Fractured Fairy Tails: Return to Wonderland

by Unknown Tale

Rating: teen
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Colgate, Rarity, Adventure, Twilight Sparkle, Crossover, Dark
Length: 6264

Twilight Sparkle returns to Wonderland, only to find out about a strange chess game was starting. Does she have enough courage to help the Queen?

The third installment to the Fractured Fairy Tails continuing the story of Twilight's first trip down the rabbit hole. This story will feature parts from both books and a few special twists that will make you think, "What just happened 5 seconds ago?"

Twilight Sparkle may be going deeper through Wonderland, but she is not alone for the big game in the future. See her and new characters in this new tale!

(Note: This story is darker than the other stories I created or will create.)

Published 2014-12-07 01:50:08 UTC
Last updated 2014-12-07 01:50:08 UTC

One - The Doorway to the Fountain

Twilight Sparkle went into the Everfree Forest and found the hole she went down last time. "I wonder..." She caught a glimpse of Fluttershy going down it. She went over to the hole and carefully fell into it. The fall slowly changed speeds to really fast to very slow. "Maybe this time there will be another door I can unlock."

She then saw Colgate falling at the same speed as her. "Twily, is that you?" Colgate asked.

"Hello, Colgate. I heard you were heading to Wonderland as well?" Colgate nodded. "They wanted me for a certain thing, but I'm not sure what it is they want me for."

"I'm guessing it has something to do with a Wandering Knight." Colgate gasped. "HOW DID YOU KNOW?"

"Princess Luna told me all about it," Twilight easily replied.

"I heard that she was the first to go down the rabbit hole, is that true?" Twilight nodded. The two then landed softly on the ground. Fluttershy signaled Colgate to follow her. Colgate ran to the door Twilight entered the first time. Twilight stood up on her two hooves and walked over to another side of the hallway. "Wow, most of these doors have 2 or 3 keyholes. Now I need to find out if there is another key I can use." To her surprise there was only one key hanging on a wall. She picked the key up and inspected the shape of the end. She checked the keyholes to find a match. There was only one that matched, a blue door with red hearts on it. She opened the door to find a fountain in the center of a large walking area. "I wonder..." She walked straight to it, only to be greeted by a light blue pony with dark blue stripes.

"Twilight, where have you been?" Rainbow Dash greeted as she appeared.

"Cheshire Dash! I've been up in my world with my friends," Twilight replied.

"I thought you forgot about me... I'm glad you didn't. C'mon, I wanna show you something!" She ran to the fountain. Twilight followed. "This is the queen's secret fountain, she uses it to call upon the griffon or to check the angle of the sun."

"Why is the griffon in the water?"

"Eh, some silly reason I don't even know about. Anyways, you came on a special day."

"What's so special about today?"

Rainbow Dash grinned. "Today is the chess game Red Rarity is doing! You see, while you were gone a kingdom tried to take over ours and we're finding out if we are to fall to them. Now that you're here, you can be one of the two knight's we are missing."

"A knight? Oh no, I don't know how-to--" Twilight got interrupted by Rainbow putting a hoof on her mouth. "You don't need to, you have magic. You're a unicorn like Trixie told me."

"Oh." Twilight Sparkle then looked at the fountain. "Who is the griffon?" She then bit her lip because Rarity was heading to the fountain.

Twilight and Rainbow hid behind a bench as Rarity lifted her front hooves and said,
"Oh mystic griffon,
come from the farthest space,
through wind, through darkness, I sumon thee,
let me see your face."

The griffon rose from the fountain. It looked like it was Gilda. Rarity chuckled. "SHE has arrived," Rarity said to Gilda.

Author's Note

References: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (might do a tale on that someday)

Three - The Flower Ponies

Twilight Sparkle walked happily through the path gazing around a part of Wonderland she has never seen before. She saw fireflies that change color as a pony passes by. Twilight even loved how everything looked organized and neat. All the hedges were trimmed, the flowers were planted evenly, and even the grass is evened out. Then she saw a pony in the shape of Lyra Heartstrings carrying a flower in her mouth. "Girls I found another flower that is allowed in our garden," she tried to say. "GIRLS GET OVER HERE," she tried again. Then she decided to walk to the others. Curious at what Lyra was doing, Twilight followed her. She soon saw three other ponies. She could only recognize Sunset Shimmer but not the other two. "Rosebud, look," Lyra said. Rosebud walked over to her.

