Ends of the Spectrum

Chapters

Chapter 1: {U/Dys}topic
Chapter 2: Finding Friends
Chapter 3: Sinister Dexter
Chapter 4: New Under The Sun
Chapter 5: Going Beyond
Chapter 6: Everscream
Chapter 7: Proper Spelling
Appendix: Art, Notes, Links, etc

Chapter 1: {U/Dys}topic

“Ahhhh…. Life is good.” The greatest mage in Equestrian living history (and counting Princess Celestia, that was a long time) sprawled in the hot tub alongside her favorite Wonderbolt. “You looked good out there on the obstacle course.”

“Pffft. Good is never good enough,” the Captain snorted. “It’s go awesome or go home.”

“Mmmm. Lucky thing we’re already home,” Celestia’s student cheerfully said. “And that you finally let me get the hot tub installed once you found out the Wonderbolts had one in the training room.”

“Yeah, well, it always sounded so frou-frou until Spitfire started talking about the training benefits from a hot soak to loosen the muscles,” Celestia’s other student admitted.

“Mmmm. Captain Frou-Frou Sparkle it is,” Rainbow Dash said, and pulled her herdmate against her side with a wing.

“Nnnnnah, I think I’ll stick with ‘awesome.’ You can go all frou-frou if you want, though. We’ll curl your feathers and get Pinkie to sprinkle gold dust all over you,” Captain Sparkle rejoined.

“Leave me out of it, darlings,” the pink socialite giggled from the other side of the tub. “Honestly, I’ve entirely given up trying to do anything with Dashie’s mane. Ten seconds after getting out of the chair, it’s gone wild again, whether she’s been casting a thing or not.”

"More dedicated stylists than you have yielded to the mystery that is my coiffure,” Dash said, nuzzling at Twilight’s side. “Celestia’s own personal attendants tried no fewer than thirty-seven times before they finally surrendered, and you’d think that her ethereal look would be much harder to manage than a simple spectrum.”

“You’ve just got too much awesome,” Twilight suggested. “It leaks out through your mane. If you ran out, you’d turn out to have white hair.”

“And look like Trixie?” Dash said, then laughed. “That might be fun. Her show’s always a good waste of an hour or so. And she did invite me to have another stage-duel with her.”

“Still can’t believe a pegasus can out-magic her, can she?” Twilight said smugly. “Pfeh. I bet I could take her, let alone you.”

“Oh, be nice,” Dash scolded her. “First, she’s a showmare; she’s got to talk a big game. Second, she’s hardly the first unicorn who doesn’t want to believe that they don’t have the monopoly on magic anymore. And third, whoever owns the stage would probably get very annoyed at you once you started flinging lightning bolts around.”

“I do more than lightning!” protested Twilight. “There’s thunder, and ice storms, and rain, and I can do other spells, you know that! They’re just not my thing.”

Pinkie rolled her eyes “Twilight, dear, the last spell I can recall you casting that wasn’t weather-related was giving Spike that mustache for his birthday. Again.”

“Hey, go with the classics! It’s always well-appreciated,” Twilight said. “Like this.”

“Meep!” squeaked Rainbow Dash as a result of what Twilight’s hoof did under the water.

“Hee! You guys are always so silly,” giggled Rarity, her frizzy mane emerging from below the surface of the hot tub, a floaty on her horn and an inflatable duck ring around her waist.

“Uh… glad you could make it, Rares,” said Dash, her face a notable shade of pink. She steadfastly declined to consider just how the Prankster of Ponyville might have gotten into the hot tub without being seen. Or what she might have seen while in the tub.

“Aw, I wouldn’t miss this for the world!” Rarity said, and hugged the three other mares in the hot tub. “Everypony’s always so busy these days, we never get to catch up anymore!”

“Friends forever,” Dash said, returning the hug as good as she got.

“Yeah! Doesn’t matter how far we go, we’re always going to be the best of friends,” Twilight agreed.

“How’s about no matter how late we are?” called Fluttershy from the door. “Ah had to go stage a li’l rescue on the way. AJ was about t’ get herself crushed under a bunny.” She grinned and nudged her hat back on her head.

The town’s foremost animal wrangler blushed. “It ain’t like that an’ you know it,” she protested quietly. “Angel went off into th’ Everfree an’ ran into some timberwolves. Ah jes’ couldn’t let those poor things limp off after that without givin’ ‘em a little patching-up an’ a talkin’-to about not comin’ so near my cottage. Angel’s mighty territorial, y’all know that.”

“Hooo-wee, is he!” chortled Fluttershy, sliding into the hot tub with the others. “Li’l fella took on Discord for ya when he thought Dissy was prankin’ ya!”

“It was his first time tryin’ to cook with a stove and recipe and such,” Applejack mumbled, blushing harder. “It was sweet’a him. An’ he turned Angel back afterward.”

“Hah!” burst out Twilight. “Discord? At a stove? Following instructions? Come on, Applejack, tell me you got pictures!”

“It was downright sweet of him,” Applejack said more firmly, and gently stepped down into the tub to join her friends. “Ah ain’t gonna make fun of him for tryin’ new things. If he wants to do all sortsa new skills for the chaos of the early learnin’ parts, that’s a good outlet for him.”

“Scootaloo told me he tried to join the Cutie Mark Crusaders,” Rainbow Dash volunteered. “They got into an argument when he wanted them to crusade against cutie marks. So for arguing he declared them the Official Discord Fan Club, and the more they protested against it, the more he said that proved they were fans. So they gave up and let him be an ‘associate Crusader.’”

“I’m really just amazed that putting the four of them together somehow ended up causing less chaos than when they were running around separately,” Pinkie said.

“He made it too easy to do the really fun stuff,” Rarity cheerfully explained. “Like when I do parties for you, Pinkie, it’s easy! Balloons and streamers and cake and dancing and punch and lots of fun things. But if I had to do parties for you all the time, I’d start wanting more limits on what I could do. And on the flipside, I did that soiree for Prince Blueblood this week, and it was the boringest possible thing, but it was just what he wanted, so I had to really stretch myself to make it work, and I felt soooo accomplished when it was all done, and even he was happy with it, and now I’m going to spend the rest of the week trying to make up for all that boring!”

“You do seem a tad hyper, even for you,” Rainbow Dash agreed.

“That might also be the new triple-coffee chocolate surprise squares I tried out this morning,” Rarity suggested. “They weren’t working out but it’s a shame to waste brownies even if they aren’t working out so I went ahead and ate them and I am really having sooo many ideas today!” She beamed and batted her eyelashes. “Anypony up for a quest? Three, two, one!”

“Rainbow! Twilight!” came the cry of a young dragon. “Letter for you! From Princess Luna!”

“Uh uh uh!” called Twilight back. “You know that’s not how it goes!”

Spike came into the hot tub room’s door and rolled his eyes, holding up the scroll in one claw. “Coolmom, Awesomom, letter for you from Princess Luna!”

Twilight grinned, her horn lighting up to pluck the letter from Spike’s grip. “That’s more like it.” She pecked Rainbow Dash on the cheek. “Wanna read it, Coolmom?”

Dash snorted. “My wings are soaked, and I’m not going to spray water all over the room shaking them dry just to hold a letter. Guess you’re the top mage in the room right now.”

“Great!” beamed Twilight. “Captain of the Wonderbolts and top mage. Now I just need to get elected and I meet the qualifications to be the whole Triumvirate by myself, right? Doesn’t that qualify me to be an alicorn?”

“Next time I lose a feather I’ll see if I can poke you with it hard enough to make it stick and grow into a new wing,” Rainbow Dash suggested, and ruffled Twilight’s ears with her wet wing.

“Psyeah. Like I didn’t try that when I was a filly unicorn at a pegasus school. Even with two pots of glue it didn’t help.”

The tub filled with laughter as much as with hot water. Spike rolled his eyes. “You wanna read it, or should I just go get some lunch?”

“Keep your scales on, I’m reading,” Twilight said, and unrolled it. “Yadda yadd… whoa. Never mind, not yadda.” She cleared her throat. “Unto the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony, We greet you. The time has come to beseech your aid in saving Equestria from a deep and pervasive danger that threatens that land with ruination.” She lowered the scroll and frowned. “Isn’t it supposed to be all ‘thee’ and ‘thy’ in this old-timey letter stuff?”

Rainbow Dash shook her head. “Those are singular. She’s talking to all of us, so even in Middle Equestrian it was still ‘you’ and ‘your’ for the plural.”

“Huh. Learn new stuff every day when you’re around.” The Captain smooched her herdmate again. “Anyway! We shall join you this eventide after the raising of the moon to discuss this matter in greater detail. Unlike so many of your accomplishments, this quest shall demand you face perils of the spirit, not of the body. Unto this letter We lay Our hoof, Princess nobody-really-cares-about-all-these-titles-and-other-names-any-more Luna Fancy-Other-Names.”

“... Did she actually write that, or…” asked Pinkie Pie, tilting her head.

“Nah, I just got soooo tired of writing out Celestia’s full name yeeeears ago,” Twilight said. “Seriously, most of those titles are older than Equestria.”

“You think she’s joking,” Rainbow Dash added. “‘Princess’ is actually the most recent title. Everything else seemed superfluous after that, she said.”

“Well, I suppose we’d best get a nap this afternoon, if we’re up for a late night adventure,” said Pinkie. “Rarity, darling, would you mind bringing the coffee even so?”

“I’ll make up a whole new batch of brownies!” the frizzy-maned white mare declared, and bounced in place. “That’ll make sure we’re up all night!”

“You girls have fun with that. I’ll be nice and warm in bed,” Spike said, and waved, heading back out to the library.

“So much for you being ‘the new Twilight Sparkle,’" Rainbow Dash called after him. And the tub filled again with laughter.

Applejack wiped a hoof across her brow. Cherry Jubilee wasn’t the easiest boss she’d ever imagined, but nopony in Dodge Junction said she wasn’t fair, either. All those cherries needed to get sorted, after all, and it wasn’t like she could make a living throwing hoedowns every day. Even out here, where ponies liked hoedowns, there was a limit. So… cherry sorting for a day job. She couldn’t complain, she guessed. It was letting her get by. And she was getting to throw parties at least some of the time.

Still, sorting cherries was more of a reflex thing by now. It’d been a couple of years. It left her time to think. Mostly she thought about her friends. Sure, she had new friends out here, but… it wasn’t the same. It wasn’t their fault. How could anypony compare to friends who’d saved the whole world with you? Who’d carried the Elements of Harmony and felt that rainbow’s power coursing through their bodies with you?

How’d it all go so wrong? she asked herself again. She asked herself that all the time. They’d all been so happy, together in Ponyville. Then Rarity and Fluttershy brought in their stallion, and everything seemed to just be getting better. And then… then it all just came crashing down. Sure, Flutters had always had a temper, and Twilight was always drinking, but they were managing. And Rarity always seemed so positive she’d make that big breakthrough one day, and Rainbow Dash’s designs were always such a hit. And then…

… Well, then it just stopped working. Flutters erupted and got herself fired from weather work, Twilight started drinking herself downright stupid every day, Rarity lost her confidence, Pinkie stopped even coming into town, even Dash couldn’t find buyers for her designs. And nopony was much in a mood to party after that.

Red in one barrel, yellow in the other. Red in one barrel, yellow in the other. She tried to distract herself from that mane-flattening train of thought with work. Sometimes that did the trick. Not today, though. Today was one of those days when Ponyville just wouldn’t leave her behind.

Rarity kept up with writing letters for a while after Applejack left. Or at least Spike did. That little fella loved Rarity like a mother, and AJ wouldn’t put it past him to have written the letters in her name just to keep them all tenuously connected. He was sweet like that. Even though the letters weren’t all that encouraging.

Rarity and her herd went back to Canterlot. Princess Celestia wouldn’t turn away her personal student, just because she failed one test. Nopony’d ever solved that spell that Starswirl left behind, anyhow. Couldn’t blame Rares for not doing it either. There was a lot of other magic Rarity could try to master. One day she’d find her way back to that power she’d tapped that one time that brought Celestia’s attention. One day. Their stallion went to work as a masseuse, and he brought in enough to take care of the herd. Funny as it sounded, a stallion bein’ the breadwinner.

Twilight and Big Mac still had Sweet Apple Acres goin’. They’d had to contract with Flim and Flam to supply the apples for that fancy cider machine of theirs, and they’d had to sell off the West Quarter to Golden Top, but it was still going. If Twilight didn’t drink up the profits. A big if. There was that one day when Applejack kicked that tree and all the apples fell out, when it seemed like it all might turn around… but AJ knew that happy ending went down the other path. She was the one stuck with her reality. She wouldn’t tell her friends about that. Nopony ever seemed to like hearing her insights like that. And the other AJ deserved her happiness.

Pinkie… nopony’d heard much of her, ‘cept what Discord said. Even he was down these days. “This isn’t chaos,” he’d said one time when she tried to cheer him up. “This is just… unhappy.”

At least Rainbow Dash was still gettin’ along. The Boutique wasn’t much for fashion these days, but those nimble wings of hers at least made her still the best tailor in Ponyvlle, and she had steady work making that fancy fabric of hers for Suri Polomare’s designs. AJ had actually borrowed the bits for a train ride back to Ponyville when she got Dash’s letter about that. There were tear stains on it. Hard to believe a pony could steal another pony’s dream like that. But in the end, all AJ could do was give her a shoulder to cry on as she surrendered her future for survival.

Red in one barrel, yellow in the other. Even when Dodge Junction’s self-proclaimed resident party pony couldn’t see clearly with the tears in her eye, she could still see red and yellow blobs and put them where they needed to go.

At least the cherries had someplace they were supposed to be.

“Howdy, Princess Luna!” Fluttershy called out as the dark alicorn stepped through the library door.

Luna smiled and dipped her head slightly. “Greetings, my friends. I am pleased you have all chosen to heed my call tonight.”

“Well, it’s not like we were going to just let Equestria be doomed, is it?” asked Twilight. She’d put on her duty uniform for the night, even if it wasn’t technically a Wonderbolts mission.

“No matter which one it is,” Rainbow Dash confirmed. The others blinked at her.

“Sugarcube, what’re you talkin’ about?” asked Fluttershy.

“She said ‘that’ land in her letter,” the mage explained.

“Very perceptive,” Luna acknowledged. “It is indeed another Equestria that stands in need of your aid. And as I said, I am pleased you have chosen to heed my call.”

“I signed up to protect Equestria,” said Captain Twilight. “I never said just one.”

“Like I’d let my friends spend their lives being miserable!” exclaimed Rarity, vibrating in place slightly. Only two of the three batches of triple-coffee brownies she’d brought were left.

“Spoilers, darling,” Pinkie said sotto voce.

“Ooops! Sorry, Princess! I mean, what do you need us to do?” Rarity asked, backing up a few paragraphs.

Luna gave her an odd look. Or not such an odd look; lots of ponies gave Rarity that look. So it wasn’t a very odd look, just one that nopony ever seemed to give anypony but Rarity. Well. This Rarity.

At any rate, Princess Luna cleared her throat. “Do you all recall the unfinished spell of Starswirl the Bearded?”

“It’d be hard to forget,” said Dash, shaking her head. “I’m still embarrassed I cast that without analyzing it first. As if that was ever going to be the best way to find out what some unknown spell does. I’m just lucky it didn’t turn out to be something explosive.”

“Would’ve been kinda cool if it did,” mused Twilight. “Betcha ol’ Swirlie did some really awesome kabooms.”

Luna shot Twilight a disapproving sniff. “Starswirl the Bearded was many things, but he was never known as ‘Swirlie,’” she stated. “At any rate. What you experienced was not simply a spell causing all the ponies you know to suddenly recall a different history. A spell to affect every pony in the world at once, and creating a single shared delusion for all of them? Not to mention the dragons, griffons, diamond dogs, and others. No, that would have taken a far more powerful and complicated than that - and Starswirl’s spell is powerful enough as it is.”

“What else could it be, Princess?” Fluttershy asked. “Ah mean, we all were fine, but ever’pony else was sure we were all mixed up. They all thought Dash was the Wonderbolt an’ Ah was AJ, all sorts of things. Even had us thinkin’ they were right, since it’d be so much easier t’ jes’ change the six of us. Then Discord got us t’ use the Elements, an’ they fixed everything.”

Luna shook her head. “The Elements did not simply ‘fix’ everything, Fluttershy. They…” She paused, then shook her head. “Go ahead, Rarity.”

