The Tale of the Second Alpha

by Bergen

Rating: teen
Tags: Main 6, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe, Romance, Drama, Changelings, Original Character, Equestria Girls, Moondancer, Dragons, Profanity, Adventure, Violence
Length: 300327

Equestria, the vast land ruled by ponies. But this was not always the case. Long before the rule of the princesses Equestria was ruled by dragons the leader which was the Alpha. This is the tale of the Second Alpha.

Equestria, the vast land ruled by ponies. But that was not always the case. Long before the rule of the two princesses, the land that would earn the name Equestria was ruled by dragons, and the leader of them all was the Alpha. This is the Tale of the Second Alpha, and how he became friends with the Mane Six. And his fight to defend his home against a very personal threat.

Also posted on my account on Fanfiction.net under the same name.

Romance tag for shipping between characters in later chapters. This isn't a ship fic.

Published 2015-08-08 20:20:02 UTC
Last updated 2022-03-13 16:14:25 UTC

The New Alpha

The land of Equestria about one thousand five hundred years ago. The Alpha of all the dragons had grown to a point of his age were he must pass on the rule of Alpha to one of his two apprentices. The two apprentices were both twin brothers hatching from the same egg.

But that was where the similarities between the two ended. The apprentice that would become the first Alpha successor was known across the land as a gentle giant even rivalry that of his mentor earning the name Delta, after his logical nature. Preferring to use diplomacy and violence only as a last resort.

Delta's scales were a bright red color representing his young age and nobility that would soon earn. His emerald green eyes burned as bright as the orange fire that he created. Delta seemed to spend more time with the younger of the two alicorn princesses being one of the few creatures who truly understood the beauty of the night she brought.

Delta's twin brother, Omega is a different story altogether. Omega earning his name for his blunt and more aggressive nature compared to that of his brother and mentor. Omega seemed to spend more time with the vast and powerful creatures of the Forever Free Forest, even earning an ally in a young draconequus by the name of Discord, the literal embodiment of Chaos and Disharmony. Omega's scales were more of a maroon color, representing his darker and more destructive intentions when he gained the Alpha control and his wings.

The First Alpha, however, knew of Omega's dangerous ambition and because this on the Alpha's final breath of fire he transferred the Alpha control over to his other and more trusted apprentice Delta making him the second Alpha.

Delta transformed in a bright circle of orange fire to have his newly acquired wings. Omega was not pleased with his former mentor decision, believing that he was stronger than his brother and deserved to be his successor. Omega became filled with misplaced hatred toward his brother and his once light blue eyes turned blood red as he became the embodiment of hatred.

The newly made Alpha tried to reason with his brother, but it was to no prevail. The Alpha's brother demanded that his brother proved that he was worthy of earning his wings, and the landscape of Equestria would never be the same again, literally.

Omega then challenged his brother to a duel. Not happy that he had become the next Alpha rather than himself. There due to prove who was the rightful one to rule over all of the dragons.

Delta, of course, knew that his brother wouldn't stop at the dragons and turn to enslaving the pony inhabitants, and Celestia or Luna wouldn't have stood a chance against the power of an Alpha dragon. He first met with the two princesses to discuss what he should do.

"Are you sure that he isn't just mad at you?" Celestia asked Delta her words filled with fear of what a battle between two dragons the size of mountains that would only be doomed to end with Equestria in ruins.

"No, I'm sorry Celestia, but my brother has never been one for joking." Delta said down to the two princesses confirming Celestia's fears.

"We will fight with you. You will have the support of all of Equestria" Luna said flying up to her close friend.

"No, I'm sorry Luna, but this is my fight. You and all of your pony subjects should not be concerned with this." Delta said back to Luna not wanting his closest friend to get hurt, or most likely die trying to help him.

"This is a battle that I must face alone." He continued to the two princesses. Luna flying back down to the cobblestone path outside of the castle.

Delta then sent off heading toward the edge of Forever Free Forest where my brother was waiting in a battle that would change the fate of Equestria forever.

Delta met his brother at the edge of the forest. His brother only a few hundred yards in front, his maroon scales shining in the sunlight.

"Brother you don't to do this we can rule over the dragons together the same way the alicorn sisters rule over the ponies." Delta said trying to reason my brother despite him knowing fully that it was completely pointless.

"No brother you and I both know that dragons will only follow one Alpha, but there's another way that one can become an Alpha." Omega said talking about how a dragon of our species can become an Alpha by killing the Alpha which preceded them. His new red eyes burning with hatred.

"Fine then if you want to be the Alpha you're going to have to kill me." Delta said to his brother knowing that the only way to protect Equestria from the tranny that his brother would bring down on its ponies inhabitants was to defeat him.

"That was the idea." His brother said back to me with eerie satisfaction in his voice.

"Let's see if you learned that much from our mentor." Delta said back to Omega, and at that moment he ceased being his twin brother becoming nothing more but a threat to Equestria.

"I was the better student!" Omega roared back at Delta. His maroon scales seemly to turn an even darker tone.

"Funny, which one of us did he choose as his successor." Delta sarcastically said back. This comment enraging Omega and he fired a blast of his dark red fire toward his brother. Delta countered with his blast of orange fire. The two streams of flame collided and when the two flames mixed and there was a massive explosion leveling all of the plants, trees, and pretty much everything else in the area.

The grassland which was formed by the explosion would later become the small town by the name of Ponyville. The small town would later become the home of the group of six little ponies by the names of Twilight Sparkle a unicorn and the embodiment of the Element of Magic, Rainbow Dash a Pegasus and the embodiment of the Element of Loyalty, Rarity a unicorn and the embodiment of the Element of Generosity, Pinkie Pie a earth pony and the embodiment of the Element of Laughter, Applejack a earth pony and the embodiment of the Element of Honesty, and lastly Fluttershy a Pegasus and the embodiment of the Element of Kindness. These six ponies would earn the nickname The Mane Six, and they will protect Equestria against the forces of evil.

Much like how the newly crowned Alpha was defending all of Equestria against his own twin brother, over fifteen hundred years earlier.

Alpha vs. Omega

Omega, in his deranged state, charged at his brother all full speed. When he slammed into Delta's body he cracked a few of his ribs, making Delta roar out in pain, and He then used his right claw to knock him away. When he swiped his claws across Omega's body his claws scraped across his maroon scales removing some of them in the process. Some of Omega's red blood dripping onto Delta's claws.

Omega rebounded with a swipe from his own claws, which went right across Delta's face, cutting just under my jaw. The red blood of Delta dripping onto the dark as night claws of Omega.

Delta reared up on his hind legs and let out one loud roar and charged at Omega. His head hitting just below his shoulder and used my two forelegs to lift and threw him into a large boulder cracking in half.

Omega now slammed into a large boulder roared in pain as the rock shards pierced into his scales. Delta then charged at his brother, slamming him all the way through the rock.

Omega rebounded by digging his hind legs claws into the dirt. This gave him time to swing his right claw across hitting Delta's across his face scraping off a few of his red scales. The force the impact forced the Alpha to lower his head and fire off a stream of fire into the ground scorching the already barren land.

Delta used his slightly heavier weight, thanks to his newly acquired wings. To slam into the chest of his brother, knocking him backward and onto his hind legs.

Delta then took advantage of his brother unbalance and hit with his shoulder, opening up his newly required wings and the both of them launched up into the blue sky. Omega roared firing a stream of his maroon fire into the air as the two flew higher and higher into the sky.

When Delta, still carrying his brother, reached an altitude of over fifteen thousand feet he let go off his brother. Omega began to fall as he still didn't have his wings. The Alpha continued to fly another hundred feet before he flipped back around and blasted down hitting his brother forcing him toward the ground at an alarming rate of speed. When two dragons slammed into the ground they hit it with so much force that they caused a massive crater pulling up a massive mushroom cloud of dust and dirt over five hundred feet in the year.

The two alicorn princesses watched the battle between the two titans from the safety of their castle, or so they hope so. "You got to help him." Luna said to her sister, beginning to open her feathered wings. As she saw the mushroom cloud of dust appear across the sky.

"No Luna, you heard Delta's orders, this is his fight." Celestia said, stopping her little sister.

"But he could die!" Luna called back her sister, her teal eyes beginning to fill with eyes.

"Then that's a sad reality that we will have to take if it happens." Celestia said to Luna, her remarkably able to remain calm while the two dragons the size of mountains were dueling only a few miles away.

Luna couldn't believe what she was hearing, how could her sister being so able to abandon the very creature that was risking his life to save them. Luna took a step back, tears now falling down her cheeks. "How could you." Luna said before she took off, heading to another part of the castle she shared with her sister.

"Luna!" Celestia called after her sister, as the battle between the two dragon brothers continued.

The two dragons were undamaged from the impact with the ground and continued their fight over who would be the Alpha over all of Equestria. Omega picked up a large boulder with his claws and threw it at his brother. The boulder slammed into the face of Delta and did nothing but shatter into a cloud of brown dust. The dust cloud caused by the boulder, however, covered Delta's face. Putting him into a disorienting state of mind. His brother took advantage of his confusion and charged at him.

Omega slammed into Delta, just below his shoulder and pushed him into the crater. With Delta pinned up against the crater, Omega bit down on the left foreleg of Delta, with over a thousand pounds per square inch of force.

The sound of a loud crack of the bones in Delta's left foreleg all shattering echoed through the newly created crater. Delta roared out in pain as his own brother's teeth drove deeper and deeper into his flesh.

In an effort to save his left foreleg from getting completely torn off. He used his free right claw to swipe across Omega's face. His claws came into contact with the weaker scales and skin of his left eye and a massive cut came across it.

Omega roared out in pain, letting go of Delta obviously broken arm, covering his bleeding left eye with his adjacent arm. Rearing up on his hind legs as he roared in agony. When he finally uncovered his eye, there was massive cut from two of Delta's claws. The two gashes on his eye were two deep red cuts from the blood that was still flowing. The cut was so severe that he couldn't even completely open his left eye. His left turning from its red color filled with hatred to just pitch black and dead.

"You will pay for that!" Omega roared as he charged at the weaken Alpha.

Out of rage charged at Delta, and as a way to finish this battle once and for all. He used his right claw to basically bitch slap his brother across his face making him fall to the scorched ground.

Delta then placed his right foreleg, his broken left cradled up against his chest, on Omega neck forcing his entire million pound body weight onto to Omega, and said to him.

"It's over brother, now surrender!" Delta roared at his brother, hope for a way that this could still end in peace.

"Never, I will be the Alpha." Omega roared back at Delta.

Omega then managed to fire a small stream of his maroon fire at Delta.

Delta countered this pitiful attempt to hurt him with a stream of his own orange fire.

The two flames collided and unlike the first time, Delta's fire was more powerful than Omega's and consumed it.

Delta's fire also hit Omega's face burning the open wound on his left eye damaging it even further. Omega roared out in pain as the fire the burned his mangled flesh.

Delta slammed his claw on my brother's neck again and I roared at him.

"It's over brother! You have lost! Now in power vested by our mentor I banish you from the land Equestria forever, and if you return it only end in your death, by my own claws." Delta roared at his brother, the words physically hurt his as I said them.

That exact moment that would be repeated later in Equestrian history, but that's a story for another chapter.

Delta lifted his claws off of my brother's neck, and he seemed to accept his order of banishment and sulk off into the sunset of the wastelands on the outskirts of Equestria.

"I will be back, just you wait for Delta!" Omega roared at his brother, before taking off into the wastelands that marked the southern border of Equestria.

Delta opened his wings and flew back to the two alicorn sisters' castle inside of the Everfree Forest to find the two of them surprised, especially Luna to see that he was still alive.

Delta landed just outside the castle and took great care not to damage his already broken foreleg. Luna noticed his left foreleg cradled up against his chest and said up to her wounded friend.

"Delta your hurt." Luna then flew up to Delta's broken arm and used her magic to heal the broken bones. Well, saying she healed them is giving her to much credit. She more rearranged the bones to where they were originally, and glued them back together.

Delta roared in pain as Luna 'healed' his foreleg. "Sorry, but that should do it." Luna said to Delta, her words filled with her same calm demeanor that she had ever since he had met her. Delta noticed that the blue alicorn's eyes were slightly red like she had been crying recently, but said nothing about it.

"What about Omega?" Celestia said flying up to the same level as her sister. The blue alicorn shot a glare at her sister, her teal eyes becoming a slightly darker tone.

"Omega is gone." Delta said bluntly back to the two alicorns. The two alicorns both shared a gasp at his words, them both filled with regret and defeat.

"Luna, will you do something for me?" Delta said down to his best friend in all of Equestria.

"Yeah, what is it that you want me to do." Luna asked the wounded and defeated titan.

"I would like you to put me under a sleeping spell." Delta said to Luna, and the faces of both the alicorns dropped to show their shared concern and confusion.

"Wait, what?" Luna said back to her friend, shocked at what he had just asked her to do.

"I want you to put a sleeping spell on me." Delta said, repeating myself to Luna.

"Why?"

"Because I have just banished my brother, and if I going repay the debt I must punish myself for an action with equal sacrifice." Delta said back to Luna and she seemed to accept his logic. Though as strange it was.

"What about your dragons." Celestia asked me.

"The dragons of Equestria have lived in peace even before my mentor became the first Alpha and I believe that without there again not much will change." Delta said back to Celestia, putting a little too much faith in my subjects. Little did he know that without their Alpha dragons they would turn to greed. Greed becoming such a big part of the dragon race that it would become part of their biology.

Anyway the three creature flew to the mountains that would later become the city of Canterlot and Luna cast her spell on the new Alpha.

Due to the Alpha massive size, the spell didn't work on his instantly and has a way to guarantee that I would not be attacked while He was asleep. He burrowed himself in one of the caves that riddled the mountains.

There he would remain asleep for over fifteen hundred years until according to Luna as she said the spell. "You remain in this death-like sleep until a great war will take over Equestria and its attacker being those who feed on love. This will awaken you from your sleep and you will defeat this evil returning Equestria to a time of peace."

The Alpha settled in his cave and fell asleep, unaware of just how much Equestria would change in both his own, and his brother's absence.

The Mane 6

Centuries had passed since the defeat of Discord,the banishment of Nightmare Moon to the moon, and Celestia ruled over Equestria from her castle in Canterlot. Since then six fillies were born and they would soon become the new borers of the six Elements of Harmony.

Applejack, a hardworking orange earth pony with a cutie mark of three red apples, representing her as the head of the Sweet Apple Acres Ranch. Applejack would become the pony that would represent the Element of Honesty.

Pinkie Pie, a hyperactive pink earth pony with a cutie of three balloons, representing her unrivaled ability to make people laugh and throwing parties. Pinkie Pie would become the pony that would represent the Element of Laughter.

Fluttershy, a shy Pegasus with a cutie mark of three pink butterflies, representing her unrivaled connection with animals. Fluttershy would become the pony that would represent the Element of Kindness.

Rainbow Dash, a tomboyish light blue Pegasus with a cutie mark of a rainbow colored lightning bolt, representing her sole ability to create a Sonic Rainbow. Rainbow Dash would become the pony that would represent the Element of Loyalty.

Rarity, a white unicorn with a keen eye for fashion with a cutie mark with three blue gems, representing her ability to find precious gems with her horn.

And lastly Twilight Sparkle a bookworm purple unicorn and Celestia's star student, literally. A unicorn that used to not see friendship as an important part of a pony life. Her cutie mark is a large pink six sided star surrounded by five smaller white stars of the same shape. Representing her rare power in magic along with the five friends that she would meet in the small town of Ponyville. Twilight Sparkle would become the pony that would come to represent the most powerful and most elusive of all the Elements of Harmony, the Element of Magic. These six ponies would earn the name the Mane 6 defending Equestria from many different foes using their friendship, the most powerful magic of all.

However, the six ponies weren't always this way before they all got their cutie marks they had to first find out what their true meaning life would be. Applejack did not originally want to live her life as a pony that work the farm. Instead, she wanted to live a more suffocated and grander life. That is way when she was just a filly she moved to live with Aunt and Uncle Orange in the biggest city of Equestria, Manehattan.

Applejack arrived in the big city and stayed a night with her Aunt and Uncle apartment trying to learn all the suffocated things she could in the shortest about of time. During diner, her Aunt and Uncle hosted some friends over at their apartment and she showed all she had learned from her relatives during it.

Applejack how made the mistake of mentioning awaking up to the call of a rooster which sent the party into an embarrassing silence. The silence was short lived with diner was served, but it wasn't as Applejack either with only a small piece of an orange sitting on her plate.

As the night went by Applejack had an overwhelming feeling homesickness and could barely sleep. As the sun rose up, however, Applejack's life changed forever. As she watched the sunrise she heard a massive explosion out her window and saw a large rainbow going across the sky heading her actually back to Ponyville, and at that exact moment, Applejack knew that she would spend the rest of her life working the fields of Sweet Apple Acres. When she was reunited with the rest of her family her cutie mark appeared showing three red apples.

Fluttershy wasn't always the pony that everypony went to for a help involving animals. She was, however, original just a Pegasus that had a hard time flying, this all changed when she met the athletic Pegasus by the name of Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash defended Fluttershy from two other Pegasus who were picking on her for her weak flying. Rainbow Dash challenged the two other Pegasus to a race to defend Fluttershy honor. Fluttershy was the pony that would start race holding a flag.

When Fluttershy dropped the flag, however, the wind created by the three ponies flying passed her pushed her off the small cloud she was standing and she began to fall toward the ground. She being a weak flier was unable to stop herself and was only saved by a group of the pink butterflies as she reached the ground.

Growing up in Cloudsdale, Fluttershy had never seen butterflies before. Fluttershy felt a certain contention with the animals that she had just met.

Then she heard a massive explosion overhead followed by a shockwave of rainbow colors. The sound made by the explosion frightened the animals around here. Fluttershy used her unrivaled ability to commutate and calm down the animals and by doing so she earned her cutie mark, three pink butterflies.

Rarity wasn't always the greatest designer in Ponyville history. Instead, she was a young unicorn that enjoyed to make costumes for her school. Rarity was about to give up on her craft until her horn glowed and practically dragged her all the way across Equestria until she came across a large rock on the edge of a cliff.

"A rock... my destiny is a rock!" Rarity yelled at the rock disappointed that her horn forced her to this region for what see saw as a waste of time. Just as Rarity said that she a massive explosion followed by a shockwave of rainbow colors which when it hit the large rock it split in half showing that it was full of rare gems. Rarity used the gems to make the costumes she made for her schools play better and when she did so she earned her cutie mark, three blue gems.

Twilight Sparkle wasn't always the star student of Princess Celestia, in fact originally she just a normal purple unicorn that applied for Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. The only problem was that Twilight had to pass an entrance exam before she could be accepted into the school.

Celestia sensing that Twilight would come to represent the Element of Magic her entrance exam of dragon hatching, a skill that takes a lot of magic to accomplish. Twilight tried her best to make the egg hatch, but it was to no prevail.

"I'm sorry that I wasted your time." Twilight said giving up. Just has she said so a massive explosion out in the distance rocked the city of Canterlot, startling Twilight. This explosion caused the true and rare potential to rush to surface in one massive surge of energy.

The small filly's eyes turned to just white dots from the power and hatch the dragon egg revealing a small purple baby dragon. Twilight's magic didn't stop there turning the dragon from a small baby into a full grown dragon so big that it destroyed the roof that the building was being held in, she also levitated the four unicorn judges, and finally, she accidently turned her parents into plants. Celestia standing outside the building noticed the out of control magic and put a stop to it calming Twilight down. Celestia accepted Twilight as her star student showing Twilight that she had just gained her cutie mark, a large six-sided star surrounded by five smaller stars in the same shape.

Pinkie Pie wasn't always the hyperactive party pony that she has now become known for. Pinkie originally lived on a small rock farm were there was no fun or laughter. This all changed one day when overhead Pinkie heard a large explosion the shockwave of which blew all the rocks out of the ground. The shockwave spread across the farm creating a massive rainbow that helped Pinkie smile for the very first time.

This helped Pinkie Pie learn what she would do for the rest for her life. She knew that she would spend the rest of her life making other people smile. To do this she threw her first of many parties than can be counted for her family. By doing this she earned her cutie mark, three balloons.

Rainbow Dash was in a race to defend Fluttershy's honor and the race was going pretty well for her. In the finally leg of the race she was pushed out of line by one of her rival racers. Rainbow Dash took this as a challenge and plunged straight into a near vertical dive.

She was going so fast that when she passed her rival racer the wind created by her speed blew him out of the sky. Rainbow Dash continued in her dive was going so fast that she created something that was considered beforehand has just an old mare's' tale. As she went faster and faster and cone shape of air formed around her body. Just before she hit the bottom of the ground she broke the sound barrier. The shockwave caused by her breaking the sound barrier shattered the physical light spectrum and the shockwave was the colors of the rainbow spreading all across Equestria.

Rainbow Dash had just created a Sonic Rainboom and is the only Pegasus to ever pull it off. The experience made learn that for the rest of her life she would spend it being the coolest pony in all of Equestria and earned her cutie mark, a rainbow-colored lightning bolt.

This Sonic Rainboom spread across Equestria and was the reason that Applejack was able to find her way back to Ponyville; the reason that the animals got startled showing Fluttershy that he had a connection with all animals, the thing that cracked the rock that Rarity found launching her fashion career, the reason why Twilight passed her entrance becoming Celestia number one student, the reason that Pinkie Pie learned to smile launching her career as the best party pony ever, and finally the Sonic Rainboom woke something up.

Back in Canterlot after the massive explosion by Rainbow Dash's Sonic Rainboom which rocked the city causing a small earthquake, shaking the crystal caves that ran under the city. Some of the stalactites from the cave ceiling and fell onto a massive dragon which had been sleeping underneath the city for almost fifteen hundred years. The impact caused by the stalactites triggered the instincts of the Alpha and he began to awaken from the spell cast on him by Luna so many years ago. The first showing of his moment came when his left front claw which hadn't moved in over a millennia closed and then reopened starting the return of one of the most powerful beings in Equestrian history.

The Return of Darkness Part 1

Several years have passed since the members of the mane six earned their cutie marks and now during the thousand year of Celestia reign. The week of the thousand year of the Summer Sun Celebration a celebration that was created to celebrate the defeat and banishment of Nightmare Moon all those years ago. Twilight Sparkle now being Celestia's student for a couple years has spent most of her time studying magic. On the day before the Summer Sun Celebration, while Twilight was studying up on the book called Predictions and Prophecies.

During reading the book she discovered that the Mare on the Moon is actually Nightmare Moon and would return on the celebration with the stars fleeing her from her lunar prison. Twilight sent a letter with the help of her little purple dragon assistant by the name of Spike to her mentor alerting her of this development. Only a few seconds after Spike sent the letter to Celestia she returned her own letter saying.

"My dearest, most faithful student Twilight. You know that I value your diligence and that I trust you completely. But you must stop reading those dusty old books. My dear Twilight, there is more to a young pony's life than studying, so I'm sending you to supervise the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration in this year's location: Ponyville. And, I have an even more essential task for you to complete: make some friends! "Celestia's letter said giving Twilight the task of overviewing the preparations in the small town of Ponyville which was hosting the celebration that year.

Twilight and Spike arrived in Ponyville from help by one of Celestia own chariots. Twilight was not happy about her mission given to her by her mentor, believing that she wasn't taking her seriously by the princess. The two of them landed in the middle of town and the first pony they met was a pink earth pony that she would soon learn that went by the name of Pinkie Pie, not to mention they would become very close friends. The pink pony took one look at Twilight and gasped, so how launching her whole body up in the air and bolted from the scene. This odd display, that Twilight would soon become used to, shocked continued on her mission from Celestia to check the preparations of the celebration.

The first task on Twilight's list was to check on the food preparations for the festival. She and Spike arrived at Sweet Apple Aches an apple tree farm just outside of Ponyville run by the Apple family. The first pony from the Apple family Twilight met was the head of the family and farm an orange earth pony and future friend by the name of Applejack. Applejack cordially greets Twilight, and members of her family showing all of her food samples in the process. Applejack also asks Twilight to for bunch, Twilight wanting to leave and continue on her duty, but she grudgingly accepts the family's invitation to stay for brunch.

After bunch at the farm, Twilight and Spike traveled back into the town. "Foods all taken care of, next is weather." Spike said more to himself checking food off their list of duties for the celebration.

"Oh, I ate too much pie." Twilight said to herself not feeling that well after the brunch at the farm.

"Hmm, there's supposed be a Pegasus pony named Rainbow Dash clearing the clouds." Spike said looking up to the sky.

"Well, she not doing a very good job is she." Twilight said sarcastically noticing a few clouds in the sky. The exact moment Twilight finished her sentence she was tackled in a pile of mud by a light blue Pegasus.

"Excuse me." The Pegasus said trying to laugh off the fact that she just tackled Twilight. Twilight wasn't assumed now covered in mud.

"Let me help you." The Pegasus said grabbing a storm cloud and placing it over the muddy Twilight. The Pegasus then jumped on the cloud making it rain on Twilight now making her all wet.

"Oops, I guess I over did it? Hmm, how about this my own patented rain blow dry." The Pegasus said circling Twilight in a tornado of rainbow colors drying the ground and Twilight in the process.

"No, no don't thank me. You're quite welcome." The Pegasus said landing back on the ground. Twilight was still not assumed with her mane and tail now being all messed up from the tornado. The Pegasus and Spike quickly started laughing at the sight of Twilight's new mane falling on the ground they were laughing so hard.

"Let me guess your Rainbow Dash." Twilight said trying to stay on topic of she was sent to Ponyville to do.

"The one and only." The Pegasus said confirming that she was indeed Rainbow Dash. The two ponies went back and forth with each other with Twilight saying that she thought that Rainbow Dash was supposed to be keeping the sky clear. With Rainbow Dash mentioning that she wanted to become a Wonderbolt, the best flyers in all of Equestria. Twilight doubting Rainbow's skills and her insistence that she would become a Wonderbolt.

"Hey, I could clear this sky in ten seconds flat." Rainbow Dash said slightly boasting about her skills.

"Oh yay prove it." Twilight said challenging Rainbow. Rainbow then rocketed into the sky clearing all the clouds in Rainbow's words.

"What I'd said ten seconds flat, I'd never leave Ponyville hanging." The jaws of both Twilight and Spike dropped to a point that they might have touched the ground from the shock of what they have just seen.

"You should see the look on your face. You're a laugh Twilight Sparkle. I can't wait to hang out some more." Rainbow said to Twilight accepting her as a new friend.

The two of them after Rainbow flew off headed toward the gazebo to check on the decorations for the celebration. "Decorations, beautiful." Spike said looking around at the beautiful banners that riddled the gazebo.

"Ye,  the décor is coming along nicely. This should be quick. I'll be at the library in no time, beautiful indeed." Twilight said agreeing with Spike with a beauty of the decorations.

"Not the décor, her." Spike said actually talking about a white unicorn which was working on the decorations.

"Good afternoon." Twilight said introduces herself to the unicorn.

"Just a moment I am in the zone, as it were." The unicorn said back to Twilight not wavering from her task.

"Yes, sparkle always does trick. Why Rarity you are such a talent. Now how can I help you...?" The unicorn by the name of Rarity said to herself jumping when she turned to her Twilight's ruined mane.

"Oh, my mane? I'm just here to check on the decorations then I'll been out of your hair." Twilight said to Rarity trying to have the least amount of interaction while still getting her job done.

"Out of my hair, but what about your hair." Rarity said to Twilight pushing her out of the gazebo and into her house to fix her mane and other things. Rarity then went on to put many outfits on Twilight and asked he want she was doing in Ponyville.

Twilight explained her mission from the princess only for Rarity to stop her in the middle when she mentioned that she was from Canterlot. Rarity then went on to say.

"Canterlot... oh I am so envious. The glamor, the sophistication. I've always dreamed of living there. I can't wait to hear all about it. We're going to be the best of friends, you and me." Rarity said accepting Twilight as her new friend. Twilight not being interested in making friends bolted from Rarity's shop as soon as she could.

"Wasn't she wonderful?" Spike said riding on Twilight's back slightly daydreaming about Rarity.

"Stay focused Casanova, what's next on our list." Twilight said trying to keep Spike focused on the task at hand, or hoof technically. Spike cleared his throat and said.

"Music, it's the last one." And at that exact moment, the two of them heard the sound of birds singing. The two followed the sound to find a yellow Pegasus working with a flock of birds on a small tree.

"Oh, my. Um, stop please everyone. Um... excuse me, sir. I mean no offense, but your rhythm is just a teeny, tiny bit off." The yellow Pegasus said to one of her birds her calm and quiet voice barely audible at a far distance.

"Now follow me, please. A one, a two, and a one two three..." The Pegasus began to say before Twilight interrupted her saying. "Hello!" The sound by Twilight introducing herself startled the birds making them fly away.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to frighten your birds." Twilight said to the Pegasus trying to apologize.

"I'm just here to check up on the music and it's sounding beautiful." Twilight said to the Pegasus and there was an awkward silence as the Pegasus' shy nature stopped her from talking back.

"So I'm Twilight Sparkle. What's your name?" Twilight said trying to end the awkwardness.

"I'm Flutter..." The Pegasus whispered to Twilight her sentence drowning out at the end.

"I'm sorry I didn't quite catch that." Twilight said back and the Pegasus just whimpered to herself trying make herself look smaller.

"Oh... looks like your birds are back. So I guess I'll just be on my way."

"Well, that was easy." Twilight said to Spike.

"Oh... a baby dragon!" The Pegasus said pushing Twilight out of the way to get closer to Spike.

"I've never seen a dragon before. He's so cute." The Pegasus said marveling over Spike.

"Well, well, well!" Spike said loving the attention he was getting. "Oh, my... He talks. I didn't know a dragon could talk. That's just so incredibly wonderful. I... I just don't know what to say?" The Pegasus said taking even more, marvel of Spike.

"Well, in that case, we better get going then." Twilight said putting Spike on her back and trying to get out of the situation as fast as possible.

"Wait, wait. What's his name?" The Pegasus asked as the two were leaving.

"I'm Spike." Spike said answering the Pegasus' question.

"Hi Spike, I'm Fluttershy. Wow, a talking dragon, and what do dragons talk about?" The Pegasus that went by the name of Fluttershy asked Spike.

"Well, what do you want to know?" Spike said back to Fluttershy.

"Absolutely everything!" Fluttershy said a completely different pony than she was only a few minutes earlier. Twilight groaned to herself knowing that she had just lost even more time for studying.

"Well, I started out as a little purple and green egg." Spike said and he went one to tell Fluttershy his entire live story ending with.

"And that's the story of my entire life. Well up until today. Hey, do you want to hear about today?" Spike said to Fluttershy who was adoring the story from Spike. "Oh, yes please!" Fluttershy responded back ecstatic.

"I am so sorry how did we get here so fast?" Twilight said preventing Spike from saying anything more as the three of them arrived at a large tree which had been turned into a library.

"This is where I'm staying while I'm in Ponyville, and my poor baby dragon needs his sleep." Twilight trying to make up an excuse that would end the conversation with Fluttershy.

"No, I don't..." Spike tried protesting only to be thrown off the back of Twilight and onto the ground.

"Aww, wook at that. He's so sleeping he can't even keep willte bawance." Twilight said talking to Spike in baby talk.

"Poor thing, we must surely get him to bed." Fluttershy said picking up Spike and taking him in the library.

"Yes, yes, we'll get right on that. Well, good night." Twilight said taking Spike and closing the door to the library in Fluttershy's face.

"Hmm, rude much." Spike said criticizing Twilight for her rudeness toward Fluttershy.

"Sorry Spike, but I have to convince the princess that Nightmare Moon is coming and we're running out of time. I just need to be alone so I can study without a bunch of crazy ponies trying to make friends the whole time. Now where's the light." Twilight said to Spike said explaining her rudeness to her assistant. And at that exact moment, the lights switched on reliving that the library was completely filled with ponies.

"Surprise!" All the ponies yelled greeting Twilight to a massive surprise party that they threw for her. Twilight groaned to herself knowing that she wouldn't be able to study with a massive party going inside the library.

"Surprise! Hi, I'm Pinkie Pie, and I threw this party just for you. Were you surprised, were you? Huh, huh, huh?" The same pink earth pony that Twilight met earlier by the name of Pinkie Pie said to Twilight in a bubbly hyperactive manner.

"Very surprise, libraries are supposed to be quiet." Twilight groaned annoyed that her day of studying has been interrupted again.

"That's silly, what kind of welcome parties are quiet, I mean boring. You see I saw you when you first got here, remember. You were like hello, and I was like gasp. Remember, I never saw you before and that would mean that you were new. Because I know everypony, and I mean everypony in Ponyville. Any if you were new that would mean that you hadn't met anypony, and if you hadn't met anypony, you must not have any friends, and if you don't have any friends then you must be lonely, and that made me so sad, then I had an idea, and that's why I went gasp. I must throw a great big ginormous super-duper spectacular welcome party and invite everyone in Ponyville! See? And now you have lots and lots of friends." Pinkie said to Twilight rumbling on about the party and friends.

Twilight poured a red drink into a bowl on a table in the middle of the library and drank out of it. Unknown to her she was drinking hot sauce. Twilight's face filled red and Applejack asked her.

"Are you alright sugar cube?"

Twilight burst out of the room and up the stairs into her bedroom frustrated and from the heat caused by the hot sauce.

"Aww... She's so happy she's crying." Pinkie said not understanding the true meaning of Twilight leaving.

"Hot sauce." Spike said picking up the red bottle.

An hour or two passed and Twilight was sitting on her bed with a pillow over her head trying to block out the party currently going on. "Twilight, Pinkie Pie is about to start pin the tail on the pony. You want to play." Spike said to Twilight walking into her room wearing some kind of weird party hat on his head.

"No, all the ponies in this town are crazy. Do you know what time it is?" Twilight said sarcastically to Spike, frustrated.

"It's the eve of the Summer Sun Celebration. Everypony has to stay up or they'll miss the princess raise the sun. You really should lighten up Twilight, it's a party." Spike said up to Twilight before returning to the party.

Twilight grumbled to herself before she flopped over on her bed and talk to herself saying. "Ugh! Here I thought I'd have the time to learn about the Elements of Harmony, but no silly me all this ridicules friend making has kept me from it." Twilight said sarcastically ranting to herself and rolled over looking out the window of her bedroom to see the full moon.

"Legend has it that on the longest day of the thousand-year the stars will aid in her escape, and she will bring about everlasting night. I hope the princess was right. I hope it is just an old pony tale." Twilight said to herself looking out to the full moon now surrounded by four small stars.

"Come on Twilight it's time to watch the princess the sunrise." Spike said to Twilight and the two of them traveled to the gazebo to watch something that would change Equestria forever.

Twilight and Spike traveled to the gazebo which was packed with ponies eager to see Celestia raise the sun. "Isn't this so exciting?! I'm excited, are you excited, cause I'm excited. Except for the time I saw you and I went gasp. But I'm being silly who can top that." Pinkie said with the same energy she had during the party.

"Fillies and Gentlecolts as the mayor of Ponyville it is my great pleasure to announce the beginning of the Summer Sun Celebration." The mayor of Ponyville said followed by a cheer by all the ponies in the gazebo.

"In just a few moments our town will witness the magic of the sunrise and celebrate this the longest day of the year." The mayor said beginning her speech. Twilight turned her head looking out the opened window to see the full moon.

The four stars around the moon's moved behind it and the image of the Mare in Moon disappeared.

"And now it is my great honor to introduce the ruler of our land. The very pony that gives us the sun and the moon each and every day. The good, the wise, the bringer of harmony to all of Equestria." The mayor said introduces Celestia.

"Ready." Fluttershy whispered to her birds.

"Princess Celestia!" The mayor said followed by the birds singing and Rarity opened the curtain to reveal no princess.

"Huh!?" Rarity exclaimed surprised.

"This can't be good." Twilight said to herself knowing that this had to do something with Nightmare Moon.

"Remane calm everypony, there must be a reasonable explanation." The mayor said trying to keep her citizens calm."

"Oh, I love guessing games, is she hiding." Pinkie said trying to add a little comedy to a tense situation.

"She's gone!" Rarity said and panic set through the building, while except in Pinkie who said. "Oh, she's good." Pinkie said only to be followed by a scream as a blue smoke began to form at the top of the balcony.

"Oh no... Nightmare Moon." Twilight said as the blue smoke transformed into the black alicorn known as Nightmare Moon. Spike fainted shortly afterward falling off of Twilight's back.

"Oh; my beloved subjects. It's been so long since I've seen your sun-loving faces." Nightmare Moon said bitterness and sarcasm burning through her words.

"What did you do with our princess?" Rainbow Dash said charging at Nightmare Moon.

"Slow down nelly." Applejack said catching Rainbow by her tail.

"Why, am I not royal enough for you? Don't you know who I am?" Nightmare Moon said addressing the ponies with rhetorical questions.

"Oh, more guessing games. Um, Hokey Smokes, how about Queen, Black Snooty, Black Snooty!" Pinkie said adding so unneeded comedy to the situation. Applejack quickly quieted Pinkie by shoving a cupcake in her mouth.

"Does my crown no longer count not that I've been imprisoned for a thousand years? Did you recall the legend, did you not see the signs?" Nightmare Moon said using her flowing mane as an extra limb.

"I did, and I know who you are. You're the mare in the moon... Nightmare Moon!" Twilight said speaking up followed by the whole group of ponies gasping learning exactly who they were dealing with.

"Well, well, somepony remembers me. Then you know why I'm here." Nightmare Moon said genuinely impressed that Twilight recognized her.

"You're to...to..." Twilight said trying to find her words.

"Laughs evilly. Remember this day, my little ponies for it was your last. From this day forth the night will last forever." Nightmare Moon said explaining her plan to her subjects and then continued in her evil laughter with lightning following.

All the way across Equestria inside the crystal caves of Canterlot the Alpha of all dragons stirred his sleeping spell weakening, even more, with the return of Nightmare Moon and he lifted his massive tail slamming back onto the ground creating a small earthquake that shook all of Canterlot. This small moment would soon become a full waking as the king of all the dragons began to start his return.

The Return of Darkness Part 2

Thunder and lightning boomed over the small village of Ponyville as the return of Nightmare Moon and the eternal night that came with it. "Evil Laughter!" Nightmare Moon did standing on top of the balcony.

"Seize her, only she knows where the Princess is!" The mayor of Ponyville said ordering the royal guards to do their job.

"Back away you foals!" Nightmare Moon yelled at the two Pegasus guards shooting a bolt of lightning at them forcing them to retreat. Knowing that she fore stayed her welcome she dematerialized into the same blue smoke she appeared in and flew out of the open door of the gazebo into the darkness of the night.

"Come back here." Rainbow Dash said following the blue smoke out the door into the night after Applejack let go of her tail. "Nighttime... forever. Where's she going?" Rainbow said to herself and looked down to see Twilight running out of the gazebo with Spike on her back.

The story shifts to Twilight's room in her library. "We got to stop Nightmare..." Spike sleepily tried to say before falling back to sleep in his small basket by Twilight's bed.

"You've been up all night Spike, you are a baby dragon after all." Twilight said to the sleeping dragon putting a blue blanket over him. Twilight left her room returning to the main floor of her library looking for a book on the Elements of Harmony.

"Elements, elements, elements, ugh! How can I stop Nightmare Moon without the Elements of Harmony?" Twilight said to herself looking through as many books as she could as fast as she could.

"And just what are the Elements of Harmony? And how did you know about Nightmare Moon, huh are you a spy?" Rainbow Dash all but demand Twilight to answer. Pressing her face right up against Twilight's driving her backwards.

"Simmer down, Sally. She ain't no spy... but she sure knows what's going on. Don't you Twilight." Applejack said to Rainbow trying to calm her down.

"I read all about the prediction of Nightmare Moon. Some mysterious objects known as the Elements of Harmony are the only things that can stop her, but I don't know what they are, or where to find them. I don't even know what they do." Twilight said to the five ponies currently in her library.

"Elements of Harmony a Reference Guide." Pinkie said looking at book on one of Twilight's shelves.

"How did you find that?" Twilight said to Pinkie knocking her away from the shelf.

"It was under E!" Pinkie said in her bubbly persona, or ponisona whatever, that only she could pull off. Twilight picked up the book using her magic and flipped to the page that told about the six elements specifically.

"There are six Elements of Harmony, but only five are known. Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, Honesty, and Loyalty." Twilight said talking about the five known elements as the ponies that represented them stood in order behind Twilight.

"The sixth is a complete mystery. It is said that the last known location of the five elements was in the ancient castle of the royal pony sisters." Twilight said as the blue smoke of Nightmare Moon listened outside her window only to fly off searching for the elements with her newly gained information.

"It is located in what is now..." Twilight began to finish the book only for the scene to switch to the forest on the outskirts of the town and the five other ponies saying. "The Everfree Forest!?"

The six ponies stared into the blackness inside the forest for a few moments until Pinkie broke the silence in her over the top manner. "Wee, let's go!"

"Not so fast. Look I appreciate the offer, but I'd really rather do this on my own." Twilight said not wanting in danger five ponies' lives.

"No can do sugar cube, we sure ain't letting any friend of ours go into that creepy place, anyone. We're sticking to you like caramel on a candy apple." Applejack said as Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Fluttershy followed her into the forest.

"Expressly if there are candy apples in there. What they're good." Pinkie said following the other four into the forest. Twilight sighed to herself and against her wishes followed the five ponies she had just met into the forest which no pony whoever went into ever came out of.

The setting shifts to the six ponies wandering through the pitch black forest looking for the castle of the two sisters which lay deep inside the forest. "So none of you have been in here before?" Twilight asked the five other ponies as she led the group through the forest.

"Oh heavens no. Just look at it, it's just dreadful." Rarity said back to Twilight in a slightly panicked manner. 'And it ain't folks say that it don't work the same way as Equestria." Applejack added as the smoke version of Nightmare Moon split into six pieces and dug itself into the rocks of the cliff side the six ponies were walking on.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Twilight said back the slight tint of panic in her voice.

"No pony knows." Rainbow Dash said in a tone of voice made deliberately to scare the other ponies.

"You know why..." Rainbow now on the ground slowing walking toward Rarity, Pinkie, and Fluttershy like she was a large cat stalking it's prey.

"Rainbow quit it." Applejack said to Rainbow trying to make her stop with no success. "Because everypony that has never come in as never come out." Rainbow Dash said ignoring Applejack on pinning the three other ponies up against the cliff's face. In perfect dramatic timing, Nightmare Moon forced the cliff to give way and the four non-Pegasus ponies started falling down the cliff.

"Fluttershy quick." Rainbow said to the yellow Pegasus as their friends started plummeting down the cliff side.

"Oh my goodness, oh my goodness." Fluttershy said to herself as she followed Rainbow Dash. Rainbow and Fluttershy helped save Pinkie and Rarity. Applejack used her teeth to save herself by grabbing onto a root stopping her momentum. Twilight, however kept sliding down the cliff barely be able to stop herself on the edge of another cliff which dropped down easily a hundred feet.

"Hold on, I'm a-comin'." Applejack said letting go of the root and slide down to Twilight to try and help her. Applejack grabbed onto Twilight's hoofs trying to stop her from falling off the cliff.

"Applejack what do I do?" Twilight up to Applejack knowing that she might die at that exact moment.

"Let go." Applejack said looking up to see Rainbow and Fluttershy getting into position to catch Twilight if she fell.

"Are you crazy!?" Twilight said up to Applejack confused that she would even suggest her to let go.

"No, I ain't, I promise you'll be safe." Applejack to Twilight trying to reassure her that will be in fact alright.

"That's not true." Twilight said back to Applejack making a respond back showing her Element of Harmony.

"Now, listen here. What I'm telling you is the honest truth. Let go and you'll be safe." Twilight's eyes dilated to the size of oranges and she let go falling off the cliff screaming. She fell for a few feet and was quickly caught by Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash.

"Phew." Twilight said to herself relieved that she hadn't been turned into a pancake. The three ponies then quickly lost altitude as Fluttershy wasn't used to in her words.

"Sorry girls, I'm not used to holding anything heavier than a bunny or two. The three ponies than safely hovered back down the ground as Twilight watched Applejack jumped down the cliff landing on small sections of rock that protruded outward. The smoke form of Nightmare Moon switching strategies flew into the forest and attacked a manticore, a large lion with the tail of a scorpion, and the wings of a bat making it roar into the darkness.

The six ponies continued on their journey until their path was blocked by the same Manticore that Nightmare Moon had attacked earlier."And once Pinkie and Rarity were safe! Whoa! I, Fluttershy loop-the-looped around and wham caught you just in the nick of time." Rainbow Dash said slightly gloating about saving Twilight's life.

"I know I was there, and I' very grateful, but we got..." Twilight began to say to Rainbow before the Manticore blocked the path of the six ponies. "A Manticore!" Twilight shouted, naming the beast that was blocking their path. The Manticore reared up on its hind legs and roared at the six ponies. "We got to get passed him." Twilight said slightly stating the obvious.

The Manticore than charged at Rarity its lion paw barely missing her. Rarity responded with a kink to the beast face and said. "Take that you ruffian." The Manticore than roared at Rarity the wind created by the roar messing up Rarity's mane. "My hair!" Rarity cried out before retreating backwards.

"Wait." Fluttershy whispered trying to get her friends to listen, sadly to no prevail.

The Manticore began to charge again only to stop as Applejack jumped on its back and rode the beast as if it was a bull in a rodeo. The Manticore bucked off Applejack only a few seconds later and Applejack said to the hovering Rainbow Dash. "All yours partner."

"I'm on it." Rainbow Dash before she few around the beast surrounding it in a tornado of rainbow colors. The Manticore quickly disposed of Rainbow by using its scorpion tail to bat her away.

The five ponies; Twilight, Rainbow, Pinkie, Rarity, and Applejack then began to charge at the Manticore. The five were quickly stopped by Fluttershy yelling, well the loudest she could.

"Wait!" Fluttershy then walked up to the Manticore which raised its right foreleg ready to attack only to be calmed down by the calm voice of Fluttershy saying. "Shh, it's okay." The Manticore seeing Fluttershy as a friend opened its other paw to show a large thorn sticking into it. "Oh, you poor, poor little baby. Now, this meant hurt for just a second." Fluttershy said seeing the thorn and began to pull it out.

The Manticore roared as Fluttershy pulled out the thorn than quickly began to lick the yellow Pegasus its red tongue going all over Fluttershy's mane. "Oh, you're just a little old baby kitty, aren't you? Yes, you are." Fluttershy said as her five friends walked passed the Manticore.

"How did you know about the thorn?" Twilight asked Fluttershy.

"I didn't, but sometimes we all just have to show a little kindness." Fluttershy said back showing her element that she would come to process later. The thorn then transformed back into the blue smoke of Nightmare Moon and continued to follow the six ponies deeper into the Everfree Forest.

The six ponies continued to walk through the forest on their way to find the Castle of the Two Sisters the place that was said to hold the six elements. "My eyes need a rest from all this icky muck." Rarity said for to herself as the six ponies continued on their journey through the forest. As she said her words the moon dropped below the treetops and the entire forest was blanketed with darkness. "Well, I didn't mean that literally." Rarity mumbled to herself as the darkness set a cross the forest.

"The ancient ruin could be right in front of our faces and we couldn't even know it." Twilight said as the blue smoke of Nightmare Moon slipped passed them. The smoke of Nightmare Moon enchanted the many red trees of the forest to making them have scary faces on their trunks.

"Oh wait I think I stepped in something." Applejack said only for Fluttershy to scream. "It's just mud." Applejack said back walking into a red tree which now a face of a mouth had filled with teeth.

The trees of faces seemed to surround the six ponies and they all screamed into the darkness. Well all of them exact Pinkie. Who was instead laughing at one of the trees.

"Pinkie what are you doing run!" Twilight said over to the pink pony.

"Oh, girls don't you see. When I was a little filly and the sun was going down." Pinkie began to start singing.

"Please tell me she's not." Twilight said not wanting Pinkie to sing. "

"The darkness and the shadows, they would always make me frown." Pinkie continued to sing.

"She is." Rarity said confirming what Twilight had previously said.

"I'd hide under my pillow from what I thought I saw. But Granny Pie said that wasn't the way to deal with fears at all." Pinkie continued to sing hopping around the forest her chipper attitude lighting up the forest.

"Then what is?" Rainbow asked Pinkie.

"She said 'Pinkie you gotta stand up tall. Learn to face your fears you'll see that they can't hurt you just laugh and make them disappear." Pinkie sang and laughed at a nearby tree removing its scaring face and leaving a normal tree. The rest of the ponies than laughed the trees until they were all turned back to normal and the six ponies collapsed on the ground laughing. Pinkie showing the element that she would soon gain laughter.

The six ponies then continued on their way, Pinkie hopping around rather than walking. The six ponies stopped as they reached a large raging river.

"How are we going to cross this?" Pinkie said looking at the raging river. The six ponies than heard a large purple sea serpent weeping further down the stream.

"What a world, what a word." The large creature said to himself.

"Excuse me, sir, why are you crying?" Twilight asked the snake-like creature.

"Well, I don't know I was just sitting here minding my own business. When this tacky little cloud of purple smoke just whisked passed me, and tore half of my beloved mustache clean off. And now I look simply horrid." The creature said showing the six ponies his newly cut orange mustache. The serpent then dived into the raging river splashing the ponies with water.

"Oh give me a break." Rainbow said to herself not assumed by the serpent's problem.

"That's what all the-fuss is about?" Applejack said expressing the same feelings as Rainbow.

"Oh, course it is. How can you be so insensitive?" Rarity said showing her pity and understanding for the creature.

"Oh, just look at him. Just such luminescent scales." Rarity said directing the serpent admiring his scales.

"I know." The serpent said agreeing with her. "And your expertly coifed mane." Rarity continued admiring the orange mane of the serpent matching his mustache.

"Oh I know, I know." The serpent continued to say as Rarity piled on.

"Your fabulous manicure All ruined without your beautiful mustache. I simply cannot let such a crime against fabulosity go uncorrected." Rarity said and we went and pulled one of the scales out of the serpents hide and used its sharp edge to cut off a small section of her purple tail, and she used it to fix the serpent's mustache. Grateful the serpent calmed down the river and allowed the ponies to use his back as a bridge to across the river. This small act of kindness showed Rarity's element, the Element of Generosity.

The six ponies continued on their path through the forest coming into view of the ruin of the old castle. "There it is! The ruin that holds the Elements of Harmony. We made it!" Twilight said seeing the castle and bolted toward it the other ponies not far behind. "We're almost there..." Twilight said back to the others only to almost fall off another cliff which bridge had been destroyed.

"What's with you and fall off cliffs today?" Rainbow said catching and pulling Twilight back by her tail.

"sigh... Now, what?" Pinkie said looking across the fog covered ravine.

"Duh." Rainbow Dash said flipping her wings and flew into the clouds picking up the fallen section of the bridge and dragging it across. She put the rope to the bridge down on the other side of the ravine ready to fix the bridge.

"Rainbow." Rainbow Dash heard an echoing voice as the smoke of Nightmare Moon slipped passed her.

"Who's there?" Rainbow said dropping the rope looking around for the voice. "I ain't scared of you. Show yourself." Rainbow Dash said rearing up on her hind legs ready to fight.

"We have been eagerly awaiting your arrival of the best flier in Equestria." The voice said from the fog that blanketed the area.

"Who?" Rainbow said into the fog confused. "Why you of course." The same voice said back. "Really? I mean, oh yeah me. Hey, uh you wouldn't mind telling the Wonderbolts that would you. Because I've been trying to get into that ground for-like-ever." Rainbow said into the fog slightly fangirling about her role models.

"Now Rainbow Dash we want you to join us, the Shadowbolts." The voice said and three Pegasus wearing black and purple flying suits ran out of the fog showing themselves to Rainbow Dash. "We're the greatest air team in the Everfree Forest, and soon we will be the greatest in all of Equestria. But first, we need a captain." The lead female Pegasus said to Rainbow Dash in the same voice as Nightmare Moon.

"The most manifest... swiftest... bravest flyer in all the land. We need you." The Pegasus pilled on using Rainbow's wanting to join the Wonderbolts and competitive drive against her.

"Sign me up, just let me tie this bridge real quick then we have a deal." Rainbow said to the Shadowbolts.

"No, it's them or us." The mane Pegasus said testing Rainbow Dash's loyalty to her friends.

"Rainbow what's taking so long? Oh, no Rainbow." Twilight said from across the ravine, seeing the three Pegasus talking to her. The mane Pegasus yellow eyes then glowed and the fog grew completely covering the other ponies and blocking out any other words coming from them.

"Well?" The Shadowbolt said hoping that Rainbow would abandon her friends.

"You..." Rainbow said and the Pegasus light up with excitement only for it to be destroyed a second later by Rainbow saying.

"Thank you for the offer, I mean. But I've afraid I have to say no." Rainbow said retying the bridge and flying back to her friends. The three Shadowbolts then split back into the blue smoke of Nightmare Moon and retreated back into the forest failing for the fifth time to stop the six ponies.

"Good job, Rainbow." Twilight said up to Rainbow as the ponies walked across the fixed bridge.

"See I never leave my friends hanging." Rainbow said to Twilight as she flew across the ravine showing her element, the Element of Loyalty.

The six ponies walked through the ruins until they came to a room with a large stature with five rocks on a turntable around a large dome.

"Come on Twilight isn't this what you been waiting for?" Applejack asked Twilight as the six ponies look at the Elements of Harmony.

"The Elements of Harmony, we found them." Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy flew up to the stature and picked up the five elements placing them on the ground."

"One, two, three, four. Uh, there's only five." Pinkie said as the two Pegasus put the elements on the ground.

"Where's the sixth." Rainbow said expressly the same concern as Pinkie.

The book said that when the five are present a spark will cause the sixth element to be revealed." Twilight said explaining the situation, while not understanding what it truly meant.

"What in the hay is that supposed to mean." Applejack said confused.

"I'm not sure, but I have an idea... stand back. I don't know what will happen." Twilight said to the other five ponies using her magic on the rocks.

"Come on ya'll she needs to concentrate." Applejack said as the five ponies left the room so Twilight could do her magic.

Just as Twilight was doing her magic the blue smoke of Nightmare Moon slipped her and created a blue tornado surrounding the elements trying to steal them. Twilight jumped into the blue vortex and the blue, the elements, and Twilight all disappeared.

"Twilight, where are you?" Applejack said looking around for their lost friend.

"Look." Rarity said seeing another part of the castle.

"Come on!" Applejack said as the five ponies rushed out of the room heading for the part of the castle looking for their friend.

Twilight reappeared in a different part of the ruined castle to see Nightmare Moon standing on top of a platform with the five elements circling around her. Nightmare Moon laughed evilly as lightning and thunder boomed around her.

Twilight stomped her hooves on the ground ready to charge at Nightmare Moon.

"You're kidding, you're kidding right." Nightmare Moon sarcastically said as the purple unicorn charged at her, Twilight's horn glowing from her magic. Just the two could collide Twilight teleport passed Nightmare Moon and to the platform were the elements were located.

"Just one spark, come on, come on." Twilight said using her magic. Nightmare Moon then transformed back into her blue smoke form and dived at Twilight. There was a small spark which blew Twilight backwards, but the sixth element did not appear.

"But where's the sixth element." Twilight said as Nightmare Moon laughed evilly when the sixth element didn't appear. Nightmare Moon then reared up on her hind legs and stomped on the ground shattering all the elements as if they were made of glass.

"You little foal! Thinking you could defeat me. Now you will never see your princess or your precious sun. The night will last forever." Nightmare Moon said her voice booming inside the castle as her mane created a blue vortex that looked like the night sky.

Twilight's attention then shifted when she heard the sound of her five friends behind her and she finally understood what she must do.

"You think you can destroy the Elements of Harmony just like that. Well, you're wrong. Because the spirits of the Elements of Harmony are right here!" Twilight shouted as her five friends regrouped behind her.

Then five different sharps from the left over elements floated into the sky next to Nightmare Moon, who stood there in shock.

"Applejack, who reassured me when I was in doubt, represents the Spirit of Honesty." Twilight began her monologue as the leftover shards of the Element of Honesty formed around Applejack in an aura of orange magic.

"Fluttershy, who tamed the Manticore with her compassion, represents the Spirit of Kindness." Twilight continued as the remaining shards of the Element of Kindness surrounded Fluttershy in a similar manner as Applejack, in an aura of pink magic.

"Pinkie Pie, who banished fear by giggling in the face of danger, represents the Spirit of Laughter." Twilight continued as the remaining shards surrounded Pinkie in an aura of blue magic.

"Rarity, who calmed a sorrowful serpent with a meaningful gift, represents the Spirit of Generosity." Twilight continued as the shards from the Element of Generosity surrounded in an aura of purple magic.

"And Rainbow Dash who could not abandon her friends for her own heart's desire represents the Spirit of Loyalty." Twilight said as the shards from the Element of Loyalty surrounded Rainbow in an aura of red magic.

"The spirits of these five ponies got us through every challenge you threw at us." Twilight said finishing her little monologue.

"You still don't have the sixth element. The spark didn't work." Luna, I mean Nightmare Moon said.

"But it did, a different kind of spark. I felt it the very moment I realized how happy I was to hear you, to see you, how much I cared about you. The spark ignited inside of me when I realized that you all... are my friends." Twilight said accepting the gift and magic that comes with friendship and when she did the sixth final element appeared, the Element of Magic.

"You see Nightmare Moon when those elements are ignited by the... the spark that resides within the heart of us all it creates the sixth element. The Element of Magic." Then the Element of Magic glowed brightly, followed shortly by the other elements sharps combining together to create necklaces. The Element of Magic, however, transformed into a large crown thingy that rested on top of Twilight's head. The six elements then combined to create a massive beam of rainbow colors surrounding Nightmare Moon in the vortex.

After the magic settled the six ponies woke up exhausted from using the elements. "Everypony ok?" Applejack asked the others.

"Oh, thank goodness." Rarity said her tail back to its former glory. "Why, Rarity it's so lovely." Fluttershy said to Rarity. "I know, I'll never part with it again." Rarity said snuggling with her tail.

"No, your necklace, it looks just like your cutie mark." Fluttershy said pointing out the similarities, only the element being purple, not blue.

"So does yours." Rarity said as the six ponies admired their newly acquired jewelry.

"I thought you were just spouting a lot of hooey. But I reckon that we really represent the Elements of Friendship." Applejack said to the whole group.

"Indeed, you do." The voice of Celestia said as she raised the sun over the mountains. Her form appearing out of the sun inside the ruined castle she once shared with her sister. Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity all bowed their ruler as Twilight rejoiced over the return of her mentor.

"Twilight Sparkle my faithful student. I knew you could do it." Celestia said to her student.

"But you told me it was an old pony's tale." Twilight said up to her teacher confused.

"I told you that you needed to make some friends nothing more." Celestia said reassuring her faithful student of the true meaning of her words.

"I saw the signs of Nightmare Moon's return and I knew that it you who had the magic inside to defeat her. But you could not unleash it until you let true friendship into your heart." Celestia said to all the ponies.

"Now if only another will as well." Celestia said over to the unconscious body of her newly reformed sister. Luna quickly regained consciousness and look up to her see her older sister towering over her, her flowing mane shining like the colors of the sky.

"It has been a thousand years seen I have seen you like this." Celestia said down to her sister, Luna's flowing mane disappearing as her magic was drained from her when she transformed back form Nightmare Moon.

"Time to put our differences behind us. We were meant to rule together little sister." Celestia said to her little sister sitting down to her level. "Sister!" The six ponies said from this revelation.

"Will you accept my friendship?" Celestia said to her weakened sibling standing back up.

"I'm so sorry! I missed you so much, big sister." Luna said running up into a hug with her sister.

"I've missed you too." Celestia said the two royal sisters reconciling. The touching moment was immediately turned to comedy as Pinkie began over-the-top sobbing stopping the instant she began speaking.

"Hey! You know what this calls for?" Pinkie said as the scene switched to Ponyville.

"A Party!" Pinkie said as all of the ponies of Ponyville had a celebration for the return of the Princess of the Night. Luna even received a veil from one of the longer ponies.

"Why so glum my faithful student? Are you not happy that your quest is completed, and you can return to your studies in Canterlot?" Celestia said to Twilight both asking and making a statement at the same time.

"That's just it. Just as I learn the how wonderful it is to have friends. I have to leave them." Twilight said her opinion on friendship far different than it was twenty-four hours earlier.

"Spike, take a note please." Celestia said to Spike as he pulled out a piece of paper and wrote down all of Celestia's words.

"I, Princess Celestia hereby decree that the unicorn, Twilight Sparkle, shall take on a new mission for Equestria. She must continue to study the magic of friendship. She must report back to me her findings from her new home in Ponyville." Celestia said giving Twilight the assignment that would make more than just a regular purple unicorn. "Oh, thank you, Princess Celestia. I'll study harder than ever before." Twilight as the entire town cheered from the news, for some reason. "Isn't this exciting? Are you excited? Because I'm never been so excited, expect for the time I went gasp." Pinkie taking the fourth wall and shooting it with a tank.

The scene switched to Canterlot as the many citizens woke up to the news of Princess Luna's return. "Did you hear about the return of Princess Luna?" A blue unicorn by the name of Minuette said to her friends.

"I didn't even know that we had another princess." A yellow unicorn by the name of Lemon Hearts said back.

"Did you all feel that earthquake last night?" A yellowish-gray unicorn that bore an eerie similarity to Twilight said.

"There was an earthquake?" Minuette said to the other unicorn.

"There was no earthquake. You must be imaging things Moon Dancer." Lemon Hearts said to Moon Dancer as two other unicorns left with the.

"I'm not imaging things. I couldn't have imaged my equipment showing that seismic activity last night." Moondancer said to herself as she returned to her home, only to leave it a few hours later when she went to the library. She would continue to study the small earthquakes that would soon come to plague all of Canterlot as the enormous dragon that lay beneath it began to awake of its fifteen hundred year slumber.

Sonic Rainboom

A few months has passed since Twilight and her friends saved Equestria from Nightmare Moon returning the Mare of Darkness back into the Princess of the Night and little sister of Princess Celestia, Princess Luna. Now the light blue Pegasus and spirit of the Element of Harmony, Rainbow Dash has been training for the Best Young Fliers competition that is held every year in the hometown of both Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, Cloudsdale. Cloudsdale is a massive floating city that is made out of clouds, which is the center for all the weather in Equestria, it is also the most competitive of all the cities in Equestria, and its design is very similar to that of Greco-Roman culture.

Anyway Rainbow Dash was practicing her routine for the show with a little cheering help from Fluttershy, if you can even call it help.

"Now what have we learned ?" Rainbow asked Fluttershy hovering above her in the middle of a grassy field.

"Lots of control." Fluttershy said up to Rainbow.

"Good." Rainbow said in agreeing with her friend.

"Screaming and hollering." Fluttershy continued.

"Yes, and most importantly." Rainbow said to Fluttershy. "Passion." Fluttershy said ending her statement.

"Right, Now you know the elements of a good cheer. Lets hear one." Rainbow said landing on the ground.

"Yay..." Fluttershy said to Rainbow her so called cheer barely audible.

"You're going to cheer for me like that. Louder!" Rainbow said to Fluttershy.

"Yay." Fluttershy said to Rainbow a little louder than before, but still at whisper lever. "Louder!" Rainbow said back to her friend urging her to be louder.

"Yay." Fluttershy responded back her cheer still not even close to what Rainbow wanted.

"Louder!"Rainbow all but yelled at her friend. Fluttershy than inhaled deeply and said.

"Yay." The cheer a little louder than the three before it, but still below Rainbow's expectations. "Ugh!' Rainbow said to herself falling backwards on the grassing ground disappointed at Fluttershy's perform. "To loud?" Fluttershy said not understanding the meaning of Rainbow Dash's moments.

A few minutes pass and Rainbow Dash is sitting on a small cloud a few hundred feet above the ground. "And now phase one of the routine." Rainbow said as she jumped off the cloud and flew through a group of trees.

"And now phase two." Rainbow said to herself before she rocketed up into the sky and flew around a cloud in a circular motion, making it spin. She used the momentum from the cloud to fly off into another and did the same motion to a nearby cloud twice.

"Way to go." Fluttershy said up to her friend in her calm and quiet voice trying to cheer her on.

"Here we go phase three the Sonic Rainboom." Rainbow said and she plummeted toward the ground. Rainbow Dash was traveling so fast that the air she was passing through began to form around as she reached supersonic speeds. She continued to go faster and faster until she literally hit a wall of air stopping her process dead in its tracks. The air then pushed back at her making fly off out of the field heading toward Twilight's library.

Speaking of Twilight's library the rest of the Mane Six were busy helping Twilight clean up her books after a long weekend of studying. "Last one." Twilight said using her magic to put the last book on the shelf. "Thank you all so much for helping clean up all these books guys. It was a crazy weekend of studying." Twilight said becoming the unicorn of exposition.

At that exact moment however Rainbow Dash slammed into the library through one of the open windows and the force from the impact knocked all of the restacked books back onto the floor. "Rainbow Dash you rock, woohoo." Did my cheering do that?" Fluttershy said from the open window.

"Sorry about that ladies. That was a truly feeble performance." Rainbow said apologizing to the four ponies and scudding Fluttershy at the same time.

"Actually it wasn't all bad. I practically liked it when you made the clouds spin." Fluttershy said to Rainbow not getting the meaning of her previous statement.

"Ugh! I'm not talking about my performance. I'm talking about yours. That feeble cheering." Rainbow said back to Fluttershy becoming for frustrated with her very different personality.

"What are you two arguing about." Twilight the two Pegasi.

"Were we arguing? I'm sorry." Fluttershy said to Twilight apologizing to the whole group of ponies.

"Ugh. I wish you guys could come to Cloudsdale, and see me compete in the Best Young Fliers Competition." Rainbow Dash said to the rest of her friends wishing that they could also go.

"What's that?" Twilight asked Rainbow.

"It's where all the best young Pegasus get together to show off their best flying stuff." Pinkie said explaining the competition in a short crash course statement, literally.

"Some are fast." Pinkie said well racing around the library in a circle."Some are graceful." Pinkie said trying to dance only to trip on the one of the books and tumble off into a bookcase.

"I wish you guys could be there. Fluttershy is great support, but her cheering isn't exactly inspirational." Rainbow said, while still being polite.

"Oh I'd love to see you make a Sonic Rainboom. It's like the most coolest thing ever. All though I haven't seen it before. But it's a Sonic Rainboom. How not cool, couldn't not be, right!" Pinkie said rambling on about the Sonic Rainboom.

"What's a Sonic Rainboom?" Twilight asked Pinkie, probably for some more exposition.

"You really to get out more. When a Pegasus like Rainbow Dash is going so fast... boom!" Pinkie said explaining the Sonic Rainboom jumping off the top floor in the books, some of them flying upward from the impact. A sonic boom and a rainbow can happen all at the same time." Pinkie said finishing her explanation of the move.

"And Rainbow Dash is the only pony to pull it off." Applejack said, heading onto Pinkie's statement.

"It was a long time ago. I was just a filly." Rainbow said surprisingly modest, and talking when she made a Sonic Rainboom the first which is how she got her cutie mark.

"Yeah, but you're going to do it again, right?" Pinkie said to Rainbow.

"Are you kidding I'm the greatest flier that as ever come out of Cloudsdale. I can do Sonic Rainboom in my sleep." Rainbow said hiding her nervousness pretty well.

"If you pull that off you'll win for sure." Twilight said to Rainbow.

"The grand prize is an entire day with the Wonderbolts. A whole day of flying with my lifelong heroes. It'll be a dream come true. I better go rest up. Don't want to over prepare myself. Ya know. You on the other hoof better keep practicing. I need a cheering section that matches my performance." Rainbow said fangirling over her heroes and flew out of the library.

"She's practiced that move hundred times, and she has never come close to creating a Sonic Rainboom. I don't know if I can cheer loud enough to help her." Fluttershy said following Rainbow out of the window.

"Well I guess we should get the cleaned up... again." Twilight said both showing her unique form of frustration.

"Go on... go on." Rarity said pushing Twilight.

"Go on what?" Twilight asked Rarity confused.

"Go find a spell that will get us wings. So we can go to to Clousdale. Didn't you see how nervous she was." Rarity said explaining herself.

"Nervous, have you lost your last bit or something. She was tooting her own horn louder than the brass section of marching band." Applejack said to Rarity.

"Oh please, I've put on enough fashion shows to recognize stage fright when I see it. We've got to find a way to be there for her. No go on." Rarity said coming to the defense of Rainbow Dash and ending her statement by pushing Twilight pile of books.

"Ugh! How am I supposed to find flight spell in this mess." Twilight said her frustration mounting.

"A flight spell, one sec." Pinkie before rushed off grabbing a book and throwing it to Twilight.

"Page twenty-seven" Pinkie said as Twilight used her magic to flip to the right page.

"How'd you do that?" Applejack asked Pinkie Pie.

"It landed on my face when Rainbow Dash knocked me into the bookcase." Pinkie said slightly explaining her unrivaled ability to defy physics.

"Here it is. A spell that will allow earth ponies to fly for three days. Oh, it looks really difficult. I'm not sure if I can do it." Twilight said expressing her concern about the spell.

"You've got to try." Rarity said to Twilight.

"Ok, but who is going to volunteer to be the test subject." Twilight said which made Applejack and Pinkie slightly look at each other with concern on their face.

"I will! For Rainbow Dash I will go first." Rarity said showing a high amount of courage.

"Here it goes." Twilight said and her horn glowed a magenta color. The magic from her horn created a tornado like blue magic that consumed Rarity. The spell worked giving Rarity brand new set of wings.

"I think it worked." Twilight said exhausted in an almost intoxicated manner.

The scene shifts to Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy as they are flying into the massive floating city of Cloudsdale.

"You've got to be more assertive Fluttershy. Don't be afraid to speak up." Rainbow Dash said to her yellow friend as the two Pegasus landed on the cloud ground of the city.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" A brown Pegasus said to Rainbow Dash, I'm just going to call him Brown Asshole.

"It's our old friend Rainbow Crash." A yellow Pegasus said to Rainbow making a bad pun out of her name, I'm just going to call him Yellow Asshole.

"Get kick out of any flight schools lately?" Brown Asshole said to Rainbow trying and by Rainbow facial expression failing to bulling her.

"I didn't get kicked out." Rainbow said to the two asshole Pegasi defending herself.

"Face it, Rainbow Crash. Flight school had to many rules, and not enough breaks for you" Brown Asshole said to Rainbow Dash.

"Ask her about the Sonic Rainbow." Yellow Asshole said to his partner.

"That's nothing but and old mare's tale. You don't have the skills to try something like that." Brown Asshole said.

"Now just wait a second." Fluttershy said to the two pegasi showing more courage in two seconds than she has for half of her life.

"I'm sorry trying to be more assertive. Anyhow she is going to do a Sonic Rainboom." Fluttershy said coming the defense of her friend.

"No she's not, because there's no such thing." Brown Asshole said to Fluttershy. "Then show up at the Cloudiseum and see for yourself. If you're free." Fluttershy said, while still trying polite.

"Oh don't worry we'll be there." Brown Asshole said. "See you there Rainbow Crash." Yellow Asshole as the two pegasi flew off followed by a gray Pegasus.

"Did you see that I was so assertive." Fluttershy said proud of herself for her performance.

"Those guys are right. I'll never be able to do it." Rainbow said starting to doubt herself.

"But Rainbow Dash just because you failed the Sonic Rainboom a hundred thousand times in practice. Doesn't mean that you won't be able to do it in front of a stadium filled with impatient, supercritical, sport-fan ponies." Fluttershy said just adding some more gasoline to Rainbow Dash's freak out fire.

"What do I do?! Everypony is going to see me fail. The Wonderbolts would never let a loser like me join. Princess Celestia will than probably banish me to the Everfree Free Forest. My life is ruined." Rainbow Dash said going into full freak out mode.

"Rar..." Fluttershy began to say.

"Rare? The Sonic Rainboom is way more than rare!" Rainbow said to Fluttershy not understanding the meaning of her words.

"R-Rarity." Fluttershy said pointing up their flying friend. Rarity wings were massive butterfly like wings as she hovered above the two pegasi.

"Rarity... are you flying?" Rainbow Dash said shocked at their flying friend.

"I most certainly am. Aren't my wings smashing. Twilight made them for me. I just adore them." Rarity said admiring her new wings as Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy's jaws looked like they were about to hit the ground.

"Why so shocked? We couldn't have the best flier without the a big cheering section." Rarity said to the two Pegasi.

"We?" Rainbow said as a pink hot air balloon poked out the clouds with the rest of the Mane Six in its basket.

"I-I can't believe it." Rainbow said her small freak out earlier slipping away.

"It's incredible." Fluttershy said admiring the balloon.

"This is so cool You guys made it." Rainbow said as Pinkie jumped out of the basket.

"Wait!" Rainbow said as Pinkie landed safely on the clouds.

"How'd you do that? I thought that only Pegasus ponies can walk on clouds." Rainbow said as the rest of the ponies hopped out of the balloon.

"Pretty cool, right." Pinkie said doing cartwheels on the cloud ground.

"I found a spell that makes temporary wings, but it was to difficult to do more than once. So I found an easier spell that allowed the rest of us to walk on clouds." Twilight said explaining how they were able to walk on the clouds.

"And we came to cheer you to victory." Applejack said adding to Twilight's words.

"To be honest, I was starting to get a little bit nervous. But I feel a lot better now that you guys are here." Rainbow said admitting being nervous to her friends, while still keeping out her small freak out.

"Hey we've got some time before the competition. Why don't Fluttershy and I show you guys around Cloudsdale." Rainbow Dash said and the four other ponies followed the two pegasi deeper into Cloudsdale.

A few minutes passed as the six ponies are traveling through Cloudsdale, Rainbow Dash giving commentary while they are walking. "Some of the greatest Pegasi have come from Cloudsdale." Rainbow Dash said the six ponies passed a construction zone.

"Those wings are gorgeous." One of the construction pegasi said letting go of his jackhammer which fell off the cloud they were working on.

"Why thank you." Rarity said becoming for full of herself as the day went on.

"Be careful with those wings Rarity. They are made from gossamer and morning dew, and they're incredibly delectate." Twilight said to Rarity, foreshadowing future events.

"Don't worry Twilight. I'm sure they can't get wore out from to much attention." Rarity said down to Twilight.

"Since we're up here I like to see where the weather is made." Applejack said to the whole group.

"Great idea, come on girls to the weather factory." Rainbow Dash said as the six ponies headed to the weather factory of Cloudsdale.

The Mane Six arrived at the Weather Factory, but more specifically the part of the factory that makes the snowflakes for winter.

"This where they make the snowflakes. each one is hoof made. As you can see it is a very delicate operation." Rainbow Dash said explaining the process of how the pegasi created winter.

"Oh the snowflakes look even better from up here." Rarity said flying up to the ceiling. The wind created from Rarity created a breeze powerful enough to blow away the snowflakes the worker pegasi were working on.

"We better move on before Rarity ruins winter and causes a drought." Rainbow said the worker pegasi used buckets on their heads to catch the falling snowflakes. The Mane Six than left the winter part of the factory heading toward were the rainbows were made.

The six ponies arrived at the part of the factory that makes the rainbows a few minutes later. "And here's where they make the rainbows." Rainbow Dash said as the six ponies traveled through the building. Pinkie dipped on of her hoofs in a mixture of what is used to make rainbows and tasted it.

"Spicy!" Pinkie said as her face changed to the colors of the rainbow and ran off to get a glass of water.

"Rainbows aren't really known for their favor." Rainbow Dash said seeing Pinkie run off.

"Where'd you get those amazing wing? I want a pair." Yellow Asshole said to Rarity as she was hovering over everypony.

"Yeah, I guess I can that." Rarity said the attention from her wings getting to her head. sa

"Oh yay look, its Rainbow Crash again." Brown Asshole said seeing Rainbow Dash.

"Yeah Rainbow... uh... Crash." Yellow Asshole said stupidly. "Rarity what are you doing talking to those guys?" Rainbow Dash said to Rarity.

"Oh they were just admiring my wings, Rainbow Dash." Rarity said down to Rainbow Dash.

"Yeah you should forget the Sonic Rainboom, and just get some wings like these." Brown Asshole said to Rainbow Dash as the pegasi flew off.

"Oh come on girls, why don't we see how clouds are made." Fluttershy said to the group seeing a depressed look on Rainbow Dash's face. "Don't listen to them you're going to be great." Fluttershy said to Rainbow Dash trying to cheer her up, sadly to no avail.

"Are you kidding!? I can't do a Sonic Rainboom, and just look at these old boring feathered wings. I'm doomed!" Rainbow Dash said the words from the other pegasi getting to her.

The six ponies arrived at the part of the factory of where the clouds were made. Almost immediately the workers of the factory admired Rarity's wings. "What these old things. Go ahead everypony photos are encouraged." Rarity treating her wings as if they were a piece of clothing.

"Rarity you're supposed to help Rainbow relax remember. Now put your wings away and stop showing off." Twilight said to Rarity scudding her for just making Rainbow's anxiety worse.

"Oh, how can you ask me to put away perfection.?" Rarity flying up to the sun. The light beams from the sun shined through her wings and created a beautiful lights from it.

"Rainbow are you ok. You don't look so good." Twilight said down to Rainbow Dash you was sitting on the ground having a slight mental breakdown.

"Oh course, I mean why wouldn't I be ok? Everypony is so in love with Rarity's wings. They won't even notice when I blow it in the best young flier competition." Rainbow said about it lose it.

"Hey there's an idea.. You should enter the competition." One of the worker Pegasus said to Rarity.

"Yeah I could watch you fly all day long." An older Pegasus worker who looked a lot like Granny Smith.

"There really isn't anypony that uses their wings quite like mine. Perhaps I should compete." Rarity said to all the ponies, flying off.

"What am I going to do. I'll never win the competition now." Rainbow said as the scene switches to the Cloudiseum.

"Fillies and Gentlecolts, please raise and join me in welcoming our beloved Princess Celestia. The announcer of the event said as Celesta flew in landing on her platform with two guards on each of her sides. "Please welcome our celebrity judges... the Wonderbolts!" The announcer continued as the Wonderbolts flew overhead, smoke trailing behind them. "And now let's find out who will take the prize and be this years best young flier." The announcer said as the competition began.

In the dressing room inside the Cloudiseum the consents were getting ready for their performances. "Ok contestant number one you're up." One of the staff of the area said.

"Aah!" Rainbow Dash said to herself seeing that she was number two.

"Ok number two lets go." The same Pegasus said when number one finished their performance. "Come on, come on, we ain't got all day." The Pegasus said as Rainbow switched numbers with another brown Pegasus.

"She's talking to you." Rainbow said to the Pegasus.

"Oh, I guess that's me." The brown Pegasus said flying off.

"Ok number four it's time to go." The staff Pegasus said talking about Rarity.

"I'm number and I need one more minute. Be a dear and have somepony go ahead of me." Rarity poking her head out of the dressing room still getting ready for her performance.

"Look I don't care who it is, but somepony got to go on." The Pegasus said starting to get frustrated.

"Let's do this." Number seven said flying out to do his routine.

"I love number seven. Doing fifteen barrel rolls can't be easy." Twilight said talking to her friends in their seats.

"I like number ten see looked like such a nice pony." Fluttershy said back.

"I wonder why we haven't seen Rarity or Rainbow Dash yet. The competition is almost over." Applejack noticing their friends absence.

"Number fifteen lets go." The staff Pegasus said to Rainbow Dash who was laying on the floor having a mental breakdown.

"Rarity is ready." Rarity said walking out of her dressing room covered in over the top makeup.

"Look ladies, I don't know what to tell you. There's only enough time for one more performance. If you both want to perform, you'll just have to go out together." The Pegasus said to the two of them.

"Well Rainbow Dash, shall we?" Rarity said to her friend who was obviously losing it.

"And now for our final competitor of the day, contestant number fifteen." The announcer said as Rainbow Dash nervously flew out of the curtain. "And apparently, contestant number four." The announcer said as Rarity also flew out to join Rainbow Dash.

"Good luck, Rainbow Dash. Just do your best. I hope you don't mind, but I took the liberty to change our music. That rock and roll doesn't really match my wings." Rarity said to Rainbow Dash as classical music begins to play, as Rarity begins her almost belay like routine.

"Come on, Rainbow Dash. You can do this, just remember the routine, phase one. Rainbow said to herself trying to pull herself together. Rainbow than flew through a bunch of cloud pillars much like she did earlier that day. About half way through phase one Rainbow hit on of the pillars causing her to fly out of control and run into a wall.

"Nice work, Rainbow Crash." The Yellow Pegasus from earlier said mocking Rainbow and her misfortune.

"Time for phase two." Rainbow Dash said to herself and went to fly around a group of clouds in a circle. The momentum from her moment caused the clouds to spin.

"Look, phase two is working." Fluttershy said and the rest of rainbow's friends cheer. However one of Rainbow's clouds spins out of control and nearly hits Celestia.

"And now for my grand finale... I will fly up to the sun, and beam my beautiful wings down onto the city of Cloudsdale. They'll be talking about it for years." Rarity said going into her final part of her performance.

"Looks like this is my final chance to turn things around. Phase three the Sonic... Rainboom. Wings don't fail me now." Rainbow said to herself seeing Rarity fly higher into the sky. She than rocketed up into the sky gaining enough altitude to perform the Sonic Rainboom.

"Look upon me, Equestria. For I am Rarity." Rarity said as the light from the sun shown through her beautiful wings. However the heat from the sun also caused Rarity's wings to evaporate. "Uh... Oh!" Rarity said before plummeting from the sky.

"Oh No! Her wings evaporated into thin air." Twilight said stating the obvious. The Wonderbolts than rocketed down to Rarity trying to save her. Only to be knock unconscious by her from her flailing limbs.

"Hang on Rarity, I'm coming." Rainbow said seeing Rarity falling toward the and rocketed down after her.

"I can't look." Fluttershy said fearing that she would lose not just one but two friends. The entire crowd gasped as a wall of air formed around Rainbow Dash as flied faster and faster, closing in on breaking the sound. The wall than shattered in a massive explosion that also broken the visible light spectrum causing a massive Sonic Rainboom, an explosion so powerful it rocked all of Equestria.

"A Sonic Rainboom! She did it! She did it!" Fluttershy cheered louder than she had ever done before in her life. Rainbow than caught both Rarity and the Wonderbolts just before they could hit the ground.

Rainbow than safely landed back on the Cloudiseum to the sound of cheers and applause from the entire crowd. "I did it. I did it." Rainbow said surprisingly humble.

"You sure did. Oh thank you, Rainbow Dash you saved my life." Rarity said to Rainbow with two Pegasus holding her above the clouds.

"Well yeah.. I did that too. Best day ever!" Rainbow Dash celebrating her fit of awesomeness, The rainbow by her Sonic Rainboom arching over the area.

I want to apologize for to all of you for getting so carried away with my beautiful wings. I guess I just got lost my head." Rarity said to her friends sitting in the basket of the hot air balloon. All of her friends accepted her apology and Rarity apologized directly to Rainbow Dash. "And I'm expressly sorry for you Rainbow Dash. As to jump into the contest at the last minute. After you had work so hard to win it. Can you ever, ever forgive me." Rarity said to Rainbow her near death experience turning her incredibly humble.

"It's ok. Everything turned out ok right, right." Rainbow Dash said accepting her apology. "I just wished I could of met the Wonderbolts when they were still awake." Rainbow said only to get a tap on her shoulder. Rainbow Dash turned around to see the three Wonderbolts she had just saved standing in front of her. "Oh, my gosh." Rainbow said repeating the same word four times as she was fangirling.

"So you're the little pony who saved our lives. We're really wanted to meet you and say thanks." Spitfire, the leader of the Wonderbolts said to Rainbow thanking her for saving their lives.

"Oh, my gosh." Rainbow said repeating the same phrase again four times.

"Princess Celestia." Twilight said noticing her mentor.

"Hello Twilight Sparkle, and hello to your friends." Celestia said to the six ponies as they bowed to her.

"Princess Celestia... I'm sorry. I ruined the competition, Rainbow Dash really is the best flier in Equestria." Rarity said apologizing to the Princess.

"I know she is my dear. That is why for her incredible attack of bravery and spectacular Sonic Rainboom. I'm presenting the grand prize for the best young flier to Rainbow Dash." Celestia as a Pegasus put a crown on Rainbow's head and she was carried off saying

"Oh my gosh." She repeated the same phrase multiple times I've just to right it over and over again.

"Now Twilight have you learned anything about friendship from this experience." Celestia said asking her number one student. "I did, but I like Rarity learned even more than I did." Twilight said to her mentor.

"I certainly did. I learned that how important it is to keep your hoofs on the ground, and be their for your friends." Rarity said providing the moral the episode, I mean chapter. Shit I hope no one noticed that.

"Excellent, well done Rarity." Celestia said to the white unicorn as Rainbow returned. "This really is the best day ever." Rainbow said now officially the greatest young flier in Equestria.

"Hey, Rainbow Crash." Brown Asshole began to say to Rainbow only to be corrected by Yellow Asshole.

"Dash."

"Sorry Rainbow Dash. We just wanted to congregate you on winning." Brown Asshole said to Rainbow. Ok I'll call them Brown and Yellow Pegasus now, happy readers.

"That Sonic Rainboom was awesome." Yellow Pegasus said Rainbow Dash.

"We're really sorry we gave you such an hard time before." Brown Pegasus said to Rainbow apologizing for being dicks to her earlier.

"That's ok, don't worry about it." Rainbow said to the two pegasi.

"Hey you want to hang out with us sometime. Maybe you can show us that incredible trick." Brown Pegasus said trying a little to hard to become friends with Rainbow Dash." "Sorry boys, but I got plans." Rainbow said as she flew off with two of the Wonderbolts on each side of her.

Back in Canterlot the unicorn Moondancer was devoting most of her time to find out how to explain all the recent seismic activity that had been plaguing the city ever since the return of Nightmare Moon. As Moondancer was study her equipment there was massive explosion overhead that rocked the city. The explosion was from Rainbow Dash's Sonic Rainboom as the rainbow colored explosion spread across the city. Almost instantaneously the city was also rocked by another earthquake as the massive dragon that sleep underneath the city slowing began to reawaken.

"Moondancer." Moondancer heard as somepony knocked on her door. The unicorn opened it to see a blue unicorn standing in front of her. "Moondancer, Twinkleshine is having a party you wanna come." The blue unicorn by the name of Minuette said to Moondancer.

"No, I'm too busying studying." Moondancer said to Minuette refusing another party invitation. She closed the wooden door behind her and returned to her studies opening up a book that talked about the ancient history of Equestria.

"Contrary to popular pony belief Equestria was not always ruled by ponies. Longer before the pony settlers came to the great land of Equestria it was ruled by dragons." Moondancer said as she read the book out loud as at that exact moment the city was rocked by another minor earthquake only readable by Moondancer earthquake mentoring machine of her own making.

"The leader of all the dragons was the Alpha, a dragon a massive dragon the size of a mountain. This Alpha over the land of Equestria passing on his Alpha status onto one of his two apprentices. Not much is known about the two apprentices of the Alpha." Moondancer continued to read as a second earthquake hit Canterlot, this one stronger than the one before it. "All that is known is the both of them disappeared about fifteen hundred years and no pony or dragon as seen them since." Moondancer said finishing her studies and looking at the graph her machine at graph out that day.

"None of the earthquakes were recorded until after the Sonic Rainboom a few years back." Moondancer said to herself noticing the connection between the Sonic Rainboom by Rainbow Dash and the beginning of the earthquakes. "And there weren't any earthquakes until the princess returned." Moondancer said making an even bigger connection. "The princesses need to know about my findings." Moondancer said to herself, as she headed out of her house toward the castle as the remaining colors from Rainbow Dash's Sonic Rainbow began to fade back into the blue sky of day.

A Dragon and Pony Show

The scene begins in Rarity's home and dress making shop as she was preparing one of her outfits. "Perfect." Rarity said to herself as she put the last blue gem on the outfit she was working on. Just as she did the bell on her door ringed. "Coming! Welcome to Carousel Boutique, where every garment is chic, unique, and magnifique." Rarity began to say before she gasped as she noticed pony that had just walked into her shop. "Sapphire Shores, the pony of pop!" Rarity said as the blue maned pony stood in her store.

"Good afternoon, Miss Rarity." Sapphire Shores said introducing herself to the star stuck unicorn. "You, yah... Y-You know my name." Rarity said her head about to explode from the shock that one of the biggest names in Canterlot knowing her name. "Well, of course I do, darling. I make it a point to know all of the up-and-coming designers and Clothes Horse magazine simply raved about you." Sapphire Shores said to Rarity explaining why she was currently at Rarity's store. "Oh my stars. If I'm dreaming please don't wake me up. How may I help you, Miss Shores?" Rarity said trying to pull herself together and act professionally. "Oh please, call me Sapphire." The pony of pop said to Rarity. "giggle, How my I help you, Sapphire." Rarity said to Sapphire Shores. "Well, as I'm sure you know, I'll be touring all across Equestria with my latest concert. Sapphire Shores' Ziegfilly Follies, so I need to look seensational." The pony of pop said in an almost singing tone. "I have just what you need. Sapphire Shores, prepare yourself the piece de resistance la haute couture. I used every last diamond I found on this one garment." Rarity said using a bunch of French words I didn't understand, and reveling the outfit she was working on. The outfit was white and covered with red and blue gems all around it. The gems on the outfit glowed a rose red and ocean blue as the sunlight hit the outfit. "gasp, And it is spectacular! I'll take it." Sapphire Shores said taking in the beauty of the outfit Rarity had made.