"Ah, my favorite kind of flower, a rose!"

"Plant it right here, it'll get enough sun every day over here," Sunset Shimmer suggested.

"No, maybe we can plant it here," a yellow pony named Tulip Breeze suggested. "It'll get equal amounts of rain and sun."

"It won't matter you two, we're in a wide open area," Rosebud said stopping a fight.

"That explains your Cutie Mark..." Tulip said.

"KNOCK IT OFF TWO LIP BREEZE."

"Eheheh... whoops. HEY, WAIT A MIN--"

Sunset Shimmer cleared her throat. "Hey Lyra, who's the purple pony next to you?"

Lyra turned to Twilight Sparkle. "I have no idea," she replied.

Twilight blushed and said, "I'm Twilight Sparkle."

Rosebud then went over to her, "You don't look like a Sparkle, more of a blue... thing..."

"Cut it out Rosebud," Tulip snapped. "You don't treat ponies like that."

"She is kind-of cute, I love how the mane looks," Sunset Shimmer and Lyra said in unison.

Twilight blushed again and said, "I was just strolling until I saw Lyra."

"We do more than organize this place," Lyra started.

"We dance, chat, and sing," Rosebud finished. "I mostly dance..." Tulip replied.

"I'd love to hear some of your music sometime you four," Twilight said. Lyra became real happy that she squeed.

"Well, we are working on two. One is on flowers and one is on a dream thing..."

"Caravan," Rosebud corrected.

"Oh, yeah!" Lyra squeed again. "What is a caravan exactly?"

"I have no idea, maybe it's a mail carrier." Twilight Sparkle watched the girls talk more about the word to the point where she switched subjects. "So girls, there is a thing going on about a Wandering Knight named Colgate. Do you know anything about this?"

"Hmmm... Nope," Lyra replied.

"I don't know," Tulip and Rosebud said.

"Well I do," Sunset Shimmer finally said.

"What do you know about her Sunset?" asked Twilight.

"The Wandering Knight was a protector of Wonderland, she was said to know the way through a single chess match and shine light for the followers as well. Her last known appearance was before the 1st time you entered Wonderland."

"How did you know?"

"Derpy, who else?" Twilight Sparkle could make a whole list of every pony she found in Wonderland so far, but decided to keep her mouth closed.

"That would probably be way too true to trump." Sunset nodded in agreement.

"Oh yes, I gotta go find out more about Colgate. See you later girls." Sunset Shimmer walked off.

"Sorry girls but I gotta go too. I never been in this part of Wonderland so I might walk around a bit more," Twilight Sparkle said.

"Take Care!" the girls replied. Twilight Sparkle walked back over to the pathway and continued on.

Four - 'The Wandering Knight'

Colgate was walking next to Fluttershy now wearing a knight outfit without a helmet. She saw lots of interesting creatures in Wonderland, some of the ponies that live there, and learned how-to use her sword. But things were troublesome up ahead for them. They went into a doorway that was big enough for them. They entered the Queen's Garden and were met by Discord. "Bet you weren't expecting ME," he said.

"Oh King, where's Red Rarity...?" Fluttershy asked.

"She went to our griffon," he replied. Colgate shook a bit. "G-g-g, g-g-g-griffon!?" she stammered.

"Don't worry, she's a fine fellow if you get on her good side. I asked her to divide by zero, and she punched me in the face."

"How rude...!" Fluttershy said angrily. She checked her watch. "And she's even late..."

Colgate took the opportunity to head into the garden. To her own surprise, fruit bats were going at her. "OH NO YOU," she swung her sword, "DON'T!" the bats were sent flying into the maze. She suddenly broke into song when more bats flew at her.

"I am the Wandering Knight,
I am here to make a big delight.
I will make sure you know what I do,
to make you realize you can do it too.

I help the innocent,
I defeat bad ponies,
I have played chess,
which though it doesn't ease,
the problems that I have,
when I have a simple plan,
to save a friend,
or just use a frying pan... Wait what?"

The bats she fought off ended up flying away to another location. "Mission Accomplished. Next, I gotta find and meet up with the queen." She ran back to Fluttershy, who was way too impatient to stand. The two suddenly went off and down a long winding pathway.