Rarity was bouncing in place. “The spell didn’t make everypony wrong and it didn’t change history and it didn’t make us wrong and it didn’t get fixed when we used the Elements because it really took two different timelines with their associated destinies and hooked them temporarily together so the new combined reality could give the caster a superdupernifty new double-destiny but it made everypony really confused and technically one reality was only a potential reality until they but it still had its own history and everything so it all worked and then when the Elements went off they separated the two realities but the potential reality was a real reality now and whuaaaaaaaaaah it happened a different way in a different reality-pair and it was all frowny-facey in that one and one of those realities came out okay but the other one is super-unhappy and sad and it’s all going wrong and they need us to come and fix it!”

Rarity paused and looked up from the page at you. “Everybody got that?”

Luna was giving Rarity that odd-except-when-they-were-giving-it-to-Rarity look again. Dash was moving a hoof in the air like she was writing something on a chalkboard to review. Everypony else looked lost.

“Rarity, darling, have I ever mentioned how adorably random you are sometimes?” asked Pinkie, and gave her best friend a snuggle.

“... Luna, did the Elements… not create a reality, but persist one?” asked Rainbow Dash.

Luna slowly shook her head. “Not… quite, no. But you might answer a question, my little pony. What do you call a dream that persists when it has no dreamer?”

“... Are we a dream, then?” asked the polychromatic pegasus quietly. “None of this…. none of us… is real?”

Luna shook her head more forcefully, and pulled Rainbow Dash against her chest. “No! That is not the case at all. You are as real as any ponies have ever been. But there are other Princess Lunas, and other Rainbow Dashes, and other Twilight Sparkles, and it is between dreams that we all may meet. A dream without a dreamer, Rainbow Dash, is real. Were there a pony whose slumber created this world, it would be a dream. But there is none; this world persists on its own recognition.”

“So fave and like, people!” Rarity added cheerfully.

“Erm… So… what?” asked Applejack, rubbing the back of hr head. “Ah’m a little lost.”

“There’s an alternate Equestria where they’re having a really bad time and need us to help them get things turned around,” Rainbow Dash translated.

Luna nodded. “Succinctly put. And as your stallion is off visiting Neighpon with Grandmaster Heartstrings, it seemed an opportune moment to invite you to come to my alternate self’s aid. She has, I fear, retreated into despair.”

“Well, let’s get to it!” grinned Captain Twilight. “We’ll get them whipped into shape by morning!”

“Okay,” squeaked Applejack. The others chimed in their agreement.

“Very well,” said Luna. Her horn glowed, and the world… changed.

WANTED: DITZY ‘DERPY’ DOO
FOAL ENDANGERMENT AND
ASSAULT ON ROYAL GUARDS
Last seen violently resisting removal
of her foal Dinky to the foster care
system after being found incompetent.
If seen, contact the Royal Guard.
REWARD

Captain Twilight stared at the poster on the wall in front of them, right where they’d appeared. They’d found a picture of Derpy smiling and waving, a total incongruity from the situation described below it. “... Derpy. They tried to take Dinky away from Derpy and she kicked Royal Guard flank and went on the lam. What did they think was going to happen?”

“Oh dear,” said Pinkie faintly, looking the other direction. “I know I’ve said this before, but… I think this literally is the Worst Possible Thing.” She swallowed audibly.

The others turned away from the wanted poster and gaped at the Ponyville they saw. The Carousel Boutique was still there, but the building’s motif had been entirely abandoned, columns and decorations stripped away and the building painted a simple blue. The library tree’s branches were bare and dead, and wood was nailed over the broken windows and the door. Town Hall looked normal. Sugarcube Corner had a ‘FOR RENT’ sign in the windows of the upstairs apartment. The whole town was dingy, and the streets were dusty and ill-repaired.

The ponies outside were familiar faces, at least. Cheerilee, Golden Harvest, Blossomforth, a dozen others were out and about. All those familiar faces were staring at them. Rarity waved back and gave them a beaming smile. Some of them cautiously smiled back.

“Uh… So… getting the band back together?” asked Cloud Kicker, stepping forward, gesturing at the six of them with a hoof. “Is there something weird going on?”

“EEEEEEEEEK!” wailed Lily Valley. Half of the ponies winced. The other half stampeded alongside the flower-flanked mare as fast as they could back to their homes.

“That mare is seriously high-strung,” muttered Cloud Kicker, then cleared her throat. “So, uh, anyway. Not that you guys didn’t do great before, really, but it’s kinda been years since I’ve seen you. What brings you back to Ponyville, what’s with the getups, and what’s going on in general?”

“Getups?” inquired Fluttershy, looking around at her friends, and lifted a hoof to adjust her hat. “Ah ain’t wearin’ any getup.”

Cloud Kicker gave her an even stranger look. She pointed. “Hat.” She pointed at Twilight. “Flight suit.” She waved her hoof around at all of them. “Manes. Tails. You’re all looking… weird. And you kinda just showed up in the middle of town in a big freakin’ flash of light all together. So what the hay is going on?”

The other five looked to Rainbow Dash. She chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of her neck. “Uh… Okay, let’s not make this complicated. We’re not the ponies you think we are, but we’re here to help.”

Cloud Kicker frowned, then her eyes widened and she jumped back. “CHANGELINGS!” she screamed.

Thirty seconds later, the six of them were alone in Ponyville’s town square.

“Ah think that coulda gone better, sugarcube,” said Fluttershy, deadpan.

“I think we’re going to have to find a better way to explain ourselves to the Guard,” said Twilight, and frowned. “Or the Wonderbolts. Or the Princesses. If they think we’re Changelings, we’re going to have company very shortly. Hnnnngh!” And she dropped to the ground. Rarity collapsed a moment later.

“Twilight!” cried Rainbow Dash, and flicked her wings. A shimmering bubble of force formed around them, and she moved to stand over her fallen herdmate, lowering her head to examine the unconscious Wonderbolt. Pinkie lunged to wrap her forelegs around Rarity.

“Well, that was unexpected,” said a familiar voice. Dash and the other four turned to the source. A pale green mare in a Guard’s breastplate, but not full armor, was standing next to Town Hall. Her horn glowed briefly as she tested Dash’s forcefield. “So you’re not ponies. What are you?”

“Lyra?” asked Rainbow Dash incredulously. “Why did you… Oh. Oh. Right.”

“Oh right what?” the Still Way Grandmaster in the armor asked.

“You attacked Twilight and Rarity because you thought they were the only ones who could do magic,” Rainbow Dash said, and took a deep breath. “We’re not from this world, Lyra. We’re from a world where… things worked out differently.”

“Changelings can’t do magic when they’re in a hornless form,” the Guard reservist said thoughtfully, and tested the forcefield again. “That’s definitely magic. A different kind than any I’ve ever seen. And I was herding with the Element of Magic herself. But you’ve got her in there with you - though you got her mark wrong. Along with all the others. Even if things ‘worked out differently’ you couldn’t just change your destiny like that. So what’s really going on?”

Dash rolled her eyes. “Sheesh. Just like being a filly again. Yes, I’m a pegasus. Yes, I can do magic. No, I’m not hiding a horn. I’m telling the truth. We’re from another world, another Equestria. Princess Luna told us this place needs us, so we came.”

“You’ll pardon me if I have a bit of trouble buying that story,” Lyra said drily. “This isn’t the first time we’ve seen weird things out of the Everfree lately. I think I’m going to have to hold you here until the rest of the Guard contingent arrives. Unless you think you’ve got a better way to prove you are who you say you are.”

“Um… excuse me,” said Applejack softly.

“... What is it, AJ?” asked Rainbow Dash.

Applejack blinked. “... Y’all actually listened th’ first time?”

Rainbow Dash kept looking at Lyra, with one hoof brushing along Twilight’s mane. “I’m feeling very intense right now. If you have an idea, fire away.”

“Oh,” said Applejack. “Well, nopony but Rainbow Dash can do a Sonic Rainboom, right? Or is that different here too?”

Lyra was still watching Rainbow Dash back. “That’s her signature show, yes. She hasn’t done one in years, but she did. Nopony else in a thousand years has done it. If you can Rainboom, that’d argue that you’re… in some way Rainbow Dash.”

Dash frowned. “If I drop the forcefield, you’ll attack,” she pointed out.

Lyra gave her a thin smile. “If you can Rainboom, you can dodge, right?”

“I think I have a better idea,” said Rainbow Dash flatly. And whacked Twilight on the back of the head with a hoof.

“OW! Quiddit!” yelled the purple unicorn, rolling over and jerking to her hooves, her horn flaring before her eyes had even found focus. She blinked rapidly, then groaned and reached up to grab her head. “Owww! A knockout spell and a concussion? What was that for, Dash?”

“Our little twangy over there decided on a ‘cast first, ask questions later’ strategy,” Rainbow Dash responded. “She needs some convincing.”

Lyra’s eyes narrowed. “Sparkle’s got a lot of raw power. Maybe she could throw off that spell that fast. But everypony knows she can’t cast a thing that’s not applepicking. What are you up to?”

Captain Twilight gave Lyra a big beaming grin. “Fixing everything. Hi! I’m Twilight Sparkle, Captain of the Wonderbolts. I’m really really stupidly powerful when I want to be, and I know a lot of spells, but I like weather ones the best. Let’s start with this one.”

The glow around Lyra’s horn dropped, replaced by Twlight’s lavender magical hue. The Grandmaster took a step back, and dropped into a defensive posture, head low, horn ready to physically jab forward, though she was still outside the forcefield. “I don’t know how you’re doing that, but it’s not exactly convincing me you’re another version of the town drunk,” she warned. “Get your magic out of my horn right now and I may consider not charging you with assault on a royal guard.”

Rainbow Dash let the shield drop. “It’s only for a moment,” she promised. “Now, watch this!”

The multichromatic mage took off. She loved magic. Every twitch of her feathers, every time she guided her innate magic to reach out and do things no pony had ever made pegasus magic do before, it was always a thrill. But to do that magic, she had to practice, constantly. Always focusing on her wings, always concentrating on perfect control in every feather. There was always something liberating about not using her magic in any way but the first way she’d ever used it.

Flying.

A ring of rainbow light erupted over Ponyville and spread rapidly. The door to the de-decorated Carousel Boutique burst open, and a very familiar blue-coated pegasus charged out, staring up at the sky, a tailor’s tape draped around her neck and a set of scissors nimbly gripped in two primary feathers.

“How?” breathed Rainbow Dash, Ponyville’s resident tailor and seamstress. Tears ran down her cheeks as she looked up at the sky, watching the bright ring of color spreading out, arcing across the sky. “How?” She hadn’t… well, hadn’t ever been on the ‘watching’ end of a Rainboom. She hadn’t done one in years now. She didn’t think she could do one if Equestria was at stake, these days. She’d let her exercise fall by the wayside ever since… well, ever since she gave up. To see one, now, made something deep in her soul ache. It was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen. Whether it was her own or someone else’s.

And then an even more beautiful sight caught her eyes. The seamstress watched as, impossibly, herself came down from the sky. There was no mistaking herself. But… the way she thought of herself. Not the way she really was. Not anymore. She’d put on some weight since giving up her regular flight practice - to the point where nopony called her ‘skinny’ anymore, which was indeed nice. But this version of her? She wasn’t skinny. Trim, yes, and perfectly muscled. Not a feather or hair out of place despite just then breaking through the sound barrier with nothing but her own body’s magic. But more than that… proud. Confident. Sure.

She fell to her knees, tears running down her cheeks. If this was the latest attack out of the Everfree, if the monster at the heart of the forest was sending their own shattered dreams against them… then it was working. That beauty, that poise, that perfection… that was supposed to be hers. Just seeing it reminded her that it hadn’t turned out that way.

Hooves thudded in the street. If the apparition was coming to take her, even to replace her with that vision of herself… she was ready to let it. She didn’t want to try to compete. Let the better pony have her life. She couldn’t do much worse with it anyhow.

A blue hoof reached out to her. The mage said, “Rainbow Dash? I’m Rainbow Dash. And I’m here to help.”

Author's Note

General sociological structure (including herding, and mage/daredevil/Lyra/alien-stallion herd in particular), the Still Way unicorn magic-centric martial art, and other setting details from Xenophilia.

Awesomom and Coolmom as names cheerfully lifted from the Winningverse. Lyra is Calmom, according to Captain Twilight, when she can get Spike to say it.

The Awesomeverse and Miseryverse first appeared in a dream sequence segment I wrote for Divided Rainbow. Party Pony Rarity said the Elements weren't going to make them go away.

Isaac Asimov said that utopian literature tends to be dull, because the only thing it can say is, "Isn't it wonderful-wonderful-wonderful" and a dystopia is as well because it can only say "Isn't it awful-awful-awful." So I wanted to mix the two.

Also, in the Awesomeverse, Everything really is Awesome. They have a habit of metaphorically rolling natural 20's all day long, and they've got the moral down pat before the first commercial break, if they haven't averted the plotline in the first place. It may take a little while for the Miseryverse to figure out how to punch back...

Chapter 2: Finding Friends

“We’ll let Princess Celestia decide that,” came a snap from Captain Lyra Heartstrings. “I don’t know what is going on now, but she’ll figure it out. Even if you are some other version of Rainbow Dash, you’re not going to just run around without anypony keeping tabs on you. Rainbow Dash, get back inside. You’ve got work to do.”

The blue-furred tailor struggled back up to her hooves, tears still running down her cheeks as she watched shards of color still dancing in the sky. “Yes, Captain,” she said meekly, and backed away. A moment later, her face appeared in the window, watching.

Lyra lifted her head as the purple glow about her horn faded. She glared at the six newcomers. “None of you move. I’m getting more guards.” And she began firing magic blasts into the sky.

“Captain, huh?” asked Twilight, watching the fireworks. “When’d that happen?”

“We’ve got Discord living at the edge of town with his crazy pink friend, an Everfree full of monsters, and Trixie might come back and decide to take over the town again,” Lyra said flatly. “It took both princesses to throw her out last time, and she’s still got that amulet, wherever she is.”

“I think I have a side project now,” Rainbow Dash noted to her friends. “The Alicorn Amulet here still has the curse on it. It’s not Trixie’s fault she went mad here any more than it was in our world.”

“Ah think it’s gonna have ta wait, sugarcube,” said Fluttershy, looking around at the cautiously approaching guards. “We got a Royal Summons th’ princess don’t know she’s issued, first.”

***

The train ride to Canterlot was tense. A pegasus guard Rainbow Dash didn’t recognize flew ahead, while a dozen more guards rode in the car with them, on guard the entire way. The Six spent most of the ride looking out the window, watching Equestria roll by. It wasn’t what they were used to seeing. The cloudwork was ragged at best, with lots of rolling grey masses. The trees looked limp and sagging, and many of them were overgrown and untended. When Canterlot itself came into view, the colors were faded and the entire place seemed like it wanted to slump.

The streets of Equestria’s capital weren’t in much better shape. The buildings hadn’t been painted in far too long, litter was being swirled around by every errant breeze, and the goods on display were sparse, shabby, overpriced, or all three at once. The only ponies who didn’t have a thin look were the overdressed nobleponies - almost all unicorns. Pinkie couldn’t help noticing a three-button logo on the majority of those overdone outfits - and a very familiar delicately-patterned purple cloth all over. She sniffed and lifted her nose, refusing to look further. The nobles were doing the same thing right back anyhow.

The castle was much as the Six remembered it. But the cloudy day meant that the tall, triumphant windows were dull and dim, and several of the panes had only plain glass in them that at least Rainbow Dash and Twilight remembered being filled with scenes of victory. Easily three times as many guards patrolled the halls as in their Canterlot, and with a far more angry, alert presence to them. A full company was positioned at the doors of the throne room, instead of a mere pair of ceremonial guards.

The doors opened for Captain Heartstrings, and she led the way inside. The sight of the spotless white alicorn sitting on her throne raised the spirits of the Six… briefly. First Rainbow Dash, then Twilight, then the other four, slumped, seeing the way Princess Celestia’s head was dipped - not too much, just slightly, giving her an air of quiet mourning instead of serene confidence. Her wings were settled to her back instead of being slightly spread, as she usually sat. And a white-coated unicorn with purple mane sat beside the throne, one step down, head hanging.

“Princess Celestia! I present the intruders!” barked Lyra, and gestured. The overzealous guards prodded at Rarity’s rump, producing a yelp from the bearer of the Element of Laughter.