"Really?" Rarity said her eyes lighting up. "Oh yes, and I'd like five more, each done in a different jewel." Sapphire said ordering five new outfits from Rarity. "I beg your pardon?" Rarity said to Sapphire as the thought of finding that many gems weighed on her mind. "Costume changes." Sapphire said to Rarity in a calm demeanor. Rarity looked into the empty gem chest and then fainted as the weight of having to find all the gems need for five more outfits was too much for her. "chuckle, I have that effect on ponies." Sapphire said to the fainted Rarity.

Spike and Rarity began to look for gems that would go for Sapphire Shores' five outfits. Rarity's horn glowed light blue as she looked for gems using her horn as a gem detector. "Oh my gosh, Sapphire Shores. The pony of pop she is awesome, I mean she's gorgeous, and talented, and..." Spike said pulling a red wagon behind him, stopping when Rarity stared back at him. "But not even half the pony you are Rarity. I mean you are ten times for gorgeous and talented." Spike said to Rarity back peddling on his original statement. "Spike a lady is never jealous." Rarity said to Spike going back to searching for gems with her horn. "Of course not, but where you totally flipping out or what?" Spike said to Rarity. "Ladies do not flip out, Spike. However, I was quite in awe." Rarity said to Spike before she went back to her task of finding more jewels for Sapphire's outfits. "Ooh, I need to find more jewels than ever before to decorate her costumes." Rarity said pacing back and forth using her horn as a jewel detector. After a few moments Rarity's horn located a small group of gems and she directed Spike on wear to dig them up. "Ooooo! You look so delicious..." Spike said to the sparkling gems laying in front of him. "Spike! I promised I'd give you gems to snack on, but we need to collect more first or I'll never be able to make these outfits for Sapphire." Rarity said to Spike putting his mind back on the task at hand. "Hmm... I will miss you, my sweets." Spike said putting the gems in the small red wagon. "Come along, Spike. We have many jewels to find." Rarity said as the two of them searched for more gems.

About an hour passed and the wagon was almost completely filled with gems of all different colors. "You've been very patient today, Spike. And for that you get the finest reward. This is from me to you." Rarity said giving Spike a small blue gem. "Is something wrong, Spike?" Rarity said to the purple dragon, her blue eyes sparkling just as bright as the gems they were collecting. "No, it's perfect." Spike said to Rarity accepting her gift. "Ooo, bring the cart Spike." Rarity said as her horn light up, detecting even more gems to add to their already large collection. "For me, from Rarity." Spike said to himself before following Rarity to look for more gems.

"Yesss, gemsss. Gemsss!" A diamond dog, an ugly bipedal dog-like creature which only thought process is to find gems, by the name of Rover said from behind a brush overlooking the two searching for gems. "Where?" Another diamond dog by the name of Fido said to Rover. "Preciousss gemsss! He is the gem hunter. With him we can have all those gems... and more! Let's get the dragon." Rover said seeing Spike pulling the red wagon filled with precious gems. "Spike! Where are you?" Rarity said calling for Spike. "Wait! Who is that?" Rover said looking over to see the white unicorn calling for her little dragon assistant. "You know, it's terrible to keep a lady waiting." Rarity said to Spike unaware that the both of them were being watched. "Coming!" Spike said to Rarity catching up to Rarity and began to dig at the area she directed him towards. "I think we're really going to strike gold this time. So to speak." Rarity said as Spike dug into the ground looking for more gems for Sapphire Shores' outfits. "Jackpot!" Spike said as he pulled an arms full of gems from the ground.

"Oh, it's not the dragon we want. It's the pony!" Rover said as the diamond dogs realized that it was Rarity that had the unique ability to find gems with her horn. "The pony..." The three diamond dogs said as they retreated back underground as they planned to acquire Rarity by any means necessary.

Rarity and Spike were busy finding gems for Sapphire Shores' outfits, unaware that they both being watched by a pack of diamond dogs. "I think that's all we can do for today. This will get me well on my way with Sapphire Shores' outfits." Rarity said to her dragon assistant as he put the last gems in the red wagon. "Why don't we..." Rarity began to say only for her horn to light up. "What's this another jewel. Strange it's in the trees." Rarity said as horn lead her to the gem on the necklace of the leader of the Diamond Dogs, Rover. "Uh, good day gentle... fellow, Uh I am Rarity and this is my friend Spike. And you would be." Rarity said as the diamond dog showed himself and she retreated backwards. "A diamond dog." Rover said back to Rarity as he lead the unicorn and dragon further backwards. "Oh really, that explains your fine taste for jewelry. I mean, I know a diamond is a mare's best friend, but now I know their a dog's best friend too. So you're out here hunting for gems as well." Rarity said to the diamond dog, trying her best to get out of the tense situation. "Yes, we hunt." Rover said to Rarity, hinting to her that he wasn't alone."

"A... we?" Rarity said noticing his choice of words. "We hunt for gems, and you are a better hunter. So we hunt for you." Rover said as the other two diamond dogs dug out of the ground behind Spike and Rarity. The larger dog swung a paw at Rarity barely missing her head. Spike used his tail as a jackhammer and jumped on the tail of the smaller bulldog like diamond dog. The dog jumped up into the air in pain as the other two continued trying to capture Rarity. "Run Rarity, run." Spike said to Rarity as the larger of the three diamond dogs pushed him into the ground. "Come on Spike, hurry." Rarity said the purple dragon and he caused two of the dogs to trip. "Gotcha." Rover said cornering the white unicorn. "Go Rarity, I got em." Spike said only for the larger dog to kick him into one of the trees. "Unhand me this instant, you ruffians! Put me down you brutes." Rarity said as the three diamond dogs retreated into their hole in the ground their price in hand. Spike was able to jumped out of the tree in time to see Rarity trying to claw her way back out. "Spike, aah dirt!" Rarity yelled as she got a patch of dirt on her hoof. She was then dragged back down into the hole by one of the diamond dogs. "NOOOOO!" Spike yelled at the top of his lungs as Rarity disappeared into the dark caves underneath his feet.

A few minutes as the rest of the mane six, with Spike on the back of Twilight breathing into a brown paper bag, arrived at the gem quarry just outside of Ponyville. "Spike, can you breathe now?" Twilight asked Spike who was still breathing into the bag. "Yes, I think so." Spike said to the purple unicorn. "Good, now tell us what you know." Twilight said to the dragon on her back. "Yeah, cause all you said earlier was..." Rainbow chimed in as the scene switched to when Spike told the rest of the mane six of Rarity's capture. "Rarity! Woods! Jewels Dogs! Holes! Taken! Save Her!" Spike said in rapid succession only to get a looked of confusion from the five ponies, as the scene switch back to the gem quarry.

"That's not that much to go on sport." Applejack said as the ponies raced to where Rarity was taken. "Sorry. Rarity and I were in the woods looking for jewels when these creepy guys showed up." Spike said explaining the situation. "Creepy guys." Twilight chimed in as Spike continued. "They called themselves the diamond dogs. They grabbed Rarity and disappeared down a hole in the ground." Spike said finishing his explanation of the situation. "Well this sounds mighty easy. Just take us that there hole and we'll save Rarity." Applejack said as the five ponies and dragon arrived at the quarry to see that it was completely littered with holes.

"Holey moley, that's a lot of holeys!' Pinkie looking out to the quarry which was riddled with holes by the diamond dogs. 'Come on girls, let's get started." Twilight said to the rest of the ponies, and Spike. Twilight than walked over to one of the holes in the ground and called into it. "Hello." Just as Twilight called into the hole it was quickly filled up by one of the diamond dogs. The dirt from the dogs hitting Twilight in the face.

This one hole getting filled was than filled by a bunch of other holes being filled by the dogs in rapid succession. "Quick, we got to get down there before they are all filled up." Twilight said to her friends as the many holes surrounding them began to get filled with dirt. "We can't muscle through." Applejack said as she tried her way through the dirt only to fail in the process. "We'll see about that." Rainbow Dash said as she rocketed into the air and then dive bombed toward an unfilled hole. She stopped her momentum as the hole she was flying toward filled up entirely. She stopping only inches from slamming into the ground.

"Heaven's to beasting. Now, I'm used to picking myself up and dusting myself off, but Rarity won't even touch mud unless it's imported." Applejack said to her friends talking about Rarity. "Oh, Rarity." Twilight said as the ponies daydreamed about Rarity.

"Oh woe is me! Whatever shall I do?" Daydream Rarity said inside a small cell underground as she stomped her hoof and a pile of dirt fall on them. "Ah, dirt get away dirt?" Rarity said hitting one of the walls of her cells, more dirt falling on her white coat. "Make it stop! Filthy disgusting dirt." Rarity said backing up into the other wall of her cell, more dirt falling on her coat beginning to cover her in brown dirt. "It stings, it burn. Will somepony save me, save me." Daydream Rarity said as the daydream of the mane six switched back to the quarry.

"We got to save her." Applejack said to the whole group. "But they blocked out all the holes." Fluttershy said in her calm demeanor. "Don't mean that we can't dig them out, come on girls." Applejack said jumping on one of the filled and started digging it out, as the other ponies joined her. As Pinkie was digging out one of the holes, one of the diamond dogs pop out and grabbed her tail. This forced her to fall off of the pile she was digging. A similar thing happens to Fluttershy as one of the diamond dogs picks her up from her wings and drops her shortly after, the dog retreating back underground afterwards.

"Get em." Rainbow says talking to Twilight as two of the dogs pop out of the same hole. Rainbow and Twilight than charged at the diamond dogs only for them to retreat back underground, causing the two ponies to collide into each other. "All those scary monsters popping up out of nowhere. Oh poor, Rarity must be terrified." Fluttershy said as the six ponies thought up another daydream about Rarity.

"Give me the baubles." The smaller diamond dog by the name of Spot said in the daydream. "Ah!" Rarity yelped as the dog appeared in front of her. "Give me the beads." The larger blue diamond dog by the name of Fido said popping out seemly nowhere. "Ah!" Rarity yelped again as the new diamond dog appeared. "Where is the trinkets?" The leader of the diamond dogs by the name of Rover said to the white unicorn. "Ah!' Rarity yelled again as the leader appeared. "Where is the treasure!?" The three diamond dogs said all at the same time. This caused the daydream Rarity to faint as the scene switched back to the ponies.

"Poor Rarity, what are we gonna do." Twilight said as the group returned from their shared daydream, if that's even possible. "I got it." Spike exclaimed as he saw one small hole that wasn't filled, convenient. "I'll save you my sweet." Spike continued taking out the blue gem that Rarity had given to him earlier. "Huh!" The five ponies said looking at each from Spike's words.

Spike ran up to the open hole and pulled and attached the gem to a fishing pole and dropped it into the hole, hoping that one of the diamond dogs would take the bite. "Spike it is very noble of you..." Twilight began to say to Spike, only for him to shush her. "To sacrifice the gem Rarity gave you." Twilight continued now in a whisper. "Oh lady Rarity, my damsel in distress." Spike said as he drifted off into his own daydream.

"I shall save you. Show yourselves, you dogs, you curs." Spike said in his daydream, now a more muscular dragon wearing knight-like armor. Then the same three diamond dogs appeared out of the dark tunnels. "A... there you are you mutts." Spike said to the three dogs. "Who are you calling mutts? Unleash the hounds!" Daydream Rover said blowing into a white dog whistle. The whistle didn't go unanswered as a bunch of large brown diamond dogs wearing white armor appeared behind their leader.

The small group of warrior dogs charged daydream Spike and he used his large sword more like a staff knocking all of the charging dogs out of the way. He then used his tail to knock a few other dogs into another tunnel. He finished off the rest by using his orange dragon breathe on the dogs. His dragon forced the warrior dogs to retreat and Spike interrogated the three dogs. "Now, where is lady Rarity?" Spike asked the three dogs. The three scared dogs than pointed to the left.

Spike than charged through a metal door to find Rarity who was dressed in a pink and purple princess dress, I'm guessing to be a reference of a pink princess that keeps getting kidnapped, and saved by a red plumber. "Oh Spike, I'd knew you'd save me." Daydream Rarity said to Spike, glad that she had save him from the diamond dogs. "Nothing could stop me, my lady." Spike said to Rarity. "Oh Spike, you are my hero." Rarity said her lips puckering up for a kiss from the dragon. Spike puckered his lips in order to return the kiss as the scene switches back to Ponyville.

"Woa, there loverboy." Applejack as Spike was about to kiss the orange pony. Just as AJ finished her sentence the fishing pole jumped as someone grabbed the gem at the bottom. "Woa, Woa! I got a bit, I got a bite!" Spike exclaimed as something began to drag him closer to the hole. "Hang on their fella." Applejack said grabbing onto Spike's tail before he could fall into the hole. "Applejack." Twilight said grabbing onto the orange ponies tail, as the two were almost pulled into the hole. "Twilight!" Rainbow said as she grabbed onto the purple unicorn's tail. "Oh my goodness, oh my goodness." Fluttershy said as she grabbed onto the blue Pegasus' tail. "Oh wait for me." Pinkie said bouncing up and down. She grabbed onto the tail of the yellow Pegasus.

The six of them, Spike and the rest of the Mane five landed at the bottom of the caves, which had been dug entirely by diamond dogs looking for gems. "Ha, Ha! It worked. We're in now we can finally save Rarity." Spike said to back on his feet. "Um... which way do you go?" Twilight said as she looked around the cave they land in which had many tunnels dug into it, all of them leading in different directions. "No!" Spike yelled, doing the same thing he did earlier when Rarity was ponynapped.

"All these tunnels. How are we ever going to find Rarity?" Twilight said as the five ponies, and Spike, searched the vast a ray of tunnels in the caves underneath Ponyville. "I guess we'll just have to go down them, one by one." Applejack said. That could take forever! There's gotta be way to narrow it down. "I know! I bet they've taken Rarity down the tunnel with the most gems." Spike exclaimed to the group. "But Spike, Rarity is the only one who knows how to find gems." Twilight said to Spike, pointing out that Rarity was the only pony that could locate gems. "No, Twilight. You can! You can copy Rarity's gem-finding spell." Spike said to the purple unicorn, whose special talent was literally magic (not to mention it is also her Element of Harmony). "Oh, my gosh! You're right! Rarity showed me how she did it a while back. If I can just remember..." Twilight said before her horn glowed a magenta color as she copied Rarity's gem finding spell. Twilight finished her spell, which made all the gems in the walls appear like radar. "That's it. You did it, Twilight! Come on! We're coming, Rarity. We'll save you. Just hold on." Spike said, as the group galloped down the tunnel that contained the most gems.

"Oh please, Diamond Dogs. Please let me go." Rarity said to her captors. "No!" Spot, the smaller bulldog like diamond dog, said to the white unicorn. "You're our precious little pony." Fido, the larger blue diamond said to Rarity, chiming in. "Forever! Muhahahaha!" Rover, the leader of the diamonds dogs finished. "But whatever do you want from me?" Rarity said to her the three dogs, intentionally acting weaker than she really is. "Gemsss!" Rover said to the white unicorn. "Yes! The gems. The jewels." Spot chimed in. "Find them! Find them all!" Fido said finishing the other two sentences. "Oh! Is that all?" Rarity said to the three dogs, her horn lighting up as she searched for gems.

"There. A lovely pocket of jewels are right there. Now, if you'd be so kind as to show me the exit?" Rarity said finding a small group of gems in the ground. "Good! (laugh) Now, dig them up, pony." Rover said to Rarity, pointing down at the area. "What? But you said you wanted me to find the gems." Rarity said to the leader of the dogs. "Yes! Find and then dig." Spot said pointing down at the dirt. "Dig?" The white unicorn said disgusted at the thought of digging up the gems. "Yes. Dig." Fido chimed "Ohh..." Rarity grunted as she used the tip of her hoof to dig up the gems. "What are you doing? We said dig!" Fido said frustrate at the digging, or leak thereof, by Rarity. "Forgive me, but prior to you so rudely dragging me into your dirt pit, I had a pony-pedi and I am not about to chip a hoof because you dislike my style of digging." Rarity grunt as she continued her pity excuse for digging. "Oh, for goodness. Fine! Just stop. Stop!" Rover said to Rarity making stop her so called digging.

"Dig, dogs! Dig! And fast." Rover said calling for warrior dogs to dig in the place of Rarity. The dogs dug until they found a small group of multi-colored gems. "She won't dig, she pulls." Fido said as he tried to attach a rusty old wagon to the white unicorn. "I beg your pardon, but what, pray tell, are you doing?" Rarity said as the large diamond dog. "Others will dig. You will haul the wagon." Fido said to the unicorn. "Prrrecious pony-pedi will be preserved." Spot said using Rarity's previous words against her. "Well, somebody certainly needs proper nail care. When was the last time you two had a manicure? You're scratching up my coat with those jagged things!" Rarity said to Fido as his dirty claws pieced the white unicorn coat. "Please be quiet!" A frustrated Rover barked (pun intended) at Rarity. "Good heavens, what is that smell?" Rarity said beginning to complain about Rover's breath. "Smeeeeeell?" Rover said, opening his mouth to show green fuses coming from it. "Ah, mystery solved. It's your breath." Rarity said smelling the dog's breathe. This caused the dog to smell his own breath afterwards, also not very fond of it. "Enough! Search, pony!" A frustrated Rover yelled, ordering Rarity to do the job they had ponynapped her for.

"Well, since you insist..." Rarity said pulling the wagon and using a stick to mark where gems were located on the ground. "But I must say the working conditions in here are simply dreadful. Musty and damp, it's going to wreak havoc on my mane. And this air is stifling, suffocating. And when I try to take a deep breath, the stench of all you dogs makes me nauseated." Rarity said complaining, as she marked an area in a column with gems. The dogs dug up the gems only for the column to fall on them. "You look and smell like you haven't bathed in weeks. Have you never heard of soap? You could all do with a good round of soap and water." Rarity said passing two of the guard dogs, making them spell there armpits, and faint shortly afterwards from their body order. "Oh water, oh water, I'm terribly thirsty. Could I please have some water?" Rarity said continuing on her rant of complaining about the working conditions of the mines. "Good gracious, I can't take this anymore. Be quiet, pony!" Spot yelled at the white unicorn, only for her to continue.

"And that's another thing. I would appreciate if you stopped calling me 'pony'. I am a lady and I wish to be addressed as such. So you may call me 'Miss' or 'Rarity' or 'Miss Rarity'." "Enough! You're whining! It-it-it hurts!"

"Whining? I am not whining. I am complaining." Rarity said as she started an overexgerated "Do you want to hear whining? Thiiis iiis whiiining! Oooh, this harness is too tiiight! It's going to chafe. Can't you loosen it? Oooh, it hurts and it's sooo ruuusty! Why didn't you clean it first? It's gonna leave a staaain! And the wagon's getting heeeavy, why do I have to pull it?!"

"Would you excuse me for a second, (gets up from laptop currently writing on) uncontrollable laughter for about five minutes, ok I'm back. Now where was I, oh yes?"

Anyway, Rarity said, intentionally being as annoying as possible. "Stop whining!" Rover barked (pun intended) at Rarity wanting her to shut up. "But I thought you wanted whiiining!" Rarity whined even laugher then before. "Geh! We'll do anything, pony! Oh, uh, uh, we'll do anything, 'Miss Rarity'." Rover said, saying in a way to shut Rarity shut up. "Anything?" Rarity said dreamily, going to take full advantage of the diamond dog's words.

"sigh... This water is hardly sparkling. But I suppose it will have to do." Rarity said in a large throne like carven that was completely decorated, the diamond dogs now treating her like a queen. "Wait! Why are we doing this?" A panting Rover said as the three dogs were pulling their own carts full of gems. "To stop the awful noises from the pony's mouth, remember?" Spot said to his leader, reminding him of the pain to their ears that would come if they didn't. "Yes, yes, I know. This is ridiculous! Letting a pony order us around. What are we? Mice or dogs?" Rover said to the others. " Mi... dogs?" Spot and Fido said dumbly at the same time. "Dogs do not pull. Ponies pull. Let her make the awful noises." Rover said to the others, fad up with the unicorn.

"What are you doing? Hey, you spilled my drink." Rarity said, as one of dogs knocked over her glass of water. "Oh! Not sooo tiiight!" Rarity whined, as the dogs attached a rusty cart to her. "Ha! Make the noises all you want. But move while you make them. Hyah, mule!" Rover said to Rarity, slapping her in the back.

"Did you just call me a... mule?" Rarity said, tears forming in her blue eyes. "Ehh..." Rover muttered confused. "Mules are ugly. Are you saying that I too am ugly?" Rarity said now crying. "What are these noises?" Spot said, looking at the unicorn that which was crying on the ground. "He called me ugly!" Rarity managed to say through tears.

"No! Mule! I said mule!" Rover said to the white unicorn, trying to explaining himself. "An old ugly mule! And it's true! Just look at me. I used to be beautiful, but, but nooow..." Rarity said continuing to cry her eyes out. "No, no! You're still beautiful, po... uh, Miss Rarity." Spot said trying to cheer Rarity up. "You're just saying that!" Rarity said her tears now streaming like a river. "No, you're still pretty and... and..." Fido said to the crying pony. "Oh, uh, uh, nice. Yeah." Rover said, adding his words to the conservation. "I don't believe you! You never liked me!" Rarity cried digging her face into her hoofs. "Oh, I've had just about enough of this!" Rover said, covering his ears with his paws. As the scene switched back to the rest of the mane six, and Spike.

"We're getting close. I can feel it." Twilight said as the group heard Rarity's cries out in the distance. "It's coming from down here. Come on!" Spike said on Twilight's back. "She must be in there. Let's go!" Applejack said as the ponies got closer to Rarity.

"More workhorses." A group of warrior diamond dogs said jumping on their backs. "Hoh, doggies. If you can take this bull by the horns, you better be ready for a ride. Come on, ponies! Kick 'em up, kick 'em out. Buck 'em up, buck 'em down." Applejack said, as the rest of the ponies bucked the dogs off their back. The dogs then howled as they retreated back into the caves. "Yeehaw! Get along, little doggies!" The southern pony said as the dogs ran away.

"I'm coming for you, milady. Hi-ho, Twilight! Away!" Spike said breaking a stalagmite out of the ceiling and using it like a small sword, not mention jumping onto Twilight back and using her like his noble steed. "And just what do you think you're doing?" Twilight said to her little dragon assistant. "Please, Twilight. Just give me this." Spike said to the purple unicorn, wanting to live up his dream as the knight in shining armor. "Eh... fine." Twilight said to the purple dragon, submitting to his fantasy. She then rose up on her hind legs and charged forward. She busted through a rusted metal door and Spike announced. "Lady Rarity, I'm here to save you!" What happened next surprised both the dragon and pony.

"Save us! Please, save us! Make it stop! Please!" The three diamond dogs said simultaneously to the purple alicorn, I mean unicorn. "Shit hope nopony noticed that." "Excuse me." A confused Twilight said to the diamond dogs. "She's so picking. And critical. She won't stop talking. And crying." All the dogs said at the same time. "We, give her back." Rover said, as Rarity walked up pulling a cart full of gems.

"Rarity! You're safe!" Spike exclaimed, running up to the white unicorn. "Why, yes. Hello, girls. You arrived just in time to assist me." Rarity said to her friends. "Assist you with what?" Applejack asked Rarity. "With those." Rarity said, using her hoof to point at another five carts filled to the brim with gems of all different colors. "You're letting her leave with all these... jewels?" Spike said his mouth watering as he look at all the gems. "Yes. Take them. And her with them." Rover said, both gladly and regretfully to the dragon. "Please!" Spot said, the six ponies and dragon left soon afterward pulling a least one ton of gems back to Ponyville.

About a half an hour later the ponies returned to the surface, each pony have a cart full of gems in tow. "I can't believe that you found all these gems." Pinkie said to Rarity. "Heh. I can't believe you tricked all those dogs." Rainbow said surprised that a pony that wouldn't get her hoof dirty could outsmart three diamond dogs. "Just because I'm a lady doesn't mean I cannot handle myself in a sticky situation. I had them wrapped around my hoof the entire time." Rarity said explaining her methods to her friends.

"I can't wait to write to Princess Celestia to tell her what you taught me today." Twilight said to Rarity. "Me? What did I teach you?" Rarity said to Twilight surprised. "Just because somepony is ladylike doesn't make her weak. In fact, by using her wits a seemingly defenseless pony can be the one who outsmarts and outshines them all." Twilight said to her friend, saying her words as if she was doing a speech. "Hmm..." Outshines" is right. Now you have enough gems to cover Sapphire Shores' costumes." Spike said busy eating some of the gems in one of Rarity's cart. "Not if you eat them all, Spike." Rarity said to the purple dragon.

All the ponies shared a laugh, as the scene switched to the earthquake tortured city of Canterlot. As a yellow unicorn had a meeting with the princess to discuss the current phenomenon.

"The princesses must know about my findings." Moon Dancer said to herself as she arrived at the massive castle that towered over the city of Canterlot as she was about to have meeting with the two princesses about the earthquakes that had plagued the city for the last few months. Moon Dancer continued her walk to the castle passing by some construction workers who were busy repairing some of the damaged building from all the earthquakes.

"Princess, the pony by the name of Moon Dancer has arrived to discuss a matter of great importance." One of the castle guards said to Celestia, her little sister Luna resting after a hard day at work the night before. "Excellent, send her in please." Celestia said from her large throne to the guard, putting down one of the many scrolls by her side, and the two heavy doors to the throne room magically opened reveling the yellow unicorn standing in the middle of the doorway. "Hello princess my name is Moon Dancer." Moon Dancer said as politely as she could to the white Alicorn, introducing herself to her. "Why yes Moon Dancer, my advisors says that you have something important to speak to me about" Celestia said to the unicorn in a calm demeanor as her flowing rainbow colored mane glowed like the sun she brought.

"I have come to inform you about some research that I have been doing for the last few months." Moon Dancer said to the princess, who raised both of her eyebrows at Moon Dancer's words. "What kind of research?" Celestia asked Moon Dancer with a little concern her voice. "As I'm sure you and your sister know the city has been plagued by small earthquakes for the last few months." Moon Dancer said to Celestia. "Yes, what about them, our scientists are currently working on an explanation, and a probable solution for the seismic phenomena as I speak." Celestia said to Moon Dancer wondering what the yellow unicorn, who looked a lot like Twilight, end game was. "Well I have found a connection between the earthquakes that your scientists may have not noticed." Moon Dancer said taking out one of the many scrolls out of her small purple saddlebag. Celestia used her gold magic to take the scroll from Moon Dancer and the princess read the scroll. Her pink eyes widening as she read it.

Back in Canterlot

Celestia's pink eyes widened as she reached the bottom of the scroll which read. "I have found in my studies that there was once one giant dragon the size of a small mountain, known simply as the Alpha. This dragon mysteriously disappeared around fifteen hundred years ago, not that long before the rule of the two princesses. My research has lead me to believe that this giant dragon has been sleeping underneath the city, hidden within the mostly forgotten crystal caves that are riddled underneath the city. I have found a sufficient connection between this so called Alpha of the dragons and the current earthquakes that have since plagued Canterlot for the last few months. It is my opinion that these earthquakes are not caused by the ground we all walk on, but instead the cause of the massive Alpha dragon beginning to awaken from its fifteen hundred year nap." Moon Dancer's scroll said and Celestia knew exactly what the unicorn had come here to talk about.

"Guards would you two give the two of us a little privacy." Celestia said to the two white unicorn guards wearing golden armor standing next to the door.

"Of course your majesty." One of the guards said to the princess. The two guards did as their princess commanded with the heavy wooden door closing behind them.

"How did you learn about the Alpha!?" Celestia all but ordered Moon Dancer to answer using the traditional Canterlot voice, something she hadn't used in centuries. Just after the doors had closed behind them.

"I read about it in a book, wait are telling me that the Alpha is real!?" Moon Dancer said up to the alicorn princess, surprised that such a powerful being could've actually existed.

"Oh yes, the Alpha is quite real. And the one you speak off in your scroll wasn't even the first." Celestia said stepping off the throne that she shared with her sister. "May I see this book that you speak of?" Celestia said to Moon Dancer her calm voice overpowering her massive stature, as she towered over the yellow unicorn. Moon Dancer used her yellow magic to pull the book Celestia was talking about out of her bag and gave it to Celestia opening it to the page that talked about the Alpha. "Interesting..." Celestia said to herself as she read the book.

"What's interesting?" Moon Dancer asked Celestia.

"It's just that your book is very accurate to what actually happened in the ancient past of Equestria." Celestia said giving the book back to Moon Dancer. "Where did you find this book?" Celestia asked Moon Dancer, continuing on her original statement.

"I found the book inside the library one day, while I was researching the history of Equestria before you and your sister's rule." Moon Dancer said to Celestia.

"Interesting, follow me Moon Dancer I want to show you something." Celestia as she led the yellow unicorn down into the crystal caves of Canterlot, to show Moon Dancer something or should I say someone that almost everypony else didn't even know existed.

The alicorn princess and the yellow unicorn traveled deeper into the dark crystal caves underneath Canterlot, the only light coming from the horns of the three ponies. "A... princess Celestia where are we going?" Moon Dancer asked Celestia as the three ponies traveled further down into the dark caves.

"Relax little one, trust me. where we're headed is worth the wait." Celestia being intentionally vague when answering. "Ok, that doesn't really answer my question..." Moon Dancer began as the three ponies turned around a corner to be face to face with the sleeping Alpha dragon.

The massive dragon continued his fifteen hundred year slumber, its massive body only moving when it breathed. The red scales of the Alpha had turned almost black, from all the dust that had collected on them over the centuries.

"Wow..." Moon Dancer said in awe as she trotted closer to the most powerful being in all of Equestria. Her awe was increased when one of the Alpha massive claws began to lift and then slammed back into the ground a few feet from where the yellow unicorn as the Alpha's weakened even more. This causing a small earthquake that shook all of Canterlot. One of the stalagmites off of the ceiling even fall from the impact and landed only a few feet from where Moon Dancer was standing.

"Are you ok, filly?" Celestia asked the startled and almost crushed Moon Dancer.

"Yeah I'm fine, but how did this even happen?" Moon Dancer asked Celestia, brushing off some of the dust off of her yellow coat.

"It all happened over fifteen hundred years ago." Celestia said to Moon Dancer as she retold the story of how the Alpha defeated his own brother in a fight over who would rule over Equestria. "He fought bravely and eventually he defeated his brother, Omega, banishing him to the badlands just outside of Equestria's borders. Omega never to be seen again." Celestia said finishing her story.

"I know all that princess, but what I don't understand is why he is under here asleep." Moon Dancer asked Celestia, pointing her left foreleg at the slumbering Alpha.

Celesita let out a heavy sigh as she continued. "The fight took its toll on him, both physically and mentally. He returned to me and my sister asked my sister to put him under a sleeping curse." Celestia said to Moon Dancer.

"Why did he asked your sister to put him under a sleeping curse?" Moon Dancer asked the white alicorn.

Celestia let out another sigh, this mare was going to be the emotional death of her. "He believed that without his brother and mentor he wouldn't be able to rule over all the dragons with peace. So he had my sister, Luna, cast a sleeping curse on him forcing him to fall into death-like slumber." Celestia said down to the yellow unicorn as the Alpha's breathing slowing hastened as his slumber began to weaken even further.

"Hmm... what happened afterward?" Moon Dancer asked Celestia.

"After he was put under a sleeping curse the dragons of Equestria, without their leader were driven into a time of when greed consumed their lives. A time that sadly is still upon the once great species, their greed turning into an important part of their biology over the centuries. The chaos caused by the removal of the Alpha didn't go unnoticed, however. The draconequus by the name of Discord, the literal embodiment of chaos and disharmony, took advantage of the Alpha's absence and my sister's and I's weakened state to take over Equestria. Turning it into his own sick and twisted land of chaos. You know all the rest. My sister and I found the Elements of Harmony and sealed Discord in a stone prison, and my sister and I ruled over Equestria in a land of peace. Well at least until Nightmare Moon." Celestia said to Moon Dancer her words seeming to choke in her mouth as she recalled the memory of when her sister became the greatest evil Equestria had seen.

Moon Dancer seeing the distress in the princess' face and quickly change the subject back to the million pound dragon that was sleeping right in front of them. "So... when will he wake up?" Moon Dancer asked the white alicorn, taking her from her thoughts of her sister.

"We really don't know, this has been the most movement from him in the last fifteen hundred years." Celestia said as she turned to leave the cave.

"So we could reawaken at any minute?" Moon Dancer asked Celestia, catching up to the alicorn.

"Yes, he could, but the terms of Luna's spell were very clear." Celestia said to Moon Dancer as the two ponies trotted their way back up the caves.

"What do you mean by the terms of the spell?" Moon Dancer asked the white alicorn as they returned to the ground above. The bright light almost blinding Moon Dancer after almost an hour of near darkness.

Celestia let out another sigh at Moon Dancer question, her reminding her more and more of her star student with each passing second. "My sister spell stated that the only way that the Alpha could rise from his slumber was if Equestria was attacked by creatures that fed off the love of others." Celestia said recalling the spell her sister put on the Alpha.

"What do you mean by creatures that feed on love?" Moon Dancer asked Celestia, confused.

"Have you ever heard of a species of equestrian-like creatures called changelings?" Celestia asked Moon Dancer.

"I've heard of them, but I don't know much about them. I thought that they were nothing more than a legand, an old filly tail." Moon Dancer said, slightly regretting that she didn't have as much knowledge as she wanted about species that lived outside of Equestria's boundaries.

"Changelings are no legend, they are very real." Celestia said with a small giggle as she explained what changelings were to Moon Dancer. "Changelings are pony-like shape-shifters that have the ability to change into the ponies you love most, and they gain power by feeding off the love you have for them." Celestia said to Moon Dancer, explaining how changeling biology worked.

"Well... if they are so dangerous how come I, and many other ponies have very little knowledge of them?" Moon Dancer asked Celestia, bringing up a very good point about Equestria's education system.

Celestia continued her words about changelings saying. "Even my knowledge about their species is limited. You see changeling once ruled over what would become Equestria all before it was settled by ponies." "Really then why haven't found any mentioned of this in any of books that have read about Equestria's history?" Moon Dancer asked the white alicorn, as the two ponies arrived at the castle, which towered over the city.

"I wouldn't have expected you to." Celestia said being intentional vague. "What do you mean?" Moon Dancer asked Celestia, not bothered by her intentional vagueness. "You see, of the little I know about changelings. I do know this. Over two thousand years ago, long before ponies first settled Equestria, changelings ruled over the land with their powerful queen that went by the name of Queen Arachne. The changelings ruled over Equestria feeding off all the love until the First Alpha, the one that mentor the one that currently rest beneath our hoofs, arrived and defeated the changelings. He also with the help of his two apprentices were able to defeat Queen Arachne and her forces and forever banished them to the outskirts of what would later earn the name of Equestria." Celestia explaining the entire backstory of the changelings in one small statement.

"I see... do you know if any changelings live in Equestria?" Moon Dancer asked Celestia.

"It is possible  that there are a few changelings that live inside Equestria's borders feeding off its unrivaled amount of love, but their numbers are so few that they don't really pose that big of a threat on Equestria." Celestia said to the yellow unicorn.

"You know Moon Dancer, you remind me a lot of my star student, Twilight Sparkle." Celestia said after a few moments of silence.

"I... I'm nothing like Twilight." Moon Dancer said, turning away from Celestia, remembering her former 'friend'.

"Don't be so modest Moon Dancer. You are both two of the smartest unicorn's have ever met, and that's saying something." Celestia continued, making the yellow unicorn blush.

"I'm flattered princess, but I'm nothing like Twilight Sparkle. I mean I'm just a young unicorn in Canterlot, and Twilight is your personal student protege and also the Element of Magic. I'm nothing like her." Moon Dancer said to the white alicorn, pain from her former 'friend's' betrayal showing on her face. The white alicorn noticed this distress on the young pony's face at the mention of her priced student and quickly changed the subject. Much to Moon Dancer's relief.

"You know Moon Dancer, would you mind being the head scientist to study the current 'earthquakes' that have been mincing our great city." Celestia said as the two ponies passed some of the other ponies. Celestia not wanting the general public to now that the so-called earthquakes were actually coming from an enormous dragon that had lived underneath their hooves for longer than the city had even existed. Moon Dancer understood what the princess was saying, along with the delicate nature of the citizenry knowing about the true nature of the earthquakes.

"I would be honored, your highness!" The yellow unicorn exclaimed, barely able to contain her emotions.

"Excellent, you have to report to my throne room tomorrow for your assignment." Celestia said happily that she able to make the yellow unicorn smile.

"Thank you so much, princess. I promise that I won't let you down!" Moon Dancer said, joyfully hoping her way back to her home.

As she hopped back home her thoughts about Twilight Sparkle returned and her smile that Celestia had given her disappeared, along with her joyful hopping. She turned around the look at Twilight's former home, a beautiful tower that she had all but abandoned when she moved to Ponyville. The last shines of Sunlight shined onto the tower as Moon Dancer stared up at it and she thought out loud to herself.

"Why you... why you so special. So special that you were able to leave a house some ponies would kill for, and most of why are you so special that you are able to just pick up all of your things and leave to a brand new place and life without even saying goodbye." Moon Dancer ranted at the abandoned tower. "Why are you the Element of Magic despite doing nothing for it, when somepony like me that has to work their flanks off, just to get by? Why are you get everything, when somepony like me get nothing?!" Moon Dancer yelled, tears beginning to form in her eyes as she finished her rant.

Moon Dancer turned around and slowly trotted to her battered front swinging it opening with her hoof. She used her magic to slam the door behind with enough to make part of the door frame fall off.

"Horseapples, you've got to be bucking kidding me!" Moon Dancer exclaimed as she used her yellow magic to put her heavy stable bag on the floor. As the last drops of sunlight fell into her small one story house a revelation came to Moon Dancer. "I really am the most useless pony in all of Equestria." Moon Dancer said, as she covered her face in her hoofs and sobbed into them, as sat on the dirt floor of her house crying like a filly all by herself.

Her sobbing continued for a couple minutes until Luna raised the moon and the stars and darkness fall across all of Equestria. Moon Dancer whipped away her tears as she used her magic light her one small candle, which created only enough light for not to trip over all her equipment that riddled her small house. Moon Dancer picked up the small candle with her magic and walked over to her small bedroom. Her room was only big enough for a twin sized bed and a small blue nightstand that lay next to it. Moon Dancer put the small candle on her nightstand and crawled into her small bed. She used her magic to wrap a small blue and yellow blanket around her body as she forced herself to go to sleep, both excited and dreading the day that would follow.

Before the Worst Night Ever

It had been about a month since Moon Dancer learned about the Alpha, and Princess Celestia had given her the honor of being the head science pony on researching the massive dragon slept beneath the city of Canterlot. She enjoyed her job, especially since it gave her some well-needed money.

Moon Dancer was busy researching a sample of dust underneath one of the Alpha's claws with one of her many scientific types of equipment when she heard a knock on her door. Moon Dancer trotted over to her front door to see a gray unicorn stallion wearing a blue mailman outfit in front of her.

"Hmm, are you the pony by the name of Moon Dancer?" The mailpony politely asked the yellow unicorn.

"Yes, my name is Moon Dancer." Moon Dancer said to the Mailpony.

"Well, in that case, I have a letter for you." The mailpony said, giving Moon Dancer a golden envelope.

She stared at the envelope suspiciously before she used her magic tear open the envelope. She used her magic to pull out the contents of the envelope to show one golden ticket for the Grand Galloping Gala, the most prestigious party in all of Equestria.

"Who... who sent me this?" Moon Dancer asked the mailpony, shocked that anypony would send her an invitation to the Gala.

"Don't ask me, I'm just the delivery pony." The Mailpony said shrugging. "Now I need to complete my rounds, have a nice day Miss Dancer." The Mailpony finished as he trotted off in finish his daily deliveries.

"Thank you!" Moon Dancer called to the gray stallion before she closed her front door with her magic.

Once Moon Dancer was by herself in her small house she jumped up in excitement. "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! I'm going to the Grand Galloping Gala!" Moon Dancer exclaimed in excitement jumping around in a circle, only to trip over one of her pieces of equipment and fall on her back. "Ow, horseapples that hurt." Moon Dancer grunted as she rubbed the back of her head. Moon Dancer struggled to her hooves, still rubbing the back of her neck as read the golden ticket with her magic.

Moon Dancer's eyes widened as she reached the bottom of the ticket. "The Gala this next week!" Moon Dancer exclaimed as she paced back and forth. "What am I going to do, what I going to do?" Moon Dancer said to herself having a small freak out. Moon Dancer's thoughts were interrupted by another knock on her door. "I'll be right there." Moon Dancer said to the closed door, as she opened the door to show three unicorns in front of it.

The ponies were the only ones that she really considered to be her friends. The three ponies' names were Minuette, a blue unicorn, with a dark blue and steel colored mane and tail, and yellow hourglass as a cutie mark. Twinkleshine, an ivory unicorn, with a curly pink mane, and three blue stars for a cutie mark. And Lemon Hearts a bright yellow unicorn with light blue mane and tail, and three hearts (two blue and one green) for a cutie mark.

"Hmm... Moon Dancer we were all wondering, I mean if aren't busy studying or anything. That could come help us check out some dresses for the Grand Galloping Gala today." Minuette said shyly, not speaking with the yellow unicorn for a few months.

"Wait, you three are all going to the Gala?" Moon Dancer asked the three ponies. The three ponies gave each other a surprised look and nodded happily in response. Moon Dancer's eyes widen as a thought came to her.

"I'm actually mane planner for it." Lemon Hearts said to her friend.

"I'd... love to. You see I just received my invitation in the mail today, and I would be honored to check out dresses with you all." Moon Dancer said sheepishly, hanging her head.

"Awesome! Why don't we meet up at the café in an hour, and then we'll all go to the dress shop in town." Minuette said happily, as two other unicorns squeezed in excitement.

"I guess we'll see you there Moon Dancer." Twinkleshine called to Moon Dancer, as the three unicorn friends trotted off.

"I'll see you guys there." Moon Dancer said more to herself than to the three unicorns. Moon Dancer then closed the door behind her, and sat down next to it, slamming her head up against it. "What am I going to do now?" Moon Dancer said to herself.

A little over an hour later the three young unicorns were in the Canterlot café, drinking hay smoothies, and waiting for Moon Dancer. "Do you think that she's actually coming?" Minuette asked her friend talking about Moon Dancer, as she took a drink of her hay smoothie.

"I think she will, I mean this is the first time she has actually talked to us in over a month. I mean she usually just closes the door in our faces most of the time." Lemon Hearts said to her two friends, the three unaware that Moon Dancer was actually listening to their conservation outside the café.

"You can't be serious Lemon, all she's does is keep her nose in a book." Twinkleshine said, taking a sip of her own hay smoothie.

"Well... I guess you're right, but she was trying to come out her shell once." Lemon said, making Moon Dancer's ears perk up.

"I guess so, but ever since her birthday party she has reverted back to her normal, antisocial self." Minuette said as she finished her smoothie. "Can I have a refill?" The blue unicorn asked, and a young waitress came over and refilled her drink. "Thank you. Now, what do you think happened to her?" Minuette said as she took a slip out of her newly refilled smoothie.

"Wasn't it her birthday the day Twilight left?" Lemon Hearts thought out loud. Moon Dancer couldn't take the three ponies conservation anymore and built up the courage and walked into the café.

The bell on the café door ringed as the yellow walked in catching everypony's attention. For most of the ponies, this was the first time they saw Moon Dancer in months. "Moon Dancer, over here!" Lemon Hearts called out, waving her hoof back and forth. Moon Dancer slowing trotted over to her 'friends' and sat down at their small table.

There were a few moments of awkward silence until Lemon Hearts broke the ice with a comment that she seemed to just pull out of the air. "Um... so... Moon Dancer what made you decide to go dress shopping with us." Lemon asked Moon Dancer.

"Well, I got my invitation in the mail today and you were all going to go dress shopping. And I needed a dress, so I decided to go with." Moon Dancer said, rubbing her left foreleg awkwardly as she did. The other ponies began talking about the Grand Galloping Gala, and Moon Dancer only half-listened. The thoughts in her mind more focused on the current dragon

A few minutes later as the conservations between the three ponies died down. Minuette looked up at the clock on the wall of the café and her eyes widened as she noticed the time, 12:30. "Oh, is it that time already. We better go or will all be late for our appointment." Minuette said, taking her last slip from her smoothie.

"You coming, Moon Dancer?" Lemon Hearts called out to the yellow unicorn, who hadn't left the table.

"Hmm... oh yes I'll be right behind you guys." Moon Dancer said dumbly. She hadn't even noticed that the three unicorns had gotten up to leave, her mind going faster than Rainbow Dash when she did a sonic rainboom. After a few moments of silence Moon Dancer climbed to her feet and trotted out the door of the café, following her 'friends' to the dress shop in Canterlot.

The four ponies arrived at the dress shop a few minutes later and was met by a pink unicorn fashion pony, with a light blue mane and matching tail, and a cutie that was a light blue sewing needle. "Hello, my name is Orchid Jewel and how may I help you all today." The fashion pony said polite, with a friendly smile on her face.

"Yes, we are all going to the Grand Galloping Gala and we all need a dress for the dance." Twinkleshine said the fashion, pointing her hoof to herself and her friends.

"Well in that case right this way ladies. I think I have four dresses that have you written all over them." The fashion said excitedly, showing the three mares the vast assortments of dresses of colors and designs.

"You look gorgeous, Twinkle!" Lemon Hearts exclaimed as she saw her friend in a magenta dress that covered the lower half of her body. The dress also had a small yellow flower that attached the dress on her body. Minuette was wearing a light blue dress with white pokey-dotes, with a small purple flower that attached it to her body. Lemon Hearts than walked into a dressing booth and walked out a few minutes later wearing her own dress.

Lemon Hearts' dress was a bright blue dress with silver stripes that ran down the back. The dress was attached to her neck by a teal green flower. "I think this will do quite nicely." Lemon Hearts said to herself. Don't you think Moon Dancer?" Lemon Hearts continued, admiring herself in the mirror.

Moon Dancer, however, didn't hear the yellow unicorn, her mind still more focused on the Alpha and the possibility of its return.

"Moon Dancer, are you alright?" Lemon asked after the unicorn didn't respond.

"Hmm... oh yes... of course I'm fine. Just in deep thought... I guess." Moon Dancer awkwardly responded back, her mind coming back to reality.

"Well, in that case, we should get you your own dress?" Lemon said taking the yellow unicorn's hoof.

"Wait what are you doing... ah!" Moon Dancer exclaimed, as Lemon practically threw her into the dressing room.

"Hmm... put this one on." Lemon said giving Moon Dancer a purple dress with light blue details that looked like stars.

"Ok, how do I look?" Moon Dancer asked as she walked out of the dressing room wearing her gala dress.

Moon Dancer walked out and the four ponies; Minuette, Twinkleshine, Lemon Hearts, and the fashion pony Orchid Jewel, mouths hit the floor when they saw the yellow unicorn. "You look beautiful dearly." The fashion pony said to the yellow unicorn. "But you have to do something about your mane." The fashion pony continued.

"My mane, what about it?" Moon Dancer asked, looking up at her red, with two stripes of purple, one lighter than the other mane.

"You need to let your gorgeous mane flow freely." The fashion pony said taking the small red pin out of the unicorn's mane. The red mane of Moon Dancer dropped down covering her purple eyes.

Moon Dancer had kept her hair up in a bun for so long that it had grown to a point that it almost touched her muzzle. "Well, I think you need a haircut first." Twinkleshine said, making the yellow unicorn giggled to herself.

"Let me help you with that my dear." The fashion pony said using her magic to cut the yellow pony's hair to just below her hair line.

Moon Dancer hadn't had her mane down since her birthday party over three months ago, and even though she wouldn't admit it out loud she like it.

"I think that will do for now." Twinkleshine said, and the four unicorns changed out of their dresses and paid for them.

"So we'll all meet up at the café for smoothies before we head to the gala, sound good." Minuette said as the four ponies left the dress shop, each of them using their magic to hold a bag with their respective dress.

"Sounds good to me, though I have to be there a few hours early to make sure everything goes smoothly, as the mane party for the Gala after all." Lemon Hearts said as the four ponies began walking back to the café.

"Wait you are the pony that plans the Grand Galloping Gala?" Moon Dancer asked Lemon.

"Yeah, I've been working at the castle for a few months now, and I guess Celestia likes my work. So she gave me the job to plan all the food and entertainment of the gala." Lemon Hearts said to Moon Dancer.

"It's actually the reason we were able to get tickets to the gala in the first place." Minuette said as the four ponies arrived at the café. The four ponies went inside and all ordered a hay smoothie.

"Speaking of which how did you get your invite, Moon Dancer." Twinkleshine asked Moon Dancer, after taking a sip of her smoothie.

"Well... I... just got it." Moon Dancer said staring at the golden ticket in her hoof. "It came in the mail, not long before you guys showed up." Moon Dancer said, giving her 'friends' a confused look on their faces.

"Hmm... interesting. Do you know who sent it to you?" Lemon Hearts asked Moon Dancer, after a few moments of silence.

"No, but does it really matter who sent it to me." Moon Dancer said putting the ticket in the same bag her dress was in.

"I guess not, so Moon Dancer, are you up to going to the Grand Galloping Gala with us." Minuette asked the yellow unicorn happily.

There were a few moments of silence as Moon Dancer thought up an answer.

"Yes... I will go to the gala with you guys. Who knows it could be fun." Moon Dancer said to the three ponies, making them cheer in delight.

"Waiter, another round of drinks please." Lemon Hearts said happily to one of the stallion waiters.

The waiter returned a few minute later with the mares' drinks and they all drink them happily, and a thought that hadn't come to Moon Dancer head since her birthday rushed through her mind like a wildfire. "Maybe I should give this whole friendship thing another try." Moon Dancer thought to herself, giving her first genuine smile in months.

In the castle that towered over the city, a certain white alicorn was watching the scene unfold in a small magic mirror. "I guess my plan worked." Celestia said to herself, happy that Moon Dancer had begun to accept friendship into her heart. Just her star student did three months earlier. Celestia's happy thoughts were interrupted when she heard a knock on the door. "Come in." Celestia said not looking away from the scene unfolding in the mirror.

There were a few moments of awkward silence which strike the alicorn's attention. "Can I help..." Celestia began to say looking up from her mirror, stopping herself when she saw the pony standing in front of her.

The pony was a dark blue alicorn with a flowing blue star-like mane with slight purple highlights, and teal eyes. Her little sister, the princess of the night. "Luna."

The Worst Night Ever Part 1

The alicorns stared awkwardly at each other for a couple minutes, until the elder one coughed and began to speak. "What... what can I help you with, little sister?" Celestia said to her little sister, placing the magic mirror on her bed.

"We wast just wond'ring how thou was doing." Luna said, speaking in the third person. Still not adjusted to the speech patterns of modern times.

"I'm not doing that much sister." Celestia said standing up from her feather bed, and walking over to her little sister.

"That's good to hear..." Luna said, looking down at her hoofs.

"Are you sure you don't want to ask me about anything else my dear sister." Celestia said putting a reassuring hoof on her little sister's shoulder.

"Sist'r, we hast notic'd that thou hath spent moon, and moon timeth with this unic'rn by the nameth of. . . Moon Danc'r is it." Luna said, still not looking directly at her sister.

"Yes... what about her little sister." Celestia said to her little sister, with a confused look on her face.

"Well... we heard that thou made her the headeth scientist on..." Luna said to her sister, pausing half way as she looked around to make sure no pony could hear them. "a c'rtain corky cater-cousin of ours." Luna said to her sister, in a whispering tone, talking about the Alpha.

"You are correct, my sister." Celestia said, still trying to understand where her sister was going with this conversation.

"We're just conc'rn'd that ye are putting too much trusteth into a pony that thou barely knows." Luna said to her sister, a little concern in her voice.

"Relax Luna, I wouldn't have made Moon Dancer the head scientist, or even showed her him. If I was one hundred percent certain that she was the best pony for the job."

"Then wherefore  didn't thou telleth thy star student, Twilight Sparkle about this?" Luna asked her older sister.

"Twilight might be more qualified then Moon Dancer, but Twilight is prone to overreacting, and neither of us can risk our citizens learning about the Alpha." Celestia said to her little sister.

"Or at least, until he reawakens." Luna said to her sister, looking down at her hoofs.

"Hey, chin up little sister, I know it must have been hard to put your only true friend under that spell. But you got to stop beating yourself up about it." Celestia said, putting a reassuring hoof on her shoulder.

"It's not that sist'r. It's just that we believe that our subjects still seeth us as... while Nightmare Moon." The princess of the night said, looking into her older sister's pink eyes.

There were a few moments of awkward silence until Celestia finally found her words. "Luna, I can promise you that none of our subjects still see you as Nightmare Moon. In fact, I doubt that, which many of our subjects even know that you had come back as Nightmare Moon." Celestia said to her little sister, making her give her older sister a slight smile.

"Thanketh thou sist'r, we thinketh that we really need'd to hear that." Luna said to her elder sister, turning to leave her quarters.

Celestia watched her sister leave, and then called out to her as a thought popped into her mind. "Luna!"

"Aye, what is it, eld'r sist'r" Luna said, turning back, slightly surprised by her sister's outburst. "I was just wondering if you would like to join me at the Gala this weekend?" Celestia asked her sister, awkwardly rubbing her left foreleg as she did. The Princess of the Night's eyes widened as she heard her older sister.

"We … I wouldst be hon'r'd to assisteth thou in the gala." Luna said, making Celestia smile.

"That's great little sister. I will handle all of the greetings and all that other boring stuff, while you can go build some relationships." Celestia said happily, while not wanting her sister to fall right back into the darkness that turned her into Nightmare Moon all those years ago.

"Thanketh thou sist'r i guesseth that we, shouldst geteth all of our things ready f'r the gala." Luna said to her sister, before quickly removing herself to avoid having any more awkward conversations.

"I hope to see you there, dear sister." Celestia called out to her little sister, as the blue alicorn trotted away. Luna only looked back at her older sister and gave a half-hearty smile, before looking back down at the floor of the castle.

"We sure hopeth so, sist'r, we sure hopeth so." Luna said to herself.

A week has passed since the two alicorn princesses had their first real discussion in weeks, and the Mane Six were busy preparing for the Grand Galloping Gala.

"Ah! I... can't... believe... the Grand... Galloping... Gala... is... tonight!" Pinkie exclaimed, jumping up and down on a trampoline. "Pinkie! Please stop shouting, I'm trying to concentrate." Twilight said to her pink friend, reading a spell book.

"Pinkie Pie! Stop that right now. It's time to prepare for the Gala, and I refuse to let you put on your new dress when you're all sweaty." Rarity said scolding the hyperactive pony.

"What's Twilight doing?" Pinkie more asked all the ponies and dragon present.

"She's got an awesome magic spell she's been working on for the Gala." Spike said to the pink earth pony, being intentionally vague when answering.

"Where are the others? It's getting late." Rarity said, at the exact moment that Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy arrived.

"Hold your horses, girl. We're here." AJ said using a bad horse pun.

"Perfect! I'm ready." Twilight said closing her spell book. "For what?" Rainbow Dash asked the purple unicorn. "All right, Spike." Twilight said to her dragon assistant.

"An apple! Are we having pie?" Pinkie said as Applejack put in front of Twilight.

"Shh, just watch." Spike said to the pink pony. Twilight's horn then glowed magenta as she cast a spell on the red apple.

After the spell was finished the apple was turned into a red horse-drawn carriage, obviously trying to reference Cinderella. The rest of the Mane Six stood in awe of the pure beauty of the magic that Twilight created.

"Thanks. But that's just the start." Twilight said, awe from her friends as a complement. "Fluttershy, did you bring your friends?" Twilight continued, asking the yellow Pegasus.

"Yes. Will they be safe, Twilight?" The yellow Pegasus asked the purple unicorn, with a few of her animal friends.

"You have my word." Twilight said to Fluttershy, with a smile.

Twilight's horn then glowed again with her magenta magic as she cast a spell on the mice Fluttershy had brought. "Ta-da!" Twilight said as she transformed the four mice into weird mouse horses.

There was a less excited. "Oh. Uh. Ah. That's a choice. Interesting." Said by the five other ponies.

"Neat, huh? And don't worry. They'll be mice again at midnight." Twilight said to her friends.

"Opalescence, no!" Fluttershy said as Rarity's white jumped on one of the mouse-horses making them bolt.

"Wait! Come back!" Twilight called out to the mice-horses. "Those horses were supposed to pull our carriage. How will we get to the Gala?"

"Whatever shall we do?" Rarity said in an intentionally over the top tone.

"Uh... ahem. Excuse me. Uh, would you boys mind pulling our carriage to the Gala?" Rarity and asking two stallions (one a light brown the other gray) to pull their red apple carriage thing.

"Oh. Yeah. Right." Twilight said sheepishly as the two stallions pushed the apple carriage.

"My Little Pony, My Little Pony. Ahh, ahh, ahh, ahhh..." A song sings as Twilight and Spike rode in a pink hot air balloon through the clouds to Ponyville.

"Wait, why I'm I doing the intro. This isn't an actual episode of MLP, this is just a fanfiction I'm writing that just happens to take place at the time, and in the same universe." A white dragon with green eyes that looks a lot like a white panther, says while typing a few words on a keyboard of a laptop. "All while fuck it." The white dragon said while creating a horizontal line and starting a few paragraph as if nothing happened.

Anyway, the Mane Six were busy getting dressed for the Grand Galloping Gala, with Spike waiting outside the door to the dressing room. "Come on, you guys. Let me in!" The purple dragon said knocking on the door.

"Sure thing, Spike." Rainbow said with a pink towel on her head, going to open the door for Spike, only for Rarity to stop her. "Heavens no! We're getting dressed." The white unicorn said standing in front of the door. "Dressed? Uh, beg pardon, Rarity, but, uh... we don't normally wear clothes." Applejack said, using logic against the fashion pony. "moan... I'm sorry, Spike. Some of us do have standards." Rarity grunted, opening the door for the baby dragon.

"I still can't believe we're gonna be at Canterlot tonight. Our hometown, Twilight! And the best part is that we all get to hang out together all night long!" Spike said happily as the six ponies were busying getting their manes finished. "Uh... I-I don't know, Spike." Rainbow said to the young dragon while sitting on an orange bed. "We'll just have to see." Rarity said to Spike, putting on of her artificial eyelashes on. "We're gonna be a mite busy." Applejack said, busy polishing Fluttershy's hoofs. "Busy having fun!" Pinkie said taking her head her out of one of the hair dryers. Her hair was flat and wet for an only a few seconds, before popping back to it almost bubblegum like appearance.

"Oh. Okay." Spike said both bored and disappointed. "Don't worry, Spike. We'll all get to spend some time together." Twilight said trying to cheer up her number one assistant. "Great!" Spike, exclaimed as the setting shifted to Canterlot as a certain yellow unicorn and her friends were also getting ready for the Gala.

"Are you sure this isn't a little too much?" Moon Dancer asked the pink fashion pony, Orchid Jewel. As the fashion pony put silver crescent moon shaped earrings that look a lot like her cutie mark, on the young unicorn.

"Of course my dear, you and your friends are going to the most prestigious celebration in all of Equestria, and you need to look your best." Orchid Jewel said to Moon Dancer as she put final touches on all the ponies' dresses.

"You look beautiful Moon Dancer." Twinkleshine said as the yellow unicorn walked out of the dressing room wearing her gala dress.

"Thanks Twinkle, I guess we should get going." Moon Dancer said looking up at the clock which read, 6:15.

"Yeah, I have to be there by at least 7:30, just to make sure that the Gala goes smoothly." Lemon Hearts said, a little frustration in her voice.

"You ok Lemon, you seem on edge." Minuette asked Lemon Hearts, as she put the last pieces of makeup on her face.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just that every party the castle has hosted has been sabotaged in some way by Princess Celestia." Lemon said burying her head in hooves out of frustration and lack of sleep.

"Why would she do that?" Twinkleshine asked Lemon. "I don't know, I guess she just gets bored from all the formalities." Lemon said to the ivory unicorn.

"So I guess we better get going." Minuette said after a few moments of silence. The three ponies left the dress shop, with Moon Dancer still inside talking to the fashion pony.

"Moon Dancer, ya coming." Minuette asked the yellow unicorn, poking her head in the door.

"Yeah, I'll be right behind you guys." Moon Dancer said to her friend. The blue unicorn then left the store completely as the yellow turned back to the fashion pony and asked her.

"This dress is beautiful, but how did you make it." Moon Dancer asked the pink fashion pony.

"I actually got inspiration for the design after I saw a similar dress made by another fashion pony from Ponyville, Rarity I think that was her name." The fashion pony said, tapping her chin with her hoof.

"Well, I better get going." Moon Dancer said looking out the window to see her friend waiting outside impatiently.

"I hope to see you again, Miss Dancer." The fashion said as the yellow unicorn began to leave her store.

"As do I, Miss Jewel." Moon Dancer said back leaving the store.

"So can we get going?" Minuette said, and the four gathered into a white horse drawn carriage as they rode to the castle that towered over Canterlot, all them excited for attending their first Grand Galloping Gala.

The four ponies arrived at the castle, and there wasn't that many ponies there. The only ponies there being the servant and party planners of the Gala.

"Thanks for dropping me off girls, you all can go back to the café the Gala doesn't start for another few hours." Lemon said to her friends, hopping out of the Gala.

"Ok, we'll see you later tonight Lemon." Minuette said from inside the carriage.

"Thanks, Minuette, but I think I'll be too busy to mingle. But I will hope to see you guys. Lemon said before trotting off toward the towering castle.

The three ponies then road to the café in town and spent the next few hours drinking hay smoothies, and for the first time that week Moon Dancer actually was part of the conservation. A collective thought popped into both Minuette and Twinkleshine's minds as they heard Moon Dancer ramble on about some of the weird things Princess Celestia does in her spare time.

"Maybe she is giving this whole friendship thing a try." And Moon Dancer was smiling the whole time throughout it, and not a forced smile, a genuine smile filled with happiness.

A few hours passed and the Mane Six were on their way to Canterlot for the Grand Galloping Gala. "'Cause I planned out my insider's tour of Canterlot. I've gotta show Rarity the crown jewels, and Applejack the Princess's golden apple tree. And Pinkie, we gotta go to my favorite donut shop." Spike said rambling on as he drove the carriage. The rest of the mane six were busy talking in the carriage to hear Spike.

"Then let's get moving! Hyah!" Spike said snapping the reins on the carriage.

"Excuse me!?" The light brown stallion said to Spike. "Um... I..." Spike responded sheepishly.

"If you weren't friends with our neighbor Rarity... Hmph." The gray stallion grunted as the ponies arrived at the Gala a few minutes later.

The carriage arrived at the Gala and Spike jumped off the carriage the door for the six ponies to walk out. "Wow! You all look amazing." Spike exclaimed as he saw the six ponies in their respective dresses.

Fluttershy was wearing a lime green dress with light blue highlights. The dress' collar was in the shape of a light blue butterfly that matched her cutie mark almost perfectly. She wore earrings that look identical to the light blue butterfly on her collar. She wore shoes on her hooves that were the same lime green color, and seemed to resemble vines. She also had small flowers in her pink mane, to slam home her connection to nature and animals.

Applejack wore a green dress that showed her rustic background while still being fashionable enough for the Gala. She wore a green cowgirl-like dress that included a saddle. Apples riddled the dress, with the collar being a red apple. AJ also wore green cowboy boots in the same style as the dress. Even her hat was fashioned up for the Gala.

Rarity's dress was up-the-top in every which way. She wore a magenta dress with gold highlights. "Hell why am I even doing this you people know what they look like."

To sum it up as quickly as possible; Rarity's dress makes her look like the princess trying to get her prince charming, Rainbow's looks like a warrior from Greece, Pinkie's is an over-the-top party dress with candy details all over it.

And Twilight was wearing a blue dress with five stared details of a lighter color of blue. She wore light blue shoes with star details on them, along with light blue star earrings.

"I can't believe we're finally here. With all that we've imagined, the reality of this night is sure to make this... The Best Night Ever!" Twilight exclaimed as fireworks exploded over Canterlot.

"At the Gala" Twilight sang as music seemed to appear out of nowhere.

"At the Gala" Background ponies sang in unison.

"At the Gala In the garden I'm going to see them all, All the creatures I'll befriend them at the Gala" Fluttershy sang as she night dreamed about what the gala would be like.

"At the Gala" Background ponies sang in unison.

"All the birdies And the critters They will love me big and small We'll become good friends forever Right here at the Gala!" Fluttershy sang as she night dreamed about spending time with the many creatures of the Canterlot Gardens.

All our dreams will come true Right here at the Gala, At the Gala. Backgrounds ponies sang in unison as the song switched to Applejack.

"At the Gala (It's amazing) I will sell them (Better hurry) All my appletastic treats (Yummy yummy) Hungry ponies (They'll be snacking) They will buy them (Bring your money) Caramel apples, apple sweets (Gimme some) And I'll earn a lot of money for the Apple family!" Applejack sang, with background ponies singing during the same time.

All our dreams and our hopes from now until hereafter, All that we've been wishing for will happen at the Gala At the Gala" Background stallion unicorns sang in unison. "Seriously I'm been writing that a lot." A white dragon thought to himself before he continued writing.

"At the Gala All the royals, They will meet fair Rarity They will see I'm just as regal at the Gala." Rarity sang as she also night-dreamed about the Gala.

"At the Gala" Fashionably dressed background ponies sang in Rarity's night-dream.

"I will find him, My Prince Charming, And how gallant he will be, He will treat me like a lady, Tonight at the Gala!" Rarity sang as she dreamed about meeting Princess Celestia's nephew, Prince Blueblood.

"This is what we've waited for to have the best night ever Each of us will live our dreams Tonight at the Gala At the Gala." More background ponies sang, now at the size of a small choir.

"Been dreamin' I've been waitin', To fly with those great ponies. The Wonderbolts, their daring tricks Spinning round and having kicks. Perform for crowds of thousands. They'll shower us with diamonds, The Wonderbolts will see me right here at the Gala!" Rainbow Dash sang as the Wonderbolts flew overhead.

"All we've longed for All we've dreamed Our happy ever after Finally will all come true Right here at the Grand Gala At the Gala." The same background ponies sang as the Mane Six got closer to the party.

"I am here at the Grand Gala For it is the best party. But the one thing it was missing was a pony named Pinkie. For I am the best at parties, all the ponies will agree Ponies playing Ponies dancing With me at the Grand Gala!" Pinkie sang as she bounced up and down in excitement.

"Happiness and laughter at the Gala, At the Gala" The background ponies sang, as Pinkie hopped passed.

"At the Gala (At the Gala) With the Princess (With the Princess) Is where I'm going to be (She will be) We will talk all about magic and what I've learned and seen (She will see) It is going to be so special As she takes time just for me (This will be the best night ever!)" Twilight sang about meeting the princess, as the choir of background ponies sang in unison.

"Into the Gala we must go We're ready now, we're all aglow Into the Gala, let's go in and have the best night ever Into the Gala, now's the time We're ready and we look divine!" The choir of background ponies sang as they marched in unison toward the castle.

"Into the Gala." Fluttershy and choir sang at the same time.

"Meet new friends." Fluttershy sang.

"Into the Gala." Applejack and the choir sang at the same time.

"Sell some apples." Applejack sang.

"Into the Gala." Rarity and the choir sang at the same time.

"Find my Prince." Rarity sang.

"Prove I'm great. Pinkie, Rainbow, and the choir sang at the same time.

"As a Wonderbolt is." Rainbow sang.

"To meet!" Fluttershy sang.

"To sell!" Applejack sang.

"To find!" Rarity sang.

"To prove!" Rainbow Dash sang.

"To whoop!" Pinkie Pie sang.

"To talk!" Twilight Sparkle sang.

"Into the Gala, Into the Gala, And we'll have the best night ever! At the Gala!" They all sang in unison, as fireworks exploded over Canterlot.

"Yeah! This is gonna be the best night ever. You know why? Cause we're all gonna spend time at the Gala to... gather. Or not." Spike said happily hoping that he would spend most of the night with the six ponies. Only for them to ditch him, to follow their dreams for the night.

"We're almost there, we're almost there!" Minuette exclaimed, barely being able to contain her emotions as their white carriage got closer to the gala, as more fireworks exploded overhead. "We heard you the first time Minuette." Twinkleshine said to the blue unicorn.

"Sorry, this is just my first Gala and I want to make the most of it." Minuette said as she tried to calm herself back down. "This is our first Gala..." Twinkleshine began to respond when a gray stallion opened the door to their carriage as they arrived at the Gala.

"Watch your step maladies" The stallion said as the three unicorns trotted out of the carriage.

"Wow!" Minuette said in awe as she looked onto the massive castle that towered over the city. The three ponies trotted toward the Gala and entered the ballroom. The three ponies were greeted by the castle's announcer.

"Announcing the ponies of Canterlot, Minuette, Twinkleshine, and Moon Dancer." The announcer said as the ponies entered the ballroom.

"Hey, isn't that Lemon." Twinkleshine said seeing a yellow unicorn across the ballroom.

"I think it is. Come on lets go catch up." Minuette said, and the two ponies trotted off in the yellow pony's direction.

"Hey, Moon Dancer are you coming with." Twinkleshine asked the studious pony.

"No, you guys can go hang out. I just hang around here for now." Moon Dancer responded back, making the face of Twinkleshine fall.

"Well ok, have fun Moon Dancer, I guess." Twinkleshine said back before she trotted off to catch up to Lemon Hearts.

Moon Dancer didn't want to abandon her friends, but she needed to discuss important matters about the Alpha with Celestia, and the Gala had distracted her from telling the princess.

Moon Dancer trotted toward the Princess, who standing at the top of the mane staircase in the castle greeting the more important guests. Moon Dancer stopped dead in her tracks as she saw the pony standing next to the princess.

The pony was a pony she hadn't seen in over three months. The pony was purple unicorn wearing a dress very similar to the one that Moon Dancer was currently wearing. The unicorn was currently doing her best to chat with the princess, always getting interrupted by her having to greet more ponies. She stared at the unicorn for who knows how long. She only managing to say one word as she stared at the purple unicorn with a darker purple mane (with two small streaks in her mane, one purple, and another pink).

"Twilight."

The Worst Night Ever Part 2

Moon Dancer stared at the purple unicorn for what seemed at least to her like hours, her hoofs seemed frozen in place.

"Excuse me, little one." An older fashionably dressed stallion said, bumping into Moon Dancer. Bringing herself back to reality.

"Oh... sorry. I guess, I'm just distracted tonight." Moon Dancer sheepishly responded back, she beginning to revert back to her asocial personality.

Moon Dancer somehow built up the courage and trotted forward into the line to be greeted by the princess, despite knowing that she would have to interact with the pony that all but abandoned her three months earlier. Moon Dancer trotted up the staircase to the princess, doing her best not to make eye contact with Twilight.

Twilight tried her best to talk to her mentor, only to have her words be interrupted by Celestia having to greet more and more guests. The purple unicorn looked down at the red carpet floor as a thought rushed into her head. "Isn't anything like what I had expected." Twilight's thoughts were interrupted when she heard her mentor speak out of her normal monotone that she was using to greet all of the guests.

"Moon Dancer, it makes me glad to see that you were able to make it." The white alicorn said down to a yellow unicorn in a purple dress, with light blue star details. Her mentor words sparked Twilight's attention and she looked up from the floor to come face-to-face with a pony that could've passed as her recolored twin.

The purple unicorn was taken aback by the eerily similarities between the two ponies, but her mind never making the connection that the pony that was standing in front of her former friend, Moon Dancer.

The yellow unicorn stared down at her hooves for a few awkward moments, moments that seemed to be a few hours to her. Until she built up the courage to look up and give the princess eye contract. "Yes... Princess, I did make it. Princess, I have some important matters to discuss with you about my..." Moon Dancer managed to say, pausing half-way. The yellow unicorn trotted closer and whispered into the white alicorn's ear. "certain project that you assigned me." Moon Dancer whispered to Celestia, in a tone that even Twilight couldn't hear.

"Of course, we can discuss your important matters after the Gala has ended." Celestia said, making the yellow unicorn smile. Moon Dancer then turned to walk back down the stairs. Only for her to stop herself mid-trot. She then built up the courage and turned her head back toward the princess and her star student, and to purple unicorn.

"It was nice to see you again, Twilight." Moon Dancer said to Twilight.

The words from the yellow unicorn took Twilight by surprise and she responded dumbly. "Oh... thanks it was nice to see you too, Moon Prancer was it." Moon Dancer just stared at the purple unicorn, as she tried to grasped the fact that not only had Twilight not recognize her, but only three months after she moved to Ponyville she didn't even know her name.

The yellow unicorn didn't respond, instead, she just turned back around trotted back down the red carpet steps of the stairs. Moon Dancer had to bit her lip, as it was the only thing that she could muster to stop her from crying.

"Do you know that pony, Twilight?" Celestia asked her star student, as Moon Dancer trotted away. The pain of her former friend's rejection in her body language.

"No... At least I don't think so." Twilight said tapping her chin in deep thought, only to shrug off the idea a few seconds later. Celestia decided it to be best to just let the matter drop. There was another few moments of awkward silence as Celestia went back to her normal duty of greeting the most important guests of the gala. Twilight's mind returning from her doppelganger, back to the underwhelmingness of the gala as a whole.

The scene shifts to Rarity as she was wondering through the castle looking her 'Prince Charming', Prince Blueblood. The nephew of Princess Celestia. Rarity walked into the mane courtroom of the castle and squealed in excitement as she has the white stallion unicorn of her dreams, walking into the gardens of the castle.

"Hurry, Rarity... Oh, but not too fast. But don't wanna lose him..." Rarity said to herself, she shifting from a normal trot, to a speed walk, and then back to a trot as she tried to catch up to the stallion of her dreams. "WAIT! Have to play it cool. Oh, but don't be cold! I can't lose him, I can't! He's everything I imagined! Even better than I imagined." Rarity continued as she followed the white stallion out of the castle and into the gardens.

Fluttershy was busying searching through gardens of the castle looking for all the exotic animals that it processed. As she neared where all the animals were being kept she heard birds chirping in a lovely tone. "Oh my! A meadowlark!" Fluttershy said, recognizing the bird that created the chirping. "Their another, I think she's calling to me. It's exactly what I wished for!" Fluttershy exclaimed as she ran off to find the animals creating the music.

Applejack was busying setting up her apple stand just outside the castle, ready to make wagons full of money for the Apple family. "Howdy, partner! You hungry?" Applejack asked a male Wonderbolt with a dark blue mane and green eyes, wearing his normal wonderbolt uniform. "As a horse!" The Wonderbolt said to the orange earth pony. "Well, what'cha hankering for? Caramel apple? Apple pie? Apple fritter? Apple fries?" Applejack said, naming off her vast assortment of apple based food.

"I'll take that big apple pie!" The Wonderbolt said happily.

"Well, thank you kindly, sir! Yee-haw! In the first minute, I made my first sale. Just like I expected." Applejack exclaimed as her first customer of the night payed for his treat.

"Always hungry after a show. Eh, Soarin?" A Female Wonderbolt with a fiery orange mane by the name of Spitfire, asked the Wonderbolt that was carrying the pie in his mouth

"Heh. Yeah! gasp My pie!" Soarin began to say, only for him to drop his pie in the process. Rainbow Dash however was able to swoop and save his pie before it hit the ground.

"You saved it. Thanks." Soarin said to the rainbow mane Pegasus, thanking her for saving his pie.

"Hey, no prob." Rainbow said modestly.

"Hey! I know you. You're the pony that saved us in Cloudsdale and won The Best Flyer Competition." Spitfire said recognizing the blue Pegasus.

"Hay yeah! Name's Rainbow Dash." Rainbow said back to Spitfire, introducing herself.

"Well, Rainbow Dash. Looks like your skills saved us again. Oh, well, at least they saved Soarin's apple pie." Spitfire said jokingly.

"OM NOM Yeah... NOMNOMNOM..." Soarin tried to say, as he dig into his apple pie.

"Wanna come hang out with us?" Spitfire asked Rainbow.

"Sure. Why not?" Rainbow responded back, doing a good job to hide her emotions. "I'm... hanging... with the... Wonderbolts!" Rainbow squealed in delight as she followed the Wonderbolt into their specially marked off part of the castle.

"The shiny dance floor... The pretty party ponies... Ooh, the fancy band... Shiny! Pretty! Fancy!" Pinkie said excitedly as she bounced around the ballroom of the castle. "GOTTA DANCE!" Pinkie exclaimed as she couldn't hold in her emotions anymore.

"I'm at the Grand Galloping Gala, I'm at the Grand Galloping Gala, I'm at the Grand Galloping Gala, It's all I ever dreamed. It's all I ever dreamed, woo hoo! It's all I ever dreamed, yippee! I'm at the Grand Galloping GalaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Pinkie sang in a upbeat tone. There was a short pause as she looked around ballroom to see that nopony was following her in her dance.

"It's all I've ever... dreamed?" Pinkie mumbled in a less positive tone as she began to realize that the Gala wasn't anything like what she expected.

"Well, hello. I am Prince Blueblood." The white unicorn stallion said, as Rarity caught up to him in the gardens of the castle. "I am... Rarity. Oh my, what a lovely rose." Rarity said to the prince introducing herself, and admiring the red rose that he was holding with his magic.

You mean... this rose? Thank you. It goes with my eyes." The Prince said to Rarity, cutting the rose and placing it in his ear. This unexpected display of rudeness didn't go unnoticed by Rarity as she groaned to herself, her so called 'Prince Charming' already not living up to her exceptions.

Back with Fluttershy, she was busy searching through the Canterlot gardens. Looking for the bird that created the beautiful chirping noises that she was hearing. "My little meadowlark is right around this bend!" Fluttershy gasped as she neared the location of where the lovely melody was coming from. The yellow Pegasus ran around the bend of hedges to revile that the bird that was creating the beautiful chirping sounds. Wasn't a bird at all, but instead one of the garden ponies whistling as he did his work.

"Was that you?" The yellow Pegasus asked the gardener pony, a little embarrassed. "Yep! I love whistlin' while I work." "Oh! Yes... Well... Excuse me." Fluttershy said embarrassed. Her embarrassment left her as she heard animal sounds coming from the gardens.

"Oh! I see a toco toucan! And a spider monkey! And, oh! Is that a wallaroo?" Fluttershy said excited as ran up to the new animals, only for them to scatter when she came close. "Oh, Fluttershy. You're such a loudmouth." Fluttershy said hanging her head in shame. Unknown to Fluttershy, and to almost all the ponies in Canterlot. The reason that the animals were so on edge during the Gala was because they could sense the Alpha reawakening, and they were readying themselves for his eventual return.

"Lemon Hearts!" Twinkleshine called out to a yellow unicorn with a blue mane. Her close friend Minuette close behind her. The yellow unicorn turned toward the sound of her name, and her eyes widened as she saw her two best friends in all of Equestria. "If you would excuse me." Lemon Hearts said to the plush ponies that she was currently talking, before running over to her friends.

"I didn't think you guys would find me in all of the plushness." Lemon said excitedly to her two friends, joining them in a group hug.

"Hey, we can't have the best night ever without our best friend in all of Equestria." Minuette said, making the yellow unicorn giggle to herself.

"Where's Moon Dancer?" Lemon asked her two friends, looking around the crowed ballroom for the for her friend, but to no avail.

"I think see needed to talk to the princess, or something like that." Minuette said, waving off the pony's absence with her hoof.

"Oh... do you guys know if she will join us later?" Lemon asked her friends.

"I think so, it shouldn't be that hard for her to find us." Twinkleshine said as the orchestra of the Gala began to play.

"Oh I love this song, come on let's dance!" Minuette as she all, but dragged Twinkleshine into the dancer floor. Twinkleshine was however able to broke through Minuette's grasp and said to Lemon Hearts, who hadn't moved yet.

"Lemon are you coming?"

"Yeah... I be right behind you guys." Lemon said, she waited a few more moments before to turned around and followed her two friends to the dance floor. Her thoughts racing as she wondered why Moon Dancer would just blow off her friends like that. Sure she had done it all the time before, but this week she seemed more open and better at trying to out of her Heart's thoughts were interrupted as she looked up to see a pink earth pony singing at the top of her lungs.

"You reach your right hoof in.

You reach your right hoof out

You reach your right hoof in

And you shake it all about

You do the Pony Pokey meeting lots of folks with clout

That's what I'm talking about

You step your left hoof in

You pull it right back out

You step your left hoof in

But you better help him out

You do the Pony Pokey but should find a different route

That's what it's all about

You kick your back leg in

You pull your back leg out

You reach your back leg in

Just be brave and have no doubt

You do the Pony Pokey feeling like you're gonna pout

That's what I'm singing about

You tilt your head in

You tilt your head out

You tilt your head in

Then you shake it all about

You do the Pony Pokey even though your date's a lout

You're better off without

You stomp your whole self in

You stomp your whole self out

You stomp your whole self in

And you stomp yourself about

You do the Pony Pokey and you give a little shout!" The Pink pony sang, as the fashionably dressed guests of the Gala just look unto the young earth pony, with the look of both disgust and confusion on their faces. The three unicorns friends however couldn't resist to laugh at the spectacle that was unfolding in front of them.

"That's what I'm talking about

You do the Pony Pokey

You do the Pony Pokey

You do the Pony Pokey

And that's what it's all about

Yeah." The Pony finished her little childish song, only to get a tap on the shoulder from one of the disgusted Canterlot ponies.

"Young lady, this is not that kind of party." The Canterlot pony said to the earth pony, with high amount smugness that Canterlot ponies were known more.

"Ohhhhhh... They don't want a party. These ponies want a paaartay." The pink earth pony said back, not understanding the meaning behind the Canterlot pony's words.

"This should be good." Minuette said as she took as she walk over to the punch bowl to get herself a drink.

However in the second tallest tower of the Canterlot castle (only smaller then Celestia's personal quarters) a certain blue alicorn wasn't having a staler night.

"We promised that we would be present during the Gala." Luna said to herself, pacing back and forth in her room. "Ok we'll just fly down and mingle for a little bit, nothing more." Luna said to herself, trying to talk herself into attending the Gala.

"No, what if our subjects, are still afraid of us. What if they think that we are still a monster. What if..." Luna said to herself, panic setting in as she thought up all the negative possibilities in her head.

"Nonsense, thou is just overthinking everything. Yes, thou just needs to clear, they mind." Luna said slapping herself across her muzzle with her hoof. Luna then walked out onto her baloney and looked out across the Canterlot. The moonlight shining over the massive city in a beauty that only the Princess of the Night could truly appreciate.

The Princess of the Night leaned her front hooves up against the railing of her baloney, the cool night air flowing through her star-like mane. Luna let out a heavy sigh as she just stared out across the starlit night, enjoying the sheer beauty of the night that she brought. She stared out of her baloney for nopony knows how long, her thoughts being interrupted as she saw her night suddenly turned red and lightning flash overhead.

"What the..." Luna said surprised after the strange occurrence.

Curious the blue alicorn looked down from her high baloney to see a yellow Pegasus in a tore green dress doing her best to catch any of the many animals in the Canterlot gardens. Curious of what the yellow Pegasus was doing, Luna ran into her room and got her telescope. The Princess of the Night setup her telescope on her baloney and watched the scene unfolding in the gardens, her first true forming on her face as she did.

In the Canterlot gardens a very irrigated Fluttershy was busy building sort of net like device to catch the animals. "I'll catch you yet, my pretties. Oh yes. As soon as one of you little birds or monkeys or bears touches this net... you'll be MINE! MINE!" A crazed Fluttershy said as she broke into a series of maniacal laughter. The night sky turned blood red as the pony laughed, with a bolt of lightning flashing overhead. The animals of the gardens retreated further away from the yellow Pegasus as she continued in her laughter.

The animals now more afraid of the crazed Pegasus in front of them then the current aircraft carrier sized dragon that slept just underneath their noses. Fluttershy's evil laughter has however cut short as she stepped on the her trap. The caught her in the net and she hanged in the strange contraption. The yellow Pegasus let out of a high sigh as she hanged in her own trap.

The Princess of the Night looked on the scene in the gardens, all confusion, terror, and humor. Luna then looked away from the scene barely able to contain her laughter. Her laughter was halted when she looked back in her telescope to see a young grayish-yellow unicorn sitting in the gardens looking like see was sobbing. Luna tried her best to look away from the scene, feeling that she was invading the pony's piracy.

But she just couldn't, she had heard from her sister, along with some of the castle's workers that the Gala was usually rather boring and maybe a little stressful, but she had never expected to see one of her own subjects to openly cry. Then a thought flashed into the princess' mind.

"I will handle all of the greetings and all that other boring stuff, while you can go build some relationships." Luna heard flash into her mind at that exact. The thoughts being words that sister had said to her a week earlier.

She at first denounced her sister's words as just trying to cheer her up. But now, as she stared through her telescope, at the sobbing pony beneath her. That her sister meant have been asking to comfort a pony that was in desperate need of it.

Luna wasn't very good at talking to any other pony outside of her sister, and even those conversations had been plagued by awkwardness. She had seen her sister comfort other ponies before, but she just couldn't see herself being able to do the same. The blue alicorn made up her mind and opened her slightly above average wings and glided down to the ground, landing with a small thud. The yellow unicorn seemed not to hear the blue alicorn landing and Luna cautiously walked up to the sobbing pony.

The blue alicorn cautiously approached the crying unicorn, doing her best to make the least amount of noise as possible. Luna seemed to fail at being sneaky as a step on a small twig making it snap, with a loud crack. The unicorn's ears perked up as she turned head around to she the Princess of the Night standing behind her.

The yellow unicorn quickly wipe away the tears on her muzzle and bowed to the Princess of the Night. Luna was at first taken a back by the pony's actions, but then gave a small smile to the young unicorn. Many thoughts rushed through Luna's mind as she thought up the best why to talk to the pony in front of her. The unicorn in front seemed to notice and started the conservation for her.

"What... sniff ... what brings you here your highness." The yellow unicorn said to the blue alicorn. Though secretly was against this she responded not using the traditional Canterlot voice, but instead with her normal voice.

"Well we... I saw in from my baloney and I was wondering why a young filly like you would be crying on such a special like this one. What is your name, young one." Luna said, her words catching the young unicorn by surprise.

She didn't think anypony, let alone the Princess of the Night would notice her. "Um... M-Moon Dancer, my name is Moon Dancer, and I haven't had the greatest night of my life tonight." Moon Dancer said turning away from the blue alicorn in front of her.

"Tell me." Luna said sitting down next to Moon Dancer.

"Come again, your majesty." Moon Dancer said to Luna, her sudden statement catching her off guard.

"Tell me, I've haven't been that great at making what my sister calls 'friends', but I hope that I am able to be one to you." Luna said to Moon Dancer. Making her even more shocked at the Princess' sudden attempt to help her.

"Well the night didn't start out all that bad. I mean I got the excuse to play dress up for the day." Moon Dancer said, motioning toward her purple dress.

"I see." Luna said simply, urging the yellow unicorn to go on.

"But that all changed when I met with your sister, Princcess Celestia." Moon Dancer said looking directing at the blue alicorn.

"Wh-what do you mean?" Luna said taken aback from Moon Dancer's words about her elder sister.

Moon Dancer noticing the distress in the princess' face said. "It had nothing do with your sister your highness, I can assure you." Moon Dancer's words made Luna relax a little bit more.

"Then what happened?" Luna asked Moon Dancer.

Moon Dancer let out a heavy sigh and said, recounting the her conservation with Celestia. "I intended to speak with your sister about... well." Moon Dancer began to say stopping as she thought up a good way to say the Alpha.

"The Alpha, I know of your projects including him." Luna said knowing exactly what she was talking about.

"Yes that... anyway I had my mind all set until I saw the pony that was standing next to her." Moon Dancer same pain that she felt earlier coming back.

"Who was standing next to her?" Luna said, urging Moon Dancer to continue.

"Twi-Twilight Sparkle." Moon Dancer said doing her best to hold back tears.

"Why would that matter?" Luna said confused, on how her sister priced student would be the reason for the pain that the pony she was speaking to was going through.

"Me and Twilight have a... complicated history. We used to be friends, but when she left to Ponyville she didn't even say goodbye to me or any of my friends." Moon Dancer said to Luna.

"Ok, but is that all?" Luna asked to Moon Dancer.

"No, I have gotten over her leaving without saying goodbye. But what happened earlier tonight was the last straw for me." Moon Dancer said bluntly.

"What happened?" Luna asked the young unicorn.

"Not just didn't she even recognize me. She didn't even know my name. After being my 'friend' for most of our childhood. After just three months in Ponyville she had completely forgotten about me."

There was a few moments of awkward silence as the two ponies just stared at each other. The awkwardness was broken by what sounded like a bomb had gone off in the castle's mane ballroom.

"What in Tartarus is going on." Moon Dancer said, saying her thoughts outloud.

"I have no idea." Luna said as the two ponies walked up to the window and saw something that could never be unseen again.