Meanwhile, Twilight Sparkle was looking around, searching for more things to know. She then came across Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, who were playing with each other in a meadowy area. "Um, excuse me," Twilight called. The two then ran over to her. "What is with all the Wandering Knight stuff going on?"

"Well, Ms. Sparkle, it has something to do with Red Rarity's upcoming chess game. The Wandering Knight always has certain plans that can help with the chess game which doesn't play like regular chess for some odd reason," Sweetie Belle replied.

"All we know is that she goes by the plans she plans and the ones she plans on planning. Even that doesn't make any sense," Scootaloo added in. Twilight Sparkle stood confused for a moment, but then she knew what Scootaloo was talking about. "So she's being her own boss?" she asked.

"Exactly," Scootaloo replied. "Now try to be careful. This pathway can lead back to Red Rarity's OR to the Tulgey Woods."

"If it suddenly becomes a huge forest, I'll keep that in mind." Twilight walked off. "Thanks for helping," she said before leaving the two entirely.

"What a strange pony," Sweetie Belle said.

Author's Note

References: Foster's Home

Five - Strange Visions

"My dreams come and go as the smoke rings fire and haze.
Then the strange visions appear as they chant this weird serenade."

Colgate layed eyes on the light blue unicorn, Trixie. She was singing a song of strange words as she walked near her. "Hey, um, where are you heading off to?" she asked.

Trixie turned to her and said, "Forgive me for answering a question with a question. whO aRe yoU?"

"I'm Colgate, the Wandering Knight."

"Then the legend is true. You are one of the knights Red Rarity needs for the CHESS game. So they say..."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Colgate asked, a little anger in her voice.

"It means you have much to learn if you wanna take their king."

"Oh, I know, it is like chess only... har-- der..." She cleared her throat, then saw Twilight Sparkle in the distance enjoying her stroll down the path. Twilight coughed a bit from Trixie's smell of smoke. Why does she smell like that? she thought. Trixie turned to Twilight Sparkle. "Hello again," she said.

"Oh, hello Trixie! Nice to see you again."

"Yeah, well we have entered troubled times here in Wonderland. We have found a new enemy."

"A new enemy? Who's that?"

"The Black Queen. She looks similar to a changeling or whatever they call that... thing."

"I remember hearing something about her taking the Jabberwocky. Is that true?"

"That griffon does say many things so I guess she is RIGHT. Not like RIGHT as in the direction I mean... yeah, yoU probably know that already... Anyways..."

Twilight looked real deep in thought. "The Black Queen... a changeling... this seems all too familiar." A vision suddenly entered her mind. "CHRYSALIS."

"Chrysa-what?" Trixie asked.

"Chrysalis: The Changeling Queen. She almost ruled Equestria one day. What could she want with Wonderland?"

Trixie shrugged. Colgate, however, could feel anger burning from the name. She growled and said, "No, I will not forgive her, she must be stopped. BUT WHERE DO I START?"

Twilight put a hoof on Colgate. "Whoa, Colgate, calm down."

"Y-yeah... you're right..." Colgate then said, shyly. "So, where's the queen?" she then asked. Twilight and Trixie knew the answer and pointed down one direction. "Okay thanks." Colgate and Fluttershy ran off.

Trixie couldn't bare keeping her secret from Twilight. "Twilight..." she started. Twilight looked at her. "I need to tell U something I should've before I sent you back the first time."

"What's that?" Twilight asked curiously.

"I always see strange things everywhere I go. I should've known better than to be the All-Knowing of Wonderland. I see Strange Visions chanting serenades, and they come and they go as things fire and blaze. I have too much time on my hooves looking through great victories and harmful catastrophes. I am needed rarely to tell them about the future and the problems we would come across."

"Why do those words sound familiar?"

"Because it is," Trixie quickly replied. "DON'T, TELL, ANYPONY. I have gone through enough pain and change as it is." She showed her darkening tail. "Forgive me..." Twilight Sparkle understood how much pain she was feeling from those events. The only words she could say to her were, "It'll be alright in the end. I promise." She then walked on. Trixie let a tear roll down her face as she smiled. Thank you, Twilight. She teleported away.

