about you in the slightest? That's why she disappeared. That's why the others killed themselves, and why Fluttershy locked herself away after. They were sick of you Pinkie Pie. They wanted to get away from you by any means possible."

"NO!" Pinkie sorrowfully restates, crying harder than ever, "Rainbow Dash accidentally flew into a weather rod after being thrown by a tornado!"

"She put the tornado there herself. She flew into it on purpose. She could've stopped herself before hitting the rod, Pinkie Pie. But she didn't. She couldn't stand being around you any longer."

"But...but...Rarity...she got mauled by a wild creature in the Everfree Forest!" the pink pony pleads, grabbing her head in frustration and deep misery.

"She went off the path to Zecora's house. She purposely sought out the creature that killed her, and stood there open hooves as it tore her apart."

"APPLEJACK WAS CRUSHED BY A TREE SHE BUCKED! SHE DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS WEAKENED!"

"Yes she did, Pinkie Pie. She bucked that tree knowing it'd fall on top of her and kill her. She also knew it'd lead to her brother's suicide. She did it all because of you."

Screaming out at the top of her lungs, Pinkie falls down to her back hooves and cries hysterically. The very thought of her friends having killed themselves on purpose to get away from her is too much to handle. This voice, one she had never heard before, speaks these horrible things to her. She tries to tell herself that they are nothing but lies, but can she really be sure of that? The voice begins to laugh, and she continues to scream.

She wants it gone! She wants the pain, the misery, the guilt to just go away! And this mysterious voice that has suddenly invaded her consciousness, she definitely wants that gone as well. So she continues to scream, trying her best to drown everything out. But it doesn't work, and the voice keeps getting louder. It tells her, "You can't run from your problems, Pinkie Pie! You can't just become somepony else and think everything will be fine! Everything that happened was because of you, and you'll never be able to escape that fact! If you want to get rid of all the pain, misery, and guilt, then you know what you have to do!"

Sobbing, she looks forward and notices that right outside of the woods is the ragged cliffs of foal mountain. She could just climb up to one of those cliffs. She could jump off, and make sure she fell in the right way. Her head could hit the ground and her neck would snap. She could jump from higher up and land on a sharpened rock, impaling her. She could cause a rockslide to be crushed beneath and buried away from the cruel world. She could end it all today, and there would be no one who would even care if she did.

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(Current Day)

A screeching cry echoes within the metropolitan city of Manehattan, brimming with excitement and packed with ponies of all trots of life walking around. The large steam-powered train slows to a stop at the stations platform, doors opening soon after. Gathering her bags from the overhead, Spades turns to face Bri and Scatter, bidding them a farewell with a bright and cheery smile on her face. Returning it with a nervous smile of their own, the two friends nod and turn to their own gear, pulling it down and quickly escaping the awkward and uncertain situation.

Stepping out onto the platform, they begin to head out onto the city streets. All around them stand monumental buildings dwarfing them in size. The streets ring out with the voices of the ponies all around them, and the taxi cabs going in every direction. The overall feel of Manehattan is definitely far from that of Ponyville. Luckily, both have been to the city before; Bri during various explorations into the rest of Equestria, and Scatter during his work with the Brotherhood. However, today they have to focus. Finding Cheese Sandwich, and using his knowledge to find Pinkie Pie must be of utmost importance. As they pass down the streets, having decided to walk to the hotel, Bri looks around for a moment, then begins to relay some pent up thoughts to the stallion.

"I'm worried about that Spades mare. She knew way too much."

"I agree, but we don't know her angle right now. She could easily be one of the Agents of Oblivion, but at the same time, she could just as easily not be. It's practically impossible to discern if she was lying about her reasoning for trying to find Pinkie or not," he replies with a sigh, uncertain himself about what their next move should be regarding the mysterious mare.

"Well, let's worry about Cheese Sandwich then. All we have to do is find him first and get any information we can," Bri adds, garnering a swift and confident nod from her friend.

The two reach their hotel within a short time, and meet the concierge as they walk in. A young stallion with messy brown hair, he welcomes them to the Hoofington, and guides them to the front desk. There, they check in and get their room key, handing their bags to the friendly young stallion who then proceeds to guide them up to their room. They get everything in, and with a generous tip for the concierge, they head inside and close the door behind them to begin planning things out.

Laying down upon one of the beds, Bri looks up at the ceiling and asks, "So now what? How are we going to find him in this big city?"

"Don't worry, we just have to wait a little bit. That concierge is a member of the Brotherhood. I slipped him a note asking him to look into the matter."

"Oh, and as a member of the Brotherhood, he can just access our resources in the city to locate Cheese, right?"

"Correct! Hopefully he doesn't take too long though. In the meantime, let's begin unpacking," Scatter says as he heads over to his bags. Nodding, Bri gets back up and follows suit. For the next hour or so, the two spend their time in the room, waiting and waiting for news to come. Scatter tells Bri of some of his stories involving Pinkie Pie, and in response, she tells him of her many journeys across Equestria. They read from one of the books they brought along, and even listen to the hotel radio for a short time. Eventually, they begin to lose hope that they'll get the news they're looking for before dark.

However, to their surprise and joy, a knock rings out at the door. Nearly falling from the bed they had been laying on together, Scatter runs up and pulls the door open with a mighty gusto. Standing there is the same concierge, who with a smile presents a tray on which sits a small folded note. Thanking the stallion, Scatter levitates the note in and leaves another tip on the tray for the stallion before heading back in. Still sprawled out on the bed, Bri smiles and asks what the note says.

"Stripe Vale Hall, Valentine Ballroom, Private Party, 6pm," Scatter reads aloud, not at all surprised at the short, simple nature of the response. Laughing, he adds for Bri's sake, "Stripe Vale Hall is not too far from here!"

"It's just a couple blocks down, right? I went to an event there last time I was in the city," the mare responds with a laugh, excited about the prospect of getting the necessary information.

"And on top of that, six is only fifteen minutes from now. We got this right in time."

"Wait, I just thought of something," Bri says, her voice dropping solemnly, "how are we going to get into the ballroom is it's a private party?"

"Not a problem, our friend got us two tickets as well," the stallion laughs, holding up two small slips of paper granting them admission to the party. "One thing though. These are couples tickets, so we need to act like we're together."

"Hey, we're the ones who do act like an old married couple, remember?" Bri laughs. Laughing back, Scatter nods and extends a hoof to help Bri from the bed. Then, after putting on some high-end clothes they packed just in case, the two head out. It naturally doesn't take them too long to arrive at the large, impressive looking hall. An ancient architecture of olden times decorates the outside of the building. As they enter, they see that the inside is much different, more resembling that of a 5-star restaurant or political office.

They eventually find themselves at the entrance to the Valentine Ballroom, where they come face to face with a large, bald stallion securing it. Scatter levitates the two tickets to him, and after looking them over for a quick second, and eying the "happy couple", he opens the door for them to enter. Without breaking their characters, Scatter and Bri slowly walk in and take a look around. The party going on inside is much more intricate and fancy than they would've ever expected from somepony like Cheese Sandwich.

Everything is bright white with a slight gold trim around it. Ponies of all kinds are standing around with their wine glasses, chatting about various business things that Bri just can't understand. Though she does pick up on two ponies saying something about the upcoming Fall fashions.

Walking further in, they begin looking around for the elusive stallion, but are unable to see anyone matching the description they've both heard. So, they decide that their next best option is to ask somepony else. Approaching a rather fancy looking stallion with a perfectly quaffed blue mane, Scatter introduces himself with the most convincing Canterlot accent he can muster, "Good evening sir, My name is Scatter and this is my wife Briance. We were looking for the party planner to give him our deepest thanks for putting on such a delightful soiree. Would you happen to know where he is?"

"Enchanted to meet you, Mr. Scatter. I am Frills Baroque," the stallion replies with a smile, bowing with politeness, which both Scatter and Bri return, "I believe Mr. Sandwich is over at the hors d'eourves table chatting to our lovely host."

He points them in the direction of the aforementioned table. Thanking him graciously, Scatter nods to Bri and the two begin to head in the direction given. After pushing their way past several groups of ponies, they manage to set their sights on exactly what they were looking for, or rather who. Dressed in a faded light purple jacket with a black shirt underneath and fancy sunglasses, Cheese Sandwich stands there chatting with who they can only assume is the party's host that Frills Baroque mentioned.

The host herself is gorgeous. A light striped blue mane nestled underneath a white hat with a black bow wrapped around it. She wears a matching jacket and purple shirt, with a couple pearl necklaces to hit the entire outfit off. Bri feels kind of inadequate even being in her presence. However, she retains her smile as she and Scatter approach the two ponies.

"Thank you ever so much for helping me with this party," the host says to Cheese, her voice surprisingly sweet and innocent sounding.

"Not at all. I know I've been out of the game for a while, but when you sent me that letter I just couldn't say no. I mean, it's not everyday that somepony is named Manehattan's number one fashionista. You're on every street corner! Every clothing shop is clamoring for your newest designs."

Blushing, Miss Pommel turns away and shyly replies, "I wouldn't have been able to make it as a designer if it weren't for Rarity. She showed me such generosity with her friends, and helped give me the courage to leave Suri Polomare's tutelage. I finally got up the nerve to go out and do my own thing. So it's all because of her."

"I know how you feel, Coco" Cheese laughs, "for me it was Pinkie Pie though. If I hadn't stumbled upon her party when I was but a colt, I would've never become a party pony in the first place. Even though I'd recently left that business behind and began to work at my family's law firm, I still lay awake at night and think back to all those great times I had because of her."

"Excuse us," Scatter suddenly says, walking up to the two. Bri nervously follows suit, staring more at the ground than either of these two. Both Cheese and Coco turn to face the two ponies approaching them. Right away, Cheese notices the nervous expression on Bri and walks up to her. Lifting her chin up, he smiles.

"Cheer up little filly. This is a party, is it not? Have some fun."

"Thank you, Mr. Sandwich," she replies, "but unfortunately we can't enjoy your party today."

Cheese gives them a confused look for a moment, but soon comes to understand. They've come for a reason, to find him. Ushering them over to a nearly abandoned corner of the room, he leads the two, as well as Coco, and asks them what's going on. Breathing in, Scatter proceeds to tell him everything. Who they are, why they've come, and what they need his help with. They tell him how important Pinkie Pie is to the defeating of Oblivion, and the powers of the Silver Element within her. He adds that somepony else is also looking for her, and that they suspect her to be one of Oblivion's agents.

After about half an hour, Scatter finishes telling Cheese everything. However, it's Coco Pommel who suddenly speaks up, telling him and Bri, "I know Pinkie Pie as well. She was one of Rarity's friends. They helped me so much, so if you need anything from me as well, I'd be honored to lend my hoof."

"As would I," Cheese adds, his expression having become deathly serious, "she meant everything to me. She inspired me, and helped me break out of my shell. When she disappeared, I lost that light she had given to me. I quit my passion, and settled for a job with my family. I'll do anything I can to help. Unfortunately, I don't really know where she might be."

Nodding, Scatter and Bri exchange hopeful glances. They've at least got a much larger chance now. However, Bri then suddenly notices something out of the corner of her eye. Entering the room is Spades, dressed up in a fancy ball gown. Nudging Scatter, she tells the others that they have to get out of here quickly. Nodding, Coco leads the other three to a back door hidden behind a curtain. As they head out, Cheese turns to face Scatter and Bri and tells them, "Thank you, for finding me. Now let's find Pinkie Pie!"

*****************************************************************************************************

Back in the hotel room, the four ponies gather around one of the two beds. Spread out before them is a map of Equestria as well as a train schedule for each of the major cities. They also each have some notebook paper and quills to note down the different ideas they come up with regarding the search. Cheese is the first to speak up, continuing from where he left off at the party before they had to leave.

"As I was saying, I really don't know where she could be. Back when she first disappeared, I tried to find her as well. I specifically took on party jobs everywhere throughout Equestria just to try and find her."

"Well, right now I don't think that matters," Scatter replies, trying not to sound too harsh, "I mean, let's think about this logically. By the fact that nopony's been able to find her for these fifteen years now, we can assume she's constantly moving from one place to another."

"By that logic though, couldn't that mean she could've also outright left Equestria?" Bri asks, a worried expression spreading quickly over her face.

"Not likely," Cheese adds, "I knew Pinkie all too well. As long as she still has good friends here, she wouldn't just leave the entire kingdom. Even if she is trying to avoid them. It'd kill her to even consider doing so."

"I think so too. I'm sure Pinkie's still somewhere in Equestria. The problem is that she doesn't want to be found. So what do we do?" Scatter asks.

The others begin to think for a few minutes before Bri suddenly proposes, "We need to search everywhere, even if we've searched there before. If she is on the move, then that's our only option."

Smirking, Scatter nods and says, "Exactly. I'm going to message the Brotherhood tonight and tell them to spread their search throughout all of Equestria at once, allowing us to focus our to a smaller amount of space. We'll be working directly with the rest of the Brotherhood in our search, but we still need more. Cheese, are you sure there isn't anything you can tell us? Did Pinkie ever mention any specific locations to you?"

"Specific locations? Well besides the obvious one being Ponyville...oh, wait! There was that one time. We were hanging out after a party and we exchanged our top vacation spots. She mentioned that she always loved visiting both Fillydelphia and Trottingham, and wouldn't mind living in either at some point."

"Excellent! That's a huge clue Cheese, thanks. Now, we'll break into two teams and head to both of these cities to search. We need to check places she'd most likely be willing to visit. Bakeries, party stores, music shops, the like. But also check out places that'd mean a lot to her. Anything to do with rocks and the like as well, being that she comes from a family that's huge into that kind of stuff. Also check places that instantly seem like Pinkie would never be anywhere near them. She might be trying to act unlike herself, and because of this, might be purposely going to places like that. I suggest that you, Cheese, and you as well, Coco, head to Trottingham while Bri and I go to Fillydelphia to..."

"...BUT I WANNA GO TO TROTTINGHAM!" Bri suddenly yells out, surprising the other three. Thinking about it, he completely forgot that Bri is from Trottingham. It never even crossed his mind that she might want to go back. With a sigh, he smiles and nods, agreeing to that. Assigning Cheese and Coco to go to Fillydelphia instead, he suggests that they all get a good night's sleep and get on the train as early as possible."

"What do we do if we find Pinkie though?" Coco asks the others.

"If you find her, keep on her. Try to contact her, but also send the other team a letter right away. Cheese, Coco. If you guys find her, send the letter from the post office. Ask for Speedy Delivery. She's in the Brotherhood and will be able to get it to us with relative ease. I know someone in Trottingham as well, so it'll work out both ways," Scatter tells them.

In full agreement, Cheese and Coco head out to begin packing some necessary supplies, assuring their new friends that they'll all meet up at the station at around seven thirty in the morning. After they head out, Bri and Scatter begin to get to work as well. Packing all of what they brought back up so they can be completely ready when they wake up. Upon finishing, Scatter writes out the note to the Brotherhood and heads down to the lobby to find the concierge, leaving Bri in the room alone to think about everything they've experienced thus far, and everything they're going to experience on this next leg of the journey.

*****************************************************************************************************

Breathing in the fresh Trottingham air, Bri beams as she steps off the Friendship Express and back into her beauteous hometown. Unlike Manehattan, Trottingham is a lot smaller in terms of scale, a not so metropolitan city, with a lot less skyscrapers. The buildings within the town are more olden style. Red bricks and white lining at each corner of every house and business. The streets, like in Ponyville, are made of cobblestone with bits of grass poking up from the cracks. Instead of loud ponies and rushing taxies, the sounds of Trottingham are much more relaxed. Birds chirp as they flitter along, small animals scurry around town, and the ponies going from place to place stop and chat with each other, smiles spread across their faces.

Scatter turns to face the mare, who just stares at the town before her with a big grin plastered upon her face. A smile soon finds him as well. He knows this must be a great moment for her. She was born in Trottingham, and spent a lot of her young life here. Though, now that he thinks of it, he really doesn't know much about all of that. Why did she move to Ponyville in the first place? Does she still have any family living here? What were things like for her back when she lived in the town? Stopping, he decides to ask her all these questions and more.

Looking back at Scatter, Bri chuckles a little and leads him over to a nearby bench. They take a seat as a rabbit hops past, and she tells him, "It's amazing. Everything looks just like it did when I was but a foal. The buildings, the ponies, everything. I have so many memories from back then. You see, when I was born, my parents were living with my father's mother. They were never that well off, and only barely could afford bringing me into this world. Eventually though my father got a job at the mayor's office.  He used to tell me the story all the time about how he helped the mayor one day when he was out strolling along. Mayor Birdwatcher was traveling down the street and started getting harassed by some angry ponies. He saw it and came to the mayor's rescue. According to him, he was offered a job on the spot as the mayor's personal security."