The Rarity sitting by the throne looked up. Her eyes widened for a moment, and then she looked to her Princess.

Celestia looked down at them, and her expression darkened. “Changelings? In such obvious guises?” she asked, her voice rich with anger. “After the last battle, you think to return so soon? We will not let your incursion go unanswered! Where is your Hive now, insects?”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold up here,” Captain Twilight said, holding up her hooves. “We’re not Changelings, okay? We went through this once already.”

“Yeah, that’s gonna get real old as a running joke in a hurry,” Rarity declared. “It’s not like mrmmmph!”

Fluttershy patiently held her hoof in her friend’s mouth until the party pony stopped trying to talk. It took a while.

“They don’t appear to be Changelings, Princess,” Lyra said cautiously. Her eyes darted to a dark spot on the marble floor nearby. “At least, if they are, they’re more powerful than any Changelings we’ve ever seen. The Rainbow Dash one rainboomed. The Twilight Sparkle one was able to block my magic inside my horn directly. If the Changelings can do that now, they wouldn’t be showing it off this clumsily.”

“We’re from another universe, Princess Celestia,” Rainbow Dash said calmly. “Our Princess Luna sent us. She said we’re needed here. From what I’ve seen, I don’t doubt her for a moment.”

Princess Celestia’s jaw tightened. “My sister has been little inclined to any such thing for some time now,” she said thinly. “If you were indeed from some other reality, I do not believe she would be able to send you on her own, nor would my sister expend the effort to receive you.”

“Well, Ah don’t see how we’re gonna convince y’all we’re us, if a rainboom doesn’t do th’ trick,” Fluttershy drawled. “Twi could fix up your skies, but y’all wouldn’t trust that t’ be real either, Ah reckon.”

“Ooh! I know! I know! Pick me!” squealed the Rarity with the balloons on her flank, bouncing on her hooves. “Come on! Pick me! Pick me!”

“Okay, Rares, sheesh, fire away!” said Twilight.

Rarity bounced forward, only to be blocked by several speartips being thrust in her direction. She waved her hoof at her counterpart. “Hey, Rarity! Come over here! Oooh! This is gonna get confusing. You can be Rarity and I’ll be Rares, okay?”

Rarity slowly got to her hooves and looked up at Princess Celestia. The alicorn looked back down at her, then said, “Be careful, my faithful student. I do not know what these ponies are capable of.”

“Aww, don’t worry!” called out Rares, and pulled a sheaf of papers out of her mane. “C’mon, Rarity! You just gotta read this and then we can get on with the story!”

“What story?” asked Rarity cautiously as she made her way down the steps. Her horn lit and surrounded the papers in Rares’ hoof.

“That one, silly!” said Rares, letting go and then pointing. “Just read that and it’ll all make sense!”

Rarity scanned the papers in a flash of magic, then turned to look up at Celestia. “I don’t detect any magic in these, Princess. But… maybe you should check?”

Celestia shook her head. “I trust you, Rarity. You are more capable than you believe.”

Rarity took a deep breath and began to read, holding the pages in front of her with her magic. She started slowly, scanning through every word on the first sheet. Faster on the second page. Faster still on the third. Her eyes raced.

“Is this true?” she whispered, still flipping through pages. “It… it’s not my fault? I can still make it all right?” The last page turned and she dropped the papers on the ground. Rares’ horn lit and tugged them back into her mane.

Rarity started at her happier counterpart. Applejack’s heart was near to breaking. It wasn’t even a look of hope in those eyes. It was fear. Fear of hope. Fear that came from hoping too many times.

“The whole thing,” Rares confirmed. “Even the parts that haven’t been written yet! You never had a chance before, but now you do and you can make sure everything turns out so totally better than it ever was before that you’ll just squee and bounce around Princess Celestia going ‘Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes’ for days and days!”

Rarity trembled. Applejack charged forward, shoving right between a pair of unicorn guards before they could react, and held the white unicorn. Rarity began to sob. “Promise! Promise you mean it! Promise!”

Rares took a deep breath and looked up for a second, then discarded her usual form of promising and nodded instead. This was, after all, a promise to herself, not to anypony else. “I promise. By mom and by dad, by Sweetie Belle, by all my friends, by you and by me, by the Elements of Magic and Laughter, I promise.”

Rarity clung to Applejack, and her sobbing began to intersperse with laughter. “It… it’s true, Princess! It’s true! It’s true, I promise, it’s true, I can’t tell you what she showed me, but it’s true, they’re real! They’re real! We have a chance! We can fix it! I can fix it! I can do it! If they help, I can do it!”

Rares smiled. “Now we just need to get your friends.”

Princess Celestia started at her student, clinging to the mis-marked orange pony. Her every instinct said that these were impostors, that she should throw them out right now, throw them in the dungeons, send the army to march on the Changelings for such a brazen insult.

Her instincts hadn’t been serving her well lately. She drew on the memory of the Elements. Of bearing the spirit of Laughter inside her. Of optimism. Which had been in such short supply in Equestria for years now.

“Captain Heartstrings, you may stand down,” she said. “Guards. Find Fluttershy and ask her to come here. It would seem she is called upon to save us all once more.” She looked down at the Six. “And you… have much to tell me.”

***

The bell over the door jingled merrily as Princess Celestia, her student, and six visiting ponies walked into Doughnut Joe’s shop. Princess Celestia’s head had lifted, and Rarity’s Star of Magic mark was bouncing alongside Rares’ three balloons.

“Hiya there, Princess!” Joe called out cheerfully. “What can I get ya? On the house!”

“Chocolate-covered,” she promptly replied.

“And here ya go! And you ladies? Hey, Rarity, you never told me you had a twin!”

“Oh, it’s a long story, Joe!” she said happily. “Can I tell you later?”

“Sure thing!” he said, and pushed over her usual.

Rarity pushed it back. “I’ll just have an eclair today.”

That took him aback. “But Rarity, the chocolate-dipped chocolate-filled chocolate doughnut always cheers you up!”

She beamed at him. Rares did the same. “Do I look like I need to be cheered up today, Joe? Things are going so wonderfully!”

Doughnut Joe reached across the counter and pulled both Raritys into a tight hug. “I’ve missed seeing that smile, filly,” he whispered in her ear. “Bring it around more often, okay?”

“Every day, Joe,” she promised.

Princess Celestia looked around. The other patrons were chatting among themselves, eating their pastries and drinking coffee without making a fuss. One stallion noticed her looking and waved amiably, then returned to his newspaper.

“I am not used to being ignored like this,” she said, hesitantly.

Rainbow Dash smiled up at her. “We worked on this spell for weeks. Well, me and my version of you, Princess. A Don’t-Notice-Me spell meant everypony ignored you completely, and that caused some trouble when you were crossing the street. We eventually settled on a Get-Used-To-Me spell instead. Everypony still sees you, and they know who you are - they just don’t think of you walking around as being a big deal. Like you do it every day.”

“All I’ve wanted for a very long time is to be able to walk among my ponies and share in their lives,” Celestia said wistfully. “It’s hard to make a friend of a pony who’s kneeling and using your name to swear by.”

“I’ll teach you how to do this one when we get back to the castle,” Rainbow Dash promised. “We’re gonna set everything right around here.”

***

In her bedchambers, a night-blue alicorn thrashed. The Everfree Beast fought its bonds, fought them as it always did. Only from the fastness of the dream realm could she bind it. The few minutes she spared awake each day to perform her royal duty, guiding the moon in the morning and the evening, were proving to be too much. If it could not be defeated soon, she would have to yield up her corporeal form entirely and dedicate herself to being bound into the Everfree as herself a jail of living magic.

In some ways she looked forward to it. No longer seeing her sister’s despair, the nightmares that plagued the land… There were burdens that the Princess of the Night would be glad to yield.

Chapter 3: Sinister Dexter

A pink-haired pegasus was the center of attention in the throne room when Celestia returned with her new guests. The nobility and the guards alike had wisely opted to let the fuming pony stomp back and forth in front of the throne. The lightning bolt on her flank had never looked like more of an overt threat to anypony foolish enough to catch her attention.

“WELL? WHERE IS SHE?” Fluttershy screamed into the face of one of the guards flanking the literal seat of power, whose dedication to duty had forced him to stand his ground. His pupils were the size of pinpricks, but he stayed at his post. Fluttershy angrily slapped him and spat out, “If I’m going to get a Royal Summons, I expect there to be a ROYAL there to be SUMMONED to!”

Celestia cleared her throat. “My apologies for being somewhat delayed,” she said. The Six could see her deflating visibly, after all the energy she’d regained during the walk among her ponies. “You know what I’ve told you about hitting ponies, Fluttershy.”

Fluttershy whirled - and then jumped back and into the air, holding up her forehooves. “Princess! What the hay! Changelings?”

“Oh, come on, even twice wasn’t funny!” protested Rares. Rarity laughed at her side.

“Don’t worry, Princess, if they’ve got you mind-controlled, I’ll take them out! I’ll take them ALL out! YOU’LL PAY FOR MESSING WITH MY…”

She dropped to the ground, curled up, and began snoring noisily. The sound rang unpleasantly throughout the large space. Celestia cleared her throat again. “Thank you as always, Rarity,” she said with resignation. “You have once again saved Canterlot from your herdmate’s temper.”

Rarity blushed. “We’ve been trying to work on it, really we have. But, well. When Lyra decided to stay in Ponyville instead of coming with us, Fluttershy lost her best stabilizing influence. And, well, you know how busy our stallion is. He can’t stay home with her all day. His massages are so terribly in demand.”

“I know, my faithful student,” Princess Celestia said quietly. “With luck, we soon will have restored harmony to Equestria - without having to face a world-threatening monster, this time.”

“‘The harmony of prosperity is many times harder than the harmony of want, but yields the richest rewards,’” quoted Rainbow Dash. “Sun Shine, The Art of Peace.”

“A lesson I fear I have poorly practiced, Rainbow Dash,” Celestia said, and stepped forward to brush a hoof along Fluttershy’s back. “Tensions in Equestria have been high. There have been some ugly inter-tribal voices raised for the first time in centuries.”

“‘The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,’” said Rarity, and Rainbow Dash turned to her with a smile. “Let’s Go, The Way To Go,” Rarity added.

“It’s gonna take a while to get used to egghead Rarity,” muttered Twilight Sparkle. “Look, Fluttershy here has my mark, so how about I deal with this one? She’s not gonna listen to reason. You heard her.”

Their Fluttershy shook her head and stepped forward. “Ain’t how it worked back in Ponyville, Twilight,” she said firmly. “This here Fluttershy might act different, but she’s still me. Ah aim to get her to listen to some honest reason.”

“I’ve tried reason,” Rarity said, and a note of tiredness crept back into her voice. Rares promptly shoved her onto her back and raspberried her, to the immense surprise of the local bearer of the Element of Magic. But after a moment she laughed and cried out, “All right! All right! It’s going to be all right, if you’ll just stop doing that!” Rares laughed, and let her back up.

Twilight Sparkle rolled her eyes. “Seriously, Rares, not in the throne room. How many times do we haveta tell you this stuff?”

Rares tapped her chin. “At least one more, I’m pretty sure!” Her incipient pounce was cut short by a purple glow, and she pouted.

“Not in the throne room,” repeated Twilight.

“Fiiiiiiine,” sighed Rares.

Meanwhile, the be-hatted Fluttershy had produced a rope from somewhere and deftly wrapped up the local version of herself, wings tied to her sides and legs firmly hogtied. “That knot’d hold a minotaur, me, and Big Mac all together,” she said. “This oughtta have our buckin’ bronco in place until she can listen ta some hard truths. Wake ‘er up.”

“It’s usually best to let her wake on her own,” Rarity said delicately. “She’s… not a morning mare.”

Fluttershy adjusted her hat. “This ain’t gonna get easier if it waits,” she said. “Wake ‘er up.”

Rarity sighed. “Oh dear.” But her horn glowed - and the bound Fluttershy jerked awake.

“HNNNNNRRRAGH! RARITY! DON’T YOU BUCKING DO THAT TO ME!” she screamed - and then the apple-marked pegasus brought the back of her hoof across Fluttershy’s face.

“That ain’t no way to talk to your herdsister,” she said firmly. “Ain’t nothin’ more important than family. Now you pipe down and let’s have a nice civilized discussion.”

“What. Are. You?” hissed the unemployed weatherpony, straining at the ropes. “You’re a Changeling! Or something! You look like me, but you’re talking like that drunk loser and her bunch of hicks!”

The rest of the Six grew very quiet. Fluttershy took a deep breath.

“Well. If’n that’s the way y’all want t’ be. We can take this outside, Ah’ll take those ropes off, an’ then Ah’ll honestly pound th’ ever-loving crap out of you until y’all’re ready to sit real quiet an’ then be civilized. Sound fair?”

“I’m gonna rip that stupid hat off your head and make you choke on it!” snarled the local pony.

“Ah’ll take that as a yes,” Fluttershy said.

“Erm… That is my herdsister,” said Rarity hesitantly.

Fluttershy fixed her with a stare. “Ah tried bein’ nice. Sometimes, that don’t work. Y’all tried bein’ reasonable, an’ she’s still ornerier’n a manticore with a thorn in its paw. Ah think this gal needs ta straight up get her head pounded straight ‘fore she’s gonna listen to a darn thing. An’ Ah’m just the mare to do it.”

“Don’t you bucking dare get in the way, Rarity!” snapped the bolt-flanked Fluttershy. “I don’t know what these imposters are or how they got you and the Princess, but I’m gonna pound this one into itty bitty pieces and get you free and the Princess free and THEN EVERYONE’S GONNA KNOW I’M THE HERO!”

“... Of course, dear,” said Rarity quietly, backing away a step.

“Y’all sure know how to treat somepony you’re supposed ta love,” commented Fluttershy, picking up the struggling copy of herself and heading for the door. “If Ah ever saw Cheerilee backin’ away from me like that an’ afraid ta speak up, Ah’d sure as shakes start rethinkin’ mah life choices real darn hard.”

“You don’t get to tell me what to do!” hissed the bound Fluttershy. “You don’t know what I’ve been through. You don’t know what I’ve DONE! And is anypony grateful? NO! And I keep hanging around anyway!”

“Sugarcube, Ah think Ah’m gonna enjoy makin’ you eat your teeth,” Fluttershy drawled. Princess Celestia and the others followed, with a dozen guards falling in behind Celestia. Edging together behind Celestia, in fact.

Outside, Fluttershy dropped her counterpart on the castle steps, gripped one bit of rope in her teeth, and yanked. The other Fluttershy spun, bouncing down the steps, then let out a primal scream and launched herself into the air. The Six’s Fluttershy pulled off her hand and slapped it down over Applejack’s, the two hats perfect matches for each other. “Hold that for me,” she said, and took off.

Fluttershy the weatherpony was brave, a skilled flier, expert-rated in Falling Leaf-style, and boiling with a rage that made her all but invincible, as Canterlot had long since discovered, save for the sleeping spells her herdsister Rarity had mastered. Fluttershy the farmer, on the other hoof, had spent her entire life kicking trees hard enough to make the fruit fall off, and was thinking clearly.

The local Fluttershy launched a literally flying kick. The farmer swung her right forehoof in to meet it with a powerful punch. The sound of the following CRACK made everypony watching wince. The local screamed, grabbing at her leg - and her eyes were red with rage.

“YOU MOTHERBUCKING IMPOSTER MONSTER” she led off, and rapidly devolved into a torrent of cursewords that even Celestia had never heard before in a very long lifespan. Some of them she made up on the spot. But she could fly just fine with a busted leg. And fight.

“That there was Demon,” Fluttershy drawled, holding up her right forehoof. “Ain’t a lot of ponies who’re real fond of Demon after gettin’ introduced.”

The screaming pegasus charged in. Two seconds later she was facedown on the ground with several teeth landing beside her.

“But nopony likes Angel,” Fluttershy finished, holding up her left forehoof. “Real ornery varmint, this one is.” And she kissed her hoof. Then she dropped to the ground next to the groaning yellow pegasus she’d just powerhoused out of the air.

Applejack wordlessly held out Fluttershy’s hat, and the pegasus set it back on. Applejack’s face was as green as her brother’s mark at the display of violence, but she didn’t say a thing. Then Fluttershy gathered up the four teeth that had landed and casually kicked her downed duplicate over onto her back.