Author's Note

References: The Giver

Six - Colgate and The Queen

Minutes flew by real fast. Colgate and Fluttershy ran down the pathway feeling worried about their queen. Rarity, I hope you're alright, Fluttershy thought. It turned out that Rarity was on her way to the kingdom, but she looked like she suffered a huge fight. "My queen...!" Fluttershy said running to her aid. "What happened...!?"

"Oh, it was just a minor fall. Queens can make mistakes too you know."

"Oh, I thought you were attacked..."

"Well, I was attacked by a changeling trying to keep me from being in the chess match."

"Oh my..." Colgate walked over to Rarity.

"So, you're the queen?"

"The one and only Red Rarity! And you are...?"

"Colgate, the Wandering Knight," she replied bowing.

"There's no need to bow to me right now," Rarity then said. Colgate stood back up.

"I heard about you from Twilight Sparkle. This whole time I thought she was mad! It turned out she wasn't. She was right about you changing." Rarity blushed. "So who're you playing chess with?"

"The enemy. The changling qu--" Colgate put a hoof Rarity's her mouth.

"Don't, say it." Rarity nodded. Colgate put her hoof back onto the ground. "Sorry Rarity, there was a bad history of her in Equestria."

"Oh, I know she won't do any further damage to my kingdom in Wonderland. Everypony here goes by my ways. The ones that don't are taken to the dungeon. But now I let those struggles on them go away and gave less harsh punishments." Colgate was amazed.

"So you are not a tyrant after all," she said.

"So, um, I bumped into Twilight today... She seems happy despite this huge battle coming..." Fluttershy informed Rarity.

"Oh that's quite alright, she'll be fine as long as she does not cause trouble," Rarity replied. "We already had enough mischief the first time."

"Yeah... That was an awkward day... I don't like talking about it around anypony except her..."

Rarity patted Fluttershy's back. "Don't worry. It won't probably happen again after Pinkie Hatter learned her lesson."

Colgate could hear glass shatter in her mind. "Wouldn't she do it again since she is, MAD?" she asked.

Rarity thought for a moment. "I didn't consider that at all..." Colgate sighed and then turned to the kingdom.

"Should we go there before the king gets angry?"

"Great idea," Fluttershy and Rarity said together. The three ran back to the kingdom.

"WHAT'S TAKING THEM SO LONG!?" Discord said angrily in the throne room.

"Relax," Shining Armor replied. "I'm sure they'll be back any minute."

"Don't you know that every minute that passes by is a minute I could've used increasing the madness in Wonderland!?"

"Yeah, you make a good point..." Shining Armor walked out with a letter being carried by magic to send to Apple Hare. "I promise, a few more seconds will help get those three back here."

"You better be right..." Discord muttered.

Twilight Sparkle then entered the room. "King Discord, something is worrying me..."

"What is it my dear?"

"It's about Trixie. She's been acting very... depressed... rather than last time where she was in strong control of herself."

"Yeah, I have heard of this problem. I'm thinking about getting her a home just like Pinkie Hatter, Apple Hare, Derpy, Spike, and Rabbitshy."

"Do you think that would solve her problem?"

"More or less..." Twilight facehoofed herself. "This is just ridiculous..."

"Oh, you have no idea." Discord made a rainbow appear in front of Twilight. Oh dear, she thought. What's he doing now?

Eight - A Bad Time

It was only a few hours before the match. Fluttershy panicked through every passing second, thinking about how dark and scary the fight would be. She then stopped to look at her watch and thought she could try a time spell. Colgate watched her the whole time. She then walked over to Fluttershy and asked, "Hey Rabbitshy, is everything okay?"

"Oh, Ms. Colgate, I'm just freaking out so badly... I think that if I do a bit of some training, it could ease out my pain... um... Is that a good idea...?"

"I don't know. Practicing time spells could cause dangerous things to happen."

"I think I can do it..."

"And I won't stop you." The two brohoofed and Colgate walked away. Fluttershy looked at one of Rarity's spellbooks and saw a spell for a pony with a pocket watch. The Fast Forward. She studied how the spell works and then started practicing.

At exactly 3:42, it happened. Fluttershy prepared her time spell. "Fast Forward...!" She fired it a target. It hit, but not on where she wanted it. It pushed Discord, who was walking by, out of the room. Fluttershy gasped and ran over to him. "Oh gosh...! I'm so sorry my king...!" Discord didn't answer. "How could this happen...? The queen we'll definitely hurt me for something like this...!" She started sobbing on Discord. She then felt his hand pet her gently.