"Wow, that's impressive. Your father had a good heart," Scatter softly responds, smiling over at her.

"Yeah, but it all went south only a couple years later. Mayor Birdwatchers term was coming to an end. He was running for re-election, but was against a candidate named Hay Harps. The townsponies loved Harps, and voted her into the position. Naturally, this left my father without a job. He settled for working at the local Hayburger, but once more, we were barely scraping by. I was around five at this time. My mother finally decided to get a job as well, against my grandmother's old fashioned beliefs, and found employment at a dress shop. She worked and worked long hours every day, barely coming home at all on some occasions due to her bosses strict policies. But it gave us the money we needed. Between both of my parents working constantly, I felt alone. My grandmother noticed this and began to take me to the park to play. She'd read me stories of adventurous ponies and even play pretend with me."

"She sounded amazing."

"Oh, she was," Bri nodded, "she was everything to me. But she died. My parents told me it was from an illness she had contracted. I didn't care. I felt betrayed, and heartbroken. She was the only pony there for me when not even my mother and father could be. I didn't have any friends, and now, I had no one at all."

"I assume that changed?" Scatter asks, tearing up at the sadness of Bri's tale.

"I was eight years old, yet to even discover my cutie mark. One day, while I was home with the foalsitter, I decided to sneak out. I hated Miss Stocks. She was so harsh on me, and wouldn't even let me play when she was watching me. So I left when she wasn't looking and began to explore around town. I remembered the story my father told me of how he met the old mayor. I remembered the adventures my grandmother and I would go on in our minds. I wished something like that would happen. But instead, I nearly died."

"Wait, WHAT!?" Scatter suddenly shouts out, grabbing Bri and staring into her eyes, "what do you mean you almost died!?"

Shaking him off, she sighs and continues, "I was walking along when these teenagers approached me. They told me that my parents were hurt and I needed to follow them. I was eight years old, and naive. I believed them, and went with them into a back alley. You know how these kind of stories unfold. I don't know what I did wrong, or why they did what they did. But I woke up in the hospital two days later, my body covered in cuts, bruises, and two casts. I had two broken legs, several broken ribs, and was in horrible condition. I was told that when I was discovered, I was bleeding out so badly that if I hadn't been found within another ten minutes, I would've died."

Cupping his hooves over his mouth, tears running down his cheeks, Scatter stares at his friend with worry and sorrow etched onto his face. Bri notices it and assures him, "I was fine. I obviously survived after all. But my parents...I figured they would be furious. I thought I'd get grounded for running off like that. But no. When I woke up and saw them, they were crying. They blamed themselves for this, for not being there for me. That was when my entire life changed. Over the following months, as I was healing, my parents began to work less and spend more time at home with me. Family friends would visit as well, and soon, ponies from my school even came to check on me. I felt more love during that time than ever before."

Laughing, Bri smiles over at Scatter and says, "when I finally finished healing, I had already turned nine and was well on my way to ten. I had made quite a few new friends, though one stood out among them all. This other mare named Goldie Grass from my class. She would come every day and talk to me. She'd make up adventures about the two of us going all across Equestria, and it made my heart leap with joy. When I was finally all better, she was the first to visit me. She threw me an entire party to celebrate my recovery, and she gave me the greatest gift I've ever received."

"Friendship?" Scatter asks.

"Heh, no. She did give me that, but she also gave me this book. It was called The Oddish Sea, and was about a stallion who adventured to some amazing places, even Tartarus. He poked out the eye of an Arimaspi, had escaped a vicious pony-eating whirlpool, and even fought monsters the likes of which we can only imagine. It wasn't just an amazing tale of adventure, but it was the first book my grandmother had read with me from all that time ago. Goldie didn't even know about my grandmother when she gave me that story. But she saw how thankful I was for it, and that's all that mattered to her."

"A year later, I found out two secrets my parents were keeping from me. First, my mother was pregnant. And second, they were planning on moving us to Ponyville. While I didn't mind the idea of a younger brother or sister, I was devastated that I had to move away from my best friend. But one day, when we were hanging out, she talked to me about it. She encouraged me to not look at this as leaving her behind, but as a new adventure. She told me that I was just like Oddisheus, and that I'd be taking on a fantastic journey to an unknown land. I couldn't help what happened next. I didn't even think about it, or what it would mean. I kissed Goldie, and she kissed me back. And it wasn't just a friendly kiss on the cheek. We loved each other."

"Wait...so does that mean you're a..."

"A lesbian? Heh, no. Well, maybe I was back then. I don't know. Like I said, I didn't really think about it. Either way, we did indeed move, and right after, my sister Honeysuckle was born. I loved her so much. I would spend every day with her, playing and laughing and having fun. Then I met Star Rider, and my love for adventuring was rekindled. We would go around town having fun and even on occasion pulling pranks on ponies. I even got to go on vacation with her one year to Winsome Falls. I realized soon enough that she had become a replacement for Goldie. I mean, Goldie and I would write each other letters since I moved, but eventually they became more and more sparse. I used Star as a new Goldie for myself. One day I told her this, and she ran away. Her parents were terrified, and for days she didn't reappear. I had to help. It was my fault she ran off anyways."

"Did you find her?"

"After a long and perilous journey," Bri replies, "I left Ponyville and began to head towards White Tail Woods. I had remembered she had talked of wanting to explore them, so I thought she might've gone there. I was right. I found her within a couple days. She was starving, having refused to eat anything, and was in bad health due to sleeping in the cold. When I first found her, she didn't want anything to do with me. But I pulled out my book, and began to read to her Oddisheus's journey. Her smile soon returned, and we walked back to Ponyville. Naturally we were grounded, but I didn't care. I went on the adventure of a lifetime to help someone important to me. That was what mattered. And when I realized that, the day after we returned, I realized what my destiny was. I got my cutie mark right then, and knew that I was going to explore all of Equestria."

Sniffling a little, Scatter hugs her and says, "That was amazing. You've gone through so much in your life. I only asked about how you got to Ponyville, though I'm glad you were able to open up to me. Do you...do you think Goldie might still be here?"

Before Bri can answer, a voice calls out to her that causes the young mare's eyes to widen and tear up. Though clearly different from when they were kids, she recognizes it in an instant, as Goldie calls out to her, "Briance Happer! Oh my Celestia, is that really you!?"

Looking over, Bri sees the golden coated mare with a curled brown mane trotting up. Glasses resting upon her face, Goldie has the biggest smile that Scatter's seen since Pinkie Pie. Leaping off of the bench, Bri runs to her old friend and envelops her in the biggest hug possible, both mares crying in surprise and joy. Scatter himself can barely believe the coincidence. Just as he was asking if she might still be around, she comes walking up? That's almost too amazing to believe.

The two eventually release each other from the loving embrace and take a step back to look over their old friend. Laughing almost hysterically, Bri asks, "Wow, it's been so long! What are you up to these days!?"

However, Goldie's response isn't quite what she expected, "Uh..wow...what happened to your...voice?"

"Oh! I actually forgot about that. I've kinda lost my accent after living in Ponyville for so long. Granted it only really happened more recently, but I've been adapting to the Ponyville accent for a while. I'm sorry if I took you by surprise."

"It's alright," Goldie assures her with a laugh, "but let's talk about that flank of yours. I see you've got quite an interesting cutie mark. What's your special talent? Playing horse shoes?"

Laughing, Bri responds, "No, it's actually something a lot more meaningful. It's adventuring, exploration, the joy in discovering new places and meeting new ponies."

"Just like Oddisheus, that's awesome! Mine," she says, flashing her flank to Bri and showing off her cutie mark of a book, "is writing. I work at the local paper, writing an adventure story column every week. Right now I'm releasing this little story about a pony from Tokyoat traveling to the Eastern country of Japony that the city is named after."

"That's awesom...oh, wait. I'm sorry Goldie, I'd love to be able to catch up with you more, but my friend Scatter here and I are in town on business. We kind of need to focus back on that and get to a hotel. Maybe we can come visit sometime in the future though and hang out like old times."

"Sorry Bri, I can't let you do that," Goldie smirks. Scatter looks over in surprise at the statement, and then to Bri who seems more confused than anything. Grinning widely, Goldie explains, "You will not be going to any hotel. If you're staying here in Trottingham, you're staying with me!"

"Oh!" Bri shouts, the statement having caught her off guard, "thanks, but I don't want to put you out or anything."

"No worries at all. We'd love to have you stay with us...my family and I, I mean. Cross Cut and I even have a newborn foal now. I bet she'd love you. You wouldn't be putting us out or anything either. You and your friend are more than welcome to stay for as long as you need."

"Are you absolutely sure?" Bri asks, her face still showing a worried expression.

"It's not a request Bri," Goldie laughs, "you two are staying with us."

"Ok, well then thanks. This really helps. And congrats on the foal. What's her name?" Bri excitedly asks.

"Well, I named her after the friend I hadn't seen in forever. Briance Honeyoat. Now come on, everypony's gonna wanna meet ya. So follow me."

Tearing up again, Bri smiles and nods, leading Scatter out. However, before they get much further, a falcon swoops down at them, landing atop Bri's back. Both she and Scatter recognize the bird as being Babe Chenko's, and know that something must be going on. Walking up, Scatter notices a note tied to the bird's leg, which he quickly undoes. He then thanks the falcon, who flies off again, and unrolls the small scroll. Bri and Goldie look at him with confusion and anticipation, the former of them finally asking after a minute what the note says.

Smiling, Scatter reads aloud, "Scatter, Bri, keep up the search. There is some good news I wished to relay to you on the homefront. Princess Aurora has been recovered. She was suddenly teleported into Canterlot Castle, though has no memory of anything that happened since she last disappeared. The guard is now keeping extra watch over here, and she's been fitted with a specialized collar that cancels out any magic used on her. I am trusting that with this recent development, you will be even further inspired on your own task. Sincerely, Babe Chenko."

*****************************************************************************************************

Upon arriving at Goldie Grass's small, homely cottage at the south end of town, Bri and Scatter set their things down and begin to talk to each other about the mission at hoof, Goldie having gone into the other room to fetch her family to show off to her friends. Seated there in the living room, the two ponies go over everything that's happened one more time. From the moment they left Ponyville to meeting Goldie here in Trottingham. As of now, this is their biggest lead to Pinkie Pie, though honestly it isn't much. It was Cheese Sandwich who suggested both Trottingham and Fillydelphia as both were places that the party pony liked to visit. It's their only lead though, so they have no choice but to follow it as far as they can.

The sound of hoofsteps alerts them that Goldie's returning, so they quickly quiet themselves to avoid anypony else hearing of their mission. Not even a good friend of Bri's like Goldie can know, unfortunately, despite the possibility of it being a huge help. Trotting into the room, Goldie is followed by another mare with a black coat and dark blue / light blue striped mane and tail. The later of who carries in a specialized saddle bag style foal carrier, the newborn daughter that Goldie had mentioned saddled within it.

"Bri, Scatter, this is my wife Cloud Shadow and daughter Briance."

The word wife catches Scatter off guard, but only for a second as his attention is captured by the immeasurable speed of Bri as she runs up to greet them both. With a gentle smile, she shakes Cloud's hoof and then turns her attention to the little filly in the carrier. Little Briance giggles, causing Bri to tear up and laugh, making faces as she greets the baby with joy. It's wonderful for her that an old friend she hasn't spoken to in years would name her daughter after her. Even Scatter can see that it really speaks volumes to the quality of the friendship they had.

"So," Goldie suddenly speaks up," I told Cloud about you needing a place to stay while here, and she's completely fine with it. We only have one guest room though, so you will have to share a bed. If that's alright with you."

"That's perfectly fine. Thanks again," Scatter replies as Bri continues to make funny faces at the baby.

"We have breakfast ready around 6am, so if you wanna join us for that too, you're more than welcome," Cloud says, her voice raspy and lower than Goldie's. She then excuses herself, telling them that she has to get back to her own work, and heads off back into the other room. Goldie explains that Cloud is a carpenter, and is in the middle of an important project for a client.

"Oh, but I shouldn't keep you two any longer. You said you have something to do, right?"

"Yes, we do," Bri replies with a joyous smile, "we should get to that. We've only got half a day left. Come on Scatter. We'll be back a little later, alright Goldie?"

"I'll be here!"

As they head out the front door, Bri and Scatter turn to each other and agree to begin their search right in the southern end of town, as they're already there. The town certainly isn't as large as one like Manehattan or Fillydelphia, but it is bigger than Ponyville by a good amount. It won't be an easy task to search it all, especially when it's only the two of them. They can only imagine the difficulty that Cheese and Coco are facing. But just thinking and talking about it won't help either. They need to take action and begin their search throughout town, their eyes peeled for anypony fitting the description they have of the mare.

Pinkie Pie is, well, pink. Both in coat and mane/tail. Though the former is of a much lighter shade. Her cutie mark is of three balloons, and she's known for being very happy and goofy, often bouncing around instead of just walking. However, they also know what happened fifteen years ago. It's very unlikely that she'll be her normal, happy-go-lucky self. She won't be bouncing, but probably walking slowly down the road. She won't be laughing and having fun. Instead, she'll probably look downtrodden, quiet, and depressed, even fifteen years later. She'll be the opposite of how she used to be.

Unfortunately, that isn't a lot to go on. And if they were to ask around and see if anypony's seen someone matching that description, they could be led to some other pony. Though the cutie mark would be a more defining feature. Unsure of where to take their search, Bri asks her friend if he has any ideas. In reply, he suggests doing exactly what they had both been thinking of; asking around. It may not be the most reliable act, but it's all they've really got other than just staring everypony they see down.

"But that won't work," Bri suddenly tells him, "what if we come across one of Oblivion's agents without knowing it? We can't just give this information out all willy nilly."

"You're right. It probably would be a very bad idea, and just place a huge target on our backs. If that Spades mare really is an agent, then she's definitely going to be quick on our trail. I wouldn't be surprised if she were in town already. We have to be covert about this. I suggest we act like tourists, going around town and just enjoying ourselves while inconspicuously keeping our eyes peeled for any sign of Pinkie."

"Right. So, what first then? Maybe we should go get some lunch, I'm kind of hungry."

"Sounds like a plan," Scatter nods in agreement. Heading out, they stop over at a taco shop and enjoy a nice meal. No signs of Pinkie there. So, upon finishing, they decide to head to the market and see about picking up some fun little trinkets, all the while making sure they check every pony they pass, and everyone who passes by them. Still nothing. They head downtown and enjoy the live music, and then even to the mall. Nowhere they go show any sign of Pinkie Pie. Not even anypony who looks slightly like what their description states.

Eventually it reaches eight o'clock and the two decide that they've searched as much as they can tonight. They stop by a restaurant for dinner, still no Pinkie, and then begin their trek back to Goldie and Cloud's home. Apparently the night is when things get really interesting in town as well. As they trot down the cobblestone path, a brown coated stallion runs out from a back alley, right in front of them. A bow tie around his neck, and a determined look on his face, he swivels his head around for a moment before asking them, "Have either of you seen a big metal pony walking around?"

"No, we haven't" Bri answers, confused but at the same time kind of amused by the stallion.

"Blast, I guess I'll have to keep looking. Have a good day. Allons-y!"

And with that, the stallion is gone. The two look at each other and just laugh. After everything today, they needed that. Just something fun to take their minds off of the failures they've had. Not to mention, it gave them inspiration. Like them, this mysterious stallion had been searching for someone. And like them, he didn't seem to be having any luck. Yet despite this, he kept searching. He didn't give up no matter what, and that's exactly what they have to do as well. Tomorrow they'll expand their search into the rest of town and go all day.

As they continue along their walk, the two soon reach Goldie's house. Right away they know something's wrong. A unicorn police officer is standing outside of the front door, a TPD cop wagon parked outside. He's talking to Goldie and Cloud, and seems to be telling them something while showing some pictures. The two walk up, wondering what's going on, and that's when the police officer turns on them. In one swift motion, he pulls out a gun with his magic and holds it towards the two, yelling to them, "GET DOWN! HOOVES ON THE GROUND NOW!"

Goldie freaks out and tries to stop him, tears in her eyes, but Cloud holds her back as Bri and Scatter do as the officer had told them. Confusion passes between them as the officer walks over and handcuffs them both. Confused and angry, Scatter tells the officer, "You have to tell us why we're being arrested! We've done nothing wrong!"

"Why is this happening!?" Bri cries, hyper-ventilating as she realizes this could mean the end of their mission.

