Chapter Six

Twilight Sparkle alighted at the bottom of the ravine. The cave which housed the Tree of Harmony was nearby, but there was no sign of Queen Chrysalis or her changelings.

Applejack walked up beside her. “Seems awful quiet.”

“A little too quiet,” agreed Twilight.

Suddenly, an avalanche of rock roared down the slope. The thunderous din was so jarring that the ground beneath their hooves trembled as with an earthquake. When the ravine was again still, Twilight turned to see what had been the cause of it all.

Standing atop a pile of rubble, Pinkie Pie dusted herself off. She noticed the sharp glares from her friends and ducked her head apologetically. “Sorry, my bad.”

Hovering above the others, Rainbow Dash let out an exasperated sigh. “So much for the element of surprise.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t say that,” said Rarity, hopping down from the last step of the stairs cut into the cliff. “It doesn’t look as if anypony’s been here since that horrid incident with Lord Tirek.”

“It does seem that way,” Twilight allowed, but she was still skeptical. There may not be any tracks, but changelings could fly just as easily as they could walk. She glanced at the others to make sure they were all present. Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Spike, and… “Fluttershy?”

A pale yellow head peeked out over the top of the cliff. “Yes?”

Applejack scowled. “What the hay are ya doin’ up there?”

“Fluttershy, darling,” encouraged Rarity. “We need you to come down now.”

“Um…” Fluttershy mumbled. “I don’t think… I mean, if it’s not too much trouble… What I’m trying to say is, um…”

“Ugh! Spit it out already!” exclaimed Rainbow Dash.

“I… I don’t think this is a good idea,” Fluttershy managed at last.

“Why not?” asked Twilight Sparkle. “Why didn’t you say anything before?”

“Oh… well, um… I didn’t want to be a bother.”

“You’re being a bother now,” Rainbow grumbled.

Fluttershy did not appear to have heard. “It’s just that… well, I think we should have brought Misty Moonrise with us. She seemed so worried…”

“But we already waited a long time,” Spike said, “and she never showed up. It’s not like we can ask the changelings to wait until we’re ready to kick their tails.”

“I know, but…”

“Fluttershy.” Twilight stepped forward, careful to maintain a patient tone. “We can defeat Chrysalis without Misty Moonrise, but we can’t do it without you. Will you please come down?”

Fluttershy considered Twilight’s words, eyes still tight with anxiety. Then she took a deep breath and started down the stone steps. Though her progress was slow, Fluttershy did eventually join her friends at the bottom of the ravine.

“Okay,” said Twilight Sparkle, facing the cave. “Let’s go.”

They set off at a brisk trot, but slowed once they reached the yawning mouth of the cavern. The constant, faint glow from the Tree of Harmony within painted the earthen walls a pale, cool blue. Cautiously, they made their way inside.

A figure stood in shadow before the crystalline Tree. She was tall and slender, with a horn and wings.

Twilight Sparkle and the others stopped.

“It’s over, Chrysalis,” Twilight announced.

The figure turned upon hearing her, and a lush, flowing mane and tail billowed gently in a nonexistent wind. She was as white as snow, with mane and tail swirling with seafoam, blue, indigo, and pink. The royal purple eye which was not hidden by her thick forelock sparkled with an eternity of compassion. Upon her head she wore a golden crown, upon her hooves were golden slippers, and around her neck lay a golden torque. Both crown and torque bore identical amethysts. A blazing sunburst adorned her flank.

Twilight’s jaw dropped in amazement. “Princess Celestia?”

“Twilight, thank goodness you’ve come,” said the Sun Princess. She looked back at the Tree of Harmony. “The Elements of Harmony… they’re gone.”

Incredulous, the seven friends hurried up beside Princess Celestia. To their horror, the six Elements of Harmony were indeed missing. The niches which usually held them on the Tree were bare.

“We’re too late,” Twilight gasped.

*

Misty Moonrise tore through the forest as fast as her hooves could carry her, dodging trees and plowing through the underbrush. She leapt a washed-out embankment, nearly stumbled over knotty roots, jumped fallen logs—but no matter how hard she pushed herself, it felt like she was getting no closer to her destination. The path Princess Twilight and the others had taken was narrow and winding, but at least their tracks were still visible. She just hoped she was not too late.

Suddenly, the earth disappeared from under her. Misty plunged downward with a startled cry. Bits of rock and loose earth carried her down a steep slope like the inescapable rapids of a raging river. She scrabbled desperately for purchase, and her fore hooves found it in a narrow ridge of stone jutting out slightly from the cliff. Heart pounding wildly, Misty clung to the ridge for dear life, suspended over a sheer drop that would not end well if she let go.