Back in the mane ballroom of the castle the Mane Six were busy trying the Gala more like the party that they had dreamed about.

"Come on, everypony! You wanted a partay? Now it's paaartaaay! Yeah! Uh! Now that's a beat, yeah! Uh! C'mon, dance! Yeah, woohoo!" Pinkie said, still trying her best to make the Gala more like a party that she would throw.

"Okay, all you high-class ponies. Here's a highfalutin apple cake for your hoity-toity taste buds." Applejack said trotting into the ballroom with a cart filled with a large apple cake.

"STAGE DIVE!" Pinkie exclaimed jumping off the stage and hit the cart Applejack's cake was on making launch into the air. Rarity and Prince Blueblood both scream simultaneously. Blueblood in a manner to protect put in front of himself so that the cake would hit her, rather him.

The cake slammed into Rarity, getting herself covered with cake stuff. An angry Rarity vented at Blueblood saying. "You, sir, are the most uncharming prince I have ever met! In fact, the only thing royal about you is that you are a royal pain!"

"Ewww...! Uh, stay back! I just had myself groomed!" Blueblood recoiled back from the dirty unicorn.

"Afraid to get dirty?!" Rarity said sarcastically, shaking her body like a wet dog, getting some on her not so Prince Charming. Prince Blueblood whimpered off now covered in pieces of cake. As the Prince ran off he hit a golden statue of an Alicorn of the castle, and it began to fall.

"This is my chance!" Rainbow said diving to catch the large statue before it could hit the ground, and she actually succeeded.

"Yes! Whoa!" Rainbow exclaimed happily catching the statue on her back. However she wasn't able to keep in balanced and the large statue and only ended up hitting one of the many pillars inside the ballroom. This one pillar caused domino effect as the pillar hit many other pillars, them all falling to the ground in a large crash.

"Well... it can't get any worse." Twilight mumbled as she walked into the ballroom, the Celestia by her side. Just as Twilight said her words there was a rumbling sound as one of the doors to the gardens burst open. Animals fled from the door, a crazed yellow Pegasus in torn green dress right behind them.

"You're... going to LOVE ME!" A crazed Fluttershy yelled as she busted through the door. This was followed by ponies screaming as pure insanity inued as the Gala threatened to tear itself apart.

"Um, um, uh... Eugh." Twilight tried to find her words.

"Run." The white alicorn whispered to her star student. Twilight gave a agreeing nod and whistled. Her five friends all look toward their leader and followed her out of the ballroom and the entire castle all together.

As the six ponies were running down the stairs of the castle Rarity lost one of her glass slippers. "Ooh! Rarity, your glass slipper! Now your prince is sure to find you." Pinkie said noticing the scent. Rarity let out a shriek and grabbed the shoe with both hooves saying.

"No! Ugh! Let's go!" All the ponies then piled into the apple carriage thing, and they rode as far away from the castle and the Grand Galloping Gala, as they possibly could.

"I think this our cue to leave." Twinkleshine said as the madness around them continued.

"Agreed!" Lemon Hearts and Minuette said at the same time. The three unicorns then bolted outside, only stopping when Lemon said.

"Wait were's Moon Dancer." The three unicorns looked in all directions only stopping when they heard to ponies in uncontrollable laughter. The three ponies walked the sound to find their friend laughing uncontrollably with, to their surprise, the Princess of the Night.

"Moon it's time to go!" Minuette said her friend, catching Moon Dancer attention.

The young unicorn gathered her composure and said to the blue alicorn. "It was nice meeting you princess." Moon Dancer then stood up from the grassy ground and ran over to her friends.

"It was nice to meet thou as while." Luna called to Moon Dancer as she left. Moon Dancer turned back and gave a small smile to the Princess of the Night, until running off with the others. The four unicorns gathered into their white carriage toward their destination.

"Moon, was that Princess Luna." Lemon Hearts asked Moon Dancer as she trotted passed her.

"Um... yes that was the princess. Why do you ask Lemon?" Moon Dancer responded sheepishly.

"It's just that I have seen the princess in the castle a few times before, but I have never actually talked to her before." Lemon said to the Moon Dancer. Moon Dancer couldn't think of a good way to respond, and instead just let the topic drop.

There was a few moments of awkward silence until Twinkleshine broke it saying. "Well this night was something... wasn't it."

The three other unicorn stared at the ivory one for a few seconds, until they all burst out into a combined laughter. "You can say that again Twinkle. I mean tonight was absolutely awful." Minuette said to the ivory pony, making the four ponies burst into another round of laughter.

"How about we just head to the cafe and spend the rest of the night drinking some hay smoothies." Lemon Hearts said to her three unicorn friends.

"Agreed!" The three other ponies said at the same time, and the three ponies ready to make the best out of what had been, The Worst Night Ever.

"Hey, Pony Joe. Another donut." An annoyed Spike said slamming his cup of coffee (at least I think it is coffee) on the table.

"Don't you think you've had enough?" The owner of the donut shop said to the young dragon.

"Another donut! Extra sprinkles!" Spike demanded from the owner, as the bell on the door of the donut shop rang.

"Twilight Sparkle! Ha, ha. Long time no see." The owner said seeing the purple unicorn walk into his shop with the rest of her friends.

"Hey, how was the Gala? How was your best night ever?" Spike asked the six ponies, for them to all let out of heavy sigh.

"That sounds like the worst night ever!" Spike exclaimed as they recounted what had happened that night.

"It was!" All the ponies said at the same time as they all burst out into laughter. "I just hope Princess Celestia isn't upset with us for ruining the Gala." Twilight said hoping that her mentor wasn't angry.

"That was the best Grand Galloping Gala ever!" Princess Celestia said walking into the donut sho .

"Princess Celestia!" All the ponies present in the shop.

"Pardon me, Princess, but tonight was just awful." Twilight said her mentor.

"Oh, Twilight. The Grand Galloping Gala is always awful." Celestia said to her star student.

"It is?" Twilight said slightly surprised.

"That is why I was thrilled you were all attending. I was hoping you could liven things up a bit. And while the evening may not have gone as you planned, I'm sure you'll agree that in the end it didn't turn out so bad for this group of friends." Celestia said to the group of ponies, putting Twilight into deep thought.

"You're right, Princess. Friends have a way of making even the worst of times into something pretty great." Twilight said agreeing with the white alicorn.

"Yeah! Hanging out with friends!" Rainbow exclaimed happily.

"Talking!" Fluttershy added to Rainbow's statement.

"Laughing!" Pinkie piled on.

"You mean doing exactly what I wanted to do the whole time?" Spike said pointing out the error in the Mane Six's plan for the night.

"Yes, Spike. You were right." Twilight said to her number one assistant.

"As horrible as our night was..." Applejack began to say. "...being together here has made it all better." Rarity continued Applejack's statement. "In fact, it's made it..." Pinkie began to say before...

"...the best night ever!" All the ponies, excluding Celestia, cheered. Their ponies words were followed by laughter as the ponies enjoyed the rest of the night as friends.

Return of Disharmony Part 1

A little over a month has passed since the Grand Galloping Gala, and Miss Cheerilee class of foals were on a fieldtrip of the Canterlot gardens. Miss Cheerilee and her class continued through the Canterlot gardens until they reached the statue gallery section. Miss Cheerilee stopped her class and began talking about each individual statue.

"I want to start our field trip here, in the world-famous Canterlot sculpture garden. That one over there represents "Friendship." Miss Cheerilee said showing her class one of the many statues in the gardens. "All right, my little ponies (ha she said it), this one represents "Victory". Cheerilee said showing her student another statue in the gardens."

"How cool would it be to have that for a cutie mark?" Scootaloo said talking about the statue that symbolized victory.

"Cool, if you were actually victoryful at somethin'." Applebloom responded sarcastically to her orange pegasus friend.

"That's not a word!" Sweetie Belle said not noticing the farmer pony's sarcasm.

"What are you, a dictionary?" Scootaloo said back to the young white unicorn filly.

"Girls!" Cheerilee said stopping three pony friends arguing. "Now this is a really interesting statue. What do you notice about it?" Cheerilee continued as the class stood in front of a rather strange statue. The statue was a strange pony-like creature with the body parts of all other kinds of creatures.

"It's got an eagle (I thought it was a chicken) claw!" Applebloom said pointing at the strange creature's left arm.

"And a lion paw!" Scootaloo added on, pointing at the creature right arm.

"And a snake tail!" Sweetie Belle finished pointing at the scaling red tail that ended with a small amount of feathers that look like a third hand, of the creature.

"This creature is called a draconequus. He has the head of a pony and a body made up of all sorts of things. What do you suppose that represents?" Cheerilee said to the class, saying what the strange creature was actually called.

"Confusion!" "Evil" "Chaos!" The Cutie Mark Crusaders all said in unison.

"It's not chaos, you dodo!" Sweetie Belle said to Scootaloo.

"Don't call me things I don't know the meaning of! And it is to chaos!" Scootaloo said back to the white unicorn filly.

"Is not!" Sweetie Belle responded back.

"You're both wrong!" Applebloom said as the three fillies then began a playful fight over which was right.

Miss Cheerilee seemed to ignore this and continued answering her rather rhetorical question.

"Actually, in a way, you're all right. This statue represents "Discord", which means a lack of harmony between ponies." Cheerilee said saying the true meaning of the statue. "In fact, you three have demonstrated discord so well that you're each going to write me an essay explaining it." Cheerilee said to the three fillies punishing them for their arguing. The class laughed that CMCs misfortune as the class continued on with their tour.

"It's confusion!" "Evil!" "Chaos!" The CMC quietly argued with each other as they continued their tour. Unbeknownst to them, and to all the ponies in Equestria, the three ponies arguing was enough to make the statue began to crack. As the literal creature of chaos and disharmony awoke from his millennia-long stone prison. As the cracks ran up the statue it reached the creature heart and when it did he let out an evil laugh. As he was ready to turn Equestria his personal playground of chaos.[

Back in Ponyville Rainbow Dash was busy trying to corral a runaway pink cloud. "Come back here, you!" Rainbow called after the pink cloud. "Gotcha! Eww, what is this? Cotton candy?" Rainbow said catching up to the pink cloud only to get stuck in the pink substance. She shook off the pink goo and land on the ground, only for another pink cloud to float above and began to rain on the blue Pegasus. "Wait a second! It's not supposed to rain until tomorrow. You can't just–" Rainbow began to say to the cloud only for it to began raining chocolate milk (yes I am serious) on her. "You did." Rainbow said in defeat.

"Hey, I didn't tell you to go anywhere!" Rainbow called after another cotton candy cloud, as the scene shifted to Sweet Apple Acres.

"Rainbow Dash, what's going on with this rain? I mean chocolate milk? I mean chocolate milk rain?!" Applejack called up to the blue Pegasus as a storm of chocolate milk rain poured down on her farm.

"There's crazy weather all over Equestria! Cloudsdale is getting soaked by a major cola storm right now! But don't worry. I'm not leaving you until I get control of Ponyville!" Rainbow Dash said down to the orange earth pony. As the strange weather continued all over Equestria.

Just as the two ponies were talking the corn that Applejack was planting began to pop like popcorn. Spreading all across the farm. "Why would you wanna stop this?" Pinkie said diving in and out of the mounds of popcorn while drinking the chocolate milk that fell from the sky.

"Ahem. I heard about your troubles, Applejack, and I came to see if there's anything I can do without getting wet. Or dirty. Or out from under my umbrella." Rarity said to the orange earth pony, from underneath a fancy purple umbrella.

At the same time other strange things accorded, like the apples on Applejack's tree grew to insane sizes. So big that the trees bent down to the ground because of the weight. The forest animals took advantage of the free food and began to eat the oversized fruit.

"Fluttershy! Do somethin'!" Applejack said to the yellow Pegasus. "Now, Angel, you really shouldn't" Fluttershy began to say to the white bunny, only for its and all the other bunnies legs to grow to a point that it look like they were on stilts "No! It's not possible! I must be seeing things!" Fluttershy exclaimed not believing what she was seeing.

"Don't worry, everyone. I've learned a new spell that'll fix everything." Twilight walking up, as she read a spell from the book Spike was carrying. Twilight's horn glowed magenta as she cast her spell on the farm. The spell however failed and the chaos across the farm and all of Equestria continued.

"My fail-safe spell... failed. What do we do?" Twilight said shocked that her magic failed to solve everything (despite it doing the exact same thing in "Swarm of the Century").

"Uh, give up?" Spike said sarcastically as he looked on the chaos across the land.

"Spike, Twilight will come up with something." Rarity said to the purple dragon, as she put umbrella saddle thing on the purple unicorn's back.

"Hmm, time for plan B." Twilight said in deep thought. "Rainbow, can you corral all those clouds in one corner of the sky?" Twilight called up to the blue Pegasus, who saluted her and did as she said.

"Applejack, I need you to bring those high-strung storm clouds down to Earth." Twilight said to Applejack, as she used her lasso to pull the mass of pink clouds down to Earth. Stopping the chocolate milk rain. Much to the dismay of Pinkie.

"Hey, what happened?" A fat-bellied Pinkie Pie said as her supply of chocolate milk stopped. Twilight then whispered to Fluttershy, who said afterward.

"Oh dear. I hope none of the animals see these delicious chocolate-filled cotton candy clouds. I'd hate to have to share them." Fluttershy said to the animals busy eating the giant apples. "You and me both, sister!" Pinkie said walking over to the pink cotton candy cloud.

"Hey!" Pinkie exclaimed as she was pushed out of the way by the mass of mutated forest animals.

"And when y'all are done with that, feel free to have some popcorn for dessert." Applejack said as the forest animals dug into the pink clouds.

"You see, Spike? You should never give up. There's nothing we can't overcome if we all work together." Twilight said down to her number one assistant, only for him to burp up a letter from Princess Celestia.

"Come on, girls. Princess Celestia wants to see us all in Canterlot immediately!" Twilight gasped as she read the letter from the Princess, getting confused looks from her friends.

The scene switched to the Canterlot castle as the white alicorn anxiously paced back and forth as chocolate rained outside. She waited for the bearers of the Elements of Harmony.

"How could I have let this happen?" Celestia said to herself. The Princess pacing was brought to a halt as the Mane six burst in.

"Princess Celestia, we came as fast as we could!" Twilight said running up to the princess, the rest of her friends close behind.

"Thank you, Twilight. Thank you, all." Celestia said the young ponies in front of her.

"Is this about the weather? And the animals' weird behavior? What's happening out there? Why isn't my magic working? Is there" Twilight began rambling at the princess, only for to hold up a hoof to silence her.

"Follow me." Celestia said and the six ponies followed her through a hallway filled with glass painting of important events in Equestria's history.

"I've called you here for a matter of great importance. It seems an old foe of mine, someone I thought I had defeated long ago, has returned. His name... is Discord." Celestia said as the ponies passed a painting showing the creature of chaos. Fluttershy squealed as she passed the painting.

"Discord is the mischievous spirit of disharmony. Before my sister and I stood up to him, he ruled Equestria in an eternal state of unrest and unhappiness. Luna and I saw how miserable life was for Earth ponies, Pegasi, and unicorns alike, so after discovering the Elements of Harmony, we combined our powers and rose up against him, turning him to stone." The Princess of Exposition said telling the story of Discord as they passed a painting of him holding a Pegasus, unicorn, and earth pony like by strings over a fire.

"All right, Princess!" Rainbow said to Celestia.

"I thought the spell we cast would keep him contained forever, but since Luna and I are no longer connected to the Elements, the spell has been broken." Celestia continued as they walked further down the hall of paintings. "No longer connected?" Twilight asked her mentor.

"This is Canterlot Tower, where the Elements are kept inside since all of you recovered them. I need you to wield the Elements of Harmony once again and stop Discord before he thrusts all of Equestria into eternal chaos." Celestia continued giving the six ponies a task of great importance.

"But why us? Why don't you-" Twilight began to say only for Pinkie to interrupt her.

"Hey, look! We're famous!" Pinkie said pointing at a wall painting that depicted the six ponies defeating Nightmare Moon with the Elements of Harmony.

"You six showed the full potential of the Elements by harnessing the magic of your friendship to beat a mighty foe. Although Luna and I once wielded the Elements, it is you who now control their power, and it is you who must defeat Discord!" Celestia said to the six bearers of the Elements of Harmony.

"Princess Celestia, you can count on" Twilight began to say, only for Pinkie to interrupt her again.

"Hold on a second! Eternal chaos comes with chocolate rain, you guys. Chocolate rain!" Pinkie said, poking the purple unicorn in the chest.

"Don't listen to her, Princess. We'd be honored to use the Elements of Harmony again." Twilight said to her mentor, dismissing the antics of her hyperactive friend.

Celestia gave her student a sight smile and opened a save with her horn, revealing a chest which contained the Elements of Harmony.

"Ooh. You can keep the Elements. I'll take that case!" Rarity said, admiring the case that contained the Elements.

"Have no fear, ponies. I have total confidence that you will be able to defeat Discord with these!" Celestia said opening the case, to revealed that the Elements were missing. All the ponies gasped in shock as Celestia dropped the case, her mouth hitting the floor in shock.

"Oh, well. If anyone needs me, I'll be outside in the chocolate puddles with a giant swizzle straw." Pinkie said hopping outside to get her daily fill of chocolate milk rain.

"The Elements! They're gone!" Twilight exclaimed in shock.

"That chamber is protected by a powerful spell that only I can break! This doesn't make sense!" Celestia said still in shock and confusion, pacing back and forth.

"Make sense? Oh, what fun is there in making sense?" Discord said overhead with an evil laugh.

"Discord... Show yourself!" Celestia ordered at her old enemy.

"Did you miss me, Celestia? I missed you. It's quite lonely being encased in stone, but you wouldn't know that, would you, because I don't turn ponies into stone." Discord chuckled showing himself as one of his many paintings.

"Enough! What have you done with the Elements of Harmony?" Celestia demanded Discord to answer.

"Oh, I just borrowed them for a teensy little while." Discord said to the white alicorn, snapping his fingers taking the painting of the Elements, and appearing in another painting.

"Oh, I'd forgotten how grim you can be, Celestia. It's really quite boring." Discord insulted Celestia, only to get a reaction from Rainbow.

"Hey! Nopony insults the Princess!" Rainbow barked at Discord flying at his image. Only for him to snap his fingers and disappear. Making Rainbow slam into the pane glass window with a loud smack.

"Oh, you must be Rainbow Dash, famed for her loyalty, the Element of Harmony you represent." Discord said to Rainbow, sizing her up.

"That's right! I'll always be loyal to the Princess!" Rainbow back to the Lord of Chaos, her words filled with pride.

"We'll see about that." Discord said before disappearing again.

"I can't believe we're wasting our time talking to a tacky window." Rarity said more to herself. "The beautiful Rarity, representing the Element of Generosity, if I'm not mistaken?" Discord said stating Rarity's Element of Harmony as well.

"So you know who we are, big deal." Applejack said to Discord.

"Oh, I know much more than that, honest Applejack." Discord said stating the orange earth ponies element as well.

"You seem to know our strengths too." Twilight said to Discord, irrigation growing in her voice.

"Yes, Twilight Sparkle, and yours is the most powerful and elusive element, Magic. Fluttershy's is Kindness and Pinkie Pie's is a personal favorite of mine" Discord said to the purple unicorn as he appeared in the painting of the six ponies defeating Nightmare Moon. Discord's antics earned a snickered from Pinkie as she stood on the drawing of Twilight.

"Stop stalling, Discord! What have you done with the Elements of Harmony?" Celestia demanded Discord to answer, her anger overriding her almost constant calm tone.

"Oh, so boring, Celestia. Really? Fine, I'll tell you, but I'll only tell you my way." Discord said as he said where he hid the Elements in the form of a riddle.

"To retrieve your missing Elements, just make sense of this change of events. Twists and turns are my master plan. Then find the Elements back where you began." Discord said in a riddle, his snake like body flowed in and out of different paintings. Stopping in the painting that showed him ruling over Equestria, followed by evil laughter coming from the spirit of chaos.

"Can we go home now?" Fluttershy said as Discord finished her riddle.

"What do you reckon he meant? Twists and turns and ending back where we started?" Applejack asked the purple unicorn.

"Twists and turns... twists and turns... twists and turns! That's it! I bet Discord hid the Elements in the palace labyrinth!" Twilight said looking out on of the windows to see a large hedge maze.

"Good luck, my little ponies (ha ha she said it). The fate of Equestria is in your hooves." Celestia giving the six ponies their orders. "Thanks, Princess. We won't let you down." Twilight said as the six ponies ran out of the hallway looking for the missing Elements of Harmony.

"Does thou think that they will be able to defeat him?" Luna asked her sister after the six ponies left the hallway.

"I hope so Luna, but if they don't we meant have to resort to plan B." Celestia said to her little sister, speaking about the Alpha.

"Thouest can't be serious. How could we even reawaken him?" Luna asked her sister, her voice raising as she did.

"I know the circumstances would not be the most ideal. But if Twilight and her friends are unable to defeat Discord, he meant be the only creature in Equestria with the power to defeat him. He seer size might be enough to stop Discord's madness." Celestia said to her sister, putting the Princess of the Night into deep thought.

"We could try our best to reverse our spell." Luna said to her sister, scracthing her chin with her hoof, though she wasn't sure if it would actually work.

"You have to try Luna, if you are able to bring him back, I am sure that none of our citizens will ever see you as... that again." Celestia said putting a reassuring hoof on her shoulder, while looking up at the painting of the Mane Six defeating Nightmare Moon.

Luna stared up at the painting which before then had just been a painful reminder of what a monster she once was, but now she saw it as motivation for redemption. "We'll try our best dear sister." Luna said with determination in her teal eyes.

The Mane Six arrived at the large hedge maze of the castle and waited just outside its entrance.

"Do we have to go in there?" Fluttershy as they got closer to the scary looking maze.

"Nope! Dopey Discord forgot about these babies! I'll just do a quick flyover and we'll have the Elements in no time." Rainbow said as she began to fly over the hedge maze. Only for her wings to disappear.

"My wings!" Rainbow exclaimed as she slammed back into the ground. Fluttershy screamed as her wings also strangely disappeared.

"Your horn! My horn! Ahhh!" The two unicorns screamed in unison as their horns also disappeared, along with the pegasi' wings

That was when Discord showed himself, in a flash of red sky and lightning, laughing his flank off. "You–You should see the looks on your faces. Priceless!" Discord laughed at the ponies misfortune.

"Give us our wings and horns back!" Twilight demanded at the Spirit of Chaos.

"You'll get them back in good time. I simply took them to ensure there's no cheating. You see, this is the first rule of our game: no flying, and no magic." Discord said striking the attention of the six now earth ponies.

"The first rule?" Rainbow asked Discord confused.

"The second rule is everypony has to play or the game is over, and I win. Good luck, everypony!" Discord said hovering above the six ponies before disappearing with a snap of his fingers.

"Never fear, girls. We have each other!" Twilight said to her friends after Discord disappeared.

"Yeah! Like Twilight said, there's nothing we can't overcome if we all stick together!" Rainbow said agreeing with Twilight.

"Alright, girls, let's do this!" Twilight said getting a happy smile from her friends.

"Together!" They all said at once as they step in the hedge maze at the same time. Only for a hedge to grow in between separating the ponies from each other. Each pony let out a scream as they got surrounded on both sides by foliage.

"Stay calm, girls! Everypony head to the middle as fast as you can, and we'll regroup there!" Twilight called to her friends.

"Moving out!" Rainbow called out.

"See you in the center." Rarity said.

"Yee-haw!" Applejack said.

"See you guys there." Pinkie said as the six ponies, excluding Fluttershy, took off in different directions heading for the center of the maze.

"What's that? Who's there? Girls!" Fluttershy screamed in a panic state.

Applejack was busy running through the maze when she came across three apples that rolled away on their own as she neared them.

"What in tarnation?" Applejack said confused, as she followed the apples into a part of the maze that contained a pond. "Where am I?" Applejack said to herself as she entered the strange room.

Then there was laughter coming from three creatures that made out of apples, one green, one red, and another a lighter color of red. "Who are y'all?" Applejack asked the three strange creatures that were made out of apples.

"The keepers of the grove of truth. You may ask us..."

"...one question..." "...past, future or present. "But be warned..."

"...that the truth... "...may not always be pleasant." The three apple creatures said, circling the orange earth pony.

"All right then. I don't trust this place worth a hill of beans, but I've got a really bad feelin' about this feller Discord. What's gonna come of this mission we're on?" Applejack asked the three apple creatures.

"For the answer you seek..." The red apples said.

"...go ahead, take a peek." The lighter-red apple finished telling Applejack to look in the pond.

The pond showed Applejack the six friends in Ponyville arguing. "I hope I never see you again!" The pond version of Rainbow yelled at her 'friends'. "Me too!" The pond version of Fluttershy added. "Fine!" Pinkie Pie and Rarity both said at the same time. "It's settled then." Twilight said as the six ponies all bolted off in different directions. Their friendship seemly over.

"No our friendship, over!" Applejack said horrid at the image she had just witnessed. This made Discord chuckle to himself as he controlled the three apple creature with strings, like living puppets.

"It can't be true... it just can't" Applejack in delinal and Discord went in for the kill, so to speak. "When all truth does..." The light-red apple began to say.

"Sometimes a lie, is easier to take." The green apple said its voice now Discord's as its eyes turned to hypnotizing circles. The spell that Discord cast on Applejack causing her to turn gray and her to switch from the bearer of the Element of Honesty to the biggest liar in all of Equestria. Discord disappeared in a fit of evil laughter as his plan was one pony down and only five more to go.

The wall of hedges that blocked off the sanctuary opened showing Twilight running across finding her friend standing in an empty room. "Applejack! Thank goodness! I thought I heard voices over here. Who were you talking to?" Twilight said to the gray earth pony (somehow not taking notice of her friend's coat color change).

"I was talking to... uh... nopony! Nopony whatsoever!" Applejack said lying, badly, to Twilight.

"What?" Twilight said confused at her friend's strange behavior.

"Nothing. Come on, uh, we best be going." Applejack said walking passed the purple now earth pony.

"Did Applejack just...? Come on, Twilight! Applejack wouldn't lie." Twilight said to herself denouncing her friend's strange behavior.

Pinkie Pie was busy bouncing along, whistling to herself, as she traveled through the mirror. Pinkie then noticed a group of balloon in the same color as her cutie mark floating away her. Humming in a sing-along like tone. The pink earth pony follow the balloon into a large garden filled with balloons of all different colors."This is the greatest balloon garden I've ever seen! It's the first balloon garden I've ever seen, but still!" Pinkie said excited, only for her to trip and fall in a pile of mud.

The mass of balloon then laughed at the misfortune of the pink earth pony. "Hey, what gives?" Pinkie said up to the laughing balloons.

"What's the matter, Pinkie Pie? I thought you appreciated a good laugh?" A green balloon with the face of Discord said to Pinkie.

"It's different. They're laughing at me." Pinkie said back to the green balloon.

"It's hardly different. Your friends laugh at you all the time." The green balloon said to Pinkie, using the same tactics that he used against Applejack.

"My friends laugh with me, not at me." Pinkie said back a smile smile forming on her face.

"Oh, really?" The green balloon said and all the laughing balloons changed to those of her friend's faces laughing at her.

"No! Stop it!" Pinkie laughed, covering her ears with her hooves. As the laughter continued.

"Stop laughing at me!" Pinkie yelled up at the laughing balloons.

"Oh, poor Pinkie Pie. And here I thought laughter made you happy." The green balloon said to Pinkie Pie. It's eyes turning hypotonic circles, as Discord cast the same spell on Pinkie as he did Applejack.

"Happy? I don't think so." Pinkie said grimly as her coat turned gray, as the many balloons popped behind her.

"Pinkie Pie! Are we glad to see you!" Twilight said as she found her always cheering friend.

"Oh you are, huh? Why? Need a good laugh?" Pinkie snapped at Twilight.

"Pinkie? What do you suppose has her so upset? It's not like her." Twilight asked Applejack.

"I didn't notice anything strange about Pinkie." Applejack lied to Twilight.

"Weird. Better pick up the pace before the stress of this gets the better of all of us." Twilight said taking notice of the strange behavior of both of her friends.

"I was expecting an audience with the Princess, not outdoor sports." Rarity said as she traveled through hedge maze. She continued until she came across a large stone wall with her cutie mark in the middle.

"Agh. Oh my..." Rarity said in awe as she looked at the three shining jewels.

"Welcome to your lucky day, Rarity. You've found the one thing in Equestria that could rival my face for sheer beauty. What do you think? You like?" Discord said to Rarity, his reflection imprinted in the gems.

"Yes... I like very much... No! No, I shan't succumb to such fabulousness. Must... get to the center... to meet... the others." Rarity said trying to resist the temptation of the fabulous gems in front of her.

"MINE!" Rarity yelled as she used her hooves to knock down the stone wall. Her coat turning gray as she succumbed to the greed that Discord brought into her heart.

"Well, Rarity. It took forever, but it was worth it. Who knew three little gemstones would turn out to be this handsome hunk of a diamond? Now to get you home." A battered Rarity said as she lunged what seem assumed was a massive blue diamond on her back.

The wall that closed off Rarity crashed down revealing Twilight and her two other corrupted friends. "Rarity! Are we glad to see... Why are you carrying a humongous boulder?" Twilight said confused as she saw her friend carrying a massive stone boulder on her back.

"What do you mean, 'boulder'? This big beautiful bedazzling rock is a diamond! And it's all mine. Keep your envious little eyes off it! I found it and it's mine fair and square!" Rarity said her greed getting the better of her.

A scared Fluttershy squeaked to herself as she slowly traveled through the maze. "Okay, I can do this. I can..." Fluttershy said to herself trying to be brave, only to jumped in the brushes as a swarm of three pink butterflies flew passed her.

"Oh, wait a minute... Butterflies? Wait! Don't leave me here!" Fluttershy said running after the three flying creatures.

She followed the butterflies into a small camber in the maze, as Discord began his attempt to corrupt the Element of Kindness.

"Fluttershy, looks like you've been left behind by your so-called friends, huh?" The butterflies said to Fluttershy, hoping to turn her against her friends

"Oh, no. I'm certain they're doing their best to find me." Fluttershy responded back not taking the butterflies bait.

"Well, it must be so upsetting to know how weak and helpless they think you are." The butterflies said trying to get at a different angle.

"Not at all. I am weak and helpless and I appreciate their understanding." Fluttershy said back, making the butterflies frustration grow.

"Yes... Well, surely it burns you up... I mean, that they're always pointing out your flaws, right?" The butterflies said trying to find something to turn the Element of Kindness, into the cruelest creature in Equestria.

"Not really. In fact, I think I'm awfully lucky to have friends who want me to be the best I can be." Fluttershy responded back in her normal calm demeanor, and Discord lost it.

"Oh, for goodness sake! You've been kind for far too long, my dear. Time to be cruel. Arrivederci!" A frustrated Discord said transforming out of his form as the butterflies, and manually corrupting Fluttershy. Making her eyes turn into hypnotic circles, and her coat to turn gray, like the rest of her corrupted friends.

"Fluttershy! I'm so glad to see a friendly face. This awful labyrinth is getting to everypony." A relieved Twilight said as she ran up to her always kind friend.

"Aw, boo-hoo-hoo! Why don't you wave your magic little horn and make everything alright?" Fluttershy snapped at Twilight, leaving her dumbfounded.

"Uh..." Twilight said confused at her sudden and out of character snapping.

"Oh, that's right, you can't. You don't have one." "What is happening to my friends?" Twilight said to herself as she watched her friends fall further and further into Discord's spell.

Applejack then began laughing, only to get an immediate reaction from a pissed off Pinkie.

"And what are you laughing at?" Pinkie barked at Applejack.

"Chocolate milk." Applejack lied, her lying becoming more a part of her as the day went on.

"Little help here!" Rarity said to Twilight needing help lifting her 'gem'. "Thanks, Twilight." Rarity said the purple now earth pony as she helped lift the massive rock.

"You're welcome–" Twilight began to say only to be cut off by a equally pissed off Rarity.

"But don't get any ideas about my gem! I know where you live." Rarity barked at Twilight. Twilight beginning to regret accepting this mission.

Rainbow Dash was busy running through the maze looking for the Elements of Harmony. She running until she heard thunder and look over to see a small cloud with a lightning bolt, that look like her cutie mark, coming out of it. "I've got you now, element." Rainbow said chasing after the cloud to find Discord laying on a cloud haymack.

"Oh. I can see why you like these clouds so much. Very plush." Discord said, admiring the softness of the cloud he was laying on.

"Get off there and put 'em up! Come on! Let's go!" Rainbow said standing on her hind legs ready to fight.

"Hey, I'm here to deliver a message." Discord said holding up his hand in mock surrender.

"I've got a message for you too!" Rainbow said charging at the Spirit of Chaos.

"Listen closely, this is important. A weighty choice is yours to make. The right selection or a big mistake. If a wrong choice you choose to pursue, the foundations of home will crumble without you." Discord said showing Rainbow Cloudsdale, her hometown, crumbling if she doesn't go to help.

"Cloudsdale? Crumble... without me? No!" Rainbow said falling right into Discord's lion paw.

"That box contains your wings. You can take them and leave the game, or you can carry on aimlessly wandering this maze. Your choice." Discord said to Rainbow pointing a blue box, turning the Element of Loyalty into the one that would betray her friends in the end. Rainbow coat turned gray and she took the box that contained her wings.

"Must... find... Rainbow Dash. As a team... we're unstoppable. Rainbow Dash won't let us down." Twilight said weakly, she busy carrying Rarity giant 'diamond' on her back.

"Well, looky there. Rainbow Dash is flying away. She's abandonin' us." Applejack said looking in the storm cloudy sky, her actually telling the truth this time around.

"Now I know that's a lie." Twilight said not believing Applejack, placing the giant rock down. "How can it be?" Twilight gasped as she saw the gray Pegasus flying away. Thunder and lightning crashed as a displeased Discord appeared.

"Well, well, well. Somepony broke the "no wings, no magic" rule." Discord said, snapping his fingers which returned the horns to the unicorns, and the wings to Fluttershy. "Game's over, my little ponies (ha ha, he said it). You didn't find your precious elements." Discord said as he snapped his fingers again, which this time destroyed the hedge maze. Leaving nothing but a large crater.

"Looks like we might be due for a big old storm of chaos!" Discord laughed evil, as he created a umbrella, which opened upside-down, as pink cotton candy clouds thundered overhead.

Underneath Canterlot the Princess Luna was busy trotting her way through the crystal caves, hoping that she would be able to reawaken the million pound dragon that rested just underneath the city.

"We can do this Luna. No, we have to." Luna said to herself as she continued down the caves, as she heard thunder overhead. "We guess that's our cue." Luna said acknowledging the literal storm of chaos going on just above her head.

Luna reached the cave where the Alpha was being kept and relieved the guards at the post saying to them. "You are both relieved of your duties."

"Are you sure your majesty." One of the guards asked the blue alicorn, looking back at the massive dragon that spelt yards from where they were standing.

"Yes we-I will watch over the Alpha. You should both be with your families during this time." Luna said to the two guards, giving a small smile. The two royal guards shared a quick look before one of them said.

"Thank your majesty." The two guards then trotted off, glad that they could spend the first time with their families in more than a month. The two guards sworn to never speak of the Alpha to anyone. Punishment of dishonorable discharge if they said anything about him.

Luna waited until she was sure that the guards were out of earshot before she approached the massive dragon in front of her. "It's looks like it's just you and us, Alpha." Luna said to her slumbering old friend. "Well, we meant as well get this over with." Luna said as she closed her eyes and concentrated hard.

Luna's horn began to glow a dark blue as she tried her best to reverse the spell that she cast on her friend all those centuries ago. She then fired a strong blue beam at the Alpha hitting him directing in the snout.

Luna collapsed to the ground shortly afterward, exhausted from the spell that she had just cast. Luna stared blankly at the still sleeping dragon, as it seemed that the spell was ineffective. Luna sighed in defeat and placed in head in her hooves, just about ready to give up.

"We really are the most useless pony in all of Equestria." Luna whimpered to herself, trying her best to fight back tears. Her almost sobbing was stopped when the ground around her shook.

The blue alicorn looked up to see the Alpha's giant tail slamming back onto the ground, creating small earthquake. Despite her exhausted state Luna jumped up as the Alpha seemed to be waking up from his fifteen hundred year slumber. "At last..." Luna said her teal eyes as wide as a diner plate.

"Watch out Discord, you are about to learn the true meaning of power." Luna said breaking into an almost devilish smirk as the Alpha's reawakening seemed to continue. With his one front claws lifting off the ground, and slamming back onto it, creating another earthquake.

Return of Disharmony Part 2

The Alpha's claws slammed into the ground, digging massive claw marks into the cave dirt. The smile that adorned Luna's face continue to grow as the Alpha seemed to be reawakening from his slumber. There was a loud crack as the Alpha's massive neck rose off the ground, and crack loud enough to be heard from the two royal guards that were currently trotting back up the crystal caves.

"What was that?" One of the guards said to the other, as the ground around them shook violently.

"I don't know and I don't really want to find out." The other guard said back. The two guards then rushed out of the caves as fast as they could. Running out to find that the once great city of Canterlot was now being confused by the chaos caused by Discord.

Discord's maniacal laughter continued as thunder and lightning from his pink cotton candy cloud crashed overhead.

"And what are you laughing at!?" A pissed off Pinkie snapped at Discord. "Oh, you ponies are just the most fun I've had in aeons." Discord continued laughing at the former Element of Laughter's outburst.

"Well, quit it! You'd better think before you laugh at the Pinkie Pie!" Pinkie barked at the Spirit of Chaos.

"Oh, yeah? Well ha, ha." A cruel version of Fluttershy laughed sarcastically at the now Element of Despair.

"Quit it!" Pinkie screamed at Fluttershy the Mane Six beginning to tear each other apart. This continued for sometime as the corrupted Mane Six became more apart of their new personalities.

"Uh... Rarity? This here diamond of yours? Twilight said we should split it six ways since we, uh, found it together." Applejack lied at the gray unicorn, only to get a karate kick in response.

"HI-YAH! Try it, punk. He's mine. All mine! Ya! Ya! Ya!" Rarity said, kicking Applejack away from her large 'diamond'.

"Girls, why are you all acting like this?" Twilight asked her corrupted friends, as they continued to go at each other's throats.

"Quit it! Stop it!" A frustrated Pinkie screamed as Fluttershy continued to sarcastically laugh at her.

"We need to stick together." Twilight said trying to bring her friends back together.

"Ha, ha." Fluttershy continued to sarcastically laugh at the now Element of Despair.

"It's just too entertaining." Discord laughed at as he watched the bearers of the Elements of Harmony tearing themselves apart.

"Stop it, Discord. You're not playing fair." Twilight called up toward the Spirit of Chaos.

"I'm not playing fair? Perhaps we haven't met. I'm Discord, Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony. Hello?" Discord responded back sarcastically.

"How are we supposed to find the Elements of Harmony when you took away the labyrinth before we could get to the end?" Twilight asked Discord, only to make burst out into another fit of laughter.

"Oh, wait, did you...? How funny! You thought the Elements were in the labyrinth?" Discord laughed as he and Twilight were teleported back in time to the moment where Discord told the ponies his riddle.

"Twists and turns are my master plan. Then find the Elements back where you began." Flashback Discord said his riddle, as Discord and Twilight watched on. Their bodies in a blue almost ghost-like state.

"I never said they were in the labyrinth." Discord said to the purple unicorn.

"But...but..." Twilight said confused and frustrated.

"Keep trying, Twilight Sparkle. Maybe the magic of friendship can help you." Discord said in a mocking tone as he watched the rest Mane Six continue in their bickering.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I have some chaos to wreak." Discord finished, disappearing to wreak more chaos across Equestria. As thunder crashed and chocolate milk rained down all over Canterlot.

"Chocolate milk? I hate chocolate milk!" Pinkie said, expressing her less than positive feelings toward the rain Discord had created.

"Think, Twilight, think! 'Find the Elements back where you began.' Back where you began." Twilight grunted as she tried to figure out Discord riddle.

"Don't touch my gem!" Rarity grunted trying to push the 'gem' back to Ponyville.

"I'm touching your gem, Rarity. Ha, ha." Fluttershy sarcastically laughed touching Rarity's 'gem' with her hoof.

"What 'chu laughin' at?" Pinkie barked at Fluttershy.

"Ugh. I just want to go home... Wait a minute... Home! "Back where you began!"

"The Elements must be in..." A frustrated Twilight, as she came to the realization as to where Discord had hidden the Elements of Harmony. "Ponyville!" Twilight said as the six ponies arrived back in Ponyville , the new chaos capital of the world.

Back in Canterlot however a certain Alicorn was busy trying to reawaken the city greatest secret.

"Yes... Yes... it's working! Soon the Alpha will return, and Discord will fall... again!" Luna exclaimed to herself, breaking into a crazed laughter.

"Wait what is thouest doing?" Luna said catching herself, as she began to act more like the monster that she used to be.

"This isn't the way thou should return." Luna said up to her old friend, whose awakening seemed to slow as the blue alicorn spoke. "You should return, but not as nothing more than a means to an end." Luna said as her horn glowed her blue magic aura. She then fired the blue beam at the slowing raising head of the Alpha.

The second the blue beam hit the Alpha's head it slammed back onto the ground with a loud thud. The same went for the Alpha's claws and massive tail, all of them slamming onto the dirt ground with a loud and concussive thud. The impact caused a mountain full of dust and dirt to get thrown up completely covering the blue alicorn.

"Ack, ack, ack..." Luna coughed through the heavy dust. She shook her entire body shaking off the dust that had collected on her dark blue coat. "We guesseth that we shouldst hast thought this out more." Luna said to herself as she walked closer to the slumber titan.

She placed her left hoof up against the massive dragon snout just to feel the warm air that came out every two-five seconds as its breathing returned to its normal death-like sleep.

"We're sorry for all the teen that we hast brought unto thou. We sincerely hopeth that whenev'r thou actually awaketh that thou wouldst forgiveth us." Luna, doing her best to hold back tears, said to her sleeping friend.

The Princess of the Night got a small snort in response, and she took it as cue to leave. The blue alicorn slowly walked away from the sleeping Alpha, turning head back as she reached the mouth of the cave to look at her old friend for one last time. She let out a heavy sigh before saying to herself.

"Alpha, if only thou knew how we felt about thou. haply things couldst've ended up differently." Luna said to herself speaking about both the sleeping curse that she had cast on the Alpha, but also her descent into becoming Nightmare Moon.

Luna stayed motionless, with only her thoughts, before she turned back around and trotted back up the crystal caves the thunder and lightning from Discord's cotton candy clouds being the one of many remembers for Luna of her failure.

In Ponyville the Mane Six, or at the very least Twilight, were busy looking for the Elements of Harmony. Conveniently the only things that could defeat Discord. Ponyville, somehow, looked even worse than Canterlot. With multiple houses floating above the ground, the streets were checked boarded, buffaloes danced like ballerinas, and of course the normal cotton candy clouds that dumped gallons upon gallons of chocolate milk on the small town.

"Come on, girls. I'm certain this is what Discord's riddle really meant. If we get back to the library, I have a book that I just know can give us a clue. Ah!" Twilight said to the rest of the Mane Six, only to get run over a by a group of long-legged bunnies.

"Good boy, Angel. Mama's so proud." Fluttershy said after the bunnies ran over Twilight.

Shortly afterward the sun quickly went down, blanketing the town in darkness. "Wow, I can see so much better now." Applejack lied (that's not lying that's sarcasm), only for Discord to change the dirt roads of Ponyville into soap. Making all the ponies slip. "Whoa! I meant to do that." Applejack lied as she slipped on the newly created soapie road.

"Wah! Ahh! Whoa! Discord's turned our dirt roads into soap!" A frustrated Twilight grunted as the sun returned.

"Beautiful, isn't it? This is the new and improved Ponyville, and these are only my first of changes." Discord said to Twilight, the last of the Mane Six to be corrupted.

"This may look like fun, but it's not." Pinkie said using her hooves like ice skates on the soap roads.

"Ugh!" Twilight grunted her frustration going, much to Discord's delight.

"Picture it. The chaos capital of the world." Discord said holding up the purple unicorn overlooking the countryside.

"I can't picture anything. It's too dark." Twilight said back to Discord, as the sunset again over Ponyville.

"Well, wait a few minutes and you'll see it in the beautiful light of day. Or not." Discord said before she skated down the soapy streets of Ponyville as his chaos continued.

"Ponyville, the chaos capital of the world? Not if I have anything to say about it" Twilight said with determination in her voice.

"Don't worry, you won't." Fluttershy said sarcastically, which was then followed by laughter. Twilight then grunted in response as she began to question whether this war was really worth fighting.

"Okay, we're here. Everyone please, please, please just go inside, please?" Twilight said letting out a heavy sigh as the six ponies finally arrived at the library.

"I absolutely refuse." Applejack lied as she walked into the library. Her coat turning a darker gray as she talked.

"With pleasure." Fluttershy said jumping on some of Twilight's flowers before she flew into the library. Her coat also growing a darker gray.

"I hate libraries!" Pinkie said as she trotted into the library. Twilight grunted to herself, her frustration almost at its tipping point.

Rarity was busy 'polishing' her large 'diamond' to pay attention to Twilight's words.

"Pleeeease, we gotta hurry!" Twilight said to the her unicorn friend, to no prevail.

"Forget it, Twilight. I know what you're up to. The second I go in, you'll have your little minion Spike come and take Tom!" Rarity said to the purple unicorn, naming large rock Tom.

"Tom?" Twilight said confused.

"Well, it's not going to work." Rarity said to Twilight, either not hearing, or just not caring about Twilight had just said.

"You're not going in without him, are you?" Twilight said back to Rarity, annoyed.

"Mm-mm." Rarity nodded in defince to the purple unicorn.

"Fine!" Twilight grunted in defeat.

Inside the library Spike was taking a nap, holding a small broom in one of his claws. Fluttershy picked up a bucket filled with water and dumped the freezing the freezing water on the sleeping dragon.

"Ah! Brr! What was that for Fluttershy?" Spike asked Fluttershy, the bucket of water quickly waking him up from his short nap,

"Cause you just looked so peaceful." Fluttershy said back, her voice filled to the brim with bitterness.

"I...uh...huh?" Spike scrambled over his words, now noticing the gray color of all the ponies coats.

Then there was a crash as Twilight pushed through the side of her house with Tom.

"Careful, Twilight! You'll ruin his beautiful finish." Rarity said to the purple unicorn, her coat turner a blacker tone of gray.

"Oh, for the love of..." Twilight began to say, about ready to snap, only for Spike to start talking to her.

"Twilight, what's going on? Why does everypony look so...gray?" Spike asked the purple unicorn.

"Don't ask. I need you to help me find something." Twilight said bluntly, her frustration about ready to snap.

"Hey, Twilight, what's soaking wet and clueless?" Fluttershy said to the purple unicorn, hovering over her with a bucket full of water.

"Fluttershy, I've had just about enough..." Twilight began to say, only for Fluttershy to dump the bucket full of water on her head.

"Your face!" Fluttershy said to Twilight, placing the metal bucket on her head.

"What's happened to everypony?" Spike asked the entire group, not really wanting an answer.

"I guess you just bring out the worst in us, Spike." Applejack partially lied.

"Ugh. No time to explain. We've got to find the reference guide to the Elements of Harmony before somepony does something she'll regret!" Twilight said to her number one assistant, taking the metal bucket off her head.

"The Elements of Harmony? Oh, I know exactly where that book is." Spike said as he set out to find the book about the Elements of Harmony.

"Found it!" Spike said from the top of a ladder, holding the book in his claw.

"Hah!" Fluttershy exclaimed as she took the book from the purple dragon. "Fluttershy, you'd better give me that book!" Twilight ordered the gray Pegasus to return the book.

"Keep away!" Fluttershy said throwing the book, for Applejack to catch it on her nose.

"Hey! Applejack, give me that book!" Twilight said to her former truthful friend.

"I don't have any book." Applejack lied, obviously, while balancing the book on her nose. She then tossed the book in the air for Pinkie to catch.

"Pinkie! You guys! Stop it right now!" Twilight almost yelled as her 'friends' played a massive game of keep away

"Ugh!" Spike said diving for the book, only for Rarity to steal before he could grab it.

"Mine!" Rarity yelled in a crazed tone, taking the book.

"Hey, do you even know what you just stole?" Twilight said to the gray unicorn.

"No, but if you want it, I want it!" Rarity said back.

"GIVE ME THAT BOOK!" Twilight shouted as she charged a the gray unicorn. Only for Rarity to move out of the way, making her slam into the bookcase. Making books fall on top of her.

"Where is she? Where's Rarity?" Twilight said, poking her head out of the pile of books.

"Beats me." Applejack lied, and Twilight snapped.

"Lies!" Twilight yelled as she jumped (literally) into a massive fight between her 'friends'.

As the dust settled Twilight jumped out the book about the Elements of Harmony cradled in her hooves.

"Get back! All of you! This is my book, and I'm going to READ IT!" Twilight yelled as she opened the book to reveal the six Elements of Harmony hidden in the book. "The Elements! They were here all along!" Twilight gasped as she found the Elements.

"This is great! Now you guys can defeat Discord and put everything back to normal!" Spike said happily. "See, girls? We did it! We found the Elements of Harmony! Together!" Twilight said happily, only to get a sarcastic yawn from Applejack. "You don't even care, do you?" Twilight asked, knowing the answer.

"No!" The other ponies all send in unison.

"I never thought it would happen. My friends..." Twilight sighed, her face turning from sorrow to anger as she continued. "Have turned into complete JERKS!" Twilight shouted completely done with her 'friends' new personalities.

"Necklace! Necklace! Necklace! Necklace! And... big crown thingy! Come on, everypony, let's go!" Twilight said putting each Element of Harmony necklace on each of the bearers necks, and her crown thing on her head.

"But Twilight, aren't you missing somepony?" Spike cautiously said to the irritated unicorn

"Nope. We've got the liar, the grump, the hoarder, and the brute. That just about covers it." Twilight said angry, talking about her 'friends'

"But what about Rainbow Dash?" Spike said, putting Twilight into deep thought.

"Congratulations, Spike, you're the new Rainbow Dash. Now let's go!" Twilight said placing the Element of Loyalty necklace around Spike's neck.

"Me? B-b-but what if she finds out I've been impersonating her?" Spike gasp as Twilight put the necklace around him. "That won't end well." Spike moaned as he thought about impersonating Rainbow Dash.

"Too bad, you're Rainbow Dash. Now let's go defeat Discord so we don't ever have to talk to each other again!" Twilight said bluntly, her anger taking the better of her. Yeah! "Woo-hoo!" All the ponies, excluding Rarity, cheered. Rarity was, however, busy trying to push her giant boulder named Tom.

"Move!" Twilight roared at Rarity.

"Look out, here comes Tom!" Twilight said pushing Rarity's giant boulder through one of the library's windows, it landing on the ground in a loud crash.

"Well, well, well, I see you've found the Elements of Harmony. How terrifying!"Discord said in a mocking tone.

"Discord! I've figured out your lame riddle. You're in for it now!" Twilight hollered at the Spirit of Chaos.

"I certainly am. You've clearly out-dueled me, and now it's time to meet my fate. I'm prepared to be defeated now, ladies. Fire when ready." Discord said in the same mocking tone, wearing sunglasses, and creating a bulls-eye over his chest.

"Formation, now!" Twilight said bluntly, her patience already gone. "Eh." The five other ponies grunted at the same time. "'Rainbow Dash', get over here." Twilight ordered at Spike, making him gulp in his throat.

"All right, let's get this over with." Twilight said and she activated the Elements of Harmony. All the Elements, excluding the Element of Loyalty, began to glow as their respective bearer was risen into the air. Discord dropped his sunglasses on his nose as it looked like he was going to be turned back into stone despite his corruption.

The Elements began to charge up their power, only for them to fail, and the five ponies to fall to the ground in failure. "What's going on?" Twilight said in confusion.

"Mine's workin'. There must be somethin' wrong with yours." Applejack said, pointing at Twilight.

"I HATE the Elements of Harmony!" Pinkie yelled.

"Hmph! Garbage." Fluttershy said throwing her Element of Kindness away.

"MINE!" Rarity yelled as she stole the abandoned Element of Harmony.

"Sorry, Twilight. I guess I'd better get back upstairs and clean up the library. Good luck with all this... whoa!" Spike said to the purple unicorn, placing the Element of Loyalty on the ground. Before he began running toward the library, only to get tripped by Fluttershy.

"Oops, sorry, Rainbow Crash." Fluttershy said mockingly to Spike.

"Bravo, ponies, bravo!" Discord began, clapping sarcastically at the ponies failure. "Harmony in Equestria is officially dead. Discord rules, Celestia drools." Discord finished, poking Twilight in the nose. This was then followed by a round of laughter from Discord, in which Twilight responded with a growl.

"It's your fault it didn't work." Pinkie said to the entire group.

"Who are you talking to?" Twilight asked Pinkie.

"Any of you! ALL OF YOU! I'm outta here!" Pinkie ranted as she hopped away.

"I better go, too. I've got new better friends waiting for me at the farm." Applejack called back, trotting away from the library.

"Yeah! I'm sick of you, losers." Fluttershy said directly to Twilight as she flew away.

"FINE! Leave! See if I care! I don't need you guys either! With friends like you, who needs..." Twilight said ranting, her confidence trailing off at the end as paused. "enemies...?" Twilight finished her confidence extinguished, as her coat turned gray. One small broken heart shape tear falling from her eye, hitting the ground in a soft splash.

Twilight, her head held low, was walking through the chaos-ridden Ponyville, with dancing buffaloes passing her, houses floating off of the ground, and a flying pink earth pony with purple swirls for eyes.

"Oh, my stomach! Twilight, you've got to see what I just did." Discord said to the now gray unicorn, pointing a pink earth pony. The pony was surrounded by two giant pepper shakers. The shakers shook dumping pepper on the pony, making her sneeze. When she sneezed the buildings was next to fell over.

"It's priceless!" Discord said laughing, only to notice the neutral expression on Twilight face.

"Come now, Twilight Sparkle. You've got to get into the spirit of things! After all, this is your new home." Discord said to the unmotivated unicorn.

"Not anymore..." Twilight said looking back at the chaos consumed town. Before trotting away her head held low in defeat.

"YES!" Discord exclaimed as his plan to corrupt all of the Mane Six seemed to be a success. As Twilight trotted the day quickly changed to night.

Now in Twilight's room of the library as she was getting ready to leave Ponyville. "Pack your things, Spike, we're leaving." Twilight said to her sick looking assistant. She only got a groan from Spike in response. Who was on the ground holding his stomach, a few dozen papers laying next to him.

"Don't ask where we're going, 'cause I don't know yet. Just not here." Twilight said opening a briefcase, and throwing her Element of Magic crown in a trash can with her magic.

"Can't...move. The princess...has been sending these...since I came back upstairs." Spike groaned as he belched up another letter from Celestia. "Make it stop!" He groaned again has the pain in his stomach didn't seem to going to leave.

"These are all the letters I've written to the princess since I've lived in Ponyville. But why would she send them back?" Twilight asked Spike, picking up one of the letters from the princess with her magic. Twilight only got another groan from Spike as he belched up another letter.

"Real friends don't care what your cover is." "Friendship is a wondrous and powerful thing." "And like the path cut through the orchard, there will always be a way through." "The best thing to do is stay true to yourself." "Everypony has a special magical connection with her friends. Maybe even before she's met them." Twilight said as she read the letters that she had wrote to the princess. Her coat's purple coat color returning as she did.

"Spike! Spike, it's all so clear! Can't you see? Discord's trying to distract us from what's important. He knows how powerful our friendships are, and he's trying to keep us from seeing it. Do you remember what I said the first day we arrived in Ponyville? I told you that the future of Equestria didn't rest on me making friends. But the opposite is true! The friendships I've made since I've been here are what saved Equestria from Nightmare Moon. And now they need to save it from Discord!" Twilight said hopping around happily in a circle, her hope and motivation restored. She did this holding Spike with her magic.

S pike was about ready to throw up is real lunch from the spinning, as Twilight put him back down. "You're right, Spike. I've got to fight for my friendships. For them. For me. For Equestria!" Twilight to Spike, taking her crown out of the trash can, and placing it back on her head. She only got a moan from an exhausted Spike.

"Oh...uh...why don't you just stay here and rest? I'll take care of the whole fighting for friendship thing myself." Twilight said placing a small blue blanket around the dragon. As she ran out of the library to find her friends and turn back into their true selves.

At Sweet Apple Acres chaos had also spend to Granny Smith and Big Macintosh. With Granny Smith being able to dance on her hand legs with ease, and Big Mac digging through the soil like a large red dog.

"And so I tried to defeat Discord, but none of my so-called "friends" would lift a hoof to help me." Applejack said eating a red apple, backward its shape returning after she took a bite. "Applejack, I'm here to fight for our friendship." Twilight said appearing at the top of the hill, only for Big Mac to dig through the dirt and lick the purple unicorn on the snout.

"Oh, now you want to fight. Where you went when I was battlin' Discord?" Applejack called to Twilight, only for her to tackle her to the ground. "Snap out of it. This isn't you! You're not a liar." Twilight said to her struggling friend, her horn lighting up with her magenta magic as she cast a remembering spell on the earth pony.

Applejack's orange coat slowing returned to her body, as the spell by Twilight began to take effect. "Wh-what happened? Twilight!" Applejack said standing back up, and holding her head. "I saw a vision of us feudin' and fightin'. I couldn't face the truth, so I started tellin' lies. Can you ever forgive me?" Applejack sighed, asking the purple unicorn for forgiveness.

"I already have. Come on!" Twilight said and the two ponies set out to change the rest of their friends back to their former selves.

"Oh no! Twilight, Applejack, I just had the worst dream!" Fluttershy said as Twilight did the same spell she did on Applejack. Turning the cruel gray Pegasus back into the kind yellow Pegasus that is impossible not to love.

"What do you think you're doing? Get away from my gem! Get away!" Rarity screamed as Twilight cast her memory spell turning the greedy gray unicorn, back into the generous white unicorn. Who now saw the so-called giant diamond she found as just a giant hunk of rock. "Let us never speak of this again." Rarity said after she pushed 'Tom' out of her house. The three other ponies all nodded in agreement.

"And I-I turned gray!... Can you believe it?!" The newly rejoiced Pinkie Pie laughed uncontrollably, as Applejack pulled the Element of Laughter in a wagon.

"Uh? She's not here." Fluttershy said as she searched Rainbow Dash's cloud house for the gray Pegasus, to prevail.

"Without Rainbow Dash, we can't use the Elements." Twilight said, knowing the how vital it was for them to find a return Rainbow Dash back into the blue Pegasus that would never leave her friends hanging.

"She could be anywhere by now! We're never gonna find her." Applejack said more to the whole group.

"Yeah, we will, 'cause she's right there!" Pinkie said, pointing at the gray Pegasus. Which was lazily resting on a small cloud. Her back turned from her friends.

"Rainbow Dash!" Twilight called up to her friend.

"Hey, guys!" Rainbow said not turning toward her 'friends'

"We've been looking everywhere for you!" Twilight up to the now Element of Betrayal.

"That's nice." Rainbow said in the same monotone voice that she did before. "Discord's still on the loose! We need you to help us defeat him with your element, Loyalty!" Twilight responded back, her attempts to change through words not working.

"Pfft. Loyalty, schmoyalty! Have you guys seen Ponyville? It's a disaster! I'm staying here in Cloudsdale where everything's awesome." Rainbow said back, thinking that the small cloud that she was laying on was actually her hometown.

"How in Equestria can she think that tiny patch of clouds is Cloudsdale?" Rarity said not following the pegasus' logic.

"The same way he got you to think that cheap rock was a bona fide diamond." Applejack said sarcastically to the white unicorn.

"I thought we agreed never to speak of that again." Rarity said back, giving the orange earth pony a death glare.

"Time for Plan B." Twilight said as she thought of a more direct way of returning Rainbow Dash back to the loyal Pegasus that they needed

Rainbow was busy sleeping on her small cloud. When a small pink hot air balloon floated up to her small cloud. The balloon's basket contained Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack. Fluttershy was hovering right next to the balloon as the ponies began to enact plan B.

"Okay, Fluttershy, you grab Rainbow Dash and hold her down. Applejack will lower me down from this rope so I can cast the memory spell on her." Twilight said whispering to Fluttershy, as not to awake Rainbow Dash.

"Got it!" Fluttershy said her natural whispering tone.

The yellow Pegasus then flew down to the snoring pony and rose her hooves to hold her down. Only for her to tap Rainbow on the shoulder and say to her. "Um...I'm just wondering if it's okay if I hold you down against your will for a little bit?" Fluttershy said to Rainbow.

"Ugh..." Twilight grunted, hoof palming herself.

"Nice try! Ponyville's your problem, not mine." Rainbow said with a little chuckle before she bolted away carrying her small cloud in her hooves.

"Come on, Fluttershy, we've got to catch her. Hyah!" Twilight said as Fluttershy pulled the pink balloon after Rainbow Dash.

"Applejack!" Twilight called up to Applejack who lassoed a rope around Rainbow's waist, but she kept going. "WHOA!" Rarity and Pinkie both screamed as they were taken with the rope.

"PINKIE! You were supposed to secure the ROPE!" Rarity yelled at Pinkie for her incompetence. "Oops." Pinkie said, her pink coat turning pinker as she blushed. Rarity, Pinkie, hold on! Y'all are slowing her down!" Applejack said as the Pegasus they were chasing seemed to slow down. Now pulling two pull grown ponies.

"Oh, Fluttershy, would you be a dear and FLY FASTER, please?" Rarity called to the yellow Pegasus that was currently pulling the balloon.

"I can't!" Fluttershy whimpered, tears falling down her cheek.

"If you can't catch her, Discord wins!" Twilight called to the crying Pegasus.

"That big... dumb... MEANIE!" Fluttershy said angrily as she blasted forward to match Rainbow Dash's speed.

"Okay, Applejack, last rope! Make it count!" Twilight called up to Applejack, tossing her another rope. Applejack tossed the rope catching the Pegasus bringing her to a complete stop.

Back on the ground, the ponies had Rainbow's tried to two different trees, as she kicked in different directions.

"Lemme go! I don't need you guys! Leave me alone!" Rainbow snorted as Twilight cast her remembering spell on her. Her blue coat and rainbow colored mane returning, along with her undying loyalty.

"Wh-what happened?" Rainbow said holding her head in confusion, as revelation came to her. "How's Ponyville? Where are the Elements?! Did we stop Discord?" Rainbow gasped her true personality coming back. All the ponies cheered as they impressed their friend in a group hug.

"Maybe it's a little early for a group hug." Twilight said as a group of three dancing bison passed them. All of the ponies nodded in agreement, ready to send Discord back into his stone prison.

"Chaos is a wonderful, wonderful thing." Discord laughed from a red throne that floated above the city's streets.

"Not as wonderful as friendship." Twilight said as the six ponies, all with their respective Elements of Harmony, confronted Discord.

"Oh, this again?" Discord said disappointed as he drank a glass of chocolate, except he drank the glass instead of the milk. He then threw away the leftover chocolate milk which exploded behind him. For no other reason than because chaos.

"That's right. You couldn't break apart our friendship for long." Applejack called up to the Spirit of Chaos.

"Oh, Applejack, don't lie to me. I'm the one who made you a liar. Will you ever learn?" Discord said as she picked up the five ponies he had originally corrupted, ready to make all their effort worthless. Twilight's horn erupted with her magenta magic as she teleported and created a small sphere of protection around herself and her friends.

The six ponies floated back down to the ground, the shield removing some of the checkerboarded ground, returning it back to green grass. "I'll tell you what we've learned Discord. We've learned that friendship isn't always easy. But there's no doubt it's worth fighting for." Twilight said up to Discord as she prepared to used the Elements, on Discord, again.

"Ugh, gag. Fine, go ahead, try and use your little Elements. Friend me. Just make it quick. I'm missing some excellent chaos here." Discord said sarcastically not believing that the Elements would actually work.

"Alright, ladies, let's show him what friendship can do!" Twilight said as the ponies reformed their formation to use the Elements.

"Wait-wait-wait!" Pinkie said taking one last drink of chocolate milk from Discord's cotton candy clouds. She then returned and dropped down growling at Discord. Discord only smirked at the pink pony's attempt to imitate him.

The six ponies then activated their respective Elements of Harmony, each one working perfectly. They all rose into the air as the magic between the six ponies connected. "Huh. What's this?" Discord said taking notice of the ponies actions.

"No." Discord said, pure horror and fear in his voice. As Twilight eyes opened to just be white dots. As a massive rainbow launched out of the from the Elements hitting Discord, beginning to turn him back to stone.

"NO!" Discord shouted in horror as the Elements turned him back to stone.

The rainbow created a large dome around Ponyville reversing all of Discord's magic, as the stone statue fell to the grassy ground, his face filled etched with the look of fear.

Luna arrived at the castle just as the Mane Six were being awarded for saving all of Equestria for the second time. She watched from afar, some of the dust from the caves still stuck in her star-like mane. "We are gathered here today to once again honor the heroism of these six friends who stood up to the villain Discord and saved Equestria from eternal chaos."

Luna watched as her older sister unveil the newest glass painting in the hallway. It was very similar to the one showing the Mane Six's defeat of Nightmare Moon, a painting that Luna still refuses to look at directly.

The painting depicted the Mane Six defeating Discord, in a similar manner to them defeating Nightmare. Luna couldn't stop herself from feeling a little jealous of the young fillies. As she, and her sister, had also defeated Discord all those years ago. She hated herself for feeling jealous, but she just couldn't help it.

The ceremony didn't last that long with the Mane Six all being rewarded for their efforts in bringing Discord to justice. The hallway cleared out not long after the ceremony and Luna walked up to her sister, who was in a rather happy mood. Her large smile leaving her face as she watched her younger sister walked toward.

"Luna... I was beginning to wonder where you were?" Celestia said surprised as she saw her young sister trotting toward her. Luna responded. "We were just down in the crystal caves." Luna said to her elder sister, doing her best to get the last pieces of dust out of her mane.

"I can see that." Celestia said, covering her mouth to hide a small chuckle. As she saw her sister struggle to get the rest pieces of dust out of her star-like mane. "Here..." Celestia summoning a comb with her magic. "Thankest thou." Luna said taking the comb with her blue magic. Luna used the comb to brush out the last bit of the dust from the caves out of her flowing mane.

"So... how was it." Celestia said after a few moments of awkward silence. "It was... different." Luna said another few moments later.

"Were you able to... you know." Celestia began to say, looking away from her younger sister.

"Wake up the Alpha." Luna finished for her.

"Yeah." Celestia said turning back to her sister, expecting her to say no.

"We were actually able to cast a counterspell on our old friend." Luna said to her sister, Celestia's eyes widening as she said.

"You... you were!?" Celestia said stunned from her sister's words.

"Yes we were able to cast a counterspell on the Alpha, and it seemed to work but..." Luna said pausing halfway through.

"But... what Luna?" Celestia said trotting closer to her younger sister.

"We... I... just could go through with it. We... I had already caused him enough pain, and I didn't want to cause him anymore." Luna said small tears forming in his eyes.

"Dearest sister, listen to me. I can assure you that you have never caused harm to him, at any time of his slumber." Celestia said wiping away her sister's tears.

"Thankest thou." Luna said simply as she trotted away.

"What I'm I going to do with you, sister." Celestia sighed as watched her sister trot away. She then turned to looked at the painting of the Mane Six defeating Nightmare Moon and said to herself.

"Yes, Luna what I going to do with you." Celestia repeated herself as her mind found itself returning to the million pound dragon lived underneath the city.

A Fright at Nightmare Night

About a month has passed since the return and defeat of Discord, and all of Equestria was getting ready for one of the largest celebrations of the year. Nightmare Night, a holiday where ponies dress up in costumes and trotted around from house to house getting candy. Basically, it's the pony version of Halloween. Anyway, Luna was curious of this certain holiday and asked her sister about the day before she was supposed to travel to Ponyville to check on their celebration.

"Dearest elder sister, we wanted to ask thou a question." Luna said to her older sister, who was sitting on her pink puffy bed as she read through multiple letters from the 'king' of the Dragon Empire. The so-called king changed at three times over the course of a single year, either from the leader being killed by their successor, or they stepped down because they were just a bad king.

It pained Celestia to know why the dragon species' leadership had never been the same since the Alpha began his fifteen hundred year slumber. As only an Alpha dragon is able to command other dragons with the so-called, Call of the Alpha.

Celestia so busy with her letters that it took her a few seconds to realize that she was being spoken to, yet alone that her younger sister was standing only a few feet from her hooves. "Hmm..." Celestia said dumbly as she looked up from letters to see her younger sister staring at her. Realization hit Celestia like a sledgehammer and her words fumbled out her mouth. "Yes... Luna... what is it that you want to speak to me about." Celestia, making Luna cover a small giggle with her hoof.

"Um... We were just wondering how this... Nightmare Night Festival, we believe it is called, worked." Luna said and it made Celestia's pink eyes widen as she remembered that Nightmare Night was tomorrow.

"Um well..." Celestia began standing up tapping her chin with her hoof. Going into deep thought, as she tried to think of a way to best describe the strange holiday.

Celestia then went on to explain the traditions of the holiday. Luna's eyes widening as she heard a holiday completely dedicated to her night. "This Nightmare Night Festival that thouest describes pleases us." Luna said as she left her sister's room, trotting away happily.

Celestia watched her sister cheerfully trot away and lied back down on her feather bed, and went back to reading the large stack of papers. Most of them were actually the same. Celestia thought of just having one of her trusted advisors go through all of the repetitive papers until one from the Dragon Empire caught her attention. The letters were from the same young dragon by the name of Theta.

The unique name caught the princess' attention. Celestia's attention shifted as she saw one of the castle's servants, a young mare with light blue coat and a pink mane, pass by her room, and she called out to the servant. "Sugarlily, would you do me a favor." Celestia called out to the young mare.

"Yes, what can I do for you, your majesty?" The young servant said trotting backward.

"Would go and get a glass of tea, my usual." Celestia said with a smile.

"Of course your majesty." Sugarlily said trotting away to fetch the princess' order.

"Ok, let's see what you got to tell me Theta." Celestia said to herself as she began to read the scroll.

The next night, on Nightmare Night. The citizens of Ponyville were busy enjoying the holiday. Inside the library of Ponyville Spike, who simply dressed as a purple dragon, was busy pacing back and forth waiting for Twilight to get into her costume. "Ugh, come on, Twilight. We're gonna be late for the Nightmare Night festival." Spike called up to Twilight's room. The purple unicorn then walked out wearing her costume, a blue robe with star decals stitched into the fabric. The costume also had three gold bells on the bottom of the robe. She wore a blue wizard hat of the same design, she also wore a fake beard.

"Huh? Are you that one kooky grandpa from Ponyville Retirement Village?" Spike said, scratching the top of his head in confusion.

"I'm Starswirl the Bearded!" Twilight said to her assistant, surprise that he didn't know who she was supposed to be. "Father of the anamorphic spell? Did you even read that book I gave you about obscure unicorn history?" Twilight said to Spike.

"Uh.." Spike began to say, awkwardness coming onto the house. The awkwardness has silenced when Spike heard a knock on the door. "That sounds important." Spike said as he opened the door of the library, to reveal a group of young foals. All in different costumes.

"Nightmare Night! What a fright! Give us something sweet to bite!" The foals all chanted at the same time.

"Hi, everypony. Great costumes. Happy Nightmare Night, Granny Smith." Twilight said to the young foals, and Granny Smith who was chaperoning the young foals.

"I should have been asleep five hours ago." The elderly pony said to the purple unicorn.

"Pipsqueak the pirate, at your service, me lady. It's my very first Nightmare Night." A small spotted colt with Trottingham accent in a pirate costume said to Twilight.

"Since you moved here from Trottingham?" Twilight asked Pipsqueak.

"No, my very first Nightmare Night ever!" Pipsqueak exclaimed in clarification of his original statement.

"Enough chitchat! Time is candy!" Pinkie, dressed in a chicken costume, said looking for so more candy.

"Pinkie Pie, aren't you a little old for this?" Twilight asked her adult friend.

"Too old for free candy? chicken squawk Never." Pinkie squawked as if her friend had just spoken blasphemy.

"Do you like it?" Twilight asked her friend, talking about her Starswirl the Bearded costume.

"Yeah! Great costume, Twilight! You make a fantastic weirdo clown!" Pinkie said to her friend. As the pink pony and the young foals raced off, running Ponyville hunting for more candy.

"A clown?!?!" Twilight exclaimed at Pinkie's statement. Spike covering his mouth to supress a giggle as he turned off the light of the library that was built into a tree. Spike closing the door behind him as they left the oak tree that had been turned into a library.

"Look at the borders on these robes. These are hoof-stitched!" Twilight said, holding up her blue rope, to prove her point.

"It's a great costume! Huh! Grandpa!" Spike said closing and locking the door to the library, as the two of them headed toward town square for the festivities.

"Star Swirl the Bearded is only the most important conjurer of the pre-classical era." Twilight vented to herself, as she and Spike traveled to the festival's fairgrounds.

"Yeah! Whoo-hoo!" A group of ponies cheered in the background as Twilight continued her rant.

"He created more than two hundred spells! He even has a shelf in the Canterlot library of magic named after him. Maybe I should start up a pony group to teach ponies about history. I bet everypony would love it! Don't you, Spike?" Twilight continued, asking her number one assistant. Who was currently busy digging into a pile of candy larger than himself.

"Mm-hmm! eating sounds I love it!" Spike said in between bites of his sugary treats.

"Hey look, we're here already! Should we get something to eat?" Twilight asked Spike as the pair reached the grounds, only to get a loud burp in response.

"Twilight, Twilight! Look at our haul! Ah! Can you believe it? And then, we went to Cheerilee's house and got a bunch more goodies. Didn't we, Pip?" Pinkie said in her usual hyperactive tone, a group of foals in tow, said running up to Twilight showing her a large bag filled to the brim with candy.

"Sure did!" Pipsqueak said as a black storm cloud formed behind him. A trouble making pegasus resting the cloud ready to play a prank on the group of ponies.

"And then, we had to stop and wait for Granny Smith, and..." Pinkie began to say only for her to get stuck in the flank by lightning. Causing the pink pony to squawk like a chicken as she, and the rest of the foals run off screaming.

This was shortly followed by maniacal laughter coming from the young Pegasus that had just pulled the prank.

"Rainbow Dash, that wasn't very nice." Twilight said up to the cyan pegasus, who was dressed in a Shadowbolts costume.

"Lighten up, old-timer. This is the best night of the year for pranks!" Rainbow said from her storm cloud, down to Twilight.

"Look what you did to Spike!" Twilight said pointing at the purple dragon. Who was currently on the ground choking on his candy.

"It's all in good fun. Oh! Oh! There's another group over there!" Rainbow said before flying off to play the same prank on another group of ponies.

The prank was a success with ponies screaming as Rainbow zapped them with her lightning. Which was again followed by maniacal laughter from Rainbow.

"Happy Nightmare Night, Applejack!" Twilight said as she met up with her friend. Who was dressed up as a scarecrow.

"Howdy, Spike! Hey, Twilight! Nice costume." Applejack said back to her two friends.

Twilight began to answer, only for Spike to cut her off saying. "Thanks! I'm a dragon." Spike said, pointing out the obviousness of his costume.

"She means me, Spike." Twilight said to her assistant, sending a glare his way.

"With that beard, I reckon you're some sorta country music singer." Applejack said which Twilight responded with an annoyed groan as another pony didn't understand her costume.

"While y'all are here, ya' feel like bobbin' for an apple?" Applejack said pointing to a tub filled with water, only for a gray pegasus with unsnicked eyes popped her head out of the tub with the drain in her mouth. Making the water all flow out of the tub.

Twilight and Spike just laughed it off as they continued toward town square, as the mayor was about to began her speech about the history of Nightmare Night.

There was cheers and applause as the mayor, dressed in a clown costume, walked up to a podium to give her speech.

"Thank you, everypony, and welcome to the Nightmare Night festival!" The mayor said being her speech. Her words were followed by another round of cheering and applause.

"Now, all the little ponies who have been out collecting sweets should follow our friend Zecora to hear the legend of... Nightmare Moon!" The Mayor said, saying Nightmare Moon in a ghostly-like voice.

"Spooky voice might work better if she wasn't dressed like that." Spike whispered to Twilight, making the purple unicorn giggle in response.

"Follow me, and very soon, you'll hear the tale of Nightmare Moon." The zebra of the town, Zecora, dressed in a witch costume, with fake spiders stuck in her white mane. The young ponies all followed Zecora to the edge of the Everfree Forest to a statue of Nightmare Moon, as the zebra told the 'legend'.

"Listen close, my little dears, I'll tell you where you got your fears of Nightmare Night, so dark and scary. (blows) Of Nightmare Moon, who makes you wary." Zecora began her tale of Nightmare Moon, her words in her normal rhyming style. As she did so she blew green dust her hoof.

All the ponies gasped as the green smoke materialized into a green version of Nightmare Moon. The green version of Nightmare dived toward the ground, turning back into a cloud of green smoke. "Every year, we put on a disguise, to save ourselves from her searching eyes." Zecora continued, as a face with sharp teeth appeared out the smoke.

The foals screamed in response as Zecora stepped out of the smoke. Her being the one that made the face. Pipsqueak ran up to the statue of Nightmare Moon in fear, as Zecora continued.

"But Nightmare Moon wants just one thing: to gobble up ponies in one quick swing!" Zecora continued, as Pipsqueak back up into Pinkie Pie. Whose head was stuck in the ground. The two ponies screamed as they jumped up and ran in opposite directions.

"Hungrily, she soars the sky. If she sees nopony she passes by. So if she comes and all is clear, Equestria is safe another year!" Zecora said creating another Nightmare Moon with her smoke.

"Uh, Miss Zecora, if we wear costumes to hide from Nightmare Moon, so she won't gobble us up, how come we still need to give her some of our candy?" Pipsqueak asked Zecora, tugging on the zebra's costume.

"A perfect question, my little friend. For Nightmare Moon you must not offend. [blows] Fill up her belly with a treat or two, so she won't return to come eat you!" Zecora said creating another green smoke Nightmare Moon, which jumped on the group of foals in a motion of trying to eat them.

"Everypony! Just dump some candy and get out of here!" Pinkie screamed as she, and the foals, dumped some of their candy in front of the statue.

Just as the ponies did so the winds and clouds began to circle. All the ponies all looked up to the sky to see a black chariot pulled by two bat-winged ponies flying across the sky. The chariot hovered above the group of ponies for a few, giving Pinkie enough time to scream.

"It's Nightmare Moon run!" Pinkie screamed as the group of ponies, excluding Twilight, all galloped away from the black chariot.

Lightning stuck over the night sky. Revealing a malicious grin adorning hooded figure in the chariot.

The hooded figure floated down to the ground and flipped over its black hood to reveal the little sister of Princess Celestia and the Princess of the Night, Princess Luna. All of the town ponies bowed in fear of the dark blue alicorn as she approached. Her black hoodie turning into bats as they flew away.

"Princess Luna!" Twilight began to say standing up, only for Spike to tug on her costume, forcing her back to the ground.

"CITIZENS OF PONYVILLE WE HAVE GRACE YOUR TINY VILLAGE WITH OUR PRESENCE, SO THAT YOU MIGHT BEHOLD THE REAL PRINCESS OF THE NIGHT! A CREATURE OF NIGHTMARE NOT MORE, BUT INSTEAD A PONY THAT REQUESTS YOUR LOVE AND ADMIRATION! TOGETHER WE SHALL CHANGE THIS DREADFUL CELEBRATION INTO A BRIGHT AND GLORIOUS FEAST!" Luna said in a booming voice addressing the large group of ponies. Perfectly demonstrating the great power of caps lock.

The wind created from her voice literally pushing ponies back. As lightning and thunder crashing overhead.

"Did you hear that, everypony? Nightmare Moon says she's gonna feast on us all!" Pinkie said, and her young foals all joined in a fit of screaming as they ran from the scene. Leaving a dumbfounded look on Luna's face.

"What? No, children, no! You no longer have reason to fear us! Screams of delight is what your princess desires, not screams of terror!" Luna said in confusion, only for her to stomp her hoof with enough force to shatter part of the cobblestone street. "Madame Mayor, thy Princess of the Night hath arrived." Luna said pointing her hoof at the cowering mayor.

"What is the matter with you? Very well, then. Be that way. We won't even bother with the traditional royal farewell." Luna said pointing her hoof at another pony, only for her to also cower in fear. Luna then turned and trotted away from the scene. A single thought rushing through her head. "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea."

"I'm gonna go talk to her." Twilight said standing up, as the festival began to return back to normal.

"You can't talk to her! She's Nightmare Moon!" Spike said up to the purple unicorn, the same amount of fear in his voice that was shared by 90% of the town's population

"No, she's not. I saw the Elements of Harmony change her back to good. But it seems like she's having some trouble adjusting after being gone for a thousand years." Twilight said to Spike, as she trotted off to find the Princess of the Night.

Twilight followed the blue alicorn all the way back to the statue of Nightmare Moon. Only to see the thousand-year-old pony leaving a small piece of candy as an offering, to herself technically.

"Princess Luna?" Twilight began, catching the attention of the Princess of the Night. Making her stand up to meet the pony addressing her. "Hi, my name is..." Twilight began to say, only for Luna to cut her off.

"Star Swirl the Bearded. Commendable costume! Thou even got the bells right." Luna said, being the only pony to know who Twilight was being for Nightmare Night.

"Thank you! Finally! Somepony who gets my costume!" Twilight said in response, happy to have somepony to recognize her costume. The purple unicorn then looked a the neutral face that was adorning the blue alicorn's face. "Uh, I just came to welcome you to our celebration! My actual name is..." Twilight said beginning to reintroduce herself to the Princess of the Night. Only for Luna to cut her off again.

"Twilight Sparkle." Luna said remembering the pony that had freed her from her literal nightmare of a prison. "It was thou who unleashed the powers of harmony upon us and took away our dark powers!" Luna said in a booming voice, as she lifted into the night sky. The clouds circling around her as she spoke. the wind powerful enough to push Twilight back a few feet.

"And that was a good thing, right?" Twilight asked Luna cautiously, as she landed back on the ground.

"But of course. We could not be happier. Is that not clear?" Luna said to Twilight, her voice back to its normal volume well still be louder and more powerful than any other pony.

"Well, you kinda sound like you're yelling at me."Twilight responded back to Luna.

"But this is the traditional royal Canterlot voice! It is tradition to speak using the royal "we", and to use... THIS MUCH VOLUME WHEN ADDRESSING OUR SUBJECTS!" Luna said, her voice returning to the Royal Canterlot voice in the middle of her speech.

"You know, that might explain why your appearance was met with... mixed results. I think if you just changed your approach a bit, you might be met with a warmer reception." Twilight said to the blue alicorn, readjusting her fake beard.

"CHANGE OUR APPROACH!" Luna's voice boomed, as she spoke only a few inches from the unicorn's face.

"Lower the volume." Twilight said quietly.

"Ohhh. We have been locked away for a thousand years. We are... not sure we can." Luna said, her voice returning to normal.

"Don't worry, Princess. Fluttershy can give you some great pointers. She's delicate and demure with the sweetest little voice." Twilight said to Luna as the two ponies arrived at Fluttershy's cottage at the edge of town. Twilight then knocked on the wooden door and got a reaction from the yellow Pegasus that she wasn't expecting.

"Go away! No candy here! Visitors not welcome on Nightmare Night!" Fluttershy yelled through the closed door, with enough volume to rival even Princess Luna's Canterlot voice.

"Fluttershy, it's me, Twilight!" Twilight nervously laughed, as she looked over to see the neutral expression adorning the Princess' face.

"It is you. Ah, and Nightmare Moon." Fluttershy said slowing opening the door, only to see the blue alicorn of 'darkness' standing in front of her. "Nightmare Moon? Fluttershy yelped, as she slammed the wooden door in the two ponies faces.

"Wait right here." Twilight nervously laughed as she walked into the small cottage. Luna just rolled her eyes in both boredom and regret, as she heard a commotion that she assumed the purple unicorn trying to force the yellow Pegasus out of her house.

"Fluttershy... you remember Princess Luna?" Twilight said properly introducing her friend to the Princess of the Night.

"Charmed." Luna said in her natural booming voice, raising her hoof in greeting. The same natural neutral expression adorning her face.

"Likewise." Fluttershy timidly responded, laying on her back.

"Twilight Sparkle hath spoken of the sweetness of thy voice. We ask thou teachest to us to speak as thou speakest." Luna's voice continued to boom, as stated her reasons for being at the young pony's cottage.

"Okay." Fluttershy said quietly.

"Shall our lessons begin?" Luna's booming voice continued.

"Okay." Fluttershy repeated, even quieter than before.

"Shall we mimic thy voice?" Luna continued her voice only getting louder as she continued.

"Okay." Fluttershy whimpered back, her words now almost inaudible.

"How is this?" Luna's booming voice finished.

"Perfect, lesson over!" Fluttershy said quickly as she bolted for the open door of her cottage. Only for Twilight to slam the door, making the Pegasus fly straight into it. Hitting the door with a loud thud.

"A little quieter, princess." Twilight said to Luna, urging her to continue speaking.

"How is..." Luna began her voice booming. "this?" Luna finished her voice a little quieter.

"Better. Right, Fluttershy?" Twilight asked the dazed Pegasus.

"Yes." Fluttershy said nervously, as she flopped to the ground.

"How... about... now?" Luna said, her voice becoming closer to the normal speaking patterns of modern day ponies.

"Now you're getting it." Twilight said, happy of the blue alicorn's process.

"And... how about now?" Luna said, her voice now at the normal speaking volume.

"Yes! Well done." Twilight said happy, a smile forming on her face.

"I thank thee, dear Fluttershy! Our normal speaking voice shall surely win us the hearts of thy fellow villagers." Luna's voice returned to its booming volume, as she picked up the nearly lifeless body of Fluttershy to her a grateful hug.

"Fluttershy! You've gotta hide us! Nightmare Moon is here and..." Pinkie began to say, only for her to notice a speechless Fluttershy lunged over the shoulder of Luna. "Ah! She stole Fluttershy's voice so she can't scream when she gobbles her up!" Pinkie screamed, which was shortly followed by the group of foals she was with. Them all running the scene.

"Nay, children, wait!" Luna's voice boomed toward the fleeing ponies, only for her to correct herself. "I mean... nay, children, no, wait." Luna repeated in almost whispering tone. A look of both disappointment and frustration showing on her face.

"Come on, princess. Time for plan B." Twilight said, hoping to raise the Princess' spirits.

The two ponies walked through the town square of Ponyville. The citizens of the small town all cowering in fear as the blue alicorn passed them. "It is of no use, Twilight Sparkle. They have never liked us and they never shall." Luna said in defeat.

"My friend Applejack is one of the most likable ponies around. I'm sure she'll have some ideas." Twilight said to Luna, as the two ponies headed toward the orange earth pony.

"Ha!" Pipsqueak yelped as he almost fell into the tub for bobbing for apples.

"Careful there, partner." Applejack said catching the small colt before he could fall into the water.

The orange pony then turned around to the see the blue alicorn standing in front of her, and she immediately dropped to the ground. Luna gave Twilight a disappointed look, as this was now the second friend of her to fear her.

Luna rolled her eyes sarcastically as the purple forced a nervous smile as she dropped down to Applejack's level.

"Uh... Applejack, the princess is looking for a little advice on how to fit in around here." Twilight whispered to Applejack.

"Fit in? Really?" Applejack said rather bluntly, only to get an annoyed grunt from Twilight in response; changing her mood immediately.

"I mean... that's easy! All you gotta do is have the right attitude. Loosen up a bit, be positive, play a few games, have some fun." Applejack said to the Princess of the Night, leaving a confused look on her face.

"Fun? What is this "fun" thou speakest of?" Luna said, giving one of the best phrases ever, of all time.

"Pray tell, what purpose do these serve?" Luna asked as Applejack handed her a fake spider that was made out of rubber. As she stood in front of a large web.

"Try to land the sp-sp-spiders on the web." A cowering pony said to the blue alicorn, pointing at the large web.

Luna did as the scared pony said, tossing the rubber spider toward the web. The spider landed a foot from the web. Luna's face cringed, as she seemed to fail at a very simple task.

"You can do it, princess!" Applejack encouraged the blue alicorn. Luna's face switched to one filled with determination as she threw a second rubber spider at the web. This one, however, hit its mark. Landing directly in the middle of the large web.

"Ha! Your princess enjoys this 'fun'!" Luna exclaimed happily. "In what other ways may we experience it?" Luna turned to ask the two ponies. Twilight and Applejack both shared a small smirk, as they showed more ways for the Princess of the Night to experience 'fun'.

"Fire away, princess!" Twilight called to Luna, who was currently standing in front of a large catapult designed to fire pumpkins. Luna pushed the arm of the catapult down, and it whipped forward propelling its projectile toward its target. A large bullseye, about hundred feet from the catapult.

The princess' aim was true as the orange pumpkin hit the middle of the target, exploding in a big splat. "Ha ha! The fun has been doubled!" Luna exclaimed, for her to get a "Hurray!" from the town's citizenry. Them coming more accustomed to the Princess' presence.