"WHO ARE YOU!?" Scatter yells, his frustration overflowing as he begins to wonder if this could be one of Oblivion's agents in disguise, trying to stop their search.

"My name is Officer Montes, and you two are under arrest for ponynapping a stallion and a mare from Manehattan. You were seen boarding the train this morning to come here, so we were notified to be on alert. In the meantime, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can..."

"BULLSHIT! We didn't ponynap anyone!"

Scatter looks over in surprise to see Bri uncharacteristically angry. She gnashes her teeth as a vein pops out on her forehead. Her eyes are widened, and brows arched down. The cop seems quite taken aback as well, but simply begins to levitate them towards the police wagon to take them in. Goldie and Cloud watch in shock and fear from the house, and Bri screams out in rage as she continues to argue against this.

"Cheese Sandwich and Coco Pommel came with us of their own accord! They are helping us with something!"

"Oh yeah?" Officer Montes replies with a cocky smirk, "then pray tell, where are they?"

"They went to Fillydelphia on our request," Scatter calmly tells the officer, trying to keep his anger in at this point, despite being as enraged as Bri is, "the four of us are working together to try and find a friend of ours. We don't know where she might be, so we split up to search multiple cities at once."

"Sorry, but I've heard it all before. There are eyewitnesses who saw you forcing both Cheese and Coco out of a party they had been putting on. I've got to take you both in, and unless you can prove your innocence, you'll be going away for quite some time," he tells them as he levitates the two of them into the wagon and closes the doors behind them, leaving the two friends in a darkness they had not expected during their journey. Not only literal, but emotional. This is the end of their search for Pinkie Pie.

********************************************************************************************************

Sitting quietly in the holding cell of the Trottingham City Police Department, Bri and Scatter begin to contemplate what could've went wrong. Was it Spades that set them up; the supposed eye witness? She had just arrived at Coco's party when they, Coco, and Chesse ran out. Granted it could've been anyone who was there, and if so, it could be a simple misunderstanding by one of the guests who just didn't know what was happening. Outside of the cell sits a rather tough looking guard stallion, sitting at a small desk in the corner of the room right across from them. A copy of the local paper in his hooves, he hums to himself as he reads. However, they're more focused on who's inside of the cell with them.

Also being held by the police is some bald, gruff looking pony sleeping on the hard cot over at the other end of the cell, as well as a large, bulky stallion with a lot of tattoos and a few missing teeth. Their worry stems from the fact that this pony is staring directly at them, his eyes widened and threatening. They try as hard as possible to just ignore the stallion, but his glare bears right through them, as if piercing their very souls, and eventually, they can't help but strike up a conversation.

"So...hehe, what are you in for?" Scatter nervously asks, chuckling and trying to seem as friendly as possible.

The stallion's eyes swivel in their sockets to focus directly on Scatter alone. They narrow as the stallion grunts, his mouth stretching into a vile grimace. He then turns his eyes to Bri, who weakly smiles over at him, not wanting to show her fear. Though she's sure he can smell it on her. A few minutes pass and relative silence encapsulates the cell and all within it. The only slight sounds they can hear are the light snoring of the sleeping inmate and the occasional turn of the newspaper pages by the guard. However, after a short time, the bulky stallion finally responds.

"I'm in for murder."

Laughing, Scatter turns away in fear and curls up into a ball. However, Bri's attention remains fully on the stallion as she tells him, "My name's Bri, what's yours?" Instantly, Scatter flips out, grabbing Bri and angrily whispering for her to not aggravate the killer.

"The name's Cupcake," the bulky stallion replies, leaning back against the stone wall behind him, getting into a restful position. Scatter and Bri exchange looks at the unexpected name, but choose not to question it. Sighing, Cupcake looks up at the ceiling and adds, "But I didn't kill anypony. I know that might seem like the one thing every prisoner would say, but it's true. I was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Well, it's nice to meet you Cupcake. I'm sorry to hear about your situation," Bri says with a smile. Cupcake smiles back and recounts his entire story to them. He was a tattoo artist prior to his arrest, but had been obviously fired by his boss due to all of this. He notes that he had discovered the body, but was soon found by the police who assumed he was the one at fault, and that he's now in the holding cell awaiting his trial. He even mentions his wife and daughter, who are worried sick over all of this, but have been coming by every day to support him.

"So then, why are two nice seeming ponies like yourself here?" he asks Bri and Scatter, the latter of whom has begun to warm up to the big guy, "I doubt you could murder anypony."

"We don't really know. According to Officer Montes, we ponynapped two high profile ponies from Manehattan. But in reality, they were helping us look for somepony," Scatter replies, looking solemn as he remembers how bad this arrest is going to affect their search.

"So you were falsely accused as well. If you don't mind me asking, who were these two ponies from Manehattan? You see, I actually trained in tattoo artistry in the city and met a lot of ponies there. I might be able to help vouch for you."

"Coco Pommel and Cheese Sandwich," Bri answers him, wondering to herself how well an accused murderer could vouch for them when their crime is so much lesser.

"Wait, I know Cheese Sandwich! He planned my daughter's fifth birthday party!"

"Same here," a sudden voice calls out. The three of them, as well as the on-duty guard, turn their heads to the door of the room to find the police chief, a pony by the name of Aurus Skye, trotting in. He walks over to the cell and glances at the three of them, a raised eyebrow at the sight of them holding a normal conversation.

"Please!" Bri shouts out, "let us out! We're innocent! We didn't ponynap anyone! Cheese Sandwich and Coco Pommel are in Fillydelphia helping with out search, we swear!"

Rubbing his temple, Chief Skye grunts, "Enough. I'm not interested in your stories right now. I came down here to tell you two that you have a visitor. She'll be here in a minute, after she's checked for weapons or other such things. I'd suggest you behave yourselves, or you'll just end up in even further trouble."

"But...we didn't do anything," Scatter quietly says, his hope diminishing despite a small curiosity at who could be visiting them. He assumes it'd probably be Bri's friend and her wife, and naturally, Bri herself believes that herself. Sighing, he adds, "Officer Montes was wrong."

"Officer Montes? Listen kid, don't buck with me. There is no Officer Montes at this station. Now get yourselves up, your visitor's about to come in."

The statement from the chief surprises them both. That can't be right. They know that the officer told them his name was Montes, but what could this...wait, this sounds wrong. Turning to each other, both Scatter and Bri come to the same conclusion, and though not saying it directly, they can see in each others eyes that they have the same thoughts. This Officer Montes framed them, because he needed them out of the way and off the search. Officer Montes is an Agent of Oblivion!

Suddenly, as they contemplate this, a hooded pony walks in to join them; the visitor. It's obviously not Goldie or her wife, that much is instantly clear. Yet both feel as if they know who this is, despite not being able to see any discernable features due to the cloak and hood. The pony slowly walks up and stares at the two for a quick second before nodding silently to the chief. The chief nods back, and then the visitor turns back to the imprisoned ponies and approaches the cell. A sigh escapes the hood and a solemn, feminine voice soon follows.

"Are you two alright?"

Scatter's mouth drops. Eyes widening, his pupils shrinking, he stares at the hooded pony with tears beginning to run down his face as he falls to a seated position. Bri jumps back and stares at Scatter, then turns back to the mysterious mare. A sudden realization hits her, and she knows right then why Scatter was so surprised. Why he was in tears. She looks at the mare, who proceeds to pull back her hood. Straight, dark pink hair falls out, covering a faded pink coat. Bright blue eyes glazed over by the ghosts of her past shine out on the mare's face as she soberly looks at the two. They did it. After fifteen long years, Pinkie Pie has been found.

Both Scatter and Bri sit there, speechless. Even Cupcake seems surprised by this, showing that even he knows of the former party pony. Everypony in the room just stares back and forth at each other for what seems like forever, confusing the ever loving hay out of the police chief, who doesn't seem to know who Pinkie Pie is. Realizing that neither Scatter nor Bri are going to say anything, Pinkie Pie sighs and goes first.

"Why are you ponies so insisting on searching for me? With your little group looking all over the country, it's been very hard for me to stay in hiding. And now, with everywhere suddenly being searched at once, and you two happening to come upon the place where I'm staying at the moment, I find it impossible to have any peace. So tell me, why are you doing this? Can't you just leave me alone?"

"But...Pinkie...don't you..." Scatter begins.

Sighing, she interrupts the crying stallion, "Of course I remember you, you dolt. That isn't the issue right now though. I want you ponies to give up. I'm not coming back with you, so stop looking for me. Just leave me to my solitude, for ponies sake."

"It's....it's been so long Pinkie. I still...I love you...."

"GET A CLUE!" the pink mare snaps, being uncharacteristically angry from the stories that Bri had heard, and the memories held by Scatter, "IT'S OVER! I'M DONE WITH PONYVILLE! I'M DONE WITH FRIENDSHIP! AND I'M DONE WITH YOU!"

The last statement sends an arrow right into Scatter's heart, shattering it upon impact. Retreating to the corner of the cell, he begins to sob uncontrollably to himself. Glaring at the mare, Cupcake turns and goes to comfort his new friend, leaving Bri and Pinkie staring at each other. The latter of the two is gnashing her teeth and seems to be more infuriated than anypony she had ever seen before. It's terrifying to see the pony she's always wanted to meet reduced to something like this. That's when she sees it. A tear welling up in Pinkie's eye as well, and soon falling down her cheek. She's doing this for some other reason.

Bri takes the moment to calmly explain everything that's happening. She tells Pinkie about the Dark Stars and Oblivion's reign, and how so many ponies have already died because of him. She tells her that the power of the Silver Element still resides within her, and that she's essential in the defeat of these evil forces. However, Pinkie doesn't seem convinced. Shaking her head, she insists, "I can't help anypony. It's worthless to try and put your hope in somepony like me. Now please, just have your little Brotherhood leave me alone...please."

"Miss Pie, we need you. You can do amazing things if you only believe in yourself," Bri tries to reason with the mare.

"NO!" Pinkie yells, the tears falling harder than ever, "You don't get it! The disappearances of the princesses and Twilight! Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash's deaths! Fluttershy becoming a bucking recluse! It's all my fault! All of this is because of me! Three of my best friends died! I can't put anypony else in danger! I can't be close to anyone ever again! Just leave me the buck alone!"

Shaking her head, Bri reaches through the bars to try and comfort Pinkie, telling her, "It's not your fault, it's Oblivion's. He's the one behind the disappearances of the four princesses, and the deaths of all of your friends, and mine. That's why you need to help us stop him, so you can avenge the friends you clearly miss so much."

Suddenly, behind the sobbing pink mare, a chuckle comes from the guard at the table. Everyone turns to face him, at which point a black aura surrounds him. His form changes, and instantly Bri sees that everything was planned from the start. Standing there in front of the desk, Montes laughs maniacally at his plan having come to fruition. Scatter and Cupcake, the latter having calmed the former down, walk up to the bars to see this as well, surprised by the sudden revelation. Naturally, Chief Skye is taken aback, and draws his gun, pointing it at the Agent of Oblivion.

"Put that away, chief. It'll only get you hurt!" Montes cackles, the gun suddenly exploding. Chief Skye falls to the floor, unconscious and not in good shape. Screaming, Bri retreats towards Scatter, who holds her close and tries to comfort the mare, despite the immense fear overtaking him as well. Montes, keeping his body in the same position, unnaturally turns his entire head around to face them, a wide-eyed, maniacal grin spread on his face.

"See what happens? I'd suggest you ponies not make the same mistakes as the esteemed chief of police there. Now, back to the topic at hoof. You're quite right, Joy, it was Oblivion who did all of that. Sorry Miss Pie, but you're not the one to blame here unfortunately. Oblivion had been planning those murders for years. Naturally he had to make them look like accidents, so that ponies didn't begin to suspect foul play. Couldn't reveal ourselves right away. The original plan was to kill all six of the past Element bearers though. You see, kiddos, that's where things got complicated for our lord and savior, Oblivion. The sudden disappearance of Princess Twilight Sparkle, threw him off."

"Wait...so then you guys aren't behind the princesses disappearances?" Bri and Scatter both ask at the same time, surprised by this.

Cackling, Montes shakes his head and continues, "Well, that's not quite right. We did indeed ponynap Celestia, Luna, and Cadance. But we had nothing to do with the disappearance of Twilight Sparkle. We have no idea where she could be at all. Because of this, Oblivion had to make some rash moves by killing those three. Fluttershy, as well as you Miss Pie, were going to be the next victims, but something was preventing him from acting."

"What could've stopped someone of his power?" Pinkie asks, causing Montes to laugh even harder.

"Oblivion didn't have all this power back then. He was still weakened enough and could only affect non-sentient objects and unintelligent creatures with his powers. In example, the apple tree, tornado, and monsters of the Everfree Forest. Anything with a clear capability of forming full thoughts were beyond him at that point in time. All he had to do to take those other three out were to weaken the apple tree's bark, causing it to fall apart when bucked and fall onto the bucker; manipulate the path of the tornado and how it threw Rainbow Dash into the direction of the weather rod; and of course, he influenced the timberwolves into attacking poor Rarity as she was on her way to Zecora's."

"So then, why couldn't he do the same kinds of things against Fluttershy and me!?"

"Simple, Miss Pie," the agent continues, taking a seat on the desk and waving his hoof around with no clear purpose, "after causing Rarity's death, Oblivion found himself unable to summon up the full extent of his magic anymore in order to off the two of you. So, instead he decided to give possession a try. He entered your mind Miss Pie, made you believe things you normally wouldn't have. You were his host, and he, your parasite."

"So that was the voice I kept hearing back then," she replies quietly, coming to a terrifying realization at the events from fifteen years ago.

"Exactly! And now that his powers have begun to fully return, he's ready to make his long-awaited comeback to Equestria! Luckily, you've been worthless as a threat to him since then, and Fluttershy is the least of his worries, her remaining Elemental power being near non-existent. However, Miss Pie, when things boil down to it, you can take some blame in all of this. I would think that after Princess Twilight's disappearance, you'd be more watchful over your friends. Yet you did NOTHING to protect them! You went on with your merry little life and let them be slain at the hooves of the enemy you didn't even know existed!"

Breaking down, Pinkie falls to the ground, crying hysterically at what the agent had told her. Angry, Bri begins to try and smash through the cell, screaming at Montes in rage. Scatter watches her, as well as Pinkie, but then turns to notice the downed Chief Skye. On his belt is a keyring. He carefully activates his magic, stealthily grabbing said keys and levitating them over just out of Montes' sight. As he tries to begin and figure out which key will unlock the cell, Bri starts to try and comfort Pinkie.

"Don't let him get to you! Fight back! You have the power of the Silver Element within you Pinkie! Avenge Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash!"

"Sorry, but I can't let that happen," Montes sneers, "the chances of you becoming a threat again are too high, Miss Pie. Good thing these two helped me find you. Don't worry though, you'll be seeing your friends again real soon."

Summoning up the unnatural dark magic of the agents, Montes begins to charge up a huge blast of pure magical energy. Bri and Cupcake watch in terror, Scatter rushes even faster to try and find the right key, and Pinkie, she just sits there still crying over the thought that she let her friends be killed. Laughing psychotically, the agent releases the energy, which shoots right at the pink mare. Everyone screams in horror, but right as it's about to hit her, it suddenly disappears, as if sucked into an invisible vortex that had come out of nowhere. Standing in it's place, right in between Pinkie and Montes, is a red-coated pegasus mare with a wild black mane streaked with purple; it's Spades.

No longer laughing, Montes glares viciously at Spades and attempts the attack again. However, before he can even summon the dark magic, the mare has rushed him, ramming into the agent and pinning him against the wall. Bri and Scatter stare in shock, and a little embarrassment considering that it was Spades who they had originally expected to be an agent. As the mare holds her victim against the wall, he laughs and tells her, "I'm impressed. You're another member of the Brotherhood, correct? Your power is great, but from where does it come? I can tell it's not the power of an Element. Plus, I know you're not a bearer. Yet you have abilities that rival those of the Elements of Harmony? Interesting."

"It's not for you to worry about," she tells him, her voice sounding much more intimidating than when she had been on the train, "you're not going to be around much longer to even care about the origin of my powers."

"Sorry hon, but it's not yet my time," Montes laughs, creating a shock wave and forcing her off of him. Standing there, he laughs again, when suddenly another magical force begins to illuminate beside him. Noticing this, the agent rolls his eyes and lets out a sigh as he tells them all, "You're lucky, you know? Looks like Oblivion's sending somepony to pick me up. But don't worry, we'll take care of you all within time."