The ridge began to crack, the rock Misty had thought was solid quickly turning to rubble. She scrambled to pull herself up, to somehow climb her way out of danger, but it was too late. The ridge crumbled. Screaming, Misty plummeted toward the ground.

Then, all of a sudden, she was not falling. Wind tore at her hair and face, so strong her eyes began to water. For a moment, Misty thought Steel Shield or Lilypad had followed her after all and had caught her midair. But then she saw the pair of sky blue wings rapidly pounding the air and the rainbow mane billowing in front of her.

“Gotcha!” cried Rainbow Dash triumphantly.

While relieved and grateful she was safe, Misty nevertheless felt a stab of disappointment when she realized it was neither Steel nor Lilypad who had saved her. She looked toward the ground as Rainbow Dash banked around to return to the ravine. Below, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Applejack, Spike, and Princess Twilight Sparkle were racing out of the cave and gazing skyward. Relief washed over them all when they saw that Rainbow Dash had succeeded. When Rainbow at last landed, Misty Moonrise climbed off her back. Her legs were still a little wobbly, but, sweet Celestia, did it feel good to be on solid ground again!

“Thank you,” Misty said sincerely.

“Don’t mention it,” replied Rainbow Dash. “But what are you doing here? We thought you’d decided to stay in Ponyville.”

Misty shook her head. “No, I was trying to figure out why I felt Chrysalis couldn’t be stopped from getting to the Tree or invading Equestria, but I lost track of the time.”

“It doesn’t matter now, in any case,” said Princess Twilight. “Chrysalis has already been here—the Elements of Harmony are missing.”

“I know,” said Misty solemnly.

“You do?” the dragon and six ponies exclaimed as one, surprised.

Princess Twilight asked, “How?”

“It’s why we can’t prevent what happened in the dream,” Misty explained. “You were right, princess. A vision of the future can be changed, but this dream wasn’t of what might happen. I dreamed—no, Chrysalis dreamed—of what had already happened. We were too late from the moment I stumbled into that dream.”

“But that means…” sputtered Spike.

Wicked laughter from hundreds of raspy throats resounded throughout the ravine.

Princess Celestia walked out of the cave. She was searching for the source of the laughter as well, eyes scanning the area warily. “Twilight,” said Princess Celestia anxiously as she approached them. “We must hurry. There isn’t time to lose.”

Without thinking, Misty Moonrise sent a sphere of sapphire magic hurtling toward the Sun Princess. Celestia gasped and threw her wings up in an attempt to shield herself, but the orb was faster. She crashed into the far side of the ravine, rocks cracking and dust springing up at the impact.

Applejack jumped in front of Misty, scowling angrily. “Have ya lost yer mind?!”

“You just attacked the princess!” Rarity exclaimed in horror.

Rainbow Dash tackled Misty, pinning her to the ground. “No-pony hurts our princess, traitor!”

In a magical cloud of stardust, Misty vanished and reappeared a little ways from Rainbow Dash, standing upright. “She isn’t the princess!”

“What a clever little pony,” said Princess Celestia as she picked herself up, smirking at Misty. “But not clever enough.” A lime green aura sparked to life around her horn. Her eyes became black orbs of shadow, streaming purple smoke.

Suddenly, silvery mist poured over both sides of the ravine. It cascaded over the cliffs like foaming tides that soon surrounded them. From within the silvery clouds glinted the insectoid carapaces and hungry stares of changelings. Their gleeful hisses slithered through the air like a serpent through autumn leaves as they and the mysterious mist closed in.

“It’s a trap!” Twilight realized.

Princess Celestia laughed, the same cruel, warped laughter from the dream and from the day changelings had swarmed the streets of Canterlot. It did not belong with the princess’s regal visage, just as the sickly green magic was not hers. In the blink of an eye, Princess Celestia began to melt away to reveal another—the Queen of the Changelings.

“Such a bright little princess,” crooned Queen Chrysalis. “Tell me, Twilight, was I really so easy to forget that you couldn’t recognize me when you saw me?” She cackled, flying through the mist on buzzing, tattered wings. “Well, do you know me now?”

Twilight Sparkle glanced at Misty. “I’m sorry we didn’t listen to you, Misty.”

“I wouldn’t have listened to me either, princess,” Misty Moonrise assured her.