"I'm not dead, just a bit older. You did a good job with it."

Fluttershy looked up, tears still in her eyes. "B-but, my king..."

"Do not worry my dear. I go through some weird stuff in my life. It was worse than that time the sky turned pink!"

"Believe me, that was rather scary... But at least we got our first taste of chocolate...!" She started smiling.

"I can still move, but please let me recover." He then spawned a rabbit plush for her to hug. "Try not to lose it. It can help you feel better."

Fluttershy's eyes sparkled. "Thank you...!"

"No..." Discord replied, as he suddenly transformed into a changeling. "Thank ME!" Fluttershy gasped and started running. The changeling then followed. "DON'T YOU WANT TO HEAR THE REST OF MY SPEECH!?" Fluttershy kept running. A changeling! I was tricked! she thought. She then was pinned down by the changeling. "Any last words before I change ye?"

"Just one... Bakuhatsu...!" An explosion surrounded her, not damaging her, but caused the changeling to fly off and out of the kingdom. "So if that wasn't Discord, then where is he...?"

Discord happened to be in a safe location. Colgate was practicing in front of him, polishing off her moves. "The forest may be dark and scary," she said, "but I'm not stopping now."

"That's the spirit! Keep it up!"

Ten - The Match

It was awfully quiet on the field. The chessboard looked normal at first as everypony got to their positions. Twilight Sparkle and Colgate could see Chrysalis in the Queen spot as they took their positions. Shining Armor whispered to Twilight, "If you did it before, you can do it again!" Rarity rolled her eyes as she waited. Night fell and a giant forest separated the two. Rarity then yelled, "Let the battle begin!" The two kingdoms then charged at each other. Knight versus Knight, Hoof to hoof, showing Wonderland which kingdom is better! Twilight and Colgate nodded and decided to stick together during the fight. "This is not like chess..." Twilight said in fear. The two walked to a safe area and then started fighting off a couple of pawns. Twilight used her magic to capture the two and send them flying.

"AAAAAAAAIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEE!"

"There they go!" The Red Kingdom managed to say before going back to fighting. Colgate chuckled a bit from it. "That's one way to defeat a changeling..." Twilight said as they waited for another pony.

Rarity was already charging ahead for the other pawns. "EXPLOSION!" The forest was quiet for a moment.

KA-BOOM! The pawns were then set flying. "Check," she said. The Jabberwocky and Chrysalis dashed to another part of the forest. "SO CLOSE..." She started growling at herself and started running for them.

Fluttershy approached a changeling knight with extreme caution. "Um... can you go move out of the way...? I need to walk through here..." The knight did not respond until Colgate's sword slashed near it. The knight ran in fear, screaming. "Thank you..." Fluttershy squeed. Colgate picked up the sword and dashed to the next enemy as Fluttershy trotted happily.

Twilight Sparkle caught up to the Jabberwocky before Rarity did. "I'm not letting you get away. I'm not afraid of your jaws that bite or your claws that catch!" The two ponies went hoof to hoof with each other. "Can't you see you're being used by the Changeling Queen!?"

"So what?" it replied. "Chrysalis gives me what I want when I want."

"You leave me with no choice!" She made a sword using her magic and struck the Jabberwocky four times. "One, two, one, two, as the vorpal blade went snicker-snack." The Jabberwocky fell. "I leave you down with something to think about. Never get on my bad side." She then ran again.

Fluttershy and Colgate took out both Rooks and Bishops as they went for the knights. "Sorry, but I must do this... Explosion...!" Fluttershy made the explosion circle around her causing one knight to fall over. "Too cute...? Sorry, I can't help it...!" She blushed. Colgate rolled her eyes. She then turned to see Rarity and Twilight chasing after Chrysalis. Colgate and Fluttershy ran at her too.

"Checkmate!" Twilight called out. Chrysalis was angered to be defeated by three of the Mane Six and a background pony.

When she was finally surrounded, she said, "You won't get away with this Twilight Sparkle! This is far from over!" Despite the chess rulings, the changelings came out when she spoke these words...

ATTACK ON TWILIGHT!

Twilight started feeling fear again as the residents of Wonderland looked at her. Rainbow Dash then got in front of her. "We may be mad, but we've got strong hearts for our Sparkle!"