"Why don't you try bobbin' for apples? We got the best apples in Equestria here, princess." Applejack said to Luna. "I ask that thou call us... me... Luna, fair Applejack." Luna said to the orange pony, accepting the ponies modern speech patterns. "Hear me, villagers! All of you! Call me Luna!" Luna announced to the populous of Ponyville. Her getting approving chatter from the crowd in return.

"Show me to these bobbing apples." Luna said to Applejack, and the orange pony pointed at the tub of apples. That she was speaking of.

Luna looked over to the tub just in time to see Pipsqueak fall into the water. Luna flew over to the water and grabbed, with her teeth, the young colt out of the water.

"Hey, gals. Anypony seen, Pip? We lost him the last time we had to run..." Pinkie began, only for her to stop when she saw Luna picking a wet Pipsqueak out of the water. "Aaah! Nightmare Moon is gobbling Pipsqueak! Everypony run!" Pinkie squawked, as she led the young fillies in another scream.

"Help! My backside has been gobbled!" Pipsqueak screamed as she wiggled himself out of Luna grasped.

"'Tis a lie! Thy backside is whole and ungobbled, thou ungrateful whelp!" Luna angry barked, stomping her hoof in frustration. Lightning and thunder shortly following her, the ponies of Ponyville reverting back to fearing the Princess of the Night. "Fair villagers, please do not back away. Let us join together in... fun!" Luna said awkwardly, realizing her error.

She in a last-ditch effort to mend her error throw one of the rubber spiders toward the receding ponies. The toy spider hit the ground with a small squeak, and the ponies only backed away further. Against the blue alicorn's wishes.

"Not enough fun for you? What say you to this!?" Luna said angrily as she shot the bowl containing the rubber spider with her horn. Turning the toys into real large spiders. The spiders crawled and the ponies screamed as a swarm of them piled onto one pony.

"Huzzah! How many points do I receive?" Luna said, as a large ground of the large spiders crawled onto the center of the large web.

The citizenry continued to scream as the spiders continued to crawl all across Ponyville. The panic ponies ran in all different directions, knocking over party decorations as they went.

"Do not run away!" Luna commanded the panicking ponies to prevail. One of the panicking ponies knocked over a large candy decoration and to rolled across the town. Just adding to the chaos of the moment.

"As your princess, we command you!" Luna continued to command the frightened citizenry, also to no prevail.

"BE STILL!" Luna's voice deafed, forcing all the ponies to cower at the alicorn seer power.

"Princess, remember! Watch the screaming!" Twilight said cautiously, trying to calm the angry Luna down.

"NO TWILIGHT SPARKLE! We must use the traditional royal Canterlot voice for what we are about to say." Luna's voice boomed over the crowd, her eyes nothing but white blanks as her whole full alicorn power came on display. As the blue alicorn use her large feathered wings to lift her body into the air. The sky around her warping to her command.

"SINCE YOU CHOOSE TO FEAR YOUR PRINCESS RATHER THAN LOVER HER, AND DISHONOR HER WITH THIS INSULTING CELEBRATION, WE DECREE THAT NIGHTMARE NIGHT SHALL BE CANCELED! FOREVER!" Luna's voice boomed over Ponyville, as she foreby canceled the Nightmare Night celebration.

"Shoot. We had everything goin' our way. Luna was happy, everypony in town was happy, now look at 'em." Applejack sighed as the ponies of Ponyville cleaned up the destroyed decorations.

"But I wanted to be a zombie next year." A young filly dressed up as queen cried, as an older pony (presumably a parent or older sibling) consoled the young filly.

"It's not over yet." Twilight said with determination in her voice. "What are you gonna do?" Applejack asked the purple unicorn.

"I'm going to do what I do best. Lecture her!" Twilight exclaimed, before trotting off to find the blue alicorn.

"Princess?" Twilight said cautiously as she caught up to the blue alicorn. Her head held low in shame, as she crossed a small bridge.

"Leave me be, Twilight Sparkle." Luna responded back sadly.

"Princess, I'm sorry it hasn't worked out how we wanted. But you have to believe me when I tell you that Nightmare Night is one of the most popular celebrations we have." Twilight said trying to cheer up the Princess of the Night. Only to get the opposite effect.

"Yes. I can tell. By all the adoring shrieks of the children as they run away." Luna remarked sarcastically, as she continued to slowly and sadly trot away.

As Luna trotted away a single thought kept repeating in her mind. "Oh Luna, you really bucked up, this time, didn't you."

A few minutes later the young colts and fillies of Ponyville continued to whimper over the loss of the Nightmare Night festival. Pinkie Pie, however, was making the most of it by eating the last remittances of candy spread across the cobblestone ground.

Pinkie ate the candy bending down and using her mouth as a sort of beak. Like a chicken, I guess. Pinkie followed a line of candy into an alleyway and was soon tackled by Twilight. Forcing her up against a house, covering her mouth with her hoof.

"No! No shrieking. No screaming or squealing either. Okay?" Twilight all but demanded quickly and directly. "Okay." Pinkie said, her words muffled from Twilight's hoof.

"There's something I want you to see. And I promise that it's safe, but you really, really, really can't shriek. Do you promise not to shriek?" Twilight said to the pink earth pony, her tone becoming far less aggressive.

"Mmm-hmm." Pinkie nodded as Twilight removed her hoof and walked backward. Princess Luna joining her, walking out of the dark alleyway.

Pinkie squawked like a chicken, in fear as the blue alicorn approached, only to silence herself when Twilight gave her a death glare. "Pinkie Pie, you remember Princess Luna, right?" Twilight said as the blue alicorn got closer.

"Ah. The ringleader of the frightened children." Luna started sarcastically, talking to Pinkie. "Hast thou come to make peace." Luna's tone becoming more friendly as she offered her hoof. In a manner of making amends.

Pinkie was about to accepts Luna's hoof, only for dark clouds to form behind the blue alicorn and lightning to strike. "Nightmare Moon!" Pinkie squawked, as she ran away, again.

"Rainbow!" Twilight yelled up to the mischievous Pegasus. Who was currently laughing her flank off on her black storm cloud.

Twilight's horn glew magenta as she teleported in front of the running earth pony, tackling her to the ground.

"She's changed, Pinkie! She's not evil or scary anymore! And she definitely doesn't want to gobble you up!" Twilight said pinning the squirming pony. Only to get a confused look from Pinkie Pie in return.

"Well, duh!" Pinkie said bluntly, leaving Twilight dumbfounded.

"Huh?" Twilight said dumbly, hoping for more clarification.

"I know that. Sheesh, Twilight. I'm almost as big as her, how's she gonna gobble me up?" Pinkie said in her normal overtop nonsensical way.

"So why do you keep running away and screaming?" Twilight asked Pinkie stepping off of her.

"Sometimes it's just really fun to be scared!" Pinkie said, giving Twilight a great idea.

"Fun? Pinkie Pie, you're a genius!" Twilight said happily to Pinkie Pie. "No, I'm not. I'm a chicken." Pinkie said, which was followed by a chicken squawk. Making Twilight slightly smile at her friend's almost unwavering optimism.

"Princess Luna! I've finally figured out why you're having so much trouble being liked!" Twilight said running over to Luna, who was laying on the ground. About ready to give up.

"Forgive me if I withhold my enthusiasm." Luna said in a deadpan nature, her words burning with the same amount of sarcasm that she used earlier.

"Come with me. I'll explain everything on the way." Twilight said to the Princess of the Night, and the two ponies trotted off to enact the purple unicorn's plan.

"Gosh. I never thought my very first Nightmare Night would be my very last." Pipsqueak said disappointedly.

"Come, little Pip. Now don't you fret. Nightmare Night's not over yet. We still have candy left to give, so Nightmare Moon might let us live." Zecora said down to the young colt, in her usual rhyming nature.

"Yes. Come on, little ponies. What's Nightmare Night without the annual candy offering? You don't want Nightmare Moon to gobble you up, do you?" The mayor said, in the same ghost-like way that she had used earlier.

"Aw, the rainbow wig just kills it for me." Spike said to himself, talking about the clown dressed mayor. "Come on, kids! Doesn't that sound like fun?" Applejack said, and the young colts and fillies all headed toward the town's statue of Nightmare Moon.

"Goodbye, Nightmare Night. Forever." Pipsqueak said sadly, placing a small amount of his candy in front of the statue. As he did, however, the winds around him started to whistle, blowing Applejack's hat off her head.

"Citizens of Ponyville! You were wise to bring this candy to me. I am pleased with your offering" Nightmare Moon's voice boomed over the area, terrify all the ponies present.

"So pleased that I may just eat it... instead of eating you!" Nightmare Moon's voice boomed, as the black alicorn appeared in place of the statue. All the young foals screamed and ran away from the black alicorn in fear.

Nightmare Moon then transformed back into Princess Luna, as she spit out a pair of fake pointy teeth.

"I am not certain that did what you meant for it to do, Twilight Sparkle." Luna said to the purple unicorn, scared that she had just ruined her last shot at amending her relationships with the young foals.

"Just wait." Twilight said simply, knowing that her plan had worked.

"For what? For... for them to scream some more?" Luna said jumping down the statue's pedestal. Luna's rambling was halted when she felt a slight tugging on her star-like mane.

Luna looked down at where the tugging was coming from to see the small spotted pony body of Pipsqueak.

"Um... Princess Luna. I know there's not gonna be any more Nightmare Night, but do you suppose maybe you could come back next year and scare us again anyway?" Pipsqueak asked Luna, to the great surprise of the Princess of the Night.

"Child. Art thou saying that thou... likest me to scare you?" Luna asked, looking out to see the happy faces adorning the foals that she had just scared.

"It's really fun! Scary, but fun!" Pip said nodding happily. "It... is?" Luna said realization coming to her.

"Yeah! Nightmare Night is my favorite night of the year." Pip said his happiness growing with each passing second. "Well then. We shall have to bring (booming voice) Nightmare Night back!" Luna said her booming voice powerful enough to blow the small colt back a few feet.

"Whoa! You're my favorite princess ever!" Pip exclaimed happy running over to the other young foals. "She said yes, guys!" Pip exclaimed happily to all the young foal. They all "YAY!" at the same time from the news.

"See? They really do like you, princess." Twilight said, walking to the still shocked princess.

"Can it be true? (thunder, booming voice) OH, MOST WONDERFUL OF... (normal voice) I mean... Oh, most wonderful of nights." Luna exclaimed happily, a soft giggle coming from Twilight in return.

All the festivities of Nightmare Night in Ponyville went off without a hitch. The citizens of the town all accepting the Princess of the Night as nothing more than an equal. Twilight happy of her work told Spike to send a letter to Princess Celestia telling her success of bringing friendship to her little sister's heart.

Back in Canterlot Celestia was spending her Nightmare Night sorting through all of the many letters from the Dragon Empire when she received a letter from Twilight, via Spike's magic fire. The letter from Twilight hovered in mid-air for a few seconds. Curious Celestia placed the letter she was currently reading on her feather bed and opened the one from Twilight that she had just received with her golden magic.

She then read the letter, a happy smile spreading across her face as she did.

"When you first sent me to Ponyville, I didn't know anything about friendship. I met somepony tonight who was having the same problem - your sister, Princess Luna! She taught me that one of the best things you can do with friendship is to give it to others, and help them find it themselves! And I'm happy to report that all of Ponyville has learned that even if somepony seems a little intimidating, even scary, when you offer them your friendship, you'll discover a whole new pony underneath. And even if my Star Swirl the Bearded costume didn't go over, this still turned out to be the best Nightmare Night ever!" Twilight's letter read.

Celestia read the letter at least ten more times, her smile growing each time she read it. Reading it one last time until she finally fell into a wonderful dream filled sleep.

Celestia slept all through the night waking up just in time to raise the sun, bringing its light back to the land of Equestria. Celestia's early morning got even better as she saw her young sister happily trotting throughout the castle.

Celestia decided to follow her little sister trotting up to her. "Well, looks like somepony had a nice Nightmare Night." Celestia said down to her little sister. Her sister's blue cheeks turning a little red as she blushed.

"Why yes, I certainly did have a good time down in Ponyville. I can certainly see why you choose Twilight as your protege." Luna said, Celestia taking note of her lack of referring to herself in the third person. But didn't say anything.

"That's great to hear sister..." Celestia began to say only for her to be interrupted back by Sugarlily running up to the two princesses, a small scroll being held in her magic.

"Your... your majesties... I have... a message... for the... both of... you." The young mare managed to say, trying to catch her breath. the two alicorns both shared a confused look, as Celestia took the piece of parchment from the exhausted pony.

Celestia unfolded the scroll and read the letter, which was addressed to both of the Princess from the newly Crowned King of the Dragon Empire. Celestia eyes widening as she read the scroll.

"What is it, dear sister." Luna asked Celestia seeing the distressed look on her elder sister's face.

Luna didn't get a response, only Celestia dropping the letter making it plummet to the carpet floor. Hitting the floor with a small thud.

Both Luna and Sugarlily stared up at the white alicorn in confusion. "Oh... Celestia." Luna said waving her hoof in front of her sister's face. Hoping her a reaction of some kind.

The only thing Luna got in response was this. "Oh... Buck!" Celestia said staring off into the distance, knowing that she had seriously bucked up.

King Steelclaw

"Celestia what is wrong!?" Luna asked her elder sister, her voice filled with concern, as her sister continued to stare blankly into the distance. After her sister didn't respond she lightly kicked her left hind leg, snapping her sister out of her strange trance.

"Oh, sorry. I don't know what happened to me." Celestia said dumbly as she snapped out of her trance.

"Well, you could begin on what you read in the letter." Luna asked her sister.

"Right." Celestia said to her sister, picking the rolled up piece of parchment off the carpet floor with her golden magic. "Read." Celestia said simply, handing the scroll to her little sister.

Luna cautiously took the scroll from her sister, seeing the distressed look on her sister's face, and read the piece of parchment. Luna did as her sister asked, and read the letter. Her teal eyes widening to the double their original size as she did.

"We thought that thou had this situation resolved 'ere we had left for Ponyville!" Luna's voice boomed throughout the castle. Her voice returning to the traditional Canterlot voice.

"We, I mean I, thought the same. I thought that had resolved the issues we both had with the Dragon Empire!" Celestia barked back her sister, her voice only slightly quieter than her sister's. As she had not used the traditional Canterlot voice since she had met Moon Dancer for the first time.

Sugarlily's eyes widened at the mention of issues with the Dragon Empire. All through she, and many other ponies, didn't know that much about the mysterious species. What she did know however was that dragons were large fire breathing monsters that only cared about gold and jewels. Which generally was not that far off.

"Um... cough... your majesties." Sugarlily cautiously cleared her throat to get the two Alicorns attention.

"WHAT!" Luna and Celestia both bellowed at the young filly. All of their anger being directed at Sugarlily.

It took a few moments for the alicorns to realize their mistakes, as the light blue filly retreated backwards from the enraged princesses.

"We're sorry Sugarlily I guess we are both just stressed out." Celestia said putting a reassuring hoof on the young mare's shoulder.

"It's fine your majesty, but what are you two talking about?" Sugarlily asked Celestia.

Celestia let out a heavy sigh before she spoke to Sugarlily. "Do you know anything about the Dragon Empire?" Celestia asked the light blue mare. Sugarlily thought for a moment of everything that she knew about the Dragon Empire, before just giving up as she realized that Celestia had asked her a rhetorical question.

The light blue mare awkwardly shook her head no, making Celestia slightly giggle to herself. "The Dragon Empire is a country that has existed long before Equestria, Tartarus the Dragon Empire's borders used to contain most of what would become Equestria." Celestia said talking about the Dragon Empire long history, intentionally leaving out any information about the Alpha.

"Ok, but what does that have to do with the current 'issues' that we are having with the country." Sugarlily asked the white alicorn.

"Our relations with the Dragon Empire have never been that great, expressly since..." Celestia said, catching herself before she say anything that could jeopardize the secret of the Alpha.

"Since what?" Sugarlily asked the white alicorn, noticing her intentional pause.

"Nothing, anyway in the last few weeks the Dragon Empire has gone through its third ruler in the last three months." Celestia said, making Sugarlily's eyes almost bulge out of their sockets. Has a pony from Equestria, a kingdom that had been ruled by the same leader for over a thousand, it seemed insane to her that a country could even survive going through three in a few years, yet alone only a few months.

"Their newest king, King Steelclaw, however he seems Tartarus bent on expanding the borders of his Empire." Celestia continued, her tone becoming more direct and filled with anger.

"What do you mean by 'expanding his borders'?" Sugarlily asked, despite knowing what the princess was most likely going to respond with.

"Conquest my dear, conquest." Luna said rather directly, as the tone of the castle seemed to get darker as the three mares continued to discuss the sensitivity of the situation the kingdom was currently in.

"What! How can that even be possible. I mean you are two of the most powerful creatures in all of Equestria!" Sugarlily exclaimed, shocked that any nation would ever dare to directly attack Equestria.

"What you say is true Sugarlily, but the Dragon Empire has an army more than three times the size of Equestria's. Even with the combined power of myself, Luna, and my adoptive niece Cadence. We are not enough power to defeat an entire army of trained and ruthless dragons."

"But what about the Elements of Harmony, those are the most powerful objects in the entire world." Sugarlily asked the two alicorns standing in front of her.

Celestia and Luna both shared a look as if they had actually considered using the Elements in a battle with the Dragon Empire, and sadly they had. There were a few moments of silence as the two alicorns stared at each other. Both of them using their eyes to have a secret conservation with each other with the absence of words.

After about a minute of silence Celestia finally turned away from her sister, and began to speak to Sugarlily.

"Not to say that we have never considered the usage of the Elements of Harmony in a battle with the Dragon Empire." Celestia began, sharing a quick look with her little sister, before she continued. "We have both decided that the usage of such a powerful weapon against an army of mostly innocent soldiers, just doing as their commanders order." Celestia said explaining why the usage of the Elements of Harmony were out of the question, even in war with the Dragon Empire.

"Ok, but what was in the letter that was sent to the both of you?" Sugarlily asked the two Alicorns. The two alicorns shared another look as they both seemed to remember the contents of the letter that had started the current conservation in the first place.

"The letter was a letter sent directly from the King Steelclaw himself stating that his meeting with the two of us..." Celestia began to explain only for her little sister to cut her off.

"Technically he just wanted to meet you sister." Luna said correcting her sister.

"Anyway, we had originally set up a meeting with him a weeks from now, but..." Celestia continued, pausing halfway.

"But what Princess?" Sugarlily asked the white alicorn.

Celestia bit the bottom of her lip before continuing. "The letter stated that the King of the Dragon Empire had rescheduled his trip to the castle." Celestia turning to look out one of the plain glass windows of the castle. To the picture perfect landscape of the great city of Canterlot. The morning sun reflecting off of the towering buildings.

"Ok, when is he set to arrive?" Sugarlily asked Celestia rather dumbly, digging for more information.

"That's the issue King Steelclaw is arriving tomorrow." Celestia said to the young mare.

Sugarlily's turquoise eyes grew to the size of dinner plates, and her mouth dropped to point that it wouldn't surprised the princesses to see it fall off and tumble to the floor.

"T-To-Tomorrow." Sugarlily managed to say in shock. To get a nod from the two alicorns in response.

"Where's Lemon Hearts, we need her if we are going to get the castle ready in time." Sugarlily exclaimed to herself as she galloped away from the princess. As the entire castle around her erupted into a chaotic state that somepony would be forgiven to think that it had been caused by Discord.

Lemon Hearts was making the most of her day off, she always had Saturdays off, as she sat inside the diner, at her usual table, and having the time of her life drinking hay smoothies with her four friends.

"So how has it been working at the palace after the Grand Galloping Gala?" Minuette asked the yellow unicorn, taking a small slip of her smoothie.

"Yeah we haven't seen you that much, I mean except for when you get your one day off." Twinkleshine added, making the small bags under the yellow unicorn's eyes from lack of sleep deepen.

"It's been... interesting." Lemon Hearts said, being intentionally vague. As she was the head planner for many of the castle confidential meetings.

"What do you mean by that?" Moon Dancer asked her obviously stressed out friend. Her becoming more engaged with her friend's as she spent more time with them.

"It's nothing Moon, trust me." Lemon said, literally waving off the subject with her hoof.

However just as she did, one of the castle guards burst into the cafe, looking for the yellow unicorn. All heads instantly heads toward the white unicorn stallion cladded in the traditional golden armor.

"Lemon... Moon... what's going on?" Twinkleshine asked her two friends that worked at the castle.

"I have no idea." The unicorns both said at the same time, their eyes wider than dinner plates. The castle guard scanned the population of the cafe until he saw his target. The bright yellow unicorn with a sky blue mane and tail.

The guard trotted over to the group of four mares. The heartbeats of both Moon Dancer and Lemon Hearts beating faster and faster, after each step of the guard. "Are you the pony that goes by the name of Lemon Hearts by any chance." The guard said, pointing her foreleg at the yellow unicorn.

"Yes... I am the pony that goes by the name of Lemon Hearts." Lemon said cautiously back to the current armored stallion standing in front of her.

"Then I need you to come with me." The soldier said simply, turning to leave.

"Wait what is going on?" Lemon Hearts called after the guard, stopping him in his tracks.

The guard sighed to himself, as he turned his head back to look at the confused pony. "I am forbidden from disclosing the matter specifically, but what I can tell you is that you are desperately needed at the castle at this present time." The guard said, turning his entire body to look directly at the yellow unicorn.

"You're gonna need more than that to convince me." Lemon Hearts said rather bluntly, not pleased that she was being called into work on her only day off that week. The guard grunted internally, frustration toward the stubborn mare building, but he was able to keep his cool.

"Miss Hearts, I am on strict orders to escort you to the castle." The guard said in a calm, yet irritated manner.

"May I ask again, why I am needed at the castle at the present case?" Lemon Hearts said back to the guard, her hooves folded in front of her.

"Operation Steelclaw has been pushed forward." The guard said giving up, saying the codename the staff used for the meeting between Celestia and King Steelclaw of the Dragon Empire. Lemon Hearts eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

"When has Operation Steelclaw been rescheduled?" Lemon asked the guard quickly.

"Tomorrow, Miss Hearts." The Guard said, knowing that he had caught the unicorn's attention.

"Tomorrow... Sorry ladies I got to go. I'll see you all again soon." Lemon said in shock, scrambling to her hooves as her brain began to run at over three hundred miles per hour.

"Sure, I guess we'll see you later Lemon." Minuette said as the yellow unicorn quickly followed the castle guard out of the cafe. "Yeah I'll see you girls later, bye." Lemon said not looking back at her friends as she left the cafe.

The cafe was silent for a few awkward seconds, until the Canterlot began to re engage in the conservations that they were having before the guard had showed up.

"Moon what was that all about?" Twinkleshine asked Moon Dancer, who was in a state of shock just as much as her friends.

"I don't know Twinkle, but I am going to find out." Moon Dancer said standing up from her table.

"No way you're ditching us two." Minuette said disappointed.

"Sorry girls, but I've to get to the bottom of this." Moon Dancer said as she left the cafe heading toward the castle that towered over the city. Eager to find out what was going on.

The castle was absolutely hectic as all of the staff rushed to get the castle ready for the King Steelclaw's arrival. Ponies running every which way, as they all worked at and above their limits as each member of the castle's staff worked their hardest to get the castle ready in time for the King's arrival.

"Oh Lemon, there you are. I was starting to worry that you weren't going to show up." Sugarlily said running to the castle's head event planner.

"Don't think I didn't try to back out of it." Lemon said honestly to her coworker. "So I'm here, what needs to be done?" Lemon said as the light blue unicorn lead her through the halls of the large castle.

The two mares watched as the castle staff ran back and forth in front and behind all carrying different objects with their magic. One servants was a young red unicorn with a bright pink mane that was carrying a large vase filled with roses with her crimson magic.

Lemon Hearts took the extreme chaos that was occurring as pretty much everything. "I'll take this as pretty much everything." Lemon Hearts thought out loud, as she was almost run over by one of the castle maids.

Sugarlily chuckled to herself before responding to the yellow unicorn. "It had been absolute chaos without you Lemon, I mean not that we couldn't handle this without your guidance." The young mare began rambling on, only for the Lemon to silence her with her own words of encouragement.

"Don't worry Sugar, now seeing this. I would be honored to help make sure that King Steelclaw's first impression of Equestria, a good one." Lemon said to Sugarlily, determination in her voice.

A few hours had passed and the castle's staff seemed to get kicked into overdrive, from the introduction of Lemon Hearts. The yellow unicorn was currently busy directing different members of the staff on decorations on the throne room.

"I want the banner directly overhead of the throne." Lemon Hearts said as she directed two pegasi workers on the placing of a large banner that said 'Welcome to Equestria!" written on it in thick bold letters.

Lemon wasn't practically fond that she had to be called in on her day off, to set up the throne room for the meeting between the two pieces of royalty. But every time she started thinking that this was a waste of her time she would just have to look over her shoulder to see the anxious white alicorn behind her pacing back and forth, in deep thought. To confirm to her that this wasn't just another diplomatic between another of Equestria's allies, like Saddle Arabia.

"Which flowers do you want for the ceremony." A blue unicorn stallion said, holding two different assortments of flowers with his magic. One filled with blood red roses the other, with buds from dragon sneeze trees.

Lemon Hearts just stared at the two bouquets for a few seconds, doing best comprehend the stallion's stupidity. After a few moments of awkward silence Lemon Hearts responded to the blue stallion.

"Those aren't flowers. Those are buds from Dragon Sneeze Trees. I don't think it would be a smart idea to have our royal guest having an allergic reaction during their visit when it is possible that if this goes badly we could easily have a war on our hands." Lemon Hearts said, with a small tint of sarcasm.

"So you don't want the roses." The blue stallion said dumbly. Lemon just gave the blue pony a death glare, making him feel uncomfortable. "I'll take that as a yes." The Stallion said before placing the roses in a large vase on a table covered into rock candy.

The next few hours seemed to fly by without issues as the staff was able to finish all the preparations for the King's arrival ahead of their original schedule. Celestia trotted up to her decorated throne to congratulate her staff for their hard work.

"I just want to say that on the behalf of both myself and my sister Luna, and congratulate all of you for making this all possible." Celestia said gesturing to all of the decoration around the room, as the crowd present erupted in cheers.

As the cheers continued as Moon Dancer arrived at the throne room and squeezed her way through the mass of ponies to get to her friend, who was standing only a few feet from Princess Celestia.

"Lemon, pst, Lemon." Moon Dancer whispered trying to get the yellow unicorn's attention.

"Hmm... what is it..." Lemon said dumbly as she turned around looking for the pony calling her name. "Moon Dancer, what are you doing here?" Lemon asked as she spotted her friend.

"Well, I do work here, and I would like to know what in Tartarus is going on." Moon Dancer said back, a hint of sarcasm in her words.

"This isn't really the best time ,Moon Dancer." Lemon said in a whisper trying calm her agitated friend down.

"Then when will be the best time Lemon. Tomorrow, the day after that, or the never because you move to a new town without even as much as a goodbye." Moon Dancer blew up at Lemon in a loud whisper.

"What was that Moon Dancer?" Lemon Hearts asked dumbfounded.

"It's nothing Lemon, you can do whatever you want. I don't care anymore." Moon Dancer said noticing her mistake, as she trotted away into the crowd.

"Moon Dancer!" Lemon called out to her friends as she slowly trotted away, losing her in the mass of the crowd. "I would tell you if I could Moon." Lemon sighed in defeat, before turning back toward the white alicorn.

"And none of this could have happened without the assistance of the great pony, Lemon Hearts!" Celestia announced to the group of ponies, which erupted into another round of cheers.

Unknown to everypony present. Celestia had heard the little spat between Lemon Hearts and Moon Dancer and thought to herself. "So close Moon Dancer, you were so close." Celestia was didsappointed at the youngs mare's action, but hid her disappointment well. She had been ruling a country where she was seen as nearly god-like. She was used to hiding her emotions for the crowd.

The next day, the two princesses were getting ready for their meeting with King Steelclaw of the Dragon Empire. The two princesses were inside Celestia's private quarters, as Luna helped her sister get ready for her meeting with the king.

"Are you sure that you don't want me to accompany you?" Luna asked her older sister, just before she was about to meet with the King of the Dragon Empire.

"No, as much as I would like you to be with me. I don't believe that King Steelclaw would like having two creatures that could defeat him in the same room as him. Besides his letter said that he wanted to meet with me specifically." Celestia said to her little sister, rejecting her offer of joining her.

"Ok, well if you do need me..." Luna began, only for her sister to cut her off.

"You'll be right behind me, I know." Celestia said to her little sister, a small smile adorning her face. Celestia then walked out of the room she was sharing with her sister and headed for the decorated throne room ready for a meeting that would change the history of Equestria and the Dragon Empire forever.

Celestia sat anxiously at the top of her throne waiting for what seemed like forever. Every once in awhile Celestia would look up at the clock in the throne room to see if any time had actually passed. The last time she checked it was 12:24. Exactly twenty-four minutes later then the King had said that he would arrive.

A dozen thoughts passed through Celestia's head at that as she kept waiting her absent guest. One of the many being. "Did we reschedule the meeting again without my knowledge, did he get stuck in air traffic enroute to Canterlot, or worst of all did he completely abandon the meeting entirely and is preparing for war."

Celestia's thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of trumpets, and the words of the announcer for royalty. "His majesty, the King of the Dragon Empire. King Steelclaw." The royal announcer announced the King of the Dragon Empire. Making Celestia rise from her throne.

"Out of the way, boy." King Steelclaw ordered at the young announcer as he massive dragon frame barely fit through the doors of the throne room. The king was a large red scaled dragon with equally large wings that were folded up against his body. His claws were black and like his name stated were as tough and cut and while as steel. He had small black spikes that ran down his back, that ended in a large spike that surrounded the bottom of his tail, turning it into a sharp club.

"Why of course your majesty, my apologizes." The announcer apologized to the large dragon, his red scales covered in battle scars. A large one being just below his chin and looking like he had been biten in the neck by another dragon when he was younger. Steelclaw being a sharp constrast from the white alicorn that was in front of him. The announcer pony doing is best to be as far away as possible from the giant creature.

"Of course, ponies are their customs, it just brings tears to my eyes." King Steelclaw said sarcastically, as he brushed passed the small announcer. Celestia seeing the announcer in possible danger from the large dragon did a small motion with her hoof for him to exit. The announcer noticed this a left the throne room as quickly as he could, mouthing the words 'Thank you.' before he left.

"The doors of the throne room shut behind the large dragon, his large body barely able to fit in the decorated room. The piercing red eyes of King Steelclaw seemed to look through Celestia, as she sized up the white alicorn. Not even noticing the small frame of Sugarlily who stood to Celestia's left.

The two royals stared down each other for a few seconds, the tension in the room only growing with each passing second. Sugarlily beginning to regret volunteering to being the scribe for this meeting between the two.

"I give my deepest apologize for my tardiness, your majesty. Air traffic was a complete and total nightmare." Steelclaw said to Celestia, doing the best bow he could muster in the small room.

"No apology necessary, your majesty...." Celestia all but spat at Steelclaw, her pink eyes burning directly at the red eyes of Steelclaw. "And please call me Celestia." Celestia said in her natural warmly tone returning to her. A tone that Steelclaw despised, but did a good job at hiding.

"Then Celestia, you may call me simply Steelclaw." Steelclaw said, however glad to able to drop the formalities of the meeting, that both of them knew could either lead to the two kingdoms earning an alliance, or breaking out into war.

There were a few moments of awkward silence until Steelclaw cleared his throat and spoke saying. "So... would your sister be joining us in this meeting today?" Steelclaw asked, hoping for Celestia to say no.

"No, my dear sister Luna will not be joining us today. She is overwise engaged in other matters." Celestia answered, her thoughts wondering if she should have had Luna accompany her in this meeting.

A small smile appeared on Steelclaw's face as he inched closer to the white alicorn's throne. "That's unfortunate to hear, but I guess things must play as they going to have to be."

"I guess it must be." Celestia said cautiously, her becoming more and more suspicious of the King's true intentions. He had met Steelclaw over two decades earlier, but it was likely that he had changed from her last meeting with him.

Steelclaw sensing that the white alicorn was growing suspicious of him decided to drop his act and said to Celestia. "Let's drop the act Celestia. You and I both know why we are both here, and we both know what we want. The only question is what will the two of us do to get what we really want." Steelclaw said to Celestia, rather bluntly.

Celestia's back straightened at the King's outburst, which made Steelclaw chuckle to himself. Taking delight in the alicorn's discomfort, as he continued. Taking a claw full of rock candy into his mouth.

"Now (sounds of chewing) I hope that you are aware that the annual dragon migration will be coming up in the next few weeks. The time of year when all the dragons across the world return to the capital of the Dragon Empire. For... well you know." Steelclaw said to Celestia, as he continue to chow down on the rock candy.

"Yes, I am aware the dragon migration. What about it?" Celestia asked the King, her words becoming more blunt with each passing second. Celestia wondering what his true end game was.

"I'm glad you asked Celestia. In the last few years our two countries have drifted apart. Though I do not blame you for this separation. I am more inclined to belief that it falls more on the claws of the kings that had preceded myself." Steelclaw began, much to Celestia's surprise. Over the years she had become convinced that without the Alpha the Dragon Empire will never find a good leader.

"What are you getting at?" Celestia asked Steelclaw, still a little suspicious of his intentions.

"I would like to invite you to join me and the rest of my dragon brothen to our migration, as a way to... mend the bond between our two great kingdoms." Steelclaw said, and his words took the white alicorn by surprise.

In front of her was a full-grown that didn't have heart filled with greed, not like all the other King's (and one Queen) that Celestia has talk to over the years. Now she had a dragon that she could honestly say deserved the right to rule over all of dragons.

As Steelclaw waited for a response he thought to himself, revealing his true intentions "Just keep up the act a little while longer Steelclaw, she is falling right into your claws, and she doesn't even realize it."

"I would be honored to travel to the Dragon Empire to witness the great migration, but I would have to decline. It would too difficult for me to leave Equestria." Celestia said, making Steelclaw frown internally.

"Damn it, you were so close!" Steelclaw thought to himself, releasing a little of his frustration, but somehow did a good job to hide it.

"But just because I won't be able to join you, doesn't mean that somepony won't be able to." Celestia continued, striking Steelclaw's attention.

"What do you mean Celestia?" Steelclaw asked the white alicorn, who smiled to delight.

"Sugarlily would you mind fetching Moon Dancer for me?" Celestia politely asked the light blue mare in front of her.

"Of course your majesty." Sugarlily said as she took off at a full gallop to find the castle's unofficial expert on dragons.

"Who is this... Moon Dancer, if I may ask Celestia?" Steelclaw asked Celestia, curious at the sudden mentioning of the pony.

"Moon Dancer is my... expert on dragons, if you will. I believe that she will of better use than I." Celestia said walking down from her throne.

Steelclaw was about to respond, only to stop when the double doors of the throne opened revealing the yellow unicorn, Moon Dancer. Moon Dancer had her nose in the book about the Alpha, she was expecting that Celestia had called her to discuss about him.

You summoned me your majesty, as it to something about the Al..." Moon Dancer began, quickly shutting herself up as she noticed the large red dragon standing in front of her. "A... Celestia... who is this?" Moon Dancer said cautiously, looking at the white alicorn in confusion, pointing her right foreleg at the dragon.

"King Steelclaw of the Dragon Empire, at your service milady." Steelclaw said to the young mare, giving her a slight bow.

"King... Steelclaw... your majesty I should be the one bowing to you." Moon Dancer said realizing who she was speaking to. Dropping to a kneeling position, placing her book about the Alpha back in her saddlebag.

Steelclaw chuckled to himself, finding a slight delight in the unicorn's awkwardness, before she starting speaking to her directly. "Your princess tells me that you are the castle's expert on dragons."

"Does she now..." Moon Dancer said, sending the white alicorn a glare that said 'what have you gotten me into'.

Celestia noticing the young unicorn's discomfort cleared her throat, catching the attention of the other nobility in the room. "Yes, I believe that Moon Dancer is the best pony for the job to join you at the dragon migration." Celestia said, making the yellow unicorn's widen as she realized what the princess had just volunteered her for.

There was a few moments of awkward silence as both the King of all Dragon and the Co-ruler over all ponies waited for the yellow unicorn's response.

More than a dozen thoughts rushed through Moon Dancer's head all at the same time. "The dragon migration, we have always wanted to go to the dragon migration. Didn't we? Oh horseapples both of them are staring at me. They're waiting for an answer. Come on Moon Dancer think, think, we want to go to watch the migration. But you mustn't seem like you are overly excited. I mean this is royalty you are speaking with."

Moon Dancer silenced her thoughts as she cleared her throat, as she began to speak to the red dragon that towered over her. "I-I would be honored to accompanying you, your majesty, during the dragon migration. I believe that the experience will help mend a few bonds between our two great kingdoms. I also believe that I would be able to study your species up close. Against the very few out of date books that I have read, I don't know much about you and your species. Plus, I have always wanted to see the dragon migration in person." Moon Dancer said to Steelclaw. Her words a surprise the King, not expecting an almost diplomatic voice coming from the young mare.

"I am glad to hear that, and I and my subjects would treat you like an honored guest." Steelclaw said, giving a slight bow to the young unicorn. Making Moon Dancer slightly blush.

"Well, I guess that settles it than. Moon Dancer you shall accompany King Steelclaw during the dragon annual migration. In a manner to both repair some relationships between our two great nations, and to learn more about your species in the process." Celestia announced, making Moon Dancer realize what had been forced into.

"No pressure, Moon Dancer. Ok little bit of pressure. Ok a lot of pressure, pressure!" Moon Dancer thought to herself, as the Steelclaw got ready to leave.

"I guess that is my cue, it was a pressure to discuss matters of such importance.  It was pleasure to see you again Celestia, I hope that we would be able to talk again soon." Steelclaw said as he turned to leave the throne room.

"Again!" Moon Dancer thought at Steelclaw's words.

"As do I. I hope that you are able to return to your kingdom safety." Celestia said to Steelclaw as he left the throne room.

Outside the castle Steelclaw met up with his escort, a young white dragon with emerald green eyes. The most interesting thing about this dragon the fact that despite being in his early to mid-twenties he didn't process a pair of wings.

"How did the meeting go your majesty." The white dragon asked his king. Only for him to punch a stone column in frustration. "I'll take that as it went badly." The white dragon said, taking a step away from Steelclaw.

"So close, I was so close!" Steelclaw exclaimed to himself, not even noticing the young dragon standing next to him.

"Were the words I wrote inactive your majesty?" The white dragon asked his King.

"No Theta your words worked perfectly." Steelclaw said to the white dragon.

"Then why weren't you able to convince the princess into coming to the migration." Theta asked his King.

"Apparently she thinks that it would be too difficult for her to leave Equestria." Steelclaw said, his words filled with sarcasm.

"While she is the one of the co-leaders, so that would make a little difficult for her to leave the country." Theta said more to himself, doing his best to understand the logic behind the white alicorn's decision.

"Are you trying to defend the enemy!" Steelclaw barked at Theta.

"No, of course not your majesty. I was just thinking." Theta said trying to defend himself, not wanting to get into a fight with Steelclaw. "I don't want to fight with you, that's more something Sigma would do." Theta thought to himself, as he looked at the rage filled face of Steelclaw.

"Well, maybe you should keep your thoughts to yourself." Steelclaw barked at his suppornite. He then spread his massive wings and lifted off into the clear blue sky.

"Hey, wait for me!" Theta called up to his king, as he couldn't fly from his lack of wings.

"And have your wingless flank slow me down, when I have an invasion of all of Equestria to prepare. I don't think so. I'll see you at the migration Theta, or maybe not. I couldn't care less." Steelclaw said as he flew off. In time he became nothing more than a small red dot on the horizon as he flew back to the almost barren wasteland that made up most of the Dragon Empire.

Theta let out a heavy as he watched his king fly off into the sunset (literally), something that he meant never have the ability to do some day. "I'm no dragon. I'm a just a giant lizard that just happens to able to breathe fire..." Theta said looking behind him to see his bare back that processed no wings. "and even that is still debatable." Theta said, a tiny orange flame escaping from his mouth.

Theta then started his longer than expected journey back to his homeland, as the rightful ruler over all of the Dragon Empire rested beneath his claws. Theta unaware that their paths will meet in more ways than one.

The Dragon Empire (The Awakening)

The Dragon Empire

"Are you sure that you have to go. I hear the Dragon Empire as been becoming incredibly dangerous over the last few years, and you are going to be in the heart of it all. Not to mention that you will be there during the migration, when all of the dragons will be there." Minuette said to Moon Dancer, as the yellow unicorn put the last of her things in her saddlebag.

"Yes, I'm am sure Minuette, Celestia's orders." Moon Dancer said to her friend, as she used her magic to place her saddlebag on her back.

Moon Dancer was about to trot out her door, which had one of the royal chariots waiting right outside ready to take her to the Dragon Empire when Lemon Hearts placed a hoof on her shoulder. Striking the young mare's attention.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about King Steelclaw. Tartarus, most of the castle's staff didn't even know about the meeting until it was rescheduled." Lemon Hearts said apologizing for not telling her friend the truth.

"Don't be Lemon, I was the one in the wrong when I yelled at you." Moon Dancer said, giving her own apology. "Well I got to go, I'll see you all when I get back." Moon Dancer said walking out her front door to the awaiting pegasus-drawn carriage.

Back in Ponyville Spike was currently contemplating his own existence.

"What am I? Where am I from? Who am I supposed to be?" Spike said to himself, as he sat in his small basket bed thing.

Why was he doing this you may ask. Well ever since Spike saw a group of at least one hundred or more dragons flying over Ponyville heading for the Dragon Empire, and began questioning if he was truly a dragon. As he spent his entire life being raised by ponies, and he didn't process a pair of wings.

"Uuugh! I don't know! For the last time, Spike, you were given to me as an egg. I don't know who found you or where they found you." Twilight grunted to her number one assistant. His talking making it impossible for her to sleep.

"Seriously? That's all you know?" Spike asked the purple unicorn.

"I'm sorry, Spike."

"That doesn't tell me anything about who I am! I need answers!" Spike said climbing out of his basket bed thing. "I feel like I'm... I'm looking at a complete stranger. Oh!" Spike said staring into a mirror.

"Oh, Spike. Why don't we do some late-night research? See what we can find out." Twilight said climbing out of her bed and turning on the light of the bedroom she shared with Spike.

"Really? You'd do that?"

"Of course! I'm sure we can find something"

A few hours passed with Celestia raising the sun and Twilight and Spike were still searching through the many books of her library for things about dragons. Them sadly coming up with nothing. In a search to find out more about dragons, they called in Rarity to help out.

"Nothing. Nothing in this one either!" Twilight said as she searched through the many books in her library. All of them coming up empty.

"Nothing at all about dragons? This is getting ridiculous!" Spike said, not believing that not even one book in the library had something about dragons in it. I'm with you brother.

"I know! It's hard to believe, but ponies know next to nothing about dragons. Apparently, they're too rare and too scary to try to talk to or study!" Twilight said to the purple dragon, doing (and failing) her best to cheer him up.

"I wonder if dragons cry..." Spike said disappointedly.

"Aw, Spike." Twilight said to the purple dragon, her seeing him more like the little brother that she never had, or even her own son.

"It's okay, Twilight. I'm gonna discover who I am if it's the last thing I do!" Spike said with determination in his voice.

"Yoo-hoo!" Rarity said in excitement.

"Hey, guys!" Rainbow Dash said flying into the library.

"Good morning!" Rarity said to Rainbow.

"Ya wanna join us for breakfast?" Rainbow asked the two ponies and one dragon.

"That sounds great. I'm famished." Twilight said accepting the cyan Pegasus' offer.

"Count me out. I've gotta get an early start!" Spike said walking down the stairs with a bag filled with the thing he would need to travel to the Dragon Empire attached to a stick.

"An early start?" Rarity asked the purple dragon confused.

"Yes! I'm going on a quest of self-discovery! I need to learn what it means to be a dragon! And the only way I'm gonna do that is to join the dragon migration!" Spike announced leaving the three mares dumbfounded.

"What?!" The three mares all said at once.

"Spike, that's nonsense talk! I know that you're a dragon, but those dragons mean business! They're big, and tough, and scary..." Rainbow began to say, only for Spike to interrupt her.

"And I'm small, and meek... and I like to wear aprons. See? This is exactly why I need to spend time with them." Spike said interrupting Rainbow.

"All I'm saying is that you could get hurt." Rainbow said to the purple dragon, genuine concern in her voice.

"Darling, this time, I really do have to agree with Rainbow Dash. I don't want those big, ugly, nasty dragons to hurt one little scale on your cutesy-wutesy head!" Rarity said to Spike, only convincing him even more that he has to go on the migration.

"I'm sorry, but I've made up my mind." Spike said turning to walk out the door of the library.

The three ponies followed Spike out of the library and they were all met by the screams of ponies.

"What is going on?" Twilight asked one of the screaming ponies, a maroon unicorn mare with a bright orange mane and tail.

"A.- A... dragon." The red unicorn managed to say through her fear, only to run off in another banshee-like scream.

"Hey, an actual dragon standing right here!" Spike said offended by the ponies comment.

"No Spike, a full-grown dragon." Rarity said pointing at a full-grown dragon with snow white scales walking the town.

Theta hated not having a pair of wings. As he was forced to walk through every town on his way back to the Dragon Empire and his homeland. Ponyville wasn't the first town to freak out at his appearance, but it was by far the loudest. With almost everypony, that saw him running away from him in fear.

He did his best just to block out the screams from the ponies as continued to pass through the town. He hadn't almost forgotten that he hadn't eaten or drank in days. As he neared the large tree that was turned into the public library of the town. He looked up and noticed a small purple dragon standing next to three mares (two unicorns, one Pegasus).

"They're all afraid of dragons, and yet they have one as a resident. I don't understand pony logic sometimes." Theta said to himself as he neared the library.

At that time was when Theta lack of food and water started to affect him as his vision began to blur. His tongue was drier than a stale biscuit.

"Oh my what luck an actual full-grown dragon. Maybe I can ask him how to get to the migration grounds." Spike said as he began to walk towards the white dragon.

"Hold your horses Spike." Rainbow said putting her hoof on the purple dragon's shoulder. "You don't even know if he is friendly." Rainbow said, looking directly into the purple dragon's green eyes.

Just before Spike could respond he heard a loud thud and turned around to see the white dragon laying on the dirt road. The dragon unable to take another step due to exhaustion.

Spike dropped his stick that carried his' belongs and ran over to the white dragon.

"Are you alright?" Spike asked the weakened dragon.

"Water." The white dragon said simply before unconsciousness set in.

A few hours passed and Theta opened his emerald green eyes to find himself inside the library of Ponyville. A small blue bowl filled with clear water a few feet in front of his mouth. Theta stared at the crystal clear liquid for a few seconds until he finally stretched out his purple tongue and took a lick of the water.

The cold water coated his dry tongue and that was when he finally noticed that how close he was to dying of dehydration. He struggled to his feet and picked up the blue bowl and quickly downed the water in the bowl.

As Theta placed the bowl on the wooden floor of the library was when he realized that he wasn't alone in the library that was somehow made out of a tree. He looked up to see a purple baby dragon, a cyan Pegasus, and two unicorns, one white and the other purple.

Theta used his purple tongue to wipe the last drops of water on his lips. "A... thank you." Theta said thanking the three ponies and the one dragon for helping him.

Theta turned to leave the library, only for the purple dragon to block his path. Theta took a step back as the purple dragon began to address him.

"Wait, you have to show me the way to the migration." The purple dragon said to Theta, striking his attention.

"Wait, you don't know the way to the Dragon Empire?" Theta asked the purple dragon.

"No, this is my first migration, and I have spent my entire life in Equestria." Spike said to Theta, slightly blushing.

The three ponies watched in full attention as Theta addressed the purple dragon.

"What's your name kid?" Theta asked the purple dragon.

"It's Spike, and I'm not a kid. I'm fourteen." Spike said, striking Theta's attention even more that a dragon in his early teens was still only the size of a toddler.

Twilight couldn't take her anxiety any longer and cleared her throat, shifting Theta's attention from Spike to the purple unicorn.

"Yes... he is Spike. My name is Twilight Sparkle, or just Twilight." Twilight said introducing herself to Theta. "This is Rarity." Twilight said pointing at the white unicorn to her right.

"Hi." Rarity waved shyly at the white dragon, slightly admiring his white scales. That was the color of freshly fallen snow.

"And this is Rainbow Dash." Twilight said pointing at the cyan Pegasus, that was hovering above the rest.

"Sup, you can just call me Rainbow." Rainbow said rather bluntly.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all, and I appreciate all your help, but I must really be on my way." Theta said as he inched closer to the door of the library.

"Wait, aren't you going to show to the Dragon Empire?" Spike said blocking Theta's path, again.

"I don't know kid..." Theta began only for Spike to interrupt him.

"My name is Spike!" Spike yelled, making the three ponies take a step backward in both shock and fear at what might happen afterward. Theta, however, maintained his composure and dropped to his eyes. Meeting the young dragon's eye level.

"Look, Spike, I would be honored to show you the way, but I don't think that you are ready to go on your first migration." Theta said, making Spike think that he was too weak to hang around with other dragons.

"So you think that I'm not cut out to be a true dragon." Spike said in disappointment, getting what he thought was just more confirmation that he wasn't fit to even call himself a dragon.

"No, that's not what I'm saying at all." Theta said putting a reassuring claw on the purple dragon's shoulder, making Spike look up at him their emerald green reptilian eyes matching almost identically.

The three ponies were in shock, Twilight even more so, by the white dragon's kindness and understanding. That was when Twilight realized something that she hadn't before. Theta, like Spike, lacked a pair of wings.

"I don't mean to interrupt." Twilight said, catching the two dragons' attention. "But what is your name." Twilight asked Theta.

"Theta, my name is Theta." Theta said raising from his kneeled position, addressing the purple unicorn directly. A small smile spreading across his face.

"Theta, what a strange name." Twilight thought to herself, taking note of the dragon's unique name.

"I don't mean to offend you, but why do you not have wings." Twilight asked the white dragon, making his small smile fade from his face.

"I was born without them. I guess it must be a genetic thing as my brother doesn't have a pair either." Theta said looking at his bare back, his greatest wish in the world being to have wings.

There were a few moments of awkward silence until Theta turned to talk to Spike. "Well if you need a guide I would most certainly be happy to escort to the Dragon Empire." Theta said, making the purple dragon jump up in joy.

"Well then, I guess this is goodbye, Spike. We can't wait to hear about it when you return." Twilight said to Spike, as she walked over to the purple dragon. Small tears forming in purple eyes.

"I can assure you that nothing will happen to Spike. You have my word." Theta whispered down to the purple unicorn. Making Twilight give the white dragon a small smile.

"Now should we be off?" Theta said placing the purple dragon on his bare back, an unintentional advantage of not having wings.

"I guess so." Spike said as Theta walked out the wooden door, the purple dragon doing his best to hold on.

"Goodbye, Spikey-wikey!" Rarity called out to Spike, using her pet name for him, making Theta share at look at Spike.

"Spikey... wikey." Theta said, raising one of his eyebrows, making Spike's face slightly blush.

"Don't ask." Spike said looking away from the larger dragon's gaze. Making Theta slightly chuckle to himself at the purple dragon's discomfort.

"Go get 'em, big guy!" Rainbow called out, as the three waved as the two dragons started their journey to the Dragon Empire.

"We have faith in you!" Twilight called out to the purple, making him slightly blush at the purple unicorn's sisterly-like concern for him.

"We're following them, right?" Rarity whispered to Twilight, through a smile.

"Of course, we are." Twilight whispered as the two unicorns rushed back into the library to gather the things needed to follow the two dragons.

The two dragons, Spike sitting on the back of Theta, continued their journey to the Dragon Empire, following the mass of over a thousand dragons that flew overhead. Heading toward the migration grounds, deep within the heart of the Dragon Empire. The two dragons only talked when it was absolutely necessary. Making their quest rather boring.

As a way to break the ice Spike began talking to Theta. Wanting to know more about him, since he had met him only that same day, and now he was trusting the dragon with his life.

"So... is this your first migration?" Spike asked the white dragon, catching his attention.

"That depends on what you consider as a migration." Theta said, leaving his answer intentionally vague. Spike didn't mind, having to live with Twilight and report to Princess Celestia all his life. He had gotten used to intentionally vague answers.

"What do you mean?" Spike asked Theta.

"Well, I have lived in the Dragon Empire ever since I was a hatchling." Theta began, catching the attention of Spike.

"What is it like, the Dragon Empire, I mean?" Spike asked the white dragon.

"So many questions little one." Theta commented on the purple dragon's curiosity.

"I must get it from Twilight." Spike responded as Theta answered his previous question.

"Well Spike, the Dragon Empire is no Equestria. I can promise you that." Theta said using the same intentional vagueness that he used before.

Before Spike could ask him elaborate Spike smelt a strange odor as they traveled closer to the volcano-like mountains of the Dragon Empire. Spike had to sneeze multiple times in order to make it so he could even breathe.

"You ok back there?" Theta asked Spike after his sneezing fit ceased. A strange need to protect the young dragon rushing through his body even since he met the purple dragon.

"Yeah, just what is that smell?" Spike said covering his nose in disgust.

Theta took in a deep breath before answering Spike. "Brimstone... don't worry you'll get used to it, and where there's brimstone there is the Dragon Empire. Hang on Spike were almost there." Theta said and Spike dug his claws even further into Theta scales (though Theta didn't feel any pain), as the white dragon took off at a full sprint toward the volcanic mountains. That the mass of flying dragons were all circling like how vultures circled an abandoned carcass.

The dragons arrived at the top of a large volcano and stared into the crater, that was filled with at least a few thousand dragons of all different sizes, shapes, and colors. The crater had a small lava pit in the middle where teenage dragons were spending their times swimming in.

Spike hopped off the white dragon's back and stared in awe of the strange beauty the rugged Dragon Empire processed. "This is... awesome, I mean nothing when compared to say Canterlot. But this is pretty cool, and you say that you live here." Spike said to Theta, catching the white dragon a little off guard.

"Hmm... oh yes I live just outside the mating grounds with my brother, Sigma." Theta said as he noticed his twin brother a few hundred yards from where the two dragons were standing. "Speaking of which, Sig!" Theta called out into the crowd of dragons. Catching the attention of a grayish-silver dragon with sky blue eyes that was slightly larger than Theta. This silver dragon also lacked a pair of wings, similar to that of both Theta and Spike.

Seeing that he had caught the attention of his brother he continued. "Sig, come over here I want you to meet someone!" Theta called out to Sigma, making the silver dragon walked over to where the two dragons were standing.

"There you are Theta, what took you so long?" Sigma asked his twin brother, not noticing the small dragon at his brother's side.

"Our great king decided to abandon me in Canterlot, but I tell you more that later. I want you to meet my new friend." Theta said to his brother, looking down at Spike. Who was hiding behind one of the forelegs of Theta.

"Who is this little one?" Sigma asked the purple dragon, underestimating his actual age.

"My name's Spike, and not little, I'm fourteen. I just haven't hit my growth spurt yet." Spike said to Sigma. Making the gray dragon share a confused look with his brother.

"While I guess we should leave you to your business Spike." Theta said noticing the tension rising between his brother and Spike.

"You're leaving me." Spike said, grabbing onto the white dragon's leg.

"You'll be fine Spike, trust me." Theta said to Spike, noticing in the corner of his emerald green eyes two unicorns (one white, the other purple) hiding behind a rock. Having noticed the two ponies following him after since he had left Equestria's borders.

"But whatever you do, don't bug the elder dragons." Theta said turning his attention back to the purple dragon, pointing at the largest dragons that were a few hundred years old, which were known to not have that much patience of younger dragons.

Spike nodded at the dragon's warning and Theta left the young dragon to rejoin his brother.

About an hour later the new brother dragons were busy discussing what they up to since the last time they saw each other.

"So... how was it in Canterlot? Was our King able to convince Princess Sunbutt?" Sigma asked his little brother by five minutes, talking about Celestia. His brother's comment made Theta chuckle to himself.

"No, King Steelclaw wasn't able to convince Princess Celestia to come to the migration." Theta said to his brother, making Sigma's smile shrink from his face.

"Hmm... figures, Steelclaw was never really that good of a negotiator." Sigma said to his brother.

"But, at least from what he told me, he was able to convince the Princess into sending her 'dragon expert' to the migration." Theta said, making Sigma share a confused look with his brother.

"Dragon expert." Sigma said to his brother, a look of confusion and calling bullshit on his face.

Theta accepted his brother's sarcasm since they were pretty much inseparable from birth. "Yes, I haven't seen him or her, but I guess he/she whatever should be coming at any moment." Theta said, and just as he did all the eyes of the dragons shifted to the skies above the migration grounds.

"What's going on?" Sigma asked her brother, who looked in the direction of all the other dragons.

"That." Theta said to his brother, pointing at a golden pegasus-drawn chariot that was flying across the sky.

"This will do gentlecolts." Moon Dancer said to the two Pegasi that were pulling her golden chariot, as it landed on the volcanic ground.

"Of course, Miss. Dancer." One of the pegasus guards said as Moon Dancer was greeted by a young light blue dragon (about half the size of the yellow unicorn).

"Are you the pony by the name of Moon Dancer?" The young dragon asked the yellow unicorn.

"Why yes, I am, little one." Moon Dancer said to the young dragon she estimated to be about five years old.

"Great, then follow me King Steelclaw has been expecting your presence for quite some time." The young dragon said, leading the yellow unicorn toward the King's quarters.

As the unicorn followed the young dragon many other dragons stopped whatever they were doing and stared at young mare. Most of them having giving Moon Dancer a look like they intended to make her their next meal.

Moon Dancer did her best to not share any eye contact with any of the dragons, knowing that the current situation between the two countries was shaking, to say the least.

"I'm guessing that's the Princess Sunbutt's so-called dragon expert." Sigma said to his brother with an inferno of sarcasm in his words. As the two dragons watched the yellow unicorn along with the other dragons.

"I guess so Sig." Theta said climbing to his feet.

"Where are you going, T?" Sigma asked his brother, as Theta began to walk toward the yellow unicorn.

"I'm to do my job Sig." Theta said to his brother since he was the King's head advisor.

"Oh yeah, ok have fun dealing with ponies Theta." Sigma said to his brother before he went back to eating a crystal bowl filled with gems. When he finished he ate the bowl itself.

Theta rolled his eyes until he walked over to the small crystal cave that he used as a temporary castle for the time of the migration.

Moon Dancer followed the young dragon to the crystal cave that the King was using as his temporary throne and walked inside the large crystal cave. The King of the Dragon Empire was resting on a golden throne getting feed gems by one servant.

"Wait here while I announce your presence. The blue dragon said to Moon Dancer as he walked up the King of the Dragon Empire.

"Your majesty, I don't wish to disturb you, but the Equestrian dragon expert by the name of Moon Dancer is here to see you." The blue said, his words with a slight hint of fear, as the King's attention shifted from his meal to the young dragon.

"Thank you... send her in." King Steelclaw said to the young dragon in a slow almost villainous tone. Making the dragon retreat backward as quickly as possible.

"He's all yours." The young dragon said quickly to Moon Dancer, before running at a full sprint out of the cave.

Moon Dancer cautiously walked toward the golden throne and the giant red dragon that rested on top of it. Moon Dancer bowed in respect before she began to address the king.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Moon Dancer." Moon Dancer said introducing herself to the King Steelclaw.

"That will be all." Steelclaw said to the servant that was feeding him gems before he raised from the throne. Intentionally making it so that he would tower over the young unicorn.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Miss Dancer, officially." Steelclaw said, the joints in his massive wings popping in and out of place as he spread his massive wings.

Moon Dancer did her best to hide the fear that was rushing through her as she stood in front of the King of the entire Dragon Empire. She didn't good enough to hide her fear, with Steelclaw slightly smirking to himself as he watched the trembly pony.

"Blue Diamond, would you mind summoning Theta for me?" Steelclaw said to the servant dragon that was feeding him.

"Um... of course sir. Right away sir." The dragon said quickly, taking off to get the King's personal advisor. The dragon stopped as Theta appeared at the mouth of the cave.

"No summoning necessary your majesty!" Theta called to the red dragon. Theta then walked down the cave toward the golden throne, stopping to greet their pony guest. "Name's Theta, what's yours, my lady." Theta said to Moon Dancer, presenting his claw toward the yellow unicorn for a hoof/claw shake.

Moon Dancer was taken away by the dragon surprising amount of kindness that the dragon was showing toward her, while her employer was using fear in order to get his way. Moon Dancer accepted the claw and introduced herself.

"Moon Dancer, my name is Moon Dancer." Moon Dancer said to the white dragon, a slight blush appearing on her cheeks.

"Moon Dancer..." Theta said slowing appreciating every second of the mare's name. The blush on Moon Dancer's face going larger. "What a great name, mine is Theta." Theta said introducing himself to Moon Dancer.

Moon Dancer was both surprised and intrigued by the dragon's strange name, a name very similar to that of the Alpha. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Theta." Moon Dancer said, making a small smile spread across the white dragon's face.

Steelclaw watched the scene between the two in disgust, even though he despised Theta's undragonly high amount of kindness and lack of greed. He knew he needed him with his incredible ability to negotiate with other dragons and ponies alike.

Steelclaw cleared his throat to get the dragon and the ponies attention back to the irritated red dragon. "Sorry to interrupt whatever the Tartarus this is, but can we return to the current matter at claw." Steelclaw said, trying to shift the conservation back to what Moon Dancer had originally come to the Dragon empire to do.

"Of course your majesty." Theta said walking over to the King's side.

"Now, what were you saying?" Steelclaw said to Moon Dancer, bringing the unicorn's attention back to the reason she was in the Dragon Empire.

However, before Moon Dancer could ever open her mouth to answer the same light blue dragon that had led her to the crystal cave appeared at the mouth of the cave. The dragon patting extremely, doing its best to catch its breath.

"What's is it!" Steelclaw barked at the young dragon, not happy that his very important meeting was getting interrupted again.

"Hold... hold... on.. a second." The dragon said, holding up a claw as he did his best to catch his breath. "Ok, I'm good. I'm sorry to interrupt, but Improbus is here to see you. The blue dragon said, and the red eyes of Steelclaw grew to the size of hoofballs. As he stepped down from his throne, heading toward Moon Dancer.

I'm sorry to say, but it seems that something even more important has come to my attention. I hope that you will be able to return back to Equestria safely." Steelclaw said quickly to Moon Dancer, doing his best to get the young pony out of the cave as quickly as he could.

"Theta would you mind escorting this young mare back to her mode of transportation?" Steelclaw asked Theta, who simply nodded robotically in response. Learning from experience not to question the king's wishes.

Theta then escorted the grayish-yellow unicorn of the cave and to the golden chariot that she had used to get to the Dragon Empire in the first place.

"Do you know what that was about?" Moon Dancer asked Theta as the two headed toward the golden chariot to take her back to Equestria.

"I have no idea Miss Dancer, but I have learned from experience not question the king's orders." Theta said to Moon Dancer.

"Please, just call me Moon Dancer. " Moon Dancer said to Theta, her face flushing as red as her hair.

"Ok, Moon Dancer. On the behalf of our King Steelclaw and the entire Dragon Empire as a whole. I wish that you will return to Equestria safely." Theta said to Moon Dancer as she climbed into the golden Pegasus driven chariot.

"Didn't your king already wished me a safe journey?" Moon Dancer asked Theta, a little confused at the dragon's statement. Making Theta slightly chuckle to himself.

"Did you honestly think he said those words out of genuine care for your well being?" Theta asked Moon Dancer a rather rhetorical question. Moon Dancer shared a chuckle of her own. Not taking offense to the dragon's sarcasm, even finding it a little cute.

"No, I guess not. It was a pleasure to meet you Theta." Moon Dancer said to Theta, almost ready to leave.

"Same to you as well. I hope to see you again." Theta said, his warm smile returning to his face.

"I as well." Moon Dancer said to Theta, even though knowing how unlikely it would be. The two shared into each other's eyes, their hoof and claws interlocked for a few more seconds until Moon Dancer ordered the Pegasus guards to return to Equestria.

Theta watched the golden chariot fly across the sky until it was nothing more than a small dot in the sky before he returned to where his brother was currently laying. Busying eating his large supply of gems, mostly sapphires.

"That didn't take that long." Sigma said to his brother, not looking up from his mound of light blue gems. When his brother didn't respond, curious at his brother's strange silence turned to talk to him directly. Only to see that his brother was dreamingly staring off into the distance.

Sigma waved a claw in front of his brother's face to get his attention saying. "Theta... Dragon Empire to Theta." This went to no prevail as Theta continued to stare off into the distance in a dream-like trance. "For the love of the Alpha." Sigma said to himself grabbing an orange garnet (Theta's least favorite gem) out of his pile of gems.

"I don't want to do this brother, but you leave me no choice." Sigma said placing the orange gem on his brother's purple tongue.

The taste of the gem immediately broke Theta out of his trance. Making him split the gem out in disgust.

"Ugh, what'd you do that for! You know I hate garnet." Theta exclaimed at his brother, trying to scrape the disgusting flavor of the gem out of his tongue.

"To snap you out of this strange trance that you were in." Sigma said back, defending his actions.

"Wait, I was in a trance." Theta said not believing his brother.

"Yeah you were staring off into the distance, and all that crap. You didn't even react when I waved my claw in front of your face." Sigma said taking a sapphire out of his pile of gems and popping it into his mouth as if it was candy.

"Really, interesting." Theta said to for to himself. "Hey, do you got any peridots in there?" Theta asked her brother, peridots being his personal favorite.

"Yeah, here you go bro." Sigma said with a mouth filled with sapphires. Handing his brother a small pile filled with the olive-green gemstone.

"Thanks, bro." Theta said putting a clawful of the green gemstone into his mouth as the two watched the purple dragon that he escorted to the migration belly flop into the pit of lava.

"Oh, that's gotta hurt." Sigma cringed as the two dragons watched the dragon hit the lava like it was concrete.

Back inside the crystal cave Steelclaw had dismissed all of his servants and was pacing back and forth as he waited for the dragon by the name of Improbus.

"Sir I am pleased to present the dragon, Improbus." The same blue dragon announced King Steelclaw's very important guest.

"Thank you, you're dismissed." Steelclaw said and the young blue dragon left the crystal cave as quickly as possible.

The dragon in question was a young female dragon seemed to be slightly larger than Spike.  With a black scales, blue reptilian eyes, teal almost translucent wings, and had multiple spots on her legs that looked like she had holes in her feet.

"Improbus, it is a pleasure to be able to meet you again." Steelclaw said bowing to the young dragon.

"And to you as well, shall we retreat to discuss our matters of great importance in a more private location." Improbus said in an almost villainous tone.

"Of course, follow me." Steelclaw said leading the young dragon into a large cave deep inside the crystal cave.

Once Steelclaw knew that the two dragons were alone he began to discuss the true meaning of their secretive meeting. "So what is it that you what to discuss with me... your majesty." Steelclaw said, and as he did the blue eyes of the young dragon flashed an olive green, along with a devilish smile.

"Why of course." Improbus said as her body erupted into green flames.

Her dragon body burned away her black scales getting replaced by similarly colored fur. Her wings became completely translucent and more bug-like. Her body became more pony-like as she grew in height, tall enough to even rival Princess Celestia. A crooked horn extending out of her head, along with cobweb-like teal hair and tail. Her reptilian eyes retained their olive green color as they became more pony like, and finally the spots on her feet transformed to actual holes on her newly acquired hooves.

The strange bug pony creature stood in front of King Steelclaw, as the Queen of the entire shapeshifting bug pony species known as Changelings. Going by the name of...

"Chrysalis." Steelclaw said, and no interrupting the narrator.

Secrets and Lies (The Awakening)

Secrets and Lies

Chrysalis, the queen of all the changelings, immediately put a hoof to her head as she was hit by a massive headache. "Ugh, I hate being a dragon." Chrysalis grunted, as even turning into a baby dragon was difficult, despite her being the most powerful out of all the changelings.

"Of course your majesty, now what was it that you wanted to discuss with me." Steelclaw asked Chrysalis, fully aware what she was in the Dragon Empire to discuss with him.

"Drop the formalities Steelclaw, it doesn't suit you." Chrysalis said to Steelclaw, placing a her hoof on the dragon's chin.

Steelclaw recoiled in disgust, knowing from personal experience how to deal with changelings, and role one was to never, under any circumstances. Allow them to distract you with their ability to know exactly how to turn you on.

"Yes, of course Chrysalis, what do you want? I thought that our plan for taking over Equestria was perfect, and was about ready to strike." Steelclaw asked Chrysalis, trying to get the true reasons for her surprise visit out of her.

"You are correct, my plan to infiltrate Equestria is practically foolproof. Nopony would expect that one of their princess was really the Changeling Queen in disguise." Chrysalis said more to herself, explaining her plan to turn into the niece of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Loving to hear herself speak, problem that Steelclaw had brought up to her multiple times.

"Ok, that still doesn't answer my question." Steelclaw aid to Chrysalis, his frustration toward the Queen of Deception.

"You dragons are even denser than I thought." Chrysalis mumbled to herself, before she answered. "If you really must know. I have come to insure that you will hold your side of the bargain." Chrysalis said her eyes flashing, making Steelclaw have to avert his eyes in order for him not to become under the changeling's mind control.

"I can assure you that I will hold my end of our deal. You will do care to remember that you are not the only one that has an army of warriors." Steelclaw said to the bug pony, his initiation at Chrysalis raising.

Chrysalis only chuckled at the King's failed attempt to intimidate her. "You really don't who you're dealing with, don't you." Chrysalis said to Steelclaw, as the shadows of the room morphing in the shapes of smaller changelings.

The changelings being from Chrysalis' most elite squad of changelings known simply as the Shadow Hive. A rare group of changelings that have the ability to literally melt into the shadows and feed off the love of others. Something that not even the queen could pull off, them all acting as the queen's personal spies all across the world. Their stealth unmatched, with them even being able to spy on Celestia herself without her knowledge.

The shadows then turned the physical forms of over a dozen small (about half the size of their Queen) changelings, circling the red dragon, like wolves circling a large bear. All of their horns glowing the same emerald green as their blank eyes and bug-like shell on their backs. Each one had a small band made out of polished steel that wrapped around one of their forelegs with a small emerald in the middle. The gem shined in the low lighting, like a green star in a cloudy night sky.

"You dare threaten me in my own kingdom!" Steelclaw yelled at Chrysalis, standing up on his hind legs, his head hitting the ceiling of the cave. Small chucks of rock filled with different colored gems falling to the ground.

"Oh course not, stand down my minions." Chrysalis said to Steelclaw, ordering her soldiers to stand down. The dozen or so changelings then retreated back into the shadows, warping back into part of the darkness once again. Leaving just like they entered.

"I'm just showing what you would be dealing with if you don't honor our deal." Chrysalis said, only a few inches from the King. Her olive-green eyes seeming to stare right through Steelclaw.

"What is it that you really want Chrysalis, gold, silver, or jewels? Because you in the richest Empire in the world." Steelclaw asked the black alicorn, making a crooked smile appear across her face.

"No, unlike you dragons I am not interested in any as simpleton as gold. Me, and the rest of my changelings crave something with a little more power." Chrysalis said turning away from Steelclaw, staring off into the shadows. Small silhouettes of ponies like creatures warping in and out of the darkness.

"What can be more power than the riches of the entire Dragon Empire?" Steelclaw asked a little sarcastically.

"Why love, of course." Chrysalis said turning back to face the giant dragon, as she continued. "As cheesy it may sound, love one of the most powerful forces in the world, especially when it comes to 'true love'. Only being match in power by the true friendship that powers the Elements of Harmony. We capture the love of others as food as use it to gain more power for ourselves." Chrysalis said, making Steelclaw's muscles tense up at the Queen's creepy monologue.

"You need not worry, you, or your kingdom. Your Empire may be filled with gold, silver, and gems, but it lacks love more than any other country I have been to." Chrysalis said making Steelclaw relax at the changeling's words.

"Equestria on the other hoof has more love than any other land I have even encountered, my changelings would be able to consume so much of it. Being able to become even more powerful than we had even been." Chrysalis continued, the same crooked smile reappearing to her face.

Steelclaw now convinced that the Queen of the Changelings wouldn't betray him began joining her in the planning process of taking over Equestria. "Then what is that you need from me Chrysalis?" Steelclaw asked the black bug pony, catching her attention. A little surprised that he had become to trust her so easily.

Chrysalis' crooked smile grew only larger as she knew that she had Steelclaw of Canterlot. While you and your dragon army take over the rest of Equestria." Chrysalis said to Steelclaw laying out her plan to return Equestria back into Changeling control.

"So you get to take over one city, while I have to take over the entire country on my own!" Steelclaw said enrage that he was the short end of the warring stick.

"Relax oh angerful one, your mission will by far more difficult than mine." Chrysalis said with a slight chuckle in her voice.

"What do you mean?" Steelclaw asked Chrysalis, making the changeling grunt to herself at the dragon's stupidity.

"I mean that you're part of the plan will be easy, as I will keep the forces of Equestria all concentrated as I invade Canterlot. Allowing you to invade the rest of the country with minimal resistance." Chrysalis said to Steelclaw, making him grin at the idea that she would take the bulk of the fighting for the country.

"Then you can count me and the entirely of my dragon army to help in our combined take over of Equestria." Steelclaw said to Chrysalis, making the changeling queen laugh internally to herself.

"Perfect I will put my part if the plan as soon as possible." Chrysalis said to Steelclaw beginning to leave, believing that their secret meeting was over.

"Not so fast your majesty." Steelclaw said, his massive tail blocking the changeling's path.

Chrysalis retreated backwards, toward the shadows, her shadow hive changelings ready to attack if need be.

"No need for alarm your majesty, I just have one condition." Steelclaw said to Chrysalis, making her relax a little bit.

"And what condition is that?" Chrysalis asked Steelclaw, motioning her changeling support to stand down.

"My one condition is that when we eventually will take over Equestria. I want to be the one that is in charge." Steelclaw said to Chrysalis, the dragon's words taking her by surprise.

Chrysalis then went into deep thought, placing her hole filled hoof to her chin, as she weighed the pros and cons of a dragon ruling over Equestria.

"Well... do you have an answer for me. You are either with me or you're against me. So which is it your majesty." Steelclaw asked Chrysalis in the most immediating way he possibly could. Knowing that she couldn't risk going to war with an army of dragons.

"I'm thinking." Chrysalis said bluntly, trying to buy herself a little more time. The shadows behind her growing in size as her changelings from the Shadow Hive ready themselves for battle if need be.

Knowing that their was no our choice Chrysalis grunted, before she gave Steelclaw her answer. "Fine... if we are able to take over Equestria then I will allow you to rule over the country." Chrysalis said agreeing to the red dragon's terms. Making Steelclaw grin to himself, his steak knife like teeth seemly to shine in the low lighting.

"However I have one condition of my own." Chrysalis said quickly, making her that she wasn't going to leave this meeting with the short end of the stick.

Steelclaw was at first suspicious as to what the changeling was going to propose, but then decised to just roll with it. "Yes, what is this one condition that you speak of?" Steelclaw asked Chrysalis, genuinely intrigued as to what the changeling would demand.

"My one condition is that if we are able to take over Equestria. Then you will only be able to rule over it if you and all of your dragon armies assist me and my changelings in the capture of the country. Is that understood." Chrysalis said to Steelclaw.

To the changeling's surprise, Steelclaw broke a crooked smile and responded. "Crystal your majesty, I will make sure that my army of dragons will be ready for the invasion of Equestria."

"Well then I believe that is the end of it, one of my spies will inform you and your armies when are invasion of Equestria is about to begin." Chrysalis said as she shapeshifted back into her dragon disguise.

"Of course, your majesty. I and my armies will be awaiting your word." Steelclaw to the now baby dragon, as the transformed Chrysalis left the small cave that they were using to have their secret meeting.

As Chrysalis walked up to the mouth of the crystal cave one of the her changelings from the Shadow Hive emerged from the shadows.

The changeling shared the same blank green eyes and shell as the rest, but unlike had a small metal staff attached to his side with an emerald gem attached to both ends of the staff.

"What is it that you want Zulu?" A disguised Chrysalis asked the leader of the Shadow Hive, and one of her most trusted lieutenants.

"I just wanted to ask you a question your majesty." Zulu said in a calm and collective voice, seeming to overshadow his beasty appearance.

"And what question is that?" Chrysalis asked Zulu, her small dragons legs not quite fit for talking and walking to a full-grown changeling.

"I, along with the rest of the hive, were just wondering if you really meant what you had promised to Steelclaw." Zulu asked Chrysalis, making the disguised changeling come to a complete halt.

"Are you questioning my actions Zulu?" Chrysalis said transforming back to her original form in a flash of green fire that consumed her body.

"Of course not your majesty, we were just wondering if after all of these years of planning were we really going to let a dragon like Steelclaw rule over Equestria. A place that we changelings deserve to rule over again." Zulu said to Chrysalis, making his queen relax.

"You need not worrying about Steelclaw. Have you forgotten about are secret weapon." Chrysalis said to Zulu, and the changeling immediately knew of what, or to be more accurate who, she was talking about.

"Right him... but can we truly trust him." Zulu said to his queen, not sure that her decisions were the best one's for her subjects. Though not questioning her directly.

"You need not worry about him... he has assisted our cause longer than I have even been alive." Chrysalis said to the smaller changeling. "I am sure that he would more than happy to enact his revenge on the princesses of Equestria." Chrysalis said as she transformed back her dragon disguise in a flash of green fire. As she walked out the crystal cave into the cool fall air.

"That is what I fear your majesty." Zulu said to himself, before he warped back into the shadows of the caves.

Back on the cliffs overlooking the migration grounds the two wingless dragon brothers, Theta and Sigma, were busying having fun watching the purple dragon try and epically fail at being a 'dragon'.

"Your little friend sure likes getting himself in terrible, doesn't he." Sigma said to his brother, Theta. After watching Spike get himself into even more trouble with a group of teenage dragons.

"He's not even really my friend Sig. He's more just some dragon that I escorted on the way to the migration." Theta said honesty to his brother.

"Then that makes even more then friends." Sigma said rather bluntly, and in need of clarification.

"What do you mean Sig?" Theta asked his brother.

Before Sigma could answer, however, the two brothers were interrupted by a young dragon with bright yellow scales running up to them with a message from King Steelclaw himself.

"Can we help you little one." Sigma asked the young dragon, slightly frustrated that this was the second time that his personal time with his brother had been interrupted.

"I am sorry to interrupt, but King as requested your presence." The young dragon said to the two brothers.

"Again, I guess I'll see you later Theta." Sigma said to his brother, thinking that the summoning was for his brother.

"You misinterpret my meaning, the King has requested the presence of you Sigma." The yellow said to the grayish-silver dragon.

"Me! Why would Steel... I mean his majesty what would he want to speak to me about?" Sigma asked the messenger dragon, surprised that Steelclaw would want to speak to him.

"I am not at liberties to discuss why, all I can say is that you are needed as soon as possible." The messenger dragon said.

"Well I guess I'll see you later bro." Theta said to Sigma, as his brother raised from his seated position.

"I guess so, Theta." Sigma said to his brother, as he followed the yellow dragon to the crystal caves.

"Your majesty, Sigma is here, and awaiting your command." The yellow dragon said to the King of the Dragon Empire, who was busy pacing back and forth in front of his golden throne.

"Yes, Yes, send him in." Steelclaw said, not looking the yellow dragon.

"Of course your majesty." The yellow dragon said retreating back to the grayish-silver dragon, that was waiting at the mouth of the cave. "He's all yours." The yellow said to Sigma, before running off into the distance.

"Hmm... typical." Sigma grunted to himself, before he entered the cave.

"You summoned me your majesty." Sigma said, bowing to his king.

"Yes... I have a certain matter that I need your expertise on." Steelclaw said to Sigma, who just happened to be the King's head advisor when it comes to military actions.

"Me... why would you need me. Aren't we currently at peace?" Sigma asked Steelclaw, becoming slightly suspicious of the large dragon's actions.

"You are correct, but that doesn't mean that our peace will remain." Steelclaw said to Sigma, his pacing coming to a halt.

"What do you mean your majesty, don't we already have an alliance with Equestria?" Sigma asked Steelclaw.

"Yes, yes we do. However, a certain acquaintance of mine has opened my mind to an interesting opportunity for the Empire." Steelclaw said, leaving a confused look on Sigma's face.

"Ok, and who is this acquaintance that you speak of?" Sigma asked Steelclaw.

"Why me, of course." Sigma heard from behind him, making him interesting shifted his attention from Steelclaw to that of a small black scaled dragon with blue reptilian eyes.

"Wait, you are the one that came up the idea to end the centuries long time of peace that the Dragon Empire as indured?" Sigma asked the small dragon, not aware that he was actually speaking to the Queen of the Changelings, Queen Chrysalis.

"Haven't the slightest idea who you are speaking to, don't you?" Chrysalis said to Sigma, using a rhetorical question.

"No, wait who are you?" Sigma asked the disguised changeling. Realization coming to him as the dragon's reptilian eyes flashed to that of olive-green eyes. The black dragon then erupted into green flames, leaving the towering frame of the changeling queen in its place.

Sigma retreated backwards, only for his path to be block by the even larger frame of his king. "Changeling..." Sigma only managed to mumble from his shock.

"It's Queen Chrysalis to you." Chrysalis demanded at the grayish-silver dragon. "So are you going assist us in this endeavor, or do we have to find a more persuasive way of making you work for us." Chrysalis said, as at least a dozen of the changelings from her Shadow Hive warped out of the shadows. Them circling the grayish-silver dragon.

Sigma knowing that he had no other choice but to go along with this madness sighed in defeat. "Fine, I will help you."

"Excellent, Zulu get your flank in here!" Chrysalis ordered at the leader of the Shadow Hive. One of her most trusted lieutenants than warped out of the shadows, not long afterwards.

"Yes your majesty, what orders do you have for me and my hive." Zulu said bowing to his queen.

"I want you to enact phase one of our master plan." Chrysalis said to the bowing changeling.

"Are you sure your majesty, the wedding is still over a month away?" Zulu asked his queen.

"Are you questioning my orders Zulu?" Chrysalis said to her lieutenant, making both of the dragons and the dozen or so changelings take a step back from the scene that was about to take place.

"Oh course not your majesty, me and my greatest warriors will enact phase one as soon as possible." Zulu said as he and the rest of the Shadow Hive changelings retreated back into the shadows of the cave to enact the first part of Chrysalis plan to take over Equestria.

"Oh Sig, what have you gotten yourself into." Sigma thought to himself, as the Queen of the Changelings transformed back into her dragon disguise. Using her small dragon wings to fly out of the cave heading toward the Hive of the Changelings.

Back in Canterlot, Moon Dancer's golden chariot had just landed in the city. The sun just about to set over the horizon.

"I can't thank you enough." Moon Dancer said to the two Pegasus guards that had pulled her chariot.

"No thanks necessary Miss Dancer, we are just following our orders." One of the guards said to Moon Dancer, making the grayish-yellow unicorn chuckle to herself.

"Of course, I will make sure to put in a good word for the princess on your behalf." Moon Dancer said to the two guards, making them both simply nod in response. Them both grateful at the mare's kindness.

Moon Dancer then trotted off, heading toward the white castle that towered over the city. "Hmm... that was strange. He first asks me to come to the Dragon Empire, and then cancels are meeting after he gets an unexpected guest." Moon Dancer thought to herself outloud.

Moon Dancer was so trapped in her thoughts that she didn't notice that she was about to run into another pony until it was too late.

"Um I'm sorry, I didn't see you there." Moon Dancer said, rubbing her head in pain.

"Oh, it's alright we all make mistakes." The pony that Moon Dancer had run into said in a warming voice. Moon Dancer's eyes readjusted from the impact to see a pink alicorn with a multi-colored mane standing above her. The alicorn's pink eyes the first thing that came into focus for her.

"Oh, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. I am so sorry for running into you." Moon Dancer apologized to the pink alicorn, scrambling to her hooves when she noticed that she had just ran into the two Princesses' adoptive niece.

"No apologies necessary, and please call me Cadence." Cadence said in her natural warm voice. "What's your name?" Cadence asked Moon Dancer.

"Moon Dancer, my name is Moon Dancer."

"Moon Dancer... what a lovely name." Cadence said to the grayish-yellow unicorn, the two ponies sharing a smile. "Well it was a pleasure to meet you, I hope that we will be able to meet again." Cadence said as the pink alicorn began to trot away.

"I do as well, your highness." Moon Dancer called out to the Princess of Love, her warm smile returning.

Cadence was busying humming to herself as she began to plan the last pieces of her wedding to her new fiance, Shining armor. Who just happened to be a captain of the Royal Guard, and Twilight Sparkle's older brother.

"Hmm... roses or lilies. Lilies or roses." Cadence said to herself, trying to decide which type of flowers she would use for her wedding. Her holding the two flowers with her sky blue magic.

"How about chrysanthemums." Cadence heard from behind her, assuming that it was her future husband.

"That's not funny Shining, this is our wedding, not a funeral." Cadence said turning around expecting to see her fiance. "Shining... who said that!?" Cadence said as the shadows of her room began to warp into the shapes of ponies.

The dozen shadow ponies warping into the forms of the changelings of the Shadow Hive, there to enact stage one of Chrysalis' plan. Get rid of the pink one.

"No need to be alarmed your majesty." One of the changelings said to the pink alicorn, as her horn glowed a sky blue color. The two flowers she was carrying plummeting to the ground with a small thud.

"There will be no need for that your majesty." Zulu said, warping out of the shadows behind the frightened alicorn. Him holding his metal staff with his emerald-green magic. He then used his magic to power the emerald gem on each end of his staff, a curved blade of green magic/fire coming out of each end.

Zulu then used the newly created double bladed spear to slash the pink alicorn across the face, red blood from Cadence coating the blade. Cadence let out a yelp of pain as she fell to the tile floor.

"Nightshade connect the Queen, and tell her that we got the package." Zulu said to one of his almost identical soldiers, placing the green blade of his staff to the alicorn's throat.

Nightshade then saluted his commanding officer and retreated into the shadows, using his ability of shadow travel to teleport all the way to the outskirts of Equestria. Where the hive of the changelings, a large cave big enough the entire changeling population with ease.

Nightshade reached the throne room of the hive, a giant room in the cave with a ceiling that went up a few hundred feet, in seconds. Nightshade stopped just before he could turn around the corner of the entrance to the throne room, when he heard his Queen talking to the hive secret weapon.

"I don't believe, I ever ask you for your option on this matter." Chrysalis said up to her secret weapon.

"No, but you would be best pruent that you discuss your plans with me beforehand."

"Watch your tongue, need I remind you that I am the one that wears the crown in this endeavor." Chrysalis barked back her walking weapon of destruction, trying to put him in his place.

"Please Chrysalis, you may be the one that wears the crown, but you and I both know that I am the one that truly runs things around here." Chrysalis' walking weapon said down to her, making the changeling recoiled back in fear. His one dead black eye seeming to burn through her soul.

"I don't mean to interrupt, but I have a message for you, your majesty." Nightshade said trotting up to his queen, doing his best not to make eye contact with the creature that she was talking to.

"Yes, what is it?" Chrysalis asked, shifting her attention to the changeling at her side.

"I am just to inform you that phase one is complete and we are ready to enact phase two on your command." Nightshade said to Chrysalis, the changeling's green eyes widening at Nightshade's words.

"Of course, I will be right with you." Chrysalis said to the changeling, him retreating back around the corner. "It was a pleasure, as always." Chrysalis said up to her walking weapon, before she followed Nightshade out of the throne room.

"He's always gives me the creeps." Nightshade to Chrysalis.

"You get used to his... unique ways in time." Chrysalis said to the changeling, showing a side of her that she normally kept hidden. "Now is what you tell me true." Chrysalis said to Nightshade, shifting the attention back to the matter at hoof.

"Yes your majesty, Commander Zulu, and the rest of my brethren have the pink one captured and awaiting your command." Nightshade said to his Queen, confirming her wishes.

"Excellent, you know how to shadow travel with a non-shadow changeling right?" Chrysalis said to Nightshade, getting a slight chuckle out of the changeling.

"Oh course your majesty, I wouldn't be that much of a Shadow Hive changeling if I couldn't." Nightshade said to Chrysalis, and faster than you say 'Sweet Celestia' the two changelings warped into the shadows and were back inside Cadence's room. Inside the castle of Canterlot.

The two changelings warped out of the shadows of Cadence's room and the first thing Chrysalis noticed was the bleeding alicorn on the ground, with the green blade of Zulu spear/staff/thing to her throat. Cadence's breathing both slow and irregular, she doing her best just to stay conscious.

"Your majesty, phase one complete. Get rid of the pink one. Just like you instructed." Zulu said when he noticed Chrysalis' presence.

"Not quite." Chrysalis said as her body erupted in green flames, her changeling body changing to the an exact copy of the pink alicorn that lay bleeding on the tile floor.

Cadence slowing turned her head in time to watch the changeling queen turn into herself. Doing her best to contain her shock and horror of what she had just witnessed.

"Now to finish what you had started." Chrysalis said, her voice now that of Cadence's. The real Cadence was then consumed in a circle of green fire, Zulu having to use his bug-like wings to fly off the injured alicorn in order to escape the blaze. The green fire magically teleported the real Cadence down in a makeshift prison for the pink alicorn for the time being.