“Ah said Ah was gonna enjoy makin’ you eat your teeth,” she said - and held them up on the surface of Angel. Then smashed Demon down on them, reducing all four to a powder… and shoved Angel into the local’s mouth. “Bone apple-teat.”

Applejack had to run for a nearby piece of topiary at that. Even Rainbow Dash was showing more green than usual. Twilight Sparkle muttered, “Hard core, filly.”

The downed pegasus groaned around the hoof in her mouth, reflexively swallowed when something hit the back of her throat, then groaned again and looked up at the yellow blob looming over her.

“Y’all want another round?” asked Fluttershy. “‘Cause y’all still got a lot of teeth left. Fer now.” She pulled her hoof back. The local slowly shook her head.

“Good,” said Fluttershy firmly. “Now. We’re gonna start with a lesson in honesty the hard way.” She set her hoof very lightly against the other Fluttershy’s cracked hoof. “Are you sorry you weren’t nicer ta yer herdsister just then?”

The weatherpony’s eyes widened. “Yes!” she blurted out as the pain ran up her leg from just that light touch.

“Yes, what?” asked Fluttershy.

“Yes, I’m sorry! I’m sorry, Rarity! I’m sorry! You know how I get!”

“And are y’all sorry you said them despicable things about some good honest apple farmers?”

“Hnnnnnngh! Yes! Yes, I’m sorry, all right? I’m sorry!”

Fluttershy clucked her tongue. “Y’all gonna listen to us now without me havin’ to do all this again?”

“All right! All right! AAAAAGH! Stop it!”

Fluttershy lifted her hoof away. “That’s better. Princess, y’all mind callin’ a doctor an’ a dentist? Seems our gal Fluttershy here’s had a bit of trouble. No hurry, though. She’s busy.”

“Busy?” gasped the downed pegasus. “With what?”

Fluttershy smiled at her. “Fixin’ this mess y’all call yer life.” Then her voice turned sharp. “What kinda mare you think you are? Ah’m you, in another dimension, where Ah did different things, an’ Ah’m downright ashamed to know Ah coulda turned out like you. You! Do! Not! Scare! Your! Mare! Do you understand me? Ah don’t care what y’all have been through, that mare has been there through all of it with you, an’ you do not take one dang-blasted thing out on her!”

Fluttershy on the ground flinched back, and trembled at the anger in the farmer’s eyes. “... I just… get so mad…” she mumbled.

“Good,” said Fluttershy from above. “Admittin’ that’s a start. And what’re y’all doin’ about it?”

Fluttershy tried to look away. It was like looking into a mirror, now that she thought about it… but a mirror where all that rage was aimed, given purpose, given focus. Where… it belonged squarely on her. She wilted. “... Nothing,” she admitted.

“That’s right,” Fluttershy said. “But that ain’t what y’all are gonna do about it from now on, is it? Y’all ain’t gonna lie to yerself, pretend any of it ain’t your fault, right?”

The pegasus on the ground closed her eyes and began to cry. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m a bad pony, I’m sorry, Rarity, please, I’m sorry, I need help…”

Fluttershy backed away, and Rarity galloped forward to pull her sobbing beloved weatherpony against her. Fluttershy tipped her hat back and looked up at Princess Celestia’s troubled face.

“Truth hurts sometimes, Princess. But there’s some ponies who ain’t gonna learn any other way.”

***

In Luna’s bedchamber, a series of circular wounds formed on the sleeping Princess’s side, and she writhed. But after a moment her body calmed again. It took a few minutes before the blood stopped flowing.

Chapter 4: New Under The Sun

Captain Lyra Heartstrings sat quietly in the guards’ break room. For all the excitement, she was in her still place. She’d just watched a completely unknown mare, who wasn’t even an Equestrian, or at least not a local Equestrian, effortlessly demolish and then outright torment one of the Bearers of the Elements, right in front of Princess Celestia - and face not the slightest punishment. What’s more, she’d seen Fluttershy, volatile, intense, demanding Fluttershy… break down and cry.

Lyra left the herd years ago. She thought she’d moved beyond them. Things were done, words were said, that could never be taken back. But seeing Fluttershy there, weak, asking for help… that destroyed her stillness all over again. The opposite way from before. Living with Fluttershy’s rage before had been making Lyra’s temper flare up to match, making her casting ragged and overly aggressive. They’d had so many shouting matches. And then one of those ended in… well, that was really where it all went off a cliff. Where she knew she’d gone too far and had to leave before she became somepony she didn’t want to be.

But when Rarity held Fluttershy there, promising to help her get better, to finally learn to control herself, Lyra knew she’d failed her herd. She should’ve been stronger, back then. Made Fluttershy get that help before things went so bad. But she hadn’t been able to bring herself to do it.

There was also the matter of the other Fluttershy. Talking like an Apple, wearing AJ’s hat, those muscles like Lyra’d never seen on a pegasus, forcing the matter, jamming her Fluttershy’s face into her problems…

… Well, Lyra’d lost her own Fluttershy. She wasn’t going to go after some other version of her. No matter how hot. She closed her eyes and tried to let it go. To let it all go. Again.

“Lyra?” came a soft voice. And all that stillness went away. Her. One hoof in a cast, face bruised, gap-toothed. “I know you never want to see me again. I just want to say I’m sorry. For everything. I’m signed up with a therapist and some anger-management classes, and… I hope it helps. I’m sorry I never did it before.” Fluttershy’s head was hanging. She didn’t look defeated, though, or despairing. She was repenting. Finally.

And all of Lyra’s stillness failed her again. Yellow and pink blurred as tears came to her eyes, and she moved forward.

It didn’t work out before, Lyra, why would you think it’s going to work now? Don’t do this, Lyra, stop, now…

She put her hoof on Fluttershy’s shoulder and banished that voice to the darkness. “Sometimes we have to fall to move forward,” she said.

***

The train ride back to Ponyville was dramatically less tense than the ride to Canterlot. Rarity and Fluttershy stayed behind. Canterlot was their home now, and their stallion’s business couldn’t simply close up and move. Lyra stayed with them. Princess Celestia sent a decree with the guards appointing another pony, a stallion named Solid Stalwart, as the local captain while Lyra dealt with ‘personal matters.’

Rainbow Dash spent the time talking with one of the guards, an earth pony stallion by the name of Rotten Apple. He swore he’d reformed from a mis-spent youth, and had moved to Ponyville’s guard contingent some time ago, so he had all the local history.

“So y’all have a Trixie of yer own?” he drawled. “She’s a bad ‘un. Spent a week bein’ made to do things Ah ain’t all that proud of while she had Ponyville in her power.”

“It’s the Alicorn Amulet,” Dash said sadly. “She’s not such a bad mare, herself. Proud, yes, and ambitious. But the Amulet had a corrupting curse on it. In our world, I was able to remove the curse, and then our Trixie became one of the greatest performers ever. Her shows are amazing. She uses enough gadgets and trickery that even I’m never entirely sure which bits are magic and which bits are faked.”

“She’s had that thing a long time,” Rotten Apple said. “If’n there was any good in her, it’s long since snuffed out by now. After the Princesses fought her off, she swore she’d be back. Did a number on the Diamond Dog kingdom, an’ spent a while warring with the dragons. They beat her pretty hard, an’ it’s been a while since anypony’s heard of her poppin’ up. Afraid the dragons’ll track her down’s my guess.”

“I’d still like to help her if I can,” said Rainbow Dash, and looked out the window. “Your Equestria needs all the wonder it can get.”

Rotten Apple sighed. “Ah wish Ah could argue that. Listen… y’all got a Twilight Sparkle. It’s… real strange to me, seein’ her, well, sober. So fulla life. So excited. The Twilight Sparkle I know, she’s always been one unhappy filly. Drinks every drop she can get just to make herself not notice her headaches. She can pick th’ whole Acres in five minutes, an’ that’s the only time she ever really seems all that happy. She does what she can with th’ plantin’ an’ so on, but it’s pickin’ she does best. But a farm takes more than the harvest. With just her and Mac there, th’ place ain’t done so well. Had to send Big Mac’s little sister off to her cousin in Appleloosa when Granny passed.”

“What about Applejack?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“Well… she’s been gone a while herself. Ain’t nopony ever thought for a minute about havin’ Apple Bloom live with her. Always bouncin’ around, singin’ silly songs, tryin’ to have a hoedown all day long, she just ain’t the responsible type. Dodge Junction, Ah hear.”

“And we saw what became of my counterpart,” said Rainbow Dash. “I think I know how to get her on her hooves again, though. Where’s Pinkie Pie?”

Rotten Apple shook his head. “Ain’t nobody seen Miss Pinkamena in ages. Still in that cottage, if it ain’t been swallowed up by the Everfree yet. Funny stuff happens down that way, an’ not all of it looks like stuff Discord’d do.”

Rainbow Dash turned to stare. “Nopony has checked in on her for years?” she asked incredulously. “Does nopony… I mean… that is absolutely…” Finally, she just shook her head and looked out the window again. “We’ll see what’s happened to her, too.”

***

Captain Twilight Sparkle trotted along the road to Sweet Apple Acres. This version of Ponyville was freakin’ depressing. The clouds alone were half-flanked, and just from looking Twilight could see how they let stuff coming out of the Everfree mess up the forecasts, and didn’t try to fix a thing about it. She snorted. She hadn’t been a weatherpony for a long time, but when she ran Ponyville’s weather team, they were the best in Equestria - and it was the same ponies, they just didn’t care here. But the thunderstorm on the forecast looked to be pretty close to on schedule, which would do for her needs.

“One thing at a time, Twilight,” she muttered to herself. Not everything was doing badly. Golden Harvest’s carrot farm was bigger and looked more prosperous than in her Ponyville. Then again, that added size came from land that hosted apple trees in Twilight’s universe. She couldn’t blame the neighbors for doing their best. At least it meant they were still trying.

The sign had been taken down, and there were wheel ruts in the road. One of the fenceposts had a new sign on it: “Suppliers to Equestria-Famous Flim & Flam Cider!” Twilight gagged. Okay, sure, once they’d got their Super-Speedy Cider Squeezy 7000 working properly, it turned out pretty good cider, and they’d bargained down to a fair price on apples eventually. As long as they got audited regularly and hard, they were okay. But still, their stuff just didn’t compare to the real Sweet Apple Acres hoof-made special stuff. And in this world, she was willing to bet they hadn’t exactly spent the time and money on upgrading from the old 6000 model and its quality-control issues.

Captain Twilight trotted up to the farmhouse door. The whole house was pretty badly in need of paint and some new clapboards. Her hoof rapped on the door. After some shuffling noises from inside, it opened. A halfway familiar purple face stared out at her, eyes bleary, and Twilight could feel the magic built up in her head from four feet away.

“Twilight Sparkle? I’m Captain Twilight Sparkle. And I’m here to make you awesome.”

The purple mare inside did not respond with appropriate enthusiasm. She rolled her eyes and pushed the door open. “So y’all’re one of them weirdos Rainbow Dash was gushin’ about,” she muttered. “Great. Ah got another me runnin’ around t’ show ever’pony what Ah done wrong this time. C’mon in, then. Let’s hear it.”

The clouds began to unleash their payload, first scattered drops, then a rapid escalation into a proper shower, then a real downpour. Captain Twilight shook her head. “Indoors isn’t where you need to be,” she said. “Or me. You’ve gotta be in your farm, and I’ve gotta be in the storm. In our elements.”

The farmer grunted, then shoved her way outside. She was more muscled than Captain Twilight, but her movements were limp and unsteady. “Fine. Let’s see what-all crazy magic tricks y’all got in mind.” Then she slumped against the porch railing. “This here’s far enough. Yew wanna go sit in th’ rain, yew go right ahead.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. Ugh, this was her? Maybe Fluttershy’s way would be the best solution after all. But… nah. This her was awesome too. She just didn’t know it yet. And she couldn’t punch such an awesome face. “Nuh-uh. We’re going right out into those trees.” And a loop of purple magic formed a halter on the farmer’s face and pulled, forcing her to walk unsteadily down the steps after the Wonderbolt.

“Ah dunno what good y’all think you’re gonna do,” slurred the purple farmer as the Captain of the Wonderbolts forced her to keep walking out into the rain. “Ah came t’ Sweet Apple Acres on account of Ah couldn’t ride herd on mah horn in th’ first place, an’ Ah’m sloshed as… as… as a slosh!” And she began chortling loudly.

“Desperate times call for desperate measures,” Captain Twilight gritted through her teeth. “And you seem about as desperate as any pony can be. Seriously, how the hay did I end up as a pony as lame as you?”

“Guess some of us jes’ didn’t get all them lucky breaks,” the farmer snorted. “Jes’... jes’ broke stuff.” And just like that her fit of laughter was gone into her customary inebriated gloom.

“Yeah, well, time to make your own luck,” Captain Twilight declared, and shoved her counterpart over, dropping her on her side. “Starting now.” Her horn began to glow, and tri-colored trails of electricity danced amidst the magical display.

Twilight Sparkle had never been too fond of watching other unicorns doing magic. It just reminded her of how little control she had, how dangerous she was. The only time she ever felt like she had any control over her magic was when she was picking the trees clean, and that took just a few minutes every year. But this was a virtuoso display. There was no uneven pulse to that magical glow, no throb of effort; more mana was being expended just in containing the incipient spell than most unicorns could muster in the first place.

And the world became light. When she could see again, her headache was back, pounding worse than ever behind her eyes, her tail felt like it was standing out straight, and she was more sober than she’d been since the day she first fell into a mug of cider and never climbed out.

“Yew shot me with a bolt of lightning?” she screamed at her duplicate. “Yew brought me out here for stupid pegasus pranks?”

“Not a chance of that, sister,” Captain Twilight said smugly. “That wasn’t even the warmup. That was just the sign-in. If we’re going to do this, you had to burn off that alcohol.”

Twilight Sparkle lunged at Captain Twilight, swinging a hoof furiously toward the Wonderbolt’s side, letting out another scream, fueled by the pain in her head.

She didn’t even see Captain Twilight move. The next thing Twilight Sparkle knew, she was face-down in the dirt with a hoof on her horn and some serious pains in her forelegs.

“And that wasn’t the warmup either,” Captain Twilight said. “That was the warning. Yeah, I know your head hurts, I can feel your buildup from here. Just do something with it, for crying out loud! And I know what you’re gonna say, you don’t know how to do anything but pick apples. Fine. Now you’re going to learn something more. You’re going to learn to dance.”

Twilight Sparkle yanked back, hauling her face out of the dirt. Captain Twilight let her go. “Dance? What the buck are you on about?” she snarled. “Ah can dance jes’ fine! It never did me no good!”

Captain Twilight’s smile was bright as a bolt of lightning went by overhead. “You never danced with the lightning before. Watch. Learn. Hold your applause.”

And she danced.

Her horn glowed, a challenge to the storm. The storm responded. Three bolts at once lanced downward at her, directly at that glowing beacon. She whirled to the side - and caught them, holding the lines of power arcing up from her horn to the sky, curling down around her in the crackling, twisting outline of her body. Her hooves never touched the ground; tiny dark clouds formed with every step, lifting her slowly higher. First just a few inches from the ground, then to the height of the treetops.

Twilight Sparkle could only gape. Now she understood why this other version of her had a lightning bolt on her flank. She’d taken that same overpowered horn and she’d done the impossible with it. She was holding lightning in place, making it hers. She was creating pegasus magic with every movement of her body, gracefully translating her own massive power into forms only the most talented unicorns could dare to dream of.

She was awesome. Not in the sense that Twilight Sparkle wanted to applaud. In the sense that she was rapt, bound in a sense of awe that even Princess Celestia herself could not have inspired. That up there, that was… her. That was her potential. Maybe she’d lost time. Maybe she’d messed things up. But that was her in the sky, laughing amidst her own thunder and commanding more, and more, and more of the storm to give itself to her.

Twilight Sparkle wasn’t ever going to dance like that. She wasn’t going to take her hooves off of Sweet Apple Acres. Maybe it wasn’t the place it used to be. Maybe they just grew apples for Flim and Flam’s cider operation these days. Maybe Big Mac was the only Apple left on his ancestral farm. Maybe she was only an Apple by herding. But she wasn’t going to let it go. Not even to dance with the lightning.