“I don’t mean to interrupt,” Applejack intervened, “but how the hay are we gonna git outta this one?”

“Together,” answered Princess Twilight. Aside to Misty and Spike she whispered, too low for Chrysalis to hear, “Except for you two. Misty, use the transportation spell to get you and Spike to the top of the cliff.”

“But, princess—” Misty protested.

“No arguments! We need you to get back to Ponyville and warn the other princesses. We can hold them off for a little while, but if Chrysalis is anywhere near as powerful as she was before, we’ll need help. Now go!”

Misty wanted to stay, but she also knew that Princess Twilight was right. Somepony had to warn the real Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Reluctantly, Misty Moonrise relented. “Yes, princess.” She lifted Spike onto her back with a wisp of magic and promised, “I’ll come back for you, all of you.”

“We both will,” added Spike firmly.

Then, amidst a shimmering stardust haze, Misty Moonrise and Spike disappeared.

Queen Chrysalis laughed again. “Yes, warn your precious princesses! I welcome the opportunity to see them bow before their new queen!”

Angered, Twilight Sparkle sent a beam of magenta magic straight for the Changeling Queen. Chrysalis’s eyes narrowed, and she summoned a beam of her own magic to counter the attack. Like a clap of thunder, they collided. The blast sent both ponies and changelings sprawling.

Twilight hurried to all fours and turned to her friends. “Quickly, we must harness the Magic of Friendship before she recovers.”

The others hastily picked themselves up, but the changelings were doing the same. Queen Chrysalis was already airborne once more and scowling darkly at the six ponies. Then she smiled deviously, her aura swirling around her twisted horn.

“Not this time, princess!”

The mist surged forward, thick and cold and ominous. Like a great monster the mist converged on the six ponies, swallowing them whole.

It was difficult to see the others through the mist—they were only vague shadows and muffled voices. Twilight tried to dispel the silvery clouds with her own magic, but was shocked to find that her magic was dampened, as if covered by a blanket and suspended beyond reach. The edges of her vision began to blur, and her thoughts were becoming muddled and confused.

“We need to get out of this, now!” urged Twilight, searching the mist for her friends. She stumbled over something, landing splayed on the ground. When she looked at what had tripped her, she found Fluttershy curled into a tight, fearful ball. Twilight unsteadily got to all fours and helped Fluttershy do the same. “Come on, Fluttershy, we need to get the others and fly out of this.”

Fluttershy blinked slowly, almost as if she were drowsy. “I… can’t…” she admitted sadly. She tried to flap her wings, but barely managed to twitch a feather. “I just… can’t.”

“No, keep trying!” Twilight Sparkle ordered, scanning the mist for the others. “Applejack! Rarity! Pinkie! Rainbow!”

“Twilight?” Applejack called, walking on wobbly legs out of the gloom to her and Fluttershy.

Abruptly, Rainbow Dash crashed to earth nearby. She seemed to have trouble standing up again, and her wings hung useless at her sides. “Twilight, you’ve gotta zap us out of this stuff!” Rainbow shouted.

“I can’t,” Twilight responded. “My magic isn’t working. Where are the others?”

“We’re here!” came Pinkie Pie’s reply. A pair of fuzzy shadows resolved into the pink mare and, leaning on her for support, Rarity.

Suddenly, Queen Chrysalis’s voice resounded from all directions. “How do you like my new power, little ponies?” Her mad laughter echoed as if from inside a cavern. “Isn’t it just fabulous! I learned it in that wasteland I was sent to when I was banished from Equestria.”

“Together, girls,” said Twilight Sparkle, trying to ignore Chrysalis.

The others dragged themselves closer, until they were in a circle. They closed their eyes and each raised a fore hoof, looking deep within for the magic which had allowed them to defeat Lord Tirek. Warmth began to fill their hearts, and a spark of light glimmered in the center of their circle. The river of rainbow magic which had rushed through them on that fateful day raced for them now.

Rarity collapsed.

The rainbow magic vanished.

“Rarity!” the others exclaimed.

Then Applejack, too, fell to the ground. Pinkie Pie was the next one to fall, followed by Rainbow Dash, and then Fluttershy. Twilight felt unconsciousness tugging at her mind, weakening her will to resist. She struggled to stay upright and awake as long as she could, but soon it was too much even for her. She collapsed, unable to keep her eyes open any longer.

Just before she slipped away, Twilight heard the triumphant laughter of the horde of changelings and the warped voice of Queen Chrysalis.

“Equestria is mine! All mine!”