Suddenly, from within the extra magical force, to the horror of Bri and Scatter, steps a winged, blood red stallion with glowing green eyes. He smirks at everypony watching, but focuses his attention on Montes. They all watch as The Harad whispers a message into Montes' ear, glancing every few seconds towards the cell, and those within it. Nodding, he then backs off and waves condescendingly towards Bri and Scatter.

"Sorry everypony, I've got to head out. See ya'all soon," Montes tells them as both he and The Harad disappear into the magical portal. Right at that moment, Scatter discovers the exact key he needed and unlocks the cell. Right away, he and Bri both run out and wrap Pinkie Pie in a large hug, soon joined by Cupcake as well.

Crying, Pinkie hugs them back, yet asks, "Why are you doing all of this for me? Even if I came out of hiding, what could I possibly do? I was useless against that stallion there. Who's to say I wouldn't prove useless again?"

"I'm to say," Scatter tells her, kissing her lovingly on the cheek, "you were scared, and broken by his words. You need to believe in yourself Pinkie. You can help stop them, and give peace to your friends. We need you, Equestria needs you. You have the power of the Silver Element within you, and if you could harness it, you can help us to save the world."

"Exactly," Spades suddenly pipes up, "that's why the Brotherhood has been searching for you all this time. But not only because you're useful. Equestria misses the pony who could cheer everyone up with ease. The pony who made friends with everyone, and gave hope to us all. We all miss you Pinkie Pie. Can you please come back to us?"

"Wait, who are you?" Scatter suddenly asks before Pinkie can even respond. Walking up to Spades, he adds, "If you're a member of the Brotherhood, why haven't Bri or I heard of you?"

"I'm new actually," she laughs, "but I can understand. You probably thought I was an agent with all I had said on the train ride. I'm Babe's little sister. He asked me to watch over you two, as well as execute a search of my own. I wasn't to tell you though. Not sure why on that part. Probably could've gone a lot smoother, ya know? Either way, Babe's coming here soon. I received a note shortly before coming here. Well, it was a reply really. I found Pinkie and had let him know. So he's going to be coming with Cheese and Coco to discuss our next move. He'll be here in the morning, so let's head out. Bri, Scatter, you two return to Goldie's. Pinkie Pie, you go with them."

She then turns to Cupcake and asks, "What about you, sir?" Smiling, Cupcake trots over and closes the cell door, remaining inside. He explains that even though he's innocent, he's not going to leave prison. He'll stay and wait for his trial so he can prove his innocence and get out the right way. Nodding, Spades then looks down at the unconscious Chief Skye. "Well, about him. He should still be fine when he wakes up. A little banged up, but no serious injuries. The video cameras will let the officers know exactly what happened. We need to head out though. This task of the Brotherhood is now over."

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As the four of them (Bri, Scatter, Spades, and Pinkie Pie) walk up to the platform of the Trottingham train station, they see the large train pulling into the station, the brakes screeching to a halt and the doors swinging open. It's hard to believe on such a beautiful morning that they were confronted by an agent of Oblivion just last night. It was such a harrowing experience for all of them, especially Pinkie Pie. She was forced to confront the demons that had been plaguing her for fifteen years. She had to realize that this wasn't her fault, and that there was nothing she could do to stop what happened.

It was hard for her. She DID blame herself for fifteen years. She had come to believe that the deaths of her three friends, and the disappearance of another, were because of her. Because she didn't do anything to stop them. But with the help of these new friends, and even a long missed old one, she came to understand that it's now her mission to help avenge these friends and save the world from an evil force threatening to destroy it.

Now she walks alongside these other three, going to meet two more old friends, and one she had never even met before, but only heard of. As they continue forward, they see the three ponies they're meeting hop off the train. Babe Chenko leads the group, draped in his typical attire. Following him is Cheese Sandwich, who's dressed in a similar way to when he and Pinkie competed in the goof off. Then there's Coco Pommel, who's dressed in a beautiful pink chapeau.

As the three walk forth, Cheese runs to Pinkie and the two embrace in a loving hug. The others walk up to Spades, Bri, and Scatter, greeting them respectfully. After Cheese and Pinkie release each other, they join the group as well. Looking between everypony, Babe smiles and tells Spades, Bri, and Scatter, "Thank you all, you've done well." He then turns to Pinkie Pie and gives a courteous bow, to which Pinkie blushes and shakes her head violently, telling him to stop.

"Um...Babe?" Bri suddenly asks, gathering the attention of the Brotherhood's leader.

"Yes?"

"Why didn't you tell us about Spades before? We thought she was an agent of Oblivion."

"Honestly?" he asks, doing something they've never seen him do before and laughing, "I wanted to test you. I kept her identity secret to see if you'd always be on your guard, and keep the secret I asked you to. Per Spades report, I can see you did very well. And by the fact that Miss Pinkie Pie is here with you three, I can see it worked out well in the end."

"Wow...well, alright then," Bri replies, confused but at the same time really pleased that they've done a good job in their mission.

However, Babe suddenly interrupts her and adds, "But, there's something I need to discuss with you. Actually two very important things. First, Scatter and Bri. You two passed my test and have more than proven your ability to follow instructions and even take charge when the need arises. At the same time, despite proving yourselves to be valuable followers AND leaders, you don't act distant from emotion. You let everypony know how you're feeling. You fight for what you believe in, and care about others in a very healthy way. So, I want to promote both of you. You are now the leaders of the Brotherhood's Ponyville Guard. You will be tasked with running a group of the Brotherhood within Ponyville, as well as protecting Pinkie Pie. The forces of Oblivion will not give up on trying to take her from you. I'd suggest getting some very strong followers."

Bowing to Babe in respect and thankfulness, Bri and Scatter nod in agreement, the latter telling him, "We've got a good set of friends who can do a lot for our cause."

"I'm glad. Now, onto our second matter of business," Babe notes, turning serious once again, "our members have seen the various agents of Oblivion across all of Equestria during this recent search. They're getting much more active, and this means that Oblivion's preparing to make his move. I surmise that within the span of only two weeks, he will attack. We need to be ready to make our stand as well. Obviously this goes into your first task as leaders, to gather an army of members to fight for Ponyville. But also, we need you to find the last remaining Element of Harmony. It will be essential in taking Oblivion down."

"I've got an idea, sir," Bri says, stepping forward. Babe smiles and nods, giving her permission to speak, at which she explains, "Ponyville currently has a militant task force. Their main goal was to protect the town and help find Princess Aurora. They would be perfect members of the Brotherhood. If we were to merge their forces into ours, we would definitely have a hometown advantage."

Laughing, Babe nods and replies, "Excellent idea. Now, before we head out, there's one more thing to take care of." Turning to Pinkie Pie, he walks up to her and stares into her eyes. She can see pain, but gentleness. Sorrow, and yet determination. This is a stallion who has seen some shit, yet he comes back from it and works to protect others from the forces of evil. He does what's right, even when it's hard for him. Suddenly, he extends his hoof to Pinkie and asks, "Pinkamena Diane Pie, bearer of the magic of the Silver Element and multiple time hero to Equestria. Will you join our cause? Will you fight for your kingdom to not only save your remaining and new friends, but the world as a whole?"

The platform goes silent. Though there is still the large, loud train beside them, and the ponies walking and talking about, it's as if the entire world as been muted as they watch the pink mare, awaiting her answer. Cheese Sandwich, Coco Pommel, Spades, Bri Happer, Scatter Brain, and Babe Chenko. All of them stand there, smiling at the former party pony with a smile. Then, closing her eyes, Pinkie Pie thinks back to the fun times she had with all of her friends. She remembers making dresses with Rarity, racing Rainbow Dash around town, and helping Applejack harvest the apples. She remembers the tea parties with Fluttershy and the late night study sessions with Twilight. Spike, Lyra, Bon Bon, Berry Punch, Cranky, Matilda, Sugar Belle, Party Favor, Gilda, the CMC, and so many more ponies that she had loved and cherished all those years ago. Some are gone. Some remain. All those memories...and all the ones she wants to make again. Smiling for the first time in fifteen years, Pinkie Pie raises her hoof and firmly presses it against Babe's. A determined smile expression stretches across her face as she nods, and with conviction in her voice, tells them all, "PARTY ON!"

S01 Ep24 - The Element of Dreams

"AAAAAAAAAH!"

The mortifying scream pierces the cold nighttime air, splitting the very fibers of the wind in twain, without so much as a warning. Having been gently resting in her soft bed, a young mare bolts upright underneath her flower print sheets. Eyes widening and now fully wakened from her wondrous slumber, Star Rider anxiously swivels her head back and forth, her eyes darting in their sockets as they scan the room to every side of her. Suddenly, the terrible cry of fear is followed by more of it's kind. A blinding light explodes in through the window to her right, the shock of which causes the mare to fall from her bed and to the rug below with a great thud.

Slowly regaining her composure, Star climbs back up and with great caution approaches the window. The flash of light has begun to fade, but to her surprise, is soon replaced by a new one; flickering and dancing in what should be a calm, dark, starry night. A lump forms in the deepest pit of her throat as she peers out over the town before her. A fog rolls into her mind, and the only remaining emotion within it is an unbridled fear the likes of which she has not felt since the first appearance of the dark stars.

She watches, body violently shaking not from the cold air but from the absolute terror she feels, as the deadly flames lick at the buildings, landscape, and corpses below with a lack of selectivity. Those of the town's residents who still remain in the realm of the living dash around the crumbling streets in a mass panic. Their reactions are instinct alone; driven by nothing else. Ponies that Star herself has known, ones that are normally so composed and full of life, have now been reduced to simplistic animals fleeing from an unknown source of misery.

It's incomprehensible.

Only hours ago, she had lain herself down for bed. The town was fine. Everypony was doing well. Even those who had lost thanks to this horrible war knocking on Equestria's door, such as town mailmare Derpy Hooves, were looking better these days. The streets were barren those couple hours back. Maybe a couple of stray ponies on their way home. Yet now, as she gallops across the room, through the doorway, and down the staircase to the lower floor, she finds the entirety of Ponyville in chaos.

As she reaches the bottom step, the entire front of the house suddenly explodes inward. A flaming ball of wreckage is blown into the house as Star falls back and shrieks. Tears stream down her cheeks as she lay paralyzed upon the steps, too afraid to move another inch. More screams echo around her, and a sudden bravery overcomes her. She remembers what her sister had always told her in the past. "Bravery is not the absence of fear. Rather, it is doing what is right despite the fear one feels."

Determined now, she wipes the tears from her eyes and stands to her hooves. She glances over at the wreckage that had invaded her living room and within it sees the town flag. Her thoughts travel to her friends and family, and of course the inborn desire to protect them in this time of danger. Her mission clear, she runs out from the gaping hole and looks around. It's then that she comes face to face with the pain of reality. A truth she had been subconsciously telling herself wasn't possible.

Deep down she knew they were behind it. Now her fears have been realized as she looks above her. Flying there in mid-air, encapsulated with magical fields, are the Agents of Oblivion. Those of which she and her friends already know, as well as many more they have yet to learn about. They fire blasts of dark magic at the panicking ponies below them, leaving the fallen, broken, and bloodied bodies of their victims littering the streets. A scene straight out of a horror novella.

The normal night sky has been replaced as well. The dark stars line the blackness, reminding Star of the one event that had started all of this madness so long ago. Then, stepping out from behind the Agents, he comes. Eyes glowing a deep red, fangs bared, and a horrible laugh escaping his throat; a fully recovered Oblivion trots along the air itself. Grinning maliciously, he orders his Agents around as they attack Ponyville with an unsettling power. He then sees Star frozen in place beneath him and smirks wickedly before motioning at one of the unknown Agents.

Not even waiting for the horror that's to come, she runs. She runs far away in the opposite direction. Her courage has left her. Her determination has faded. She no longer even remembers the objective she had been so pressed to fulfill moments before. After a time of panicked galloping, she arrives at the town's central square. Seeing something close by, she comes to a screeching halt and turns to find out what it is that has caught her eye.

Laid out as a message from the villains are the mutilated bodies of her friends, her family, and many other innocent mares, stallions, and foals. The very sight of the carnage, of the completely destroyed ponies, makes Star sick to her stomach. She can't help it, and begins to violently throw up. The sickening odor emanating from her loved ones is the most horrible thing she's ever experienced. Her crying intensifies as the laughter of the Agents around her brings her back to reality. Once more she bolts off, leaving the borders of the town entirely. She doesn't know where she's going to go, but she can't stay here.  Not with all the depressing memories of her friends now clouding her mind.

After what seems like hours of running, she reaches a small village nearby. It too has felt the destruction and pain of the Agent's attack. She can't run anymore. Out of breath, Star slows herself down and tries to find somewhere she can hide for now. Anywhere will work. Almost as if the universe were on her side, she soon finds a house that has barely been touched by the attack, and as she runs up, she finds it luckily unlocked. Running in, she bolts the door behind her and passes out on the soft carpet, falling into a tearful sleep.

****************************************************************************************

"Star!? Oh my Celestia, Star Rider wake up! Please wake up!"

Still groggy and tired from her long run out of Ponyville, the young mare slowly begins to open her eyes as she hears the worried voice echoing directly above her. It takes a moment for her sight to focus itself, but as it does, she releases a powerful gasp as tears of joy begin to well up in her eyes. She wastes not a second longer before reaching her hooves out and pulling the other mare down to her in a thankful embrace. It seems like at least one pony she loved made it out.

Managing to escape Star's unholy strength, the mare smiles and gets back to a full stand, helping Star do so as well. Her normally gravity-defying, poofy pink mane is now tied back straight into a ponytail. She has a deep, bleeding gash across her left eye, which itself is shut in pain. A dark cloak with an equally inconspicuous black saddlebag underneath contrast her bright coat. This isn't the Pinkie Pie that Star has grown to know and care for in the recent weeks.

"I'm glad you're safe," she tells Star quietly, as if worried they might be overheard by Oblivion's followers, "now listen close. Equestria's gone to Tartarus in a tablecloth and almost everyone we know and love are dead. Fortunately there are still a few of us resisting against Oblivion's reign."

"A...resistance? But this just happened, didn't it?" Star questions, her head cocking to the side in confusion at the very thought.

"N...no. Star, are you alright? How long were you sleeping here? The attack happened two days ago now."

Two days!? She's been out for two days straight? She knew that she had exhausted herself escaping town, but she didn't think she had run that far away. Maybe that combined with the dread she had felt from everything she was suddenly thrust into, however. It is possible that the shock of all that overloaded the young mare and caused her to need to recharge. Looking up at Pinkie, she just stares in silence as if to ask for explanation. Seeing this, the pink pony understands and with a mournful sigh, begins to tell her what had happened.

"Two days ago at midnight, Oblivion and his Agents suddenly attacked Ponyville. They came out of nowhere and began raining a hail storm of flames and fear. The head Agents came first and abducted all of our friends and family and publicly executed them. That's when the panicking truly began. I can't say for sure why neither of us were taken with them though. I awoke to the screams and began to search around. I joined up with Apple Bloom and Derpy Hooves and we began trying to evacuate as many of the citizens as we could. But the Agents kept up their attack. We saw so many die. It was terrible."

We fled town ourselves, but found that Oblivion's forces were attacking everywhere. So we eventually ran to my family's rock farm and holed up in the mines with them. Over the course of the next couple of days, we would go out periodically to save as many survivors as we could. During this time...Apple Bloom was killed by Strangehooves. Derpy and I watched in terror as he injected her with serums that enhanced her pain as he tortured her. She died in the most painful way possible...she...she was..."

Star reaches out to comfort the mare as tears come to her bright blue eyes. Sobbing, Pinkie swallows hard and continue, "Apple Bloom was flayed alive. Derpy and I escaped with those who we were able to save. That was about 12 hours ago now. A few hours ago we began our most recent venture out. Ponyville was barren, aside from the...the bodies. So we began to branch out. Each of our teams were sure to have a unicorn with them for the purpose and ease of teleporting our groups back to the mines."

"There are others then!? With you right now!?"

"Yes. They're just outside. I noticed this house was untouched and came in to investigate and search. It was lucky that I found you because of this. I thought you must have died as well. Now come on. We can't stay here much longer. We can't risk being caught."

Nodding, Star accepts Pinkie's help to her hooves and follows her out into the streets of the small village. A small group of ponies have begun to gather not too far away. Amongst them are Captain Scootaloo, Vinyl Scratch, and even the scientist Doctor Whooves. As Pinkie and Star rush up to them, Vinyl sees Star and trots up to give her a delighted hug. The two don't know each other too well, but their past exploits have allowed them to form a bond, even if only a small one.