She dug her hooves into the ground. It… felt strange. The pounding in her head was worse than she’d ever felt it, but watching that other Twilight, it felt… ready, somehow. She knew her hooves weren’t sinking down, but she could feel her magic flowing through her, pushing her senses into the dirt as though she was plunging into a puddle of dry mud. She felt the roots. She felt the trees. She felt the barn and the house and the well and even Big Mac. She was here. She belonged here. She belonged to here.

Sweet Apple Acres lifted her head. The purple pony above nodded to her, and spun in the air - and all that lightning she had gathered lanced in a single bolt down to the waiting unicorn. Sweet Apple Acres let out a wild whoop, and never before had she felt so alive, so right, as when that cry of “YEEEEEEE-HAW!” poured from her throat. The lightning hit her horn, and she grabbed it like a charging buffalo, and she spun it in the air, forming it into a lasso, and she threw it. Thunder roared around her as she sent all that power down through her hooves and into her soil, spreading it into her roots and her trunks and her branches and her leaves and her apples.

She saw every tree on herself light up in the night, steam flashing from her apples as they glowed. She felt the headache vanish. She felt a surge on her flanks. She saw the pony overhead whooping and applauding her, spinning herself in circles in midair on cloud-skates, twirling another stroke of lightning as a pennant for her.

And then… then the power settled, rested itself in the trees, and Sweet Apple Acres let herself reduce. She let herself be the pony she was at her core, not try to be everything all at once any longer than she was supposed to be.

Twilight Sparkle dropped back to her side, her muscles feeling rubbery, her limbs feeling boneless. Not a trace of headache remained. In the light of the glowing trees, she saw her double swoop down and pluck an apple from a branch. It was red, gleaming in the darkness, glittering on the skin. Captain Twilight took a bite, and electricity danced along her lips.

“I think you just invented Twilight Sparkers,” she said, grinning. “Awesome display. I knew you had it in you.”

Twilight Sparkle gave her a weak smile, then closed her eyes. She’d never felt so… right. Never so satiated even when Big Mac did his best in her deepest heat. Never so calm even right after harvest time. Never so… so… herself.

Captain Twilight patted her on the flank. “Nice touch here, too,” she said. Twilight Sparkle didn’t open her eyes to look. “Same apples, just a little more… sparkly.” And the Wonderbolt chuckled, and magically lifted her drained doppelganger onto her back, to get her back home, out of the rain.

***

Rainbow Dash sat nervously in her boutique. Factory, really. She still clung to the name ‘Boutique’ in her heart, but it had been a long time since the primary focus of the building had been anything but making fabric for Equestria’s celebrated designer, Suri Polomare. That other Rainbow Dash was slowly walking around the interior, looking at everything. Finally, the other her turned to look her in the eyes.

“Let’s make this a little less confusing,” the standing pegasus said. “Would you rather be Rainbow, or Dash?”

“Whichever you prefer,” she said meekly. Just looking at this other version of herself made her want to hand over everything to her, let her do it all properly. A mare like that wouldn’t have let her career be usurped. Wouldn’t have let all her friends fall apart. Wouldn’t have failed at everything. That other her… she deserved everything.

“Hay,” said the other, and put a hoof on her shoulder. “I’ll be Rainbow, and you be Dash, then, all right? I’m here to help. Don’t cry.”

Dash lifted a hoof to her cheek. Oh. So she was crying. “I’m sorry,” she started. “I’ve made a mess of everything, I’ve made it all just the worst possible thing...”

Two arms pulled her into a hug, and soft wings curled around Dash’s body. She hadn’t felt the hug of another pegasus since Fluttershy left for Canterlot… and Fluttershy was rarely one for hugs, anyhow. A raspy voice sang into her ear. She hadn’t heard that song since Dad stopped having to sing her to sleep at night. A song Dad had made up for her.

The winds will never be too strong,
to keep me far from you,
because in your heart
is where I’ll be
when troubles trouble you.

You’re stronger than you ever knew,
you’ll fly above the rest,
and when you’re tired
look for me
and I will help you rest.

They’ll call your name out, Rainbow Dash,
and you’ll fly far from me,
but no matter
where you go
you’re always close to me.

Dash held herself against Rainbow while the tears fell. Years of frustration, of despair and fear, the only things she’d never share with any other pony… but this wasn’t another pony. This was her. Her body shook in wracking spasms as she cried silently, and Rainbow held her. Just being against her felt like having a friend she’d been waiting for all her life. A friend so close she could share anything, even the doubts she’d kept secret from the friends who’d fought Nightmare Moon with her, who’d defeated Discord.

Finally, the tears stopped, and she whispered, “I needed that.”

Rainbow’s wings stroked against her neck. Not as a lover, but a sister, being there for her. “Are you ready to move on?” she asked softly.

“For a very long time,” Dash said. Just having cried like that made her feel some tinge of her old self again. She’d been carrying a thundercloud for a long time, and it finally rained itself out. She remembered, for the first time in years, the surge of hope she’d had on the way to Manehattan that fateful day. That belief that she was going to make it, that she was going to be Equestria’s foremost fashion designer, that she’d be able to help all her friends get everything they needed…

“Then we’ll begin where it all started,” Rainbow said, and let her go. “Do you remember the rainboom?”

Dash sighed softly in memory. “Yes, darling. It was the most beautiful thing I ever created. And then when we went to the Best Young Fliers show, and I did it again for the first time in years… oh, it was gorgeous.”

“Remember how that felt, then,” Rainbow said, and flexed her wings to the sides. “Remember the feel of the air and the magic along your feathers. Close your eyes and think of it.”

Dash closed her eyes. Yes, she remembered. The rainboom was one of the few things she’d ever done that no one could take away from her. No one but herself, at least. The air had felt so thick, so strong, but she’d had such strength herself, then. She pushed at it, demanded that it yield to her. And then it had given way, and she had been in a place beyond flight.

“Good,” said Rainbow quietly. “Concentrate on that feeling. Feel it at the tips of your feathers. Remember it. Remember how it felt. Remember it so strongly that you can feel it now.”

Dash kept her eyes screwed shut. Her wings had cut through the air for her, pushed more air than could possibly have been there. She always remembered the wind in her face, the strain in her cheeks… but there was a surge in her wings. A tingle at her wingtips, too. Energy all through her body. She concentrated on that feeling. When she was just breaking through. The snap of the air as she broke it.

“That’s right,” said Rainbow. “Now. Hold that feeling. But now you aren’t pushing the air with it. Push something else with it. Like this.”

And Dash felt another tingle in her feathers, like her own but stronger, more nimble. She felt her scissors in her feathers, but they were on the table across the room…

“Open your eyes,” said Rainbow. Dash did. And then her eyes went wide.

In a shimmering scintilla of rainbow hues, her scissors were floating in midair.

“Congratulations, Rainbow Dash,” said Rainbow proudly. “Let’s see Suri Polomare do that.”

“Oh, my,” said Dash softly. She shifted her wing, just slightly, and watched the scissors move. Then she opened and closed them. Then flicked another feather, and a spool of thread rose into the air. She uncoiled a thread and snipped it with the scissors. “Oh, my, indeed…”

Her mouth opened. Inspiration boiled, fizzed, popped, whirled in her head as the possibilities opened up in front of her. She turned, bucked the door open, and darted up into the storm, ignoring the rain that soaked her always-unmanageable mane to her head, ignoring the lightning that passed so near her she could feel the heat. She grabbed a section of cloud, tore it away, and dove back to her Boutique.

“I-DEEEEEE-AAAA!” she sang out gleefully - and set to work.

***

Across town, at the edge of the Everfree Forest, the party pony and the fashionista stood next to the fallen mailbox post, looking in some dismay at the dilapidated shack they knew as their friend Applejack’s neatly-kept cottage.

“Discord’s not much at home repair, is he?” offered Rares, her traditional bounce subdued, but her mane still wildly frizzed.

“I suppose one couldn’t expect it of him, darling,” said Pinkie dubiously. “Still, I do hope my local self is in a teeny bit better condition than her home.”

They advanced; the door was still on both hinges, but barely. The interior was dark and smelled of, to put it delicately, long-departed animal guests who had never been properly cleaned up after. The only light in the place was coming in through grimy windows, illuminating the kitchen table.

A pink pony with a long, straight mane was slumped in a chair at the end of the table. Discord was sitting at the other end. A half-rotted bag of kibble sitting in one of the other seats was saying, “You see, Pinkamena? Here come your other visitors now! All your little animal friends are sure to be coming any time now!”

It was hardly as vibrant as their own Discord’s antics tended to be when visiting Applejack’s cottage; neither Pinkie nor Rares were put off by the talking bag. Discord leaned forward. His voice was barely more than a whisper.

“Please, Pinkamena. They’re here for you. Give them a smile. Nod your head. Say something. Please, Pinkamena, it’s been so long…”

“Discord?” asked Pinkie hesitantly.

He winced. “... I’m sorry, I’m really out of practice. I never would have thought that making a friend would mean… opening myself up quite so much. You sound so much like her. It hurts.”

“She’s still here, darling,” said Pinkie, stepping forward to give him a tight hug. “You’ve been taking care of her all this time, haven’t you? That’s wonderfully generous of you.”

He pulled her tightly against him. She could feel two separate mismatched heartbeats thudding in her ear. “I never thought I would so badly want something for someone else,” he said. Pinkie couldn’t breathe to respond, but she did her best to reply with her hug.

Rares patted Madame Le Kibble on the back. “You’ve been trying really hard, haven’t you, Madame?” she asked.

The bag sighed. “Oh, Miss Rarity, Miss Pinkamena took it so very badly when her friends stopped coming by. I’ve told her and told her and told her it was because of that terrible mess in the Everfree Forest, not her at all, but she simply can’t believe it.”

Rares tried tugging Pinkamena’s mouth into a smile. Then quickly let it go. “Erm… Maaaybe we should start by taking her for a visit to Colgate for a cleaning?” she suggested, and swallowed. “I don’t think she’s been brushing her teeth. For a long time.”

Discord looked blankly at her. “Do ponies really do that? I never quite got the point.”

Rares shook her head. “This one’s gonna be a real big job. C’mon, Discord, let Pinkie breathe and let’s get Pinkamena here into town for a checkup. She’s in bad shape.”

“WHUUUUUUUUUUUUUH,” gasped Pinkie, when Discord relaxed his grip.

***

In the morning, a package arrived at Canterlot Castle. Princess Celestia’s faithful student, brighter-eyed and more energetic than the courtiers had seen her in years, brought it in personally, a neatly-wrapped box simply saying, “To Princess Celestia, from Rainbow Dash” with the pegasus’ three-gems mark on the tag.

Princess Celestia opened it herself, and pulled out the contents. A magnificent cape spilled into view, light as air, cool as rain. Flashes from within lit the hem, and the surface seemed to undulate like Celestia’s own mane. The tag simply showed three diamonds and the words “100% Cloudsilk.”

“This is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” the princess said without thinking, and set off a revolution in fashion overnight.

***

Orange and black hooves trod the floor of the Everfree forest. Skeletal wings with rotting feathers bounced with every step.

“Yes, yes, these will do,” a voice hissed. “The ponies will scream for me. The two screamed on Father’s day. Now all will scream. Scream, ponies, scream! The night pony weakens and we grow.”

Thorny black vines began to erupt from the ground.

***

Princess Luna woke only long enough to scribble a note and leave it atop herself, before returning to the realm of dream.

It read:
Sister, the moon is yours until I wake. The sun’s wrath may yet be needed. Hesitate not to use it if I fall.

Chapter 5: Going Beyond

With Dash working like a mare possessed in the freshly renamed Cloudsilk Carousel and Sweet Apple Acres in no shape to support guests, the Six had a choice: cram into the guard barracks, or renovate the Golden Oaks Library. Naturally, they chose the latter. The old tree was dead, but the branches were still sound. Captain Sparkle pulled down clouds to condense into a new roof while Rainbow went through the walls and floors with a reinforcing spell. Fluttershy and Applejack worked on getting the boarded-up door and windows opened, while Pinkie and Rares somehow got the inside clean and cozy before nightfall.

In the morning, Captain Sparkle and Rainbow were up first, staring out the window. Rainbow’s wings were fluttering, a chromatic haze around the tips of her feathers, and the unicorn’s horn was glowing. Pinkie was first to join them, coming down to beat Rares to the kitchen and thus ensure that breakfast would not be a primarily sugar-centric affair.

“Darlings?” she inquired. “Is something the matter?”

“Yes,” said Rainbow, still looking out. “Luna didn’t do her job today. Celestia did both again.”

“What? Is that such a terrible thing, Dashie? Perhaps she’s letting Luna have a day off.”

Rainbow turned away from the window. “There’s two of us, Pinkie. Please, stick with ‘Rainbow’ for now. And it’s very strange. Luna and Celestia are very tightly bound to their respective duties. Celestia wouldn’t move the moon unless Luna was completely unable to. But she didn’t say anything about Luna being in trouble, just that she wouldn’t be inclined to do anything interdimensional lately. But I can’t find anything wrong.”

“Check that,” said Captain Sparkle. “Can’t find anything more wrong than everything’s been wrong. There’s ‘wrong’ all over. Some weird bits, too. You notice Tartarus?”

Rainbow nodded. “Completely undisturbed, and in its original condition. That makes sense, though. Rarity’s not strong enough to cast a time-travel spell, so she never caused the disruption that made Cerberus leave his post to investigate, so Tirek never got out, Discord never recaptured him, and we never had to reinforce it.”

“Yeah, yeah, I apologized for all that. Seriously, it said ‘temporal vortex.’ You know I can’t leave a vortex out there that looks interesting.”

“Mornin’, y’all,” called out Fluttershy, skipping the steps in favor of a glide down from the upstairs rooms. “What’s got ya lookin’ blue today, Rainbow Dash?”

Rainbow rolled her eyes. As if she hadn’t heard that one every day of her life. ‘Flying colors’ came in second.

“Oooh! Oooh! Princess Luna’s fighting a horrible interdimensional monster and so Princess Celestia had to lower the moon for her this morning!” called out Rares, bouncing down behind Fluttershy. “But we’re here to stop it! Yaaaay!”

The others were quiet. Then Rainbow cleared her throat. “All… right, then. Interdimensional monster it is. So… we get the Elements?”

Rares beamed. Ever since the thing with the Parasprites, when her friends trusted her enough to get the instruments first thing and fend off an incipient infestation before it could do any damage, she’d tried to be more specific in her warnings so everypony wouldn’t be confused while they helped. “Isn’t that what we always do?”

“Blastin’ stuff with rainbows ain’t failed yet,” Fluttershy agreed. “Only one problem with that. We didn’t bring ‘em with us, did we?”

“They’ve got a set here,” Captain Sparkle said. “We’ll grab those, zap the monster, smile and wave for the parade. The usual. I’ll have to tell the newsponies to make sure they get my good side, since the ones around here aren’t used to this much awesome.”

Dash shook her head. “It’s not quite that easy, Twilight. The Elements here aren’t our Elements. They’re not attuned to us. You couldn’t use the Element of Loyalty here any more than I could. We need to get the local versions of us together.” She took a deep breath, thought a moment, then nodded. “Okay. Here’s the plan. Fluttershy, you head for Canterlot to get Rarity, the other Fluttershy, and the Elements. I know the train’s faster, but if you leave now we don’t need to wait hours for it. Make sure Princess Celestia knows what’s going on, too. Pinkie, Rares, you two try to get Pinkamena ready. It sounds like Discord will do anything he can to help. The local Twilight might be willing to help too. Applejack, Twilight and I will get you to Dodge Junction. If we trade off teleports, we can get there a lot faster than any other way short of you sprouting wings. And cute as you were as a Breezie, we want to go faster than a breeze.”

“Hey, Fearless Leader, you forgot something,” Captain Sparkle said.

Dash turned to look at her herdmate. “What’s that?”

The unicorn pointed. “A certain pony didn’t bring her bunny buddy along to wake her up in the morning. Bucky plays alarm clock for her.”

“Small revision, then. Fluttershy, Pinkie, Rares, you get going. Twilight and I will wake up Applejack and then we’ll head out.”

***

Discord was sitting by Pinkamena’s bed in Ponyville General Hospital when Pinkie and Rares came in. He was filling in the black squares in a crossword puzzle with misleading solutions to the Kryptos monument. To their surprise, Big Mac and a hat-clad Twilight were already there. Under a thin sheet, the local pink pony looked gaunt. A tube was running into her foreleg from a saline bag.