"You know your majesty, you scare you sometimes." Zulu said to the disguised Chrysalis. A few of the other changelings nodding in a agreeance.

"I'll take that as a complement." Chrysalis said in her Cadence disguise. 'Now be gone, it will be difficult to trick Celestia without you all of you running interference, and damn near impossible with you all here." Chrysalis said dismissing all of the other changelings. All who smartly followed their Queen's orders and warped back into the shadows of the room.

"This is going to be fun." Chrysalis said to herself, as she stared into a full facing mirror inside the real Cadence's room, admiring her handywork. Her now pink eyes changing green one last time, as she left the room ready to Equestria into nothing more than a forever full course meal for her subjects.

A Canterlot Wedding (The Awakening)

A Canterlot Wedding

"Your brother's getting married? Congratulations, Twilight! That's great news!" Applejack said to the purple unicorn.

"Yeah, great news. That I just got from a wedding invitation! Not from my brother, but from a piece of paper! Thanks a lot, Shining Armor. I mean, really, he couldn't tell me personally?" Twilight said angrily.

"Hey, Twilight, just thought you should know I'm making a really big decision that changes everything. Oh, never mind, you'll hear about it when you get the invitation." Twilight said mimicking her brother's voice, in a mocking tone.

"You know what, I'm with you on that one Twilight. What kind of asshole doesn't his own family that he's getting married."

"Princess Mi Amore Cadenza? Who in the hoof is that?!" Twilight vented, letting out an irritated snort.

"Um, Twilight? Are you okay?" Fluttershy cautiously asked the purple unicorn.

"Sorry, it's just that Shining Armor and I have always been so close. He's my B.B.B.F.F!" Twilight said to her friends, apologizing for her previous behavior.

There was a brief pause as her friends recoiled at Twilight's strange phrase, B.B.B.F.F.

"Big Brother Best Friend Forever?" Twilight said explaining what her phrase actually meant.

"Ohhh!" All of Twilight's friends said at once.

"Before I came here and learned the importance of friendship, Shining Armor was the only pony I ever really accepted as a friend." Twilight said as she began to break out into song.

"When I was just a filly, I found it rather silly

To see how many other ponies I could meet

I had my books to read, didn't know that I would ever need

Other ponies to make my life complete

But there was one colt that I cared for

I knew he would be there for me

My big brother, best friend forever!

Like two peas in a pod, we did everything together

He taught me how to fly a kite (Best friend forever!)

We never had a single fight (We did everything together!)

We shared our hopes, we shared our dreams

I miss him more than I realized

It seems..." Twilight sang as moments from fillyhood flashed through her mind.

"Your big brother, best friend forever Like two peas in a pod, you did everything together..." Twilight's friends all sang in unision.

"And though he's, oh, so far away I hoped that he would stay My big brother best friend Forever... Forever..." Twilight sang as one of the clouds magically transformed into a image of her brother and herself playing with a ball made of clouds. The ball being pushed, along with the image of her brother, toward Canterlot. Which had a pink shield over it.

"As one of your P.F.F.'s..." Applejack said to the purple unicorn, using her own strange acronym. There was another strange pause, as her friend's didn't know the meaning of Applejack's strange phrase.

"Pony Friends Forever..." Applejack said to her friends.

"Ohhh!" All of her friend's said in unision.

"...I wanna tell you that I think your brother sounds like a real good guy." Applejack said to Twilight, trying to cheer her up.

"He is pretty special. I mean, they don't let just anypony be captain of the Royal Guard." Twilight said, sitting on the picnic blanket, looking up at the clouds.

"So let me get this straight. We're helping out with the wedding of not only a princess, but acaptain of the Royal Guard?" Rarity said as she flopped to the ground.

"I guess we are." Twilight said still suspicious as to why her brother hadn't told her about getting married.

Over in the Dragon Empire, King Steelclaw was getting a visit from a guest that had been waiting to see all week long.

His guest warped out of the shadows, arriving inside the large throne that was hidden inside the dormant volcano that the dragon's used as the bases for their capital city.

Steelclaw was getting the last pieces of his steel battle armor on his body the changeling warped out of the shadows.

"It appears that you have a guest your majesty." One of Steelclaw's advisors said, noticing the green-eyed changeling.

"Thank you, that will be all." Steelclaw said to all of the other dragons in the large room. The other dragons followed their King's command and left the room. Leaving the changeling and the King of the Dragons alone.

"So, what reason do I have, for giving me this pleasure for your presence." Steelclaw said to the changeling, walking down from his jewel encrusted golden throne.

"My name is Zulu, I am the leader of the prestigious Shadow Hive of my Queen, your majesty." Zulu said giving a slight bow to the King of all the Dragons, as he continued. "I have come to inform you that the mane part of my Queen's plan is about to commence, and I am under orders from my Queen herself to check on if you have kept your word on your part of the plan." Zulu said to Steelclaw, ready to fight if it was absolutely necessary.

"Follow me Zulu, and you will see the great army that I have built." Steelclaw said to the changeling, and he lead him through the many tunnels that cut through the dormant volcano. The sounds of clanging steel echoing throughout the tunnels.

The Mane Six and Spike were now on a train going to Canterlot for Shining Armor's wedding.

"A sonic rainboom? At a wedding?! Can you say "best wedding ever"?!" Rainbow called excitedly.

"Best wedding ever!" Pinkie's voice echoed, as their train passed through a tunnel.

"So you all get to help with the big fancy wedding, but I'm the one who gets to host the bachelor party! I have just one question. What's a bachelor party?" Spike said not knowing what a bachelor party actually was.

"I'm sorry Spike, I can't tell you this is a kid show."

All of the ponies, excluding Twilight, broke out into laughter at the dragon's comment as they neared Canterlot.

"Why the long face, sugarcube?" Applejack asked the depressed unicorn, who was staring out of one of the windows of the train.

"I'm just thinking about Shining Armor. Ever since I moved to Ponyville, we've been seeing each other less and less. And now that he's starting a new family with this "Princess Mi Amore Ca-whatshername", we'll probably never see each other." Twilight said to Applejack.

"Come on, now. You're his sister. He'll always make time for you." Applejack said the depressed unicorn, doing her best to cheer her up. To prevail.

"Couldn't seem to make time to tell me he was getting married." Twilight said to the cowpony, and an awkward silence fell upon the train car as the six ponies and one dragon neared Canterlot.

"We're here, we're here!" Pinkie said excitedly as the train was at the city limits of Canterlot.

The train then passed through the pink bubble shield that surrounded the city. The barrier passing through the interior of the train. A strange magic surge passing through the ponies' bodies.

As the train arrived at the station at Canterlot the six ponies exited the train to see that the station was surrounded by royal guards.

"Whoa, what's with all the guards?" Rainbow said, taking notice of the presence of all the guards.

"I'm sure they're just taking the necessary precautions. Royal weddings do bring out the strangest ponies." Rarity said as the white unicorn exited the train.

"Aaaaaaaaa" Pinkie sneezed like a trumpet, confetti coming out her nose. Making the white unicorn rolls her eyes at the pink pony's actions, that seemed to have no logic to them what's so ever.

"Now, let's get going! We've got work to do!" Rarity said to her friends.

"And you've got a big brother to go congratulate." Applejack said to Twilight, who was still mad at her brother.

"Yeah. Congratulate." Twilight said sarcastically as she trotted off, passing two guards that were guarding the train station.

"And then give him a piece of my mind." Twilight mumbled to herself as she passed the two guards. The two guards sharing a look of concern from the unicorn's words.

Back in the Dragon Empire, Zulu was following King Steelclaw throughout the many tunnels and caves that were carved into the dormant volcano that the dragon's used as their capital city. The only lighting in the caves coming from torches placed every hundred feet or so. Although Zulu liked the shadow, as they were his mane mode of transportation. He still couldn't stop himself, but have a slight hint of fear forming inside of him, as he didn't know if Steelclaw was going to lead him into a trap.

It didn't take long for Zulu realize that the King of the Dragons was in fact leading him upwards, toward the mouth of the cave network. As the dragon and the changeling neared the entrance of the caves, they both heard the roars of, at least to Zulu, ten thousand armored dragons.

As the two reached the top Zulu had to shield his eyes as the hot sun burned down. Changelings, partially Shadow Hive changelings, not that fond of sunlight. As Zulu's blank eyes readjusted to the sunlight. He noticed the ten-twenty thousand dragons standing in front of him. Each and everyone of them clade in full steel body, and carrying at least two weapons of war. Their weapons attached to either a small pocket underneath their wings, or strapped to their backs.

Zulu couldn't stop his mouth from falling wide open at the sight. Even the army that his Queen had amassed was nowhere near the size, or as well armored as the dragon army that was currently standing at action in front of him.

"Is that enough troops for you, and your queen." Steelclaw said to the shocked changeling. Zulu only nodding dumbly in response. "Excellent, now would you be so kind as to leave my Empire. I don't want any losses in this fight other than my own." Steelclaw said to Zulu, who simply nodded in response, as he retreated back into the safety of the shadows.

Steelclaw couldn't stop a pleased grin that escape his mouth, his white dagger-like teeth shining in the sunlight as he did. He then turned to address the massive army of fire, scales, and steel that he had amassed.

Back in Canterlot, Shining Armor, a white unicorn stallion, who was clad in the golden armor of Royal Guards, was addressing the soldiers under his command of their duties to defend the city. All of them unaware that their captain's fiance was in fact the Queen of the Changelings in disguise. Yet alone the massive dragon army that had assembled in the heart of the Dragon Empire.

"I've got something to say to you, mister!" Twilight called up to her older brother. The guards on the baloney of the castle readying their spears, believing that the purple unicorn was a treat to their commanding officer.

"Twily!" Shining Armor said recognizing his little sister. He then took of his golden helmet, putting the his fellow guards at ease, and ran down to his little sister. This being the first time the two of them had seen each other since the Grand Galloping Gala.

"Ah, I've missed, you, kid. How was the train ride? I..." Shining began talking to his little sister, only for Twilight to interrupt him, still mad at him.

"How dare you not tell me in person that you were getting married! I'm your sister, for pony's sake!" Twilight said angrily at her big brother, poking him in the chest with her foreleg.

"It's not my fault! Princess Celestia has requested a major increase in security. Didn't you see all the guards at the train station?" Shining Armor said to his little sister, doing his best to calm her down.

"Yeah, there's a big wedding coming up. Maybe you heard about it?" Twilight said, misinterpreting her brother's meaning.

"It has nothing to do with the wedding. A threat has been made against Canterlot. We don't know who's responsible for it, but Princess Celestia asked that I help provide additional protection. This, you need to see." Shining Armor said to his sister.

He then fired a magenta beam from his horn into the air. The beam hitting the bubble-like shield that covered the city, strengthening it. After Shining Armor finished his spell he nodded his head as he was hit with a massive headache, something that he had been hit with ever since he began his shield spell over Canterlot.

"The burden of keeping Canterlot safe and secure rests squarely on my shoulders. Staying focused on the task at hand has been my top priority." Shining Armor said to his little, Twilight finally realizing the true reasons for her brother's absence.

"Okay, okay, I get it. You've got a really important job protecting all of Canterlot with a force field only you can conjure up." Twilight said to her brother, staring up at the bubble shield he created.

"But seriously. You have one God, no two, make that three Gods in the city and none of them are capable of holding up a shield. While I guess plot convenience is magic."

Anyway back to the story.

"But still... how could you not tell me about something as big as your wedding? Am I not that important to you any more?" Twilight said to her brother, looking down at her hooves.

"Hey, you're my little sister. Of course you're important to me." Shining said, giving his little sister a small hug. "But I'd understand if you didn't want to be my best mare now." Shining said pulling away from the hug, a shy smirk across his face.

"You want me to be your best mare?" Twilight asked her big brother, her eyes widening at his words.

"Well... yeah." Shining said to his little sister, his white cheeks slightly blushing.

"I'd be honored! But I'm still pretty ticked you're marrying somepony I don't even know! When did you even meet this 'Princess Mi Amore Cadenza'?" Twilight said to Shining Armor, not knowing that she had already met the mare that he was about to marry.

"Twily, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza is Cadence, your old foalsitter." Shining said to Twilight, not able to stop a small chuckle coming from his mouth.

"Cadence? As in the Cadence? As in the greatest foalsitter in all the history of foalsitters?!" Twilight said excitedly, realizing who her brother was marrying.

"Such a great foalsitter. I didn't bother to learn what her full name was."

"You tell me. She was your foalsitter." Shining Armor said, letting out a light chuckle.

"Ohmygoshohmygosh! Cadence is only the most amazing pony ever! She's beautiful, she's caring, she's kind..." Twilight said as a memory from her past coming rushing into her head.

"I am so lucky to have you as my foalsitter!" A younger version of Twilight, about six or seven, said to a younger version of Cadence, in her mid to late teens. Who was pushing her in a swing.

"I'm the one who's lucky, Twilight." Cadence said to the young foal.

"You're a princess. I'm just a regular old unicorn." Twilight said to her foalsitter, not knowing of the later irony in her words.

"You are anything but a regular old unicorn." Cadence said to Twilight, picking up from the swing.

"Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake! Clap your hooves and do a little shake!" Twilight and Cadence both said at the same time, doing their special hoof shake. As another memory from Twilight's past of Cadence flashed before her eyes.

Twilight and Cadence were wondering through Canterlot, when they heard a couple arguing.

"I am going for a hooficure and that is that!" A amber colored pegasus said to her boyfriend/husband.

"You are not going..." A light gray earth pony said back, only to be interrupted by the pegasus.

"I am! I am!" The pegasus responded back, as the two ponies continued to argue.

"I've already paid for three this month!" The gray earth said back, as Cadence's horn glew her blue magic aura, a small magical heart coming out of it.

"I... no! My marefriends are all getting their hooves done! And you said that onl..." The amber pegasus continued to argue, as the small heart floated over to the arguing couple.

"Please, we've done this at least..." The gray earth pony began to argue, only to stop when the heart hit the two ponies, feeling the both of them with the unmatched love magic from Cadence.

"How many unicorns can just spread love wherever they go? I only know of one! And you're marrying her!" Twilight said her thoughts returning to that of the present.

"You're marrying Cadence! You're marrying Cadance!" Twilight said in a sing-along voice as she hopped around her brother in a circle.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything important." Cadence said walking in on the brother and sister.

"Cadence! Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake! Clap your hooves and do a little shake!" Twilight said to her former foalsitter, beginning ther normal special hoof shake.

"What are you doing?" Cadence, who was really Queen Chrysalis in disguise, said to the purple unicorn. Giving her a look that said ' you are one strange little pony'.

"Cadence, it's me, Twilight!" Twilight said to the pink alicorn, making her blink in confusion.

"Note to self. I have seem to fail to subject's little sister. Who seems to know of the form I have taken, this could prove problematic. I dispose of her before she can discover our true identity." Chrysalis thought to herself, still able to keep herself in character, sort of.

"Uh-huh." The disguised changeling said to Twilight disinterested. The purple taken aback by the pink alicorn's actions.

"I've gotta get back to my station, but Cadance will be checking in with all of you to see how things are going. I think I speak for both of us when I say we couldn't be more excited to have you here. Right, dear?" Shining Armor said, taking who he thought was his fiance in his arms.

"Absolutely." Cadence said, a devilish grin appearing on her face. Twilight taking a step back from the alicorn's strange display.

"Well, we'll let you get to it." Shining said as he left the two ponies, heading back to his post. As another army prepared to attack over a one thousand miles away.

Back in the Dragon Empire, Theta and his brother Sigma were both lined up almost in the exact middle of the dragon army that was going to invade Equestria, as their King began to address his troops

"Sigma... do you really think that this a..." Theta began to whisper to his brother, only for Sigma to interrupt him.

"Shh Theta... he's about to start." Sigma said as Steelclaw began his speech. Theta reverting his eyes toward the volcanic rock ground.

"My dear brothers in scales and steel. It is my pleasure to lead you all in the greatest battle in this once great Empire's long history." Steelclaw called out to his giant army. The armored dragons erupting into a loud roar in agreeance.

"Today we all get want and what we all deserve, respect!" Steelclaw roared, him no pacing back and forth in front of his army. The dragons in the front rows of the army now on their hind legs, roaring even louder than before.

"Today we will show all of those pesty ponies of Equestria, who are the real bosses around these parts. Today will march onto Equestria and reclaim the land that we once held." Steelclaw said, talking about the almost five hundred years that dragons ruled over the land would later become Equestria.

"Now all of my loyal subjects, move out and bring Equestria to its knees." Steelclaw called out to his troops. Each row then made a complete turn as they began to start marching toward the burning sun. The very thing that Celestia commands now being the thing that leads her enemies for her destruction.

In another part of the castle Twilight was helping Applejack get all of the food for the Shining Armor and Princess Cadence's wedding.

"Cake..." Applejack said putting the final touches on a large multilayered wedding cake.

"check." Twilight said robotically, putting a checkmark on a notebook. More focused on the strange behavior by Cadence. As Applejack ran across the kitchen in front of her.

"Ice sculpture..." Applejack said, finishing a large ice sculpture that looked like a large heart made of ice.

"check." Twilight said in the same robotic monotone.

"Best darn bite-size apple fritter you ever tasted..." Applejack said quickly, placing a small cupcake-like treat in Twilight's mouth.

"Mmm. Check." Twilight said, the treat taking her mind off the strange behavior of her former foalsitter.

"I do. Do you?" Spike said in a deep voice imitating Shining Armor's voice, as he played with the two dolls of the couple. "I do!" Spike said now imitating Cadence's. He then made the dolls kissing, making his kissing sounds to go along with the action. Twilight then trotted over to him, taking the two dolls with her magic and placing them on the counter of the kitchen. Spike laughed nervously at the purple unicorn, who was spending him a glare, afterwards.

"Damn it Spike, go play with the ones that don't go on the cake."

Not long afterwards Cadence walked into the kitchen, all of the ponies present, excluding Twilight, bowing to her.

"Hiya, Princess!" Applejack said, greeting the princess as she entered the kitchen.

"Please, call me Princess Mi Amore Cadenza." Chrysalis disguised as the pink alicorn said, her earning a death glare from the purple unicorn.

"Hiya, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. You come to check out what's on the menu for your big day?" Applejack greeted the pony she thought was the Princess of Love.

"I have!" Cadence said, faking a smile. Only for her face to drop when the orange earth turned her back. Twilight watching the pink alicorn's every moment. Her suspicions of her growing every second.

"Delicious! I love-love-love them." Cadence said after eating one of the apple fritters, as she laughed nervously. Actually not likely the treat, as most changeling cannot eat solid food.

"Aw, shucks. Why don't you take a few to go? I know how you brides can be. So busy, you forget to get a little somethin' in your belly." Applejack said either not noticing the pink alicorn's lie, or just not caring.

Applejack than gave Cadence a brown bag filled with five other apple fritters. Cadence took the brown bag with her green magic, the only part of her changeling form that stayed the same.

She then threw the bag in a metal trash can on her way out. The brown bag hitting the bottom of the trash can with a loud thud.

This action made Twilight gasp at her former foulsitter's out of character behavior. The door to the kitchen magically closing behind the pink alicorn.

"Oh, you should have seen how she acted back there. I don't know when she changed, but she changed!" Twilight vented at Rarity, as the white unicorn worked on the princess' wedding dress. Rarity only half listening to the purple unicorn.

"Please, call me Princess Mi Amore Cadenza." Twilight said imitating Cadence's voice, and at that exact moment the pink alicorn entered the room.

"Did I hear someone say my name?" Cadence said, taking Twilight a little off guard, sending the pink a death glare. A glare that the disguised changeling took as a sign that her plan was working. The disguised changeling's three bridesmaids closely behind.

"Your highness! Let me just start by saying what an honor it is to play a role in such a momentous occasion." Rarity said to the pink alicorn, bowing to her. This was then followed by a round of nervous laughter, as Cadence stared down at her with a blank look on her face.

"Uh-huh." Cadence said enthusiastically, trotting passed the white unicorn. "Is my dress ready?" Cadence said in a commanding tone, earning her another death glare from Twilight.

"Yes, of course. Um, I've been working on it ever since I was given the assignment, and I think you'll be pleased with the results!" Rarity stammered, showing the pink alicorn her dress.

"I was hoping for something with more beading and a longer train." Cadence said to Rarity, as she thought to herself. "It needs to 20% eviler."

"Oh, yes, of course." Rarity said writing down a few notes on a small notebook.

"And those should be a different color." Cadence said, talking about her bridesmaids dresses.

"I think they're lovely." Twinkleshine said

"Me too!" Minuette added.

"I love them." Lyra said, making the pink alicorn shoot glare their way. Despite putting them under her mind control she still allowed them to speak freely, as a way to avoid any suspicion. She was starting to regret that decision.

"Make them a different color." Cadence said, before she stormed out of the room, her three unicorn in tow.

"Gee, maybe her name should be "Princess Demandy-pants." Twilight said more to herself after the pink alicorn stormed out. Catching Rarity's attention for about a second before returning to her task.

In the mane ballroom of the castle, Cadence was checking over the planning of the reception with Pinkie Pie.

"Okay, let me see. We've been over the games..." Pinkie said, as she rattled dice on a board game.

"...the dances..." Pinkie said as she did a strange dance.

"I think this reception is gonna be perfect! Don't you?" Pinkie gasped.

"Perfect!..." Cadence said sarcastically, before continuing. "If we were celebrating a six-year-old's birthday party." Cadence said in a deadpanned nature.

"Thank you!" Pinkie gasped, not registering that the pink alicorn had just insulted her.

As night fell across Equestria, Luna switched duties with her sister of watching over Equestria for the night. She used a telescope to look out across the countryside, but the one thing that not even her telescope could see was the massive dragon army that had formed at the snow capped mountain ridge that marked the border between Equestria and the Dragon.

One top of one of the snow capped peaks there was a large tent that worked as the headquarters for Steelclaw and his top lieutenants, four of them to be exact. Two of those being the wingless twins Theta and Sigma.

"Aren't we going to attack Equestria tonight, when all the guards are asleep." One Steelclaw's lieutenants, a dark blue dragon slightly smaller than Steelclaw clade in the same steel armor that every other dragon was wearing, asked his King.

"No. As much as I would like to take the tactical advantage of the darkness. We must wait until we get the go ahead for attack from our allies." Steelclaw said to the blue dragon, the only other dragons knowing of who the secret allies of the dragons, being Theta and Sigma respectively.

"Theta, Sigma I want you two, to be our lookouts for the night. Alerts me if you notice any moment of the ponies and their forces immediately." Steelclaw ordered at the two twins.

"Yes your majesty." Sigma said saluting his King, leaving the tent without further questions. Theta stayed their standing there for a few seconds before he followed his brother out of the tent. An uncountable amount of questions still circling around in his head.

"Bet I can guess what you're all thinking. Cadance is the absolute worst bride-to-be ever." Twilight said to her friends, who were all gathered around a large table. Just outside of a popular restaurant in the city. All of her friends shared a look of confusion, not noticing any behavior that was out of the ordinary

"Who, me?" Spike said imitating the pink alicorn's voice, while holding up the doll that looked like her.

"Spike! That goes on the cake." Applejack scolded the purple dragon, making him laugh nervously.

"Twilight, whatever are you talking about? Cadence is an absolute gem!" Rarity said to Twilight, leaving the unicorn almost speechless.

"Rarity, she was so demanding!" Twilight said back, surprised that the white unicorn was taking Cadence's side.

"Well, of course she is! Why shouldn't she expect the very best on her wedding day?" Rarity said to the frustrated unicorn, rolling her eyes a little bit.

"Applejack, did you know that after she told you how much she just 'love-love-loved' your hors d'oeuvres, she threw them in the trash?" Twilight said, changing tactics.

"Aw, she was probably just trying to spare my feelin's." Applejack said, waving off (literally) the action by Cadence.

"No, she was just being fake and totally insincere!" Twilight said her frustration toward Cadence beginning beginning to be directed at her friends by accident.

"Oh, come on Twilight, you grew up in the richest city in the world, and you never heard of a Bridezilla before."

"She did raise her voice at one of my birds during rehearsal." Fluttershy said in a near whisper.

"See? Rude!" Twilight exclaimed, no getting confirmation from one of her friends.

"But he was singing really off-key." Fluttershy said, holding up a red bird. That then began to sing, if can even call it that, terribly off key. Forcing the six ponies, and one dragon, to cover their ears.

"Pinkie Pie, you had to have noticed how Cadance treated..." Twilight began to say to the pink earth pony. Only to stop when she saw Pinkie and Spike playing with the two dolls of Cadence and Shining Armor. Giggling to themselves as they made they made the two dolls kiss, them creating their own kissing sounds to go along with it.

"Never mind. Rainbow Dash, you're with me, right?" Twilight said shifting her attention to the cyan pegasus.

"Sorry, Twi. Been too busy prepping for my sonic rainboom to pay much attention to the bride's bad attitude." Rainbow said stretching out her feathered wings. Making the purple unicorn growl in response.

"The princess is about to get married. I'm sure any negative behavior she might be displaying is simply the result of nerves." Rarity said to the purple unicorn, doing her best to calm her down.

"And I'm sure it's the result of being an awful pony who doesn't deserve to even know Shining Armor, let alone marry him!" Twilight shouted, slamming her drink on the wooden table.

"Think maybe you're bein' just a tiny bit possessive of your brother?" Applejack asked Twilight, the rest of her friend's all "Uh-huh"ing in agreeance.

"I am not being possessive, and I am not taking it out on Cadance! You're all just too caught up in your wedding planning to notice that maybe there shouldn't even be a wedding!" Twilight shouted, slamming her hoof on the table, making all of the drinks fly off the table. As she stormed off, leaving her friends utterly speechless.

Back on the border between Equestria and the Dragon Empire. Theta and his brother Sigma arrived at the location on the rocky mountains that gave them a perfect view of the Equestrian camp.

Theta and Sigma took turns looking down a single pair of binoculars, taking some delight the incompetence that the two witnessed.

"Hey Sig, you got see this." Theta said handing his brother the single pair of binoculars.

"Ok, what am I looking at?" Sigma asked his brother, taking the binoculars from him.

"Look at the east side of the camp." Theta said, pointing one his claws in the direction he was speaking about.

Sigma couldn't stop himself from laughing at the sight. What he look at through the binoculars was two unicorn ponies, one a lighter tone of blue than the other, arguing at each other.

The two dragons were too far away to know exactly what they were saying, but the facial expressions of the light toned blue unicorn made them know that he wasn't to pleased at the dark toned blue unicorn. The dark blue unicorn looking down at his hooves, as the light blue unicorn ranted at him. The thing that made it funny that every time that the light blue unicorn would finish talking to the blue unicorn, the blue unicorn would began talking to him again, only to say something that would piss the light blue off again.

By the end the light blue one just gave up and mouth to him. "You know what I bucking hate you." Only for the blue one to mouth back "Hey, I love you to." Only making the lighter blue one roll his eyes and trot off.

"Theta, you find way to much enjoyment in this, don't you?" Sigma asked his little brother by five minutes. Making his brother slightly blush in embarrassment. This making Sigma chuckle to himself.

The two brothers then went back to spying on the ponies that guarded, if you can even call it that, enjoying every second of it.

"Twily!" Shining Armor, dressed in his formal captain's uniform, said opening his house door to see his little standing in front of it. "Your big brother's looking pretty good, don't you think?" Shining Armor continued as the purple unicorn entered his house. "Huh. Everything okay?" Shining Armor said, noticing the distressed look on Twilight's face.

"We need to talk. I think you're making a big..." Twilight began to say to her big brother, only to be interrupted by Cadence's clearly her throat.

"Oh, uh, hi, sweetie." Shining Armor said noticing his fiance at the top of the stairs.

"She sure has a way of sneaking up on people." Twilight grumbled to herself.

"Could I speak to you for a moment, dear?" Cadence said in a blunt tone of voice.

"Better see what she wants." Shining Armor said to Twilight, lightly nudging her in the shoulder. He then followed his future, or so he thought, into a small room. Closing the door behind him, but leaving in open enough for Twilight to see the couple in the room and her their conversation.

"Look, we need to talk." Twilight heard Cadence say to her older brother, her words slightly muffled by the partially closed door.

"I'm here to talk." Shining said back to his fiance.

"It's about your sister, okay?" Cadence said to Shining.

"I... look, look, she's okay." Shining Armor said back to his fiance.

"Just... listen to me."

"I'm listening, I'm listening."

"I thought I made it perfectly clear I didn't want you to wear that." Cadence said to Shining Armor, shifting the argument to Shining's clothing.

"This was my favorite uncle's." Shining said back to Cadence.

"And?"

"And I think I should wear it."

"Are you disagreeing with me?"

"I guess I am... Ah!" Shining Armor said to his fiance, as he was hit with a massive headache. As he collapsed to the ground.

"Oh, dear. Are you getting another one of your headaches?" Cadence said down to Shining Armor, as her horn glowed green as she shot him in the head with her magic. Twilight watched in horror as her brother eyes glazed over and turned the same green color as Cadence's magic.

"Feeling better?" Cadence asked Shining Armor, who nodded dumbly in response.

"She isn't just unpleasant and rude. She's downright evil!" Twilight exclaimed to herself in horror, as she ran out of the building, looking for her five other friends.

"Twilight!" Shining called out to his little sister, as she ran out of the of his house.

"Let her go." Cadence said to Shining Armor, a slight smirk appearing on her face. As her plan became close to becoming accomplished.

"Huh. It seemed like she had something else she wanted to tell me." Shining Armor said more to himself.

"Who goes there?" Luna called down to the ground when she heard movement, to see Twilight running across the court of the castle. "Stay indoors, Twilight Sparkle." Luna said down to the purple, who didn't seem to notice the princess' words.

"Shining Armor's in real trouble! You have to help.." Twilight said bursting into Rarity's room, to find her five friends all dressed in their respective dresses matching their personalities.

"Dresses? What are you...?" Twilight began to ask her friends, confused as to why they were all her friend's were wearing a dress.

"Can you believe it? We're gonna be Princess Mi Amore Cadenza's new bridesmaids!" Fluttershy said to the purple unicorn, doing her best to contain her excitement.

"New bridesmaids? What happened to her old bridesmaids?" Twilight said shocked.

"She didn't say. But she did tell us that she would love-love-love it if we'd fill in for them." Applejack said.

"Seeing as we've been working so hard and everything." Rarity said.

"And you had your doubts about her." Applejack added.

"Told you she was an absolute gem!" Rarity added, leaving the purple unicorn completely speechless.

"You sure this is what I should wear? Doesn't seem all that aerodynamic." Rainbow said to the white unicorn, not sure if her dress would be the best for creating a sonic rainboom.

"Hmm. I'll see what I can do." Rarity said to cyan pegasus, the two of the ponies trotted off. So that Rarity could make her last modifications to Rainbow's dress.

Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Applejack all exchanged in joyful laughter, as the dumbfounded Twilight left the room in the cool night air. He truly being alone.

"Looks like I really am on my own." Twilight thought to herself outloud.

Back on the mountainous border of Equestria and the Dragon Empire, the two wingless dragon twins were getting an unexpected visit from King Steelclaw himself. Steelclaw was at first confused when reached where the two dragons were using to spy on the pony forces, as he heard the two brother laughing.

"This there anything to report?" Steelclaw asked Theta and Sigma, taking the two dragons off guard. They both scrambled to their feet and saluted their King.

"No, nothing to report your majesty." Sigma said to Steelclaw.

"Are you sure, because it seems that are some delight in your work." Steelclaw said, making the two dragon gulped at his words.

"As far as we can tell it may be much easier than we had originally expected to overrun their defense, your majesty." Theta said to Steelclaw.

"And how is that?" Steelclaw asked the two dragons.

"See for yourself, your majesty." Theta said hanging his King the binoculars, and directly him in the direction of where two pony guards were.

"Indeed... you two return to camp. You'll both need your rest." Steelclaw said to the two dragons, happy at what he had just seen.

"What do you mean your majesty?" Theta asked Steelclaw, as their King turned to leave.

"We are invading in the morning, you will both need your strength for the battle that will follow in the morning." Steelclaw said to the two dragons, leaving no need for clarification.

Back in Canterlot, Princess Celestia was leading Shining Armor and Cadence in their wedding rehearsal.

"Perfect, girls. No need to rush." Celestia said as Cadences five new bridesmaids entered the hall were the wedding was going to be held. "Then of course, Cadence will enter." Celestia said as the double doors to the hallway opened revealing the pink alicorn. Shining Armor's eyes widening at the sight of his future bride.

Cadence then gracefully trotted up to the platform, standing next to her future husband.

"I'll say a few words, and then we'll begin with the vows. Shining Armor, you'll get the ring from your best mare." Celestia said explaining how the wedding would work.

"Do you?" Spike said imitating the voice of Shining Armor, still playing with the dolls of the couple. "I do!" Spike now imitating the voice of Cadence, as he threw the dolls of the couple behind him.

"Hey... has anypony seen Twilight?" Shining Armor said, taking note of the lack of his sister.

"I'm here!" Twilight called bursting through the doors. "I'm not gonna stand next to her! And neither should you!" Twilight called up to the young couple, making all the ponies cringe at the purple unicorn's words.

"Twilight, a dramatic entrance just doesn't work at the rehearsal."

"I'm sorry, I... I don't know why she's acting like this." Shining Armor said to Cadence, apologizing for his little sister's actions.

"Maybe we should just ignore her." The disguised changeling said, Twilight falling right into her hooves.

"You have to listen to me!" Twilight called up to the young couple.

"Oh goodness, are you alright?" Fluttershy asked the enrage unicorn.

"I'm fine." Twilight said to Fluttershy.

"Ya sure about that?" Applejack asked rather sarcastically, only adding to Twilight's anger. Using her magic to push the cowpony's hat in her face.

"I've got something to say! She's evil!" Twilight said, pointing her hoof at the pink alicorn. Shining Armor then stood protectively in front of Cadence, a look of anger and disgust on his face.

All the ponies present gasped in horror at Twilight's words.

"She's been horrible to my friends, she's obviously done something to her bridesmaids, and if that wasn't enough, I saw her put a spell on my brother that made his eyes go all..." Twilight said, her eyes looking in random directions. As she backed the pink alicorn into a corner.

"Why are you doing this to me?!" As she began to cry from Twilight's words, as she began to run out of the room.

"Because you're evil!" Twilight called out to the crying alicorn as she ran out of the room.

"Evil! And if I don't stop you, you're gonna ruin my brother's life!" Twilight called out as she turned around, bumping into her older brother. An angry snorl on his face.

"You want to know why my eyes went all?" Shining Armor said mimicking the same eye moment that his sister big earlier, as he was it by another large migraines. "Nuh! Because ever since I started having to perform my protection spell, I've been getting terrible migraines. Cadence hasn't been casting spells on me. She's been using her magic to heal me!" Shining Armor said to his sister, her purple eyes beginning to tear up as she realized her mistakes.

Twilight began to open her mouth as she tried to respond, only for her brother to continue.

"And she decided to replace her bridesmaids because she found out the only reason they wanted to be in the wedding was so that they could meet Canterlot royalty! And if she hasn't been on her best behavior with your...stomps his hooves... friends, it's because with me being so busy, she's had to make all the decisions about the wedding!" Shining Armor said as she continued to explain, at least to his knowledge, as to why Cadence was acting so differently.

"Seriously Twilight, bridezilla. Everypony else has heard of it."

"I was just trying to..." Twilight said up to her brother, doing best to apologize.

"She's been completely stressed out because it's really important to her that our big day be perfect! Something that obviously wasn't important to you!" Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go and comfort my bride. And you can forget about being my best mare. In fact, if I were you, I wouldn't show up to the wedding at all." Shining Armor said as she left the room, rejecting his little sister.

"C'mon, y'all. Let's go check on the princess." Applejack said, as the rest of her friends followed Shining Armor out of the room.

"I was..." Twilight began to say to her friends, her eyes tearing up as she began to comprehend just how badly she bucked up.

"You have a lot to think about." Celestia said to her star student, leaving Twilight completely speechless.

"Maybe I was being overprotective. I could've gained a sister. But instead... I just lost a brother." Twilight said as she laid up against the stairs that lead to the platoff of the room.

He was my big brother, best friend

"Forever...

And now, we'll never do anything

Together..." Twilight sang as a image of her playing with her brother appeared before her eyes.

The image was then smashed like glass by Cadence as she placed her pink hoof gently on the purple unicorn's head.

"I'm sorry!" Twilight apologized to the pink alicorn, her purple eyes filled with tears.

"You will be." Chrysalis said her eyes flashing back to their originally olive green color, as her horn erupted in her green magic. Twilight was then surrounded in a circle of green fire that transported down into the crystal caves of Canterlot. Chrysalis smirked to herself as the final part of her plan was about to commence.

"Zulu, where are you!" Chrysalis called out, now all by herself in the room where the wedding was going to be held. The carpet where Twilight was captured slightly burned.

The shadows of the room then warped into the form of the leader of the Shadow Hive changelings. "You summoned for me your majesty." Zulu said giving a slight bow to his disguised Queen.

"Drop the formalities Zulu. I need you to deliver a message." Chrysalis said to the bowing changeling, taking him a little off guard.

"Yes... yes of course... clears throat... what is it that you want message do you wish for me to send?" Zulu asked his Queen, a devilish smirk appearing on Chrysalis' muzzle.

"Tell King Steelclaw that he can now invade Equestria if deems it fit." Chrysalis said, leaving the changeling she was talking to dumbfounded. There was a few moments of awkward silence as Zulu tried to find his words.

"What is it Zulu, has a dragon caught your tongue." Chrysalis said mocking her most trusted lieutenant. Her words arguably even creepier, as she was still in the form of the Princess of Love.

"No, right away your majesty." Zulu said as she warped back into the shadows, leaving Chrysalis with the same devilish smirk reappearing to her face.

"Just wait Equestria soon your world will come crumbling down..." Chrysalis said staring up at the pink bubble shield that protected the city. "Literally."

Zulu shadow traveled to the camp that Steelclaw was using on the mountains that marked the border between Equestria and the Dragon Empire. Surprised to find that it was a buzz, with dragon of all different shapes and sizes going every which way, carrying various different weapons of war.

Zulu went straight for the tent that Steelclaw using as his headquarters. Zulu walked into the tent to find the King of the Dragon standing in front of a large table, a map of the area spread across it.

"Now I want our mane attack to come from the front, while we use our best warriors to cut through the mountains and invade the camp from the side." Steelclaw said to one of his lieutenants, just before he noticed the entrance of the changeling.

"If you two would give me a moment with our guest." Steelclaw said to the two other dragons in the room, knowing exactly what the changeling wanted to discuss with him.

The two dragon followed the orders of their King and left the tent. Leaving Steelclaw and Zulu alone in the tent.

"So what occurance brings you here, Zulu if I am not mistaken." Steelclaw said to Zulu, the changeling taking a step closer before he spoke.

"Yes, you are correct your majesty. I am on a mission from my Queen to give you a message." Zulu said to Steelclaw, getting a soft chuckle from the dragon in return.

"And what message would that be?" Steelclaw asked, leaning up against the large table in the tent.

"I have just come to inform you that my Queen has completed the beginning phases of her plan to invade Canterlot and gives you permission to invade Equestria whenever you deem fit." Zulu said to Steelclaw, putting the dragon into deep thought before he responded.

"First off, I don't take orders from Queen, second off I was going to invade Equestria regardless if I got assistance from your Queen, thirdly in case you didn't notice I am going to invade Equestria at dawn." Steelclaw said, raising from his leaning position, making Zulu take a step back out of both fear and in manner to defend himself if necessary.

"Right, while I guess I have exceed my welcome. I will be going now." Zulu said as he retreated backwards, his lower half warping into the shadows of the tent.

"You do that, but before you do, will you send a message back to your queen for me?" Steelclaw said to Zulu, catching his attention.

"And what message would that be?" Zulu asked Steelclaw, not sure at what he would get in response.

"Will you tell your Queen that if intends to double cross me, she would to deal with not just the armies of Equestria, but also the combined firepower of the entire Dragon Empire." Steelclaw said to Zulu, getting a slow nod from the changeling from response.

"Good, now begone, it's not very safe for a pony-like in this camp right now." Steelclaw said to Zulu, as the changeling warped back into the shadows.

"Wow, what insanity have you gotten yourself into Zulu." Zulu thought to himself as he arrived back at the mane hive of the changelings. All of the warriors changelings ready for the invasion of Equestria the following day.

Zulu continued to trot through the hive until he came across the large cavern that held Chrysalis' secret weapon. His giant body was sleeping on the hard floor fully aware of the events that were going to transpire the following day. His giant body only moving when he breathed. His dreams being the same thing that he had been having for the last fifteen hundred years. All of his dream being about the same giant red dragon that he used to call as his twin brother.

His dreams always ended the same way, with the red dragon clad in multicolored battle armor standing over his deceased corpse, rainbow colored flames coming out of his mouth. A dream that he never wanted to come to pass.

The very creature that lay just underneath the city of Canterlot that stirred as its fifteen hundred slumber began to come to an end.

Underneath the city of Canterlot the Alpha stirred in his sleep as the fire inside of him reignited for the first time. His orange fire rushed through the very veins and arteries of his body.

As his fire rushed all throughout his body the blackened dust covered scales of his body slowly began to regain their original reddish-orange color as he seemed to be raising from the dead.

His massive head raised off the ground the bones in his neck cracking from over a millenia of usage, the sound echoing throughout the crystal caves. The top of his head slamming into the ceiling of the cave that he was hidden in, multiple large boulders plummeting to the ground. As a slight growl escaped from his mouth, his surprising razor sharp teeth showing.

His giant tail swag around hitting a large stone pillar, turning it into nothing but a pile of dust. This action causing a small earthquake to shake the city. Something that the ponies of Canterlot even give a second thought about. All of them unaware that the most powerful creature in all of Equestria was awakening from an over one thousand year long nap, less than a mile beneath their own hooves.

He lowered his massive head as his massive eyes began to stir, the final part of the spell that held in an eternal state of slumber began to weaken. His eyelids began to shudder before his giant eyes finally flashed open, his giant emerald green eyes seeing anything for the first time for over fifteen hundred years. This was shortly followed by the first and then second blink in over a millenia. His giant green eyes widened to adjust to the darkness of the room as he breathed in one long breath. The fire that was burning inside his chest getting some much needed oxygen.

"I awaken."

A Canterlot Awakening (The Awoken)

A Canterlot Awaking

At about midnight Celestia was busying wandering through the halls, still not pleased at the current behavior of her star student, Twilight Sparkle. "What has gotten into Twilight. I sure hope that she doesn't end up like Sunset." Celestia thought to herself, remembering the student that she had before Twilight. A student that hadn't turned out so well. These thoughts bounced around in her head as she neared the part of the castle that held the private quarters of royalty.

Her personal thoughts came to an abrupt halt, when she heard a familiar voice cry out in pain. "Luna!" Celestia cried out as she burst through the room the that lead to the baloney, where the blue alicorn was watching over the night.

The first thing she saw was her little sister laying on the ground, holding one of her hooves to her head, screaming in agony. "Luna are you ok!? Are you hurt!?" Celestia asked her distressed sister, rushing over to her side. Celestia wrapping her giant wings around the hurt alicorn in a protective manner.

"Yeah... I'm fine... Celestia. I just... got this massive migraine." Luna said to her elder sister, through gritted teeth. Luna surprised that she could even talk, yet alone create half a sentence. Unbeknownst to Luna and Celestia, the blue alicorn's migraine was, in fact, coming from the Alpha recently reawakening, and Luna's body wasn't adjusting well to the rush of dream magic returning to her body.

Celestia than helped her little to her hooves, Luna still holding the top of her head, slightly groaning in pain. "Are you sure Luna, you don't look so good?" Celestia asked her little sister, her words filled with concern.

"Yeah I was fine for most of the night until..." Luna began to explain to her sister, only for her to drop to the ground as she was hit by another massive migraine.

"What! Until what Luna!?" Celestia asked her younger sister, her now becoming extremely of the health of her little sister.

"I... don't know! I was just doing my job, and out of nowhere I got hit by a massive migraine. A migraine that doesn't seem to want to end at any moment." Luna said through gritted teeth, her migraine only growing worse as she continued to speak.

"Luna, you need to get some rest, you don't look so good." Celestia said to the blue alicorn, helping her little sister back to her hooves.

Luna opened her mouth to protest, only for her to get hit by another migraine, making her groan out in pain. This making her instantly change her mind. Luna then let out a long sigh, and simply nodded to her older sister.

"Good, now come on Luna, I'll help you get back to her room." Celestia said to her little sister, acting more like her mother then anything else.

It took a few minutes for Celestia to escort Luna back to her room. Celestia opened the blue alicorn's room door with her golden magic, the door slowing opening with ease.

Luna's room was almost pitch black, the blackout curtains helping the Princess of the Night get her sleep during the day. The walls of her room were painted the same color as her coat and had the design of her cutie mark just above her bed. Speaking of which, her bed was a large king-sized bed that had pillows and blankets of the same design the walls.

Luna then slowing trotted over to her bed and collapsed on the mattress, not even bothering to wrapped herself up in the blankets. Her mentally exhausted body facing the blackout curtains, away from her sister.

Celestia turned to leave, only to be stopped by the sound of her little sister's voice. "Celestia wait."

"Yes... what is it Luna?" Celestia asked her little sister, Luna rolling over to her other side to face her sister directly. Celestia's flowing rainbow colored mane, lighting up the pitch black room.

"I just wanted to say... thank you." Luna said weakly, her migraine beginning to slightly lessen.

"Thank me... for what?" Celestia asked the blue alicorn, taken a little off guard by Luna's words. Celestia's reaction made Luna's slightly giggle to herself, as she answered her sister's question.

"For everything Celestia." Luna began, her words making the white alicorn take a step back."For all those years you watched over my night, even though it must have been a challenge for you to rise my moon every single night. Every single night, my moon being a symbol of both of our failure as sisters." Luna continued, small tears beginning to form in her teal eyes. "All those years of ruling over our subjects, alone. I guess what I'm really saying is that I am sorry. I'm sorry that because of my selfishness that I forced into a position that either of us could have ever prepared. I'm sorry... I'm sorry for everything." Luna said to Celestia, her tearing eyes now getting pushed into the sheets of her bed, them becoming wet from her tears.

Celestia was left utterly speechless from her sister's words. She had known that Luna had regretted becoming Nightmare Moon, but she hadn't known the full extent of how much she blamed herself.

Celestia slowing approached the crying alicorn, placing her hoof on her shoulder, catching the blue alicorn's attention.

Luna moved her head up to look Celestia directly in her tearing pink eyes.

"No Luna, I'm the one that should be sorry." Celestia said giving her little sister her own apology. "If I had been their for you when you were in need. Then maybe you would have never became Nightmare Moon in the first place." Celestia said to Luna, using her hoof to wipe away Luna's tears. "I guess what I am saying is that we are both equally to blame for what happened to you. And don't think for even a second that I don't regret having to banish you every single day." Celestia said to Luna, embracing her in a sisterly hug.

Luna was at first taken off guard by her sister's actions, but quickly accepted the hug. The two alicorn sisters continued their hug for what seemed like an hour before they finally separated.

"Now, you need to get your rest, I'll take the duty of the night for tonight ok." Celestia said wiping away her tears with her hoof. She got a simple nod from Luna in response.

Celestia turned around to leave the room, slowing closing the door with her magic. But just before she did she spoke to her sister. "Good night Luna, I love you." Celestia said to Luna. The two alicorn's eyes meeting.

"I love you to Celestia." Luna said to Celestia, as the elder alicorn closed the door completely. The moment there was complete darkness Luna closed her eyes and drifted off to the one location that she had total control. The land of dreams.

A few hours passed and Celestia both lowered the moon and raised the sun like she had for the last thousand years of Luna's banishment as Nightmare Moon. The raising sun bringing light across all of Equestria and the rest of the world. The sun's rays hit the snow capped mountains that marked the border between Equestria and the Dragon Empire, the white snow reflecting the sun rays like a giant mirror.

The young ponies raised from their bunks and trotted over to their posts, all of them unaware that they were about to get over run by a massive force of the greatest trained and best armed army in existence.

"The sun has risen your majesty." A massager dragon with light blue scales, and wearing the least amount of armor that was necessary, said to his King. Who was busying doing his morning stretches.

"No, shit Sherpony. Wake up every dragon you can find, we move out within the hour.

The light blue dragon's eyes widened at his King's words, but followed them nonetheless. "A... yes your majesty... right away your majesty." The light blue dragon said as he bowed to his King, before he ran out yelling at the top of his lungs. "Every dragon that is still asleep awake up! Every dragon get dressed loaded up and get to your battle stations! We are all moving out within the next hour!" The blue dragon called as the camp erupted into chaos as all the dragons instantly rushed to getting ready.

"Theta where's my sword?" Sigma asked his twin brother, as he put his shining steel helmet on his head.

"Right here bro." Theta said throwing the weapon Sigma was talking about at him, something that Sigma caught with ease.

Sigma then attached the sword to a brand that wrapped his right foreleg, a device designed to help dragons and ponies alike hold a weapon in the heat of battle, without the usage of magic.

Theta grabbed the last piece of his armor, a small steel helmet with a similar design to the one that his brother had, and just stared at the helm in his claws, the small eye holes seemly to see right through Theta's soul.

"Hey Theta, are you alright?" Sigma asked his brother, pacing his free claw on the white dragon shoulder. This action slightly taking his brother off guard.

"Uh... oh yeah I fine... I guess." Theta said to his brother, he reluctantly placed the helmet on his head.

"Are you sure, because you don't look so good?" Sigma asked his brother, his concern growing as Theta white scales looked even paler than normal.

"Yeah I'm fine just... nervous I guess." Theta said to Sigma.

Before Sigma could respond, the same messenger dragon began calling out to the camp. "Every dragon, load up! Ready or right, we are moving out! If are not ready than you are getting left behind!"

"Well Sig, are you ready?" Theta asked his older brother by five minutes.

"Theta, I was born ready." Sigma said rolling his eyes as he exited the small tent that they shared.

Theta awkwardly laughed to himself as he followed his brother outside the tent, not sure if we was ready for what was about to come. Something or should I say someone that was about to change the history of both Equestria and the Dragon Empire forever.

Underneath Canterlot, inside the crystal caves Twilight was being held prisoner by Queen Chrysalis.

"Hello? Is anyone there?" Twilight said, her voice echoing of the caves walls. Her horn glowing her magenta aura, using it as a small flashlight.

Her words were followed by maniacal laughter, Twilight finched as she walk into one of the large blocks of crystals.

"Where am I?" Twilight said more to herself, not expecting an answer. Well she got one anyway, as her reflection in the large block of crystal turned into the image of Chrysalis, still in her Cadence disguise.

"The caves beneath Canterlot, once home to greedy unicorns who wanted to claim the gems that could be found inside. And now, your prison." Chrysalis said to the frightened unicorn.

"Help! Help!" Twilight called into the caves.

"It's no use. No one can hear you. And no one will ever think to look for you, either. Most ponies have forgotten that these caves even exist, which is why they are the ideal place to keep the ones who try to interfere with my plans." Chrysalis laughed at the purple unicorn, taking a twisted delight at messing with her pray.

"Plans? What plans?" Twilight asked the image of the pink alicorn.

"The plans I have for your brother, of course." Chrysalis said, enraging the purple unicorn. Her horn glowing brighter full of magic.

"Don't you dare do anything to my brother, you... you monster!" Twilight called at the image of the pink alicorn. Making the disguised changeling only laugh at the unicorn failed attempt to threaten her.

"Only way to stop me is to catch me!" Chrysalis laughed as she disappeared from the crystal right as Twilight shot her magenta magic at her. The beam bounced off of the crystal, rebounded all round the small room before failing slamming into the ground. "Over here!" Chrysalis laughed, appearing in another piece of crystal. Only for Twilight to destroy it with her magic. "Nope, over here!" Chrysalis laughed as she appeared in a large piece of crystal. Twilight charged up her horn and blasted the large block of crystal destroying it.

After destroying the crystal it revealed the beaten body of the actual Princess Cadence.

"No! Wait! Ugh!" Cadence exclaimed as Twilight tackled her to the ground out of rage. "Please! Don't hurt me! Twilight, it's me! Please, you have to believe me. I've been imprisoned like you. The Cadence who brought you down here was an imposter." The actual Cadence said up to Twilight.

"Likely story!" Twilight said, not believing what the pink alicorn was saying.

"Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake. Clap your hooves..." Cadence said as she began to do their special hoof shake.

"...and do a little shake." Twilight joined in, realizing that the pony she was talking to was indeed her former foalsitter.

"You remember me!" Twilight said, embracing the pink alicorn in a hug.

"Of course I do. How could I forget the filly I love to sit for the most?" Cadence said to Twilight, as she stared off into the blackness of the crystal caves.

"We have to get out of here. We have to stop her!" Twilight said to Cadence, as the two ponies took off looking for a way out of the crystal caves.

Inside the Canterlot castle Crysalis was getting ready for her wedding to Shining Armor as she began to sing.

"This day is going to be perfect

The kind of day of which I've dreamed since I was small

Everypony will gather 'round

Say I look lovely in my gown

What they don't know is that I have fooled them all!" Chrysalis sang, her eyes turning their original olive-green.

Underneath the city, inside the crystal caves. The real began to join her imposter in her own song.

"This day was going to be perfect

The kind of day of which I've dreamed since I was small

But instead of having cake

With all my friends to celebrate

My wedding bells, they may not ring for me at all…"

Back with Chrysalis she continued to sing her darker version of the practically the same song.

"I could care less about the dress

I won't partake in any cake

Vows, well I'll be lying when I say

That through any kind of weather

I'll want us to be together

The truth is I don't care for him at all

No I do not love the groom

In my heart there is no room

But I still want him to be all mine."

Inside the crystal caves Twilight and Cadence were getting closer to the surface, as Cadence continued her song.

"We must escape before it's too late

Find a way to save the day

Hope, I'll be lying if I say

"I don't fear that I may lose him

To one who wants to use him

Not care for, love, and cherish him each day"

"For I oh so love the groom

All my thoughts he does consume

Oh, Shining Armor, I'll be there very soon."

Back with Chrysalis she sang to herself as she entered the room where the wedding was being held.

"Finally the moment has arrived

For me to be one lucky bride." Chrysalis sang as she stood next to her future hypnotized husband.

Back with Twilight and Cadence, she continued to sing as the two ponies reached a dead end in the caves.

"Oh, the wedding we won't make

He'll end up marrying a fake

Shining Armor will be..." Cadence began to sing as it switched back to Chrysalis.

"...mine, all mine." Chrysalis laughed to herself.

Over at the mountainous border between Equestria and the Dragon Empire, the large dragon army was at their position and ready to invade the land of Equestria.

At the pony camp two unicorn guards, one maroon the other other orange, were standing ontop of a large platform staring off into the distance, bored out of skulls. Both of the them completely unaware that they were about to get attacked by an army of dragons.

"They look so peaceful, don't they?" Steelclaw asked one of his lieutenants a rhetorical question, as he spied on them through binoculars.

His lieutenants was about to answer, when Steelclaw shot him a glare for him to remain silent.

"Send the first wave." Steelclaw said, handing the binoculars to his lieutenant.

"Of course your majesty. You heard our king, every dragon that is part of the first wave to your battle stations. We are moving out. Next stop Canterlot!" The lieutenant called into the large crowd of dragons.

Theta and his brother Sigma were ones of the dragons that were part of the first wave. Theta assumed that Steelclaw believed that with their lack of wings it would make them easier targets. Clearly he had never seen Sigma in a meeting brawl.

Despite Sigma lack of wings, he was one of the strongest dragons in the entire Dragon Empire, his unrivaled strength making up for his lack of mobility.

"Are you ready little bro?" Sigma asked his little brother by five minutes. Seeing the concerned look on his face.

"Yeah... I at least I guess, and I am only five minutes younger than you." Theta said to Sigma, getting a slight chuckle out of the grayish-silver dragon.

"Sure, whatever you say Theta. Come on it's time for you to get your first blood stains on your scales." Sigma said as he took to be in the front of the line.

Theta remained still for a few seconds as he pulled out his short sword, a small steel sword only about two and a half feet in length. He stared at the weapon, slightly marveling at the strange beauty that a device designed to cut through even dragon scales with ease processed. His emerald green eyes strolled down the weapon until it reached its hilt and he noticed something engraved on the handle.

It was something that was engraved on every weapon, but it wasn't until then that he had noticed its significance until now.

The engraving read. "Long live the Alpha, and have him watch over you." Theta stared at the message engraved on his sword for a solid minute, thinking how a dragon that many didn't believe existed would be able to help him a battle with ponies that he didn't want to fight, but was forced to fight anyway. Before he finally placed it back in its scabbard that was attached to his armor, just under his belly.

"sigh... Sweet Alpha what in tartarus am I going to do." Theta said to himself, as he took of to catch up to the first wave of the invasion of Equestria.

Unbeknownst to him underneath the city of Canterlot he was about to learn just how real and how powerful the Alpha of all the dragons really was and still is.

Back in Canterlot the wedding between Queen Chrysalis and Shining Armor was about to began. Princess Celestia was presiding over the ceremony, and if you said that wasn't in peak physical condition would be an understatement.

The white alicorn had noticeable bags under her eyes as she had to stay up the rest of the night, watching over the night in place of her sister. Not to mention she had to both lower the moon, and raise the sun for the first time in over four months.

Celestia, however, did a good job to hide her sleep prevention, chalk it up to over a thousand years of practice.

Mares and gentlecolts, we are gathered here today to witness the union of.." Celestia began the wedding ceremony, as the scene shifted down to the crystal caves underneath Canterlot, as Cadence and Twilight were stuck at a dead end.

"Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and Shining Armor." Twilight and Cadence heard Celestia say, the white alicorn's words muffled by the rocks of the caves.

"Oh, we're never going to save him."

"You're right underneath them, just shot really loud. If you can hear them, they can here. But no pony ever listens to the snarky comments by the narrator."

"We will. We just have to find... There!" Twilight said, pointing her hoof at a crack in the caves, where sunlight was shining through.

"You're not going anywhere." Minuette, Twinkleshine, and Lyra all said to the purple unicorn and the pink alicorn, their minds hypnotized by Queen Chrysalis.

A few minutes later inside the Canterlot castle, Celestia was about to pronounce Queen Chrysalis and Shining Armor as new husband and wife.

"Princess Cadance and Shining Armor, it is my great pleasure to pronounce you..." Celestia began to make Chrysalis and Shining Armor husband and wife, only for Twilight to barge in.

"Stop!" Twilight chanted at the top of her lungs as she burst into the room where the wedding was being held, bring it to a complete halt.

All the ponies present all began their own conversations at the unicorn's rudeness. Making Twilight's friends all face hoof at the purple unicorn's actions.

"Ugh! Why does she have to be so possessive of her brother?" Chrysalis said bluntly, earning a surprised look from the white alicorn. "Why does she have to ruin my special day?" Chrysalis faked a sob, noticing her mistake.

"Because it's not your special day! It's mine!" The real Cadence said, walking into the room. An unanimous gasp coming across the crowd of ponies.

"What? But how did you escape my bridesmaids?" Chrysalis, dropping her act, knowing that she was about to be discovered. Twilight and Cadence both shared a smirk as they remembered how they 'defeated' Chrysalis' bridesmaids.

A few minutes earlier underneath the city. Chrysalis' three bridesmaids were cornering the two ponies up against the dead end of the cave.

An idea came to Cadence's mind as she summoned a small bouquet, don't ask me how she got it. The three hypnotized ponies eyed the bag of flowers as Cadence throw it down one of the tunnels of the caves.

"I want it!" The three ponies all cried as they leaped after the bouquet.

"Hooray for gender stereotyping."

The three ponies followed the bouquet down the tunnel, completely unaware that it was the tunnel that lead to the cavern where the Alpha was held. Him just waiting for the opportune time to make the world know that he had returned.

Back in the present and inside the Canterlot castle.

"Hmph. Clever. But you're still too late." Chrysalis said, surprised that something so simple could break her spells.

"I... I don't understand. How can there be two of 'em?" Applejack said, asking the question that was on everypony's mind.

"She's a changeling. She takes the form of somepony you love and gains power by feeding off your love for them." Cadence said, explaining how changeling biology worked.

Chrysalis then erupted into flames as she transformed back into her original form as the Queen of the Changelings. Chrysalis height nearly doubled as she returned to her original bug-like form. Chrysalis then broke out into evil laughter, to the dismay of all the ponies present.

"Right you are, Princess. And as queen of the changelings, it is up to me to find food for my subjects. Equestria has more love than any place I've ever encountered. My fellow changelings will be able to devour so much of it that we will gain more power than we have ever dreamed of!" Chrysalis said to the pink alicorn, laying out her plan, well most of it.

"They'll never get the chance! Shining Armor's protection spell will keep them from ever even reaching us!" Cadence barked back at the changeling that had kidnapped her, only getting a chuckle from Chrysalis in return.

"Oh, I doubt that. Isn't that right, dear?" Chrysalis said, looking back at Shining Armor. Who nodded absent mindedly in response. Cadence was horrified by the sight of her fiance being treated as nothing more than a puppet in the changeling's plans, and charged at Chrysalis.

"Ah, ah, ah. Don't want to go back to the caves, now do you?" Chrysalis said to Cadence, her crooked horn glowing olive-green, making the pink alicorn retreat. "Ever since I took your place, I've been feeding off Shining Armor's love for you. Every moment he grows weaker and so does his spell. Even now, my minions are chipping away at it." Chrysalis said, and at the exact moment she did a group of her changeling were hitting the pink bubble shield of Shining Armor. The shield beginning to crack from their efforts.

"He may not be my husband, but he is under my total control now." Chrysalis said, getting a shared gasp by Twilight and Cadence. "And I'm sorry to say, unable to perform his duties as captain of the Royal Guard." Chrysalis said, her massive ego about to get the best of her.

“Not my Shining Armor!” Cadence said in horror.

“Soon, my changeling army will break through. First, we take Canterlot. And then, all of Equestria!” Chrysalis said as she took off into the air, in a fit of evil laughter.

"No. You won't. You may have made it impossible for Shining Armor to perform his spell, but now that you have so foolishly revealed your true self, I can protect my subjects from you." Celestia said as she jumped into the air, and fired her golden magic at the large changeling. Chrysalis countered with her own beam of green magic.

The beams collided and the two beams battled, until the green beam of Chrysalis took the upper hoof and defeated Celestia's making the white alicorn fall to the ground. Her horn burnt from the battle.

"Princess Celestia!" Twilight exclaimed, running over to the injured alicorn's side.

"Ah! Shining Armor's love for you is even stronger than I thought! Consuming it has made me even more powerful than Celestia!" Chrysalis said, genuinely surprised that she was able to defeat Princess Celestia so easily.

"The Elements of Harmony. You must get to them and use their power to defeat the queen." Celestia said weakly, until she passed out.

The six bearers of the Elements of Harmony than all took off searching for the Elements of Harmony. Everypony, even Chrysalis, completely unaware that Equestria was about to have a battle on two completely different fronts about to begin.

Over on the border between Equestria and the Dragon Empire, the first wave of the dragon invasion of Equestria was about to commence.

"Attack!" Steelclaw roared at the top of the mountain, catching the attention of all the pony guards.

The guards were all left in a state of confusion. Their confusion, however, didn't last long. As one of the guards dropped to the ground, a long spear through his skull.

"Everypony to your battle stations! This is not a drill! I repeat, this is not a deal!" The commander ordered at his man, but it was to late for the ponies, as the first wave of dragons appeared through the mountain pass.

"Sweet Celestia." One of the guards said to himself, as he laid his eyes on the larger and vastly better equipped dragon army that was advancing on their position.

"Everypony, stand your ground. If these dragon invaders get passed us, than there is nothing to stop them until Dodge Junction." The commander ordered at his man, knowing full well that they were all most likely going to die.

"Sir, permission to speak freely?" One of the guards said, as the dragon army was now only a few hundred yards away.

"Go right ahead son." The commander said, doing his best to look brave in front of his men.

"I just wanted to say that it has been an honor serving with your sir." The soldier said as he turned back to his position, his tiny bronze spear held firmly in his light blue magic.

"The same to you soldier, now move over." The commander, moving into his position in the line, his slightly longer spear made of the same bronze held in his red magic.

Over with the dragons, Sigma laughed to himself as he watched the pony guards scramble to get ready, for what he saw as them just preparing for their deaths.

"This is going to be too easy." Sigma thought to himself as he drew is short sword from its scabbard, and held the weapon in his mouth. His scales becoming a slightly darker tone of gray as he got closer to the wall of pony bodies.

With Theta, he was near the rear of the first wave, when he heard the order to draw your weapons. Theta reluctantly followed the order, as he drew his own sword, holding the steel weapon in his white claws.

He glaze focused on the same engraving that he had read earlier. "Long live the Alpha, and have him watch over you." Theta read the same emscripten.

"I don't know if you are or were even real Alpha, but if you are I really need you." Theta said to the weapon in his claws, and he could've sweared that he saw the blade of the weapon shine, as if it had answered his wish.

Theta then felt a strange sensation throughout his body, as if a raging fire had just been ignited inside of him. Theta's emerald-green eyes narrowed to slits, as he placed the small sword in his mouth. "Let's do this." Theta said as he took of to the fight. The sounds of clashing metals, roars from dragons, and the cries from injured and dying ponies guiding him.

Him not knowing that he will become closer to the Alpha than dragon had even been.

Underneath Canterlot, inside the crystal caves, the three hypnotized ponies were chasing the small bouquet of flowers down, further into the depths of the caves.

"I got it!" Minuette exclaimed as she pounced on the small flowers.

"No... I did." Twinkleshine said, yanking the flowers out of the blue unicorn's hooves.

"Hey, no fair." Minuette said, taking the flowers from the ivory unicorn. The two unicorn's continued this for about a minute, as Lyra watched on. The mint-green unicorn rolled her eyes as she continued down the tunnel, until she came across a large opening that lead into a large cavern. Curious she entered the cavern, and what she saw instantly broke her out of Chrysalis' mind control.

Lyra's mouth dropped to the floor as she stared at the massive body of the Alpha laying in front of her. "Sw... Sweet... Cel... Celestia!" Lyra screamed, catching the Alpha's attention, whose eyes shot open at the scream.

Alpha stared at the small unicorn in confusion as he raised from his laying position, his massive skull hitting on the ceiling of the cavern. Large boulders falling onto the ground, only adding to the unicorn's fear.

Minuette and Twinkleshine intrigued by Lyra's scream dropped the bouquet that they were fighting over and trotted down the tunnel to where the mint colored unicorn was located.

"Lyra what's wrong?" Twinkleshine asked the frightened pony, not looking inside the cavern.

"Dr... Dra... Dragon!" Lyra screamed, pointing her hoof at the mountain-sized dragon in the cavern.

"What... Sweet Celestia!" Twinkleshine and Minuette screamed at the same time, as the laid eyes on the Alpha for the first time.

"Celestia, what about her. What about Luna, answer me?" Alpha roared, only making the ponies cower in fear. The Alpha then let in one long stiff, the stench of something he hadn't smelled in almost two thousand years, entering his nostrils.

"Changelings." The Alpha said, his massive body tensing up, as his massive tail swing around. Kicking up a mound of dust in the process.

The three unicorn's were all petrified in fright at the sight of the giant creature. "We are so going to die." Minuette managed to mumble out. The Alpha taking a strong offense to the unicorn’s words

"I wish no ill will onto you, or anypony in fact. I, however, will protect you from the plague that are known as changelings." The Alpha said as he massive body jerked to life.

"Run." Lyra said, as the three unicorns bolted as fast as they could up the tunnels, the tunnels beginning to collapse in on themselves as the Alpha began to return to the world the only way he possibly could.

To dig himself out of it.

Back on the surface of Canterlot, the Mane Six were racing through the castle, on their way to the part of the castle that held the Elements of Harmony.

The six ponies all came to a stop as the city was hit by a massive earthquake. A earthquake so powerful that the bubble shield around the city shattered, leaving the city completely defenseless from the changeling invasion.

The army of changelings divebombed the city, their horns glowing green as they slammed into the ground. One of them missing Twilight by mere inches.

"Go, go!" Twilight said as her and her friends came to the building where the Elements of Harmony were being held.

The six ponies all came to a stop as they got surrounded by a small army of changelings, some of the changeling warping out of the shadows.

"Looks like we're gonna have to do this the hard way." Rainbow said, pounding his hooves together, ready to fight. Rainbow stopped when a changeling transformed into a perfect image of herself. Rainbow stared at the copy in confusion, the changeling took advantage of the cyan pegasus' confusion and hit her in the face. Making her fly backwards. "How did you...?" Rainbow said, rubbing her head in pain. As more and more changelings changed into the cyan pegasus.

"They're changelings, remember?" Twilight said.

"They're changelings, remember?" A group of changelings disguised as Twilight said, mimicking the unicorn's words perfectly.

"Don't let them distract you. We have to get to the Elements of Harmony. They're our only hope." Twilight said, as the six ponies engaged in hoof-to-hoof combat.

Needless to say but the Mane Six became victorious, but they weren't out of the metaphorical woods yet, as more changelings were dive bombing the city. Not to mention that the city was in a continuous earthquake that threatened to destroy the city before the changeling even got the chance.

Twilight pushed open the large double doors of the room that held the Elements of Harmony to find that it was already invested with changelings. The six ponies were then surrounded and captured, this becoming truly the darkest time in Equestria's history. Not to mention that fact that it was being invaded by dragons.

Back inside the castle, Celestia's slowly began to regain consciousness, her pink eyes opened and saw the world from an elevated position and upside down. Chrysalis took advantage of the white alicorn's unconscious state and trapped her in a green cocoon that was suspended above the ground.

"You won't get away with this! Twilight and her friends will..." Cadence said to the Queen of the Changeling, her only to turn silent as the doors to the door were opened and the six ponies walked in, them joining the two alicorn's in imprisonment.

"You were saying?" Chrysalis said to the pink alicorn, a smug smirk appearing on her face.

"It's funny, really. Twilight here was suspicious of my behavior all along. Too bad the rest of you were too caught up in your wedding planning to realize those suspicions were correct!" Chrysalis said, enjoying her assumed moment of triumph.

"Sorry, Twi. We should've listened to you." Applejack said apologizing to the purple unicorn.

"It's not your fault. She fooled everypony." Twilight said back.

"Hmm, I did, didn't I?" Chrysalis, enjoying every second of the attention she was getting. "It must be a changeling thing."

The tense atmosphere was broken when their was a cry of three ponies coming toward the castle. The three ponies were all screaming at the top of their lungs.

"We didn't do it! We didn't do it! "

"What in all of me is going on?" Chrysalis said to herself as she looked out the open window the room, to see her three bridesmaids running toward the castle. All of her changeling soldiers staring at the three unicorns in confusion.

"What you three idiots doing!?" Chrysalis asked the three unicorns, using her Queen voice.

"We didn't do it!"

“We swear!"

"Yeah, it was already awake!" The three terrified and out of breath unicorns said up to Chrysalis, almost at the same time.

"Oh, good... wait what was already awake?" Chrysalis said, halfway realizing what the unicorns had just said.

Just as she did the city was hit by another earthquake, one so powerful that it formed a massive crack that ran the entire length of Canterlot. Then a massive roar escape from the fully formed crack in the city. All eyes, pony and changeling alike shifted to the giant crack after hearing the roar. Spike instinctively dropped to his knees in respect, after hearing what he didn't know at the time was the roar from the Alpha.

All eyes were the size of dinner plates as the entire city fell under a complete silence. The only pony to break was that of Celestia's.

"He's back." The white alicorn said simply, her pink eyes filling up with tears, as another roar escaped from the massive crack, the Alpha only a few hundred feet from freedom.

Inside Luna's room, she had spelt the rest of the night and most of the day without disturbance, while until she was thrown from the bed by a massive earthquake.

"Oh, Buck!" Luna grunted out in pain, rubbing the back of head in pain, she still with a slight headache.

She then forgot about her headache entirely when the silence of her room was interrupted by the roar of a creature at she hadn't heard in over a millennia, and thought she would never be able to hear again.

"It can't be." Luna said to herself, as she flew open the blackout curtains of her room. She had to shield her eyes from the blindly light, as her teal eyes readjusted to the brightness.

Luna's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates as she stared on the path of destruction that Canterlot had sustained in less than a single hour. Her eyes went straight to the giant crack that spanned the entire length of the city.

"No, this can't be happening." Luna said, her in a state of disbelief. Her courage was restored when she heard the second roar from the Alpha, and she knew that this battle was over, not even close.

The Alpha continued to dig his way out of rocky prison that he had known as home for over fifteen hundred years. Finally his giant claw broke the surface. His scales feeling the heat of the sun for the first in over a millena. He, however, didn't stop there. His one claw above the surface dug into the concrete road of the city, digging away the contents as if it was just paper.

His other front claw broke the surface as he did his best to break out of his prison made of of concrete, rocks, and gems. His giant head then broke the surface, his emerald green eyes seeing the gorgeous sun that Celestia brought, his lungs breathed in the first dose of fresh air, and he was finally above ground for the first time in over fifteen hundred years.

His giant wings creaked open, their joints popping in and out of their sockets as they did. The Alpha letting out a light groan as his giant whip-like tail broke effortless through the concrete road of the city. It coming to a rest on a small house inside the city, making the house collapse from the weight.

The Alpha just stood there, his only moment coming from his massive shoulders as he breathed in and out.

All of the ponies stared at the giant creature in shock, awe, and fear as almost none of them knew that they lived above a creature that was about as large as the mountain that the city was built into.

Chrysalis shook the shock from out of her head, as she tried to regain control over the situation. "What are you waiting for foals, an invitation! Destroy that... thing!" Chrysalis ordered at the stunned changelings that hovered above the city.

"A... yes.. yes your majesty." Zulu said to his Queen, his words filled with fear and hesitation.

The small army of changelings then flew at the giant dragon, them firing their horns at the creature's reddish-orange scales, them doing nothing more than giving the Alpha a slight tickle.

The Alpha let out a small roar in annoyance more than anything else, as he lifted his left claw to swat at the the bug-ponies, him hitting four changelings in the action. The changeling flew off into the distance never to be seen again.

He then used his whip-like tail to take out the rest, only missing Zulu. Who shadowed traveled to another part of the city. "I knew I should've stayed home today." Zulu thought to himself, as he saw that many of his fellow changeling, some of them from the Shadow Hive, weren't as lucky.

The Alpha's chest glowed a bright red as he prepared to fire his... well fire. The few remaining changelings all lined up and began to fire their green magic at the Alpha. Hitting him directing in his head and neck area.

The Alpha roared again in annoyance as he turned his massive head in the direction of the changelings, and let out his orange flame.

The changelings' blank blue and green eyes all widened as they were all consumed in the orange flame of the Alpha. When the fire disappeared, the only thing left was the charred remains of the changelings caught in the blaze, they all fell to the ground. Becoming nothing more than ash.

The Alpha, now irritated, rose up on his hind legs and let one loud roar. This roar was then followed by the Alpha releasing another stream of fire, this one reaching straight up into the heavens. His fire soon warped from its normal orange hue, into a pure golden blaze. A type of fire that only an Alpha can create. A signal to the entire world that the Alpha has returned.

Over on the border between Equestria and the Dragon Empire, the battle, if you could even call it that, was going on between the entire force of the army of the Dragon Empire, and the small band of forces that protected the mountainous border between the two countries.

"Sigma, about damn time I found you, brother." Theta said finding his twin brother in the thick of the battlefield.

"It's good to see you to Theta, but I'm a little preoccupied at the moment." Sigma said, as he drove the blade of his sword through the soft hide of another pony, this being only his fifteen kill on that day.

"Of course. Sig, on your left." Theta said, warning his brother of a incoming sword swing from a pony guard. Sigma easily blocked the swing with his armored tail. The bronze sword shattering with it hit the steel armor and scales of the gray dragon's tail.

Sigma let out an irritated roar as he swung his large claws around. Them ringing true and cutting the pony guard across his muzzle, and making him fly backwards a solid ten yards.

Sigma took his sword out of his mouth and spit it into the ground, the weapon implanting itself a solid five inches into the dirt ground.

Theta watched his brother walked over to the injured pony, and that was when he noticed that most of the blood that he had earned in his battle wasn't on his sword, but in fact his very own claws and teeth. Theta starred in horror as his brother picked up the pony with his teeth and shook him like a rag doll, until he heard a loud crack of the pony's neck breaking. Sigma then throw the pony to the ground, his broken neck making his head hang numbly to the side of his body.

"What." Sigma said to his brother, seeing the horrified look on his face.

Theta opened his mouth to speak, but he couldn't find any words. He stood there for a solid minute in his almost comostic state. Only to be broken when his brother called out to him."

"Theta, behind you!" Sigma called out to his brother, seeing a pony soldier about to drive the unprotected underbelly of his brother.

Theta instinctively swung his large tail, hitting the pony before he could drive him through. The pony's bronze sword falling out of his magic and hitting the dirt ground with a loud clang.

"Thanks bro." Theta said, his heart beating faster it had ever had before.

"Now finish him." Sigma said to Theta, making the eyes on the white dragon almost bulge out of his skull.

The pony guard wasn't taking the gray dragon's words much better. With the pony's light blue eyes filled with fear, as the two dragons stood above him, one of them looking at him like he was nothing more than his next meal.

Theta reluctantly pulled his short sword out of its scabbard, and stood over the injured pony the sword held upside down in his claws, them shaking as he was about to commit something to wished he would have to do. Kill another living being.

Theta would have to forego his first kill, for now at least, when the battle was shaken by a roar that could be heard all across the world. The entire battlefield turned deathly quiet, as all eyes dragon and pony alike shifted straight to the source of the roar, Canterlot.

The roar was soon followed by a single stream of orange fire the rose into the heavens, all the dragons and ponies stared at the fire in awe. The orange fire then warped into the color of a golden flame, and every dragon knew exactly what, or more accurately who was making it.

"The Alpha... he has returned." Theta thought out loud, as he flung his sword to the ground, it hitting the dirt with a loud crash. He wasn't the only dragon to do this however, every dragon, regardless of species, sex, or age, dropped their respective weapon. All of the steel weapons hitting the ground in a combined crash of metal.

All of them knowing that their true King had returned.

The battlefield was the only place to hear the roar of the Alpha, the hive of the changelings was almost deserted, aside from the hatchlings and the nurses that had to take care of them until they reached maturity in a little less than year. The hive was also shakened by the roar of the Alpha, the nurse changelings having to shield the hatchlings from the falling rocks of the hive.

It was, however, that took the return of the Alpha the worst way that day, it was the secret weapon of Chrysalis that had been waiting for over a millennia for a rematch with the very creature that had given banish him to the desolate wasteland of the hive in the first place.

"About damn time you decided to wake up... brother." Omega said, his one dead black eye seeming to twinkle as he thought up his plan to get revenge against his brother, a plan that didn't involve Queen Chrysalis.

Back in Canterlot, The Alpha was busy the last remnants of the changelings attacking the city.

"Ugh, you what they say if what something done right, if better do it yourself." Chrysalis as she spread her bug-like wings and fired her green magic at the Alpha. Her magic stuck home, hitting the Alpha on the bridge of his nose, his entire head getting engulfed in a smoke of green smoke.

"There, now wasn't so tough." Chrysalis said, believing that she had defeated the Alpha.

"Is that the best you got?" The Alpha roared, as grabbed the changeling queen in his giant claws. His emerald green eyes seeming to bore straight through her.

That was the moment where she realized who she was dealing with, the same creature that Omega had told her about, the creature she was meant to awaken. Than she realized her role in this endeavor. She wasn't invading Equestria to return it to changeling hooves like Omega had promised, she was nothing more than a pawn in Omega plan to get revenge against the brother that banished him.

"You... I know you... you are the Alpha." Chrysalis said, the Alpha's grib releasing a little bit.

"Yes, I am the Alpha, and you are not welcomed here." The Alpha roared as he threw Chrysalis in the direction of the wastelands on the outskirts of Equestria.

"Zulu!" Chrysalis called out to the only other remaining changeling in the city. Zulu quickly flew up to his Queen and shadowed traveled the two of them back to the safety of the hive.

The Alpha drifted his head across the destruction of the city, either it being from himself or the changelings, and only one thought through his head. His thoughts were momentarily halted as he felt a warm feeling on his neck. He drifted his giant head down to the were the feeling was coming from to see a blue alicorn clanging to his scales.

"Delta you're awake." Luna said up to the giant creature, using his name before he became the Alpha.

"Luna, long time no see. How long has it been exactly?" The Alpha asked the blue alicorn, not remembering their being a city built into the mountain when he went into his slumber.

When the blue alicorn didn't respond, he shifted his attention to newly freed Celestia, who still needed some assistance from Cadence in order to stand. Her pink eyes filled with tears from the Alpha question.

"Celestia, how long have I been asleep?"

The Next Generation

"What!? I have been asleep for over fifteen hundred years!" The Alpha roared, his booming voice, shaking the already partially destroyed city of Canterlot.

"Delta, you need to understand their was no way that we could bring you back." Luna said doing to best to explain to her old friend, while at the same time scared to death. Her knowing fully just how dangerous an angry Alpha dragon can become.

"Save me you're excuses Luna, now where are my dragons!?" The Alpha roared at Luna, making the blue alicorn take a step back in fright. Luna not believing the words that were coming out of the Alpha's mouth.

"Um... I don't know if it is my place, but I am a dragon." Spike said to the towering dragon, walking toward. Him feeling looking even smaller than he already was next to the Alpha.

"Spike, don't." Twilight said, standing protecting in front of the dragon that she treated like her little brother, if not her own son. An act that only fueled the Alpha's anger.

"I'm not a baby anymore Twilight." Spike said, pushing past the purple unicorn. Leaving Twilight speechless.

"Well, what is your name little one." The Alpha said, lowering his massive head to the purple dragon's eye level.

"My name... my name is Spike." Spike said up to the giant dragon.

"Hmm... Spike. Well Spike what do you know of the state of my dragons?" The Alpha asked the purple dragon, assuming that Spike would be the best qualified to answer his question.

"Um... don't wish to disappoint, but I have actually lived with ponies my entire life." Spike began, looking back at the purple unicorn that had raised him as if he was her own son. "So I don't really think that I can really answer your question." Spike said up to the Alpha, the giant dragon's red scales seemly to lose a little bit of their color.

"I see..." The Alpha said simply, as he stared into the distance, the light from the sun making his red scales shine.

"Your highness'!" A unicorn said bursting into the room that the ten ponies, Princess' Celestia, Luna, and Cadence, the newly freed Shining Armor, and the rest of the Mane Six. Spike and the Alpha were having their discussion.

"Yes, what is it." Celestia said turning her attention to the guard, who was doing his best to catch his breath.

"Just... just give me a moment." The guard said as he regain his composure. "Ok, I'm good. I have a very important message from our mountain borders." The guard said, and the three alicorns all shared a look. Them all knowing that it was the mountains that separated Equestria and the Dragon Empire.

"What about are mountain borders?" Celestia asked the guard, his words filled with concern.

"Well there have been confirmed reports of... well.. that our borders are under attack." The guard said, getting a combined gasped from the ponies present.

"What... is it a second wave of changelings!?" Celestia asked the guard. Who seemed to hide under his armor. The guard drifted his gaze up to the giant dragon standing over him. His massive body blocking out the sun rays.

"Buck, and I thought Celestia was intimidating to talk to." The guard thought to himself, before he answered the white alicorn's question.

"Not exactly your highness... well their are reports that the mountains are being invaded by..." The guard began, before becoming mute, as he reverted his gaze from the ponies staring at him, or more accurately the mountain sized dragon that was staring down at him. The Alpha patience of current pony customs about to break.

"Yes... what is it." Celestia said, her warm words encouraging the guard to continue.

"Dragons, your highness... there have been unconfirmed reports of our mountain borders being invaded by dragons.

All eyes shot to the giant dragon that was standing above them, and the Alpha looked like he was about to explode in rage.

"WHAT!?" The Alpha roared, his booming voice shaking the castle to its foundation. The Alpha's eyes flashed red, and his scales becoming a darker shade of red. As his massive wings. Gigantic wings that made Celestia's look like ones off of a hummingbird, opened to their full spread.

"Delta, come down. This is the worst time for doing something drastic." Luna said, trying to use logic on her old friend. Something that the Alpha didn't need or even want to hear.

"Don't patronize me Luna. I am the Alpha, and it is my job to look after my dragons! Now if you don't mind, stay out of my way! Or you'll end up just like my brother!" The Alpha roared at Luna, tears beginning to form in the blue alicorn's teal eyes. Her not believing that her old friend was acting so cruelly toward her.

The Alpha then took off into the blue sky, the wind created by his wings making it feel like a hurricane had just hit the already partially destroyed city.

"Come on, that's get this mess cleaned up." Luna said defeated, as she watched her once close takeoff into the skies to do who knows what to his subjects when he finds them.

Over at the Changeling Hive, Chrysalis and Zulu had returned, them being the only two survivors of the failed invasion of Canterlot.

"Well, that went simply fantastic." Chrysalis sarcastically as the Queen of the Changeling warped out of the shadows, thanks to Zulu's shadow travel. Zulu knew that it would be best not to respond to the Queen's words, as she was the last changeling you wanted to piss off.

"Chrysalis! I need to speak with you!" Omega roared, making Chrysalis tense up. She had already dealt with one mountain sized dragon today, she really didn't want to deal with his less kind brother.

Chrysalis hovered to the cavern that Omega was using as his own sanctuary, the gears in his giant head turning with the most evil plan for revenge.

"Omega, how are you doing today." Chrysalis said trying to make light of the fact that she was just called like a owner's lap dog, by the most powerful creature outside of Equestria's borders.

"Save me your pity words Chrysalis." Omega roared, his one dead eye seemly to bore through Chrysalis' skull.

"Then what did you want to talk to me about Omega?" Chrysalis asked the giant dragon in front of her, fearing what his answer would be.

"You have failed me Chrysalis." Omega said, his massive head raising from its laying position on the dirt ground. Chrysalis' olive-green eyes widened as the almost black scales of Omega began to glow a maroon hue.

"What do you mean... I mean I know about Canterlot, but didn't want your brother to return?" Chrysalis laughed awkwardly, as she began to slowly trot backwards.

"You are correct Chrysalis, but that is not what I am talking about." Omega said, as he let out a blast of his maroon fire, the flames blocking the exit to the cavern, trapping the changeling.

"What do you want from me Omega!" Chrysalis yelled at the giant creature, doing her best to hide the fear that was running through body, like the maroon blaze that was raging behind. Her crooked horn glowing her green magic.

"Do you really believe that tiny horn can harm me." Omega said, a devilish grin appearing on his face.

"I can try." Chrysalis snapped back at the giant black dragon in front. She then fired her green magic at the snort of Omega.

"Ha, Ha, Ha! Is that best you got, you are more pathetic than I had previously thought." Omega laughed, as the queen's magic is nothing but slightly warm up his scales and give him a slight tickle.

"I defeated Princess Celestia single hoofly!" Chrysalis barked back, as the magic of her horn grew even brighter, only adding to Omega's.

"Trust Chrysalis..." Omega began as he swung his massive claw around, hitting the queen in the side. Making her fly upward into the ceiling, and fall hitting the ground with a loud thud. "That is not saying much." Omega roared as he slammed his right claw on top of Chrysalis' body. While still giving her enough room to breathe, but keeping his claws in a position so that she couldn't escape from his grasp.

"What do you want from me!" Chrysalis yelled at the giant dragon standing above her.

"Your wings." Omega said simply as he lifted his massive claw off Chrysalis' body, as his chest glowed the same maroon hue has before.

"What... wait no!" Chrysalis out as Omega let out a burst of his maroon fire. His fire engulfed the body of the changeling queen. Burning her bug-like in its place, leaving only her charred remains in its place.

Omega's one red eye flashed green as he earned the ability that was once exclusive to only royal changelings. The ability to control lesser changelings using just their mind.

Zulu was busy checking the nursery of the hive, seeing if there was any hatchies from the Shadow Hive. To his dismay there were none, he was truly the last one. There numbers were already small, even before the invasion of Canterlot. But he had never thought that he would be the last one.

Zulu's thoughts were interrupted when he felt a sharp pain in his chest, almost as if his heart was getting rip out of his chest that very second. His wasn't the only changeling that was going through this experience. With all of the nurse changeling dropping their knees, grasping at their chests. All of the of them, including Zulu, groaning in pain, as the pain in their chests didn't seem be close to stopping.

The blank eyes of the changelings glazed over as a voice that they hadn't heard before entered their minds.

"I want everypony that can hear my voice in my cavern. Now!" Omega's voice boomed inside the changeling's minds. They all nodded dumbly and started heading toward the giant cavern that held their new King.

Zulu simply warped his body into the shadows of the hive and shadow traveled into the room, and what he saw almost made him lose his last meal of love. In front of him was the charred remains of his former queen. His body forever frozen in an act of shielding herself from the unbearable heat of Omega's flame. Her face forever etched with the look of fear in her eyes.

Zulu had to revert his eyes from the scene only for to fall on the one black eye of Omega, the shire blackness seemly to drive him closer. As if we was staring at one large black hole.