"Okay, is that everypony we could find?" She then asks Pinkie and the others. Everyone nods solemnly and with a nod back, the d.j. begins to summon up her magic, teleporting all of them away. As the flash of the spell fades, Star sees herself surrounded by the bustle of a large group of survivors. And even more extraordinary is the beauteous crystal covered cavern surrounding them all. So this is on the Pie family's land? It's amazing to imagine Pinkie growing up around all of this.

"Ok, get everypony to the medics," the pink mare tells the others as she takes Star personally in the other direction. They come upon a large tent set up in a corner of the cavern and enter. Inside Star is surprised to find a group of ponies she would've never imagined to be working together. Derpy Hooves is there of course, but along with her are magic professor Moondancer, sweet maker Bon Bon, Babe Chenko, Wonderbolt Brightwing Blitz and her brother Script Scroll, as well as a few ponies she doesn't know, who she is soon introduced to as being Adagio Dazzle, Bulk Biceps, Tree Hugger, Sugar Belle, and even a griffon couple named Gilda and Greta.

Despite it being the most eclectic group she's probably ever seen, she feels safe and at home amongst them. They're survivors of this terrible violence. They've probably faced the loss of many friends and family as well. In fact, it's practically guaranteed. The group happily welcomes Star in and begins to explain more of the situation to her. She learns that all the major cities of Equestria were hit simultaneously, and that Oblivion's forces moved out from there. Of course, only one question comes to the young Star's mind in lieu of all the events.

"But...with all my friends dead...what happened to the Elements of Harmony we've gathered? Do we still have them?"

Looking around nervously, the ponies struggle to find the words. Stepping forward, Babe rests a hoof on Star's shoulder and tells her, "The Agents got to the Elements when they took our friends. They...destroyed them."

*********************************************************************************************

It's now been two weeks since that fateful day when Star joined the Equestrian Resistance Forces. To her surprise, they've somehow been able to remain hidden deep within those gorgeous caverns below the Pie Family Rock Farm, living off of minimal supplies rationed out daily. Despite all the odds being against them, they've survived. But they know that they can't do this for too much longer. The supplies will soon run short, and eventually be gone completely. Even with Star now in their group, they've practically run out of options. It seems that almost no one is left living in all of Equestria by this point. But what to do next?

It seems like an impossible question to answer. What can they do? Oblivion's forces have won. They've taken over the entirety of Equestria and leveled it. Nopony even knows where they've set up base, or what they plan to do now that the majority of the country's population has been utterly wiped out. Without the necessary knowledge and planning, they can't make rash decisions and go out there to attack. They'd die in droves. They have to proceed carefully and safely. Even if it means waiting.

However, it seems fate had other plans. Just yesterday they sent out their final expedition group, hoping to find even just one last survivor if they could. The group led by Moondancer managed to find the chieftain of the southern buffalo tribe, Strong Heart. She claimed to be the last of the buffalo left alive, and that she had been following those who murdered her friends and family ever since. She told them that she had learned exactly where Oblivion's base was, and just needed a large group to help take them out.

Naturally, this seemed too good to be true. So the group brought her back to the base with the intention of imprisoning or even executing her if they found her to be lying. Fortunately for her, Pinkie Pie vouched for her innocence. It seemed that the two were long time friends, which really wasn't that surprising to anyone. She's friends with practically anypony and everypony. Some weren't too sure about trusting her, but agreed to go along with the choice of the leaders for the time being.

Babe, who had taken full charge of the entire group, decided that they shouldn't be wasting any more time. If they do so, more innocent ponies could die. Not only the survivors out there they weren't able to find, but also any prisoners that Oblivion and his forces might have taken. And so the leaders have been planning around the clock, and despite their small numbers, they're ready to head out later today. They're ready to take back Equestria.

Sitting against one of the crystals, which gave off a very unusual and bright glow, Star worries about this plan. They don't have enough ponies to make this work. They don't have the Elements. This is a suicide mission. She's tried to get Babe to cancel it, but he seems blinded by the little bit of hope they've been given. She almost wants to outright refuse this mission, to stay behind. But she knows that it'd just mean she'd be cowering in these caves while her friends went out to die. That wouldn't help anyone. But neither will her going with them. It's a lose-lose situation. No matter what way she looks at it, Oblivion's won and there's nothing they can do about it.

Looking up at the sound of oncoming hoofsteps, Star sees Adagio approaching with a gentle smile. Since arriving she had learned that the mare was the fiancée of Script Scroll, and that prior to all these horrible events she was a fairly popular lounge singer in Manehattan. As she comes up, however, Star tries her hardest to ignore the mare, just knowing that she was probably sent here to try and persuade her into seeing things from the others' point of view. However, Adagio's comforting words surprise the young mare.

"You're not the only one who sees how stupid this plan is you know."

"Then why is everyone going along with it?" Star angrily mutters under her breath.

"Because they know that there's no other options. What are we supposed to do? Just sit here and eventually starve because of our lack of food? Or do we go out fighting?"

"But it wouldn't mean anything to do that!" Star suddenly screams, rising to her hooves and staring Adagio directly in the face, "we can't win! And there's nopony out there to inspire or anything, so what's the point!? All this will do is kill us quicker and more painfully! My friends died, all of the Elements were destroyed, and everything's gone to shit! So excuse me if I'm not thrilled to run out there just to commit suicide!"

"You mean...you don't know?"

"Know what?"

Looking shocked, Adagio stares for a moment before shaking her head and explaining, "They didn't destroy all the Elements of Harmony. One was never found, remember? If you can find the Element pertaining to you, then there is still a chance. It may be slim, but it's still there."

"How is one Element going to stop the combined power of Oblivion's forces? He's one of, if not THE most powerful magic user in history," Star complains.

"You're wrong. There was always one stronger; Princess Twilight Sparkle. She had an inborn magical prowess the likes of which had never been seen before, and combined with the power of the Element of Magic, she was unstoppable."

"BUT SHE WAS STOPPED! PRINCESS TWILIGHT VANISHED AND HASN'T BEEN SEEN FOR NEARLY SIXTEEN YEARS! EITHER SHE ABANDONED EQUESTRIA, OR OBLIVION TOOK HER OUT!"

"Do you really believe that, Star? You've heard the tales right? Princess Twilight accomplished amazing things in her time. She even created some of the most powerful new magic known to ponykind. Do you truly believe that Oblivion could stop her so easily?"

"Then she abandoned us..."

"...no. I don't believe that either," Adagio interrupts, smiling at the now crying Star, "I met her once. She helped my sisters and I, even if we didn't realize it right away. At the time it may have seemed unfair, but with time, we saw the light it brought."

"AND WHERE ARE THESE SISTERS OF YOURS THEN!? WHY AREN'T THEY HELPING US!? THEY'RE DEAD, RIGHT!?"

Right away Star seems to regret her words. Looking up at Adagio with a sorrowful, apologetic expression, she is surprised to find the mare looking back down at her with understanding as she replies, "Yes, they are. I watched Sonata and Aria be torn limb from limb in front of my eyes..."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean..."

"...but even though it destroyed me inside, I never gave up. I kept fighting for them, and because of that, I found this group. Is it stupid to go to battle with forces much stronger than out own? Is it foolish to fight a losing battle? Yes, it is. But in this situation, there is no better alternative. I too see how stupid this plan is. Many of us do. But we're going to fight anyways, for all those we lost."

"But, what about Princess Twilight? If you don't think she abandoned us or was defeated, where is she? Why did she suddenly disappear one day, and why did her friends begin dying soon after?" Star quietly asks.

"I don't know," Adagio says, lowering her head. "I wish I had all the answers, but I don't. But even though I don't know where Princess Twilight is, I know one thing for sure. She will return in time to stop Oblivion. And do you want to know a secret? She once told me, almost sixteen years ago now, that she wanted to train an apprentice. That she had found a sweet little pegasus filly who..."

"But that doesn't make sense! How could Princess Twilight train a pegasus in magic!?"

"I never said she wanted to train her apprentice in magic, now did I? She wanted to train her apprentice in friendship," Adagio explains.

"But wait, that doesn't fit. Isn't it Princess Twilight who used to say that friendship is magic?"

Laughing, Adagio pats Star's head proudly and replies, "Yes she did. And it can overcome the greatest of odds. Pain, sorrow, death, and even time itself. She said that whenever Equestria faces its greatest problems, a friendship of generations is the only thing that can save it. So tell me Star, what will you do?"

Smiling as tears cascade down her face, Star thinks back to all of her close friends. Bri, Chupa, Agelian, Scatter, Terra, and Devlin. Pinkie, Spike, and Fluttershy. All of the newer friends, all of her family. Everyone she knew and loved who died. They may be gone, but their strength remains inside of her. And with a new found confidence in her heart, she tells Adagio, "I'll win".

*****************************************************************************************

Eyes slowly fluttering open, fogged mind returning to clarity, Star sits upright in her bed. Looking around for a second, she realizes where she is and jumps in surprise, falling to the floor. Beads of sweat freckle the entirety of her face as she leaps back to her hooves and bolts to the window, only to find that Ponyville is just waking up for a brand new, fire-free day. It was all a dream, no, a nightmare. Fifth time this month too. They've become ever more frequent as of late, and it's been harder to tell which is truly a dream, and which is reality. It's enough to have driven her insane, yet she remains levelheaded, knowing she needs to keep her sense for the upcoming battles with Oblivion's forces.

Yet even among all of the other nightmares she's suffered, this one seemed the most real. The vivid detail and length of it. The pain and sorrow she felt, and the others that she talked to. Everything about it just seemed like it was really happening. How can something THAT real be all in her mind? It terrifies her. Even going to bed these days seems like a bad idea. Maybe this is all because of Oblivion. Could his influence be seeping in? The very thought sends chills down her spine, and she decides to just ignore it and head downstairs for breakfast.

Ever since this all began back on March 12th, she's had this weird tingling feeling crawling along her back. She could never quite place what she was so afraid of. It just didn't make any sense. They were the destined heroes, right? They can stop Oblivion's reign of terror...right? Yet as time has progressed since that day, everything has begun to come into a clearer focus for this little pony.

Princess Aurora was wrong. She and her new friends aren't anything special. They're ordinary ponies thrust into an extraordinary situation. Yes they've gathered most of the Elements of Harmony, but anypony could do that. Anypony with a good heart displaying some kind of admirable trait could easily summon up one of them. It's happened many times in the past, and will continue to happen in the future.

All of this began when she left her sister’s home to make it on her own. She figured that she knew what to do with her life. Yet after everything she's been through, she's starting to doubt that. Two days after she left, the dark stars came. Mysterious entities in the sky that seemed to herald in the end of days. It was only through numbers that she and her friends defeated the possessed stage actor Sevulva Star. They foolishly believed back then that they had some kind of destined power; that they had won.

Only a month later, on the order from Princess Aurora, they traveled to Canterlot in order to meet with the family of the long missing Princess Twilight Sparkle. During the meet, they quickly discovered that the princess's mother, Twilight Velvet, had become the conduit for Oblivion's dark energies. She was possessed very much in the same way as Sevulva had been. They did manage to save her, yet in the end it didn't do anything to stop the forces of evil from continuing on in their plans.

On May 21st, Agelian discovered the first of the Elements of Harmony; the Element of Faith. It, with the others, had mysteriously disappeared from the Tree of Harmony in the Everfree Forest long ago. Now it had been found, but put them no closer to victory. Two months went past and they met Trixie Lulamoon, helping her save Canterlot from a pack of enraged ursas that she herself had accidentally let loose. They stayed to help fix up Canterlot after that, and returned home twelve days later. Bri disappeared from town at that time.

Tensions began to rise in their little group. She and Terra began to fight; arguing over what to do and how to handle things. Luckily for them, Chupa was there. She acted as a mediator between the two sides and calmed everypony down. This allowed the filly to discover the Element of Peace. Soon after that, Equestria's Got Talent came to town. Yet during the event, Oblivion returned in physical form and murdered Trixie. They managed to ward him off, but they couldn't truly stop the evil being. Thanks to these past events, Terra began to work alongside Fluttershy to create the Ponyville Militant Task Force. Another wasted effort that hasn't done anything worth noting.

As Star pours herself a bowl of cereal, she thinks about how it was around this time that she met a mare named Lyra Heartstrings. It was a complete chance encounter that allowed her to travel through time itself and into the distant past. She met the six heroes of legend; Twilight Sparkle and her five friends. But yet again, she had to face off against Oblivion. And once again, even though they technically won, the feeling of victory never came to her. She returned to her own time and found a lead that helped find Bri with the Brotherhood of Silent Pathfinders. They had a lead on the long missing Pinkie Pie. And due to a party Bri and her new friend Scatter planned that day, the former received the Element of Joy.

So many things continued to happen in the lives of these ponies. Things that would seem astronomically impossible. They solved a murder mystery at the LaDix mansion outside of Transylmania. They located and gained the help of the God of Chaos, Discord, who was discovered to be Oblivion's brother and the greatest unicorn mage of all time, Starswirl the Bearded. He sacrificed himself in a wasted effort to stop his brother. Everyone was ponynapped and then rescued soon after by Devlin and Meteor Spark. Devlin got the Element of Determination then. But in the end, it was just a distraction so that the Agents of Oblivion could kidnap Princess Aurora.

The friends chose to split up for a time after this. Some of them remained behind in Ponyville to help search for the princess. However, some of the others decided to go to the Detrot City Music Festival so that they could try and calm themselves down after all the pain that had occurred. It didn't work, however, as Agelian was possessed by Oblivion during the trip and unwillingly murdered his own marefriend, Dinky. When they finally reached Detrot, the grief-stricken Agelian decided to help the musician Vinyl Scratch rescue her own marefriend, Octavia Melody. They also managed to stop an attack on the city by Oblivion's "Agent of Destruction", The Harad.

The Agent told them that they had the remaining Elements of Harmony. She realizes, of course, that when looking back on that it was a lie. A simple distraction to try and dishearten them. And at that time, it did really cause a hit to their overall morale. Shortly after that they had to find the missing Derpy Hooves, who had gone on a trip with the Apple Family without telling anypony in order to clear her mind after losing her daughter. Terra and a young doctor named Zebasiz Shadowbane stopped another of the Agents, and a psychotic doctor, named Hugo Strangehooves. Terra then earned the Element of Honor, and the body of the now deceased Captain of the Royal Guard, Everclear, was discovered.

Then, only a week ago now on November 25th, everything changed for the better. Bri and Scatter went on a two day mission across Equestria on behalf of the Brotherhood. And during that time, they ended up finding and recruiting Pinkie Pie back to their side. They were promoted to be Ponyville leaders of the Brotherhood for their efforts and success. And now, well now it seems like things are starting to look up. At least, she hopes. Looking down at the bowl of milk-drenched cereal, and the spoon resting in her hoof, she wonders if this sudden peace will last, and if Pinkie Pie will really be able to help them stop Oblivion. Only time will tell.

Everything she and her friends have gone through has affected her physically, emotionally, and even mentally. Before all of this began, she was confident and strong. She believed in herself and was ready to be her own pony. But now...well now she isn't entirely sure that it was the right choice. She's become much more quiet and timid around her friends, even seeming to fade into the background most of the time. Since the fight with Terra, she hasn't wanted to say or do anything that could end up going horribly wrong for her or those she loves. She can't even think of much worse right now than causing them pain because of her mistakes.

She looks over to her living room. It's normal of course. No burning rubble having exploded in through her front door. She hears no screams of terror echoing through Ponyville's streets. Everything is as normal and uneventful as it could be. She yawns quietly to herself and gets up, leaving the breakfast sitting on the table behind her.  She walks over to her living room sofa and sits down, thinking and doing not much else. She can't shake this eerie feeling that the dream was more than just that; like it meant something. Could it really be....no! Shaking her head violently, she yells at herself, "IT WAS JUST A DREAM! IT WASN'T REAL! THEY CAN'T HURT YOU ANYMORE!"

But she stops at that last statement, freezing in fear as her eyes widen. That's a lie. Oblivion and his forces are still out there, and they can do a lot to hurt the little mare. She can't handle all this pain. She feels like she's going to just fall apart. Deciding to scrap the cereal, she decides that she needs to just head out and clear her mind. Go to work, enjoy the company of others, and just forget about this horrible nightmare.

Getting back up, she puts the cereal into the fridge for later and grabs a blueberry muffin from the basket atop her fridge. She then grabs her uniform, stuffs it into her saddlebag which she then puts on, and heads out the door. As she steps into town, the bright morning sun rising from the East temporarily blinds her. And that's when it comes to her. She remembers back in school she was once told that some ponies held this belief of dreams being able to prophesize the future. It had always seemed kind of silly to her back then, but now...could it be? Could she have been seeing visions of what could be coming if Oblivion isn't stopped in time? And if so, can she and her friends truly make this nightmare just that? A simple dream that won't come to pass?