“Hey, what’re you guys doing here?” asked Rares. The other three turned to look. The hurt in Discord’s eyes at the sight of Pinkie drove the fashionista forward to hold him again.

Twilight lowered her head and took off the hat. “We ain’t done right by Pinkie lately, but we’re still her friends. Hospital sent us word when she got checked in. Guess we’re still on record as her contacts.”

“Still on record?” inquired Pinkie, from the tired draconequus’ grip.

“We courted a little while,” Twilight said, and shook her head. “Ah wasn’t good ta anypony, but Pinkie always put up with me.” She smiled sadly at Big Mac. “Ah dunno how you do it.”

He enfolded her in a crushing hug. “Twilight Sparkle,” his deep voice rumbled, “Ah always knew one day you’d find your shine. And Ah aimed to be there when you did. “

“Ah don’t know what Ah did to deserve you, Big Mac,” said Twilight, and squeezed him tight.

Discord set Pinkie down, then ran a lion-clawed hand along Pinkamena’s mane. “If it would get you to care again, Pinkamena, I would officiate the wedding and move you into Sweet Apple Acres myself.”

“Weddin’?” asked Twilight. “Weddin’s for fancy folk. Ah ain’t doin’ that duchess thing. Can’t be a duchess an’ stay on th’ farm.”

“Whatever you might choose to call it, then,” Discord said, looking down at Pinkamena. “I haven’t done very well with her, have I?”

“More than anypony else did, darling,” Pinkie told him. “It’s very noble of you.”

He gave her a weak smile. “Odd, isn’t it? In tragedy or in triumph, chaos finds a place to belong, and never would dream to leave again. It’s the places in between where the lesson takes longer to learn.”

“Friendships form in the unlikeliest of ways, dear,” Pinkie told him. “To stand by your friend through such troubles? You are indeed a true, true friend. And I for one am proud to call you my friend as well, if you will let me.”

“That goes fer me too,” said Twilight.

“Ayup,” agreed Big Mac.

“Is this ‘layer two’ or ‘ID by rows?’” asked Rares, peering at the crossword.

“‘Layer two,’” said Discord. Then his head slowly lifted and he looked at Pinkamena again. “... Layers. Yes. Layers.” He raised his claw and snapped his fingers. Nurse Redheart appeared. She cleared her throat.

“I was at the nurse station ten feet down the corridor, and there is a call button on the bed,” she pointed out.

“Yes, yes, it’s a very nicely modern hospital I’m sure,” said Discord, a white coat appearing about his shoulders. “I have a treatment plan.” He snapped his fingers and a wheelchair appeared.

***

“Oh, no you don’t,” said Rares, swatting the scene break aside. “You’re not cutting out just after saying you have a plan without saying what it is!”

“Well, of course,” said Discord, though he stuck out his tongue. “Who would do a thing like that? It’s really quite simple. And won’t bother a single pony at all. Pinkamena Diane Pie is the bearer of the Element of Kindness, but ever since the Everfree became so troublesome, none of her animal friends have stayed around for her. Without an outlet for her natural inclinations toward helping others, she has fallen into the sad despond we see before us.” And he set his hand on her mane again.

“Ayup…” said Big Mac, and nodded for him to go on.

“Well then! All my dear Pinkamena needs is to remember that there are still poor sweet little creatures out there who need love and attention, even if it’s not fluffy bunnies and toothless alligators and pony-eating hydras. And where else might she find such poor sweet little creatures than right here in a hospital?”

“The foals’ wing?” asked Nurse Redheart. “She doesn’t seem in much condition to do anything for them.”

“Start small, dear,” said Pinkie thoughtfully. “Might we escort a doctor on his rounds, at least?”

Nurse Redheart frowned. Then regarded Discord. “You won’t do anything?”

“Oh, consistency is the hobgoblin of foolish minds,” Discord misquoted. “But I shall make every effort to ensure that any actions I might on a whim engage in will amuse all parties involved, not simply myself. It’s the best I can do.”

The nurse looked at the pony in the bed. Something said no, she shouldn’t allow this. Discord couldn’t be trusted. These other ponies couldn’t be trusted. Just look at that one, she looked like a confused Changeling trying to imitate the patient!

Nurse Redheart shoved those thoughts away. The hospital used to have a therapy dog, trained by Pinkamena herself. That dog, she was convinced, had made the difference for a lot of scared foals. And the difference in Twilight Sparkle that these strangers her wrought was amazing. They’d done more for her than any dozen ill-attended therapy sessions ever had. She had to believe.

“All right,” she said. “Come with me.” And she moved to shift Pinkamena from the bed onto the chair.

The foals’ wing was painted in bright, cheery colors. It was the first place either of the two visitors had seen since arriving that still showed signs of real care. Discord pushed the wheelchair. Several foals were laid out in beds with a leg or wing in a cast, and one quiet, scrawny foal was asleep with several tubes in him. Pinkamena didn’t seem to lift her head for any of them.

“Oh, this would not be pleasant,” Discord commented as he looked at the chart on the door for the next room in line. “Pinkie, please, take the chair. I think I’d best find something else to do for a moment. Perhaps a spontaneous remission.” And he hastily vanished.

Rares read the names on the door. “Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. Huh? Why are they here?”

Twilight and Big Mac winced. Twilight blew out a breath. “Them poor fillies. Best friends since they was little. Used to have kinda a mean streak. There was this one pegasus they picked on who didn’t have a friend in the world. Made fun of her for bein’ a blank flank. They was the ones set Discord free the first time, fightin’ with her.”

“Not a friend in the world?” said Rares. “Who could…” Then her head turned. Pinkie’s mouth was tight.

“Rarity was Princess Celestia’s student. She couldn’t have taken in her sister. Her parents would never have dreamed of asking the Princess to look after their other daughter too. Sweetie Belle has probably been living with her parents her whole life,” said Pinkie tightly. “And Apple Bloom is with her cousin Braeburn. Poor Scootaloo was all alone.”

Twilight and Big Mac exchanged looks. “Y’all mean… we caused this?” asked Twilight slowly. “We thought Apple Bloom’d do better in a more… stable environment.”

“He was going to get out sooner or later,” Pinkie said. “It wasn’t your fault, dear. But our Scootaloo became wonderful friends with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, and when Scootaloo became Rainbow Dash’s apprentice and Sweetie Belle went on her first tour, Diamond and Silver were some of their biggest fans.”

Twilight slowly shook her head. “Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon ain’t ever gonna be a fan of Scootaloo here,” she said. “Not after what she did. When Discord broke out, he saw how much she hated ‘em an’ he gave her a taste o’ his power.”

Rares’s already-white face paled. “Oh, no,” she whispered. “And they’re here…”

“‘Fraid so, sugarcube,” said Twilight grimly. “Turned Silver Spoon’s tongue into a genuine silver spoon, then yanked it right out. Ain’t been able to speak a word since. She don’t really need to come here, but she does. Comes with Diamond for her treatments. Filthy Rich gives th’ hospital a ton o’ bits t’ keep her a room reserved.”

“What did she do to Diamond Tiara?” asked Pinkie, dread coloring her voice.

“Diamond Tear-a,” Big Mac said, and shut his mouth.

“Turned her tears into diamond dust,” Twilight said quietly. “Sharp, gritty diamond dust. Then yanked Filthy Rich over an’ started hurtin’ him to make her cry. Didn’t stop until Diamond couldn’t cry no more on account of her eyes an’ tear ducts were shredded to bits.”

“Oh, Scootaloo, how could you,” breathed Pinkie. “And… what did…” Words failed her.

“Missin’ leg an’ she ain’t gettin’ no sisters,” said Twilight. “Never once said a word for himself, th’ whole time, I hear. Jes’ begged her t’ stop hurtin’ his darlin’ girl.”

“Those poor little fillies,” whispered Pinkamena.

Time stopped. Nopony moved. Then Twilight set a hoof on Pinkamena’s shoulder. “Comin’ back to us, Pinks?” she said.

“I can’t stay in a cocoon forever,” Pinkamena whispered back. She pushed herself forward, onto her hooves, and wobbled there. Then she pushed the door open and went in.

***

Fluttershy’s wings beat in a steady, strong pattern as she pushed herself toward Canterlot. The trains didn’t run as often here as they did back home, and she was going to beat the next Canterlot Express to the palace by a country mile. She hoped Princess Celestia would let her use a chariot on the way back, though. Years on the farm had toughened her up, but she’d never been any great shakes as a flier.

An’ somepony definitely needed to get back to Ponyville to tell them about those vines moving in the Everfree,and the funny-looking clouds startin’ to boil over it. Applejack’s… no, Pinkamena’s cottage looked to have been swallowed up already. But if there was some kinda monster on the loose, those vines were probably part of it, an’ so slowin’ down to pass th’ word would jes’ mean it’d take longer to get th’ Elements to stop it.

So Fluttershy flew. A steady, measured pace, the best she knew she could keep up all the way to Canterlot.

***

Chromatic flashes alternated with lavender ones. Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle had long since worked out the best rhythm for quick jumps. It wasn’t just bamf-bamf-bamf all the way. Even for ponies as powerful as the two of them, they needed a rest. So it was bamf, wait, bamf, wait, bamf.

Applejack appreciated those ‘wait’ moments. She’d teleported with the two of them before, but seeing the world jump always made her feel queasy. Bucky hated to do it at all; her little bunny’d rather run to keep up with her. But it was the fastest way she’d ever moved across the face of Equestria.

Dodge Junction looked to be doing well for itself. Ponies didn’t look too unhappy, at least, and the cherry trees looked healthy. And a pony was waiting for them.

“Ah could make a Changeling joke, but Ah think bug references’re a mite played out already. Ah’m AJ, you’re Applejack,” the poofy-maned earth pony said, leaning back against a fencepost. “Ah ain’t real keen on goin’ back t’ Ponyville.”

“We need you, AJ,” said Applejack, while Rainbow and the Wonderbolt caught their breath. Ah’m a real trend-setter, she thought to herself, seeing that familiar hat perched atop that mass of blonde curls.

“Y’all don’t,” she said flatly. “Yew got a Laughter with ya who’s better at it. Stick that gem on her an’ she’ll make it her own. Ah come back, Ah’m jes’ gonna leave again. Ain’t my kinda place no more.”

Applejack looked at her. She didn’t use the Stare. She could see AJ hiding a mirror behind her back. She just looked. AJ twitched.

“What?” she barked. “Ah’m tellin’ the truth! Ah ain’t a Ponyville kinda pony an’ Ah never was. Dodge Junction’s mah kinda place. Ponies ‘round here like a good hoedown, an’ Ah’m holdin’ down a steady job. Ain’t nopony in Ponyville ever believed Ah’d be responsible enough for that!”

Applejack kept looking at her. Those eyes looked hurt. They weren’t giving her that angry glare, or the demanding one. Just hurt.

AJ slammed her hat down. “This ain’t fair! Ah’m makin’ it work out here, an’ Ah’m makin’ ponies happy! What more do y’all want from me?”

Applejack kept her mouth shut. She didn’t need to say anything.

AJ gritted her teeth. “Ah ain’t goin’ back, you hear me? It’s been too long, an’ it prob’ly wouldn’t work anyhow!”

Applejack considered that. If this AJ had the same kind of abilities as her Rarity… “That a fact?” she asked.

“Aw, come on,” said AJ, and stomped on her hat. “Y’all askin’ me to tell th’ future? If’n it worked like that, Ah woulda done a lot different. Ah jes’ know it ain’t gonna work!”

Applejack nodded her head slowly. “Not a lot of optimism there, sugarcube,” she said. And kept that in mind. Not all the nutty things worked the same, looked like.

AJ snorted. “Yeah. See? Y’all got your Laughter back there already. Ah’m not goin’.”

“Ain’t nice to leave your friends in need,” Applejack said.

“Now that ain’t fair,” AJ pleaded. “They don’t need me an’ yew know it! Ah ain’t been back there in years. Probably wouldn’t even recognize ‘em by now!”

“Won’t be a party without you,” Applejack said.

AJ sighed. “Y’all fight dirty. Ah gave mah notice this mornin’.”

***

The guards on Luna’s door had to wear earplugs. The doctors who went in had no answers for where the wounds were coming from; all they could do was bandage her when they appeared. The slash across her face had ruined one eye already.

***

“You weaken, night pony,” hissed Schootalhu. The hate that festered in the remains of her mortal shell made her strong, stronger than the alicorn had imagined. The ancient beast had found in the chaos-empowered filly a host, one suitable to rule this wretched world and guide it to destruction at last. No more corrupting the strands of fate, no more poisoning souls with gloom.

Now it was time to devour the disgusting perversion called life. As it had devoured that defiant little shining tree near the castle so long ago.

Chapter 6: Everscream

Twelve and a half ponies (counting Discord) met that evening in front of the cloud-topped tree that still had the ‘Golden Oaks Library’ sign out front. Five wore golden necklaces; one a golden tiara. The gems in the jewelry were dull and listless compared to the ones that the six visitors were used to seeing, but unmistakeably the same gems. Despite the threat of the vines surging from the Everfree, the mood was upbeat.

“We’re gonna zap a monster! We’re gonna zap a monster!” singsonged Rares, bouncing in a circle about the others.

AJ was tuning her fiddle. She didn’t expect they were going to need another round of mocking the monsters, but it couldn’t hurt to be prepared. Besides, if they won, she was going to need some music to celebrate. Twilight lent an ear, helping. Seeing that always-surly purple unicorn smiling made AJ wonder if maybe she should stay a while in Ponyville after all.

Dash and Pinkie were helping each other prepare. Dash’s mane never allowed her to do a single thing with it other than keeping the split ends down; it always flew apart within minutes of styling. The best she could do was make sure that it was artfully wild, trimmed properly to give a spontaneous, exuberant look. She envied Pinkie’s mane, so straight and mannerly, easily curled into simply dashing shapes. The two of them were simply delighted to have somepony with such a simpatico sense of style.

Captain Lyra Heartstrings was busy evacuating the townsponies and leading the Royal Guard’s mustering; if the Elements didn’t do the trick this time, the Guards would see what spears and spells could do against those thorny vines.

Rainbow, Captain Sparkle, Discord and Rarity went over all the information they had, on the Everfree, the vines, and Scootaloo. It wasn’t much. Discord admitted that he’d created the vines, long ago, but they weren’t his any longer; he could affect them with his powers, summoning giant lawnmowers and the like to slice them to bits, but he couldn’t snap his claws and make them vanish. “Something much older and more malevolent than chaos,” was how he described the force behind the vines.

Both Fluttershys kept watch overhead, making sure the vines didn’t come surging into Ponyville any faster than they were already doing.

Pinkamena and Applejack stayed close by each other, flank to flank, butterflies against butterflies. They both knew that this was going to be the ‘hard’ sort of kindness. At best.

And then they headed in.

***

The thick black vines were covered in sharp, oily spikes. Pulling on them or trying to shove them was a useless task. Only cutting worked; none of the ponies were particularly interested in trying to bite, but Rainbow, Rarity, Captain Sparkle, and Discord were able to summon various sharp-edged spells to carve a path and keep the vines from slithering in on the sides. It was slow, careful going, but they knew the path. It was the same path in both worlds that they’d followed to battle Nightmare Moon.

Flying was out of the question. The weather over the Everfree was never reliable to begin with, and the thunderclouds floating around now looked simply wrong, with jagged bolts sticking out and seemingly waiting to attack. At least burrowing through the vines they weren’t being blasted from all sides.

“So… you came down this way too?” asked Rarity, her horn lighting again to slice apart a gnarled vine in front of them. “How did it go for you?”

“Pretty smooth,” said Rainbow, her wings almost constantly twitching as she sent blades of air skimming along the edges of the path to keep the vines from pushing in on the sides. “Manny the manticore showed up in a bad mood, but Applejack had him pinned before he could do more than roar. Steven Magnet was upset about his moustache, but Twilight had her moustache-growth spell ready to go. Spike loves that thing - something about dragons and moustaches, I guess. A landslide, but I stopped it from going anywhere. There was a broken bridge, but Rarity shot herself across the gap and fixed it before anypony could point out that flying’s a lot easier. Oh, and one bit with some trees that were supposed to be spooky, but Fluttershy just pointed out they were just dumb trees and we all moved on. We got to the castle, Nightmare Moon showed up, Pinkie distracted her by creating a coronation gown on the spot, I grabbed the Elements, we got everything fixed. Then the parades. How was it for you?”