"Cheshire Dash..."

"We won't let you hurt our friend!" Apple Bloom and Dazzle said going in front of Rainbow Dash.

"Bloom... Dazzle..."

"We won't celebrate your un-birthday, but your fall!" Pinkie Pie and Applejack said going in front of the others.

"They... care for me..."

"The all-knowing Trixie agrees!" Trixie's voice echoed as she teleported in front.

"And you're going to like it!!" Fluttershy said in a outraged tone running to Trixie's side. Twilight Sparkle was awestruck.

Rarity then said to Twilight and Colgate, "Run, before they catch you two."

Twilight Sparkle and Colgate ran as the Wonderland residents fought off the Changelings. The two entered a door into the Hall of Doors and locked it. Colgate sighed in relief and then said, "It's time, Twilight." Twilight nodded in agreement as the two went over to the hole.

"How do we get back up?" she asked.

Princess Luna then came down to them. "Do not worry you two. I shall bring you back up." Twilight and Colgate jumped onto her as she flew back up to Equestria.

I'm sorry Red Rarity, Luna thought to herself, but we must see each other another day.

Author's Note

References: Attack on Titan

Eleven - An End to the Journey

Princess Luna soon landed on the ground of the Everfree Forest. Twilight Sparkle sighed in relief. "I'm glad that battle's over."

Luna turned to her and said, "Battle? What happened Ms. Sparkle?"

"There was a reason Colgate was the Wandering Knight. She was to stop an old evil from before. The one called the Black Queen."

Colgate nodded. "It turned out to be Chrysalis--"

Luna gasped. "No... Not that evil entity...! Out of everypony I know who is hungry for control it had to be her...! How can this be...!?"

Twilight got off Luna and said, "The inhabitants of Wonderland are currently defending me and Colgate after giving her a strong defeat. Why are they being so protective?"

"You done so much to be considered a hero," Luna replied. "Your name will always be remembered, even when you are not even there. You taught them many lessons and saved countless lives. It is why Chrysalis called you Alice Sparkle."

"It was all from my... first adventure..." Twilight ran off to Ponyville. Colgate stayed with Luna to ask about the adventure.

Twilight Sparkle stopped as soon as she got into Ponyville. Her friends were looking at her like she had a rough day.

"Whoa, Twilight, what happened?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Did you get into Wonderland again?" Rarity asked.

"Did you suffer another battle?" Applejack asked.

"Are you hurt...?" Fluttershy also asked.

"Did you have a sad face?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"Girls, girls, relax! I'm okay! Though I probably set an old enemy back one or two years..." she replied.

"Hey, no fair! I wanted in on that action!" Rainbow Dash replied. Twilight Sparkle chuckled a bit.

"Okay Dash. Maybe another time." Trixie then appeared.

"Sorry, but I have to check if you're okay." She felt the top of her head. "Oh my... you are mad." Twilight Sparkle felt she was too.

"I may be... but it should be gone when..."

Shining Star ran up to her. "Twilight! Where were you!? I was so worried! I think everypony else was too!" Rainbow Dash held back her laughter.

"I'll explain later Shine," she said.

The End
Next Part: To Be Announced

Author's Note

This might not be my best fic, but at least in the end I got it to work. I don't mind ideas on improving this Tail so please do tell me everypony. Please do comment, rate, and follow.

Prologue

Ever wondered what would happen
if the mane six could travel into different stories,
and that they were not exactly like the stories you know?
What if there was a twist to every story
and they would never make you think the same thing before?
What if there were Kings and Queens
Pirates and Lost Ponies
Mythical Creatures and more?
Everypony, welcome to the Fractured Fairy Tails!

Part 3 - Return to Wonderland

Colgate was taking a walk around Ponyville when she noticed a silver sword gleaming at her. Curious on knowing what it could possibly be, she walked over to it and picked it up. There was a club keychain on the hilt's bottom which lit up as she touched it. "Huh? W-what's going on!?" She suddenly got teleported to the Everfree Forest with the sword in her hoof. "How strange, why would it teleport me here? Maybe it could be a certain test of courage!"

She then heard a clock ticking. It was Fluttershy wearing a waistcoat and a watch. "Hey, you must be the Wandering Knight...!" she said to Colgate.