"Forget work. Some things are just more important," she says as she changes her direction, heading now towards Bri's house so that she can begin gathering her friends. They'll meet at the library, and they'll discover the meaning behind this nightmare. They have to find out what's going on here, or Oblivion will have won.

********************************************************************************************

"So..." Star speaks up, looking around the main room of the library at her friends who have gathered. It's almost surreal to see them all again after having just looked upon their corpses in her dream. Composing herself as the others exchange a confused glance, she continues, "I bet you're curious as to why I've asked all of you here this morning."

She awaits an answer from one of the eleven of them; Bri and Scatter, Agelian, Terra, Chupa, Devlin, Grace, Fluttershy, Spike, Pinkie, and Dr. Zebasiz are all standing there before her. She just went out and gathered everypony that she could possibly think of at a moments notice. Those who she knows could be of great help to her during this time of need. Granted she still isn't entirely sure of what she even needs assistance with, as the dream wasn't wholly clear. Even if one of them were able to decode her nightmare, what would they actually be able to do? Where would they go from there?

"The thought had indeed crossed my mind," Grace groggily replies as she wipes the sleep from her eyes.

"I'll get right to the point then. Well...I had a nightmare last night."

Everyone turns to face each other in a sudden confusion, then at once look back at Star herself. They've had nightmares before. Everypony has. This certainly isn't that big of a deal, right? Sighing at her friends reactions, Star elaborates, "I was haunted by this nightmare the entire night. Yet, unlike most dreams, this felt real. It was heavily detailed and intricate, as if more of a vision than a true dream. When I awoke this morning, I could remember the entire thing with shocking clarity. This can't be mere coincidence. I think that something or someone is trying to tell me something important."

"Star..." Agelian quietly says, an expression of worry etched upon his face, "it was just a dream. You're thinking way too much into things, and only making these connections because you want to."

Nodding glumly, Chupa adds, "Yeah Star, don't worry about it. We've been through Hell and back lately with this war against Oblivion. You're subconsciously making connections that don't even exist. You WANT it to mean something because you want us to be closer to taking Oblivion down. Some miracle breakthrough and all. But I just don't believe that it's going to happen. At least not like this, and not anytime soon."

Damn Chupa and her prodigal intellect are the first thoughts in Star's mind when suddenly, she and everypony else are surprised as Pinkie suddenly yells out, "NO, WAIT!" Bouncing around the room with a huge grin on her face, the pink mare giggles a little as everyone's attention turns towards her. Stopping, she releases the wide grin and explains her sudden outburst and excited actions.

"This could actually be something, everypony! After I had left for exile over fifteen years ago, I met a lot of different ponies. I heard things that I would've never believed before. At one point there was a strange stallion who taught me about something he referred to as precognitive dreams. Couldn't Star have had one of those, huh huh HUH!?"

"Precogni-what now? I've never heard of such a thing," Grace grumpily replies, still showing signs of being tired this early in the morning.

Stepping forward suddenly, Zeb nods and with a smirk says, "No, Pinkie's got something here. Precognitive dreams are a phenomenon in which somepony is actually able to subconsciously predict future events during the course of REM sleep. It's very rare though, and as such I've never personally seen or heard of a real life case of this in my lifetime. But it is definitely possible."

"RIGHT!" Pinkie shouts, "some of the ponies I've met even call it The Sight! It's like a super power! Star, you can see the future!"

"Now hold up just a moment everyone. Let's say that this is true. I'm not saying it is, but just for arguments sake, if Star is really able to predict the future with this precognitive dream, what good will this do us? Can a power like this actually help us defeat Oblivion and his Agents? Will it stop the dark stars from returning? Was there even anything particularly important about this dream that might give us a clue? You haven't actually told us anything about this nightmare, Star," Terra says.

Once more, every eye in the room turns to Star, expecting a reasonable answer to this very good question. To be honest, however, Star herself doesn't really have a good answer. She doesn't know if this can truly stop Oblivion. She only knows what she saw. But she should tell them all what she did see. Solemnly looking down, she tells them everything that happened in her nightmare. From the destruction of Ponyville to the force holed up in the Pie Family mines planning a rebellion against Oblivion's rule.

"Wait...you mentioned sitting against a bright, glowing crystal, right?" Fluttershy suddenly calls out. The loud, outspoken question from the normally quiet pony surprises everyone, causing them to nearly jump in place. Star nods and the golden coated mare continues, "That sounds just oh so familiar for some reason. Yet for the life of me I can't place why. Maybe it's because I was in my cottage for so long, and have yet to leave Ponyville much since, but I can't remember..."

"THAT'S IT!"

Another outburst, this one succeeding in causing many of the group to pop up in shock. They look over at Pinkie who once again is grinning from ear to ear while giggling and...vibrating intensely. Terra sighs and asks if she can explain herself. So, she turns to face Fluttershy and Spike and yells out at the top of her lungs, "THE CRYSTAL EMPIRE! Remember how it glows brightly in the sun!? It was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO pretty!"

"Omigosh, she's right!" Fluttershy exclaims, it all now coming back to her, "maybe the answer to your dream is in the Crystal Empire. I mean, I don't know for sure, but that glowing crystal could definitely be pointing you there, right?"

"Well, we can't all go," Scatter speaks up, having been completely silent up until this point.

"What do you mean?" Star asks.

"It isn't like before. Princess Aurora returned to us, remember? She's being closely monitored, so we can all go, can't we?" Devlin asks.

"No, we can't," Scatter insists, "some of us need to stay back and protect Ponyville. Star said that in her dream Ponyville had been attacked. The town was burning and many ponies had been horribly mutilated. If all of us go to the Crystal Empire with her, it could easily spell the end of Ponyville for good. That alone could lead into an all out attack on Equestria as a whole. It'd possibly lead to her dream coming true, which we can't afford to allow."

"Well then, if we're splitting up can we have Star stay here? I really don't want her to be in any more danger," Grace calmly says, looking with sincere worry at her younger sister.

Walking over to Grace, Star smiles and takes her hooves in her own. She assures her that she'll be alright, telling her, "I need to go, sis. It was my nightmare, my sight. I need to be there in order to lead us and look out for anything else that might be able to remind me of what happened in the dream. Don't worry, I'll be fine. My friends will protect me."

Walking up to her best friend, Bri nuzzles up against Star and with a smile volunteers to join her in the Crystal Empire. Scatter steps forth as well, and lets Grace know that they will do anything and everything in their power to make sure Star remains safe and comes back to her. Thanking them, Star turns to the others and asks both Fluttershy and Pinkie if they can come as well, considering the two of them know the Empire, having been there before in the past.

Nodding, Terra gallantly adds, "That means that I, Agelian, Devlin, Chupa, Grace, Spike, and Zeb will remain behind. We'll do our best around here; keep our eyes out for any problems and all. If the need arises, we will protect the town with our lives. As for the rest of you, make sure you all come home. All of you. We can't afford to lose anypony else to the enemy. We...we can't afford anymore heartbreak. Don't just protect Star during this journey, protect each other."

The five friends set to go to the Crystal Empire nod, strong determination shining through their confident smiles. Laughing slightly, Bri then notes, "Wait, we should split up evenly, six and six. That means we need one more to join us. Somepony who would be really helpful. How about you Zeb? You know more about precognitive dreams than any of us, and as a doctor, you do have some medical training, right? That could prove useful."

"Well, I was more of a physician of the mind, not the body. But you are right. I have had some bodily medical training as well. I'd be honored to join the rest of you."

Everyone looks at each other, now equally split in their missions. The last time their group was in this position they lost an innocent young mare to Oblivion. Agelian can't help but remember those moments more so than the others. This thought does of course worry them all, but they understand that this is their only option right now. It could be the key they need to finally gaining an advantage in this war. This dream, it can't just be a mere coincidence, right? It has to mean something.

*********************************************************************************************

The Friendship Express grinds to a screeching halt at the gorgeous, crystal-covered station at the head of the empire. Unlike the cold, barren, frozen tundra that surrounds it, the land is covered in a bright emerald-green grass. Due to a magical field that surrounds the entirety of the empire, the heat of the sun is magnified just enough to allow it to live under an eternal summer-like state. Because of this, the Crystal Empire is home to many a unique fauna and flora. The pies made with the crystal fruit alone as to die for, according to the testaments of both Pinkie and Fluttershy on the ride up.

Unfortunately, they aren't there to take in the sights or taste the delicious crystal empire food. They have only one goal in mind during their trip, and that's decoding the cryptic precognitive nightmare Star had suffered under just the night before. If they can achieve that, it might just help them get ahead in the war against Oblivion's forces. If not, then they might all be doomed to the absolute destruction of Equestria.

Yet despite their main goal clear in mind, none of them truly know what to do now that they've arrived. As the six of them step off of the train and onto the platform, they turn to face each other with a questioning expression. Even Pinkie and Fluttershy, the only two of their group who truly know the area, don't know where to go from here. It's not something they've ever had to deal with before. Who would they even begin to ask about this? Most ponies would laugh in their faces at the mention of a dream prophesying the future. They'd look like loons.

"Star, did you see anything else in your dream that might relate to the Crystal Empire?" Pinkie asks, hoping that they might be able to piece everything together.

"That's the thing," she replies, "I don't know. I've never really been interested in studying up on this part of Equestria. Remember, not even the crystal in my dream made me think of here. I honestly have no idea what to do at this point. The only thing I know about the Crystal Empire is that it was host to one of the worst dictators the world has ever seen; King Sombra. Other than that, I'm pretty much clueless."

Defeated, Pinkie Pie hangs her head and sinks into the shadows of her friends, pulling out a cinnamon bun and quietly eating it. Noticing this, Fluttershy goes to comfort her friend. She knows that after coming out of exile, Pinkie only wants to be helpful again. Star sees this as well and encouragingly tells her, "It was a good idea though. You had the right idea for sure, it's just that I don't know as much as I wish I did. I'd suggest we begin asking around."

And so the six of them begin to ask the other ponies, both crystal and otherwise, on the platform if they've heard anything lately about strange dreams. They question everypony around them for what seems like hours, but to no luck. Not a single pony knows anything, and at this point some of them are beginning to get annoyed by this strange group of tourists questioning them. Leaving the platform, they begin to head into the city when Fluttershy speaks up once again.

"Wait, what about Shining Armor? He should still be at the castle, right?"

"Hey, that's right!" Pinkie replies, bouncing up and down in excitement, "Shining Armor can definitely help us! If anypony knows what's going on in the empire, it'd definitely be him!"

"At this point, we probably don't have any other choices," Scatter adds, tired himself from the questioning. Bri snuggles up to him and nods in agreement, and soon everyone else joins in. That's their plan then, to head to the Crystal Castle and see if the prince has any useful information for them. Smiling, the six of them begin to trot up the streets towards the center of the empire where the giant, glowing castle rests.

As they walk along, almost all of them look around them in awe. The strikingly beautiful sights all around are just so much to take in. The glittering crystal ponies walking around, the shining buildings made of pure crystal. Everything is just so breathtaking. Yet to their dismay, they don't have the time to stop and look at the scenery. Maybe when they finish finding out what they need to, one way or the other, they can relax for a short time and enjoy the empire before heading back.

Of course, all of that is just hope. Nothing is ever guaranteed in an age of strife and war, especially not happiness. As they walk down the road, the number of ponies steadily increases. Fillies and colts run around laughing and waving flags. A mare walks by while munching on a delicious looking corn cob. And a couple of stallions are comparing hoof-weaved straw hats. This is not at all what they expected to see. But then again, they can't really complain, now can they? It's happy and joyous, as if the dark stars and Oblivion's forces hadn't even affected the empire. But then again...with that magic field, maybe they hadn't. Maybe just a happy thought.

Soon the six of them reach the center of town to find a large group of stalls, ponies running and playing everywhere, and cheering coming from not too far off. There's even a pair of ponies playing some weirdly shaped instruments that seem to get Pinkie REALLY excited. Fluttershy smiles as well, as if remembering something from the past. Yet only they seem to understand what's happening. Instead of interrupting their excitement, however, Star stops a nearby mare walking past and asks, "What's going on today?"

"Oh, it's the Crystal Fair," the mare replies in a solemn, monotone voice. She doesn't carry any food with her, nor flags or even a simple smile. For a pony in the middle of a big fair like this, how can she be so down? Pinkie instantly notices the unhappiness of the mare and bolts over at an unexpected speed, knocking Star down to her flank and surprising the sorrowful mare. For once, the pink pony has a very serious expression on her face as she asks the mare a very serious question.

"Who are you and why is that smile upside down!?"

Taken aback by Pinkie's frankly rude introduction, the mare rolls her eyes and grunts out, "There's nothing to be happy about here in the Crystal Empire. These ponies all live a fanciful lie, forgetting how horrible of a past this ground is stained with. And the Crystal Fair...it only makes things worse. And my name is Amber Leaf, by the way."

"We're sorry if we were being too pushy," Scatter says, pulling Pinkie back, "we've been facing a lot of pain lately ourselves. It's actually why we've come here today. We're trying to find out about something our friend Star is has undergone. I know it might seem like a long shot, but by any chance would you know anything about precognitive dreams or the forces of Oblivion and his dark stars?"

Amber's eyes suddenly widen at the mention of Oblivion and she falls back. Recoiling away from them in fear, the mare tries to get away, but is stopped by Bri who apologizes profusely for Scatter, who soon steps forth and apologizes himself. However, Amber doesn't seem to hear them. Her eyes stare forth without seeing. Her mouth hangs open, yet not a word passes between her lips. She's physically there, but emotionally and mentally somewhere else.

She soon snaps out of her trance to find the six ponies standing over her in worry and fear. They never meant to hurt anypony of course, in any way. Shaking it off, Amber bites her lower lip as she notices the tears streaming down her cheeks. So many memories flooding back to her at once, and right away she knows that fate must have sent this group of ponies to the Crystal Empire today, and put them right in her path. This was destiny.

"Y...yes. I know everything about who Oblivion is, where he came from, and what his grand plan is. You mentioned something about a...precognitive dream? I think that it might be important. Can you....can you tell me all about what you saw?"

Agreeing, Star recounts the terrifying nightmare once again, this time to this mare she's never even met before. Amber listens intently, nodding and only speaking when asking for clarification on something. When Star finishes, it's clear to Amber that this is indeed one of the ponies of the prophecy. She knows she can trust this Star Rider, and that she has to, if Oblivion is ever to be stopped.

"Ok, come with me back to my home. I'll tell you everything I know about Oblivion; past, present, and future. I don't know if it'll help you take him down, but if there's even a slight chance, I have to take it because....because...." Amber says, beginning to tear up, "Oblivion took everything from me."

********************************************************************************************

Upon entering the beauteous crystal home in the northern end of the empire, the six friends are politely ushered to the living room and asked to make themselves at home. Meanwhile, Amber Leaf heads off into the adjoining kitchen in order to prepare some tea and zesty cucumber sandwiches for her friends. It only takes a moment for her to disappear from the sight of the others, and instantly they begin to exchange glances as if to prompt somepony to speak up. For what seems like an eternity the six sit there in utter silence until finally, sick of the refusal to say something, Scatter quietly asks the others, "You guys do realize how suspicious this is, right?"

"You're right," Star replies, sighing at the thought, "it's too perfect for us. We see a pony walking by who just happens to stand out from everypony else, and she just so happens to know exactly what we need to know? I hate to think this way, but in these dark times, we can't really trust something like this."

"Exactly," Scatter nods in agreement.

"Not exactly," Bri suddenly replies, trying to hold back from yelling in frustration, "Star was given a gift with this precognitive dream. Yet nopony called that suspicious? Something clearly told her that she needed to be here, and I believe that Amber is why. I don't know what it is, but I have a feeling that she's been holding this in for a long time. Even her going to get us drinks and snacks is a way of her putting off having to tell us everything. She's afraid, because she knows something that could put her and others in danger."

"But then why is she so readily willing to open up for us? She doesn't know us from any Johnny Four-Shoes out there," Scatter debates.

"Think about it. She's been holding back these secrets for so long now, and a group of determined ponies suddenly stumble upon her asking the right questions. She has to know that there's a reason she happened upon us today. It's fate for both us and her."

"I...I think Bri might be right," Fluttershy tells the others.

"Yepperoni!" Pinkie calls out before falling over and snorting as she bursts into laughter.