“Not quite so easy,” Rarity admitted. “When the manticore attacked, Fluttershy went into a frenzy to protect us, and mauled him. She got a bit slashed up in the process, but I got her bandaged up so we could keep going. The trees had us frozen until Twilight started bucking them all to bits - she admitted when she was done that she was drunk and hadn’t noticed them until we started screaming. All of us took some hurts in the landslide, but Pinkie was able to get us all bandaged and splinted, even though she’d broken a hoof herself. The dragon - Steven, I assume, though we never got his name - was in a frenzy, but Rainbow Dash talked him into cutting the other side of his moustache short to match, then gave him some feathers she pulled from her own wings to serve as accents. She couldn’t fly with her wings left ragged like that, though. AJ used her lasso to cross the broken bridge and pulled it up behind her. And… well, Nightmare Moon captured us all. We were trapped in her cells for over a week while it got colder and colder, until I finally realized the secret of the Elements. Princess Celestia helped us out of the forest and we spent a few weeks in the hospital, recovering.”

Rainbow shook her head. “Well, nopony’s going to get hurt this time if I can help it.”

“That would make a nice change of pace,” Rarity sighed. “I think we’re making progress.”

“Why do you say that?” asked Captain Sparkle.

“It’s getting harder to push through,” Rarity said. “That should mean we’re getting closer to the heart of it all, don’t you think?”

“Makes sense to me,” agreed Rainbow, her wings now moving well more than a twitch as she fought off the vines. “Just keep going and we’ll get there.”

Rares and AJ both jerked sharpy all over, and cried out together, “Look out!”

Something erupted from the ground underhoof. A hissing noise sounded from all around, a tan fog filled the air, and everypony lost sight of the others.

***

Rainbow found herself caught in the vines. The sharp thorns dug into her barrel, her legs, her throat, her wings. She struggled to pull free, ignoring the pains of the thorns stabbing at her, but they were too strong. Her wings were pulled out tight, not giving her even enough room to flex her feathers to cast a spell.

Then the vines shifted. Rainbow’s eyes turned into circles of pain as her wings snapped at the midpoint, the joint tearing. Blood fell from her torn-off wings as the vines pulled them overhead.

She would never cast magic again. She began to scream, and a sharp-tipped vine plunged into her chest.

***

Dash found herself caught in the vines. The sharp thorns dug into her barrel, her legs, her throat, her wings. She struggled to pull free, ignoring the pains of the thorns stabbing at her, but they were too strong. Her wings were pulled out tight, not giving her even enough room to flex her feathers.

Then the vines shifted. Rainbow’s eyes turned into circles of pain as her wings snapped at the midpoint, the joint tearing. Blood fell from her torn-off wings as the vines pulled them overhead.

She was forever scarred; she would never cast magic again, never fly, never make cloudsilk again just when her life was promising to turn around. She screamed, twisted her head, pulled the scissors from her bag, and began slashing the vines to ribbons.

***

Captain Sparkle strained against the vines. They were curled all around her, almost mummifying her. Her horn was encased in their sharp, stabbing strength; trying to muster any mana at all sent eye-crossing agony through her head and broke her concentration. Her uniform was in shreds around her.

Then the vines shifted. Captain Sparkle’s eyes couldn’t keep back tears of pain as she heard and felt the crack. She tried to cast a spell, to blast her way free, to call down the lightning, but the magic leaked out the side of her horn. Then it ripped all the way free.

She would never cast magic again, never step into the sky, never hear the crowds chanting her name, never be a Wonderbolt again. She began to scream, and a sharp-tipped vine plunged into her chest.

***

Twilight Sparkle strained against the vines. They were curled all around her, almost mummifying her. Her horn was encased in their sharp, stabbing strength; trying to muster any mana at all sent eye-crossing agony through her head, the same agony she’d felt all her life. Her hat was little more than a few bits of leather.

Then the vines shifted. Twilight’s eyes couldn’t keep back tears of pain as she heard and felt the crack. She tried to blast her way free, to use all that wild energy she’d always had as destructively as she possibly could, but the magic leaked out the side of her horn. Then it ripped all the way free.

She would never cast magic again, never feel herself one with Sweet Apple Acres again, never dance with the lightning again, just when she had a chance for the first time. She screamed, and bucked with all her might, yanking her hooves free. She gripped the vines at their base and screamed out an old Apple family piece of wisdom. “DON’T START NOTHIN’ YOUR HOOVES CAN’T END!” Magic pouring from her forehead, she ripped the vines out of the ground with her bare hooves.

***

Fluttershy’s hat was on the ground, a vine pulled across her face, silencing her. She tried to bite, but it wouldn’t give. Her wings were pinned behind her; she was effectively hogtied by the thorny mass. She strained, but the stuff just wouldn’t let up at all.

Her eyes went wide as a flash of light went off in front of her. Big Mac jumped through a hole in space, and he gasped up at her. “Flutters!” he called out. “Princess Luna sent me! Said y’all was in some kinda troub…. AHHHH!”

A vine slashed up underneath him and cut his belly open. Vines lashed around his hooves and pulled him onto his back, the red stallion screaming as vines tore at his exposed insides.

He was going to die. Her stallion was going to die, trying to save her. She couldn’t do a thing about it. Fluttershy’s eyes poured her tears, and a sharp-tipped vine plunged into her chest.

***
Fluttershy’s mane was yanked sharply behind her, a vine pulled across her face, silencing her. She tried to bite, but it wouldn’t give. Her wings were pinned behind her; she was effectively hogtied by the thorny mass. She strained, but the stuff just wouldn’t let up at all.

She bit harder, chopping through the vine. “Buck this, I’m awesome! Rarity, I’m coming!” she snarled, ripped the stupid things out of the ground by sheer brute force, and began stomping the vines into tiny piles of shredded salad.

Buck anything else anypony wanted her to think. She knew she was awesome. And she had a mare to save.

***

Rares grunted on the vine in her mouth. It tasted exactly nothing at all like a cupcake, a cake, a brownie, a doughnut, chocolate, or even mint. It didn’t even taste as good as a healthy salad. It tasted awful! Oh, and the other vines were holding her on her back on the ground with her legs pulled to the sides, too.

She heard a buzzing and looked up. Colorful little blobs of fur were swarming overhead. Parasprites, she thought. It had to be parasprites. But there’s nothing here for them to eat…

Then she noticed that these parasprites had sharp little noses poking out and evil red eyes. They descended on her. And her without so much as a harmonica! They bit into her, burrowed into her, and she screamed.

She was never going to laugh again. Her friends would be crying if they survived - which they wouldn’t. Everypony in Equestria was going to die and never smile ever again. And a sharp-tipped vine plunged into her chest.

***

Rarity grunted on the vine in her mouth. It tasted exactly nothing at all like Princess Celestia’s favorite tea. The vines wrapped around her horn and legs, holding her pinned to the ground. They pulled, and she had to arch her neck to relieve the strain on her horn.

The vines kept pulling. And pulling. Her eyes went wide in pain as she felt the crack - and screamed as her horn snapped halfway up its length. The agony was immeasurable - but she felt the magic blasting out of her. And she’d been waiting to feel that again her entire life.

With her horn broken open, she hadn’t the slightest bit of control, but Rarity was far beyond caring about that, or anything else. She had her friends together again, and she wasn’t going to lose them now. The vines burned.

***

Pinkie sobbed, struggling against the vines. They’d surrounded her, encased her in their thorns. Every movement shredded through her fur, sliced open her beautiful, flawless coat. Her mane was being ripped from her head, her tail tangled and yanked out. Thorns were stabbing into her hooves, burrowing into her, crippling her forever.

Thorns drove into her eyes as she screamed, her body spasming as sight fled her forever. She would never see the rainboom or a sunrise again, never admire another piece of art...

The scars would never heal, even if she somehow escaped. She’d never be able to so much as hold a pair of scissors, never create another dress in her life. She’d never have anything to give; she’d be a dry, empty husk. And a sharp-tipped vine plunged into her chest.

***

Pinkamena tried to scream around the vine that was stabbing up through the bottom of her jaw. More vines had burrowed through her legs, right through the ankles, lifting her into the air, crucified. A forest of vines surrounded her, each with its own grisly payload. All the life that should have been wandering the Everfree was there, wracked in pain, showing her what fate awaited her.

Her blood spilled down the vines, nourishing them with her life. The crippled manticore hung limp; the hydra had only a single head left alive. And… there, that was Silver Spoon. The filly came after her and was caught, screaming in silence with her tongueless mouth as the vines sucked away her little life.

Nothing was left alive, nothing cared about her, nothing for her to care about that would survive long enough for her to tend it. She jerked her head around and her eyes narrowed. The vine shook as she Stared. Its grip weakened and she pulled free, ignoring the pain in her limbs. The vine shrank back, and back, sliding down into the ground, smaller and smaller, until it hid within a dark black seed.

Which she crushed.

***

Applejack tried to scream around the vine that was stabbing up through the bottom of her jaw. More vines had burrowed through her legs, right through the ankles, lifting her into the air, crucified. A forest of vines surrounded her, each with its own grisly payload. All the life that should have been wandering the Everfree was there, wracked in pain, showing her what fate awaited her.

Her blood spilled down the vines, nourishing them with her life. Manny the manticore hung limp; the hydra had only a single head left alive. Her body sagged.

Nothing was left alive, nothing cared about her, nothing for her to care about that would survive long enough for her to tend it. And a sharp-tipped vine plunged into her chest.

***

AJ shook as the vines pulled her upright, back pinned against a rough-barked tree. Her forelegs ached as they were pulled back into a completely unnatural position. The broken-off stub of a branch was poking into her flank for good measure.

A high-pitched scream came from the side of the path, and Apple Bloom came racing back, vines chasing after her.

“AJ! HALP!” her little sister screamed, and then the vines were on her. AJ felt her breath catch in her throat as the vines caught Apple Bloom’s tail, spun her into the air, and dashed her head against the path. Her little body hung limp as the vines lifted her for another.

She hadn’t been responsible enough, hadn’t checked that her sister was safe before running off into trouble. Granny must surely be crying at her failures right now. The tree cracked as she ripped it out of the ground, splintered the wood, reached into her frizzy mane, and pulled out a party cannon. The vines paused as the mouth of the cannon aimed at them, and AJ grabbed the firing cord.

“Smile, smile, smile, you sonuvabitch,” she growled at them, and pulled.

***

The vines were too powerful. Too strong. Something old and powerful was in them. He couldn’t make them respond. They weren’t order or chaos. They were evil, alien. Discord snapped his claws desperately, trying to escape. Machetes bounced off the vines. Lawnmowers ran out of gas. Lightsabers flickered and died. Agent Orange handed in his resignation.

Pinkamena came into view. A vine was plunged into her chest. Her pink coat was a dull grey. Her head was hanging. Her eyes were open, but there was nothing in them. No caring. No interest. Nothing.

The first friend he’d ever had was gone. It was all his fault. She’d never smile again, never forgive him anything again, never love him again despite everything he did that he knew was wrong and did anyway. His head drooped, and a sharp-tipped vine plunged into his chest.

***

Rarity staggered to her feet. The lack of pain in her head was remarkable. Her hoof went up and found her horn there, intact. Her friends were awakening, too - though Discord and their duplicates were still collapsed on the ground, not moving. She moved to help Fluttershy up.

“Are you all right?” she asked carefully.

Fluttershy pushed to her hooves and stretched. “Oh, yeah. I am awesome,” she said smugly. “Like I’m gonna let some stupid vines hurt you when I’m around.” She paused, and then quickly, anxiously said, “I mean, I’m not gonna let anything hurt you, ever, Rarity.”

Rarity gave her a squeeze and whispered in her ear, “I know.” Fluttershy let out a breath and hugged back.

Twilight stood and reached up to her head as well, finding her own horn intact. Dash looked anxiously back at her wings and stretched them. AJ and Pinkamena looked around, looked to each other, and nodded.

“So… what’s with them?” asked Fluttershy, releasing the hug and pointing at the others, still on the ground.

Rarity leaned closer to look. A dark magical flow was rising from the soil and into their mouths; a thin shimmering strand of light was spilling out the other way. Her horn lit as she checked with a spell, then stood.

“They didn’t get free,” she said quietly. “The Everfree is draining their souls. We have to hurry.”

“What? But they’re so strong,” said Pinkamena, looking down at them. “How could we get free when they couldn’t? They’re… us, but better.”

Twilight found her hat and set it back on her head. “Dunno about you, sugarcube, but Ah have ta push harder ‘n that jes’ ta make mahself get outta bed in th’ mornin’ most days,” she drawled. “They ain’t used to failin’.”

“Well,” said Dash uncertainly. “Hurrah for us, then. Such wonderful failures we are, yes?”

“Not anymore,” said Rarity firmly. “We have our chance to fix this. To fix everything. This Beast has been ruining our world, our destinies, for centuries. Our friends here gave us a spark, a push, to get us together. We can be what we were meant to be - and I am not letting their efforts go to waste! Now - move!”

And they set off at full gallop down the path, dodging and ducking around the vines rather than fighting their way through.

Chapter 7: Proper Spelling

Moving quickly, the Six outpaced the vines. For all the sheer malevolence and evil power of those thorny lengths, they were still plants. They couldn’t move fast enough to ensnare even Pinkamena, whose long lack of exercise kept her the slowest of the group.

The sound of fighting guided them. The rope bridge was still in place, and the dragon nowhere to be found. The battle wasn’t inside the abandoned castle, though. It was in a gorge below.

Princess Luna, wrapped in silver armor and magically twirling a moon-cresent axe above her head, stood in front of the orange-and-black monstrosity. Her coat was red with blood; a slash across her face had destroyed one eye. One wing hung limp at her side, and her horn was scarred with nicks and cracks. But she lunged with the axe, slashing at black tendrils that sought to bind her.

The creature she fought bore only the slightest resemblance to a pegasus filly. Shrouds of rot draped over crumbling bones gave the hint of wings; eyes of crimson hate stared from deep within oversized sockets. Her legs were like knives ending in clawed hooves, tearing at the ground as though fighting the world itself with every step. Her tail was a mass of darkness sheeting behind her, plunging into the dirt.

The Beast stood in front of a cave. A crystalline tree had once grown there, still visible from outside, but the vines had choked the life from it and the poisoned soil had blackened it from below. A decrepit star of magic had lost two of its arms on the trunk.

“Come on!” called Rarity, and they began clambering down to help their beleaguered princess.

A wave of raw hatred shot upward from the ground, catching Luna from below. How the Beast had forced her physical body through the dreamspace to face it even she did not know, but it was far more powerful than even she had imagined. The wave lifted her from her hooves, and her one good wing flapped uselessly, and then she was crushed into the sides of the gorge. She felt ribs snap, and she fell as the wave receded.

“Buck this, let’s just do it,” said Fluttershy.

“You know, I think you have a point,” said Rarity. “Formation!”

The form in front of the cage suddenly jerked, twitched - and an orange face, panic-ridden, thrust out of the shadow.

“Please! Please! Help me!” screamed Scootaloo.

“Fire,” said Rarity. And the rainbow, blazing bright against the darkness, struck.

The ground itself heaved as the Beast howled. The light poured into the crumbled form at the Beast’s heart, sunk into the soil, burned away the poison, destroyed the pools of darkness that lay hidden, crushed the heart that beat inside its rotten breast.

And then it was done. A small, orange form lay crumpled on the ground, bone shards sticking from its back, eyes shriveled black lumps in its eyesockets, legs spindly and skeletal twigs. But her side moved.

“Oh, no,” whispered Pinkamena. “She’s still alive…” And she began hurrying herself down the stony steps, trying to rush to the filly’s side.

“You cannot save her,” groaned Princess Luna, levering herself with the hilt of the axe onto her hooves. “Her soul is as tattered and rotten as her body. She might spend a thousand years connected to your modern machines, but there is nothing left within to move her.”

Pinkamena ran to Scootaloo’s form anyhow and tried to cradle her, only to withdraw with a gasp when her touch alone split the pegasus’ skin like paper. Her eyes filled with tears. “Please, Princess, you have to do something!”

Rarity and the others hurried to Luna’s side instead, supporting her as she walked forward. The princess of the night sighed softly, looking down. “Well do I know the value of redemption,” she said, “but there is not enough here to save.” She went quiet, looking at that dying body.