The two creatures simply stared at each other, the massive dragon having a smirk that could make the worst creatures locked up in Tartarus hearts skip a beat, or two.

Their terrify silence was broken with entrance of the rest of the mature changelings in the hive. They all snapped out of their trance, and recoiled at the sight of their charred queen's remains.

"You... you monster!" One of the nurse changeling yelled at the massive dragon in front of them. Only getting a devilish chuckle out of the black dragon, his scales only becoming even darker, as his outsides began to express the true nature of his insides.

"This coming from a creature that literally feeds off the love of others." Omega said, making the changeling turn silent. "That was want I thought." Omega said, as his one red eye flashed olive-green as he did his mind control on the group of changelings again. "Now bow beneath your true King." Omega roared, and all the changelings, including Zulu, dropped to their knees. Each of them clutching at their heads.

"What is it that you want from us!" Zulu yelled, through gritted teeth, at the giant dragon in front of him.

"Isn't it obvious. I want your queen's powers." Omega said, using his giant claw to slam the charred remains of Chrysalis. Her body becoming but a pile of dust.

The dust from the former queen's remains was absorbed into Omega's black scales, and her biological control over the changeling unlocked a part in his biology that was once inaccessible.

Omega let out a loud roar that shook the hive, as two sharp pains erupted in the middle of his back. His back was then engulfed by a green fire that spread in the shape of one pair of bug-like wings. The fire then died down leaving the giant bug-like wings in its place.

Omega shift his massive head to the new pair of wings that was on his back, and opened and closed them a few times, before he returned his gaze back to the petrified changelings shaking in front of him.

Omega's one red eye changed to the same olive-green color that Chrysalis had, slit and all, as he was going to have fun with this brand new power to control all the changelings just with his mind, but we wasn't stopping with just the likes of changelings.

"Nurses, I want you to return to your stations and work even harder than you have before, I need a new army. One that stand up against the likes of the Dragon Empire.

"Yes your majesty." All of the nurse changelings said robotically, them accepting the full command of their new King.

"And you!" Omega roared at Zulu, making the changeling take a fearful step back.

"Yes... your majesty. What is... it that you want... from me?" Zulu said to the giant newly winged dragon, fear and hesitation plaguing his words.

"You are capable of shadow travel, correct?" Omega asked Zulu, taking him slightly off guard by the massive dragon's genuine question.

"Um... yes. Me, along with other members of the Shadow Hive are capable of what is known as shadow travel." Zulu said to Omega, the twisted gears inside the massive dragon's skull beginning to turn.

"Are there members of this so called, Shadow Hive, that you speak off?" Omega asked Zulu, the changeling's head dropping at his word.

"Sadly, at least to my knowledge, I am the only remaining member of the Shadow Hive. My forces were all wiped out, along with all of the other soldier changelings, during the invasion of Canterlot." Zulu said, him to his best to determine if the dragon in front of him was pleased with his answer or not. It wasn't that easy as his one black eye made it almost impossible to read his expressions.

"Hmm... that is most unfortunate." Omega said, as a evil plan came to his mind. "Yes that will do most nicely." Omega chuckled to himself, his plan for revenge beginning to shape.

The Alpha flew over all over Equestria, as he passed very city he was either meet with sounds of awe, terror, or both. As he neared the mountains that marked the border between Equestria and the Dragon Empire, he could see the massive battle going on, and his rage began to build as he let out on loud roar. Announcing his presence to the battlefield.

"Well, that was easier than expected." The pony commander said as he stood in front of an entire army of surrendered dragons. "Private, alert Canterlot that we have this invasion under control." The commander said to a light blue guard.

"Yes sir." The private said saluting his commander.

All eyes, pony and dragon alike, shifted to the clouded skies above as a massive roar shook the area.

"Ugh, what is it this... time." The pony commander began to say, only silencing himself as the massive body of the Alpha appeared out of the clouds. Heading straight for the ground.

The Alpha's massive body landed, his massive claws dug into the ground, kicking up mounds of dirt as he slid to a stop. The Alpha let out another roar, all of the dragons in the area bowing at the sound of their true King.

"You've got to be bucking kidding me." A red pony guard missing most of his golden armor said as the Alpha approach the area, his massive body shaking the ground as he got closer.

"State your business... oh giant one." The commander said up to the Alpha, doing his sound immediately to the giant dragon.

"I am not here to fight." The Alpha said, making the ponies relax.

"Then why are you here?" The pony commander asked the Alpha.

"I am here to teach my dragons a lesson." Alpha said, his words making the dragons closest to him cringe at what the giant dragon might do to them.

"Ok, all dragons in my captivity are transferred into your care... a what's your name?" The commander asked the giant dragon.

"I am Delta, but more commonly referred to as the Alpha. Now go, I will deal with my dragons myself." Alpha said to the commander. Who, along with the rest of the pony guards, left the battlefield. Not wanting to get involved with what might turn bloody.

"Dear Alpha, I am Steelclaw. The King of the Dragon Empire, and your representative during your absence." Steelclaw said to Alpha, bowing to the giant dragon in front of him.

"I am not concerned with your title, from this day forth I am your one and only King!" Alpha roared, making Steelclaw take a step back.

"Well this should get interesting.." Sigma mumbled to his brother.

"Alpha did not mean to offend you in any matter." Steelclaw said to Alpha, trying to fix his bad first impression. Which only ended up digging him into a bigger hole.

"Don't patronize me Steelclaw. I am the Alpha, and I WILL be treated as such." Alpha roared, his chest beginning to glow orange.

Theta knew that if Steelclaw continued talking then a war between dragons would begin, and so he step forth and began to speak to the Alpha.

"Um... sorry to interrupt, but I have few words to say." Theta said, catching every dragon, including the Alpha's attention. Alpha taking notice of Theta's white scales and strange lack of wings.

"Theta, what are you doing?" Sigma called up to his brother.

"Come down, I know what I'm doing." Theta said back to his brother. "I think." Theta mumbled to himself, under his breath.

"What is your name little one." Alpha said taking interest in the white dragon's bravery.

"It is Theta your majesty, and that is my brother, Sigma." Theta said to Alpha, also introducing his brother.

Alpha became even more intrigued by the white dragon in front of him. "Were you born without any wings, or it you lose them early in your life?" Alpha asked Theta, sensing a similar power deep within him, as while as his brother, just waiting to be unlocked.

"I was born without them, same with my brother." Theta said, looking at his bare, his words sounding defeated at something that he had always seen as a weakness. Rather than something that showed that him and his brother were the next generation of the Alpha species.

"I know, what kind of dragon doesn't even have wings?" Theta mumbled more to himself, but still loud enough for Alpha to hear. Alpha let a small grin escape passed his lips as he answered the white dragon's unintentional question.

"An Alpha, my little dragon." Alpha said, and the entire field became deathly quiet.

"You, and your brother, shouldn't see your lack of wings as a weakness, but instead as a sign of your Alpha status just waiting to be unlocked." Alpha said to Theta, and the white dragon's emerald green eyes widened as he continued to speak. The every creature that he thought was nothing more than a myth the day before, not telling him that not just was he shouldn't feel bad for not having wings. But that his lack of wings was a sign that he was the next in line as the new Alpha of all the dragons.

"Wait are you telling me that we are going to be the next Alpha?" Sigma said to Alpha, walking up to his brother's side.

"You can say that." Alpha said to Sigma, leaving out how their can only be one Alpha. Something that had torn Alpha and his brother apart.

"Does that mean that we are your new apprentices. Like how you were to the first Alpha?" Theta asked Alpha, barely able to contain his excitement. Making Alpha slightly chuckle to himself.

"Yes young one, you and your brother will be my apprentices, and I will teach you in the ways of the Alpha. The same way that my Alpha did to me, all those years ago." Alpha said, as he remembered when he was the apprentice for the first Alpha. Before he became the second Alpha, and he was betrayed by his own brother.

Alpha shook the memory out of his mind as he started to remember when he had to banish his own brother from Equestria.

"Now, you two must come with me. I know two ponies that I believe would be very interested in meeting you." Alpha said to the two younger alpha dragons. The two dragons then climbed on the giant dragon's tail, and grabbed onto one of the many small spike (in comparison to his body) as the Alpha opened up his massive wings.

"Alpha, where are we going?" Theta asked the giant dragon that he was currently cringing onto.

"Canterlot, my dear Theta." Alpha said to Theta, as his massive body rocketed into the air, flying back to the partially destroyed city.

Back at the Changeling Hive, Omega was having fun as he thought out his plan to get revenge on the very dragon that had banished him.

"What will do most nicely." Zulu asked Omega, the lower half of his body beginning to warp into the shadows. Just in case he needed to get out of the cavern as quickly as possible.

"Have you ever heard of the land known as the Crystal Empire?" Omega asked the changeling in front of him, almost being able to smell the fear coming off of Zulu. Something that he took great pride in being able to create.

"No, I can say that have." Zulu answered Omega, not sure where he was going with this new tangent.

"Hmm... I wouldn't have expected you to, it disappeared not long after my banishment." Omega said, his green eye reverting back to its original red.

"What do you mean by disappeared?" Zulu asked Omega.

"Long ago there was once a kingdom known as the Crystal Empire, ruled by the shadow pony known as Sombra." Omega began explaining the history of the Crystal Empire.

"Well, he sounds pleasant." Zulu said sarcastically, getting a slight chuckle out of Omega.

"Yes, Sombra was quite a ruler if I do say so myself. He was very good at making ponies to his work for him." Omega said, Zulu understanding the true meaning behind his words.

"So, he used subjects as slaves?" Zulu asked Omega, already knowing the answer.

"You could call them slaves, but I prefer to call them workers that don't get paid." Omega said, a crooked grin escaping passed his lips.

"But, what does this have to do with me?" Zulu asked.

"I want you to go to where the Crystal Empire used to be, and report back to me whatever you find." Omega said to Zulu, being intentionally vague.

"Ok, what do I if see anything... strange." Zulu asked Omega, before he warped into the shadows.

"You return to me as quickly as possible." Omega said to Zulu. Zulu then warped into the shadows of the large cavern.

"Just wait Delta, soon I will get my revenge." Omega said to himself, as he closed his massive eyes drifting off into the same dream that been having for the last fifteen hundred years. Determined to make sure that it would never come to pass.

"Are we there yet?" Theta asked the Alpha, his words filled with fear. As he clinged onto one of the giant dragon's spike on his back, doing his best not to look down.

"Come on Theta, stop being such a hatchling." Sigma said to his petrified brother, harmlessly making fun of his fear. Only to get a death glare from the white dragon.

"Hey, the fear of heights is a serious mental condition." Theta said to his brother, only making Alpha roll his eyes at the two brother's pricking at each other. A scene that reminded him a little too much of when he did the same thing with his brother when he was their age.

"Don't worry little one, Canterlot is only a few minutes from where we currently are." Alpha said, looking over his shoulder to the white dragon that was clinging onto his back for dear life.

The two younger alpha dragon gasped in both and slight horror as they lead eyes on the partially destroyed city.

"What in all of Tartarus happened here?" Theta said, definitely not remembering the city looking the way it did the last time he visited Canterlot.

"Changelings." Alpha said simply as he landed on the outskirts of the city, all eyes in Canterlot shifting over to the giant dragon that had slept underneath the city for longer than it had even existed.

"He's back." Celestia said, stating the rather obvious. As the three alicorns were using their magic to repair the damage done by the invasion of changeling and by the Alpha's return.

"Yeah, but who's is with him?" Luna said, noticing the two smaller dragons on the Alpha's back.

"I don't know aunties, but there is only one way to find out. Go on I can take it from here." Cadence said, as the two older alicorns flew over to the giant dragon.

"Delta what are you doing back?" Luna asked Alpha.

"I wanted the both of you to meet some new friends of mine." Alpha said to the two alicorn princesses.

"Oh really, and who would those be?" Luna asked her old friend.

"Celestia, Luna, this is Theta, and this is Sigma." Alpha said to the two alicorns, introducing them to his two new apprentices.

"It is a pleasure to meet the both of you." Celestia said to the two younger dragons.

"As am I." Luna added.

"Um... same goes to you, your highnesses." Theta mumbled out, the over hundred foot height of the Alpha not helping his crippling fear of heights anymore than actually flying. The two alicorns chuckled at the obvious fear coming off the white dragon.

"Charmed." Sigma said, letting a small smirk slip passed his lips as his brother continued to cling onto one of the Alpha spikes.

Luna noticed the two dragons lack of wings and the fact that they looked like a younger version of the Alpha. "Delta, are these two dragons..." Luna began to asked Alpha, only for him to cut her off. Knowing exactly what she was asking.

"Yes Luna, Theta and Sigma are in fact alphas, and my two new apprentices." Alpha said, making the two alicorn's eyes widen.

Before Luna could respond Theta opened his mouth to speak. "Sorry to interrupt, but do you think that it would be easier for most of us, practically me, if we to do this on ground level." Theta said, and all the ponies and dragons present broke out into laughter.

"No, I'm serious." Theta said, not taking the others laughter kindly.

Alpha allowed his two new apprentices to climb off of his body, as he laid down on the concrete road on the outskirts of the city. The two alicorns followed the Alpha's example and flew down to the ground.

"Now we can be properly introduced to each other." Celestia said to the Theta and Sigma respectively.

"How long have you known that you were alphas?" Luna said, skipping right past introductions, and straight to personal questions.

"Um... to be honest. Yesterday, I didn't even believe that the Alpha was even real. I just thought he was just a legend that older dragons told hatchlings." Theta said to the two alicorns, who shared a look.

"What about you... Sigma." Luna asked the gray dragon.

"Well... to answer you question, neither Theta nor myself knew we were alphas until he told us." Sigma said, not a used to talking to royalty as much as his brother.

Before Luna could ask the Theta and Sigma another question they were interrupted by the words of grayish-yellow unicorn.

"Wow, you are even more magnificent than I could've even imagined." Moon Dancer said taking awe in the giant dragon standing in front of her.

"Wait who are you?" Sigma said to the Moon Dancer.

"Oh, apologizes, I am Moon Dancer. Hi, Theta great to see you again." Moon Dancer, being friendlier than she had been in a long time. All eyes shifted over to that of Theta, curious as to how she knew his name.

"We met during the migration." Theta said shrugging.

"I remember you." Alpha said to Moon Dancer, taking everyone by surprise, Moon Dancer especially.

"You do... well my data does suggest that you still had the ability to hear. So you might have pick my name one of the many times that studied you." Moon Dancer said, intriguing the three dragons even more.

"What do you mean by 'studying' the Alpha?" Sigma asked Moon Dancer.

"You know taking claws, scale, and tooth samples. You know general scientific behavior." Moon Dancer said to the gray dragon, only making Sigma's face dropped into a frown.

"I think he means, why were studying the alpha?" Theta asked Moon Dancer, taking a small delight in his brother's discomfort.

"Oh. Well... there were no signs that he would awaken anytime soon. So Princess Celestia asked me to take samples of him, so that we would be able to learn more about him, and the entire dragon species in a whole." Moon Dancer said, answering both Theta and Sigma's question.

"Speaking of which, why are you two here. I haven't read in any of my books, or more technically a book, that the Alpha required any escorts." Moon Dancer said. The thing to escorts that she had found were the two apprentices that the first Alpha, one of which was standing laying right in front of her.

"These two dragons that you are speaking of are my two newest apprentices." Alpha said to Moon Dancer, leaving the unicorn speechless.

"Wait... you two... alphas." Moon Dancer manage to fumble out, before she fainted. Falling backward on her back, her staring blankly up into the sky.

"Um... is she ok?" Theta asked.

Over in the frozen tundra of the far north. A certain changeling was trudging through the almost knee height snow, looking for something. He didn't really know.

Zulu had shadow traveled there as from Omega instructions. The icy wind making his bug-like body shiver.

"A... buck it's cold! Whatever this is for, it better be worth it. Because I don't want to be out here in this cold any longer than I have to." Zulu said to himself as his continued to trudge through the snow. The white powder going all the way up to his knees as he continued through the near white out conditions.

Zulu didn't have to travel very far, as the ground beneath him began to shake. "Oh come on, can my day get any worse." Zulu said to himself, as giant castle made entirely out of crystal began to rise out of the snowy ground. The snow around him began to melt as the entire Crystal Empire continued to return from its over one thousand year absence. The large city being a large safe haven from the blizzardy conditions that surrounded it.

Zulu stared in awe at the newly returned city of crystal. "Wow! Now, I see why Omega wants this place." Zulu said to himself as he approach the giant tower of crystal that was in the direct center of the large city.

"Crystals." An almost zombie-like voice said behind Zulu, making the changeling jump in fright.

"Who's there?" Zulu said into the white out conditions behind him.

"I have returned." The same voice said behind Zulu. Who began to retreat backwards, his crooked horn glowing emerald green as he held his double-bladed in its aura.

"Show yourself, whoever you are!" Zulu called into the snow storm, trying best to sound as intimidating as possible.

"As you wish." The voice said, as a giant cloud of black smoke began to form in front of Zulu.

"Oh Buck..." Zulu began to say, as the smoke began to shaped into the form of a black pony the size of a two story building. It's green eyes having purple waves of dark magic coming out of the sides.

"I have returned." The giant pony made out of pure shadow said, Zulu now knowing what he was dealing with.

"Sombra."

The Crystal Empire Part 1

A week has passed since the invasion of Canterlot by changelings, the return of the Alpha, and the actual wedding between Princess Cadence and Shining Armor. The dragons of the Dragon Empire had accepted the return of their new, or old if you want to go by age, King. Most of them even giving up on their greedy ways. Returning the Dragon Empire from the land filled with the greedest creatures in the world into one of Equestria's powerful allies, not even counting the fact that it had a dragon the size of a mountain as its ruler.

Alpha and his two new apprentices were spending most of their time in Canterlot, helping the three alicorns repair the destroyed city. The Alpha using his fire breath to repair the massive crack in the city from where he had literally clawed his way out from the ground beneath the city. While Theta and Sigma used their strength to clear rubble, and repair the many homes that were damaged or completely destroyed in the attacks. All in all relations between ponies and dragons had grown to a point that they hadn't been since the first Alpha. With many of the younger dragon from the Dragon Empire migrating into Equestria.

Around Noon the trio of alicorns and trio of alphas stopped working repairs and returned to most repaired castle for a meeting. The three dragons returning home to the Dragon Empire, all of them unaware that near crisis would return to Equestria.

Celestia was sitting atop her throne, her little sister on a smaller platform to her direct right. Using her golden magic to sort through a large stack of letters from countries all across the world. Most of them either referring to the latest royal wedding, the return of the Alpha, and how either (or both) of these latest developments will affect the alliances that Equestria had created beforehoof.

"What are you doing Celestia." Luna asked her older sister.

"Just reading luna. Most of these letters say the same thing." Celestia said back to Luna.

The two alicorns' eyes shifted to the two blue double doors as they flung open, a white unicorn guard running into the room.

"Princesses, I have news from Northern Equestria." The guard said as he trotted up to the foot of the throne, taking off his helmet in the presence of the two royals.

"What kind of news?" Celestia asked the guard placing her large stack of papers on the ground next to her throne.

"I told simply to tell you all that... it has returned." The guard said making the two alicorns gasped in shock. While leaving the three alpha dragons with a confused look on their faces.

"Find Princess Cadance and Shining Armor." Celestia said to the

"Yes, Your Highness." The same guard said, running out of the throne room, looking for the newlyweds.

The two alicorn's then shared a look of concern, as Celestia pulled out a blank piece of parchment and began writing on it.

"My dearest Twilight, you must come to Canterlot at once." Celestia wrote on the piece of parchment, requesting her star student to return to Canterlot.

Over in Ponyville Twilight was currently freaking out, as she had just received the letter from Princess Celestia, believing that she has going to Canterlot for a test. Instead to stop an evil unicorn from destroying all of Equestria, but you know detail, details.

"Where are all my quills? Brbrbr. No, no, no, no, no... Ugh! I need the Magical Compendium volumes 1 through 36! Where is it?!" Twilight said to Spike, as she rushed through the library getting everything she thought she would need for the for 'test'. A pile of books than fell to the ground in a small thud, as a different thought came to Twilight's mind.

"Flashcards! I should make some flashcards. Spike, I'm gonna need you to quiz me. On everything. Everything I've ever learned. Ever. That isn't going to be enough cards." Twilight said, pulling a hooful of small white cards out of a drawer with her magenta magic.

"Twilight, calm down. It's just a test." Spike said to the currently freaking out purple unicorn.

"Just a test? Just a test!? Princess Celestia wants to give me some kind of exam, and you're trying to tell me to calm down because it's just a test?!" Twilight all but yelled at Spike, backing him into one of the bookshelves.

"Uh... yes." Spike said, covering his body in an armor of pillows.

"I'd say she's handling things pretty well, considerin'." Applejack said as Twilight's horn glew with her magenta magic.

"Urgh!" Twilight grunted as the library launched into the air from her magic. Before falling back to the ground in a loud crash.

"My Cabbages!" A green earth pony cried out as the library landed back on the ground, crushing his vender filled with cabbages.

It didn't take long for Twilight to arrive in Canterlot, her mind going faster than Rainbow Dash when she did a sonic rainboom.

"I'm sure you're going to be just fine Twilight, I mean you have never done gotten worse than a 95% on any of Celestia tests before." Spike said trying to cheer the depressed unicorn. Who was currently staring out the window of the train as it neared Canterlot.

"I know Spike, but I can't stop myself from thinking that there is something bigger that is going on. Something outside of Equestria, something evil." Twilight said to Spike.

"You don't really believe that, do you Twi?" Spike asked Twilight, him becoming a little concerned from the unicorn's words.

"All I'm saying is that just last week Equestria was almost completely destroyed by an army of changelings, and from what I have heard even an army of dragons. If it wasn't for the Alpha, Equestria might not even exist anymore." Twilight said, leaving Spike without any words to respond with.

After a few moments of awkward silence Twilight went back to staring aimlessly out the train's window. Her thoughts returning to the current 'test' that she was about to pretake in.

"Are you sure you don't want me to go as well?" Luna asked her sister as the two alicorn sisters stared at the castle's newest stain glass painting. The painting depicted the Alpha raising out of the ground beneath Canterlot. His golden fire coming out his mouth as a swarm of Changelings hovered around his massive body.

"Yes. Princess Cadance and Shining Armor are already there. The others will be joining them soon." Celestia said to her sister, preferring a more hooves off approach to the current situation.

"The Empire's magic is powerful. It cannot fall again, Celestia." Luna said to her older sister, them both knowing of the great power that the Crystal Empire contained.

"She will succeed at her task. And when she does, we'll know that she is that much closer to being ready. Besides, Alpha has said that he would send his newest apprentices to assist in the effort." Celestia said, being intentionally vague in her words, for some reason.

"Ahem." Twilight cleared her throat, as she entered the throne room. Catching the two alicorn sisters' attention.

"Trust me, Luna." Celestia said to her little sister.

"You wanted to see me? To give me a test?" Twilight said to Celestia, as Luna trotted past her. Luna not confident that Twilight was up for the task. "I brought my own quills and plenty of paper to show my work." Twilight said to Celestia, a long scroll accidently falling out her saddlebag, and unfolding across the floor of the throne room. "Sorry, sorry!" Twilight apologized to the white alicorn, beginning to roll the long scroll back up with her nose.

"This is a different kind of test." Celestia said, rolling the rest of the scroll with her golden magic. "The Crystal Empire has returned." Celestia said, stating the true reasons as to why Twilight was in Canterlot.

"The Crystal Empire? I'm sorry, I...I thought I'd studied. Ooh. I don't think there's anything in any of my books th..." Twilight began to say as she searched through the many books that she had stuffed into her saddle bag.

"There wouldn't be. Few remember it ever existed at all. Even my knowledge of the Empire is limited." Celestia said interrupting her star student.

"But what I do know is that it contains a powerful magic." Celestia said as she took a purple crystal out from under a glass cover. Celestia used her magic to activate the gem, an image of the large city appearing on the floor, making Twilight have to trot backwards. "One thousand years ago, King Sombra, a unicorn whose heart was black as night, took over the Crystal Empire." Celestia said as the gem showed the Empire while it was under the rule of King Sombra.

"We was ultimately overthrown, turned to shadow, and banished to the ice of the arctic north." Celestia said as the image of Sombra getting defeated by Celestia and her sister played in front of Twilight. "But not until he was able to put a curse on the empire. A curse that made the empire vanish into thin air." Celestia said as the image of the Crystal Empire disappeared.

"If the Empire is filled with hope and love. Those things are reflected all across Equestria." Celestia said as she used her magic to show the power of the empire. The purple gem reflecting all of the colors of the rainbow. Twilight stared at awe of the gem's beauty.

"If hatred and fear take hold." Celestia said, her eyes flashing green and her horn fired a black and purple beam at the gem. Turning it the same color as the magic. The gem created a black shadow as three black crystal shards spawned out of the ground.

Celestia's eyes then flashed white as she used her magic to destroy the three black crystals, she already proving her point to Twilight.

"Which is why I need your help in finding a way to protect it." Celestia, enlisting Twilight into protecting the Crystal Empire.

"You want me to help protect an entire empire?" Twilight asked Celestia, now knowing the full extent as to what she was being asked to do.

"It is, as I said, a different kind of test. But one I'm certain you will pass." Celestia said as she placed the purple crystal back underneath its glass cover.

"How do I begin?" Twilight said, accepting her latest 'test' from the white alicorn.

"By joining Princess Cadance and Shining Armor in the Crystal Empire." Celestia said, making Twilight's face light up at the mention of her brother.

"My brother is there?" Twilight asked, happy that she wouldn't be doing this task alone.

"He is. And your Ponyville friends will join you there as well. I have every confidence you will succeed. And when you do, I'll know you are ready to move on to the next level of your studies." Celestia said.

"But what if I fail?" Twilight asked, addressing the white elephant in the room.

"You won't." Celestia began to say, as the city was rocked by the sound of a roar coming from the white alicorn's old friend. "You will be also getting some assistance from Theta and Sigma." Celestia said, Twilight's purple eyes widening even more. The fact that she was also getting help from the not just one but both of the Alpha's newest apprentices.

"But what if..." Twilight began to protest, only for Celestia to stop her.

"You won't." Celestia said, her warm words reassuring Twilight. "But Twilight, in the end, it must be you and you alone who ultimately assists Princess Cadance and Shining Armor in doing what needs to be done to protect the Empire." Celestia said, now joined by her sister. The two alicorns' cutie marks magically appearing behind them, at least I think it was magic. "Do you understand?" Celestia asked Twilight, who was standing confidently in front of the two alicorns. Twilight simply nodded in response.

"Then go. There is no time to lose." Celestia said, using her magic to close the door to the throne room behind her.

Spike was sitting the castle waiting for Twilight, when the door into the castle opened and Twilight trotted out. Her head hung low.

"Ah! Twilight! That was fast! Let me guess, you got a perfect score?" Spike said, hopping up from his seated position, and playfully nudging Twilight in the shoulder. Twilight continued walking without giving a response, her head still hanging low.

"A-minus?" Spike said still happy, still getting no response from the purple unicorn.

"B-plus?" Spike said shrugging, still getting no response from Twilight. "Twilight, did you... fail?" Spike whispered to Twilight. Who sighed and began to sing.

"I was prepared to do my best

Thought I could handle any test

For I can do so many tricks

But I wasn't prepared for this" Twilight began to sing, leaving Spike with a confused look on his face.

"Levitation would have been a breeze

Facts and figures I recite with ease" Twilight continued to sing.

"The square root of five hundred and forty-six is twenty-three point three six six six four two eight nine one zero nine." Twilight said naming off some random mathematical fact.

"She is correct!" A science pony said, confirming Twilight's words.

"I could ace a quiz on friendship's bliss

But I wasn't prepared for this

Will I fail, or will I pass?

I can't be sure..." Twilight continued singing.

"She can't be sure..." Spike sang, joining Twilight in her song.

"My mind is sharp, my skills intact

My heart is pure..." Twilight sang as she traveled throughout the city.

"Her heart is pure..." Spike added.

"Oh, I've taken my share of licks

I've made it through the thin and thick

But no I wasn't" Twilight sang, reaching the climax of the song.

"Oh no, she wasn't" Spike added

"Oh no, I wasn't" Twilight repeated herself.

"Oh no, she wasn't" Spike added.

"No I wasn't"

"Prepared... for this!" Twilight and Spike both sang at the same time. As the two arrived at the train stations.

"Uh, prepared for what exactly?" Spike asked Twilight as the rest of the Mane Six got out of a train of their own.

"Twilight! Uh, did you pass?" Applejack asked Twilight.

"Are we gonna celebrate your awesomeness with Princess Celestia?"

"Not quite. We're going to the Crystal Empire!" Twilight said to her friends, leaving a confused look on their faces.

"Huh?" All of Twilight's friends said in unison.

"Crystal what?" Rainbow asked snugging.

"The Crystal Empire." A booming voice said overhead. All eyes shifting over to the sky has the creature that it came from went in for a landing.

"Alpha!" Twilight exclaimed as the giant dragon's body slammed into the ground, his two apprentices on his back.

"Yes, Miss Sparkle. Celestia has told me about the return of the Crystal Empire. Which is way I have enlisted my two apprentices to assist you in your journey." Alpha said, opening one of his giant wings for his apprentices to slid down them.

"Theta and Sigma, you two will take this from here." Alpha said has opened his other wing, ready to fly back to the Dragon Empire.

"Yes Alpha." Theta and Sigma both said as one. Alpha nodded in response, as his massive body launched into the sky. His giant body disappearing into the clouds.

The six ponies and three dragons all piled into the train heading toward the Crystal Empire, with Theta and Sigma having to use their own special train car due to their size. The train traveled all the way up to the frozen tundra of the Crystal Empire. The train coming to a stop about a mile from the actual location of the empire.

"Ha! And you all made fun of me for packing so many scarves." Rarity said as the six ponies exited the train.

"I didn't say a word. Whoa! Hey! C'mere..." Spike said, holding one of the many bags overfilled with Rarity's insane amount of clothing.

"Twilight!" Twilight's older brother said, as he met up with his sister at the train station.

"Shining Armor?" Twilight called out to her brother. As she ran over to give him a hug.

"Twily! You made it!" Shining Armor said, as he embraced his sister in a hug. "We'd better get moving. There are things out here we really don't want to run into after dark." Shining said breaking from the hug.

"What kind of things?" Fluttershy asked Shining Armor, gulping.

"Let's just say the Empire... isn't the only thing that's returned." Shining Armor said, as the shadow form of King Sombra appeared out of the snow storm behind them.

"Go, go we'll take care of this." Sigma said, dropping into a defensive stance.

"Sure, whatever you say Sig." Theta said, dropping into a similar stance of his brother.

"Right, follow me." Shining Armor said as the rest of the Mane Six and Spike took off, heading toward a giant blue dome in the distance.

When the Mane Six and Spike went into the blue dome, Shining turned back around and charged out to assist Theta and Sigma against Sombra. "Are you two alright?" Shining asked the two dragons, as he fired his magenta magic at the shadow of Sombra. The beam harmlessly passing through.

"We alright, right Theta." Sigma said as he fired his red fire at Sombra. The shadow only seeming to grow in size as he seemed absorb the fire from Sigma.

"I think so." Theta said, unsure of himself, as he nearly avoid an attack by Sombra.

The shadow of Sombra then dived on the white unicorn, as Shining Armor's horn glowed his magenta color. As he began to cast his shield spell.

"Shining Armor!" Theta said running over to the white unicorn. His horn covered in black crystal making it useless.

"Hey, I am alright." Shining said struggling to his hooves.

"We got to get you out of here." Theta said, putting Shining Armor until his back. "Sig, can you take care of this?" Theta asked his brother, who was currently locked in battle against Sombra.

"Go Theta, go. I got this under control." Sigma said as he fired another blast of his red fire at Sombra.

"I got you Shining Armor." Theta said as he ran into the blue dome. Dropping him off on the grassy ground of the Crystal Empire. Twilight running to assist her injured brother.

"Thanks Theta. Now go, Sigma might still need you." Shining said to Theta, as the white dragon went back out of the blue dome.

"Everypony okay?" Twilight asked her friends, all of her friends nodding in agreement.

"Oh, no! Shining Armor, your horn!" Twilight said when she noticed her brother, the black crystals on his horn preventing him from casting any spells.

"Where's Theta and Sigma?" Fluttershy asked, as muffled roar came from outside the dome.

"There still out there." Shining said.

"Sigma!" Theta exclaimed as he ran off to his unconscious brother lying on the snowing ground. His gray scales covered in black dust from Sombra's shadow form.

"Hey you!" Theta roared at Sombra, catching the giant shadow's attention. The giant shadow reared up, a evil smirk spreading across his shadowy face. As Theta stood protectively over his brother unconscious body.

"Get away from my brother... or I will roast you." Theta said to Sombra, doing his best to intimate the giant shadow.

"Do you honestly believe that YOU can harm ME!" Sombra laughed at the white dragon's threat.

"Yes! Yes I do!" Theta roared, as he fired his orange fire at the shadow. Sombra rearing up as the fire burned through his shadow body.

"You haven't defeated me, I will return." Sombra roared out in pain as his shadow body retreated into the blizzard conditions that surrounded the empire.

Theta let out another roar as his brother regained consciousness. "Theta." Sigma coughed out, catching his brother's attention.

"Sigma! Hold on bro, I'm going to get you out of here." Theta said as he helped his brother to his feet. Sigma having to use his brother body has a crutch.

The two dragons walked through the blue dome to see the seven ponies and one dragon waiting on the other side, at the entrance to the Crystal Empire.

"Theta, Sigma! Are you two alright?" Shining Armor asked the two dragons, running to help Theta carrying his injured brother.

"I'm fine, but I don't know about Sig." Theta said to Shining. As Sigma was barely able to keep his eyes open, yet alone walk in a straight line.

"What's all the black stuff on his scales?" Spike asked, noticing the thick layer of black dust on Sigma's scales.

"We'll figure that out later. We just need to get him inside." Shining said as he began to lead the way to the large castle made entirely out of crystal that towered over the city.

"It's gorgeous! Absolutely gorgeous! There are no words!" Rarity said in awe of the shire beauty of the Crystal Empire.

"Focus, Rarity. We're here to help Twilight, not admire the scenery." Applejack said, trying to keep the white unicorn focused.

"Eh, I don't see what the big deal is. Just looks like another old castle to me." Rainbow Dash said sarcastically.

"A– p– guh! Another old...! Have you lost your mind? Look at the magni..." Rarity mumbled to herself, only for her to stop when Applejack and Rainbow Dash started laughing at the unicorn's reaction.

"Very funny." Rarity said sarcastically.

"Ugh... I'm surrounded by idiots." Theta grumbled as he watched the six ponies walked into the large castle made of crystal. Them more interested in making stupid jokes than helping him assist his injured brother. Who had just almost died.

The seven ponies, and three dragons, Theta still helping Sigma walk, walked into the throne room of the crystal cave. Cadence sitting on the crystal throne, her horn glowing her blue magic as she used it to hold up the giant blue dome over the city. Large bags under her eyes, as she hasn't spelt since she started her spell.

"Cadence!" Twilight said running up to her new sister-in-law.

"Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake! Clap your hooves and do a little shake!" Twilight and Cadence said as one, as they did their special hoof shake.

"One of these days we need to get together when the fate of Equestria isn't hanging in the balance." Cadence sighed, doing her best to stay awake.

"Are you okay?" Twilight asked the pink alicorn.

"Cadance has been able to use her magic to spread love and light. That seems to be what is protecting it. But she hasn't slept, barely eats. I want to help her, but my protection spell has been countered by King Sombra." Shining Armor explained, his wife resting her head on his shoulder.

"It's alright Shining Armor, I'm fine." Cadence said weakly.

"She's not fine. She can't go on like this forever, and if her magic were to fade... Well, you saw what's out there waiting for that to happen." Shining Armor said, Cadence's blue magic beginning to flicker. Just as Theta walked into the throne, his brother still leaning against his shoulder. Sigma drifting in and out of consciousness.

"At least you're weren't attacked by a shadow monster." Theta said bitterly, him beginning to question the true effectiveness of the so called bearers of the Elements of Harmony.

Silence fell upon the throne room as Theta helped his brother lay down on the floors of crystal of the castle. The cold floor making it easy for Sigma to drift off into sleep.

"Just rest Sig, you're in no shape to fight right now." Theta said to his brother, just Sigma drifted off into another state of unconsciousness.

"Are you two are alright" Shining Armor asked Theta. Who just sent him a glare of annoyance.

"So, what do you want us to do, your majesty." Theta said with slight hint of sarcasm.

"Well... with Cadance putting all her strength into keeping her spell going, and me trying to keep an eye on signs of trouble in the arctic, we haven't been able to gather much information from the Crystal Ponies." Shining said shaking off the white dragon understandable bitterness.

"Crystal Ponies?! Hahaha, there are Crystal Ponies?!" Rarity exclaimed, her blue eyes widening. "Um, ahem. Please continue." Rarity said awkwardly, after receiving a glare from all of her friends. Practically from Theta, who had gray smoke coming out of his nostrils.

"But we have to believe one of them knows how we can protect the Empire without having to use Cadance's magic." Shining Armor said.

"A research paper!" Twilight exclaimed, getting a confused look from everypony and dragon present.

"Huh?" Shining Armor said in confusion.

"That must be part of my test... to gather information from the Crystal Ponies and deliver it to you! This is gonna be great! I love research papers!" Twilight said, getting a confused look from Theta. Becoming too now doubt the credibility of Princess Celestia.

"Who in their right mind uses the return of a powerful shadow monster as a test." Theta thought to himself.

"Yeah, who doesn't?" Rainbow Dash said sarcastically.

"I like this pony." Theta thought to himself.

"Oh-oh-oh! Lemme guess! Is it Spike? Nono, Fluttershy! Rarity?" Pinkie said jumping up and down. In her normal over-the-top nature.

"I am surrounded by insane idiots." Theta thought to himself as he watched the pink earth pony give the middle claw to logic.

"Don't worry, big brother. I am really good at this sort of thing." Twilight said, as she and the rest her friends left the throne. Them going to get information from the crystal ponies.

"Are you going to go with them?" Shining Armor asked Theta. Whe still standing in the middle of the throne room, doing his best to wrap his mind around what had just happened.

"Yeah... of course. Just promise me this Shining Armor." Theta said to the white unicorn.

"Yes. What is it?" Shining Armor asked Theta.

"I just want you to promise me that you will take care of Sigma. He took quite a shot from Sombra." Theta said looking over to his resting brother. Sigma's dust covered body only moving as he breathed in his sleep.

"Of course Theta, we will make sure nothing happens to your brother well you are gone." Shining Armor said to Theta, getting a smile from the white dragon.

"Thank you." Theta said Shining Armor, as he began to leave the throne room. "I'll be right back bro." Theta said to his brother, just before running to catch up to the others.

"Are you sure? Absolutely sure?" Twilight asked one of the crystal ponies. The pony's coat and mane absent of their crystal-like shine.

"I'm sorry. I wish I could help you. But I... can't seem to remember anything before King Sombra came to power." The crystal pony said in a monotonic voice. As an image of King Sombra flashed into her mind. "And I don't want to remember anything about the time he ruled over us." The crystal pony said, shaking the image of her former King out of her mind.

"King Sombra's spell must be why their coats aren't... crystally." Twilight thought to herself.

"Have we really been gone a thousand years?" The crystal pony asked Twilight.

"Yes." Twilight said answering the pony's question.

"It feels like it was just yesterday." The crystal pony said.

"If you think of anything, even the smallest thing..." Twilight said to the crystal pony.

"Of course." The crystal pony said, closing the door in Twilight's face.

"Well, that was a total bust." Spike said to Twilight, as the two walked away from the crystal pony's home.

"Maybe the others are having better luck." Twilight said.

"A way to protect the Empire! You know anything about it or what?" Rainbow asked a crystal pony, getting up into her face.

"I wish I could help you. Really." The crystal pony said, beginning to trot way.

"Hold on! You gotta know something!" Rainbow said stopping the crystal pony.

"But... I don't have any information."The crystal pony said, making Rainbow grunt in frustration.

"Oh, um. Excuse me! Oh! Hello! Umm, I was just wondering." Fluttershy tried asking a group of crystal ponies. Fluttershy then took in a deep breathe when she saw a crystal pony eating at a table, and began to walk over to the pony. "Oh, oh, that's okay, um, you all look really busy." Fluttershy laughed nervously as she went up to the crystal pony.

"Time to gather some intel!" Pinkie said dressed in a black spy outfit. As she stalked two crystal ponies.

"It just feels like something is missing." One crystal pony said to the other.

"I know. It looks the same, but it doesn't feel the same." The other crystal said back.

"Because it isn't!" Pinkie said to the two ponies, somehow hanging upside down in mid air. "It's Pinkie Pie don't question it."

"A spy!" One of the crystal gasped as they ran away from the disguised earth pony.

"A spy? How did they know? Ah! Must have noticed my night vision goggles. Ooh! Night vision-y!" Pinkie said, as she placed her tri-lensed green night vision goggles on her head.

"Um... I don't suppose that you know anything about how to defeat King Sombra, do you." Theta asked a crystal pony.

"No, I'm sorry dragon. I just simply can't remember." The crystal pony, her face looking straight at the ground.

"Well, if you can remember anything. Please don't hesitate to say so." Theta said walking away from the pony.

"Don't worry I probably won't" The crystal pony said as Theta was walking away.

"Ugh... this is going to be more difficult than I thought." Theta said as he began to walk toward the center of the large city, where the rest were meeting up.

"I got nothing so far." Rainbow sighed as the six ponies met back up at the center of the city. The giant crystal castle towering above them.

"Oh, me neither." Rarity said.

"My cover has been blown. I repeat, my cover has been blown!" Pinkie said stepping out of a skin suit of Fluttershy.

"Ooookay." Twilight said shifting her attention over to Applejack.

"Sorry, Twilight. These crystal ponies seem to have some kinda collective amnesia or somethin'. Only thing I was able to get out of 'em was somethin' about a library." Applejack said, Twilight's eyes lighting up at the mention of a library.

"A library? Well, why didn't you say so?!" Twilight exclaimed.

"Uh... thought I just did." Applejack said in response to the unicorn's reaction.

"What about this library?" Theta said, joining the six other ponies.

The six ponies and two dragons walked into the library that Applejack was talking about, and Twilight looked like she was about explode at the shire amount of books in the library. The large enough to even rival the one in Canterlot.

"I just... I don't even know what to... There are no words." Twilight said having a slight nerdgasm.

"Ahem. May I help you?" The librarian of the library asked the group of ponies, under the same amesiana that the rest of the crystal ponies were under.

"Yes. We're looking for a book." Twilight said to the librarian.

"We have plenty of those." The librarian said with unintentional sarcasm.

"I like this pony." Theta thought to himself, thinking about the librarian.

"You do. You really do." Twilight said in awe at the shire amount of untapped knowledge inside the library.

"We're lookin' for a history book. Somethin' that might tell us how the Empire might've protected itself from danger back in the day." Applejack said to the librarian.

"Yes. Of course. History, history... Ah, yes." The librarian said, going to deep thought.

"Which is where, exactly?" Twilight asked the librarian after a short pause.

"I... I can't seem to remember. I'm not sure I actually work here." Librarian said

"I take it back. I hate her now." Theta thought to himself.

"Ugh." Rainbow grunted.

"We'll just take a look around. I'm sure we can find it on our own." Twilight said as her friends went off to look to search the library for a book about the Crystal Empire.

"Let me know if you find anything." The librarian said.

"I like her!" Pinkie said.

"Ugh! Am I the only one that thinks that this is just a waste of time." Theta grunted in frustration, as he searched through his hundredth book with nothing on the Crystal Empire.

"I second that, anyone else startin' to think this is a lost cause?" Applejack agreed with Theta.

"No, no, no, no, no... Yes!" Twilight said has she found a book that she assumed that would help. 'History of the Crystal Empire'. I just hope it has the answers we need." Twilight said grabbing the book as they headed back to the crystal castle to inform her brother and Cadence about the book.

"A 'Crystal Faire'. According to this book, it was established by their first queen and became their most important tradition. The Faire was held every year to "renew the spirit of love and unity in the empire so they could protect it from harm". My friends and I could put it together. Everything we need to know is in the book!" Twilight said, Spike holding the large book in his claws (for some reason), to Shining Armor and Cadence. The pink alicorn's condition only getting worse as she continued to cast her spell.

"That sounds pretty promising." Shining Armor said, as he wife leaned up against his shoulder. Her light blue magic beginning to flicker.

"We'll get started right away. C'mon, Spike, we've got a Crystal Faire to put together!" Twilight said as she took off to put on the Crystal Faire.

"Princess Cadance needs our help

Her magic will not last forever

I think we can do it

But we need to work together

We have to get this right

Yes, we have to make them see

We can save the Crystal Ponies with their history." Twilight began to sing, as her, and her friends began to put on the Crystal Faire.

"It says that they liked jousting" Rainbow sang, as she wore the traditional silver jousting armor.

"They flew a flag of many hues" Rarity sang as she to sew a brand new flag for the Crystal Empire.

"Made sweets of crystal berries" Applejack sang as she started many of the Crystal Empire traditional foods.

"They had a petting zoo with tiny ewes." Fluttershy sang as she set up a small petting zoo in the middle of the city.

"Oh, we have to get this right

Yes, we have to make them see

We can save the Crystal Ponies with their history" All of the ponies sang together.

"There was a crystal flugelhorn

That every pony liked to play" Pinkie sang as she tried to play the strange trumpet like instrument.

"And the Crystal Kingdom anthem

Can you learn it in a day?" Twilight sang as she continued to flip through the pages of the book.

"Oh, we have to get this right

Yes, we have to make them see

We can save the Crystal Ponies with their history." All the ponies sang, as they broke off to do their part of the faire.

"Am I the only one that questions why these six ponies just randomly broke into song?" Theta said to himself, as he walked out of the castle to see how the festivities of the faire were going.

"It looks amazing! I don't know how I could've done this without you! One last check to make sure everything is in place, and then the festivities can begin!" Twilight said as the crystal faire began.

"What's this thing for?" Theta asked Twilight, poking a large blue block of crystal. With the top of it shaped like a heart.

"The last page of the book mentioned a Crystal Heart as the faire's centerpiece, so I used my magic to cut one out of a crystal block." Twilight said explaining the large block of crystal to Theta.

"Hmm... not bad Twilight. Think we're ready to get this faire up and running." Theta said genuinely impressed by Twilight craftsmanship.

On the royal platform of the crystal castle Twilight was joined by her brother and sister-in-law as she addressed the crystal ponies. Theta was standing just behind the three ponies. Before twilight spoke, however, Pinkie did her best to blow the Flugelhorn. Which she epicly failed at.

"Hear ye, hear..." Twilight began only to get interrupted by Pinkie as she failed at trying to play the Flugelhorn, again.

"My bad." Pinkie laughed nervously as Twilight shot a glare at her.

"Ahem. Hear ye, hear ye! Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor do cordially invite you to attend the Crystal Faire!" Twilight announced to the large crowd of crystal ponies that was present. All of their coats becoming a slightly more crystally color.

"Not bad kid." Theta said to Twilight, making the purple unicorn blush.

"Thanks, but I'm sure that will the last time I will make a speech in front of a large group of ponies." Twilight said, not knowing the unintentional irony in her words.

"Come on in, y'all. Got food and drinks thataway, games and crafts are thataway, Crystal Heart to the back near the Princess." Applejack said to the large group of crystal ponies.

"Did she say... Crystal Heart?" One of the crystal ponies said, seemly to remember something important about the crystal heart, but she couldn't put her hoof on it.

"We totally nailed it, right? Must be feeling a lot of love and unity about now! Gonna have some grub, huh? What are you thinking? Crystal Empire berry pie? Maybe some crystal corn-on-the-cob!" Rainbow said to one of the crystal ponies, shoving the large assortment of foods in her face. "What is with these ponies?!" Rainbow said the pony that she was talking running off.

"Seeing all of this, I feel like I'm starting to remember. Remember things from before the king." One of the crystal ponies said another.

"Me too." The pony that she talking to said in agreement.

"The Crystal Heart!" The two ponies gasped as one. Their coats gaining a little bit of their original color.

"Do you think they really have it?" One of the ponies said.

"Of course we have it! Can't have a Crystal Faire without the Crystal Heart, right?" Rainbow said joining in the two ponies conservation. Not knowing the true meaning, and the significance of the Crystal Heart.

"Of course you can't. The whole purpose of the Crystal Faire is to lift the spirits of the Crystal Ponies, so the light within them can power the Crystal Heart, so that the Empire can be protected!" The librarian said, making Applejack and Rainbow Dash share a concerned look. "I do work at the library!" The librarian gasped, as the Crystal Faire began to break the spell of amnesia that Sombra had cast on the crystal ponies.

"W-what's that about 'powering the heart'?" Rainbow Dash asked the librarian.

"I just can't believe you found it. King Sombra said he'd hidden it away where we would never see it again! I only hope it will still be as powerful after all these years...! Mm, funnel cake!" The librarian said answering Rainbow Dash's question, trotting off to experience more of the faire.

After receiving this new news Rainbow bolted off to the center of the city and covers the large block of crystal in the middle of city.

"Why did you..." Twilight began to ask Rainbow.

"I think we may have a problem..." Rainbow said to Twilight.

"I didn't know it was an actual relic! The book didn't mention anything about the Crystal Ponies powering the Heart!" Twilight explained to Shining Armor, Cadence, and Theta. As she flipped through the book to the last page of the book. "There was a page missing... How did I not notice?!" Twilight said seeing that the last page in the book was torn out.

"It's alright, Twilight." Cadence said to Twilight. As her body gave out from exhaustion her protection spell failing. The large blue dome around the city collapsing. The massive shadow of Sombra surrounding the now defenseless city.

"Twily..." Shining Armor said to his sister, holding his exhausted wife in his forelegs.

"Now it is time." Sombra growled as he is shadow form continued to surround the city. Reading to make the Crystal Empire his again.

"Oh Buck." Theta sighed.

"A... what happened?" Sigma grunted as he regained conscious. Robbing his head with his claws. "What the buck is on me." Sigma said climbing to his feet, shaking the black dust that covered his scales. The dust evaporating into the air as it hit the crystal room of the castle. The black dust staining his scales to a dark gray color with his eyes becoming a teal color.

"Now it is time." Sigma heard Sombra growl outside.

"What the buck was that?" Sigma said as he looked one of the windows in the castle to see that Sombra's shadow was ready to attack the city. "Ugh, you got to be bucking kidding me."

Some Wounds Never Heal

"I am really sorry for what happened to you three. I hope that you accept my deepest apologizes." Lemon Hearts said, apologize to Minuette, Twinkleshine, and Lyra for being of turning them into nothing more than walking puppets for Queen Chrysalis.

"Lemon you told us that you have been sorry more times than I care to count." Minuette said as Moon Dancer spoke up.

"Twenty-seven to be exact." Moon Dancer said, her five friends all spending their weekly get together at the cafe in Canterlot.

"Whatever, but that's besides the point." Minuette continued. "What I mean is that we all understand that you had no control on what you were doing. So why should we blame you, if it could've every easily been one of us doing the exact same thing to you." Minuette said, making Lemon Hearts feel a little better about herself.

"I'm sorry. It's just can't that was the one that was responsible for causing you all that pain." Lemon said, still beating up on herself.

"Lemon... we all understand what you're going through, but you mustn't beat yourself so much." Twinkleshine said to Lemon.

"Thanks girls. I think I feel much better now." Lemon Hearts said her cheerful attitude beginning to return to her for the first time since the wedding between Princess Cadence and Shining Armor.

"Do you think that you can come back to work than?" Moon Dancer asked Lemon Hearts. Lemon haven't been working at the castle since Princess Cadence and Shining Armor's wedding. "The castle has been an absolute mess without Lemon." Moon Dancer added, getting a soft chuckle out of

"Yeah, I think I can. There are only a few weeks without work that you last without getting bored out of your skull." Lemon Hearts said.

"Great. So do you believe will be able to return to work with me tomorrow?" Moon Dancer asked Lemon.

"Yeah, I think I will be good enough by tomorrow." Lemon said to Moon Dancer, making Moon Dancer face warm up in a smile.

Moon Dancer then rose from her seat and began to walk out of the cafe.

"Where are you going Moon?" Twinkleshine called out to Moon Dancer as she was halfway outside the door of the cafe.

"I have some research for the Princess that I have to attend to." Moon Dancer explained.

"Will you be able to comeback?" Twinkleshine asked Moon Dancer.

"I don't know, girls. You all know how I get when I am studying. I just can't stop, but I will see what I can do, ok." Moon Dancer said as she waved goodbye.

"Ok, See yay Moon." Moon Dancer's friends said at the same as they broke off into their own conservations.

Over in the Dragon Empire, Theta and his brother Sigma were engaged in a training session with their mentor. What was this training mission you may ask. Well... it was a training session to help the two apprentices learn to defend themselves in case of battle. Alpha having his two apprentices duel each other, in order to train the both of them at the same time.

"Again, and Theta don't try to overthink your attacks. If you do, it will just leave yourself open to enemy." Alpha scolded the white dragon, pinned underneath his much stronger brother. This being the fifth time in a row that Theta had lost to his brother.

"Yes, I try my best." Theta grunted, his brother massive body making it difficult for him to breathe.

"Why don't you just give up." Theta heard his brother whisper to him, as Sigma climbed off of him. Sigma finding a strange delight in beating his brother.

"Now begin, and no screw ups." Alpha said as his two apprentices reengaged in their training session. Sigma couldn't stop himself from letting out a small laugh, as he knew that his mentor was really referring to his much weaker, at least in his yellow eyes, brother.

Theta and Sigma circled each other, until Theta swung one of his claws at Sigma. Sigma blocked his brother easily with the waist of his right claw and delivered a right claw of his own to his brother muzzle. Making Theta reel back in pain. Red blood beginning to spill from his broken nose.

"Theta stop telegraphing your attacks, it will only leave you open to an easily counterattack." Alpha said down to the injured alpha, him beginning to regret taking on Theta has his latest apprentice.

"Yes Alpha, thank you Alpha." Theta said up to his mentor, wiping some of the blood on his face with his claw.

"You want another one." Sigma taunted his brother.

Theta roared in annoyance as he charged at his brother. The two brothers trading blows. Theta doing little damage compared to that of his brother's. With all of Sigma attacks making Theta have to reel back in pain of every strike.

"I'll give you one thing brother." Sigma said as he place his brother into a headlock.

"And what... would that... be?" Theta somehow managed to ask his brother.

"You sure are driven... misguided... but driven none-the-less." Sigma said released his brother. Theta tumbling to the dirt ground in defeat, again. Theta breathing heavily.

"I think that is enough for today." Alpha said releasing Theta of getting any more punishment. "Sigma you are dismissed... Theta may I speak with you." Alpha said to his two apprentices.

"Here." Sigma said giving a helping claw to his brother.

Theta stared up at the dark gray claw in front of him. His vision switching to that of the black scales of the corrupted version of his brother from his vision. Theta shock the sight out of his mind as he accepted his brother's help.

"For the record you would've made an ok Alpha." Sigma whispered to Theta.

"What do... do you mean?" Theta asked Simga, surprised by his brother's words.

"Isn't obvious, he is going to cut you." Sigma said to Theta, as he walked away. The kind, yet at the same time protective, twin brother that he had grown up with beginning to warp into something that Theta couldn't explain.

"Are you coming Theta?" Alpha asked Theta, bringing him back to reality.

"Um... of course I am." Theta as he climbed onto Alpha outstretched wing. Him not as afraid of heights as he once was. Alpha took to the skies as he began to fly up into the gray clouds that only seemed to circle the skies of the Dragon Empire.

"Um Alpha... I don't mean to sound rude, but why are we up here?" Theta asked his mentor. Crawling up to the lower neck of the Alpha.

"Theta do you know why I stopped your training session with your brother?" Alpha said to Theta, intentionally avoiding his apprentice's question.

"I can take a guess." Theta said, disappointed in himself.

"And that guess would be?" Alpha asked Theta, knowing the answer that he was most likely going to get.

"You're... you're embarrassed of me." Theta said, averting his gaze from the giant dragon that he was clinging onto.

"You couldn't be anymore wrong Theta." Alpha said, his words taking Theta by surprise.

In the skies over the Dragon Empire, Alpha and Theta were having a discussion.

"What... what do you mean. I am an awful fighter." Theta said to Alpha, not believing what his mentor was telling him.

"You are better than I was when I was your age." Alpha admitted, this surprising Theta even more.

"You... but you are the Alpha... you defeated an entire changeling army on your own." Theta said, not believing that a dragon the size of a mountain could've been a worse fighter than he currently was.

"I wasn't always like this." Alpha began. "Now that I actually think about it. I wasn't that different than you when I was younger." Alpha spoke, telling Theta about his past.

"Really... what was it like Alpha?" Theta asked Alpha.

"Name wasn't always Alpha. My name before I became the actual alpha was Delta. I was born almost two thousand year ago as a wingless red dragon in an egg that I shared with my twin brother, Omega." Delta said to Theta, opening up about his backstory.

"You had a twin brother?" Theta asked Delta.

"Yes... sigh... we were almost inseparable. At least we used to be." Delta said, his memory of the good times he had with Omega flashing back to him all in an instant.

"What do you mean?" Theta asked Delta, the giant dragon letting out a heavy sigh.

"It all started... what would it be eighteen hundred years ago, no nineteen hundred... that sounds about right. When my mentor, the original Alpha, traveled from the barren wasteland that me and my brother used to call home to the land that would later earn the name of Equestria." Alpha said as the memory from his past began to play before his eyes.

"Are we there yet?" A younger version of Omega, him about thirty feet long with slightly maroon scales and blue eyes, grunted on the back of the first alpha. The young alpha dragon bored out of his skull.

"Relax yourself Omega, we should be arriving at our destination as I speak." Alpha said, as the mountain-sized creature landed on the grassy ground of a large prairie.

"Can you remind us again as to why we are here in the first place?" Omega asked his mentor, the two apprentices climbing off of the Alpha's body.

"We are here to build with an alliance with the rulers of this fair land. In order to increase prosperity for both dragon and the species that inhibits this land." Alpha said to Omega.

"And what is this species that you speak of?" A younger version of Delta asked his Alpha. He slightly smaller than Omega with bright scales and lime green eyes.

"The species that we are going to do business with goes by the name of changelings if I am not mistaken. I don't know much of their species, but what do know that they have the ability to shapeshift into any animal, within reason, that they pleased." Alpha said to Delta, giving his limited knowledge of changelings to his young apprentice.

"You are correct." The three dragons heard a feminine voice say, but they couldn't locate where it had come from.

"Who is there? Show yourself!" Alpha roared, his booming voice making the ground shake.

"There is no need for hostility." The feminine voice said as small fruit fly was engulfed in green flames as it transformed into the form of a tall black pony-bug hybrid. "I have no intention to harm you." The voice said, now coming out of the black bug-pony.

"As if you could even try." Omega thought to himself, not impressive by the strange creature's magic trick.

"Who are you?" Alpha asked the bug-pony.

"I am Arachne, the Queen of all the changelings." The bug-pony said introducing herself.

"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. My name is Alpha, and these are my two apprentices Delta, and Omega." Alpha said, introducing himself, along with his two apprentices.

"Hi." Delta said to Arachne shyly. Arachne's muzzle curling up in a devilish grin.

"Sup." Omega said to Arachne bluntly. Making Arachne recoil in disgust at the maroon dragon's actions.

"I see..." Arachne began, looking the two Alpha's apprentices over. "Anyway, I guess it wouldn't be very guest like if I didn't show you around my kingdom." Arachne said, shifting her attention back to the Alpha.

"I would be honored, and I am sure that my apprentices will feel the same way." Alpha said accepting Arachne's offer.

"Speak for yourself." Omega thought to himself, as the Alpha and his two apprentices followed Arachne deeper into the land that would soon earn the name of Equestria.

"It's a great story, but what does this have to do with me?" Theta asked Delta, bringing the tell back to the present.

"I'm getting there trust me." Delta said as he continued the story. "Now as I was saying." Delta said as the memory of his past replayed before his eyes.

"This is the Hive of the Changelings." Arachne said to Alpha, as she showed the king of the dragons the location that functioned as the castle for the changelings.

The Hive of the Changelings was a large hill made entirely out of a golden crystallized goo that once it hardened it was just, if not, as strong as stone. The Hive on the very edge of the forest that would later be known as the Everfree Forest.

"That bad... I really love what you did with the architecture." Omega said sarcastically. The barren wasteland that they had once called home becoming more appealing by the second.

"Your majesty... I do not wish to interrupt, but I have a very important matter to discuss with you." A green-eyed changeling soldier said to his Queen.

"Yes Shadow, what is it?" Arachne asked the soldier bluntly.

"It private your majesty." Shadow said to his Queen, looking up at the mountain-sized dragon above him. The Alpha's golden scales almost blinding in the summer sun.

"Of... course. If you would excuse me for just one minute." Arachne said to Alpha, who simply nodded in response.

As the two changeling trotted off into the cave like entrance of the Changeling Hive, Omega and Delta began to talk to their mentor. The former becoming more suspicious by the second.

"Alpha, I don't know if it just me, but these changelings keep giving me the creeps." Omega said to Alpha.

"I don't know Omega. I mean would you be a little intimidated if one had to be the host to a dragon that is larger than the castle that you rule from." Delta said, stating a good point.

"Hmm... I guess so D, but still there is about that queen that just bugs me." Omega said, falling silent as Queen Arachne returned.

"Sorry about that. I just had a... small matter that had to attend to." Arachne said, giving a fake apology.

"No apologies necessary." Alpha said to the changeling queen. "I was at first surprised at to get a letter from you, your majesty. Changelings are not well known to being very open creatures." Alpha said to Arachne, getting a crooked grin from the changeling.

"We aren't." Arachne said wickedly as the changelings under her command seemed to just warp out of the thin air.

"What is the meaning of this!" Alpha roared, as his two apprentices, more like Omega, dropped into a defensive stance.

"There is a reason why there are reports of creatures coming to my kingdom." Arachne said, as more and more changelings under her command warped in the battlefield. Them soon outnumbering the three dragon almost two hundred to one.

"And what would that be?" Alpha asked Arachne through gritted teeth.

"Because the ones that have come, have never had the pleasure of living to tell about it. Rush them!" Arachne ordered at the changelings under her command. The ones that were hovering above the ground, all fired green magic beams from their horns. Hitting the Alpha all over his golden body. While at the same time

The Alpha rose up on hind legs, raising to his full height, as he let out one blast of his golden fire. Catching an entire swarm of changeling in his fire.

"I'm going to say that I told you so." Omega said as his claws to slice through the countless changelings that seemed to be coming out of the entrance of the Hive. Omega's claws soon becoming stained a dark red from the blood of the changelings.

"Don't, but a little assistance would be much appreciated." Delta roared for help to his brother. As he was currently getting surrounded by a large mass of changelings. Some of them jumping onto his back a pouncing large green blades into his red scales of his back.

Delta roared out in pain as he tried to run the changelings off his back. Using his mouth to grab one of the changelings loser to his neck into one of the crystallized columns of the Hive. Killing the said changeling on impact.

Delta never wanted to kill any other creature, but this was survival. It was either kill or you will be killed.

"I'm coming D." Omega said as he came to his brother's aid. Using his maroon fire to burn the remaining changelings off of his back. The changelings cried out in pain as Omega's fire burned their bug-like flesh as if it was paper. Delta didn't feel any harm, one of the benefits being a dragon. Having scales fireproof to all dragon species fire.

"Are you alright?" Omega asked his brother, with genuine concern in his voice. Eying the the large stab wounds into his twin brother's flesh.

"Yeah, I'm ok." Delta said through obvious pain.

"You're going to need more changelings than that to take me down Arachne." Alpha roared as he continued to use his fire to burn the changeling forces that were stupid enough to attack a dragon as large as the Hive that they lived in.

"That's the idea." Arachne said, taking a twisted delight in her attack. As the full amount of her changeling forces attacked Alpha in one attack.

"If that's how you want it." Alpha roared, as his the golden scales on his chest began to glow brighter than the sun. Delta and Omega had to revert their eyes from the blinding as their mentor charged up his blast. "So be it!" Alpha roared as he fired his golden fire. Catching all of the changeling reinforcements in a his golden blaze. All of them screaming out in pain as they were instantly turned to ash.

"Give it up Arachne, you can't defeat me." Alpha roared slamming back down on his four legs. His million pound body shaking the ground beneath his claws.

"That is where you are wrong." Arachne barked in a crazed manner. Her crooked her glowing a dark green in rage.

"Oh just shut up!" Omega roared, as he used his tail like a whip to knock the changeling queen into one of the support columns of the Hive. Knocking Arachne unconscious, while cracking the surface of the crystallized goo.

"What happened after that?" Theta asked his Alpha, bringing Delta back to the present.

"My mentor, my brother, and myself destroyed the remains of the changeling hive and banish all of the remaining changelings (including their defeated queen) from the region. Banishing them to the wasteland deserts on the far edges of Equestria. A land that all dragon, including myself used to call home." Alpha explained.

"Is that all?" Theta asked digging for a little more.

"Not quite. My Alpha ruled over the land that would later earn the name of Equestria until the actual pony settlers of the region arrived to the land. Them traveling from their original land that was destroyed by a massive blizzard. They almost brought the same fate unto Equestria if it wasn't for my Alpha. My Alpha used his golden fire to defeat the creatures that had brought the blizzard unto the land he ruled over. The creatures going by the name of Windigos. A magically flying horses that feeds off the hatred and distrust of others to spread infinitely more powerful snowstorms." Alpha said explaining the ancient past of Equestria to Theta.

"What happened to your brother, Omega?" Theta asked his mentor. Alpha instinctively cringing at the mention of his traitorous brother. "I have heard you talk, or even mention, him before." Theta continued, his words cutting into his mentor's flesh like a steel dagger.

"He... he lost his way. A long... long time ago." Alpha said, as the memory of him having to fight against his own twin brother flashing into his mind.

Theta saw the distress in the eyes of his mentor and decided that it would be best to just dropped the topic entirely.

"It's a great story, but... why did you tell me this?" Theta asked Alpha, addressing the white elephant in the room, or air if you want to be technical.

"I have told you this story to show that you are not the only one in this world, Theta. We all may have different experiences in this world, but there is one thing that is absolute. No matter what some may argue, it is not the ones that use brute strength that earn the title of the alpha. It is the ones that are honest to all. The ones that choose to use kindness and laughter when others would use violence. The ones that are generous not greedy. The ones that honor the loyalty of other, and give the same amount of loyalty in return. Those are the ones that are the rightful leaders of this world. Regardless of race, sex, or species. And Theta out of the creatures that I have had the great pleasure of meeting, you are the one that has shown me the most of all of these traits." Alpha said finishing his monologue.

"Um... thanks... I guess." Theta said, taken aback by his mentor words.

"Um... Alpha where are we going?" Theta asked his mentor after a few minutes of awkward silence.

"Canterlot, Celestia sent me a letter saying that she has something important to discuss with me about." Alpha said, as a clearing in the clouds showed the skyline of Canterlot.

Celestia was pacing the throne room, her thoughts running a mile a minute as she waited for the impossible to arrival of her old friend.

"Celestia come down, I'm sure that Delta will show up any minute now." Luna said to herself, their positions switched from a few days earlier.

"I know... I know. But this isn't just some normal meeting, you and I know this." Celestia said continuing to anxiously pace up and down the throne room. The fall breeze spending a chill up the white alicorn's back.

All of Celestia's worries evaporated from her body as a familiar roar shook the city. "About time he decided to show up." Celestia said, looking out one of the windows of the throne room just in time to see Alpha come in for a landing on the outskirts of the city. His carriage sized claws digging into the dirt ground as he slid to a stop.

"You requested my presence Celestia." Alpha addressed the white alicorn beneath him, as Theta climbed off his back. Landing on the red carpeted floor of the throne room. Theta couldn't stop himself from giggling at the stained glass painting depicting Spike with the Crystal Heart held in his claws riding on his back.

"Yes we do have an important to discuss with you." Celestia said to her old friend.

"Yes... what is it." Alpha said, slightly suspicious as to what Celestia was referring to.

"You remember Discord, don't you Delta." Luna asked her old friend.

"Isn't he the draconequus that turned Equestria into his own personal playground of chaos, twice." Theta said, his words filled with some unintentional smug.

"Yes... he was also turned into stone twice." Luna said to Theta through gritted teeth, only getting a chuckle out of the white dragon.

"Anyway, me and my sister have been debating what to do with him." Luna began to say as the city was shaken by a large earthquake, but this one felt more natural than the small tremors that happened when Alpha took a step.

"Delta... was that you?" Luna asked the giant dragon above her.

"I don't think so. But... I think I what caused it." Alpha said staring off toward Ponyville. The city being covered by a large translucent dome above the small town. Almost as if somepony had put a giant glass bowl over the city.

"Ugh... Do I ever get a break." Alpha roared in annoyance. "Theta you stay here. I'll be right back." ALpha roared as he opened his massive wings and launched into the air.

The two alicorn's eyes went straight for toward the white dragon that was standing in the middle of the room.

"Well... this is awkward."

Moon Dancer had just arrived at her home in the modest, at least by Canterlot standards, part of the city. Ready to spend the rest of the day doing research for Princess Celestia. What research you may ask.

"The Untold Story of the First Alpha and his Two Apprentices." Moon Dancer read the cover of the book that had told her about the alpha dragon in the first place.

Moon Dancer used her yellow magic to turn the book to the page that she had bookmarked and began reading.

"Nopony, or even dragon for that matter, knows exactly how long the first had ruled over the land that would later become known as Equestria, but the most recent estimates are from one hundred to maybe even five hundred years until the first ponies stepped hoof in a manner to settle the region." Moon Dancer read, this being common knowledge to her.

Moon Dancer didn't know why Princess Celestia wanted her to reread the same book that she had reread only five times before hoof. It seemed counterproductive, at least it did to her. But she would express her opinions on the matter to Celestia directly. She could recite the first few chapters perfectly to the two Princesses just from memory.

"This is a waste of time." Moon Dancer said halfway through the second page of the chapter she was currently reading. Moon Dancer began to close the book with her magic, only for something to catch her eye.

"Wait... what was that?" Moon Dancer asked herself flipping to the page that caught her eye. "How have I never noticed this." Moon Dancer said wide-eyed. The very the last page in the book to be exact, a page that Moon Dancer could never remember reading.

"With the introduction of the newly crowned Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, or simply Princess Cadence for short. There has been an unconfirmed prophecy that has been began involving the two alpha brothers." Moon Dancer began to read the last paragraph of the last page of the book.

"Now with the introduction of the third princess in Equestria, it will soon spring forth the return of the second sister, the return of the Spirit of Chaos by the name of Discord, and the long awaited return of the most powerful creature in world history. Delta, the second alpha. Peace will return to the lands of Equestria and the Dragon Empire, but it will not last however. When the three princesses become four, the lost one will return, and the two will battle. With only one being able to walk away from the battle alive." Moon Dancer read the last page of the book, her mind lost for words.

"Oh... that's why."

Magic Duel

One day earlier, in a pouring rainstorm, a unicorn mare dressed in a black cape was running through the alleyways of Ponyville looking for a specific shop in the city. The mysterious mare came across the shop that she was looking for, a small shack that many wouldn't take a second at. But not this mare.

The mare entered the small store, the bell on the store's door signaling her entrance.

"May I help you, traveler?" The shopkeeper asked the cloaked mare. "Hmm, something drew you to my shop... something powerful." The shopkeeper said, as the cloaked mare pointed at a glass case on a shelf behind him. The glass case containing a black necklace in the design of a alicorn with a red gem in the middle of the necklace. "Ah, you have a keen eye. The Alicorn Amulet is one of the most mysterious and powerful of all the known magical charms. Uh, ah... I'm afraid this is... far too dangerous." The shopkeeper said taking the said glass case on the table separating him from the mysterious mare. Explaining the necklace under the glass to the cloak mare.

The cloaked mare then placed a bag filled to the brim with golden bits. The shopkeeper's eyes widening at the placement of the bag.

"Would you like that gift-wrapped?" The shopkeeper said quickly, accepting the mysterious mare's money. A devilish smile spreading across the face of the mysterious mare, ideas of revenge against a certain purple unicorn floating around in her mind.

In the early morning of the next day Fluttershy was helping out Twilight with a spell that she had been practicing for a while.

"Don't be scared, little friends. Twilight is wonderful with magic." Fluttershy said to her small animals. "Anything happens to them, Twilight, so help me..." Fluttershy said to Twilight.

"Aww, don't worry, Fluttershy, Twilight's magic has gotten a lot better since she accidentally crushed me and Applejack with a giant snowball." Spike said, reassuring the yellow pegasus. Twilight's face flushing in a blush at the mention of her screw up during the last winter wrap up.

"Continuity!"

"Of course she's good with magic. Twilight's great with magic. I guess I just don't want my little friends to be scared. Oh, oh, look how scared they are!" Fluttershy said, still worried that something bad will happen to her animal friends. Her words were then followed by the various chatter of Fluttershy's animals. The yellow pegasus' face beginning to sweat.

"I promise, Fluttershy. Nothing bad will happen to them." Twilight said to Fluttershy.

"I know!" Fluttershy squeaked. "Stop, stop! They can't take it!" Fluttershy cried out as Twilight's horn glowed with her magenta magic. Fluttershy dropped to the grassy ground. Twilight just rolled her eyes, continuing with her spell.

Twilight used her magic to lift Fluttershy's animals into the air, and had them create a double circle, similar to the infinity symbol in the air.

"Twilight, that looks amazing!" Spike said, congratulating Twilight for completely her spell, placing the animals back safely on the ground.

"Phew!" Twilight said, wiping some sweat off her forehead. Twilight's words met with the happy chatter from Fluttershy's animals.

"That's all for now, little ones. Maybe we can practice again later, if Fluttershy says it's alright." Twilight said as Fluttershy's animals ran off.

"Your magic has really improved since we came to Ponyville, Twilight. Princess Celestia's going to love it." Spike said to Twilight.

"Thanks, Spike. I have to be at my best when she arrives with the delegates from Saddle Arabia. I can't believe she's trusting me with the entertainment." Twilight said, Celestia expected to come to Ponyville the following day. Twilight was then tackled to the ground by Rainbow Dash in a flash of rainbow colors.

"Twilight! Come quick! It's an emergency!" Rainbow said to the purple unicorn, Twilight's eyes widening.

In the center of Ponyville the cloaked mare from earlier was having fun causing havoc amongst the townsfolk.

"You beast! This shade of brown should only be used for accents!" Rarity screeched at the mysterious mare, as she used the red magic of the Alicorn Amulet around her neck to dress Rarity in an ugly dress of mismatched colors.

"Come on, Applejack. We've got to get her in a nice, soothing pink, stat." Pinkie said as Applejack caught the fainting Rarity.

"What's going on here?" Twilight said, running to the front of the ever increasing crowd.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't... Twilight Sparkle." The mystery mare said taking off the hood of her cloak. Revealing herself to being Trixie. A cocky light blue unicorn that was outshone by Twilight when she took on a Ursa Minor when Twilight first came to Ponyville.

The crowd erupted into an universal gasp. As Twilight challenged her former rival.

"Trixie!" Twilight snarled at her former rival.

"What's she doing here?" Spike said to Trixie, with the same animosity as Twilight.

"You call that great and powerful?" Rainbow said to Trixie, not impressed by her attack against Rarity.

Trixie's purple eyes flashed red as she used the Alicorn Amulet against the cyan pegasus.

Trixie's spell caused one of Rainbow's wings to become much larger than the other, throwing her flying off balance.

"Oh! She's Rainbow Wobble, now!" An overweight light blue unicorn colt about the same age as the CMC by the name of Snips said, laughing at Rainbow's misfortune.

"Yeah! Ha ha ha ha!" Snips' friend, a yellow slender unicorn colt by the name of Snails, agreed.

Rainbow then slammed into the ground. Her disproportioned wing making it impossible to fly.

"Good spell, oh Great and Powerful Trixie!" Snails said, him and Snips going back to how that worshiped the light blue unicorn the first time she came to Ponyville.

"You two! Quiet!" Trixie barked at the two colts, casting a spell on the both of them.

"Uh, hey! W... What happened?" Snips said, as his horn was now attached to the horn of snails. The blue unicorn hanging above his yellow friend.

"Get off of me!" Snails said to Snips.

"Let go." Snips said, as he flipped upside down so that he was now on the ground.

"Go this way!" Snails said flipping back around so that he was now on the ground.

"Stop picking on my friends, Trixie!" Twilight ordered at Trixie.

"You and I have some unfinished business. My magic's gotten better since I was here last. And I'm going to prove it! Me and you, a magic duel. Winner stays, loser leaves Ponyville forever!" Trixie said to Twilight, challenging her rival to a duel.

"Forget it! I'd never make a deal like that!" Twilight said, refusing Trixie's challenge.

"Hm. Your choice." Trixie huffed, as she used the power of the Alicorn Amulet to levitate Spike a few feet above the ground. She also used her magic to turn Spike into a the shape of a ball, and bounce him off the ground.

"Trixie! Put him down!" Twilight ordered at Trixie. Trixie did as she commanded as she tossed Spike harmlessly through a open basket.

"Two point field goal to Trixie."

"Why are you doing this?" Twilight asked Trixie.

"Why? Because you humiliated me! After you showed me up with that Ursa Minor, I became a laughing stock!" Trixie said to Twilight using her newly acquired magical power to play the memory of what happened after her failure to all the citizens of Ponyville. "Everywhere I went I was laughed at and ostracized. I even had to take a job on a rock farm just to earn a living!" Trixie said as she earned a job working for Pinkie's parents, the image of her past evaporating.

"A rock farm!" Trixie repeated herself.

"Hey! You're lucky a rock farm would take the likes of you!" Pinkie called out to Trixie, soon coming to regret that decision.

Trixie used her magic to literally pull off Pinkie's mouth and put it in a trash bin, deleting it.

"And I thought Pinkie broke the fourth wall."

"Now I want revenge! And I'll just keep casting spells 'til you agree." Trixie said using her magic to take Twilight's library out from it roots and shake it, many of Twilight's books falling out from its open windows. "Well? What do you say?" Trixie challenged Twilight again.

Twilight looked over at all of her hurt friends and made her decision.

"Alright, Trixie. Let's duel!" Twilight said accepting her rival's duel.

"Excellent." Trixie said, knowing that despite Twilight's great power she was no match for the necklace around her neck. She reversed all of her, aside from Pinkie's mouth, and readied for the duel.

"If I lose, I won't set hoof in Ponyville again. But if you lose, you're the one banished from this one-horse town!" Trixie said, stating the stacks if Twilight was to fail. All of Twilight's friends gasped at Trixie's words while Twilight kept a stoic face.

"Draw!" Trixie exclaimed as she fired her red magic from her horn. Hitting a cart filled with goods, making it go falling. Twilight used her magic to catch the cart and its contents before it could crush a helpless pony. Placing the cart back safely on the ground.

Twilight gasped as Trixie use her magic to fling six pies at her. Twilight, thinking quickly, summoned a brown parasprite to eat the incoming pies. Quickly eliminating it before she would've had two separate problems.

Trixie used her magic to dump a cloud full of snow on top of Twilight, covering her completely with the white substance. Twilight used her magic to quickly melt the said snow and fired her own magical beam at Trixie. Hitting her in the muzzle and creating a large moustache on the blue unicorn's face.

The rest of Twilight's giggled at the sight, as Trixie summoned a pair of scissors and cut off the said moustache.

"Snips, Snails, step forward." Trixie ordered at the recently freed unicorn colts.

"What is it Great... and Powerful Trixie." Snips said to Trixie, fearing what the deranged unicorn would do to the both of them.

Trixie used her magic to cast a spell that she knew would guarantee her victory. Her red magic surrounded Snips and Snails in an aura of red magic that lifted them off the ground. When the two unicorn landed back on the ground they were very different. With Snips being a baby, and Snails an old stallion.

"An age spell." Twilight began in disbelief. "But... but... how could you do an age spell? That's only for the highest levels unicorns." Twilight not believing that an unicorn that could barely accomplish basic levitation could successfully pull off one of the hardest spells for any unicorn.

"Well..." Trixie began, using her hoof to polish the Alicorn Amulet around her neck. "Twilight... do you give up." Trixie said, her words filled with even more smug than usual.

Twilight let out a heavy sigh as her horn erupted in her magic. Twilight grunted as she tried to reverse the spell that Trixie had seemed to effortlessly cast on Snips and Snails. Twilight's horn seeming to hum in magical energy, only for it to die out as Twilight collapsed to the ground, unable to reverse Trixie's spell. Submitting her defeat.

"Trixie IS highest level unicorn!" Trixie bragged as she broke off into her own fit of maniacal laughter. "And now it is time for you to leave Ponyville." Trixie continued, taking a certain delight in her victory. "FOREVER!" Trixie yelled, her eyes flashing the same red as her magic.

"That's enough, Trixie!" Applejack called out to Trixie, the rest of Twilight's friends standing protectively in front of the exhausted unicorn.

"You proved your point, but you can't possibly expect Twilight to leave Ponyville!" Rarity said, coming to the defense of Twilight.

"You foals! She's already gone!" Trixie said, as she used her magic to levitate the weakened Twilight off of the ground, and brought her to the outskirts of the city.

Twilight landed in a patch of dirt on the outskirts of the city, as Trixie summoned a large translucent dome that looked like a glass bowl over the city, and placed it over the city. Making it impossible for Trixie to return. The placement of the dome, causing a small earthquake to shake the area around Ponyville.

"It's ok guys, I'll figure something out." Twilight said to her friends on the other side of the dome, placing her hoof in the same location as Spike. The translucent dome being the only thing separating them. "Just take care of each other. And keep an eye on Trixie, there's something strange about her." Twilight said as she ran off into the Everfree Forest that marked the border of Ponyville.

Over in Canterlot, the arrival of the new dome over Ponyville didn't go unnoticed.

"Delta... was that you?" Luna asked the giant dragon above her.

"I don't think so. But... I think I what caused it." Alpha said staring off toward Ponyville. Seeing the small town now being covered by the large translucent dome.

"Ugh... Do I ever get a break." Alpha roared in annoyance. "Theta you stay here. I'll be right back." Alpha roared as he opened his massive wings and launched into the air. Heading towards Ponyville, not happy that he had to stop another hostile takeover in the same month.

Alpha's roar didn't go unnoticed as Twilight was doing her best to cast an age spell on a small pink flower.

"Ugh! It's impossible! How was Trixie able to know such advanced magic?" Twilight grunted in frustration. Her thoughts were interrupted as the roar of Alpha shook the area around her.

"Alpha..." Twilight said in awe as an idea came to her.

"Alpha! Down here!" Twilight called out to the giant dragon overhead, catching Alpha's attention.

Alpha noticed the purple unicorn and went in for a landing. His claws digging into the dirt ground as he slid to a stop.

"Miss Twilight Sparkle. What gives the pleasure of your acquaintance?" Alpha said down to Twilight.

"Not a good one. You see that dome over Ponyville." Twilight said, pointing her hoof at the dome in question.

"I, along with the other princesses have taken notice of it." Alpha said, slightly surprising Twilight, as she believed that Celestia was in Saddle Arabia. Twilight disregarded the strange new information, Trixie being more important at the moment.

"You see... well you see. sigh It's really complicated." Twilight said, not finding the best way to describe Trixie's actions.

"Then uncomplicate it." Alpha said bluntly, him becoming with the unicorn's antics, either being intentional or not.

"Well you see. I have this friend named Trixie. Well she not really my friend, more a friendly rival. But anyway, I 'humiliated' her with my magic a few months ago, and she hasn't gotten over it. And because of that she has been able to increase magic to points that not even I can muster. She challenged me to a magic duel, and I lost. In punishment for my loss, she banished me from Ponyville, and placed this dome over the town preventing me from returning." Twilight said, explaining the situation to Alpha.

"Hmm... I see." Alpha said, rubbing his chin with his claw. "Can you show me this... Trixie that you speak of?" Alpha asked Twilight.

"Well I would... but you know..." Twilight began, pointing her hoof at the dome that covered Ponyville. "There kind of that in the way." Twilight said sarcastically, only getting a laugh out of Alpha.

"You underestimate my power Miss Sparkle." Alpha said, standing on his hind legs. His massive claws covering down on the dome covering the small town. The dome beginning to crack from his seer weight.

A few minutes earlier Twilight's friends were thinking of a way to get Twilight back into Ponyville.

"Ok girls, does anypony have any ideas for getting Twilight back in here?" Applejack asked her friends. The six ponies, and Spike, hiding out in the barn of Sweet Apple Acres, the looming threat of Trixie everywhere.

"I don't know AJ. I mean even if we are able to get Twilight back in Ponyville, there's no guarantee that she would be able to stop Trixie. I mean we saw Trixie beat her." Spike said, his words tasting like acid as they came out of his mouth.

"I guess you're right Spike." Applejack sighed in agreement.

"I just hope that she is ok." Fluttershy said in defeat.

"Same here sugar cube, but we all just have to hope and pray she she will be to find a way that will be able to beat her." Applejack said embracing the yellow pegasus in a hug.

"Ugh... I'm sick of waiting. I want action." Rainbow grunted frustrated, flying out of the barn in a flash of rainbow colors.

"Darling wait..." Rarity began to call out to the cyan colored pegasus, stopping when Applejack spoke to her.

"Let her go, I mean how much damage can she really do." Applejack said, and in almost perfect timing the ground began to shake.

The five ponies, and one dragon, ran out of the barn and looked up at the cyan pegasus hovering above a few feet above the ground. A look of shock across her face.

"Rainbow what is it?" Applejack asked Rainbow."

"AJ, remember when you said that had to hope and pray that Twilight would find a way to defeat Trixie right." Rainbow said to the cowpony below her.

"Yeah. What about it?" Applejack asked Rainbow Dash.

"Look." Rainbow said simply, pointing her hoof toward the Everfree Forest.

The five ponies, and one dragon, all shifted their eyes toward the direction Rainbow was pointing, and they all gasped at the sight in front of them.

"That should work." Spike said noticing the giant body of the Alpha standing on his hind legs above the town. The dome that covered the town beginning to crack, pieces of the dome even beginning to fall toward the ground, from the Alpha's seer weight.

On the other side of town, Trixie was enjoying new placement as the de facto ruler of Ponyville, with Snips and Snails being servants (slaves) for her. The two unicorn colts pulling the blue unicorn in a golden chariot that could rival that of Princess Celestia's without any wheels.

"Ugh... Great and Powerful... grunt... Trixie, don't you think... grunt... that could've made this... grunt... thing with wheels." Snips asked Trixie, grunting in pain as did him and Snails did their best to pull the said chariot.

"No. The Great and Powerful Trixie doesn't such simpleton inventions like 'wheels'." Trixie said in her usual third person. "Now... go faster!" Trixie barked, summoning a whip to get the two colts to go faster. The gold chariot only growing in size, now the size of a small house.

"Yes Trixie." Snails grunted at the sudden increase in weight.

"What was that?" Trixie questioned the two foals, her purple eyes flashing the same red color as her corrupted magic.

"That Great and Powerful Trixie." Snips corrected.

"That's better." Trixie said, her magic dying down, and a devilish grin appearing on her face.

Trixie's 'happy' state was interrupted when the ground beneath her beneath her began to shake.

"What was that?" Trixie thought out loud.

"I don't know Trixie, but look." Snips said, pointing his hoof up at the dome over the city. It beginning to crack.

"That's impossible! I am the Great and Powerful Trixie, no pony can break my spells." Trixie said in disbelief. Her staring down at the necklace around neck in disappointment. "You stupid thing, you were supposed to grant me victory over that... Twilight Sparkle." Trixie thought to himself.

"Well I don't know about ponies, about what about dragons." Snails said pointing at the giant red dragon that was standing over the town. The dome Trixie created beginning to completely fall apart.

"Nopony, or dragon, makes the Great and Powerful Trixie look like a foal." Trixie grunted in frustration, her eyes flaring red.

"Well except that one time." Snips began to say, only to be silenced by Trixie.

"Silence you foals! I will take care this myself." Trixie barked at the two foals, teleporting herself to the edge of the city. Ready to battle the Alpha, even through how ridiculous it would seem to an outside observers.

"Great job Alpha! You're almost through!" Twilight called up to the giant dragon that towered above her.

"Got it." Alpha roared as he slammed his forelegs down on the dome covering Ponyville, completely destroying the dome. Shards of the clear dome falling towards the ground. Them shattering all glass when they hit the ground.

"Now where is this Trixie that you speak of." Alpha said, more to himself than to anypony else.

"Right here!" Trixie said, teleporting into the grassy ground that marked to border of Ponyville. Trixie was a little wobbly from her first ever teleportation, but recovered quickly nonetheless.

"You believe that you.. can best... the Great and Powerful Trixie!" Trixie called up to Alpha. Alpha just stared down at the blue unicorn in disbelief.

"You've got to be kidding me." Alpha said, getting a soft chuckle out of Twilight.

"Hey, I must say that I defeated Twilight Sparkle with ease." Trixie called up to Alpha, not happy that the giant dragon wasn't taking her threats seriously.

"And I defeated an army of changelings single handedly." Alpha roared back.