Right then, Amber comes back from the kitchen, pushing a cart on which are the trays of food and drinks. She begins passing them out to her visitors and then takes her own before sitting on the only remaining seat in the room. Scatter motions to the others to be on their guard just in case, and everypony nods. A minute passes by as Amber sips silently from her tea cup and takes the occasional bite from her sandwich. Two minutes...five...ten. Eventually, Zeb clears his throat which gathers Amber's attention, causing the mare to blush heavily out of embarrassment. However, Bri seems understanding and just smiles forth.

"I'm so sorry. It's just...this is hard for me," she tells them quietly, looking down at the swirling brown liquid in her cup.

"It's alright, don't be afraid," Bri gently says, flashing the nervous mare a warm smile.

Amber chuckles slightly and replies, "That's easy for you to say. Fear is the only thing I've felt for over a thousand years now."

"You think it's easy for us? No offense Miss Leaf, but you have no idea what we've been through. We've been fighting Oblivion all year now. We've had close friends die. One of our own back in Ponyville was possessed and forced to murder his own fiancée. We know you have a dark history involving Oblivion. And we know that you want him gone. So do we. We're here to help you, but only if you can help us first. So please, trust us."

Everyone looks at Bri in shock. Both firm, yet assuring. It's almost uncharacteristic for the normally bright and cheerful mare. However, the sudden sound of a soft crying breaks their focus and they look back at Amber, who's begun to sob to herself. Hooves shaking, she sets down her teacup before an accident can occur and nods a little too hard. Standing up, Bri walks over and embraces the mare in a hug, whispering in her ear, "It's alright now. Just let it out."

"Damn I love her," Scatter quietly says before blushing. He then gathers the courage and loudly says to the crying mare, "She's right, Amber. We're here because we too want to stop Oblivion, for good. If there's anything you can tell us that might be able to help, we'd appreciate it."

"I...I don't know if it can help stop him," she finally replies as Bri releases her from the embrace, wiping the tears from her eyes, "but I'll tell you everything I know. I'm sorry for stalling like I was. I'm ready to talk now." Looking to Star, she smiles and adds, "I don't know why, but I have a feeling that you need to hear this more than anyone. So please, use this information to help save Equestria."

"I will."

"Thank you. Now...I guess the best place to begin would be about ten years prior to the disappearance of the Crystal Empire over a thousand years ago now. I ran a small tea and coffee shop in the empire's central square. Every day I'd serve customer after customer, but there was only one regular that I saw every single morning. His name was Crimson Crystal, a magical history professor at the empire's academy. He'd stop in before heading to the school each morning to order coffee. He always took it black with a shot of vanilla and a dash of cinnamon."

Sniffling slightly, Amber begins to tear up again. Noticing this, Fluttershy smiles and passes over a handkerchief she happened to bring with her. After a few seconds, Amber thanks the pegasus and continues, "Every morning we'd chat. He talked about his students, often bragging about their essays or projects. He'd ask me what I did outside of work. We got to know each other fairly well. So one day, he out of the blue asked me if I'd like to go to a jousting match with him. It caught me off guard, but I accepted. Neither of us called it as such, but that was our first date."

"We soon began to go to all kinds of places around the kingdom on our off times. He bought me gifts often, including a jeweled vintage tea pot I'd been saving up for. We dated for a few months, then one day we went out to dinner. We left the restaurant that night engaged. I was on cloud nine. He was the sweetest most wonderful stallion I'd ever met. He never treated me poorly, but also never tried too hard to act like I was his princess. He respected me, and I loved him oh so much."

"So what happened?" Zeb asks, a worried expression on his face. The others all look at him with expressions telling him how rude he was to ask, all except Star who seems too captivated for her own good.

Noticing their reactions, Amber raises a hoof and tells them, "It's alright. Something did happen. I had found this book on magical history in a store and gave it to Crimson. One day after classes were over, he didn't come to pick me up from work as expected. So I went to his classroom at the academy to find him completely engrossed in the book. He told me that he had discovered an ancient spell hidden away in code within the pages. However, he said he was unable to translate it."

"Over the next days, he began to study diligently on what they could mean. I let him, of course. He seemed really excited about it and I was happy about his passion for the subject. Weeks past without even hearing from him, however, and I became worried. So I went to the academy after work one day only to find out he had sent in a letter of resignation a few days before and hadn't come in at all since. I went to his home and found him sitting on his bed with dozens of papers surrounding him and the bed itself. He seemed disheveled. But as soon as he saw me, his eyes lit up and he told me that he had discovered the origin of the spell. It was from the time of the Unicorn Kingdom." Simultaneous gasps escape the six friends, but they allow Amber to continue.

"He asked if I could help him continue the studies so he could learn the spells effects. I reluctantly agreed. I realize now that it was a mistake. We finally decoded it. To my surprise, Crimson still showed how much of a gentlestallion he was and asked me to go home, afraid that the spell might hurt me if it went wrong. That was my second mistake; listening to him. Over the next few days he not only didn't contact me, but every time I tried to reach out to him, he outright avoided me. I couldn't take it anymore. Something was wrong. So I began watching him, and one day followed him to a frozen lake in the arctic north just outside of the empire."

"What I saw there chilled me more than the weather ever could. Crimson was engaged in a magic duel against what seemed to be a ghostly apparition of himself. The copy looked outright evil. The red crystal cutie mark was  pitch black and his eyes glowed an eerie green. I tried to run to Crimson to help, but he put up a shielding spell and told me to get away while I could. I just couldn't believe it. I didn't want to leave him."

"The fight was evenly matched and went on for hours. The copy then shot a spell at the lake itself, shattering the ice layer atop it. I watched as Crimson helplessly fell into it's depths, chased by the doppelganger. I screamed, I cried. I slammed my hooves against the shielding spell. After a minute, the spell broke. But not because of me. I knew instantly what had happened, but I didn't believe. I ran to the lake, shouting his name at the top of my lungs. I dived into the ice cold water, but couldn't find him. I came back up, nearly passing out from the cold of the water soaking into my fur. I felt myself fading when suddenly, I saw him."

"He rose up from the lake in a burst of magical energy. My joy brought me back from my near unconscious state and I ran to him. But when I got close, I noticed right away that this was not my Crimson. It was the apparition, but no longer ghostly. He had gained physical form, and I instantly knew that he had taken my lover's body. My foolishness caused me to attack him in a blind rage. He tossed me aside with ease, summoning forth shackles with his magic to chain me up, at which point he dragged me across the ice and snow back to the empire."

"The Crystal Princesses guards tried to stop him as he entered the empire, but he killed them all with ease. He then broke into the Crystal Palace, towing me behind, and proceeded to impale the princess on her own scepter. He proclaimed himself the king, and ordered the citizens to call him by his new name before shackling them as well."

"New name?" Star quietly asks, swallowing a lump in her throat as a cold sweat trickles down her forehead.

She already knows exactly who Crimson Crystal had become, and it scared her senseless. And as Amber spoke out the name, a chill runs down her spine, "King Sombra. He enslaved the entirety of the empire and forced us to work tirelessly for him. He kept me in a cage next to his throne, and called me his little songbird. The nickname infuriated me, as it was what Crimson used to call me. But despite my rage, I became more depressed than anything. Months past and he began to go to war with the rest of Equestria. Eventually, Princesses Celestia and Luna took him down in a two-on-one fight. They combined their alicorn magic to confine Sombra to a shadow form, and then banished him. In his last move, however, he forced the empire itself to disappear along with him. And you know what happened after that."

"And...King Sombra was..." Star begins, tears forming in her own eyes at the horribly saddening tale.

"Yes. After Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor saved the Crystal Empire and killed Sombra, I found the book my Crimson had been studying. It told me everything. Sombra, or rather the spirit that murdered Crimson and possessed his corpse was the former king of the Unicorn Kingdom, Maaebjan. When Crimson used the spell that one day, he had unwillingly brought Maaebjan's spirit back into this world. That's why he was avoiding me. He was trying to protect me that entire time. I knew of King Maaebjan from Crimson, thanks to his fascination with history, and knew right then how bad this all was. If he ever found a way back to our world again, it could easily spell the end of the world."

"He hadn't been strong enough yet when he was banished by the royal sisters. And when our current leaders killed him, he had also yet to regain his full strength since returning to our world. It's the only reason he was able to be taken out. After Sombra's death, my depression worsened. Everypony else was jubilant at being freed. But they hadn't been in love with Crimson, and didn't mourn his death every second of every day. When the dark stars came, I knew that he had returned. And I soon heard rumors of someone named Oblivion trying to take over Equestria. He was back, and there was nothing I could do."

"Thank you for telling us this," Star tells her, getting up to do as Bri had before. Followed by her friends, she proceeds to hug the poor mare.

After letting her go, they return to their seats at which point Scatter sighs as he leans back and notes, "Unfortunately that doesn't tell us how to stop him."

"ARE YOU KIDDING!?" Pinkie blurts out, "OF COURSE IT DOES!"

"Pray tell then, how?" the stallion grumpily asks.

"If everything in Amber's story is true, then we know his biggest weakness now! Magic! Every time Oblivion falls, it's because of magic, right!? He's overpowered by spells more powerful than his own!"

"That's all well and good Pinkie," Star says, "but then how do we gather enough magic to stop him? Eventually he will have too much power for us to stop."

"Don't you see Star? We've already been doing what we need to. We've got all but one of the Elements of Harmony, the strongest magical artifacts known to ponykind. If we can get the last one, and combine it with the inborn magical powers of Pinkie and all of the unicorns on our side, we can easily stop him!" Bri laughs.

Pinkie nods and in a comically serious tone tells her, "You've learned well, my apprentice."

It's true then. The Elements really are the key to stopping Oblivion. Her faith in the Elements had begun to wane as of late. She and her friends had stopped believing in ever finding the last one. Now, all because of her dream, they've learned Oblivion's greatest weakness and are that much closer to stopping him. That's when it clicks, and she falls from her seat. Everypony else looks at her in shock and confusion as she begins laughing in pure joy.

"I know what my dream meant now! It wasn't just showing me a possible future. It was telling me that even despite what seems like overwhelming odds being against us, there is always a hope. In the nightmare, the rebellion's forces represented that hope. And now, our knowledge and the Elements of Harmony give us hope to defeating this monster once and for all! And I think I figured something else out as well. I believe that the princesses are alive, and that Oblivion has them held captive. They have the power to stop him, so he needed to get them out of the way early."

"That...makes perfect sense actually," Scatter quietly replies, shocked by this sudden revelation that he hadn't even considered. Smiling, Star thanks Amber and hugs her again. She knows now what they must do. It's like the stories of when Princess Twilight utilized the combined magic of her fellow princesses and herself to fight the super powered Tirek. Only now, she and her friends will be combining the strongest magic in history with their own. They can rescue the princesses and save Equestria. She finally understands. Her dream led her here, and it's that same dream that now drives her to continue and succeed. They will defeat Oblivion.

Hours later, Star walks back into her house after the long train ride back to Ponyville. All her friends have gone home for the night to rest, ready to begin preparations in the morning. They have a goal now, and they're ready to put it into motion. Walking upstairs to her bedroom, she looks at her bed and smiles. It seems like an eternity ago now that she woke up, and she couldn't be more tired. This time she's ready for whatever her dreams have to tell her, and so the young pegasus lays down and slowly drifts off to sleep, right as a golden headband magically appears on her pillow beside her.

S01 E25 (Pt. 1) - Shadows of Equestria: The War Begins

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

S01 E02 - Rise of the Dark Stars Pt. 2

A couple days following the arrival of the dark stars, Star and Bri move around the Princess Twilight Sparkle Memorial Library at an amazing speed. Various books of all sizes and genres swiftly fly from the shelves, thrown haphazardly into the air by the two mares as they search for the one book they need. Each book creates a loud thud as it hits the floor. Some flip open, and the piles continue to grow minute after minute. When Star awoke this morning, she had no idea what they were going to do. All hope seemed lost since the stars blacked out the sky. Luckily, Bri had come up with a brilliant idea; to come here to the library and search for the information needed to hopefully help stop this mortifying event. Star can't help but agree that it truly is a wonderful plan, but being here in this old tree just makes her uneasy. Once called the Golden Oak Library, it used to be the home of Princess Twilight Sparkle. Being here now makes her feel so sad.

Shaking her head, Star returns her focus to why they came. They need to find as much information on these dark stars as possible. If they can help the princess in even the smallest of ways, they'll be happy. She can't explain it, but for some reason she feels that it's her duty as a citizen of Equestria to help out, especially with everypony else locked in a constant stare of paralyzing fear. Few have left their homes these past couple days, and most of the businesses in town have closed down. Some ponies have gone around and broken into some of the shops, stealing goods as if it were the end of the world as they know it. Ponyville has become a shadow of it's former self, and if things continue to degrade at the speed they are, it shall cease to exist at all.

"So," Bri curiously asks, her Trottingham accent cutting into Star's ears like a white hot knife, "what kind of book do you think this information will be in? Also, where's that lil' bugger Spike? Doesn't he live 'ere? He could be helping us find it."

"Look for a book called Ancient Equestrian Legends. I read it a long time ago, and if I remember right, it has a legend in it covering these dark stars. As for Spike, I'm not sure where he is. Whenever someone comes to the library these days, he usually goes off and hides. The incidents fifteen years ago turned him into a recluse. He did lose his best friend Twilight, as well as the love of his life, Rarity."

"He loved Rarity?"

"According to Fluttershy, he was obsessed over her," Star tells her friend as she shuffles through the books on a low shelf before heading up a ladder to reach some higher ones, "he would do anything for her. Nowadays he just mopes and hides. At least Owlowicious left after Twilight disappeared. He went about his life, and chose not to wallow in despair."

At that moment, a reference guide to Canterlot royalty flies past Star's head, nearly hitting it dead on. Surprised, she falls back off the ladder, hitting the floor with a thud louder than that any of the books had previously made. In an instant, Bri stops what she's doing and is by her friend's side, helping her back up as she profusely apologizes for nearly decapitating her with knowledge. Star shakes the whole thing off, however, and moves on. That's when she sees it. Directly in front of her, on a near-empty shelf, sits the one book she had been hoping to find. While everything else is already piled on the floor around them, now they have exactly what they need to help stop this terrible threat.

Grabbing it excitedly, Star flips open the cover and scans each and every page enthusiastically, hoping to quickly find the right legend that she remembered reading once as a filly. Bri looks on in keen interest while simultaneously trying to avoid getting in Star's way. She knows that this could very possibly be the key to saving everypong from this eerie and mysterious threat that's plaguing their land right now. She doesn't want to mess anything up, but her curiosity is getting the better of her. She wants to know what it says, and how these dark stars came to be.

"Eureka! I've found it!" Star shouts at the top of her lungs, giving her friend a scare. Stopping on one of the pages, she begins to read aloud, "One thousand years prior to Equestria's founding, on the very day that would become known as Hearth's Warming, there was a great and terrible event that threatened the entirety of the known world. Without warning, our peaceful skies were encapsulated by stars as black as death itself. They seemed to glow eerily during both daytime and night. During the day, they would block out our light and warmth, and would plunge the land into indescribable fear and pure, unadulterated darkness when the sun fell for the night. Our world quickly became a cold and desolate wasteland. Plantlife soon began to die, and so did the ponies who required them for life. It seemed as though the entire world was at it's demise, but the dark stars then disappeared as quickly as they came. No one knows how they were stopped, but their origin has been talked about by many through the ages. It is said that they come from a spell of the darkest magic known to ponykind; a dark magic cast by the most powerful of unicorns. One who had forgone his own morality for the sheer power he now posessed. His name was Antonin Sevulva Star. They say that when the dark stars disappeared, he went with them."

"Is...is this serious?" Bri quietly asks, trying to look over her friends shoulder at the page. She wants to be absolutely sure that she didn't mishear anything. Shaking her head, Star can hardly believe it herself. This legend tells them so much. This Antonin Sevulva Star; he must be the ancestor of the very same Sevulva Star that now resides her in Ponyville. But one thing still bothers her. The pony mentioned in the legend is a unicorn, and Sevulva is an earth pony. Then there's the question about how no one discovered this before. Sevulva is the most famous stage pony in all of Canterlot, possibly all of Equestria. With the fans he has gained, wouldn't someone have discovered this already? It just doesn't add up. Not to mention, he was as terrified as everypony else, maybe even more so. Sevulva was the first to notice the dark stars, and he gave the most mortifying, blood-curdling scream she's ever heard.

How could he have faked something like that? There's more to this story, there has to be.

Suddenly, Star notices a small note hoof-written on the bottom of the page, saying "See Elements of Harmony." She reads this over a couple of times, wanting to make sure she truly read it right. So without another second of hesitation, she flips rapidly through the large book until she finally locates the section that discusses the magical elements which have been lost for such a long time now.