"Huh? A-are you confusin' me for somepony else?"

"Oh no...! You did pick up the sword Red Rarity was talking about and you look exactly like her from a vision I had... Come with me, if that's okay..."

"Sure thing!"

Meanwhile, Twilight Sparkle was telling Celestia and Luna about her past trip to Wonderland. "The queen's expression changed from being all tough to being scared. It was kind-of crazy."

"The Red Queen, usually pushes things a bit too far for her own good," Luna replied. "I can't believe you actually reasoned her out." Then she thought for a moment. "Ever heard of the Wandering Knight?" she asked Twilight.

"No, never heard of that."

"Well, Red Rarity has a thing about a blue and white unicorn finding a Silver Sword and then falling down the rabbit hole."

"Seems as though that's something Colgate would do."

Celestia then said to Twilight, "I believe she would be lost there unless you go help her around."

Twilight thought for a moment or two then said, "She could be lost for a long time unless I go and help her. I gotta go see why this is all happening."

"Best of luck Twilight," Luna said. Twilight threw on her Alice outfit and went straight towards the Everfree Forest.

Two - The Red Griffon

Twilight Sparkle peered through the bench to see Gilda. "Who in Equestria is that...?" she asked herself.

"Shh...!" Rainbow Dash replied, quieting Twilight.

"The Wandering Knight, speak her name!" Gilda requested.

"Colgate," Rarity replied.

"No way," Twilight mouthed.

Gilda yawned. "Could it be something cool like Minuette or Silver? Maybe Midnight?"

"Nope, just Colgate."

Gilda sighed. "What else do you want to know?" Rainbow Dash then ran to Gilda.

Rarity ran over to Rainbow and said, "What the hay are you doing here? Go find that Rabbit and Knight." Rainbow Dash flew off. "Tell me, Red Griffon... tell me about our strategy."

"I can't do that right now, somepony is watching," Gilda replied. Twilight Sparkle turned around. "Listening."

Twilight teleported to Rarity. "I'm not a spy, just a traveler known as Twilight Sparkle."

"You could be an Alice," Gilda taunted.

"ALICE?" Twilight repeated. Rarity put a hoof in Twilight's mouth.

"We'll talk more about that at another time Ms. Sparkle. Now, Gilda, please have no further interruptions, I need to know more about our enemy."

"They have the fearsome... JABBERWOCKY." Rarity gasped and took her hoof off Twilight.

"What's a Jabberwocky?" Twilight asked.

Gilda turned to Twilight and said, "Cheshire Dash usually recites the first lines, but I know the Jabberwocky has fangs that bite and CLAWS THAT CATCH. He lives in the Tulgey Woods and hides in every known area. That terrible Jabberwocky causes nothing but trouble in that part of Wonderland. They say when you get through those woods and past the Jabberwocky, you'll be back in the Hall of Doors. But, I digress. The Jabberwocky is known to show up when you don't even notice like the Jub Jub and the Bandersnatch. They too live in the same area. I don't know what's stronger in that woodland area. I'll keep checking."

Twilight stood silent for a moment. "Is there any known way to defeat the Jabberwocky?"

"Can't tell, the poem wasn't finished. It could be anything." Twilight facehoofed. "That didn't solve any questions. All I can think of is a simple blade, but what?"

Rarity then said, "Before you go, please introduce yourself to Ms. Sparkle."

Gilda then said, "I am the Red Griffon, you can call on me anytime, BUT IT BETTER NOT BE A STUPID QUESTION LIKE WHY CAN'T I DIVIDE BY ZERO. Now if you two excuse me, I gotta finish reading a book." She dived back into the water and mysteriously vanished.

"Twilight, you are free to roam this area, but don't go too far," Rarity said.

"Yes, your majesty," Twilight replied. She walked off down the pathway.

Seven - Got a Heart My Queen?

As the Rainbow starts getting closer to Twilight Sparkle, she could see Red Rarity in the past, seeing how cruel she was two years after Princess Luna has been to Wonderland, hoping to get revenge for a promise that was never meant to happen. "What is this? What is going on? What did you do Discord?" she tried to ask, but instead could feel the rainbow coming really close to her. She gulped and cried out for help. She then saw Colgate's sword slice the rainbow in half. "Twilight, snap out of it!"