"Ugh!" Trixie grunted frustrated as she fired a red magic beam from her horn. The beam hit the lower part of Alpha's left foreleg. His scales only becoming slightly warmer from the attack.

"Hmm... that tickles. Do you have anymore." Alpha said sarcastically, only adding to Trixie's anger.

"Ugh! That's it!" Trixie roared as her horn erupted brightly, the alicorn amulet growing a bright red, as Trixie fired a massive beam of fire magic out of her horn. Hitting Alpha directly in the face, covering his entire head in a cloud of thick red smoke.

"cough... cough... Oh dusty." Alpha coughed, blowing the red dust away from his face. Him being completely unharmed.

"What... that's not possible. I am the most powerful unicorn in existence. I have this." Trixie said to Alpha, pointing her hoof at the necklace around her neck.

"The alicorn amulet." Alpha said, genuinely impressed that the blue unicorn processed one of the most powerful magical objects in the world.

"What's the alicorn amulet?" Twilight asked.

"One of the most powerful magic weapons in existence." Alpha explained to Twilight. "But it is no match for me." Alpha roared, his chest beginning to glow a bright orange.

Alpha then let a burst of his orange escape passed his mouth, the fire circling Trixie in a blaze of orange fire. Trixie's eyes switched from their raging red to their original purple as she began to understand just how badly she had bucked up.

"Ah!" Trixie yelped out in pain, one of the Alpha's flames cinching her tail. Trixie stared down at the necklace around her neck, the red gems that made up the alicorn's eyes seeming to burn through her much like that orange flames that were encircling her. Releasing the errors of her ways, she torn the amulet from her neck, tossing it into the fire. Alpha seeing this couldn't stop himself from having a satisfied grin appear on his face.

"Alpha! What are you doing!?. Trixie may have done some terrible things, but that doesn't mean that she deserves to die." Twilight said to Alpha, now coming to the defense of her rival. The ever increasing crowd of ponies now feeling pity for the pony that had ruled over them with a topaz fist.

"Yes, I'm sorry!" Trixie cried out, large tears beginning to form in her eyes.

"I know." Alpha said, taking all of the ponies present by surprise.

"What!?" An unanimous chat from the crowd said as Alpha opened his massive wings. Flapping them with the power of a hurricane, extinguishing his fire.

"I... I don't understand." An utterly confused Trixie said up to Alpha, tears continuing to flow from her eyes.

"The alicorn amulet can only be removed by the one using it, and the easily way to get somepony to question their motives to have them staring death straight in the face." Alpha explained to the blue unicorn.

"I... I'm sorry. I truly am. I put my need... I mean want for revenge over everything else." Trixie said apologizing to the citizens of Ponyville.

"It's ok sugarcube. We forgive yay." Applejack said, sending Trixie a genuine smile.

"Thank you. But I am really sorry to you Twilight Sparkle." Trixie said, shifting her attention to the purple unicorn. Taking Twilight a little by surprise.

"Me!?" Twilight questioned, pointing at herself with her hoof.

"Yes. You are the most talent pony I have ever met, it took me to find an stupid necklace to beat you, and for what. Only for me return back to where I started, a pathetic excuse for an unicorn. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm sorry. I'm sorry for tearing you away from your friends. I'm sorry... I'm sorry for everything." Trixie apologized to Twilight, leaving the purple unicorn completely speechless. "Could you ever forgive me?" Trixie asked Twilight. Her being to ashamed to look Twilight in the face. Staring down at the dirt ground, whimpering to herself.

A warm smile appeared on Twilight's face, as she approached the whimpering unicorn. "Trixie look at me." Twilight said to Trixie in a calm voice that could even rival that of Fluttershy's.

Twilight waited for Trixie to turn her head to face her directly and said to her. "I already have." Twilight said embracing Trixie in a tight hug. Trixie was at first surprised by the purple unicorn's actions, but quickly accepted the hug. Tearing flowing between the two unicorns.

Twilight began to pull away from the hug, only for Trixie to force her back into it. "Um... Trixie you can let go now." Twilight said, bringing Trixie back to the land of reality.

"Oh... sorry." Trixie said quickly pulling away from the hug.

Twilight couldn't stop herself but giggle at Trixie's actions.

"Yeah you think you could join me and my friends for a picnic or something?" Twilight offered to Trixie, the rest of her friends cheering, Pinkie's mumbled as she still didn't have her mouth. Trixie's eyes lighting up, only to dim as she remember what she had done.

"I would love to Twilight. But... I still need to pay for my mistakes, and spending an afternoon you guys won't do it." Trixie said to Twilight, staring off into the distance. The sun beginning to set across Equestria. The purple unicorn's ears dropping a little bit.

"I'm sorry to hear that Trixie, but I hope that whatever you seek you will be able to find it." Twilight said, wishing Trixie the best of luck.

"Thank you, and wish the onto you. And hope that we will be able to meet again. On better circumstances than this time." Trixie said to Twilight, getting a light chuckle out of her.

"I guess my work here is done." Alpha said, opening up his wings, and taking off into the air heading back to Canterlot.

Trixie trotted out of Ponyville eager to make a better pony of herself, the slight charred alicorn amulet sinking in the mud of where it had landed, becoming nothing but another mistake that Trixie had committed. A mistake that Trixie wanted to fix as quickly as possible.

"Hmm!" Pinkie mumbled pointing at her mouth.

"Oh right." Twilight said her horn lighting up with her magic. Pinkie's mouth returning to body.

Pinkie breathed in a deep breath, only the writer of this story to finish the last of this story. Cutting off Pinkie.

Keep Calm and Flutter On

Alpha landed back in Canterlot, as the sun began to set lighting the city that rested on the mountain.

"What was all of that about?" Luna asked Alpha, as he towered over the castle.

"It was just some power crazed pony that just happened to being one of the most dangerous magical items in the world... you know the usual." Alpha said. The two princesses unable to stop themselves from having a slight giggle escape passed their lips.

"Before I left you said that you had something very important to discuss with me. Something about Discord... I think it was." Alpha said to the two alicorn princess, getting the conservation back at the topic at claw before... well what happened last chapter happened.

"Oh, yes, right... Discord. We just wanted to inform you, and get some of your own personal option on a matter that me, and my sister, have been planning for a while now." Celestia said to Alpha, being intentionally vague.

"And what would that be?" Alpha asked Celestia.

"Well ever since the second imprisonment of Discord me, and my sister, have been in discussion, and we have both come to a conclusion that we both believe be of great benefit to both Equestria and the Dragon Empire in the long run." Celestia said, speaking entirely in exposition. Alpha beginning to become frustrated with her strange way of getting things across.

"Celestia, I mean this in the kindest way possible. But could you please just skip past the bullshit, and just tell me why you had summoned me here?" Alpha said bluntly to Celestia. The white alicorn taken aback from the giant dragon's words.

"What my sister is say. Is that the both of us have come up with a way to handle Discord." Luna said, catching Alpha's attention completely.

"Well if you want my option on that. I would just crush him, there's no point in risking the populus further." Alpha said, making the two alicorn sisters shared a concerned look. Them not sure how their old friend would take their plan after his last words.

"Well... exactly we planning on..." Luna began, her words fading mid sentence.

"Yes Luna." Alpha said, urging Luna to continue.

"Well, we were planning on rel..." Luna started to continue, only for her words to fade out again. Alpha's irritation beginning to grow.

"Yes..." Alpha snorted, his anger raising.

"We were planning on releasing Discord." Luna said, fearing the response from Alpha. Turning her face away from the towering dragon. When Luna didn't get a response, she turned her head toward Alpha to a stunned look on his muzzle. His brain still trying to comprehend what the blue alicorn had said to him.

"Loading... loading... loading... bing!" Alpha thought to himself, as his brain processed the information that he had been given.

"A... Alpha are you alright?" Theta asked his mentor, the one to finally bring the million pound dragon back to reality.

"WHAT!?"

Over in Ponyville the Mane Six, and Spike, were gathering in the park in the middle of the town, waiting for Princess Celestia. Who apparently had a special surprise for the seven of them.

"I love it when Princess Celestia comes to Ponyville! I got my hooves shined just like Rarity for the occasion. Ya like?" Pinkie exclaimed excitedly, showing the white unicorn her polished hooves.

"I certainly do!" Rarity said to Pinkie, her being able to see her reflection in the pink pony's hoof.

"I'm surprised she's not here yet." Twilight said, noticing the her mentor's tardiness.

"Oh sure I guess it fine with the Princess of the Sun is tardy. But when Twilight is tardy everypony loses their minds."

"I wonder what's taking so long?" Spike sighed, sharing the same thoughts as Twilight.

"And where are Applejack and Fluttershy?" Twilight asked her friends, Fluttershy and Applejack also being mysteriously absent as well.

"Fluttershy's detained helping Applejack with a mishap at Sweet Apple Acres. They'll be along." Rarity said to Twilight, answering her question.

"But, I still don't get why the Princess would be so late." Spike groaned.

"She's bringing an important visitor. That could be part of it. Maybe we will get another visit from the Alpha." Twilight said, trying to find a reason for

"A visitor who's important and slow." Rainbow groaned, becoming border by the passing second.

"Maybe it's somepony so terribly important, she still had many more terribly important things to do before she got here." Rarity said, giving her own reason for Princess Celestia's lateness.

All eyes shifted towards the skies as an all too familiar roar broke the silence of the sunny day. Alpha massive body appeared over the mountains of that marked the border of Equestria and the Dragon Empire, Equestria becoming his second home he had visited it so often. Alpha went in for a landing. Landing in the middle of the park of Ponyville.

"Alpha!" Spike greeted his King, bowing in respect.

"Are you here for the meeting with Princess Celestia?" Twilight asked Alpha, getting an agitated growl out of the mountain-sized dragon.

"Yes... Celestia should be along shortly." Alpha growled, making the six ponies present share a confused look. Not sure as to why Alpha would be on edge.

The royal trumpets sounded overhead, all eyes, dragons and pony alike, shifted toward Canterlot. Celestia sitting on a golden chariot pulled by a pair of pegasus guard. The chariot having a smaller one behind it, the petrified body of a certain draconequus

"Maybe the visitor has a deer antler, a goat leg, a bat wing, and a snake tail!" Spike gasped, noticing the petrified draconequus in tow.

"Yeah, right. That's... Discord!" Twilight said, coming realization as to what Celestia was bringing to the meeting.

"Why in the wide, wide world of Equestria would Princess Celestia bring along someone like that?" Rarity questioned, getting a now understandable growl from Alpha.

"M-m-maybe you should ask... her!" Spike hesitated as Celestia's chariot came to a stop on the grassy grounds of the park. The park almost completely covered by the shadow of the Alpha.

"Umm... this should be interesting." Zulu mumbled to himself. The massive shadow of Alpha being a perfect cover for the Shadow Changeling. Zulu eagerly awaiting what was going to happen next.

"With all due respect, Princess Celestia..." Twilight began to say to Celestia. "How could you bring Discord here?!" Twilight all but yelled at the white alicorn. Zulu not able from keeping a laugh escaping past his lips. "Your majesty." Twilight said clearing her throat.

"I'm fully aware that the last time Discord was here, he created serious havoc." Celestia said to the six ponies.

"If by "serious havoc" you mean "turning Ponyville into the chaos capital of the world..." Rainbow began vent about the horrors that Discord had invicted on Equestria only a few months earlier.

"...and tricking us all into being the opposite of our true selves..." Rarity added.

"And making yummy delicious chocolate milk rain all over the place without a single dollop of whipped cream to go with it anywhere in sight! Not a single dollop!" Pinkie added, another giggle escaping past Zulu's shadowy form. Him quite enjoying these six ponies.

"Alpha! Did you know about this?" Twilight asked Alpha.

"Yes, yes I did. I share the same options as you do." Alpha said, sending a glare toward Celestia. A glare that Celestia ignored.

"Yes, I understand. But I have use for Discord's magic if it can be reformed to serve good instead of evil. This is why I've brought Discord here, because I believe that you are the ponies who can help him do just that." Celestia explained, only adding to the ponies discomfort.

"This will never work! This is a disaster! How will we ever control him?! We're doomed!" Spike said quickly and in a panic state, fully remembering what happened the last time Discord was released from a stone prison.

"Need I remind you that you are the ponies who turned him back into stone like this in the first place?" Celestia reminded the Mane Six.

"I suppose we can just use the Elements of Harmony against him again if it gets out of hoof?" Twilight said.

"Uh, w-w-we probably need a volunteer to run away from here right away to get them. I'll do it!" Spike said, as he began to run off, looking for the Elements of Harmony.

"No need, Spike. I have them right here..." Celestia said stopping Spike. Using her magic to hold an encrave wooden box that held the Elements. Alpha drifted his eyes down to the Elements. The six small gems sparkling as he look down on them. His green eyes flashing all the colors of the rainbow for a second.

"And I've cast a spell so Discord can't take them and hide them again. Now where is Fluttershy? I believe she may know best how to begin reforming Discord." Celestia said, looking around the yellow pegasus. To no prevail.

"Fluttershy? Really?" Rainbow Dash questioned.

Over at Sweet Apple Acres, Fluttershy was helping Applejack with a certain problem involving beavers.

"What's he goin' on about now?" Applejack asked Fluttershy, the yellow pegasus negotiating with the beavers.

"Good news. Mr. Beaverton Beaverteeth has agreed to take his dam apart and move it." Fluttershy said to Applejack, her being the one out of the Mane Six that had the ability to understand all other animal's languages.

"Well, it's about time. My apple trees are so waterlogged, I can practically hear 'em gargle!" Applejack said, looking back her poor apple trees, them all covered to their roots in water.

There was numerous loud complaining coming from the beavers.

"But he says first you'll have to apologize for calling him "a nuisance"." Fluttershy said to Applejack, translating the beaver's complaining.

"Apologize? He's lucky I didn't call him a varmint!" Applejack spat at the beaver.

Applejack's words were soon followed by another round of complaining coming from the beavers.

"Mr. Beaverton Beaverteeth! Such language!" Fluttershy gasped, disgusted at the beaver's choice of words. Choosing for the better not to repeat them.

"Fine, fine. I apologize." Applejack reluctantly apologized to the beaver.

The beaver accepted the cowpony's apology and took out one of the logs of the dam he had built, destroying the entire structure.

"Thanks, Fluttershy. Don't know what I would've done without you." Applejack sighed, thanking the yellow pegasus.

"Glad I could help." Fluttershy said, her face turning a slight pink in a blush.

"Hey, slackers! Double time it on over to Ponyville, would ya?! We're all waiting on you." Rainbow said flying in.

Back in the park of Ponyville, Celestia gave Fluttershy her mission.

"I realize that this is a tall order, but I wouldn't ask if I weren't confident you could get him to use magic obediently of his own free will." Celestia said to Fluttershy, giving the yellow pegasus her largest task that she had ever been given to date.

"And... you really think I'll know best how to do that?" Fluttershy asked Celestia, understandably nervous as to what the Princess believes would make her the most qualified to 'reform' Discord.

"I do. Now, I must return to Canterlot for Equestria's royal summit. You may release Discord when ready." Celestia said as she trotted onto her golden chariot, ready to return to Canterlot. "Del... I mean Alpha, are you coming?" Celestia asked Alpha.

"Momentarily, I just want to make sure that nothing to chaotic happens." Alpha said to Celestia. "Go on ahead. I will catch up with you later." Alpha said, shifting his attention back to the petrified draconequus in front of him.

"Right, well I wish the best of luck onto you all." Celestia said as she traveled back to Canterlot on her golden chariot.

"You're going to need it." Zulu said as he shadow traveled back to the Changeling Hive. Knowing that his new master would enjoy the news that he was going to bring him.

"Okay, ponies, guess it's time to get started. Let's just hope this releasing spell works." Twilight said, using her magic to place each of her friend's respective Element of Harmony around their necks and her Element of Magic crown on top of her head.

"Or... let's not." Spike commented, remembering the last time Discord was released from his stone prison.

"We'd best keep our elements on at all times 'til further notice."

"Check!" All of Twilight's friends said, as they got into position to use their Elements.

"Alpha, you'll help us if things get out of hoof?" Twilight asked the massive dragon above them.

"Do you even have to ask, Miss Sparkle?" Alpha said, as his red scales began to glow a bright orange, as his fire began to build in his chest. Ready to finish Discord once and for all, if he tried anything too chaotic.

Twilight and her friends all shot their eyes and consecrated hard, using their unrivaled friendship to activate the Elements of Harmony.

The six ponies all raised into the air as the Elements glowed in magical energy. The necklace all getting connected by a line of rainbow colors, before finally reaching Twilight and her Element of Magic.

A beam of rainbow colors shot from the Element of Magic and rained down on the stone statue of Discord. The statue beginning to crack from the spell. Discord finally broke free from his stone prison. Stretching his arms as a yawn escaped past his lips.

"Oh! Ooh! Ooooh! Well, it's about time somepony got me out of that prison block. What a relief!" Discord yawned, streching his limbs made out of all different sorts of creatures. Snapping his fingers, and turning a squirrel on a tree branch more than five times its original size. The tree branch it was sitting on breaking from the sudden weight gain.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Twilight questioned Discord.

"Nnnnnnnnngh– Why, stretching, of course. When you're a creature of chaos, stone bodysuits aren't your typical go-to fashion choice. Nnngh..." Discord said, enjoying his newly found freedom. Him snapping his fingers and changing a black bunny from his cute appearance, to a much larger and meaner version of itself.

"Make that bunny cute again! Now!" Pinkie gasped, demanding Discord to return Angel to his original form.

"Oh... sniggers... He's adorable the way he is." Discord sniggered. "You know what else is adorable? You ponies truly believe that you can reform me, and that you're putting your faith in this one here to make it happen. Makes me wanna pinch your little horsey cheeks..." Discord said, enjoying picking on the Mane Six.

"How'd you know about that?" Twilight questioned Discord.

"Being turned to stone doesn't keep me from hearing every word that Celestia says." Discord said answering the purple unicorn's question. Discord's body was than covered completely by the massive shadow of Alpha.

"Um... who turned out the lights?" Discord asked to himself.

"I did!" Alpha roared. His booming voice almost making Discord jumped out of his skin.

"Oh... Delta... when did you get back? How's Omega doing?" Discord asked the dragon that towered over him. An fully grown alpha dragon being the only thing that he would think twice about pranking.

"About a month, and it's Alpha now Discord, and don't you forget it." Alpha roared down at Discord, black smoke coming out of his nostrils as he snorted in disgust. Ignoring Discord's question about his traitorous brother.

"Omega... who's Omega." Twilight thought to herself. Logging away the strange name for later usage.

"Right... of course." Discord said with genuine fear in his voice, shifting his attention back to the ponies.

"And if you don't want to be turned back to stone. You will zap those animals back the way they were, pronto." Twilight ordered at Discord.

"And what would happen if I didn't?" Discord asked Twilight, folding his mix matched arms across his chest.

"Then you will deal... with me." Alpha roared down to Discord. Discord's yellow eyes instantly shrunk at the Alpha's words. Him fully remembering his battle with Omega, his own twin brother.

"Fine." Discord said mocked defeated, snapping his fingers and turning the squirrel and bunny back to their original form. However, behind the ponies, literally, his used the feathers on his tail to snap. His chaos magic affecting the beavers at Sweet Apple Acres. Their eyes turning red and snaring vemonessly. Running off into the apple orchard to do whatever Discord wishes.

"Oopsie." Discord said to every reader currently reading this story. The ponies and dragons, seemly noticing his words.

"Well, it looks like I know where I'll be crashing while I'm being 'reformed'." Discord said in a mocking tone. "With you, Fluttershy!" Discord said, the yellow pegasus being teleported into Discord's arms.

"Oh dear." Fluttershy said to herself, as Discord patted her on the head.

"As much as it pains me. I must depart." Alpha snorted, not wanting to put all his faith on a group of six ponies. Alpha then opened up his wings and launched into the sky, heading toward Canterlot.

Over at Fluttershy's cottage, the Mane Six were thinking up a plan as to how to reform Discord. The Elements of Harmony still wrapped around their necks, just in case Discord needed to return to his stone prison.

"He may be horrible, but that doesn't mean we have to act the same way. We should at least try to be hospitable." Fluttershy said, cleaning her cottage. "You don't mind giving up your favorite spot on the couch, do you Angel?" Fluttershy asked her pet white bunny. Discord relaxing on the green couch in Fluttershy's cottage.

Angel ran over to the draconequus and did his best to remove Discord from the couch. By pulling Discord's green dragon leg, to no prevail. Angel slumbering away in defeat.

"Oh! Um sorry about Angel. Are you alright?" Fluttershy apologized to Discord.

"Oh, yes. Thank you Fluttershy, for the concern. If only your pony friends could be as considerate." Discord said, getting a snort from the other five ponies present.

"Don't listen to him Fluttershy!" Rainbow said, raising off the ground. "He's just trying to create a wedge between us, like he always does." Rainbow said to Fluttershy.

"Now why in the world would I even try to do a thing like that?" Discord questioned the cyan pegasus, his words burning with sarcasm.

"So we can't unite and use the Elements of Harmony against you, that's why." Rainbow Dash spat at Discord.

"I never thought of that..." Discord said, having fun playing with the fiery personality of Rainbow Dash. A personality that could rival the heat from an average dragon.

"You big liar." Rainbow said, flying back over to her friends in the center of the room.

"Now looks you's a liar. Anypony can plainly see that I'm not big at all." Discord said, using his magic to shrink himself to about the size of Angel.

Angel was about to jump on the couch, only for Discord to increase back to his normal size, pushing the bunny away with his dragon leg. His sudden change in size making him knock over a lamp on a end table next to the couch. The lamb breaking in a small crash of broken pottery.

"Oops." Discord said, using his magic to 'fix' the lamb. The lamb now being a lamb in the design of himself. "There. All better." Discord said, admiring his handiwork.

"I can't watch." Applejack said, placing her hat over her eyes.

"We'll be outside." Rainbow Dash said, Fluttershy's friends all exiting her home.

Before Twilight left, however, she asked Fluttershy. "Are you sure that you're ok with this?"

"I know it's not going to be easy, but Princess Celestia is counting on me. And I actually think I know what to do." Fluttershy said to Twilight. The purple unicorn's eyes widening at Fluttershy's words.

"You do?" Twilight said, eagerly awaiting Fluttershy's answer.

"I think the key is to befriend him." Fluttershy said to Twilight. Discord having fun messing with Angel behind her. "Being kind to him and letting him be my houseguest is probably the best way to do that." Fluttershy said, putting Twilight into deep thought.

"And you really think that will work?" Twilight asked Fluttershy, not sure if anypony could be friends with Discord.

"I think it's worth a try." Fluttershy with determination in her voice.

"Ok, but if you need us, all you need to do is whisper 'help' and we'll be back here with our Elements" Twilight whispered to Fluttershy. "So watch that goat-legged step of yours, pals." Twilight said calling out Discord. Who was holding Angel from one of his small legs, upside down.

"Wha... What?" Discord said, using his magic to place him, and Angel, in two large chairs. Discord now dressed in a light blue tuxedo and matching hat, while wearing a monocle, and taking a sip of hot tea. "Look at me, I'm practically already reformed." Discord said, having the best time in his life since his last escape from a stone prison.

Fluttershy gave a fake grin and close the door to her cottage. Twilight rolling her eyes at the current situation.

"She's really alright with him staying there?" Rarity asked Twilight.

"That's what she said." Twilight answered.

"Personally, I think we should come up with a backup plan. In case this whole 'befriending' thing doesn't work out." Rainbow suggested.

"Rainbow Dash is right." Rarity began in agreement.

"Wow! Rarity and Rainbow in agreement. This is a screwed up situation."

"This is Discord we are talking about. It wouldn't be a bad idea to have another trick up our selves." Rarity said, an idea forming Twilight's head.

"And I think I know just the trick." Twilight said.

A few hours later Fluttershy was searching her cottage looking for Discord.

"Discord?" Fluttershy said, searching for the draconequus. "Oh, there you are." Fluttershy said, finding Discord sitting on her couch having a snack out of a brown bowl. A snack that Fluttershy first assumed was some kind of chips. "Listen Discord. I just wanted to make sure you know that if there's anything I can do to..." Fluttershy began to say to Discord, trotting closer to the draconequus. Seeing what he was truly eating.

"Um... are you... eating paper?" Fluttershy asked Discord, confused as to why he would something so... strange.

"Yeah! What's wrong with eating paper!"

"Am I? Huh... I guess I am. How odd of me." Discord said to himself, stopping momentarily, before returning to eat the paper in his bowl.

"Well, um, I'm just heading out, so you just make yourself at home while I'm gone." Fluttershy said, leaving her home.

"Bye-bye. Have a nice time!" Discord called out to Fluttershy as she trotted down the path to her cottage. "Everything is fine here. Bye-bye." Discord said more to himself as he flashed back into the cottage, slamming the front door behind him.

"You like carrots, Angel?" Discord said down to the poor bunny, pulling an orange carrot out of his left ear. "I'm playing your for a foal." Discord said hitting Angel with the carrot. Knocking the white bunny across the ground. The carrot landing in Angel's paws, Discord's face appearing in the carrot. "How do you like them carrots?" Discord, as the carrot, mocked Angel.

In Twilight's treehouse library she was searching through the many books in her home for a certain to defeat Discord.

"That's weird. The spell I had in mind isn't here." Twilight said to herself, using her magic to flip through the many pages of a book in her library. "Spike, where are the other books I asked for you to pull?' Twilight asked her number one assistant.

"Right here, Twilight." Spike said, holding a stack full of books that was double his height.

Twilight used her magic to take the books from Spike, and created a circle around herself with the books. Quickly reading the said books, looking for a certain spell. "I really want to have a reforming spell up and running pronto." Twilight said to herself, searching through all of the books at once.

"What if he makes the Elements of Harmony disappear like he did last time?" Spike asked Twilight.

"Princess Celestia cast a spell protecting them, remember?" Twilight reassured Spike, not taking off from her books.

"No offense Twilight, but based on Celestia's current track record with taking on villains. I won't count her words as hard as stone."

"Uh-oh." Twilight said, releasing her books from her magic, them falling to the ground in a small thud.

"What's wrong?" Spike asked Twilight, covering his mouth with concern.

"Princess Celestia didn't cast a spell protecting our books! Everywhere I thought I would find the reforming spell..." Twilight said to Spike turning to a page in a book that she thought would contain the reforming. When Twilight found the page in question she showed it to Spike. The page in question being torn out of her book.

Back in Fluttershy's cottage, Discord was having the time of his life. Him using his chaotic powers to make Fluttershy's home float above the ground and rotate.

"Are you sure this isn't overdoing it? You said to make myself at home while you were gone, but I wouldn't want to overstep my bounds." Discord asked Fluttershy, using her past words against her.

"I did say that. So, if this makes you more comfortable, by all means, please fill free." Fluttershy said to Discord, barely missing getting hit by a falling pot and pan.

"Oh well, it does. Very much so." Discord said to Fluttershy, admiring his handiwork. "You're so kind, my dear Fluttershy. I always knew you were the understanding one." Discord said hovering over toward Fluttershy. Fully remembering how she was the one that was able to withstand his tricks in the hedge maze. "Not like those nasty friends of yours." Discords said, Fluttershy taking great offense to his words.

"gasp... My friends aren't nasty!" Fluttershy gasped, coming to the defense of her friends. Much to Discord's delight.

"Well of course, you'd say that. It just goes to show how understanding you truly are." Discord said to Fluttershy, the yellow pegasus shooting him a glare.

Discord then teleported over to his couch, and continued to flatter the yellow pegasus. "You know, I think Princess Celestia is right when she singled you out as the one who could reform me. You're off to a great start, in fact, I am seriously considering actually being reformed." Discord said, telling Fluttershy what she wanted to hear. And based on the smile and slight blush appearing on her face, it was working.

The chat between the two 'friends' was interrupted by the sound of Twilight's voice calling for Fluttershy. "Fluttershy, can you hear me?" Twilight called for Fluttershy outside her cottage.

"Goodness! I hear Twilight!" Fluttershy exclaimed flying out of her cottage, catching Angel in her hoofs.

"Fluttershy, what's going on? Are you ok?" Twilight asked Fluttershy, the yellow pegasus' cottage hovering a solid fifty feet above the ground.

"We're fine. Everything's going great." Fluttershy said, placing Angel on the ground. "Isn't it Angel?" Fluttershy asked Angel, the white bunny stumbling away in dizziness. Answering Fluttershy's rhetorical question.

"We've come to get you away from Discord. He's just terrible, and from the looks of it, completely out of control." Twilight said, pointing at the currently cottage floating in mid air. A disappointed scowl on Spike's face.

"Oh, but you're wrong. We're making great process." Fluttershy said happily.

"Seriously?" Spike and Twilight said in disbelief at the same time.

"I'm earning his trust by giving him a little space to be himself." Fluttershy said, not knowing the consciences of her actions.

"Hate to break it to you, but he that 'space to be himself' to tear out all of the reforming spells from the library." Spike said, showing Fluttershy a book with a pagee torn out of it.

"That does explain the paper eating." Fluttershy said, placing a hoof to her chin.

"HE ATE THEM!?" Twilight groaned, facehoofing.

"But we aren't going to need a spell. he's already considering being reformed. He said so." Fluttershy said.

"And you believe that Fluttershy, I mean I knew you were naive, but damn."

"And you believed him?"Twilight questioned Fluttershy.

"My thoughts exactly Twi."

"If I'm going to be his friend, I have to start by giving him the benefit of the doubt." Fluttershy said.

"I'm not even going to respond to that."

"Tell you what, bring all the ponies over for a dinner party this evening, and I'll bet his manners will have really changed by then." Fluttershy offered to Twilight, Twilight and Spike sharing a concerned look. "I'll even get him to put the cottage back on the ground first." Fluttershy said, flying back into her house.

"Alright... dinner it is." Twilight sighed, not expecting this to go very well.

Over at the Changeling Hive, Zulu warped out of the shadows, excited to tell his master of the good news. Zulu was blasted by a gust of warm air as he walked into the large cavern that held Omega. The giant dragon sleeping, his massive body only moving as he breathed.

"Acem..." Zulu cleared his throat. Omega's eyes flashing open at the disturbance.

"Zulu, haven't I told you time and time again. NOT to interpret my sleep!" Omega roared, raising his massive skull off of the dirt floor. His head slamming into the ceiling of the cavern.

"Yes... you have. But I can assure you that the news have brought you is certainly worth the interruption." Zulu said up to Omega. Omega cocked one of the bridges of his eyes.

"What is this 'news' that you speak of?" Omega asked Zulu.

"Princess Celestia is trying to 'reform' Discord." Zulu said to Omega, getting no visible reaction from the giant dragon that towered above.

After a few moments of pure silence, Zulu fearing that he had done something wrong, Omega broke off into a chuckle. A chuckle that soon erupted into a fit of devilish laughter.

"Um... Omega... are you alright?" Zulu asked cautiously. Beginning to retreat backwards.

"Yes Zulu... I am very much alright." Omega said, his one black eyes seeming to twinkle in delight. "Zulu!" Omega roared, taking Zulu off guard.

"Yes... yes Omega." Zulu stammered, saluting the massive dragon in front of him.

"Return to the town of Ponyville, and see how this 'reforming' of my old apprentice turns out." Omega ordered down to Zulu.

"Yes Omega, right away Omega." Zulu said quickly, warping back into the shadows.

"Ha Ha Ha, just wait brother. Soon I will return, and this time I will be victorious." Omega roared.

About an hour later Fluttershy's friends all arrived at her cottage ready to have a dinner party with Discord. Most of them not to pleased about it.

"Ugh! I can't believe that we're having a dinner party with Discord." Rainbow groaned, the one least pleased about the current situation.

"This evening is sure to be a disaster." Rarity said in agreeance, her wearing an elegantly crafted purple gown that matched her mane.

"Seriously Rarity and Rainbow Dash agreeing. What is happening?"

"Glad I didn't bother to wear one of my fancier gowns." Rarity said, looking down at her current gown in slight disgust.

"Rarity, I've seen some of your gowns in Season 4, so you can just shut the buck up."

"Fluttershy thinks this is the best way to reform Discord and asked us to give it a chance." Twilight said to her friends, as the door to Fluttershy's cottage opened. Discord dressed in a butler's outfit and adorning a curled moustache ready to greet the pony guests.

"Oh, our pony guests." Discord said to the five ponies, and one dragon, using his literal tongue to create a red carpet. "We're so delighted that you've come." Discord said, teleporting into the cottage. "Please do come in." Discord said to the the guest. Them all in a state of shock.

The five ponies and one dragon entered the cottage, and it was completely different. With a golden chandelier hanging from the ceiling, and a large wooden that look like a pizza if somepony had cut a small section of it out in the middle of the blue tile floor.

"See what a beautiful job he did helping? Discord set the entire table himself. I'm so proud." Fluttershy said, believing that she had fully reformed Discord.

"May I take your... ahem, hats, ladies?" Discord asked Twilight reaching for her crown.

"Hang on to your elements girls. it's going to be a bumpy night

"Adam Prancer would've made a sex joke there, but I'm a better writer than he."

As time passed the dinner began to go by surprisingly smoothing, the creatures present not even noticing when I got an unexpected guest.

"Ugh finally I found him... I just hope I'm not too late to miss anything important." Zulu said to himself, shadow traveling into Fluttershy's cottage. "What in all of Tartarus am I watching?" Zulu asked himself. Seeing the dinner setup in the cottage, the thing that surprised him the most however being Discord dressed in a butler's outfit of all things.

The lighted room making difficult for Zulu to hid, but he was able to find enough shadow to hide underneath the table that the creatures were eating on. The tension in the room being felt by nopony, or dragon, or draconequus more, than Zulu. Though nowhere near the power of love, but hate work as a good appetizer.

"As you all know, Princess Celestia hoped we'd help Discord use his magic for good instead of evil." Fluttershy said, reminding her friends why they were there, because reasons.

Pinkie Pie stuffed her face with mashed potatoes, her actions halted by the calm sound of Fluttershy's voice. "Pinkie Pie, care for some gravy?" Fluttershy asked Pinkie.

"You bet!" Pinkie said happily, her face covered in mashed potatoes.

"Allow me." Discord said to Fluttershy, using his magic to make the gravy boat acting like a small dog come alive and run over to Pinkie.

"Oh, what a cute you little gravy boat you are! Yes you are, yes you are!" Pinkie said, petting the gravy boat, as it poured its contents on Pinkie's mashed potatoes.

"That's one creepy little gravy boat if you ask me." Rainbow said, Zulu taking in a large dose of hate from the cyan pegasus. The shadow underneath the table growing in size.

"Oh come on, Dashie, you're not even giving this a chance." Fluttershy said scolding Rainbow.

The gravy boat then poured its contents on the cyan pegasus. Rainbow blasting into the air at the touch of hot gravy. "Yeah that's hot."

"You don't say!"

"Oops! Well, I'm so sorry." Discord said, giving a fake apology.

"He did that on purpose!" Rainbow Dash accused Discord.

"Oh, well, I don't know about that. Mistakes happen." Discord said trying to avoid the occurrence. "Oh, look everypony, dancing candles." Discord said distracting the ponies present by using his magic to make the candles come alive.

"I'm not falling for that." Rainbow said, blowing out three of the candles in front of Spike. 'Discord's just trying to distract us from..." Rainbow tried to convince her friends of Discord's plans. Only for the three candles to start hitting her.

"Hey, knock it off. I suppose that's just another 'mistake'." Rainbow said to Discord.

"No, I think they just don't like you."

"No, I think you just made them mad." Discord said.

"My thoughts exactly."

"There's something fishing going on." Twilight said, only to get spurted in the by a soup tureen in the shape of a fish. The fish then for some reason hit Spike in the face with it orange liquid, I assume is tomato soup.

"Discord?" Fluttershy asked Discord, Zulu getting a strange sense of friendship coming from the yellow pegasus.

"Well, it's not my fault if the soup tureen finds the term 'something fishy' to be offensive." Discord said, using Twilight's words against her.

"Not the dress, not the dress!" Rarity exclaimed as the fish tureen hit Rarity with it's contents.

"But I thought you didn't like it. Rarity you have no logic."

"That tureen's only doin' what you're makin' it do!" Applejack said to Discord, covering her face as the tureen sprayed her. Discord having to cover his mouth to conceal his laughter.

"Now let's not jump to any conclusions." Fluttershy said coming to Discord's defense.

"Seriously, are you really that dense." Zulu whispered to himself, from under the table. This diner party being the best meal he had in ages.

"Fluttershy, can't you see what he's doing? He's playing innocent with you, so that you will never use your Element of Harmony against him." Rainbow Dash said to Fluttershy, as she was also sprayed by the fish tureen.

"Thank you Rainbow, I think I got a cinnamon roll here for you somewhere."

"Oh, well that's a bit harsh, isn't it?" Discord said playing innocent.

"Get out of there dude you're about to be busted." Zulu whispered to himself.

"Do you see what I'm saying, right, Fluttershy?" Rainbow asked the yellow pegasus, covering the fish tureen with a dish cover. "Fluttershy..." Rainbow pressed, only to get an unexpected reaction.

"You know what I see? I see that Discord's far from perfect..." Fluttershy began, coming to the defense of Discord. Placing her literal hoof down on her friends. "But I also see none of you girls giving him a chance." Fluttershy called out her friends.

"Come on!" All of Fluttershy's friends complained.

"What's gotten into you? Why do you keep cutting him so much slack?" Rainbow asked Fluttershy.

"Because that's what friends do." Fluttershy said, surprising everypony present, including Discord. Zulu getting a shot of friendship from Fluttershy that could've kept him full for an entire week.

"We're friends?" Discord asked Fluttershy softly.

"Why of course, I can't remember my house ever being this lively before you came along." Fluttershy said to Discord. Him genuinely moved by her kind words.

"Oh... well... I've never really had a friend before." Discord said to Fluttershy, him truly beginning to change.

"Well, now you do." Fluttershy said, Discord slightly blushing at the pegasus' words. All the ponies present in a state of shock. None more so than Zulu.

"Oh no, this isn't good." Zulu whispered to himself, him fearing what would happen if he had to tell Omega that Discord was reformed.

Zulu's fears were slightly relieved when Angel hoped through an opened window, landing the wooden table, waving his arms up and down.

"Now is not a good time, Angel. We're having a diner party." Fluttershy said to Angel.

"Hold on, I think he's trying to tell us somethin."Applejack said, as Angel covered himself in a cup of water. Angel then held a red apple in his paws.

"Apple!" Everypony said. Angel then pointed at Applejack. "Applejack!" Everypony said, Angel's face falling into a frown. Angel then threw the red in a pitcher of apple cider.

"Oh, Sweet Apple Acres." Rarity said, Angel jumping up and down in excitement.

"Flooding at Sweet Apple Acres." Rainbow said correctly. "And we all know who's behind that, don't we?" Rainbow asked a rhetorical question, pointing her hoof at Discord.

"Who, me?" Discord responded innocently, an angel's halo appearing above his head.

"Oh, give it a rest." Rainbow said as Fluttershy's friend left the cottage. "What do you think of your 'friend' now Fluttershy?" Rainbow said, storming or more technically flying out.

"Well this just got more interesting." Zulu said as he shadow traveled to the apple orchard in question.

Over at Sweet Apple Acres the apples trees were completed covered in water, some of it going up to the branches of the trees.

"Wow, now that is a lot of water." Zulu said, him determining that it was safe enough for him to remain in his changeling form. Him watching the chaos going down from on top of an half submerged apple tree.

"Oh such language." Fluttershy gasped not able to get the beavers to stop. "It's no use! They won't listen to a word I say." Fluttershy said, cross at the beavers in question.

"You see Discord's behind all this, right?" Rainbow asked Fluttershy angrily.

"Of course I do! Do you all think I'm a silly, gullible foal?" Fluttershy snapped back, Rainbow's word biting her back in the flank.

All of Fluttershy's friends laughed nervously as Fluttershy continued.

"I've just been trying to gain his friendship in any way possible. So that I can he'd come to trust and listen to me." Fluttershy explained to her friends.

"Oh, I guess I've underestimated you pegasus." Zulu said, now impressed by Fluttershy's actions.

"Hey, there, Fluttershy! You want a turn the water's great!" Discord called out to Fluttershy, him water skiing on water that flooded Sweet Apple Acres.

"Time to see if it worked." Fluttershy said to herself, determination burning in her teal eyes.

"There you are. A sight for sore eyes." Discord said, meeting up with Fluttershy.

"As you can see, there's a big mess down here at Sweet Apple Acres." Fluttershy said angrily to Discord, pointing at the flooded apple orchard around her.

"Oh yes, awful business that, mm hm." Discord said disinterested, drying himself off with a towel.

"It is awful." Fluttershy pressed. "This is Applejack's home and it's being destroyed by innocent creatures who never be acting this way if it weren't for your reckless behavior." Fluttershy scolded Discord. "You need to fix this." Fluttershy said, turning away from Discord.

"Well, yes. Yes very well, I will fix it. I only ask one thing in return." Discord said catching Fluttershy attention.

"Yes?" Fluttershy asked Discord, believing that she had finally gotten through to him.

"I ask that you never use your Element of a Harmony against me." Discord said poking the necklace around Fluttershy's neck. "As a sign of our friendship." Discord pressed, using Fluttershy's desperation against her.

Fluttershy looked toward her friends for help, them all shaking their heads in an unanimous no.

"Don't do it pegasus, don't do it." Zulu said to himself, before realization set in. "Wait... if she refuses to use her Element of Harmony that would mean that the rest are useless. So... do it pegasus, make it easier to invade your land, again." Zulu said, eagerly awaiting Fluttershy's answer.

"I will never use my Element of Harmony against you." Fluttershy said taking off her necklace and throwing it away, it landing in the claws of Spike.

"Excellent!" Discord exclaimed, snapping his fingers. A blinding light came from his magic as the water that flooded Sweet Apple Acres was now frozen into one great ice skating rink.

"There much better! I do prefer ice skating to water skiing, don't you?" Discord exclaimed, skating on the newly created ice.

"DISCORD!" Fluttershy snapped, furious.

"Oh, shits about to go down." Zulu said to himself, enjoying the current chaos that was going down.

"That's not fixing it!" Fluttershy said, running onto the ice after Discord. "Why I oughta..." Fluttershy charged Discord, unable to stop on the ice.

"Where you going?" Discord said sarcastically. "What's wrong pal?" Discord asked the furious Fluttershy, who was doing her best to stay standing on the ice.

"DON'T call me PAL!" Fluttershy snapped at Discord.

"Come skating with me, and we'll let bygones be bygones!" Discord said using his magic to create four white ice skates for Fluttershy.

"Here you go Fluttershy. Game on." Spike said, skating down toward Fluttershy, holding her Element of Kindness.

"He fixes this, or he goes back to stone. Princess Celestia will understand." Twilight added, threatening Discord.

"This has gotten really interesting." Zulu said, the hate from the others being a welcomed addition to his already full stomach.

Fluttershy shifted her eyes between Spike and Discord before finally making her decision. "I made a promise not to use my Element against him, and I'm going to keep it." Fluttershy said, taking the four ice skates in her mouth.

"Yes!" Zulu exclaimed a little louder than expected. "This is going perfectly." Zulu said to himself in glee.

All of Fluttershy's friends groaned at the yellow pegasus' actions.

"You see? She wants to have fun with me because we're friends." Discord said in a mockery tone. "She can't use her Element against we're friends!" Discord continued, Fluttershy about ready to explode. "I am free, hahaha!" Discord broke off into maniacal laughter.

"Discord, evil overlord rule number six. I will not gloat over my enemies predicament before I kill them. Wait what!?"

"NOT! YOUR! FRIEND!" An enraged Fluttershy snapped, throwing the white ice skates out of her mouth.

"Who cares? I can do whatever I want, whenever I want. I'm Discord, the Master of Chaos!" Discord said teleporting to Fluttershy's side. "You think you can boss Discord around? You think I am going to turn all this because you say so?" Discord said to Fluttershy, her remaining silent. "Because if I don't I'll lose the one friend I ever had?" Discord said, realization as to what he had done hitting him a like cement truck.

"Oh..." Discord sighed looking at the frozen orchard around him "Well played, Fluttershy. Well played." Discord said with tearing eyes realizing just how much he actually valued their friendship. And Zulu was hit with an emotion that hadn't expected or wanted coming from Discord... sadness.

"No... No... NO!" Zulu screamed intentionally at what was happening in front of him.

Discord then sat on an apple tree that was almost covered by ice and reversed his spell. Sweet Apple Orchard returning to normal.

"Way to go Fluttershy!" All of Fluttershy's friends congratulated her.

"I like it better my way, but I guess when you're friends, you can't always have the things exactly your way all the time." Discord said, learning his first lesson about friendship.

"No..." Zulu said, his green eyes filling up with tears. "I was so close." He said burying her face in the tree his was sitting on. Him melting into the shadows, pretty sure knowing what would happen next.

In the center of Ponyville, Princess Celestia and Alpha were waiting for the answer to the question of the day. Had Discord truly reformed.

"Yes, Princess, and Alpha." Discord began to the two royals. "I'm ready to use my magic for good instead of evil." Discord said giving a bow to the two royals. "Most of the time." Discord muttered to himself. Celestia and Alpha either didn't hear or just didn't care as Celestia began to speak.

"Congratulations on your success, ponies. I definitely sense a big change in Discord." Celestia said, accepting Discord reformation. "I'll leave the Elements of Harmony with you, Twilight. Just in case." Celestia whispered to Twilight.

"You were right when you said Fluttershy would be the one to find a way to reform Discord. By treating Discord as a friend, she got him to realize that friendship was actually important to him. And something that once he had, he didn't want to lose." Twilight said, a blush appearing on both Fluttershy and Discord's faces.

"Go on, say it." Fluttershy poke Discord in the side.

"Oh, alright." Discord groaned, stepping forward. "Friendship is Magic."Discord said quickly, the words burning like acid in his mouth.

"See? He can be a real sweetheart once you get to know him." Fluttershy said, putting her hoof on Discord's lion paw.

"Fire the shipping cannons."

"I told you it would work." Celestia said to Alpha.

"Don't rub it in Tia." Alpha said using Celestia pet name from when she was younger.

"TIA!" Everypony gasped, a massive blush appearing on Celestia's face. Everypony than soon broke into laughter at the white alicorn's discomfort, her shooting the giant dragon a death glare.

"What?" ALpha shrugged, only adding to the laughter.

Inside the Changeling Hive, Zulu warped out of the shadows in defeat. Knowing of his failure to keep Discord evil.

"sigh... Well here goes nothing. I just hope that Omega takes this news well." Zulu said to himself, as he stepped out of the shadows and into the massive cavern inside the Changeling Hive that held Omega. Fearing how the giant dragon would take the news of Discord's reformation.

"Zulu, I was beginning to worry." Omega said noticing the changeling entrance. "How did the 'reformation' of Discord go?" Omega asked Zulu, expecting Equestria to be already half destroyed by Discord's chaos by now.

"That's the thing... well how do I put this." Zulu said, trying to find his words.

"Yes!" Omega roared, the literal look of death staring Zulu directly in the face.

"This isn't going to end well." Zulu thought as he took in a deep breath, fearing that it would one of his last.

Zulu vs Omega

"I hate having to be the one that has to give this news but..." Zulu began, becoming mute as he neared the words that he dreaded to say.

"Yes Zulu?" Omega roared, becoming frustrated. The fire within his chest beginning to rush through his veins of his body.

"The truth is, despite our predictions..." Zulu said, falling silent again.

"Yes!" Omega roared, smoke as black as tar coming out of his nostrils. His one red eye burning with anger. The cavern that Omega was in, beginning to shake from the power of his voice alone. Zulu having to dive to his left, to miss getting flattened by a falling boulder the size of an apple cart.

Zulu quickly climbed to his hooves, dusted himself off, and continued to speak to Omega. His words burning his mouth like acid.

"heavy sigh... I am pained to inform you that despite your previous prediction... the ponies of Equestria... were in fact able to..." Zulu paused, Omega's fire burning in his veins making his blood boil, literally.

"SPIT IT OUT ALREADY!" Omega roared at the top of his lungs, massive fumes of black smoke coming out from his nostrils, making very difficult for Zulu to breathe.

Zulu breathed out a heavy sigh as he continued. "The ponies were, in fact, able to reform Discord." Zulu said quickly, fearing the wrath that would come from Omega. Him shielding his face with his forelegs.

When no response came Zulu removed the hooves blocking his vision to see Omega staring down at him with a blank expression.

"Loading... loading... loading... ding!" Omega thought as his brain began to process what Zulu had told him. When Omega's brain finally comprehended what Zulu had told him, his one red eye burned with anger. The mass of black smoke coming out of his nostrils only growing in thickness. Zulu having to clear his throat at the blanket of smoke that was forming in the large cavern.

"Discord! Is! GOOD!" Omega roared, his blackened scales beginning to glow a deep maroon color. "I gave you one job Zulu, and what job was that?" Omega asked Zulu a rhetorical question.

Zulu knew the question was rhetorical, but feared what would happened to him if he didn't, so he answered anyway. "To watch over the ponies attempt to reform Discord, and report back to you when I was done." Zulu said shaking.

Omega let out a crooked laugh, that sent a chill down Zulu spine. Omega strange laughter came to an abrupt halt, as Omega slammed one his claws down on the ground. The movement creating a massive cloud of brown dust.

"No! You're job was to make sure that the ponies failed at their mission to reform Discord! At all costs!" Omega roared at Zulu, as he swung his massive whiplike tail around. His tail completely destroying a stone column.

"I tried my best." Zulu tried to defend himself, despite knowing that it was pointless.

"Did you show yourself to the enemy?" Omega roared at Zulu, speaking of the Mane Six.

"No... I couldn't risk exposing myself and starting another war before the time was right to mount a counterattack." Zulu said to Omega, trying to reason with the literal embodiment of rage.

"I said. Make sure the ponies failed at their mission to reform Discord! AT ALL COSTS!" Omega roared, his voice booming louder than any thunder.

"I'm... I'm sorry Omega... I..." Zulu fumbled, trying to find his words. Zulu took in one deep breath and let out a sigh to match it. "I deserve whatever punishment you believe that I should have." Zulu said in defeat.

Omega was genuinely surprised at Zulu's words, but he hid his surprise well, his growl warping into a crooked grin. "Very well then." Omega said, his one black eye seeming to twinkle in twisted delight. Omega's chest blackened scales on his chest began to glow a deep maroon color, as the fire that burned inside of him began to build in power.

"Any last words, Zulu." Omega said, holding the maroon fire that eagerly awaiting to be released.

"Yes. I do." Zulu said simply, staring at the dirt ground.

"And what would that be?" Omega asked, believing that he had already won before he had even started.

"That you should never underestimate a Shadow changeling." Zulu said, giving Omega a crooked grin of his own. Omega snorted and fired a blast of his maroon fire at Zulu. Zulu easily dodging it by warping into the shadows.

"Show yourself you coward!" Omega roared, his face head shifting every which way looking for Zulu.

"With pleasure." Zulu said, warping out of the shadows of the ceiling of the cavern. Zulu landed on Omega back, his horn glowing the same bright green as his eyes. His staff/spear thing held in his magical aura. Zulu used his magic to activate the emerald gems on the ends of his staff, two curved blades erupting out of the ends. The two green blades looking like they were made out of a strange green flame.

Zulu thrusted his staff/spear into Omega's back, just below the area on Omega's back where is massive bug-like wings attached. Zulu's weapon pierced through Omega's iron hard scales. The blade digging halfway up the blade. Omega's soft tissues burning at the touch of the magical weapon.

Omega roared in pain, standing up on his hind legs. His head slamming into the ceiling of the cavern. Large boulders falling from the ceiling. One large boulder the size of a chariot missing Zulu's body by only a few yards. The boulder disintegrating as it hit Omega's scales.

"Get off me!" Omega roared, turning his neck around to the section of his back that Zulu was standing on. Zulu's staff/spear implanted deep inside Omega's flesh. Omega chopped his massive jaws down on the location where Zulu was. Zulu shadow traveling out of the way as Omega's massive teeth dug into his own scales. Omega's teeth cut right through Zulu staff/spear, the spear shattering into twisted pieces of steel.

Omega roared out in pain as he shifted his head back around. His mismatched eyes falling on Zulu, who was now on the dirt ground in front of him. The air thick with Omega's black smoke, but Zulu didn't care. If he was going to die that die, it wasn't going to be by no simple smoke inhalation.

"What are you going to do with your weapon, Zulu?" Omega said down to Zulu, a look of smug plastered across his face.

"Oh! You mean this." Zulu said creating another staff/spear out of the shadows around him. "Never underestimate the power of a Shadow changeling." Zulu said, dropping into a defensive stance. His staff/spear being held close to the right side of his body, in his green magic. Zulu's green eyes flooding with anger.

"You are starting to piss me off." Omega said, as he let another blast of his maroon escape his mouth. Zulu dodging the blaze by galloping underneath Omega, using Omega's massive size against him.

"You are only prolonging the inevitable." Omega said slamming one of his forelegs down on the ground. His massive claws barely missing Zulu.

"I got of here, and fast... but how?" Zulu thought to himself, breathing heavily. The massive body of Omega working as perfect cover, at for the time being. "What a second..." Zulu thought, coming to a realization. "I can shadow travel... duh." Zulu thought, facehoofing himself.

Zulu's thoughts were quickly interrupted by the roar of Omega, him shifting his massive neck underneath his body. His head pointing at Zulu. Omega's chest above Zulu glowing a deep maroon. Zulu's green eyes widening.

"I will ask you this one more time." Omega said, savoring in his supposed kill. "Do you have any last words?" Omega asked Zulu, opening his mouth slightly. The bright light of his marron fire unmistakable to the dimly lit cavern.

"I do... bye." Zulu said with a smug look on his face, as he warped into the shadows underneath Omega.

"NO!" Omega roared, firing his maroon fire. Zulu escaping from the Changeling Hive unharmed.

Zulu shadow traveled to the mouth of the hive. The roars of Omega echoing out of it. Zulu collapsed to the ground and cried out in pain. "BUCK!" Zulu cried out in pain, through his gritted pointed teeth. Zulu slowing turned his head toward his back to see that his small translucent green bug-like wings had been singed by the maroon fire of Omega. Zulu struggled to his hooves. Him breathing heavily, three shadow travels in rapid succession taking a lot out of the changeling.

"You gotta keep moving." Zulu thought to himself, urging himself to keep going. To where you may ask. He didn't know. Zulu eyes shifted toward the snowcapped mountains in the distance. The shine of the setting sun reflecting off the mountains perfectly. Then a thought appeared in Zulu's mind.

"Equestria... it's my only option." Zulu thought out loud, the words burning like napalm on his tongue. "sigh... I might as well just get this over with." Zulu said to himself, as he shadowed traveled to the one place that he wished he would never have to return to again... Canterlot.

Over in Canterlot the Royalty of Equestria and the Dragon Empire were having a meeting the throne room. The meeting included Princesses Celestia, Luna, Cadence, and Prince Shining Armor of Equestria. The four ponies were hosting the Alpha and his two apprentices, Theta, and Sigma.

"I told you all it would work!" Celestia exclaimed, speaking of Discord surprising reformation by the Mane Six.

"We know Celestia! Ugh... you don't need to rub it in." Luna groaned, through she went with the idea to reform Discord, she still didn't believe that it would actually work.

"So, Celestia, now that Discord is reformed. What are your plans for making him use his power for good." Alpha asked Celestia.

"I have... a couple ideas." Celestia mumbled, not really sure about herself.

"You got nothing, don't you?" Alpha said, calling Celestia's bluff.

"Yeah... I guess so." Celestia said, all of the royals in the room unaware of the sudden appearance of a certain shadow changeling in the throne room.

"I hope they don't kill me the moment I step out." Zulu mumbled to himself. Zulu then reluctantly trotted out of the safety of the shadows in the far right corner of the throne room, and started trotting toward the throne room. His staff/spear strapped to the right side of his body.

"Changeling!" Shining Armor exclaimed his horn glowing a bright magenta color, being the first to notice Zulu's presence. All eyes, pony and dragon alike shifting in shock to the green eyed changeling standing front of them. "Warn the guards!" Shining Armor ordered, returning to his former role as the Captain of the Royal Guard.

"That won't be necessary." Alpha said, the red scales on his chest beginning to glow a bright orange color. Sigma quickly followed with his gray scales earning a red glow of their own. Celestia, Luna, Cadence horns glowing with their respective magical aura. Celestia gold, Luna a dark blue, and Cadence a sky blue. Only Theta not getting into an offensive stance, him more surprised as to how a changeling could've gotten into the castle into the first place.

"Wait!" Zulu exclaimed, holding his forelegs up in surrender. Zulu holding his staff/spear in his green magical aura, bowing to the royalty in front of him. "I am not here to fight!" Zulu called to the royalty standing in front of him. He then threw the weapon at the hooves of Celestia. The weapon hitting the ground with a loud clang of metal landing on tile.

Celestia, Luna, Cadence, and Shining Armor all shared a look of disbelief, as their horns lost their magical aura. Cadence being the last to do so, her still vividly remembering this certain changeling kidnapping her. Alpha, Theta, and Sigma all shared a similar look. Alpha scales returning to their normal reddish color. Sigma kept is fire at light burn, just in case the changeling tried any funny business.

There was a few moments of awkward silence that wasn't broken until Celestia began to spoke. "Then if you're not here to fight... then what are you doing here?" Celestia asked Zulu bluntly. A response the Zulu had suspected from the white alicorn. While Celestia had lowered her magic she still retained a snarl across her muzzle.

"I guess I should introduce myself first. My name is Zulu of the Shadow Hive." Zulu began, only to get interrupted by Cadence.

"Yes, I would like to know the name of the changeling that tried to kill me." Cadence spat at Zulu. Cadence's small scar across her cheek a vivid remember of Zulu's past sins. Zulu looked away in shame, even though he had tried to justify his assault of the pink alicorn as just him following his late Queen's orders. He still couldn't deny the fact that he... well enjoyed it. Maybe a little more than even he had known.

"I deeply apologize for the pain that I had caused to you, and I now that you may never forgive me your highness." Zulu said directly to Cadence. Cadence's surprised by the words of the changeling. A creature that five minutes before hoof she had seen as nothing more than a mindless drone. "I know that you may never forgive me for what I did to you, and nor should you. I just hope that you will hear me out." Zulu apologized to Cadence, and all eyes shifted to the pink alicorn. Small tears beginning to form in Cadence's pink eyes.

"You may proceed." Cadence said, her options of Zulu changing by the second.

"Thank you your highness." Zulu thanked Cadence, giving the pink alicorn a slight bow, before shifting his attention to the rest of the royals standing in the room. "My name is Zulu and I have come to give you a warning." Zulu said, making Celestia and Alpha share a look.

"What kind of warning?" Alpha asked Zulu, still not sure he should put all of his trust into the changeling that was currently standing in front of him.

"I have come to warn you about your brother." Zulu said to Alpha. A round of silence hitting the throne like a sledgehammer.

"What do you know about my brother?" Alpha growled at Zulu, his scales growing a dark tint of red, and his green eye burning with hatred.

"Other than that he is planning to invade Equestria, not much." Zulu said sarcastically. Earning a growl from Alpha.

"Wait... invading Equestria. He would never be so bold to return." Celestia said, sharing a concerned look with her sister.

"Tell that to the Changeling Hive that I used to call home. He had been seeking refuse with the changelings for over a thousand years." Zulu said, getting an amused snort from Alpha.

"What is it Alpha?" Theta asked his mentor.

"It's just ironic that the very creature that torn the changelings apart so many years age, is also the one that had to seek refuge with it them in the end." Alpha said, expressing his thoughts on his brother's alliance with the changelings.

"Don't think we haven't forgotten what happened all those years ago." Zulu said to Alpha, him vividly remembering the old tells of the First Alpha expelling the changeling from Equestria. "Omega's alliance with us has been been that save." Zulu stated, knowing how Omega was really the one that ruled over the changelings, even before Chrysalis' death.

"Does your Queen know that you are here?" Luna asked Zulu, not knowing of the Changeling Queen's fate after the failed invasion of Canterlot.

"No, she doesn't..." Zulu began mournfully. The memory of the charred remains of his former Queen being crushed by the claws of Omega. "And she never will." Zulu finished after a short pause.

"What do you mean?" Cadence asked, her words of comfort surprising even to herself.

"She will never learn of my betrayal of the my own berthen, because..." Zulu began to explain, pausing shortly. Small tears beginning to form in his green eyes. "Because she was murdered not long after the failed invasion of Canterlot." Zulu finished, an unanimous gasp sounding from the ponies and dragons present.

"By whom?" Celestia asked, fearing the answer.

"Who do you think?" Zulu snapped, tears shameless flowing from his eyes. Though Chrysalis may not have been the kindness queen, she was still his Queen. "Your brother." Zulu snapped at Alpha.

Alpha seemed to take no offense to Zulu's actions, instead letting a heavy sigh has he spoke to Zulu. "Zulu, I do not know of what you tell is true." Alpha began to say to Zulu.

"It is... all of it." Zulu said to Alpha interrupting.

"Regardless. I can assure you that will make my brother pay for the crimes that he has committed." Alpha promised to Zulu.

"I appreciate the thought Alpha, but I don't believe that you will be able to defeat Omega." Zulu said to Alpha.

"And why is that?" Alpha asked.

"Because he has earned his wings." Zulu said, a look of disbelief forming on Alpha's face.

"How was he able to do that?" Alpha asked Zulu.

"Not long after my former Queen's failed attempted to take over Canterlot. She returned to the Hive and was greeted by Omega. Omega disappointed by her failure... burned her alive. Turning her into nothing more than a charred statue of her remains. After he murdered my Queen he crushed her with his claws and somehow consumed her control of over the changelings. By doing so, he gained his wings. His wings being in the form of giant changeling like wings forming out of his back." Zulu said to Alpha, explaining how Omega got his wings.

"I see." Alpha said, scratching his chin with one of his claws, in deep thought. Alpha stared off into the distance of the badlands that marked the southern border of Equestria and let out a deep sigh. Him knowing that sooner or later we would have to meet his brother in combat for the fate of all dragon and ponykind, again.

"Zulu, would you mind returning to the Dragon Empire with me, so that we may discuss Omega's return in greater detail?" Alpha asked Zulu, the changeling's green eyes lighting up at the giant dragon's words. Alpha personality the exact opposite of his crazed twin brother's.

"It would be my pleasure, your majesty." Zulu said, giving Alpha a bow.

"Perfect, now follow me. We have much to discuss and not much time to do it." Alpha said to Zulu, and the ALpha and his two apprentices took off from Canterlot returning to the Dragon Empire. The rogue changeling not far behind.

"Well... that was strange." Luna said to herself, after the departure of Alpha, his apprentices, and Zulu. "Don't you think Celestia?" Luna asked her older sister, who was blanketly staring off at the setting sun. "Celestia are you alright?" Luna asked Celestia, noticing the distress on her sister's face.

"I... I'm fine." Celestia said automatically, beginning to trot out of the throne. Her in the stance that she got into every time she got into deep thought.

"No you're not! You're doing that thing again." Luna called after Celestia, catching up to her older sister. Cadence and Shining Armor not far behind the blue alicorn.

"What thing?" Celestia asked innocently.

Luna shot her a glare as she answered. "That thing that you always get into when you are in deep thought, but you don't want to talk to me about it." Luna said to Celestia, the white alicorn coming to a complete stop.

Celestia breathed out a heavy sigh. "Follow me... all of you." Celestia said in defeat, turning her back toward Cadence and Shining Armor.

The three ponies followed Celestia into a small room on the west wing of the castle. A room that was only used when Celestia had to make agreements with other countries that could jeopardize her reputation to her subjects.

The room was a small windowless stone room, barely big enough to hold the three alicorns and one unicorn. The room had a small wooden desk with two chairs on either side of it, which were used during the said meetings that were held in it.

Celestia took a seat in the chair that faced the door, and her hooves on her forehead. Rubbing her forehead in deep thought.

"Close the door behind you Shining Armor." Celestia all but ordered at the only unicorn in the room. Shining Armor followed Celestia's order and closed the door with a quick kick from his hind leg. The door slamming shut with a loud thud.

"What is the meaning of this Celestia?" Luna demanded of her sister.

Celestia placed her hooves on the small desk breathed out a heavy sigh as she began to address the other ponies in the room.

"Luna... Cadence... do you remember..." Celestia said, pausing as she continued to heavy the pros and cons of her decision.

"Yes..." Luna and Cadence, urging Celestia to continue.

"Do you remember Operation Friendship." Celestia said, the two alicorn's in front of her eyes widening. A face of confusion appearing on Shining Armor's.

"Yes... what's your point." Luna asked Celestia, after a few moments of silence.

"I believe that with this new patch of information. We will have to enact the final stage as soon as possible." Celestia said, getting a gasp from both Luna and Cadence.

"Auntie, are you sure? I mean... I know that she deserves to ascend, but we still have time." Cadence said to Celestia, Luna nodding in agreement.

"I'm sure, with this latest development we might not have the time to complete her training, but we will need all the power we can possibly get to defeat Omega." Celestia said to the two other alicorns. Shining Armor's confusion only raising as the three alicorns continued to talk.

"What are you three talking, and what is Operation Friendship?" Shining Armor asked, taking the other alicorns by surprise. Them all but forgetting that Shining Armor was also in the room.

"Shining, I am going to tell you something that only a select few ponies know." Cadence began, Shining Armor taking a step back. His back hitting the small wooden door behind him. "But you must promise me that you won't freak out when I tell you this." Cadence said to Shining Armor. Though Shining Armor feared what his wife was going to tell him he nodded anyway.

Cadence accepted her husband's agreement and looked back at her adoptive aunt for clearance to tell Shining Armor what the three had been planning since the return of Luna. Celestia and Luna gave Cadence a nod for Cadence to continue. Cadence shifted her attention back to Shining Armor and let out a heavy sigh.

"Shining, do you remember when Twilight and her friends came to the Crystal Empire to help with the preparations for the Equestria Games?" Cadence asked her husband.

Shining Armor was at first surprised at his wife's words, but he answered her question nonetheless. "Of course, I mean I could've I. Her friend's almost made us lose the bid for the Equestria Games." Shining Armor said, a small laugh escaping his mouth as the memory of his little friends trying impress the wrong pony of the Crystal Empire's greatness flashing before his eyes.

"Well... do you remember that I spent most of my time with Twilight. Teaching her how to remain calm in stressful situations?" Cadence asked her husband, stressing an important moment in Twilight's visit to the region.

"Yeah, but what does that have to do with..." Shining began, realization as to what Operation Friendship really was.

"No, No, No you can't be serious." Shining said in disbelief.

"Shining, are you alright." Cadence asked her husband, not sure if he had come to the right conclusion from her words.

"Twily..."

Magical Mystery Cure Part 1 (Twilight's Ascension)

Are you sure that you don't want us to come with you, darling?" Rarity asked Twilight. Twilight and Spike currently waiting for their heading toward Canterlot.

"No, I think we should be fine." Twilight said to Rarity, rejecting her offer.

The six ponies, and one dragon's eyes all shifted toward the steam powered train that had just pulled into the station on the outskirts of Ponyville. "Ponyville Station, everypony off you is getting off." The conductor of the train said, him being a tan earth pony wearing glasses while holding a small pocket watch in his left hoof. A couple ponies trotted off of the train shortly after the conductor's words. "Next stop, Canterlot!" The conductor called, putting his pocket watch in one of the many pockets on his blue uniform.

"I guess this is mine." Twilight said, using her magic to levitate the two large suitcases that held all of the stuff that she had taken from her library. The two suitcases looking like they were about to explode, as they were both filled past their capacity. Twilight was then embraced in a hug by her five other friends.

"Be safe Twi." Applejack said to Twilight.

"Don't worry, we will be." Twilight said pulling away from the hug. Twilight and Spike then stepped onto the train.

"All aboard!" The conductor called. The train jolting to life.

"Don't forget us!" Pinkie called over the sound of the train pulling away. The pink earth pony chasing after the train.

"Oh, Pinkie. You make everything better." Twilight said to herself, rolling her eyes at the ridiculousness of Pinkie, as she relaxed in the red chairs of the train.

Twilight and Spike arrived at the castle that towered over the city of Canterlot. Both of them not sure what the meaning of them being summoned to the city. They were, however, curious regardless.

"I really like it when we return home." Spike said to Twilight, as the two friends got off the train. Canterlot being the two friend's home for most of their young life's before they moved to Ponyville.

"I do to Spike." Twilight said to Spike, as the two friends arrived at the white castle.

"Halt!" A white unicorn guard dressed in the standard golden armor ordered at Twilight and Spike. "State your names and business." The guard said to the two friends in a strong monotone voice.

"Um... of course." Twilight fumbled with her words, surprised at the guards actions. "He must be new here." Twilight thought to herself, thinking up a reason to the guard's unusual behavior. "I am Twilight Sparkle, and this is my friend Spike." Twilight said to the guard.

"Hi." Spike said, giving the guard a small wave. The guard keeping a stoic face as Twilight continued. "We are both scheduled for a meeting with Princess Celestia today." Twilight said to the guard.

There were a few moments of awkward silence until the guard finally answered. "You may enter, Miss Twilight Sparkle, and her friend Spike. Both scheduled for a meeting with Princess Celestia." The guard said in the same monotone voice, taking a step to the left. Clearing the path to the door that led to the hallway that in turn lead to the throne room in the castle.

Twilight and Spike walked into the throne room of the castle and were both greeted by Princess Celestia. Who was sitting at the top of her golden throne. Her flowing mane shining like in the sunlight.

"Princess Celestia..." Twilight began, giving the white alicorn a bow before continuing. "You asked for my presence Princess?" Twilight asked Celestia, rising to her hooves.

"Yes Twilight, and I have a... present for you... if you will." Celestia said, a look of confusion appearing on Twilight's face.

"Come again Princess?" Twilight said in confusion.

"I have something to give you." Celestia said, trotting down from her throne. Celestia then used her magic to levitate the small blue spiral bound notebook of Starswirl the Bearded.

"What's that?" Twilight asked Celestia. Pointing her hoof at the brown notebook held in Celestia's golden magic.

"This is your... present." Celestia said being intentionally vague.

"Princess, no offense. I mean, I love books more than any other pony, but why would you give me a notebook?" Twilight asked Celestia.

"This isn't just some normal notebook Twilight." Celestia said, giving a slight pause for dramatic pause. "This is the personal notebook for the Starswirl the Bearded." Celestia said, Twilight's purple eyes widening to a point that that seemed that they would pop out of her skull.

"Thank you, Princess!" Twilight exclaimed the notebook from her Princess.

"I am glad that you are happy." Celestia said with a giggle.

"Is there anything that you want me to do with this new... awesome addition." Twilight said, barely able contain her excitement.

"I would only like that you would study the notebook, the same way you have any other book that I have given you." Celestia said to Twilight.

"Thank you, Princess, thank you so much!" Twilight said jumping up and down in excitement.

"I am sure that you will be very happy at the end of this." Celestia said, her words having a hidden meaning behind them.

"I can guarantee that I will Princess, thank you so much." Twilight said leaving the throne room, the blue notebook held in her magenta magic.

"You think it will work?" Luna asked her older sister after Twilight had left the throne room.

"I hope so sister, I sure hope so." Celestia said letting out a heavy sigh.

The next morning, Twilight rose from her bed in the highest room in her tree library and began to sing about the sheer beauty of the morning around her.

"Morning in Ponyville shimmers

Morning in Ponyville shines

And I know for absolute certain

That everything is certainly fine." Twilight sang as she trotted happily out the front of her home. The chirping of birds feeling the morning air.

"There's the Mayor en route to her office

There's the sofa clerk selling some quills." Twilight continued to sing, giving a wave to the store owner of her favorite quill and furniture shop. "A strange combination."

"Morning, kid!" The owner of Quills and Sofas greeted Twilight as she trotted throughout the small town.

"My Ponyville is so gentle and still

Can things ever go wrong?

I don't think that they will

Morning in Ponyville shimmers

Morning in Ponyville shines

And I know for absolute certain

That everything is certainly..." Twilight sang. He singing coming to an abrupt stop as a massive stream of rain water got dumped on her.

"Rainbow Dash, that's not funny!" Twilight called up to the blue sky, the cyan pegasus nowhere to be found.

"Terribly sorry, darling. I'm afraid I'm... I'm not good with the thundery ones." Out of all of her friends to say, Rarity said. Her cutie mark being the red, yellow, and blue lightning bolt of Rainbow Dash.

"Something tells me everything is not going to be fine." Twilight gasped at her friends strange new cutie mark.

"What are you doing? What happened to your cutie mark?" Twilight asked Rarity, confused as to why she had Rainbow Dash's cutie mark.

"Whatever do you mean, Twilight? I'm simply doing what I've done since the day it first appeared." Rarity said to Twilight, seeming to notice nothing wrong with her current job. "Does my sky look fabulous or what?" Rarity said, the gray sky above them in a checkerboard pattern. The cries of complaining ponies showed their displeasure of having Rarity as their newest weather conductor. "Too last season?" Rarity said, misinterpreting their complaints.

"Where is Rainbow Dash? Why isn't she handling this?" Twilight asked herself, as she trotted back to her library. Ready to get to the bottom of this latest development.

"I still don't know what you had to wake me up for. I love sleeping in the rain." Spike said to Twilight, a yawn escaping passed his lips.

"It's not about the weather, Spike. Rarity had Rainbow Dash's cutie mark and said this was Rainbow Dash's cottage. Something strange is going on..." Twilight said the two friends arriving at the house that was, in fact, Fluttershy's cottage. Twilight then knocked on the door of the cottage. The sounds of angry animals coming from inside the small house.

"Hey, guys." Rainbow said, opening the door slightly.

"Rainbow Dash! Why is Rarity doing your job?" Twilight asked Rainbow Dash in surprise. "And what in Equestria is going on in... here?" Twilight asked Rainbow, the sounds of chaos going inside the small cottage.

"These animals don't listen, no, not one little bit

They run around out of control and throw their hissy fits

It's up to me to stop them, 'cause plainly you can see" Rainbow tried to take care of the many animals in Fluttershy's house.

It's gotta be my destiny, and it's what my cutie mark is telling me" Rainbow dash sang looking at the cutie mark that was on her flank. Her cutie mark now being that of Fluttershy, three pink butterflies.

Over with Fluttershy, her special talent had also changed.

"I try to keep them laughing, put a smile on their face

But no matter what I try, it seems a bit of a disgrace

I have to entertain them, it's there for all to see

It's gotta be my destiny, and it's what my cutie mark is telling me" Fluttershy sang, doing her best to do Pinkie Pie's job. Her cutie mark now being that of Pinkie's, three balloons one yellow the other two blue.

Over with Pinkie Pie, she was doing manual labor on Sweet Apple Acres.

"I don't care much for pickin' fruit and plowing fields ain't such a hoot

No matter what I try, I cannot fix this busted water chute!

I've got so many chores to do, it's no fun being me

But it has to be my destiny, 'cause it's what my cutie mark is telling me." Pinkie sang, doing her best to the chores of farm life. Her cutie mark now that of Applejack, three red apples.

Over with Applejack, she was being a creative pony in Carousel Boutique.

"Lookie here at what I made, I think that it's a dress

I know it doesn't look like much, I'm under some distress

Could y'all give me a hand here and help me fix this mess?

My destiny is not pretty, but it's what my cutie mark is tellin' me." Applejack sang, doing her best to create dresses. Her cutie mark now being that of Rarity, three blue gemstones.

Over with Rarity, she was doing her best to control the weather.

"I'm in love with weather patterns, but the others have concerns

For I just gave them frostbite over top of their sunburns

I have to keep on trying, for everyone can see." Rarity sang, her epically failing at controlling the weather. Rarity's cutie mark now being Rainbow Dash's, a multicolored lightning bolt.

"This is bad. This is very, very bad." Twilight said to herself, on the verge of panic.

"What's going on? Why is this happening?!" Spike asked Twilight.

"I don't know Spike. But it could be... of my goodness." Twilight said, realization coming to her.

"What? What is it Twilight?" Spike asked the purple unicorn, deep concern in his words.

"I think I know what happened." Twilight said, heading back to the treehouse library that also worked as her home.

"Hey, wait for me!" Spike called after Twilight.

Spike followed Twilight back to the library and found Twilight looking through it.

"What are you looking for?" Spike asked Twilight.

"The notebook by Starswirl the Bearded that Princess Celestia gave me yesterday." Twilight said to Spike, in borderline panic.

"You mean this." Spike said holding the said blue spiral bound notebook in his claws.

"Yes! That is what I'm looking for." Twilight said, taking the book out of Spike's claws. Twilight then began to use her magic to search through the pages of the notebook.

"What are you looking for?" Spike asked Twilight, scratching his head.

"Oh no." Twilight said coming to the final page in the notebook.

"What is it?" Spike asked Twilight. Getting no response, as Twilight stared blankly at the page in front of her. "Twilight, what is it?" Spike repeated his question, knocking Twilight out of her trance.

"Um... yes Spike... just look." Twilight said handing the book back to Spike. When the book finally arrived in the purple dragon's claws he began to search the final page of the book. Confused as to when he found that the book only had a small spell by Starswirl the Bearded written on it.

"I don't get it." Spike said in confusion.

"Spike... sniff... I really bucked up." Twilight said on the verge of tears. Spike took slightly aback, this being the first time he had heard Twilight casually swearing.

"Twilight... it's ok. What happened?" Spike said, trying to comfort the pony that he saw as like a big sister to him if not even a mother sometimes.

"It... sniff... it must have happened when you were taking your bubble bath." Twilight said, a flashback of the last day coming to Twilight's mind.

In the final hours of the day before Twilight was reading the notebook that Celestia had given her. As she neared the final page of the notebook a letter from Princess Celestia fell out from its pages.

"Oh, what's this?" Twilight said to herself. Picking up the letter with her magic.

"Dear Twilight Sparkle, The spell contained on the last page of this book is Star Swirl the Bearded's secret unfinished masterpiece." Twilight read the letter, gasping as she had earned a second mission from the Princess involving the notebook. Twilight gasped to herself as she continued to read. "He was never able to get it right, and thus abandoned it. I believe you are the only pony who can understand and rewrite it. Princess Celestia." Twilight finished the letter. Flipping straight to the page that had the spell in question written on it.

"From one to another, another to one. A mark of one's destiny singled out alone, fulfilled." Twilight read, and unaware cast the spell by Starswirl the Bearded. The five Elements of Harmony of her friends switching their colors with other Elements. The bearers of their respective Elements having their cutie marks switched.

"That doesn't make any sense. It doesn't even rhyme! " Twilight said in confusion, placing the book down. Not sure how to continue.

Back in the present Twilight had just told Spike how she had screwed up the day before.

"I cast the spell so I could find out what it was, but nothing seemed to happen. But now I know something did happen. The spell has changed the Elements of Harmony! That must be why their cutie marks are all wrong!" Twilight said to Spike, trotting over to the case that held the Elements of Harmony. The Elements of her friends all altered. A terrible remember of her mistake.

"So just cast a counter-spell to switch them back." Spike said, trying to cheer Twilight up. His words having the opposite effect.

"There is no counter-spell!" Twilight don't you just use that memory spell you used to fix everypony when Discord was here?

"Why don't you just use that memory spell you used to fix everypony when Discord was here?" Spike suggested, this being the worst that he has seen Twilight since she went crazy over missing an assignment for Princess Celestia.

"It's not their memories, Spike. It's their true selves that have been altered!" Twilight snapped again.

"Zecora's cure for the cutie pox?" Spike said, currently grasping at straws now.

"That won't work either..." Twilight said in defeat.

"Well sigh, maybe it won't be so bad. Maybe our friends will grow to like their new lives." Spike said up to Twilight, as she began to climb the stairs of the library that led to her bedroom.

"No, Spike. They're not who they are meant to be anymore. Their destinies are now changed, and it's all my fault." Twilight said as laid down on her bed.

"I have to find a way

To make this all okay

I can't believe this small mistake

Could've caused so much heartache

Oh why, oh why?

Losing promise

I don't know what to do

Seeking answers

I fear I won't get through to you.

Oh why, oh why?" Twilight sang on her bed. Heavy drops of rain falling all around her as she came to accept the full responsibility for her mistake. Oh, Spike, what have I done?

"Oh, Spike, what have I done?" Twilight said to Spike, as she forced her head into one of her puffy pillows. Small tears flowing like a river out of her eyes. Spike just stood there, not sure what to do. I mean how does a dragon comfort a unicorn that has just changed her friend's fate and destiny, and seemed to have no way to change it back.

"Twilight, are you alright?" Spike cautiously asked Twilight, fearing the response that he would get.

"Just... just leave me alone." Twilight snapped at Spike.

"Ok, I'll give a little alone time." Spike said more to himself, closing the door to Twilight's room behind him.

"I'm so sorry." Twilight said apologizing to the images of her friends that she seemed to see in her window. Before plunging her tear streaked face into her pillow again.

Magical Mystery Cure Part 2 (Twilight's Ascension)

Magical Mystery Cure Part 2 (Twilight's Ascension)

A few hours later Spike walked into Twilight's room, looking to see if she had gotten any better from the last time he had seen her.

"Twilight... are you ok?" Spike asked her.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Twilight said to Spike, taking her head out of her pillow. An idea coming to her mind "I've got it! I know what to do!" Twilight said excitedly, hoping out of her bed.

"You do?" Spike asked Twilight, hope in his words.I may not be able to remind them of who they are, but I can show them what they mean to each other. They'll find the part of themselves that's been lost so they can help the friend they care about so much! Come on, Spike!

"I may not be able to remind them of who they are, but I can show them what they mean to each other. They'll find the part of themselves that's been lost so they can help the friend they care about so much! Come on, Spike!" Twilight said to Spike, running out of the library. Ready to enact her plan.

"Fluttershy, wait!" Twilight called to Fluttershy, the yellow Pegasus waiting for a train heading toward her original home of Cloudsdale.

"Oh... Hey, Twilight..." Fluttershy said a little defiantness.

"Where are you going?" Twilight asked Fluttershy. I'm moving back to Cloudsdale. I don't know what's wrong, but I can't seem to make

"I'm moving back to Cloudsdale. I don't know what's wrong, but I can't seem to make anypony laugh." Fluttershy said, a pink whoopee cushion deflating in her hooves.

"Before you go, I was wondering if you might be willing to help Rainbow Dash. She's really struggling with her animals." Twilight asked Fluttershy, a look of confusion coming to Fluttershy's face.

"But... I don't really know anything about animals..." Fluttershy said to Twilight, well shyly.

"But you do know something about Rainbow Dash." Twilight said to Fluttershy, putting the yellow pegasus into deep thought..

"I... know that she's a true friend, and I'll do anything I can to help her." Fluttershy said with determination in her voice.

The two friends arrived at the small cottage on the outskirts of town, ready to help Rainbow Dash with her little animal problem.

"Whoa!" The muffled cries of Rainbow Dash came from the small cottage.

"Rainbow Dash!" Twilight called to Rainbow, running up to the wooden door.

"I'm in here! Help! I'm trapped!" Rainbow called from inside the house. Twilight and Fluttershy burst into the cottage. Rainbow being tied up in rope by her own animals. The animals ready to cook her. "Damn, I thought this was a show made for little girls."

"Hurry, Twilight! Can't you do some sort of spell to get her out?" Fluttershy asked Twilight, panic in her voice.

"No. Fluttershy, you're the only one who can help! Rainbow Dash needs you!" Twilight said to Fluttershy, hoping that her plan would work.

"Um... Hello? Little... woodland creatures? I know that you're all very upset and feel like giving Rainbow Dash a hard time, but we'd all really appreciate it if you'd calm down and, um, maybe... rest for a bit? Oh! Uh... look! Here's some nice, juicy leaves for you to munch on. And some crunchy, munchy acorns too. Uh, wouldn't you like to take a break and have a little snack?" Fluttershy said to the woodland animals. Giving each of them small pieces of food. The animals accepted Fluttershy's offer and began to start eating the food.

"Aww, look at that. I guess you were all just cranky because you were hungry. Oh, you are very welcome, little friends." Fluttershy said, earning a hug from a large bear. "Goodness, it's like I can understand them! I... I feel strange, like... like this is what I'm meant to do, like this is who I am! My destiny!" Fluttershy said, her body beginning to glow as she rediscovered her true destiny. Twilight, seeing this, used her magic to place the Element of Kindness around Fluttershy's neck. The memories of her past returning to her, the Element of Kindness regaining its pink color. "Wha... what happened?" Fluttershy said in confusion, rubbing the top of her head.

"Fluttershy, look! Your cutie mark!" Twilight exclaimed, pointing at the yellow pegasus' flank. Fluttershy's cutie mark returning to its original three pink butterflies. "It worked! It worked! Oh, I'm so happy you're back to normal!" Twilight exclaimed, a little surprised that her plan actually worked. "Now we need your help." Twilight said to Fluttershy. Recruiting Fluttershy in her plan to get her friend's cutie marks back.

"A true, true friend helps a friend in need

To see the light that shines from a true, true friend." Twilight and Fluttershy began to sing at the same time.

"Um, hello? Friend trapped inside, remember?" Rainbow called out to her friends. Fluttershy helped untie Rainbow Dash, as she began her part to get Rainbow Dash's cutie mark back.

"Rarity needs your help."

She's trying hard, doing what she can." Twilight sang to Rainbow. Showing the chaotic weather that Rarity had created. The white unicorn not the right pony for the job of weather control.

Would you try, just give it a chance

You might find that you'll start to understand." Fluttershy added, Rainbow kicking one of the gray rain clouds out of the sky. Rainbow, however, didn't stop there with her easily clearing the clouds.

"A true, true friend helps a friend in need

A friend will be there to help you see

A true, true friend helps a friend in need

To see the light that shines from a true, true friend." Twilight and Fluttershy sang at the same time, as Rainbow cleared the skies. Her beginning to glow in a red aura of magic. Twilight based the Element of Loyalty around Rainbow's neck. Rainbow's memories returning to her, along with her lightning bolt cutie mark, and the Element of Loyalty's red color.

"Um... what just happened?" Rainbow asked Twilight, as she regained her memories.

"There's no time to explain, but we need your help. Applejack is trying to make dresses." Twilight explained to Rainbow.

"Say no more!" Rainbow said to Twilight, accepting her mission to help Rarity regain her destiny.

"Applejack needs your help

She's trying hard, doing what she can

Would you try, just give it a chance

You might find that you'll start to understand" Rainbow sang to Rarity. Rainbow convinces Rarity to help Applejack at Carousel Boutique.

"A true, true friend helps a friend in need

A friend will be there to help them see

A true, true friend helps a friend in need

To see the light that shines from a true, true friend." Twilight, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash sang at the same time, as Rarity began to create beautiful dresses. Her white coat glowing in purple magic aura. Twilight than placed the Element of Generosity around her neck, her memories returning to her. Along with her tri diamond cutie mark, and the Element of Generosity's purple color.

"Oh my, what a terrible dream I had. Or, maybe I'm still having it." Rarity said in confusion.

"Rarity, Pinkie Pie is about to lose the apple farm. We need Applejack's help!" Twilight explained to Rarity.

Lose the apple farm? Well we can't let that happen, now can we." Rarity said, giving a knowing look to Applejack.

"Pinkie Pie is in trouble

We need to get there by her side

We can try to do what we can now

For together we can be her guide." Rarity sang to Applejack. Urging her to help Pinkie Pie at Sweet Apple Acres.

"A true, true friend helps a friend in need

A friend will be there to help them see

A true, true friend helps a friend in need

To see the light that shines from a true, true friend." Twilight, Fluttershy, Rainbow, and Rarity all sang at the same time. As Applejack regained her destiny by helping Pinkie Pie taking care of Sweet Apple Acres. Her body glowing in an aura of orange magic. Twilight than placed the Element of Honesty around her neck, her memories along with her three red apple cutie mark returning to her. Along with the orange color of the Element of Honesty.

" Yee-haw! Now that's more like it! What's next?"

"The townspeople are furious. We need the old Pinkie Pie back." Twilight explained to Applejack. The townsfolk of Ponyville about ready to tear each other apart.

"I'm on it. I know just the thing." Applejack said, an idea as to how to get Equestria's number one party pony back.

"The townspeople need you

They've been sad for a while

They march around, face a-frown

And never seem to smile

And if you feel like helpin'

We'd appreciate a lot

If you'd get up there and spread some cheer

From here to Canterlot." Applejack sang as she carried Pinkie Pie through Ponyville. The citizens of the town all on edge without their party pony. Applejack then placed a pair of fake glasses on Pinkie's head and pushed her in front of the fountain that was in the center of town. Pinkie's body glowing in a pink aura of magic. Twilight then placed the Element of Laughter around her neck, Pinkie's memories all returning to her. Along with her puffy mane, tri balloon cutie mark, and the blue color of the Element of Laughter.

"Come on ponies, I wanna see you SMILE!" Pinkie exclaimed, the sounds of party cannons behind her.

"PINKIE!" The townsfolk of Ponyville cried out. Their famous party pony returning to full form.

"A true, true friend helps a friend in need

A friend will be there to help them see

A true, true friend helps a friend in need

To see the light! (To see the light!)

That shines! (That shines!)

From a true, true friend!" The Mane Si, along with most of the citizens of Ponyville sang. All of Twilight's friends rediscovering their destinies with the help of their purple unicorn friend.