She begins reading the first paragraph to herself, and by the time she finishes the entire section, her eyes have widened and mouth has dropped. This is impossible. Bri cheerily trots back up to her and tries to peer over her at the pages. However, she isn't able to properly see at the angle she's in, so instead asks Star to read it aloud, so that she too can know what it says and understand why her friend seems so shocked.

"The sixth Element of Harmony, the Element of Magic," Star begins to read at the third paragraph in, "is noted by many to be the most elusive and powerful element of them all. There are some who even claim that it doesn't exist. However, there is one element even more rare than that. There are legends throughout history that have told of a seventh Element of Harmony. It is said to transcend the power of all the others combined. Nopony knows what kind of magic this mysterious seventh element holds, and it's existence has never been confirmed even by the least reliable of sources. It remains just a legend."

After reading it, she suddenly sees another note. This one is written on the pages margin and is so small that it requires her to squint her eyes just so she can make it out. She quickly reads aloud, "Since I became a princess, I have poured everything I have into using my newly acquired connections so that I can locate any and all information possible on this seventh Element of Harmony. As of writing this, I have unfortunately been unsuccessful. However, I do believe that somehow it may relate to an old legend regarding dark stars. It's said that the dark stars will herald the beginning of true evil's return. A force more powerful than that of Queen Chrysalis, King Sombra, Nightmare Moon, and Discord combined will cast it's shadow upon the earth. The legend also states that a famous Star will be the key to everything, for when he arrives in a land that is not his own, the destruction of the world shall occur. I do not yet know what this means. I have to do more research."

Star quietly stares at the note from Princess Twilight Sparkle, feeling as if she were in the middle of a horrible nightmare. Surely this can't be real. Dark stars, an ancient evil returning, what could this all mean? Why is this even happening? Especially now, after so much peace and prosperity. She sets the book down and looks over to Bri, who still seems confused by all of this information, telling her, "We have to find Sevulva Star as quickly as possible. I don't know for sure if he's behind this, but he has to know something. This says that a famous Star will be the key when he arrives in a land not his own. This has to refer to Sevulva. He's a Canterlot stage actor who just arrived in Ponyville. It fits perfectly."

Bri nods and follows her now determined friend as she runs out the open door of the library, leaving behind the huge mess of books they made on the floor. It's only around three in the afternoon, yet Ponyville is darker than night because of the dark stars invading the skies. They've multiplied to such a degree that they blocked out the vast majority of the entire sky, allowing no real light to shine through. Underneath them, it's all become dark and terrible. The streets have become deserted, and as both mares run throughout the town, not a soul can be seen around. As they pass through the streets, they check every one of the hotels and inns that Ponyville has to offer, and considering the small size of the town, it isn't very many. However, they have no luck in finding Sevulva at any of them. It's at that point that they reach the final hotel the town has, the Hay & Stay near Sugarcube Corner. Their frustration growing, they burst in through the doors.

The lobby is as deserted and quiet as the streets outside. There's only one pony around, the concierge, who is standing behind the counter to their left. He doesn't bother to even smile as the two turn to look at him, and instead he quietly asks them why they're here, and if they plan to steal something as well. Star and Bri look at each other, worried expressions spread across their faces, and begin to slowly trot toward the timid-looking stallion. Glaring at them, he shies away as they approach, so Star decides it best to just skip the pleasantries at this point. Walking around the counter itself, she gets into the stallions face and demands to know if Sevulva is staying here while in Ponyville.

"You...you're here for him? Well...um...yes, he is staying here. But he said that he doesn't like visitors. He, uh, told me not to let anypony know his room number. He doesn't want to be disturbed."

"Listen you idiot!" Star yells out suddenly, her frustration having poured out of her in pure anger, "Sevulva Star might just hold the key to stopping these dark stars! More than just Ponyville is in danger here! More than even all of Equestria! The last time this happened, the entire world nearly got wiped out! Now you WILL tell me where he is, one way or the other!"

Cowering back from the infuriated mare, the concierge slowly passes her a keycard to the lavish Royalty Suite on the tenth floor of the hotel. She grabs it from his hoof and nods before bolting to the nearby elevator, Bri closely following behind her. The two soon reach the tenth floor and walk out of the elevator, finding themselves in the middle of two long-stretched hallways. They walk down the one to their left, but the key doesn't seem to work for any of the suites there, so they quickly go down the opposite hall, finding the correct room rather quickly. Star inserts the keycard into the door and turns the handle, pushing it open with great force. The two of them then proceed to storm into the room, finding the stage actor seated there, a surprised look on his face. In his hooves rests an old diary. Worn and tattered, it's binding is weak and it has a faded star on the cover. Though it seems somehow familiar, they are hardly interested in Sevulva's reading preferences. Their only goal right now is to find out the truth.

"What...what do you think you're doing! Barging into my room like this! I told that concierge that I didn't want guests!" Sevulva cries out, his voice echoing with a combination of  immense fear and surprise. His mane is unkempt and his glasses are haphazardly thrown upon the bed on the other side of the suite. Somehow he seems different than when he first arrived. With all the glam and glimmer gone, he seems just like any other stallion.

"We're here because we know about the dark stars, and your families connection to them!" Star furiously shouts back, her patience having already been worn thin. Storming up to the confused stallion, she grabs the collar of his satin cloak and pulls him up to her face as she continues, "we know that your ancestor Antonin originally created these stars with his dark magic! And we know that you know something about their return!"

"What in Aurora's name are you talking about!?" Sevulva asks in desperation, managing to escape Star's grasp and back up against the wall of the room, "I...I have no idea who this Antonin is, or why these black stars are even here! I'm just as terrified and confused about all this as anypony could possibly be right now!"

"Don't you dare lie to us, you bloody idiot!" Bri suddenly yells out, stomping forward as she seems to mimic the anger her friend had shown. Star looks to her in surprise, as she's never been confrontational in the slightest, despite her being obnoxiously outgoing.

That's why she chose to do it instead. She had hoped that Bri would be the sort of good cop in this interrogation, and that she'd be the bad one. However, the light blue pony glares into the eyes of the scared stallion and continues, "we did our research! We know that Antonin was corrupted with his power, and that 'e used it to form the dark stars! He used his advanced knowledge of magic in the most terrible of ways and almost destroyed the entire world! Somehow he was stopped, and though we don't know how, we won't let you get away with this! We know you're the one behind this!"

"Um...wow Bri, that was...well," Star quietly says, struggling to find the right words to express her thoughts on that completely surprising outburst from her friend. Bri smiles with pride in herself as she backs away from Sevulva, causing Star to raise a hoof to her face and shake her head. She knows that Bri had been speaking out of a wish to be useful, but she knows it's true. Deep down she too feels that Sevulva has to be behind all of this. Focusing back on Sevulva, she watches as his head bows low. Despite him now facing the floor, Star can easily see the wild smirk spreading. An aura begins to glow around him, and he looks up at the two, eyes turned a bright, glowing red. The two instantly go into a defensive stance and watch to see what he does.

"How impressive, you figured it all out. And here I thought that I had given my best performance yet. I guess even acting skills as polished and refined as mine are no match for proper research. Congratulations, my little ponies. You're completely correct. But ask yourself this one little question before you run off to celebrate. What can two little mares like you do to stop me?"

Suddenly, the aura around him begins to grow, and a strange magic emanates from his very body, despite him being an earth pony. Star and Bri feel their bodies forced downward, and though they try to fight against it, they soon find themselves forced to bow in petulance before him. As Sevulva stands there, laughing psychotically, he decides to appease their curiosity and explain his actions.

"So you want to know why I'm doing all of this, do you? Why have I chosen to bring back the dark stars after my ancestor was stopped, and how did I even do it? Why today of all days? Well, allow me to enlighten you two. You see, today is the anniversary of when Antonin created the dark stars. Since his downfall, my family has been working to bring his dark plans to fruition, but in the thousands of years since then, not one has been able to reach his level of dark magic, until me that is. Today I shall use the magic passed down to me to finally finish his work and cleanse this impure world! I will destroy it and begin anew, ruling over the new earth myself! No one, not even your precious Princess Aurora can stand against me! I worked these past fifteen years to achieve this! I got rid of those perky princesses! I swatted all those who could have opposed me! I am too powerful for anypony to stop now! You see girls, there is a reason for the outlawing of dark magic. It's strengthened and controlled by fear, and is easily the strongest power known to ponykind! The more fear that the pitiable low-class ponies like you show, the stronger I shall become! Now, let's see exactly how terrified I can make you."

Sevulva prepares to attack when suddenly, the door to his room bursts in once again, this time blown straight off of it's hinges.

Flying across the room, it smashes hard against the opposite wall and lands with a huge thud on the carpet. Star and Bri fearfully look towards the doorway as four other ponies rush into the room, none of them recognizable to the two of them. Sevulva watches in interest with raised eyebrow as they step forward. The leader of them is a stallion who's coat is a slightly different shade of dark blue than Star's. His mane is red and gold and flows wildly behind him. He dons the official Canterlot royal guard's armor, so breathing a sigh of relief, Star realizes that this indeed is one of Princess Aurora's guards.

To his direct left is another stallion. Not as heavily built as the guard, he is still quite strong looking. His coat is dark red, which matches his mane. He wears a blue vest and has a horn protruding from his forehead; a unicorn. He has a confident look on his face and seems like the type of pony who's willing to do whatever it takes. On the guards opposite side is a little filly. Young in age, she has a light brown coat with orange and black hair. A scarf is wrapped around her neck, and beside her stands the final of the four intruders. This one has a light blue coat and is a pegasus. His black and blue hair is slicked back and he has a small goatee on his chin. He has a racing suit on and is as eager to get things done as the dark red unicorn.

"Princess Aurora says otherwise, foul villain!" the guard says as he steps forward towards Sevulva, "there is no power in the world stronger than hope, and by the orders of her majesty, we shall give that hope to the world in this time of need!"

The unicorn breaks Sevulva's spell of petulance, releasing both Star and Bri, who quickly run to join the four ponies standing against the enemy. The young filly smiles at the two before growing serious again, staring daggers into Sevulva's eyes. His smile has faded, and he now glares angrily at the six ponies who are confronting him. His nostrils flare and eyes grow brighter than ever. Smirking, he then summons up more magic and locks the six into place, preventing them from moving as he laughs menacingly and slowly walks over to the large window. With ease, he bucks and smashes the glass, letting the light of the dark stars enter the suite.

Watching in terror, the six see the dark stars energy come in through the window in a physical state and envelop the stallion standing there. It seems to cover him in a coat of pure darkness, surrounding his entire body until it transforms him in a horrifying way. He is no longer the prim and proper Canterlot pony they all knew him to be. Instead, Sevulva Star stands there, changed by the power of the dark stars into the most menacing of forms. His grey coat had darkened to pure black, and his eyes have become demon-like. Fangs have replaced his teeth, his mane flows with the pure essence of shadow, and a horn has grown on his head. He has become one with the energy of the dark stars. With a wild laugh, he then expels a great shockwave of pure energy, and at once the entire hotel explodes.

Releasing a terrified scream, Star covers her eyes expecting the worse. However, nothing seems to happen. She still seems to be alive, and now can even feel a cool wind blow through her mane. Opening her eyes and quieting her voice, she realizes that she's safely on the grass outside, looking right in front of her at the ruins of what used to be the Hay & Stay hotel. All around her are confused looking ponies, wondering what happened. Among them are Bri and the other four, all safe and recovering. She even sees the timid concierge. As she begins to ask them all how they made it out of there alive, Star suddenly sees the magnificent form of an alicorn approaching her. Princess Aurora walks up with a gentle, calming smile and asks the young mare if she's alright. Freaking out, Star bows before her, but the princess raises her back up with a chuckle.

"Princess Aurora! It's such an honor to meet you!" she yells out in shock, trying to bow again. She then thinks about Sevulva Star and looks back at the ruins of the hotel, wondering what could have happened. The princess seems to understand and gets serious, sighing as she too looks at the ruins.

"Sevulva has unfortunately escaped. I couldn't stop him and save everypony at the same time. I felt that your lives were more important."

Nodding, Star understands. She can see that everyone is alright, and it warms her to know that no one died from the explosion. That's when she notices it. Looking up to the sky, Star sees that it's returned to normal. The dark stars are gone, and the light of day has returned to Ponyville. Everypony else soon realizes this as well, and all begin to mutter amongst themselves. Approaching Star and the princess, Bri looks around and asks what happened to the dark stars.

"When Sevulva absorbed the power of the dark stars, he absorbed them as well. It's been his family's goal for generations, and he has been the only one to become strong enough to achieve it. He has become something beyond the realms of the living and the dead. His evil has transcended that of anything Equestria has seen before," Princess Aurora explains, pacing back and forth, "I would've come here sooner, but I had to help those in Canterlot as well. Luckily, I was able to send my captain and the others here to assist you both, Star Rider and Briance Happer."

"You know who we are?" Star asks in surprise.

"I know a lot more than that. There is a prophecy that dates back to before the time of the Celestial Sisters that I believe refers to the six of you. You are destined to stop Sevulva and the dark stars once and for all. It's up to you to save the world."

"Wow," Bri responds, sitting down on the grass as she contemplated this for a moment, "so then...we're like the new version of the six ponies who wielded the Elements of Harmony all those years ago? Blimey, we ARE the new six. That's it! We have to work together to stop this bugger from destroying the world! There's so many places I have yet to explore!" Chuckling, the princess shakes her head and motions to the four ponies she sent to help Star and Bri, introducing them.

"This is Agelian Wingblade," she tells them as she motions towards the light blue pegasus who's cutie mark is shown to be a checkered flag, "he is a racer from Cloudsdale. He has faith and loyalty that will serve you well."

Pointing next to the young filly, Princess Aurora introduces her as, "Chupa Cabra, a young filly in Cheerilee's class at the Ponyville schoolhouse. She is peaceful and kind, and will help you to better understand how powerful of a weapon this can be."

"Next is Devlin Speedster, a unicorn who spends his days in Ponyville helping others out and doing what he can. He rarely uses magic, and instead will work his hardest to make sure everypony is happy. His determination and honesty will make him a valuable ally to anypony."

The princess then reaches the final of the four, the guard who took charge back in the suite. He's removed his helmet and shows the princess a proper, respectful bow. Smiling, Princess Aurora introduces him as, "Terra Lionmane, the captain of my elite royal guard. He may be just a simple earth pony, but his honor and valiance will make sure that he always serves his land with the greatest of his ability. He has the leadership that will lead you all to victory in whatever troubles may come."

"And then there's the two of you," she says, now looking to Star and Bri with a bright, warm smile that seems to embrace them, "Briance Happer. You are a beautiful spirit who loves to travel. Yet you hide insecurity and fear of the unknown behind a mask of bravery. Do not listen to Sevulva. Your fear is nothing to be ashamed of, it shows how caring and compassionate you truly are. You, my dear Briance, embrace adventure. You embrace the very spirit of bravery; doing what is right despite being afraid."

"Then there's you, Star Rider. You dream of ponies from the past. You wish hard that you can be half the pony that they were, and you honor their memories every day. You are a wonderful mare Star Rider, filled with positive thoughts and the greatest of generosity. When others feel sorrow, you cry with them. When they cheer in joy, you jump up and down to celebrate. You embrace the feelings of your fellow ponies, and love them like no other. You are the friend everypony needs in this dark time."

Turning, the princess then smiles and unfurls her wings, prepares to fly off and help the rest of Ponyville and all of Equestria recover from the recent events. However, before she leaves, she turns back to the six of them and says that if they are to truly stand a chance against this great evil, they must find the long lost Elements of Harmony that disappeared fifteen years ago at the same time as the four princesses. A final smile spreads across her face as she wishes them luck, taking off and leaving them all behind to contemplate their futures.

So much to take in at once. The famous stage actor they idolized is an evil pony consumed by the power of the dark stars. He wants to take over the entirety of the world, and easily has the ability to do so. And now they find out that they're the only ones who can stop him, but they have to find six magical elements that haven't been seen in over a decade. Stepping forward, Terra places his hoof out and tells them that whoever is with him in saving the world, they should do the same. One by one, the other four walk forward and place their hooves into the circle, then all turn to stare at the still contemplating Star Rider. Thoughts of her sister come to her. If she does this, she might have to put it before her family, before everything. She knows Grace will understand, but can she handle this? Can she handle putting everything else aside when it calls for it? Can she leave behind her entire life to stop this threat? Yes, she can. Placing her hoof in with the others, she smiles and knows that their journey has just begun.