Twilight shook her head asking herself about what she saw. She then saw Colgate and Rarity looking at her like she's gone mad. "Why, Twilight, you look like you gone mad," Colgate said. This made Twilight jump back in fear. "I-I'm sorry if I freaked you out, Colgate."

"It happens all the time here."

Rarity walked over to Discord and stared him down. "What did YOU DO!?" she asked angrily.

"My queen, I didn't know--"

"I am sick and tired of all the excuses you have said in the past! I've had it!!"

Twilight Sparkle put a hoof in Rarity's mouth. "My queen! You're going mad again!" Rarity stopped feeling angry as Twilight took her hoof away.

"I'm sorry, Twilight... I didn't know what got into me..."

Colgate was full of rage. "I can't believe you, I trusted you! Do you even have a heart!?"

Rarity sighed. "I do... I do have a heart. And I did many moons before. Two and a half years ago, Luna left me in charge of Wonderland. I asked her if she was coming back and she said, 'You'll have to wait and see.' There was two years of peace, laughter, and madness. I would gaze at the sky every night and ask 'Will you come back?' But after two whole years, I thought she would never come back and I took the anger out on other ponies. There was six whole months of my rage until Twilight Sparkle came and put me in my place. Now that Chrysalis is here, I felt the same rage I did before. Thanks to you two, I'll be at peace again by the end of this problem."

"I'm helping too," Twilight replied. Colgate, Rarity, and Discord gasped in shock. "Are you sure about this Ms. Sparkle?"

Twilight Sparkle nodded. "An enemy of my friend is always an enemy. I'm gonna TAKE, HER, DOWN." The army of 52 cheered, clapped, and chanted Twilight's name. Fluttershy ran over to her. "Twilight, please, follow me... There is so much to do...!" Twilight Sparkle nodded again. "Where do we start, Rabbitshy?"

"Do you know how-to fight...?"

"Yes."

"Then we begin at sunset... Feel free to wait here in the castle until that time..."

Nine - Twilight and the Past

It was now 4pm. Twilight Sparkle waited for the gold trimming on the sky as Time passed by. Time, are you being very slow today? There was no answer. She sighed and turned to face a clock. The tune it played sounded very familiar to something in the past. She can't recall what it was exactly. "What is it playing? It sounds very nice!" she said softly.

Rarity then entered the room seeing a bored Twilight Sparkle in the center looking at the clock. "Ms. Sparkle," she said, "Time will move slower if you stare at a clock all day."

"I'm sorry," Twilight replied. "But why must we have this meaningless battle?"

"Oh, you wouldn't believe me if I told you. But I do remember Chrysalis saying something about you being the young girl who visited Wonderland many times. She said something about calling you Alice Sparkle."

"What's that got to do with anything?" Rarity sighed and showed her a book. Twilight Sparkle in Wonderland.

"You do remember everything that happened, don't you?" Twilight stared at the cover.

"That book... It wasn't a dream after all. This place is real!" Rarity nodded.

Twilight Sparkle facehoofed herself. "Oh dear, why did I keep thinking I was dreaming before!?"

"I do not know. But I do know how it happened." Rarity cleared her throat.

"She followed a rabbit down a hole,
she got tiny, and tall,
swam across a sea,
and ran around a course so small.

She met a pair of twins,
who love to sing their songs,
and then met up with the rabbit,
and didn't stay indoors for long.

She got stuck in a house (big surprise),
and managed out with help,
then met the all-knowing,
and knew her real well.

The cat had a big grin,
but didn't scare her off (so glad),
she led her to a party,
and found out everyone was mad!

Then she met a queen,
for a game that the queen led,
but she had been charged with going her way,
and it was 'Off with her head!'

It's a work-in-progress, it'll get better." Twilight Sparkle smiled and said, "It did sum up my entire journey."

Rarity was about to reply when Applejack entered the room. "Twilight, Red Rarity. I want to tell you two, the trimming is near."

"TO THE CHESSMATCH EVERYPONY!" There was much rejoicing... again. Ponies were cheering, running, hollering, and flying all around the castle and then ran out. Discord, Fluttershy, Colgate, Rarity, and Twilight joined the pack. "Twilight, are you sure about this?" Colgate asked one last time.

"I am sure," Twilight replied.

Author's Note

References: The first Fractured Tail
The Outsiders