“I’ll give her some of mine,” said Dash softly. “I always rather liked the idea of having a little sister. She might be mine.”

“Yeah, me too!” said Fluttershy fiercely. “The squirt liked me, you know that? Tried to make a fan club for me, even, for a little bit. Not her fault nopony would listen to her.”

Luna held up a hoof to forestall the rest. “No,” she said. “To take a portion from your souls would be itself an act of darkest magics. I will not touch upon such things again. To divide a soul is a terrible crime, no matter how willing the subject.”

Rarity looked down. Bereft of that dark force, the little pegasus just looked… hurt. Alone. “There must be something…”

Luna slowly nodded. “There is. But there is something I must tell you.” She pointed into the cave. “That was the Tree of Harmony. From its branches, my sister and I took the Elements of Harmony to defeat Discord. We never returned them. That, I fear, was our mistake. Without the Elements, the Tree has died. Perhaps the Beast slew it, perhaps its death permitted the Beast to enter our world. It cannot be known. But without its protection, it is all but certain that more such creatures will come.”

Twilight walked into the cave to look, then shook her head and turned around. “That there is a dead tree, Princess,” she said. “Ah ain’t seen crystal trees before, but that one looks like there ain’t a scrap of life left in it.”

“I fear you are correct, Twilight Sparkle,” said Luna.

Twilight sighed. “Aw, tarnation. Then what’re we gonna do? Can’t return the Elements when it’s already dead, can we?”

Dash looked into the cave from outside. Even dead, the tree’s remaining branches had a certain dignity to them. “Dash it all, there must be something. I refuse to accept another partial victory today, I simply refuse!” And she stomped a hoof.

Rarity stared at the spot where Dash stomped. “... We don’t have to. Inside, girls. A tree doesn’t have to live forever.”

“Huh?” asked AJ. But she went in with her friends. Luna stayed outside, looking down at the dying filly.

Rarity took a deep breath and gestured at the base of the tree. “That thing poisoned the tree. You can see how it went up into the trunk here. It’s gone. We can’t bring it back. But that’s not what you do with a dead tree, is it, Twilight?”

Twilight lifted her head, realization hitting. “‘Course not. Ya plant a new one. And…” She reached up to touch her necklace. “... we can use these as seeds, can’t we?”

Rainbow Dash sighed and lifted her necklace up, then kissed the red diamond there. “Farewell, my sweet. The finest gem I’ve ever known.”

“Aw, quit with the drama,” muttered Fluttershy. But she hesitated a moment before taking off her pink lightning bolt as well.

AJ, Pinkamena, and Twilight surrendered their Elements to Rarity. She closed her eyes and her horn lit, removing the gems from their sockets. Her hoof dug in the shallow, glittering, sandy soil, making a small hole, and she set the Elements inside, then covered them over. She stepped back. “And if this doesn’t work, we take them back out, no harm done, right?”

A few seconds later, a small sprout poked out of the ground. A shard of glimmering crystal, glowing with an inner light. Their eyes widened, seeing it swirl through all the colors of the rainbow… and it flashed.

***

Black vines withered and died across the Everfree. The Royal Guards were waiting in Ponyville, spears and blades at the ready, and then the vines vanished. Captain Lyra led the cheers.

***

Rainbow, Captain Sparkle, Applejack, Pinkie, Fluttershy, Rares, and Discord slowly woke up, groaning. Hooves went to chests and heads and wings, and then their own cry of exultation rang out, as they all ran to embrace each other, then turned to rush to join their friends.

***

Diamond Tiara saw her best friend’s face for the first time in years. And heard her voice, screaming, “DIAMOND! DIAMOND! YOUR EYES!” The two fillies screamed in delight and clung to each other.

***

“Welcome back, boys,” said Filthy Rich, beaming.

***

From outside the cave, Princess Luna’s voice called to her champions. “Well done, my little ponies. But there is one thing left to do.”

“Aw, what now?” muttered AJ - but they all obeyed. The crystal sprout continued to stretch itself forward, but even Rarity’s non-arboreal eye could see the rate of growth was slowing. It would take a long time to grow into a tree like its predecessor.

Luna’s sides were still slowly seeping blood as she looked down at Scootaloo. She had set down the axe. “I will save her,” she said. “Her fate was no less the Beast’s doing than any of the miseries that have plagued Equestria. She does not deserve to die.”

“How, Princess?” asked AJ. “Y’all said you can’t take bits of souls apart on account of it’d be darkest of dark dark magics, an’ her soul’s all raggedy an’ torn. Y’all’d have to decide you were gonna use your own soul to mix inta hers an’... an’...” She blinked and reached up to rub her head. “... Where in tarnation did that come from?” she wondered. “... That’s jes’ what you’re gonna do, ain’t it? How’d I guess that?” AJ’s tail twitched and she took a reflexive step back.

There was a loud POOMF from further back in the Everfree. A moment later, a cake landed in front of AJ with ‘HAPPY FIRST PSYCHIC POWERS!’ and a smiley face written on it.

“Oh,” said AJ, and ate it. “Hey, y’all, guess Ah was right all along, Ah am s’posed ta be psychic.”

Luna cleared her throat. “Yes. That is what I intend. Her soul is badly wounded, and the Beast did no small damage to mine own in our battle. And…” She slowly shook her head. “This is not my world. I am accounted a monster despite your efforts, my friends, and I am unfamiliar with your ways. I yield up myself, that I may grow anew. Like the Tree of Harmony. Let this be a day of new beginnings.”

“You don’t have to do this,” Rarity started to say.

Luna cut her off. “But I choose to. Thank you, my friends… and goodbye.”

Her body dissolved into nebulae and stars, a whirl of pure lights and liquid darkness. Magic danced inside the shape as it flowed through the air, giving up the last remnants of Princess Luna’s form, embracing the little body on the ground. The Six saw her wings reform, long and graceful lengths of indigo. Her legs filled out, strong orange legs with dark hooves. They saw the stars filling in the spaces inside her where the Beast had devoured portions of her soul. Her tail regrew, a spray of darkness and twinkling lights, waving on the ground, matching her restored mane. Her eyes grew, refilling their proper space, and a bright crescent moon formed on her flank. A dark horn grew from her orange forehead.

She opened her eyes, and looked at her friends.

AJ was first to speak. “Happy birthday, Princess Scootaluna.”

AJ thought it was very unfair, therefore, that the little alicorn jumped forward with a cry of, “Fluttershy! You came for me! I knew you would!”

Fluttershy caught her. There were tears in her eyes, and her voice rasped as she said, “Couldn’t ditch my biggest fan, could I, squirt?”

***

The Everfree was quiet on the walk back out. The vines had not spared the wildlife their own torments, and even the Timberwolves had no appetite for the time being. Ponyville, on the other hoof, was exultant. Even without Rares or AJ, a party had sprung up across town, ponies singing and dancing in delight. And it wasn’t just local ponies.

Quite against the orders of the guards’ attempts at evacuation, and against common sense, the vanguard of Equestria’s fashion elite had made their way into Ponyville, and were waiting at the Cloudsilk Carousel when both sets of Six (as even Pinkamena and Applejack hadn’t been frightened off by the level of jubilation) arrived. Suri Polomare, of course, had led the way, wearing one of her trademark outfits.

“Rainbow Dash!” she exclaimed, forelegs wide in invitation. “We all knew you could do it! And that wonderful new cloudsilk! As your official exclusive purch… hurk!”

A scintillating aura surrounded the fashion star as she lifted into the air, slammed face-first into the wall repeatedly, and then was piledriven into the ground headfirst, waist-deep.

A deathly silence fell over the aristocratic ponies, eyes wide. Dash lifted her nose. “I’ve wanted to do that ever since you stole my designs in Manehattan, you thieving, worthless fraud,” she declared. Her audience looked at the crater Suri had created, looked at the fiery-eyed pegasus, gauged the winds of change, and stomped their applause.

***

For all the celebration in Ponyville, the jubilation in Canterlot was ten times greater. Celestia wore her new cloudsilk cape. Princess Scootaluna rode Luna’s chariot, while six more chariots followed behind, a pair of seemingly-twin ponies in each. The duplication of the famously dysfunctional Bearers was confusing to a large proportion of the crowd, but they assumed the newspapers would explain it all sooner or later. And new stained-glass windows were in place before they even arrived. Three of them.

The first showed six ponies on the left and six on the right, each pairing a mirror of the other, reaching up to touch one hoof per pairing, flanked by their respective Elements.

The second showed six ponies emanating a rainbow that pierced into a dark mass.

The third showed an orange alicorn rising, the moon behind her.

“How in the world did anypony manage to get all this done before we even got here?” asked Pinkie, staring at the windows.

“No idea,” said Rares, tucking away a receipt from the Canterlot Glass Works in her mane. AJ giggled.

***

After the official commendations, medals, and coronation of the new Princess, Celestia met with all twelve of them in her private office. A thick black spellbook sat before her, familiar to both Rainbow and Rarity.

“Princess?” asked her Faithful Student. “Is there something in Starswirl’s works I should know about?”

Celestia smiled. “Many things, Rarity, but you have learned most of them. But there is one thing that is not in them that we have need of now.”

“How to get us home,” Rainbow said, then nodded at the book. “The spell brought two universes together before. Princess Scootaluna will need to re-learn her powers before she can send us back, so that spell might do it.”

“My alternate self chose well, Rainbow Dash,” Celestia said, her ever-present smile radiating. “Yes. But this time, I hope, between the two of you, you can devise a means to adapt the spell without casting it in its unfinished form, this time.”

To Rainbow’s surprise, Rarity lifted her head proudly. “As a matter of fact, Princess Celestia, I believe I have the spell ready. And it will not perform a merging as the other version did. It will simply set everything to rights.”

“Oh?” the alicorn said. “Then it would seem that all that is left is the casting.”

“Erm,” said Rarity. “... Do you want to hear my solution first?”

Celestia nuzzled her student’s cheek. “I believe in you, Rarity,” she said softly. “I always have, even when you did not. If you say you have the solution, I believe you do.”

“Then we’d better be getting home,” Rainbow said. “Spike worries if it takes us longer than a day or two to save the world.”

Rares grinned at AJ. “See you you-know-where!”

AJ grinned back. “Wouldn’t miss it!”

Rarity opened the book, took a deep breath, and recited.

Even in times of darkness, friendship holds the light. With friends united, there will always be hope.

Starswirl’s spellbook flashed. The six visitors disappeared.

Rarity let out a gasp as she felt magic curling inside her horn, breaking away blockages, clearing pathways, letting her mind pop and fizz and swirl with magic and understand that this was her birthright, this was what it was always supposed to be…

Twilight groaned in relief as the light played over her head, illuminating the magics that welled up inside her, showing her how to guide them and use them, finally making it clear to her what she was supposed to do with all that strength.

Fluttershy closed her eyes as the first feeling of peace she’d had since falling out of Cloudsdale spilled over her.

Dash drew in a breath as she felt strength flowing through her, her wings spreading, all the exercise she’d given up on returning to her, all the speed and joy of flight. She couldn’t contain herself; she flung herself through a window, and a rainboom exploded in the air over Canterlot Castle.

AJ laughed. And laughed. And laughed.

Pinkamena held out a hoof, and Philomena the phoenix landed and leaned in to nuzzle her cheek.

***

Far away, deep within a volcano, where long and painstaking work had hollowed out a lair, a blue unicorn stopped mid-sentence, to the surprise of her captive and her mind-slaved lackey.

“... Let her go,” said the unicorn, reaching up to her throat. A clasp protested as she took the necklace off.

“What, Mistress?” spoke the hand-tailed demon, its eyes still dull with the power of the spell she had so long ago ensorcelled him with.

“Take her outside, let her go, and serve her faithfully,” Trixie clarified, her voice quiet. “Daring. I have done terrible things. You have done well to stop me. But let them know that my final trick… is to make things right.”

“What? No! Trixie, stop! You… You can’t be doing what I think you’re doing!” called back the pegasus as Ahuizotl pushed her away, still strapped to the metal table.

Not long after, Daring and her new servant watched the volcano’s eruption from a safe distance away.

“She always loved to end it with fireworks,” Daring said sadly.

***

Eleven months later, Fluttershy bore her stallion their first foal. Everyone had assumed it was impossible, that he could never be a father with her. They named the filly ‘Hope.’

***

A bright flash of light heralded the return of the Six to Celestia’s throne room. The windows all around celebrated their accomplishments; the guards had seen them appear in a triumphant flash before so many times that they kept the trumpets and confetti on hand for impromptu celebrations.

Before they could say a word, though, Rainbow Dash’s eyes flashed, and she said, “Princess! Starswirl’s spellbook! I know the answer!”

Celestia’s eyes widened in surprise at this uncharacteristic greeting, but her horn lit, and the book appeared. Rainbow Dash’s mouth opened in an exultant smile. She opened it up.

Friends together create their own destiny. New friends create new destinies.

Light exploded forth, engulfing the entire throne room. When they could see again, the Six stood… elsewhere. There was a surface under their hooves, but they could see nothing but stars there. Princess Luna and Princess Celestia both stood there, surprise on their faces - and then joy. Images formed in the air around them, the many triumphs of all six of them, their friendship overcoming all obstacles on the way to their greatest success - to save Harmony itself, in a world where it had already died.

Celestia and Luna looked to each other, smiled, and drew in a breath.

Rarity interjected first. “I’ll pass! You only need three, and I’d get sooooooooooo bored after the first five hundred years.”

The two alicorns coughed together, caught quite by surprise.

Given that moment, Rainbow Dash’s eyes widened. “This… this is the astral plane. This is…” She stared at Celestia and Luna. “... How did we get to the astral plane?”

“Silly!” said Rarity cheerfully. “We’ve proven ourselves worthy of being alicorns and now Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are going to unlock the power we already have inside ourselves to ascend, only I don’t want to because then I’d get really bored eventually and turn into Nightmare Rarity and you’d have to have this big adventure with Spike and your Faithful Student to rainbow-zap me back into being good and that seems like a lot of work and they only really need three so I’m not gonna do it!”

“Alicorns?” breathed Pinkie. Then blinked and shook her head. “Oh, no, no, no, I must decline as well.”

“Decline?” asked Celestia.

Pinkie nodded firmly. “It is my intention to be the foremost fashion designer in Equestria, Princess,” she said. “If I should become royalty, then I should never be able to do any such thing fairly. Whatever I might design would, by virtue of being my design, be fashion. It would be entirely impossible.”

“Ah’d rather not leave Big Mac, Cheerilee, an’ the foals,” admitted Fluttershy.

“I… see,” said Celestia, bemused. She looked to the other three. “And you?”

“Rares said you need three, you’ve got three left, I’ll do it,” said Captain Sparkle, chin high. “I call dibs on Princess of Storms. I’ve gotta get a totally awesome title if I’m gonna be a Princess instead of a Wonderbolt.”

Rainbow Dash’s mouth was dry. Ascension. A horn of her own. As long as she wanted to see her Pegasus School established, pegasus mages spreading across Equestria. And as an alicorn, she’d have earth pony magic too. She could investigate some theories of hers about how earth ponies could express their magic. And… it was what she’d always secretly dreamed of, sitting by Princess Celestia’s side, ruling with her. She’d always thought maybe she might be Archmage, or Grand Vizier, or even Regent and fill in for her, raising the sun while Celestia took a vacation, but… “... I accept,” she said.

Applejack looked down at the starstuff below. Two stars streaked by. She closed her eyes. “... Ah accept too,” she said softly. “Gotta lotta ponies Ah can do right by.”

“Very well,” said Celestia, and lowered her head. “Then arise, my little ponies. Arise, Princesses of the Three Tribes.”

***

It took some time for the new Princesses to be ready to rule on their own, but eventually Celestia and Luna stepped down.

***

Soaking in the magic of a pair of alicorns all day long, their herdsister Lyra Heartstrings became a very strong caster indeed. Even their stallion eventually learned to cast, and not even Rarity had seen that coming.

***

“Only ‘cause you added it in at the very end! Cheater!”

Appendix: Art, Notes, Links, etc

Nothing yet!

Author's Note

This is a placeholder for if/when I have art, links, or other non-story material that I want to include. By creating the chapter up front, I can edit the chapter later to add these without spamming you with 'new chapter' notices. Actual edits will be announced via blog entries instead, but I do want to be able to keep everything in one place. Site policy is not to create new non-story chapters, not to not have them at all, right?