"A mark of one's destiny, singled out alone, fulfilled." Twilight's voice echoed to herself as she rethought the spell that had switched her friend's cutie marks in the first place. "Wait a second, that's it! I understand now! I know how to fix the spell!" Twilight gasped, coming to realization as to how to fix the spell by Starswirl the Bearded.

Over in the treehouse library, Twilight along with her friends were standing in the mane room of the library. Standing in front of the wooden pedestal, Twilight in the middle surrounded on all sides by her five friends, that held the notebook by Starswirl the Bearded.

"From all of us together, together we're friends. With the marks of our destinies made one, there is magic without end!" Twilight said out loud, as she finished the spell by Starswirl the Bearded.

There was a small moment of silence, only to be broken as five beams shot out of the Elements of Harmony, one for each Element of Harmony. The five beams all collided in the middle of the room, pointing directly at Twilight. Twilight was consumed by the five beams, vanishing in a flash of magical light. Leaving nothing but a star shaped, similar to Twilight's cutie mark, scorch mark on the wooden ground of the library.

All of Twilight's friends gasped in horror as it seemed, at least to them that they had killed their friend. Killing their friend by way of disintegration.

Over in Canterlot, the night sky was instantly broken by the flash of a blinding light coming from Ponyville. More specifically coming from the treehouse library in Ponyville.

"She did it." Celestia said in satisfaction from her throne room.

"I never doubt that she couldn't dear sister." Luna said to Celestia, slightly flattering her older sister.

"Thank you Luna." Celestia thanked Luna, climbing down from the top of the throne that she shared with her sister. "Wish me luck Luna, there is still no guarantee that Twilight will react nicely to her new title." Celestia said to her little sister. The white alicorn's horn beginning to glow with her golden magic.

"You won't need it my dear sister." Luna said as Celestia vanished in a flash of the same blinding light that had transported Twilight earlier that night.

When Twilight opened her eyes she had been transported to a completely different dimension from Equestria. Almost as if she was if some sort of heaven if you will.

"Hello? Where am I? What is this place?" Twilight said in confusion, her body hovering in the strange blue star filled void.

"Congratulations, Twilight. I knew you could do it." Celestia said her voice echoing, joining Twilight in the heavenly void. Twilight coming to a rest in front of her mentor.

"Princess... I don't understand. What did I do?" Twilight asked Celestia, raising to her hooves.

"You did something today that's never been done before. Something even a great unicorn like Star Swirl the Bearded was not able to do, because he did not understand friendship like you do. The lessons you've learned here in Ponyville have taught you well. You have proven that you're ready, Twilight." Celestia said to Twilight, the purple unicorn slightly blushing from her mentor's comment.

"Ready? Ready for what?" Twilight asked Celestia, as the void around her began to warp into images of her many adventures since she had moved to Ponyville.

"You've come such a long, long way

And I've watched you from that very first day

To see how you might grow

To see what you might do

To see what you've been through

And all the ways you've made me proud of you." Celestia said in a singalong tone.l As the images of Twilight's past played for her.

"It's time now for a new change to come

You've grown up and your new life has begun

To go where you will go

To see what you will see

To find what you will be" Celestia sang to Twilight, opening up her massive wings, and raising into the sky.

For it's time for you to fulfill your destiny." Celestia sang landing back on the ground, as a small purple dot of magical energy escaped from Twilight's chest. The small ball of magic then whipped around Twilight, lifting her up into the air. Twilight was then consumed by the purple magic. The magic transporting her back to Ponyville. Twilight ready to start the next chapter in her life.

Peaceful night of Ponyville was broken by the sudden arrival of the blinding light coming from a large six pointed star in the middle of the sky. The star being able to be seen from all across Equestria, and even beyond.

All of Twilight's friends were standing outside the library when the star appeared, them having to shield their eyes from the blinding light. A look of confusion and awe plastered on their faces as the star began to descend toward the ground. As the star descend toward the ground the star warped into the body of Twilight.

"Twilight... is that you?" Applejack asked the purple unicorn, shielding her eyes with her hat. The blinding light still coming from Twilight's body.

Twilight then stood up, and to everypony's surprise, two above average feathered wings unfurled from Twilight's back. Twilight's body seeming to glow from her newly acquired appendages.

An unanimous gasp of both shock and awe came from Twilight's friends as they stared at her the newly created alicorn.

"I've never seen anything like it." Applejack commented, as Twilight examined her newly acquired wings.

"Ha! Twilight's got wings! Awesome! A new flying buddy!" Rainbow exclaimed, breaking into a small fit of laughter.

"Why, you've become an Alicorn. I didn't even know that was possible." Rarity commented.

"Really Rarity, you didn't know. Ugh... I know that this is a touching moment, but go back and read chapter eight and tell me that Rarity wasn't an alicorn. Have you read it? Ok good... sorry I just had to call this line out. Anyway back to the story at hoof."

"Alicorn party!" Pinkie screamed. Pinkie with a pair of wooden wings and a fake horn on her head, while blowing a party kazoo. All of Pinkie's friends just shrug off her actions. Them becoming more than used to her antics by this point.

"Wow... You look just like a princess!" Fluttershy commented.

"That's because she is a princess." Princess Celestia said, taking everypony by surprise.

"HUH!?" The Mane Six questioned as one.

"A... A princess?" Twilight mumbled in shock, barely able to comprehend what her mentor had just told her.

"Since you've come to Ponyville, you've displayed the charity, compassion, devotion, integrity, optimism, and of course, the leadership of a true princess." Celestia explained to Twilight, only adding to Twilight's shock.

"But... does this mean I won't be your student anymore?" Twilight asked Celestia.

"Not in the same way as before. I'll still be here to help and guide you, but we're all your students now, too. You are an inspiration to us all, Twilight." Celestia said to Twilight. The white alicorn bowing to her former student. Celestia's actions quickly followed by all of Twilight's friends also bowing to the the newly crowned purple alicorn.

"But... what do I do now? Is there a book about being a princess I should read?" Twilight asked Celestia, still in a state of shock over becoming the fourth princess in Equestrian history.

"There will be time for all of that later." Celestia said with a slight giggle.

Over in the Dragon Empire all was quiet until the night sky was light up by the blinding light of the giant six pointed star in the middle of the sky. Alpha was currently sleeping on top of the flattened dormant volcano that had been turned into the capital city of the Dragon Empire.

Alpha's eyes shuttered open as a response to the blinding light. Alpha raising his massive head off of the dirt ground.

"Alpha what is that?" Sigma asked his mentor, still half asleep.

"I don't know Sigma, but I have a sneaking suspicious as to what." Alpha said, beginning to open up his massive wings.

"Alpha... where are you going?" Sigma asked Alpha, as his mentor began to raise to his full height.

"Get Theta. I will explain everything later." Alpha said to Sigma, who bowed to his mentor in response.

"Of course Alpha." Sigma said to Alpha, taking off down the mouth of the cave that cut through the volcano. Looking for the cave that Theta had shared with Zulu.

"Theta!" Sigma roared, bursting into the large cave that Theta shared with Zulu. The large cave was large enough to hold three teenage dragons and had tons of gems of all different colors sticking out of its dirt walls. Theta instanting jumped, literally, out of his sleep. Theta hitting his head on the ceiling of the cave. Zulu also jumped into action, using his magic to trigger his warp blade on his right foreleg. The green magic/fire blade crackling to life.

"Sig... what is it?" Theta asked his brother, rubbing his temple with his claws.

"Something is happening in Equestria, and Alpha needs the both of us. Right now!" Sigma roared to Theta, running out of the cave.

"What was that all about?" Zulu asked Theta, his warp blade returning to its original state as just a metal band around Zulu's foreleg.

"I don't know Zulu, but I do intend to find out." Theta said to Zulu, running out of the cave after his brother.

"I'm not missing this." Zulu said more to himself, as his galloped after Theta.

"What is going on, Alpha?" Theta asked his mentor, when he and Zulu reached the flattened roof of the volcano.

"We must go to Canterlot." Alpha said to his two apprentices, not seeming to notice the presence of Zulu.

"Wait... why?" Sigma asked Alpha.

"I believe that we might have an royal in our midsts." Alpha said staring off toward Equestria, the strange star having set across the sky a few minutes earlier.

"Wait... what?!" Theta and Sigma said as one.

The next day all of Canterlot was a buzz at the news of the coronation of the newest Princess of Equestria, Princess Twilight Sparkle.

"Are you going to the coronation?" Minuette asked her friends, as they spelt their usual Saturday in the Canterlot cafe. The ponies being strangely absent one member, that member being Moon Dancer.

"Of course I'm going M. I am the mane party planner of the castle, and I think the coronation of the latest Princess is the biggest party in Equestria's recent memory." Lemon Hearts said to the blue unicorn, her words burning with sarcasm.

"Sorry guys... I'm sorry I'm late." Moon Dancer said bursting into the cafe. The grayish-yellow unicorn doing her best to recapture her breathe.

"It's alright Moon." Twinkleshine said to Moon Dancer, accepting her apology. "So Moon, are you going to the coronation?" Twinkleshine asked Moon Dancer, her words filled with excitement.

"What coronation?" Moon Dancer asked, a look of confusion on her face.

"Wait... do you not know what happened last night?" Lemon Hearts asked Moon Dancer.

"No..." Moon Dancer responded, not sure what to say.

"Come on Moon, we will show you what happened last night." Lemon Hearts said, raising from her chair. Taking Moon Dancer hoof, and practically dragging her out the cafe. The four ponies heading toward the white castle that towered over the city. Moon Dancer about to get a massive wake up call.

Inside the castle that towered over the city of Canterlot. Twilight was getting ready for her coronation.

"Are you sure that this isn't a little to much, Rarity?" Twilight asked Rarity, looking over her coronation dress. Twilight's dress was a pink dress with a white train, and a yellow sash. Twilight wearing small golden shoes on her hooves, her cutie mark in the center. The dress having two holes in her back for her newly acquired wings.

"Of course not darling. This is the most important day of your life, and you must look your best during it." Rarity said, helping her friend get ready for her coronation within the hour. "And I am here to make sure that you are going to look your best. Now hold still." Rarity said to Twilight, putting the final touches on the alicorn's dress.

"There..." Rarity said finishing twilight's dresses, taking a few steps backwards to admire her hoofy work. "Oh... Twilight you look beautiful." Rarity said, small tears beginning to form in her blue eyes.

"Thank you Rare, but I don't think I'm that pretty." Twilight said, a small blush forming on her face.

"Oh don't be so modest, Twilight." Rarity said to Twilight as the door to the dressing room the two friends were was opened. Princess Cadence striding into the room.

The pink alicorn was wearing a light blue dress that seemed to be made out of crystals. Her mane was done up in a unique brand that was filled with many different gems.

"I hope I'm not interrupting, but would you mind if I could have a few moments with my sister-in-law." Cadence said to Rarity.

"Of course not you highness." Rarity said giving the pink alicorn a bow, before continuing. "I need to get dressed anyway. I have the most gorgeous dress for the occasion." Rarity said turning to leave the room. "I wish the best of luck Princess Twilight." Rarity said to Twilight, leaving the room. Cadence closing the door as Rarity left.

Cadence turned back toward Twilight, her natural warm smile leaving her muzzle as she saw the look of disappointment on her sister-in-law's face.

"Twilight, are you alright?" Cadence asked Twilight.

"Yeah... I'm fine." Twilight said, turning away from the pink alicorn in order to hide a small sniffle under her breathe.

"Are you sure?" Cadence asked Twilight, placing a hoof on the purple alicorn's shoulder. Twilight turning her head to face Cadence, small tears beginning to form in her purple eyes.

"I just... I just don't know what to do." Twilight said looking at the full height mirror in the room. Her imaging a small crown on her head. "I mean... just yesterday Princess Celestia was my mentor and I was just her student. Now I'm something I never thought I would be to her." Twilight said, her words coming to stop. Her words seeming to form a knot in her throat.

"What Twilight?" Cadence asked Twilight.

"I never thought... I never thought that I would be... her peer." Twilight said, tears beginning to flow from her eyes.

"Twilight, look at me." Cadence said.

Twilight slowing turned her head toward her sister-in-law.

"I went through the exact same thing that you are going through right now." Cadence said to Twilight, her warm smile returning to face. "Now wipe away those tears. This is your coronation, and you should remember it as one of the greatest days of your life. Not a day that you spend in tears." Cadence said to Twilight, using her hoof to wipe away the tears on Twilight's cheek.

"Thank you Cadence, I think I needed that." Twilight said, sniffing up the rest of the tears that she had.

"Are you ready?" Cadence said, turning to leave the room.

"I'm as ready as I'm going to be." Twilight said following her sister-in-law out of the room.

Inside the throne room, Princess Celestia was about ready to begin Twilight's coronation. In the middle of the crowd that had formed inside the throne room a group of four unicorn friends were waiting for the coronation to start.

"What have you girls dragged me into?" Moon Dancer asked her friends.

"Just wait Moon, trust me this going to be worth it." Lemon Hearts said, as Princess Celestia began the coronation.

"We are gathered here today in celebration of a momentous occasion. My most faithful student, Twilight Sparkle, has done many extraordinary things since she's lived in Ponyville. She even helped reunite me with my sister, Princess Luna. But today, Twilight Sparkle did something extraordinary. She created new magic, proving without a doubt that she is ready to be crowned Equestria's newest princess. Fillies and gentlecolts, may I present for the very first time, Princess Twilight Sparkle!" Celestia announced as the doors to the throne room open and Twilight entered, followed by a choir of ponies.

"Twilight." Moon Dancer said in shock, surprised that her former 'friend' that just become Equestria latest Princess.

The Princess Twilight cometh

Behold, behold.

A Princess here before us

Behold, behold, behold

Behold, behold (behold, behold)" The choir behind Twilight sang as Twilight trotted up to the elevated position that had the other Princesses. Princess Celestia places Twilight's crown on her head. Her crown happening to be her Element of Magic. Redesigned to be smaller and made out of gold.

"The Princess Twilight cometh

Behold, behold (behold, behold)

The Princess is

The Princess is here!" The choir sang as Twilight, Celestia, and Luna trotted into a balcony that overlooked the city of Canterlot. A massive crowd of ponies having formed to see their newest Princess.

"Say something, Princess." Celestia said to Twilight, as the crowd beneath the three alicorn cheered.

"Oh. Um..." Twilight began, clearing her throat.

"A little while ago, my teacher and mentor Princess Celestia sent me to live in Ponyville. She sent me to study friendship, which is something I didn't really care much about." Twilight began, turning backwards to see her friend's waving at her. "But now, on a day like today, I can honestly say I wouldn't be standing here if it weren't for the friendships I've made with all of you. Each one of you taught me something about friendship, and for that, I will always be grateful." Twilight said directly to her friends, urging to come forward.

Each of her friends dressed in their own special dress. Rarity wearing a purple dress with a matching hat with a feather in the top. Applejack was wearing a blue and orange dress with a cowboy hat in the same color scheme. Fluttershy was wearing a light green dress with a band of flowers wrapping her head. Pinkie Pie was wearing a light blue dress with a matching hat. And Rainbow Dash was wearing a dress in the design of the sky.

"Today, I consider myself the luckiest pony in Equestria. Thank you, friends. Thank you, everypony." Twilight said, the crowd of ponies below erupting into another cheer.

The crowd roar came to an abrupt end as the city was shaken by the roar of the Alpha.

"Alpha!" Twilight cried out, as Alpha came in for a landing. The crowd of ponies parted as the massive dragon approached the balcony where the Princesses and Mane Six were located. Theta and Sigma sliding down the extended right wing of Alpha.

"Alpha, what are you doing here?" Celestia asked Alpha.

"I have come to wish the best of Equestria's newest Princess." Alpha said, talking directly to Twilight.

"Oh, that's not necessary, Alpha." Twilight said to the large dragon. Her face turning red at the comment by Alpha.

"Nonsense. You have proven that you deserve that crown on your forehead, and it is my duty as to honor your status. Princess Twilight Sparkle." Alpha said giving the purple alicorn a bow, accepting the newly crowned Princess as his equal. His actions were quickly followed by his two apprentices.

"Now, that the formalities are over with. Yets finish off this coronation with a bang." Alpha said raising to his full height.

"What do you mean..." Twilight began to ask, as Alpha's chest began to glow a bright orange.

Alpha then let out of massive stream of his golden alpha fire into the sky. The stream of fire going straight up into the heavens. His fire being able to be seen all across Equestria. The king of all the dragons giving his blessing for the latest Princess of Equestria.

All of the ponies and dragons present gasped in awe as they stared at the stream of fire coming from Alpha's mouth. All of them unaware that a certain dragon was also witnessing this same stream of fire.

Over in the Changeling Hive, Omega was ready for his return to Equestria when a soldier changeling flew into his cavern.

"Omega, I apology if I am interrupting anything, but I have urgent news from Equestria." The soldier changeling said to the fallen alpha.

"What. Is. It!" Omega roared, standing to his full height.

"Um... I am just here to inform you that some of our scouts have reported that Equestria had gotten itself a new... princess." The soldier said to Omega. Omega's black and red eyes seeming to widen at the mentioning of a new princess.

"Perfect." Omega said, an evil grin appearing on his face.

"What is perfect, sir?" The changeling asked Omega, taking a cautionary step backwards.

"Ready the army. It is time." Omega said to the changeling.

"Are you sure?" The changeling asked Omega.

"Are you questioning me?" Omega questioned the changeling.

"No, course not Omega. Right away, sir." The changeling said galloping out of the cavern.

"Just wait brother, your little reign will not last forever." Omega said, digging his way out of the changeling hive. The cave beginning to collapse in on itself.

Outside of the hive there was a little foal changeling playing in the dirt.

The silence of the desert like surroundings was interrupted by the sound of the changeling hive being destroyed by Omega. Omega crashing his way through the entrance to the cave. The remaining pieces of the hive missing the baby changeling by mere inches.

"Goo." The baby changeling giggled as its body was completely covered by the shadow of a certain body part of Omega.

CRASH!

Omega's massive claws came down, crushing the baby changeling underneath his claws.

"It is time." Omega roared, seeing the single stream of golden fire coming from Canterlot.

Omega then let out of a massive roar, a roar that was quickly by his own stream of maroon fire. A fire that could seen all the way to Canterlot.

In Canterlot the cheers of apologize where interrupted by sounds of confusion as all the ponies of Canterlot stared toward the badlands. The sky being light up, literally, by the maroon fire of Omega.

"A... Princess, what is that?" Twilight asked her former mentor, pointing her hoof in the direction of the fire. Twilight's voice shaking.

"No..." Celestia managed to say in her shock, her fully aware as to what, or more accurately who, the fire was coming from. Twilight shifted her attention to that of Alpha, who looked like his was about to explode in anger.

"Alpha... are you alright?" Twilight asked Alpha.

Alpha ignored Twilight's question, standing onto his hind legs. His massive wings extended and he let out a massive ear piercing roar. All of the ponies and dragons present having to cover their ears from the roar by Alpha.

Alpha then launched into the sky, him heading toward the massive streak of maroon fire in the sky.

Over in at the Changeling Hive, Omega heard the roar from his brother. A devilish grin appearing on his face.

"Yes... it's about damn time we had a rematch... brother." Omega said, opening his massive bug-like wings, launching into the sky heading toward Canterlot.

As the two giant dragons traveled toward each other their chest began to glow an orangish (Alpha) and maroon color (Omega). The two giant dragon fired their fire at each other. Their fireballs colliding and exploding as they combined. A massive fireball the size of a mountain of gold and maroon fire raising above Equestria.

"Theta! What is going on!" Twilight called down to Theta.

"I sure everything is alright..." Theta began to say his words being interrupted by a massive fireball forming

BOOM! The sound of the massive explosion as the two alpha dragons fire combined.

"He's... back." Celestia mumbled out, her words filled with fear.

The roars of the two titans trading blows. The earth beneath everypony shaking as the two alpha brothers battled across Equestria.

History Doesn't Repeat Itself... (Omega's Return)

The musical theme of this chapter is Contact (Final Transmission) RvB Season 13 Soundtrack. You will know when to play it.

"Did you miss me, brother?" Omega said to Alpha, the two titans standing above a massive open field of grass, or, at least, that's what it was until they began fighting. The grassy ground now brown and on fire from the many blasts of gold and maroon fire that the two giant dragons at shot at each other. The dirt ground having massive claws were the Omega and Alpha had dug their claws into it.

"Not in the slightest!" Alpha roared at Omega, firing another blast of his golden fire at his traitorous brother.

"Is that all you got... Delta." Omega roared, blocking his brother blast with his bug-like wing.

"I AM THE ALPHA!" Alpha roared, charging at Omega at full speed. The two titans body colliding. The sound of one of Omega's ribs snapping from the force ringing out across the scorched ground.

Omega roared out in pain as the scene switched back to Canterlot, a city that was in a state of chaos.

"Princess, what is going?" Twilight asked Princess Celestia. The cries of frightened ponies outside the castle. The white alicorn in a state of shock that chilled Twilight to her bones.

"No... it can't be possible." Celestia mumbled to herself, not even acknowledging Twilight's presence. The millennia-old alicorn being reduced to nothing more than a scared filly. The sight was beyond frightening to Twilight. Ever Since Twilight known Celestia, she had seen her as a confident, graceful, and wise leader. But now, she was vulnerable, she didn't know what to do. And it scared Twilight, maybe even more than she realized.

"Princess... are you listening to me?" Twilight asked Celestia, trying her best to snap her out of her strange trance. However, didn't seem to work.

"Celestia!" A call from a grayish-yellow unicorn came from the crowd of ponies inside the throne room. All of them in the same state of shock and panic as the ponies outside.

"Moon Dancer, what is it?" Celestia said, the young mare's words snapping her back to reality.

"Don't want to make it sound like I am intruding, but..." Moon Dancer pausing for a brief second as her anger built up. "WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO!" Moon Dancer roared at Celestia, the Mane Six taking a step back. They surprised that anypony would even dare you to yell at Celestia. But Moon Dancer wasn't done. "OMEGA IS BACK, AND HE GOING TO DESTROY EQUESTRIA IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!" Moon Dancer yelled at the top of her lungs. Breathing heavily afterward.

"Are you done?" Celestia asked Moon Dancer in a deadpanned tone.

"Yes... I think so." Moon Dancer said catching her breath.

"I know, and I think I might have a solution." Celestia said to Moon Dancer, her horn glowing with her golden magic.

"And what is it, Princess." Twilight said, trying to chime in.

"Discord, I summon the." Celestia called out, her horn glowing brightly as she used her magic to summon the Spirit of Chaos.

There was a blast of magical energy and a loud popping sound, almost as if somepony popped the cork on a bottle of champagne. As the magic died down what was in its place was the draconequus by the name of Discord.

"Discord surprised and startled by his sudden teleportation fell out his hover and hit the ground with a loud thud.

"Ugh... Haven't I told you to warn me every time you use that spell you use to summon me." Discord grunted, struggling to his feet.

"My apologizes Discord, but I didn't have the time to send you a message before hoof" Celestia explained.

"And why's that?" Discord asked Celestia, summoning a glass of chocolate milk out of thin air.

Before Celestia could answer Discord's question the city of Canterlot was rocked by another roar coming from Omega. Who was still currently engage in against his own twin brother.

Discord's smug expression instantly left his face, his red pupils shrunk to the size of peas, and the glass of chocolate milk fall aimlessly from his eagle's claw. The glass shattering as it hit the floor of the throne room.

"No..." Discord said to Celestia. "He can not be back..." Discord continued. His words filled with pure terror taking everypony present by surprise.

"Even Discord was afraid of this dragon... DISCORD!" Twilight screamed internally. Her mind not being able to process the idea that Discord. The Lord of bucking Chaos was driven to a state of near hysteria by mere roar of this dragon.

"You must help Delta and defeat Omega." Twilight heard Celestia all but order at Discord. The words of her former mentor. Tartarus, who was she foaling, she was still the student to Celestia, and Celestia was still the master. Regardless if she had wings or not.

Regardless, Twilight continued to her the spat between the two powerful beings. "Me... take on him... I mean, Tia. I know my powers are strong, but that is bucking Omega!" Discord barked back at Celestia. Another roar from one of the alpha dragons, this one of a higher pitch and most likely from Alpha rocked the city.

"It is your duty. You said that you would use your magic for good." Luna chimed in. Discord surprised at the inclusion of the blue alicorn. Him now having to deal with the rage of not just one, but now two pissed off alicorns.

"I know." Discord said holding up his eagle's claw and lion's paw in defense. "But, that doesn't mean that I am going to fight a battle that is impossible to win." Discord said to the two alicorns, before disappearing in a snap of his talons.

"DISCORD!" Celestia shouted, stomping her hoof. "UGH! What do we do now?" Celestia grunted frustrated. Turning to her younger sister for assistance.

"Maybe you should feel us in on what the buck is going on." Twilight snapped. Her tired of being ignored.

Twilight's words, despite their blunt nature, seemed to calm Celestia down.

Celestia let out a heavy sigh as she began to address Twilight and the rest of the Mane Six. "Omega is... Omega is the most powerful and most destructive creature I had the displeasure of meeting." Celestia said, not completely sure as to how to describe the mountain-sized dragon that was currently engaged in a battle against his own brother.

"Ok, but that still doesn't answer my question, Princess. Who is Omega, exactly." Twilight asked Celestia.

"Yes. I want to know the identity of the dragon that is currently trying to kill my mentor." Theta roared, bursting through the double doors of the throne room. The violent shaking of the Earth underneath their hooves and claws only adding to the tension in the room.

Over in the Dragon Empire everything seemed like normal, at least, it did until the desert ground beneath all of the dragons began to shake from a massive explosion. All of the dragons already currently not outside rushed to the flattened roof of the dormant volcano, or the entrance to the cave that cut through it.

"Sir, what is that?" A light blue dragon asked a red dragon that used to rule over the Dragon Empire.

"I don't know..." Steelclaw said, him staring off toward the massive explosion on the horizon.

"Omega..." Zulu said, taking all of the dragon presents by surprise.

"What did you say, changeling?" Steelclaw asked Zulu, slightly remembering him as one of Chrysalis' lieutenants.

"He's back..." Zulu mumbled out. The roars of Alpha and Omega being heard even from the dormant volcano.

"What are you talking about?" Steelclaw asked Zulu.

"I'm talking about the current mountain-sized dragon that is currently fighting your King." Zulu snapped.

All of the dragon's present eyes widened at the sheer idea of their Alpha being in danger.

"Every dragon load up, we are going to Equestria!" Steelclaw roared, returning to his earlier role as the King of the Dragon Empire. "If what this changeling..." Steelclaw began to give a speech, Zulu interrupting him.

"Zulu." Zulu corrected Steelclaw, tired of being referred to as 'changeling'.

"Right... If what Zulu says is correct than our great and power Alpha may be in danger." Steelclaw continued his speech, not missing a second. "My brothers in claws. We are returning to Equestria!" Steelclaw continued to roar. Zulu genuinely impressed by this dragon's leadership skills. "And this time, we will defend it!" Steelclaw finished, a roar and blast of fire coming as a response from the other dragons. Many of the dragons opening their wings and lifting off of the ground.

"Now every dragon move out!" Steelclaw ordered, opening up his own pair of large bat-like wings. Him launching into the sky.

"Hey, wait for me!" Zulu called up at the dragon army that had just formed above him.

"No offense Zulu, but what could you possibly do." Steelclaw called down to Zulu.

"This..." Zulu said bitterly. His warp staff crackling to live. The double green magic/fire blades crackling in the eerily peaceful air of Dragon Empire.

Steelclaw, along with many other dragons's, eyes widened at the double bladed spear that Zulu was magically holding in mid-air.

"Ok... you can come with." Steelclaw said to Zulu. A smirk appearing across Zulu's face.

"I already planned on it." Zulu said to the army of dragons above him. The Shadow Changeling warping into the shadows behind him. Zulu shadow traveling to Canterlot. The city becoming basically his second home.

"Is that all you got, Delta." Omega said to Alpha, intentionally using his brother's original name, just to increase his anger.

Delta about to explode in anger, opened his wings and launched into the sky.

"Ha, that won't work on me anymore." Omega gave a bone chilling laugh, opening his own bug-like wings. And launching into the sky after his brother.

The two titans collide midair, fury of claws and teeth later, and Omega was currently on top Alpha slamming him into the dirt ground. The action kicking up mounds of scorched earth from their battle. Despite Omega's wings being physically smaller than Alpha, the bug-like design gave them a better movability in the air.

"You have grown weak in my absence." Omega said as he slammed Alpha back into the ground.

Alpha roared more in annoyance than in pain, the constantly slamming into the ground of his brother doing far less damage than what the appearance of the scorched ground would show. Alpha then a blast of his golden fire at point blank range at Omega. The golden flames lapping at the weaken tissues of Omega's mouth, nose, and eyes.

Omega roared out in pain as the golden flames scorched the eternal of his left dead eye. The same scar that he had earned the first time the two brothers fought.

Alpha took advantage of his brother's reaction to pain and delivered a single blow from his right claws just below Omega's chin. The attack acting similar to an uppercut. The hit lifted Omega off of Alpha and into the air. Omega having to open his wings to keep his balance. But Alpha didn't stop with his claws.

Alpha, taking advantage of Omega's confusion, leap at his throat. Alpha's massive jaws clamping down on Omega's throat like a vise. Omega roared out in pain and launched his entire body into the sky. The sky turning from its normal blue color into a mix of red and black from all of the ash and flames that had been created by the two giant dragons. Nopony would disagree with you if you thought that this was the apocalypse.

"LET GO OFF ME!" Omega roared, swinging his head every which way. In a manner to shake Alpha off of him. Alpha's jaws only clamping down harder as a response. Alpha opened his own massive wings to help maintain his balance, and he soon would come to regret that decision.

The opening of Alpha's wings sparked an idea in Omega's head. Without warning Omega's jaw came crashing down on the upper section of Alpha's right wing. Alpha roared out in pain, letting go of Omega's neck. Red blood flowing out Omega's neck like a river.

Omega, with full movement of his neck return, increased the force of his bite one Alpha's wing. Alpha continued to roar out in pain until he felt a bone chilling snap.

Omega heard the snap to, letting go of Alpha's wing. Alpha plummeting toward the ground. Alpha landed on the hard on his back. His neck slowing turning toward his right wing. The upper section of wing bent at a strange angle. His right wing obvious broken. Leaving him unable to fly.

Alpha struggled to his feet. His brother continuing to hover overhead, him taking a twisted delight in his brother's pain.

"You seem to have also gotten dumber in my absence." Omega said down to Alpha, a twisted chuckle escaping his mouth.

Alpha let out both an annoyed and pain induced growl as he stared up at the smug look on his brother's face. Alpha slowly and carefully folding both of his wings on the sides of his aircraft carrier of a back. His broken right wing hanging slightly lower than his 'intact' left.

Alpha's thoughts then switched to an emotion that he never thought he would experience with his brother again. What was this emotion you may ask. The emotion of sadness.

"What happened to you, Omega?" Alpha asked Omega, his words surprised both Omega and himself.

"What?" Omega said in disbelief. His massive wings decreasing their flapping to just enough to keep him airborne.

"What happened to us?" Alpha asked both his brother and himself. Alpha words burning his inside worse than any dragon fire.

"You..." Omega fumbled with his words, trying to mount a comeback, but couldn't seem to find the words for. "You know EXACTLY what happened!" Omega roared. Small reflections of sunlight off from Omega's one red eye. Small reflections that Alpha could've sworn were tears. "HE chose YOU! OVER ME!" Omega roared, him sounding like he was on the verge of tears. Omega referring to when their mentor, the first Alpha, chose Delta over Omega to be the next Alpha.

"That doesn't matter..." Alpha began, trying to reason with his brother. Only to be interrupted by him mid-sentence.

"Nothing matters. NOTHING MATTERS! Everything matters!" Omega roared, his booming voice somehow increasing in volume. "YOU took what was rightly mine in the FIRST place!" Omega continued to roar at his brother. Alpha keeping a neutral expression, as his brother continued. "YOU RUINED MY LIFE!" Omega roared, his voice shaking, but still remaining powerful.

"What happened to you... brother." Alpha thought to himself. The weight of the fact that he was indeed fighting his own twin brother hitting him like one of Omega's claws. Alpha wanted to find a way to bring his brother back from the pit of hatred that he had fallen into so long ago, but he knew that no matter how hard he tried to bring back that brother that had saved him against an army of changelings. He knew that it would be worthless. So what was the point.

"I didn't ruin your life." Alpha said at Omega, his words burning him to the core. "You did that yourself." Alpha spat at Omega, his words causing his stomach to twist and twirl.

Alpha got the reaction he expected from his brother. Omega erupted into another fit of anger and blasted at full speed toward Alpha. The claws on his right foreleg wrapping around Alpha's throat as he slammed him hard into the ground. Another loud snap ringing through the air. The snap followed quickly by another flash of unexplained pain in Alpha's right wing, his wing completely shattering.

Alpha had to bite his lower lip to keep himself from roaring in pain. Only a minor groan escaping his mouth. Omega then bit down on Alpha's neck, his massive teeth piercing through Alpha's steel-like scales as if it was paper. Omega's cutting a deep gash into Alpha's neck as he lifted him into the air.

Alpha didn't groan as a response to the current teeth that were piercing through his neck. Omega, looking over toward Canterlot, had an idea flash into his mind. An awful idea. Omega got a wonderful... awful... idea."

"Canterlot, what a great place for our final battle." Omega thought, his mismatched eyes drifting down to his brother's, Alpha still held firmly in his jaws. Alpha on the verge of unconsciousness. "Just wait brother, soon you're wait will be over." Omega thought to himself, before taking off in the direction of Canterlot.

About a half an hour earlier, in Canterlot. Celestia was currently doing her best to explain Omega to both of Alpha's apprentices, Theta, and Sigma.

"So who actually is this... Omega?" Theta asked Celestia.

"Um... Omega is... Omega is..." Celestia began, trying to find the best words.

"Ugh! Omega is Alpha's brother!" Moon Dancer snapped. All eyes shifting toward the yellowish-gray unicorn.

"Come again." Theta stated, his eyes taking a concerning look toward Sigma.

"Ok, let me explain." Moon Dancer said, beginning to explain to ancient past of Alpha and Omega.

"Many years ago the land that would later earn the name of Equestria was ruled by dragons, and the leader of them all was the Alpha." Moon Dancer began explaining to the ponies and dragons in front of her. Theta and Sigma knowing a little bit of this story from old dragon legends and confirmations with their mentor. The Mane Six, on the other hoof, was hearing all this for the very first time. "This so-called Alpha had two apprentices. The apprentices going by the names of Delta and Omega, respectively." Moon Dancer continued, getting a few head nods from the others that she was currently telling the story to.

"Everything seemed to be going perfectly... at least, it was until... it happened." Moon Dancer said, getting a few confused looks from the ponies and dragons that she was talking to.

"It?" Twilight said in confusion.

"Yes it!" Moon Dancer said to Twilight bluntly. The purple alicorn taking a step backward. Her still having animosity toward the 'friend' that had abandoned her without as much as a goodbye.

"Never say goodbye, Moon Dancer. If you don't say goodbye than you aren't really gone. You just aren't here right now."

"Anyway..." Moon Dancer said, shaking off her snap at Twilight. "In the final breaths of the First Alpha he gave his alpha status onto Delta. Making him the Second Alpha." Moon Dancer continued to explain.

"And our mentor." Theta chimed in, sharing a look with Sigma.

"Correct." Moon Dancer said, slightly impressed by the smarts of the white dragon. "Omega didn't take the ascension of his brother very well." Moon Dance, a shiver going down Twilight's spine and wings at the mention of the word 'ascension'. Moon Dancer, seeing Twilight's discomfort, continued to press forward. "To make a long story short." Moon Dancer began, only to get interrupted by Rainbow Dash.

"Too late." Rainbow said, a yawn of boredom escaping her mouth.

Moon Dancer shot the cyan pegasus a death glare that could've rivaled one from all the other Princesses, combined. "As I was saying." Moon Dancer said bitterly, directly her words toward Rainbow."Omega and the newly crowned Alpha fought, ending in Alpha's victory and the banishment of Omega. Alpha was put under a sleeping curse by Princess Luna." Moon Dancer explained, a look of pain coming across Luna's face as she remembered putting her oldest friend in a death-like slumber for a millennia and a half. "And... you all know the rest." Moon Dancer said turning to leave.

"Where are you going, Moon Dancer?" Celestia called after Moon Dancer, the yellowish-grey unicorn coming to a halt.

"Getting my flank out of this city and I suggest you do the same." Moon Dancer said, closing the two double doors to the throne room behind her.

"Well... she's intense isn't she?" Rarity commented, getting a few head nods from her friends.

"I kind of like her." Theta said, getting a few strange looks from the others. "What?!" Theta questioned, getting a few mumbled words from their breaths.

"So... what now?" Twilight asked Celestia.

"I don't know, Twilight. I really don't know." Celestia said to Twilight. All eyes shifting toward the one of the many windows in the throne room. A roar from Omega attracting their attention, the screams of ponies in the city below growing louder as a response. This roar was different than the rest, and they soon came to find out why.

"ALPHA!" Theta cried out as he looked out the window. His mentor being suspended in the air by Omega's jaws. Alpha's large eyes closed.

"He's not dead... is he?" Twilight asked Celestia, her words shaky.

"I... don't know, Twilight. I don't know." Celestia said as the group of ponies and dragon stared at the scene in front of them. All unable to do anything.

Omega then swung his head around and threw Alpha out his mouth. The massive plummeting toward the earth. His massive body slamming into the ground and sliding to a stop. The entire building collapsing from Alpha's landing, either it being directly or indirectly.

Everypony and dragon were silent as all eyes were locked on the motionless body of Alpha. Everypony and dragon holding their breath. Just hoping that there would be at least some kind of moment of the massive dragon.

"Come on Alpha just move damn it. Anything, I don't care what it is, just move." Theta thought to himself.

Everypony and dragon gave out a sigh of relief as Alpha's massive boulder of a head began to lift independently off the ground. Alpha was obviously badly injured based on his badly bent right wing, but at least, he was alive.

All hope that might have existed died as Omega came in for a landing. Him not caring for the pony city under his claws. His massive tail destroying any buildings that were within range, and him igniting massive fires with from multiple blasts from his maroon fire.

Small tears forming in Celestia's pink eyes. The capital city of Equestria getting destroyed for the second time in less than a year, this time maybe for good.

"Get up! Get up!" Theta screamed internally as Omega inched closer. The blackened dragon making sure to treasure this moment, a moment that he had been waiting for fifteen hundred years to occur.

Despite Theta, and everypony else's wishes, Alpha didn't make any attempts to 'get up'. His massive body only raising to what seemed like only a few centimeters at a time.

Unknown to anyone else. Alpha wasn't slow to get up do to his injury all though those played a major factor. Alpha was slow to get up, because he didn't want to. He didn't want to continue this fight. He just wanted the fight to end, and if ending a battle against his own brother would cost him his own life then so be it.

"You gone weak haven't you brother?" Omega asked Alpha rhetorically as he slowly stalked his prey.

Alpha slowly rose to his feet his broken body shaking as he struggled to remain standing.

"You are pathetic Delta, all of those around believing that you are something special. Am immortal being that is invincible." Omega said to Alpha, only a few hundred yards away from the shaking body of his brother now. The terrified ponies and dragons inside the ruin and burning city looking on in horror. Them unable to do anything.

"But you know what Delta?" Omega asked Alpha, not expecting a response. But he got one anyway.

"What Omega?" Alpha said weakly, his voice hoarse and cracking.

"I am going to destroy that image that they have you. When I am done with you. You will be nothing but a walking wreck waiting for the scrapyard." Omega said to Alpha, the two brothers now face to face.

"You have already done that Omega." Alpha whispered to Omega, tears forming in his emerald green eyes. "Now get it over with!" Alpha roared.

"With pleasure." Omega said to Alpha, a devilish chuckle escaping his crooked grin. Omega then delivered one massive swipe of his claws across the right side of Alpha's face, just under his chin. The force of the impact making Alpha go falling into a large hotel in the city. The hotel designating when Alpha slammed into it.

"ALPHA!" Theta yelled, him not believing what was currently in front of him. "And thought my vision was bad. This is much... much worse." Theta thought, remembering the vision that he received when he helped Twilight defeat King Sombra and save the Crystal Empire.

"Get it over with Omega." Alpha said to Omega, his eyes struggling to remain as he tried absolute best to remain conscious. The red blood from his open gash in his neck flowing like a river.

"No..." Omega began, him having a much 'better' plan for his brother. "I'm not going to kill you Delta, that's just too easy." Omega said directly to Alpha, not paying attention to the mass of wing beats that was getting louder and louder.

"Theta look." Sigma said to his brother, pointing toward the sky. A giant of flying dragons forming across the horizon. Them looking like a massive cloud of rainbow colors.

"Then what will you do?" Alpha asked Omega.

"I'm going to make you suffer." Omega said, raising until his hind legs. His chest glowing a bright maroon color. Just before Omega could release his blast of maroon fire he was hit in the back of the head by a bright red fireball.

Omega roared out in pain and shifted his head toward where the fireball had come from, a massive of at least a few hundred dragons hovering above the ruined city of Canterlot. Them all pissed and ready to fire a full salvo at the massive dragon.

"Nice shot, Jewels." Steelclaw said to a gray dragon with a two bright red stripes going down his back.

"Thanks, but it's actually pronounced Jew-Els sir." Jew-Els said to Steelclaw, getting a confused look from the large red dragon.

"What's the difference?" Steelclaw asked Jew-Els, getting side tracked.

"SILENCE!" Omega roared his chest glowing a bright maroon. A small flame, in comparison to his body, beginning to build in his throat.

"Yes! Maybe we're all not going to die!" Theta exclaimed, holding up his forelegs in 'victory'. His hopes were immediately dashed by the next words that came out of Alpha's mouth.

"Get out of here." Alpha said to the mass of dragons that had formed above him. All eyes locking onto the wounded alpha, including Omega's, in a state of shock.

"WHAT!?" Everypony and dragon shouted at the same time.

"You heard me. Go, I'll be fine." Alpha said to Steelclaw, him knowing that he was the one that was leading of the group of dragons.

"But... Alpha we all came to help you." Steelclaw said, not believing the injured dragon that had given up was the same dragon that defeated an entire changeling army singlehandedly.

"I don't care." Alpha said, his words becoming quieter as his breathing began to slow and his vision beginning to blur.

"But Alpha..." Steelclaw tried to reason with Alpha.

"That's an order." Alpha roared, his voice raspy. His green eyes turning gold as he used the one power of crowned alpha dragon that he never wanted to use. The Alpha's call.

"Yes... Alpha." Steelclaw said defeated, him now having no choice but to obey his King's command. The dragon reinforcements retreating back to the Dragon Empire where they came from.

"Now with that out of the way. I can get down to the matter at hand." Omega said as he brutally picked up Alpha in his jaws and threw him toward the white castle that towered over the city. It somehow undamaged by the destruction around it. At least, it was.

"Lookout!" Celestia cried out. As Alpha slammed into the castle, his head slamming into the part of the castle where the throne room was located.

"Delta!" Luna exclaimed running over to her old friend, her teal eyes filling with tears.

"Alpha!" Theta ran over to his mentor, Sigma close behind him.

"Run." Alpha said to Luna and Theta weakly. His neck looking like it had just gone through a meat grinder, with his red blood staining the white brick of the castle.

"No! I'm not losing you again!" Luna cried through tears.

"I have been waiting a long time for this." Omega said as he slowing stalked toward Alpha. Taking a twisted delight in the heartbreaking scene that was unfolding in front of him.

"Luna we got to go." Celestia said, placing her hoof on her sister's shoulder.

"Go, I'll be alright." Alpha said to Luna weakly. The open wound in his neck making it difficult to breathe, let alone talk. Alpha perfectly well knowing that this might be his last moments.

The ponies left the throne room. Leaving only Theta and Sigma in the destroyed room. Theta getting a strange sense of deja vu.

"You have been abandoned, brother." The Omega said to Alpha, raising up on his hind legs.

"You can kill me Omega, get it over with already." Alpha roared up to Omega.

"No, I don't to kill you Delta, that's too easy. I want you to go through the exact same pain that I went through." Omega said to his brother as he fired his maroon fire at Alpha.

Alpha fired his own golden alpha fire at Omega and the two flames collided. "You have grown weak in my absence." Omega roared as his fire defeated Alpha's.

"Now to take what was supposed to be fine in the first place." Omega roared at Alpha as he literally sucked the alpha flame out of his brother. Alpha roared out in pain as the command over all dragons went with the fire.

"Finally!" Omega roared as his bug-like erupted in golden flames and spread to full length becoming more dragon than bug like. Omega let his first roar as the first roar as the new alpha, followed by a stream of his maroon that quickly warped into that of one golden flame.

"Alpha you need to get up." Theta pleaded with Alpha, not believing that his vision could, in fact, come true.

"No, Theta. My fight is over your's has just begun." Alpha said to Theta, Sigma taking a single step back. Alpha's giant green eyes closing as he finally succumbed to unconsciousness.

"His... his is dead." Sigma asked his brother, holding back tears.

Theta slowing put his claw to his mentor's nostrils, small but noticeable breaths coming out of them. "No, he must be just unconsciousness." Theta said raising to his feet.

"This is our fight now Sig. Are you ready?" Theta asked Sigma, a fire didn't even knew that he processed igniting within him.

"Theta, there are battles that are suicide, then there is that." Sigma said to Theta, pointing at Omega. The black dragon taking full use of his newly acquired powers. "There are just some battles you just can't win, and this is one of them." Sigma said, turning to walk out of the throne room.

"So you are just going to abandon him!" Theta called after his brother, small tears forming in his green eyes. Sigma coming to a complete halt.

"Yes Theta, and I suggest that you do the same." Sigma said to his brother, slamming the double doors of the throne room behind him.

More tears formed and flowed out of Theta's eyes, him the last part of his version. "No... Sigma is just being a prick. He would never." Theta thought to himself.

"I guess I will do this myself." Theta said to himself, hoping out of the hole that was created when Omega threw Alpha through the throne room.

"OMEGA!" Theta roared up to the giant dragon. Catching Omega's attention. The giant creature's head slowing toward Theta. Like it was a crane carrying a heavy load.

"What is he doing?" Twilight asked as the Mane Six watched in horror as the young alpha stared down the almost two millennia year old giant.

"He's getting himself killed." Sigma said without remorse as he continued to walk through the hallways. Him seriously contemplating his life choices.

"You have got to be kidding me?" Omega laughed as Theta challenged him. "Wait... you can't be serious. You a tiny baby alpha. YOU think that YOU can beat ME!" Omega laughed seeing that Theta was being, in fact, serious.

"I will defend my Alpha the either he or I die." Theta called up to Omega. Theta was not even believing that he was able to stand up to the giant creature.

"Oh... but I AM the Alpha!" Omega roared at Theta, a small laugh coming out of Theta.

"Not any alpha that I recognize," Theta said to Omega.

"Ugh... you WILL accept me. And just for that, I will make sure that you suffer!" Omega roared, swinging his massive tail around. Omega's whip of a tail hitting Theta directly in the side. Sending him flying through the air toward the castle. Him slamming through the stain glass window in the middle of one of the hallways of the castle.

"Theta!" Twilight called out, seeing where Theta had landed. The Mane Six running toward where had land. Them finding Theta on the ground struggling to his feet. Him cradling his right side with his foreleg. At least one of his ribs shattered by the attack from Omega.

"Theta! Are you ok?" Twilight exclaimed, rushing over to Theta's side.

"Yeah... I'm fine." Theta groaned, accepting the helping hoof from the purple alicorn.

"YOU WILL OBEY ME! AND I WILL INSURE IT!" Omega roared his one red eye turning to gold as his used the Alpha's Call. All of the non-alpha dragon in proximity becoming under his complete control. That including a certain baby purple dragon.

Spike instantly grasped at his skull, a voice that he had never heard before booming in his mind. "AHH!" Spike cried out.

"Spike are you alright?" Twilight asked her oldest friend. Holding a helping hoof. Spike protectively knocking it away. "Spike, what's wrong?" Twilight demanded from Spike. Her words filled with concern.

"Stay away from me." Spike groaned out in pain to Twilight, and the rest of the Mane Six. Theta took a quick look out the window to see that Omega's one red eye was, in fact, gold and he knew exactly what was happening to Spike.

"Everypony! Get behind me NOW!" Theta roared at the Mane Six. The Six ponies quickly retreating behind Theta for protection. None of them knowing what was happening to Spike.

"What is happen to Spikey-Wikey?" Rarity asked Theta, using her pet name for Spike.

"The Alpha's Call." Theta said simply, dropping down in a defensive stance. "Spike... listen to me. You can beat this." Theta said, trying to reason with the purple dragon. Despite knowing that reason wasn't going to work on a dragon under an Alpha's Call.

"No... No! NO!" Spike roared, his becoming deeper as he continued. His eyes shooting open, relieving his eyes to be blood red. The Mane Six, recoiling in fear.

Spike then went through a transformation. His body doubling, tripling, even quadrupling in size. To a point that he even rivaled Theta in size.

Spike..." Twilight tried to get a last word into Spike. Theta stomping his protective hind leg in front of the purple alicorn.

"Stay behind me." Theta said, preparing for battle.

"DESTROY THEM!" Omega ordered at Spike.

"With Pleasure!" Spike roared, his speech completely unrecognizable. The purple dragon charging at Theta. Theta equally Spike's action with his own charge. The two young dragon colliding in a fury of teeth, claws, and blood.

"Spike..." Twilight watched on in horror as Spike swiped Theta across the face with his claws. The dragon that she had hatched from an egg and raised the same way as a mother would their own foal, now turned into nothing more than a mindless beast for Omega.

But It Does Rhyme (Omega's Return)

The musical theme for this chapter is The Meta Theme from Red vs. Blue. You will know when to play it.

Theta and Spike slammed into each other. Theta having to suppress a roar of pain as Spike slammed into his chest. One of his broken ribs not taking the impact every well.

"Spike this isn't you." Theta heard Twilight behind him. Theta surprised that he could even hear the purple alicorn's words through his pain.

"Don't bother Twilight, this isn't something that you can just talk someone out of." Theta heard himself say. His body and brain seeming to be a few seconds behind each.

"I don't care!" Twilight shouted, and Theta felt a strange force that wrapped around his body. He looked down to see that his body was in an aura of magenta magic. Theta didn't even have time think about the strange occurrence as he was thrown against the wall of the hallway inside the Canterlot palace. The roars of Omega destroying the city ringing in his ears.

"Ugh... Twilight what are doing?" Theta asked Twilight, struggling to get back to his feet.

"I'm getting my friend back!" Twilight snapped at Theta, her purple eyes filling with tears.

"Spike..." Twilight said to her oldest friend. Her slowly and carefully approaching the large purple dragon. "Spike.. listen to me." Twilight said to Spike, slowing extending her hoof toward the snout. Spike snapping his jaws at Twilight's hoof. Twilight quickly recoiling her hoof, only to bring it even closer to the purple dragon. Spike taking a few steps backward as the purple alicorn that even recognize anymore approached him.

"This isn't you, Spike." Twilight said to Spike, tearing shamelessly flowing down her cheeks. Twilight's words seemed to be getting through to Spike, his eyes constantly switching from red and green as Twilight continued. "You would never hurt me." Twilight whispered to Spike. Her hoof mere inches from Spike's snout now. Spike's eyes staring intently at the purple hoof in front of him. His brain switching from seeing it as a threat to seeing it as a friend.

"You are my best friend Spike." Twilight said to Spike, her friends beginning to trot backwards, not sure if Twilight's actions were going to blow up in her face. "You always have, and you always will be." Twilight said to Spike, her hoof now touching Spike's purple scales.

"My best friend..." Twilight repeated to Spike, placing her head on Spike's. Her tearing falling onto Spike's scales. Spike's large eyes closed as his brain tried to fight against the voice of Omega that was pounding in his brain.

"I love you, Spike." Twilight whimpered, her purple eyes firmly shut as she cried on Spike's snout. There not being a dry eye in the hallway as Twilight tried to return her old friend back to the baby dragon that she had raised like her own foal since his birth. While... not dry eye, expect one.

"No!" Spike roared, taking everypony and dragon in the room by surprise. The purple dragon's eyes snapping open, them staring directly at the purple alicorn crying on his nose.

"What?" Twilight whimpered, opening her watery purple eyes to see the blood red eyes of Spike staring directly at her.

"No..." Spike repeated, black smoke coming out of his nostrils.

"Spike..." Twilight whimpered as she trotted backwards. Spike's chest beginning to glow a green hue. "Spike!" Twilight exclaimed as Spike opened his mouth. A raging green flame beginning to build in his throat. That was when Theta jumped into action, literally. Him firing his orange flame at Spike as he fired his green. The two flames exploding as they combined as one. The massive explosion caused by the two dragon's fire destroying all of the windows in the hallway, as well as lighting the entire hallway on fire.

"Go." Theta roared at the Mane Six as he engaged Spike in another fury of teeth, claws, and blood.

"But..." Twilight began to protest.

"GO!" Theta roared directly at Twilight as he delivered a swipe from his right claws across Spike's face, just below his chin. The purple dragon slamming to a marble pedestal in the hallway. Destroying the pedestal and the ceramic vase that was resting on top of it. The blue vase falling to the ground with a loud crash.

"Twilight, darling, we need to go." Rarity said to the purple alicorn. Twilight nodded dumbly as she followed her friend's up the hallway and toward the destroyed throne room of the castle. Twilight couldn't stop herself from one last glance at the two dragons brawling. Another small tear falling down her cheek as she saw Spike hit Theta across the face with his whiplike tail.

"So much for being the best day of my life." Twilight mumbled to herself as she tried to keep up with her friends. Her remembering the words that her sister-in-law, Cadence, told her just before her coronation.

On top of one of the few building that was either completely flattened and/or on fire a green eyed changeling warped out of the shadows.

"Oh, I hope I'm not late..." Zulu said to himself. The changeling falling silent as he took in the sight of pure destruction across the city of Canterlot. I mean, he had seen Canterlot destroyed before, but most of the damage had come from Alpha breaking out of the ground beneath the city. This... this was something completely different. This wasn't accidental destruction that could be repaired in time. This was destruction that could make an entire city vanish without a trace.

Zulu was snapped back to reality by an all too familiar roar. Zulu's blank green eyes shot toward the sound of the roar, the massive body of Omega coming in picture. The massive dragon seeming to be having the time of his almost two millennia lifetime.

Zulu then drifted his eyes across the ruined city, his eyes falling upon the destroyed the castle. The unconscious body of Alpha resting on the rumble of the throne. Zulu's heart skipped a beat as he thought the giant dragon was lying on the ruined castle died. His fear was short lived as he used his magic to scan the emotions of the giant dragon. The dragon's unconscious dreams being filled with sadness that Zulu couldn't last five seconds in without being overwhelmed by the emotion inside the giant's head.

"Ok... so he isn't dead." Zulu said to himself, trying to think up a plan as quickly as possible. Zulu's eyes then drifted back to the massive body of Omega, and he almost fell off of the roof of the building that he was standing on. "Wings..." Zulu said, noticing the massive bat-like wings that were attached to Omega's back. His current wings very different than the bug-like wings that he had earned when he killed Chrysalis.

"He can't be..." Zulu thought out loud. A massive roar coming from Omega shaking the ground around him.

"WHERE ARE MY DRAGONS!" Omega roared his one golden eye burning brighter than the sun.

"Right here... Alpha." Steelclaw said to Omega.

"No..." Zulu said to himself, in shock as a group of over a thousand dragons bowed to Omega.

"I could get used to this." Omega said to himself, enjoying the power that the Alpha Call gave him. "Go forth and do to this pitiful excuse for country whatever you so desire." Omega said to the thousand or so dragons in front of him. Many of their eyes lighting up at his words.

"Yes, sir." Steelclaw said. All of the dragons taking in every possible direction to destroy the rest of Equestria. "This there anything else that you wish upon us?" Steelclaw asked Omega, opening his large wings.

"No. I have a special 'matter' that I need to attend to." Omega as he began to walk over toward the destroyed castle. Alpha's unconscious body laying in the rubble.

"No... Theta, Sigma. Where are they?!" Zulu exclaimed, him knowing that the only possible creature that could stand a chance against Omega being the two younger alpha twin brothers.

Zulu's thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of a roar that had unmistakably come from Theta. This roar, being one coming from pain.

"Theta." Zulu said in shock, his green eye widening as he shadow traveled to the location that the roar had come from.

Spike and Theta continued to fight throughout the castle. Them slamming each other through different rooms of the castle. The castle becoming completely engulfed in both green and orange flames from Theta and Spike, respectively.

"You can't beat me, Spike." Theta said to Spike, blocking one of Spike's swipes with his foreleg.

"I'd beat a differ." Spike roared. Him swinging his massive tail around. His tail hitting Theta across the face. Theta tumbling to the ground.

Theta roared out as he fired his orange flames at Spike. His orange fire hitting Spike directly in the face. Forcing the purple dragon the retreat backwards.

Spike then lashed out at Theta. His right claws hitting Theta just under his lower jaw. Spike's purple claws digging a full inch into Theta's scales. Red blood beginning to flow from Theta's chin. Theta roared out in pain and blasted his orange flame into the ground beneath him. The red carpet of the castle hallway erupting into the same orange flame.

Spike took advantage of Theta's imbalance and body slammed him into a large marble column. The top half of the column cracking and falling to the ground. The column smashing through one of the many stained glass windows of the castle.

Spike then swung his whiplike tail around and blasted Theta through the rest of the marble column. Theta flying a solid twenty feet of the impact. Theta adding another two cracked ribs to his already broken one earlier.

The two dragons continued to fight. Spike driving Theta closer and closer toward the throne room of the castle. The ground around them shaking as Omega continued to flatten the once great city of Canterlot.

"Twilight, what do we do?" asked Twilight. The purple alicorn about ready to have a mental breakdown.

"I don't know." Twilight whimpered to herself. Her words being able to rival Fluttershy's in volume.

"What was that darling?" Rarity asked Twilight, placing a hoof on her shoulder.

"I DON'T KNOW!" Twilight snapped at her friends. Each of her friends taking a step backwards at the alicorn's outburst. "I'm sorry I... just... don't know what to do." Twilight apologised to her friends. Her body giving out on her, her collapsing to the ground. Twilight using her large wings to cover her body as she cried shamelessly into the ground.

All of Twilight's friends shared a concerned look at each other. They had seen Twilight in emotional turmoil before, but that only went as far as Twilight freaking out over missing an assignment by Princess. This... this was Twilight opening breaking down and crying in front of them.

"A... sugar cube. I think this your area of expertise." Applejack whispered to Fluttershy. The yellow pegasus always being the best at comforting others.

"Um... ok." Fluttershy said, her words barely above a whisper. "Twilight, talk to me." Fluttershy whispered to the whimpering alicorn, putting one of her hooves on one of Twilight's shoulders.

"I'm sorry." Twilight said to the yellow pegasus, wiping away some of the tears on her cheeks.

"Don't be." Fluttershy said, the pegasus's words taking Twilight by surprise.

"What?" Twilight asked in shock.

"Don't be." Fluttershy repeated to Twilight. "If there is anypony that deserves a moment to just sit and cry it is you." Fluttershy said to Twilight, her Element of Kindness coming out in full colors. "This day was supposed to the be one of the greatest days of your life, and it turned into this." Fluttershy said to Twilight, using her free hoof to point around at all of the chaos around her.

"I know." Twilight said, sniffing up a sob. Her purple eyes falling on the massive head of Alpha. Him laying in a pile of rubble unconscious, small drips of his red blood still flowing from the massive gash in his neck.

"She's right darling." Rarity joined in, the white unicorn trotting over to Twilight. Her fantastic purple dress being torn and covered in the dust from the rubble of the destroyed castle. Twilight gave both Rarity and Fluttershy a smile as her friends were always able to bring a smile to her face. Even in the darkest of times.

"Not to spoil the 'moment' you girls are having, but don't you think we should be. I don't know, thinking up a plan to defeat the mountain-sized dragon that is currently destroying Canterlot, and now all of Equestria." Rainbow Dash said in her normal straight to the point manner. Bringing everypony back to the matter at hoof.

"I can only think of one thing that can stand a chance against 'Omega' or whatever his name is." Twilight said rising to her full height, her now a few inches taller than her friends.

"What's that Twi?" Applejack asked the purple alicorn.

Twilight didn't respond for a second, preferring to stare blankly out at her once beautiful home being turned nothing more than a burning pile of rubble.

"Twilight... did you hear me?" Applejack asked Twilight, when she didn't respond.

"Yes... yes, I heard you AJ." Twilight said, turning to face her five friends. "And the only things that I think can defeat Omega is the Elements of Harmony." Twilight said, staring up at the golden crown atop her head. The purple six-pointed star gem of the crown being her Element of Harmony, the Element of Magic.

The Mane SIx's thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of a roar of pain coming from Theta. The roar was then followed by the white dragon being literally thrown through the blue double doors of the castle. The doors being torn off of their hinges by the impact.

"Theta!" Twilight cried out, rushing over to the white dragon's side.

"I'm alright." Theta said to Twilight, his body covered in minor cuts and bruises. The white dragon struggling to his feet.

"You won't be." Theta heard from the doorway. His head snapping toward the voice to see Spike standing in the destroyed doorway. His red eyes burning with anger and animalistic instincts.

"Get behind me. Now!" Theta demanded at Twilight and her friends. Twilight quickly retreating behind Theta.

The two dragons then charged at each other. Spike landing a single bite on the neck of Theta. Theta roaring out in pain as Spike teeth dug into Theta's flesh. Theta's roar being able to be heard throughout the castle.

Sigma continued to travel through the destroyed halls of the Canterlot castle, his pace at a slight jog. His brain going over five hundred miles per hour has he been to think about all of his life choices.

"What am I doing?" Sigma asked himself, the gray dragon coming to a complete stop.

"You are questioning your placement in this world." A booming voice said to Sigma, taking the gray dragon by surprise. The gray jumped in place, his head bolting toward the location where the words had come from. The blackened scales of Omega being what his yellow eyes saw.

"Omega..." Sigma snarled, his yellow eyes burning with hatred.

"I am not here to fight you... Sigma." Omega said to Sigma, holding up one of his forelegs in defense.

"Bullshit!" Sigma roared. "And how do you know my name?!" Sigma demanded out of the giant dragon.

"Oh, I know many things. But that is not important." Omega said to Sigma, his words intentionally cryptic.

"Then what IS important?" Sigma asked Omega, dropping down into an offensive stance.

"To be, or not to be? That is the question." Omega said to Sigma.

"What is that buckin wisdom." Sigma spat at Omega.

"No, it's Shakespony, but regardless." Omega said, shifting his attention back to the matter at claw.

"I hope I'm not late." Zulu said to himself. Shadow traveling into the hallway where the two dragons were chatting. "Oh shit." Zulu said to himself, warping into the shadows of the castle. Luckily not being spotted by Omega, nor Sigma.

"We all have a question that has to be answered in our life. And you are no exception." Omega said to Sigma, the massive dragon lowering his head to speak to Sigma directly.

"And question would that be." Sigma spat at Omega, a crooked grin appearing on the blacked dragon's face.

"We all must answer a simple question in our lives. What is are calling in life." Omega began, Sigma surprised to the ancient wisdom coming from the creature that he originally saw as a mindless beast. "For ponies, that is easy, with them getting their 'cutie marks'. But for us dragons it is a little more complicated than that. We need to decide on our own what we are going to become." Omega said to Sigma. A roar coming from Theta resonating throughout the ruined castle.

"What are you planning Omega?" Zulu questioned internal, wondering what the giant dragon end game was.

"For ponies, that is easy, with them getting their 'cutie marks'. But for us dragons it is a little more complicated than that. We need to decide on our own what we are going to become." Omega said to Sigma. A roar coming from Theta resonating throughout the ruined castle.

"Theta!" Zulu screamed internally.

"Theta!" Sigma cried out at the sound of his brother in pain.

"We just need to hope that we make the right choice when it comes." Omega said to Sigma, a light bulb going off in Sigma's head.

"You're right, I have decided what my true calling in life is." Sigma said, his scales turning almost pitch black and his eyes blood red.

"I hope that the choice you make in this will be the right one." Omega said to Sigma.

"Oh, I know it will be." Sigma said, as he took toward the throne room of the castle.

"This doesn't sound good." Zulu thought to himself, as he used the cover of the shadows to follow Sigma undetected.

"Get... off... ME!" Theta roared, swing his head around until Spike was thrown off his neck. Slamming into the right wall of the throne room. The force of his impact shattering the stained glass painting that showed Princesses Celestia and Luna defeating Discord.

Spike slowly struggled to his feet and charged at Theta. An attack that Theta was able to block and recoiled with a swipe from his tail across Spike's face. Slamming the purple dragon back into the wall.

"Give it up Spike, you can't beat me." Theta said to Spike, the white dragon completely exhausted both physically and mentally.

"Never!" Spike roared at Theta, his words rasping and sounding as if it was hard for Spike to even breathe.

Theta grunted in frustration and said to Spike. "FINE!" Theta roared, delivering one last swipe from his tail to Spike's head. The swing landing home, knocking Spike unconscious.

Theta then groaned in both pain and exhaustion. Him slowing walking over toward the Mane Six. The six ponies watching the battle between Theta and Spike. Tears falling down Twilight face, her still having a hard time believing that the unconscious beast that Theta had fought was once her number one assistant.

"Are you alright, Theta?" Fluttershy asked Theta, seeing the white dragon limping as he approached the six ponies.

"I will be." Theta groaned in pain, his one broken and two cracked ribs were not making easy to breathe.

"THETA!" Theta heard a deep voice call his name, thinking that it was Spike his jumped back around to protect the Mane Six. Only to get a single claw strike across his face, or maybe it was a tail swipe. Theta couldn't tell. All he saw was a flash of black and the pain caused by the strike.

Theta was slammed into the golden throne of the throne room by an unknown force. Theta only seeing only a large black blur and the pain caused by it. A unanimous gasp took over the room. All of Canterlot seeming to come to a deathly quiet. Theta vision went black for a second or two, his ears ringing from the impact that he received. Gold is a soft metal, yeah, tell that to Theta.

Zulu, hidden in the shadows of the throne room couldn't believe what he had just witnessed, the creature that had delivered the hit on Theta slowing stalking toward the white dragon. Like a predator about to make a meal out of his prey.

"No, this isn't possible." Zulu thought to himself, the creature that had struck Theta, taking a delight in the pain that he had just caused.

Theta slowly began to open his eyes. His vision blurry from the impact. Him only being able to make out the large creature with black scales that was stalking toward him. Two piercing red eyes staring right back him. His ears still ringing from the impact into the golden throne. Him only being able to hear muffled gasps from who he assumed was Twilight and her friends.

As Theta vision began to focus and the ringing of his ears came to a stop, he began to make out more of the appearance of the creature that he attacked him, and his was hit by an invisible sledgehammer of steel.

"No!" Theta screamed internally. Him to weak from his fight with Spike and from the blow that had just received to even speak.

The creature that had attacked Theta was a large black dragon with burning red eyes. The dragon just slightly larger and more muscular than Theta. His scales as black as night and his eyes as red as blood. Though this dragon appearance had changed a lot in the last few months there was no debate who it was.

"Sigma... what are you doing?" Theta said weakly. Black spots beginning to form in his vision, the emptiness of unconsciousness beginning to set in.

"Finding my true calling in life." Sigma said to Theta, his voice much deeper more sinister. "A calling that doesn't include YOU." Sigma spat at Theta. Those words being the last thing Theta heard until the blackness of unconsciousness hit him. His body falling limp on the cold gold of the destroyed throne that he was laying on. One of the greatest betrayals in Equestrian history being repeated fifteen hundred years later.

"History doesn't repeat itself, but it does rhyme."

The Fall of a Kingdom (Omega's Return)

The Fall of a Kingdom (Omega's Return)

"You... You Traitor!" Rainbow yelled at Sigma. Her having to have Applejack hold her back by her tail, to prevent her from attacking Sigma. A fight that the cyan pegasus was bound to lose in seconds.

"No... I'm not a traitor." Sigma said to Rainbow Dash, turning away from his unconscious brother to face the six ponies directly. Fluttershy fainting out of fright as the corrupted alpha approached the six ponies. "I'm merely just joining the winning side." Sigma said to the Mane Six, at least, the ones that were still conscious.

"I failed to see the difference!" Twilight barked at Sigma.

"The difference is how history views you when all is said and done." Sigma said to Twilight, a crooked grin appearing on his face.

"You and Omega haven't won yet!" Rainbow yelled at Sigma, breaking free of Applejack's mouth.

"Rainbow! Don't!" Twilight called out to her friend, but it was too late. Rainbow was already blasting toward Sigma at top speed. Sigma just smiled a crooked smile as his easily snatched Rainbow out of the air and slammed her to the ground beneath his claws. The tile of the room cracking from the impact.

Sigma slightly raised his claws above Rainbow, the pegasus completely winded from the attack by Sigma. only to slam his entire nearly one-ton body weight onto Rainbow Dash. Shattering all of Rainbow's bones on the right side of her body along with all of the bones in her right wing in multiple, blood-chilling, snaps. Rainbow cried out in pain as her bones shifted inside her body.

"Rainbow!" Twilight cried out to her broken friend. Sigma slowing raising his claws off of Rainbow's body. Two ponies down, only four more to go.

Sigma began to walk closer to the four other ponies, them cornered and with no escape. Sigma continued to stalk his potential next meals, him finding the unconscious pegasus to look particularly appetizing. He always wondered what roasted pony tasted like. A chuckle escaping past Sigma's lips, his heart and soul now as black as his scales.

"You won't win Sigma!" Twilight barked at Sigma, trying to sound as intimidating.

"I highly doubt that princess." Sigma said in a mocking tone to the purple alicorn. Twilight's purple eyes narrowing as her horn began to glow a bright magenta.

"Why's that?" Twilight snarled between her grinding teeth.

"Ha... your real princesses are missing." Sigma said to Twilight. Twilight's stone hard face beginning to crack as Sigma continued.

"Your capital is completely destroyed and burning to the ground." Sigma continued, Twilight taking a step backward in fear. Zulu watching the scene going down with deep interest, his Warp Spear ready if need be.

"Your oldest friend has been turned into nothing more but a mindless beast that destroys everything in his path." Sigma said to Twilight, the purple alicorn's once stern face now being on the brink of tears. "Or, at least, he was." Sigma said, looking over at the unconscious body of Spike. His purple scales covered in the shattered glass from the stained glass windows and the rubble of the castle. "Well, two others are either broken beyond repair or too scared to even defend herself." Sigma said speaking of the broken body of Rainbow Dash, and the recently fainted body of Fluttershy. Rarity standing protectively over the unconscious pegasus.

"Your only defense against the horrors of this world laying in a pile rubble with his throat ripped out." Sigma said speaking of Alpha, the massive red dragon laying unconscious in the rubble of the throne room.

"All the dragons of Equestria are under the command of Omega, and destroying all of Equestria as I speak." Sigma said to Twilight, him now mere inches from Twilight's face. The once strong looking alicorn, reduced to nothing more than a tumbling foal. "Trust me, princess... you were anything in this endeavor. You would be massacred." Sigma said to Twilight, the black scales on his chest beginning to glow a bright red.

Twilight just let out a defeated sigh, her accepting her fate, as unglorified as it might be.

"That's enough!" Zulu cried out warping out of the shadows behind Sigma, his Warp Spear crackling to life.

"What..." Sigma began to say as one of the ends to Zulu's spear was stabbed in his back. Sigma roaring out in pain as the blade burned into his flesh. "GET OFF ME!" Sigma roared, bucking Zulu off of his body, his spear still lodged in his back. Sigma raising onto his hind legs as he tried to get the spear out of his back. Zulu landing just in front of Twilight and her other friends. Fluttershy jumping back to

Zulu landing just in front of Twilight and her other friends. Fluttershy jumping back to life, only to scream as the frist thing she saw was the bug-like body of Zulu.

"Changeling!" Fluttershy cried out.

"Go!" Zulu called out at the five ponies, Rainbow Dash watching the scene unfolding in front of her in shock, fear, and pain. Her unable to move her body, her right legs broken in several places.

"What?" Twilight asked Zulu, surprised that a changeling had just saved their lives.

"GO! I'll hold off Sigma." Zulu ordered at Twilight.

"What about Rainbow?" Fluttershy cried out. Zulu groaned in frustration, his crooked horn glowing a bright green. The broken body of Rainbow Dash being surrounded by the same green magic. Zulu carefully setting the cyan pegasus on the back of Applejack.

"There's your friend. Now GO!" Zulu ordered at Twilight, the purple nodding in agreement. Sigma ripping Zulu's spear out of his break with his teeth and shattering it with his powerful jaws. Sigma letting out a roar of anger and annoyance. The six ponies then raced out of the destroyed throne room, Rainbow still on the back of Applejack.

"Am I the only one wonderin' why we were just saved by a changelin'." Applejack asked Twilight, the orange earth pony having to run faster than usual with the weight of Rainbow on her back.

"I don't know Applejack, but we can worry about that later. Right now we need to worry about getting our flanks out of her alive." Twilight said to Applejack.

"Copy that Twi." Applejack said in response, the six ponies trying to find the safest way out of the crumbling castle.

"You think that one tiny weapon can defeat me!" Sigma roared at Zulu, the changeling's horn glowing a bright green.

"No, good thing that's not my only weapon." Zulu said, the two fire/magic blades of his Warp Blade flashing out his right foreleg. The duel blades scorching the ground beneath him. Another one of his Warp Spears forming out of the shadows around him, the two blades of the weapon flashing out at both ends. The spear-like weapon hover in his green magic in midair, on the left side of his body.

It was a little strange to think about that only about month earlier Zulu was part of a changeling task force sent to destroy Canterlot, and now he was trying to defend it from certain destruction. It is a little scary just how much can change in a short amount of time.

"Typical..." Sigma grunted in frustration. His chest beginning to glow a bright red again.

Zulu timed his movements perfectly as his opened his bug-like wings just as Sigma like out a blast of his red fire, the fire scorching the ground were Zulu was standing. Taking advantage of his air superiority Zulu fired a blast from his crooked horn at Sigma. The beam of green magic hitting Sigma directing in the face.

Sigma roaring out as the magic began to superheat his scales. Sigma's vision was slightly burly by the beam from Zulu, but he was still able to fire a blast of his red fire in Zulu's direction. The fired missed its mark, but it was enough for Zulu's to break his concentration. Zulu's beam fizzling out and his spear from the sky. It impacting itself in the ground beneath Zulu.

Sigma took advantage of Zulu's loss of concentration to fire another blast of his red fire at Zulu, this fire hitting its mark. The fire licking at the bug-like body of Zulu, the fire scorching the skin that made up his wings. Zulu plummeting toward the ground in a cry of pain.

Zulu tried to climb to his hooves, only for him to be slammed back into the ground by the weight of Sigma's massive claws above him. Sigma making sure to apply just enough pleasure to make sure that Zulu couldn't escape, but also not too much to break any of the changeling's bones.

"You not going anywhere." Sigma said down to Zulu, his blackened body towering over Zulu. His chest beginning to glow a bright red.

"So what is your plan here?" Zulu questioned Sigma, his words filled with sarcasm. "Are you going to roast me, cook me, and then eat me. Is that your plan in this situation." Zulu said to Sigma, him not getting the response he was expecting.

"Why yes... I do." Sigma said down to Zulu, a crooked smile appearing on his face. The stone hard face of Zulu was gone, now being stretched with the look of pure terror. The thought of him becoming another creature meal chilled him to his hollow bones.

"I was never that fond of bugs as a hatchling..." Sigma continued to speak, scratching his lower jaw with his free foreleg. Zulu petrified in fright as the black dragon towering above was seriously considering eating him."But I guess your more fleshy bits will be able to counteract the poor taste." Sigma continued to speak, him finding a twisted delight in Zulu small movements of pure terror underneath his claws.

Unbeknownst to both Sigma and Zulu, the unconscious body of Theta began to stir. His closed orange-sized eyes beginning to drift in every direction as he tried to return to the waking world.

"Yes... I believe a nice side of sapphires will help masked the taste as you go down my throat." Sigma said, his knife-like teeth showing in a crooked grin. A small red fire beginning to build in his mouth.

"Wait! You shouldn't eat me, I have poisonous skin or something." Zulu cried out, trying anything to not get eaten.

"I highly doubt that." Sigma said, raising his one of his eyebrows. One of Sigma's claws piercing the silk-like skin of Zulu, the black dragon having no perceivable effects. Sigma knew that Zulu was just saying anything as to not get eaten. But he couldn't just stop from enjoying the look of pure terror that was plastered in Zulu's blank green eyes.

"But... but..." Zulu tried to find his words. Sigma opening his mouth, the cracking of his red fire building in his throat coming out of his mouth.

Theta's green eyes began to drift open and closed. His vision burly, him only seeing be able to see a few feet in front of him. As his vision began to readjust and clarify he began to make out two distant shapes. One a large black wingless dragon that Theta instantly recognized as the body of his brother, Sigma. Theta's mind was then flooded with the memory of his brother's betrayal, and his blood began to boil, literally, with anger. His anger was only increased when he saw that Sigma was standing above the defenseless body of Zulu.

Theta's vision instantly focused on the red fire that was beginning to fall out of Sigma's mouth. The almost liquid fire of Sigma falling out of his mouth and onto the tile floor like small red raindrops. The drops of fire singed the tile floor as it hit the ground. Theta willed his battered body to move. His muscles slowly beginning to heed his command as he slowly began to rise off of the destroyed golden throne that his brother has slammed him into. There wasn't a muscle on Theta's body the didn't hurt on some capacity.

Zulu was unable to see anything above him expect Sigma, but his advanced hearing was able to hear the movements of Theta, and his spirits quickly began to rise.

"You can't win." Zulu said up to Sigma, a smug look appearing across Sigma's muzzle.

"How's that?" Sigma asked Zulu disinterested.

"Simple... you lack the ability to make others follow you." Zulu said, him saying anything in order to buy Theta a little more time.

"Did you not see Omega's control over all of the dragons." Sigma said down to Zulu, the black dragon red fire beginning to retreat down his throat.

"But you lack the ability for them to follow you..." Zulu said, pausing for dramatic effect. "Willing." Zulu said to Sigma. The black dragon's fire returning to his mouth.

"You are going to regret saying that!" Sigma roared, opening his mouth to roast Zulu alive.

Just before Sigma could roast Zulu arrive a massive pain came piercing through his neck. Sigma roared out in pain and fired his red flames directly into the sky. The red flames rocketing through the open room of the destroyed throne. The napalm-like flames falling down toward the ground, lighting all its surroundings.

Sigma reared up onto his hind legs, releasing Sigma from his massive claws. Zulu had to roll out the way as Sigma's body came slamming back down, the black dragon trying top best to shake his brother off of his neck. Theta teeth were not that deep in Sigma's flesh, only enough to hold him in position as Sigma bucked back and forth trying to shake Theta off of him.

After a few seconds of thrashing his head back and forth, Sigma forced Theta to let go of his neck and to go flying onto the tile floor. His almost one-ton body cracking the tile underneath him. Sigma roared at Theta as his brother struggled to his feet. Theta letting out a weak roar in response, his many cracked and/or broken ribs not making it easy for him to breathe.

Zulu scrambled to his hooves, in a manner to assist Theta, only for Theta to stop him. "Go." Theta said to Zulu, a stunned look of shock appearing on the changeling's face.

"But Theta..." Zulu began to argue with Theta. No, more like, he pleaded with Theta.

"Go!" Theta roared, or at least, the best that he could manage, at Zulu. Theta's voice raspy and weak from a full of fighting nonstop.

"Yes go..." Sigma began, his gaze still locked on that of Theta. "I have some... unfinished business with my brother." Sigma said to Zulu, his red eyes burning with hatred. Theta letting a low growl as Zulu reluctantly warped into the shadows of the destroyed throne room.

"What has happened to you Sigma?" Theta asked his brother. The two twin dragons walking around each in a massive circle, like two, large scaled wolves.

"I told you Theta. I have discovered my true calling in this world. A calling that doesn't include you." Sigma barked at Theta, the white dragon physically hurt from his brother's words.

"So you have decided to join Omega?" Theta asked his brother. Theta's movements coming to a stop. "Abandon our Alpha." Theta said to Sigma, looking over toward the unconscious body of their mentor laying in the rubble of the crumbling castle.

"Yes... yes, and I believe you should do the same." Sigma said to Theta. Theta taking a step back, appalled by the mere mention of betraying his mentor.

"I would never betray the Alpha!" Theta roared at Sigma, him slightly grunting in pain shortly afterward.

"So be it..." Sigma growled, charging at Theta.

Sigma slammed into his brother. Hitting him just underneath his right shoulder. Sigma lifting Theta in the air. Theta roared out in pain as his swung his left claws across Sigma's face. His claws scraping across Sigma faces, two small cuts on his snout forming.

Due to Theta's weakened state, Sigma was easily able to overpower Theta, lift him entirely off the ground, and slam him into the ground. Theta' body causing the entire castle to shake.

"Ugh!" Theta groaned in pain, him being silenced as Sigma began to dig his blackened claws into Theta's neck.

"I don't want to kill you brother. But I think that you have given me no choice." Sigma said to Theta, him raising his free claws into the air. Ready to strike his brother down.

Everything in Canterlot became dead quiet as the unconscious mountain-sized dragon that was laying the rubble of the ruined castle began to move. Alpha giant green eyes flashed open, only to see his two apprentices locked in a battle to the death.

"No, not again." Alpha thought to himself as his slowly began to raise his massive head off the ground.

Alpha began to rise up from his laying position on the destroyed castle letting out a roar. Large drops of his red blood from the massive wound in his neck and falling toward the ground.

The roar by Alpha caught the attention of Omega. "So... you finally decided to join the realm of the living." Omega said to his brother, the giant dragon's word burning with sarcasm.

Sigma let go of Theta's neck and walked over to the giant hole in the throne were Alpha had slammed into it. Just to watch the fireworks between the two giant dragons go down.

"You can break me Omega." Alpha began to say to Omega, the wounded giant slowly making his way over to his brother. The massive footsteps of the giant red dragon being the only sound in the ruined city of Canterlot. Even the crackling of the maroon fires seeming to come to a stop. "You can take the alpha status away from me." Alpha continued to roar at Omega, looking around the world around to see multiple fires caused by dragons burning in distant town and cities. Omega keeping the same neutral expression across his face as the giant dragon continued to limp closer to him. "You might even be able to turn one my own apprentices against me." Alpha continued speaking of Sigma, him now only a few hundred yards in front of Omega. "But as long as I am alive, and there is still, at least, one good alpha that follows me. Then you will never win." Alpha spat at Omega.

"Then will just have to remove you from the equation." Omega said simply, his one golden splitting into a half. One-half retaining its golden color, the other half turning an olive green.

As the tension in the destroyed city began to grow the strange sound that sounded like the flapping of over a million flies at once began to build in the sky. All eyes, pony, and dragon alike shifted their attention to the hills that marked the southern border of Equestria. Then a large moving black cloud began to the form across the sky the blood red sky of Equestria.

"Changelings." Alpha snarled at the ever increasing black cloud that was forming above Equestria.

"I will give you this one and only offer Delta." Omega said to his brother.

"What is it Omega?" Alpha snapped at his brother, him completely abandoning his original plan to bring Omega back to the light.

"I allow for you and your one remaining apprentice to leave and live the rest of your lives in peace." Omega began to negotiate with his twin brother.

"Are you banishing me, Omega?" Alpha asked his brother, him fully aware of the answer that he was going to receive.

"Yes, indeed I am." Omega said to Alpha, the black dragon's words surprisingly calm.

"What happens if I refuse?" Alpha asked Omega, fearing the answer.

"Then well..." Omega paused, the massive black cloud filled with changelings beginning to slowly move toward Canterlot. "I assume that you would hate to responsible for the extinction of an entire species." Omega patronized Alpha. Alpha growling at the words of his brother.

"Don't try to guilt trip me, Omega." Alpha spat at Omega, his orange rushing through his veins like a river of molten magma.

"Wouldn't dream of it." Omega said sarcastically, only adding to Alpha's anger. "I'm just using your own logic against you. Omega spat at Alpha. Alpha grunted in frustration before he was hit by a stomach turning realization.

Alpha let out a defeated sigh before responding. "You promise that if I agree to your demands that no pony will hurt, and that you will leave Equestria in peace?" Alpha asked Omega, knowing that he should take his brother's words at face value.

"You have my word." Omega said, a twisted grin appearing on his face.

Alpha was then put into deep thought, contemplating if his brother was indeed worthy to be trusted. "Fine... I have accepted your offer Omega. I will spend the rest of my life in exile." Alpha said in defeat, a crooked grin of victory appearing on Omega's face

"No..." Theta mumbled out, struggling to his feet. In a complete state of shock.

"Excellent... your banishment, along with your single apprentice's banishment begins right now." Omega roared, a massive swipe from one of his claws hitting Alpha right across the face. Sending Alpha falling into a half-destroyed hotel in the city. The hotel crumbling from the impact.

Alpha slowly rose from the rubble that he had created and began to slowly walk out of the destroyed city.

"Alpha!" Theta called after his mentor as the wounded giant began to leave the destroyed city of Canterlot. The massive dragon only continued to walk out of the crumbling city.

"Alpha!" Theta repeated, doing his best to run after the giant dragon. "Alpha, you can't just give up!" Theta called up to the massive dragon. Alpha only continuing in his long march toward exile, him completely ignoring the younger alpha below him.

"Alpha, stop!" Theta roared up at the larger dragon. The larger dragon coming to a stop. His massive crane of a neck slowly turning to look down at Theta.

Once Theta knew that he had gotten Alpha's attention he began to speak to him.

"You can't just give into Omega's demands. You are the Alpha!" Theta roared up to Alpha.

"No Theta, no I am not. I am not the Alpha, at least... not anymore. That title goes to Omega, the one that deserved it in the first place." Delta said, reverting back to his original name.

"But... but you can't just give up." Theta pleaded with his 'mentor', not wanting to believe what he was hearing.

"Yes Theta, yes I can." Delta said trying to end the conservation. "And I recommend that you do the same." Delta said finishing the talk between the two dragons. Him continuing to walk toward the... toward... whatever was the quickest way out of Equestria.

Theta's heart felt like it was about to explode. Him collapsing onto his haunches, on the verge of tears. Then Theta began to survey the destruction around him. The collapsed and/or burning building of the once great city of Canterlot. Theta tried his best to fight back his tears, but eventually, even the greatest dams give way and small clear tears began to flow down his white scales. At first like a small leaking faucet and then soon becoming a raging river of sadness.

"What do I do now." Theta whimpered to himself. His gaze shifting toward the southern border of Equestria. The massive black cloud of changelings now completely blocking out the sun.

Theta slowly rose to his feet and began to slowly walk out of the ruined city of Canterlot. Him catching up to his 'mentor' and climbing onto the tail of Delta. The giant dragons tail dragging across the ground.

"So... you decided to join me in exile." Delta said to Theta, not turning his head to look at the white dragon.

"I guess so." Theta said just loud enough for Delta to hear. Theta's eyes began to flutter as he drifted off into a round of nightmare filled sleep. Him clinging onto one of the many small spikes, in comparison to Delta's body, of Delta's tail as he slept.

"Twi..." Applejack began to say to Twilight, Rainbow Dash still unconsciousness on the orange earth pony's back. The cowpony's words find with fear.

"What is it Applejack?" Twilight asked Applejack, still busy searching the ruined castle for the Elements of Harmony.

"You need to see what's going on outside." Applejack said.

"I'm not that interested in the destruction of my hometown thank you very much." Twilight snapped.

"No darling, this is something that you would want to see." Rarity joined with Applejack.

"Fine. But, I don't you girls could be possibly considering..." Twilight began to say, her falling silent as he looked on the three other alicorns staring down Omega.

"What are the princesses doing?" Fluttershy asked.

"I don't know, but it can't be good."

You said that you would leave Equestria in peace!" Celestia yelled up to Omega, a snarl on her face.

"I am altering the deal. Pray that I don't alter it any further." Omega roared down to Celestia, trying to get some response from the white alicorn.

"You can't do this!" Celestia barked back at the giant dragon, getting a laugh out of Omega.

"I can't. Ha, ha, ha, of course, I can!" Omega roared stomping his massive claws on the ground of the ruined city, his one black eye seeming to shine in the red sky above Equestria. The ever increasing black cloud of changelings beginning to blacken out the sun. "I like to see you try to stop me." Omega said, bringing his massive head down to Celestia's eye level. The white alicorn looking like an ant next to Omega.

"Oh, I intend to." Celestia spat back, literally, at Omega. Some of the white alicorn's saliva landing on the muzzle of Omega.

"We intended to!" Luna joined her sister. Cadence just behind the two alicorn sisters. The alicorns' horn all exploding with their respective aura of magic. Celestia gold, Luna dark blue, and Cadence sky blue.

Omega let out another laugh that would make even send a chill down the spine darkest creatures in the Everfree Forest. Omega returning to his full height.

"You honestly believe that your pony magic can defeat me?" Omega said down to the three alicorns, another bone-chilling laugh escaping Omega's mouth.

"We can, and we will." The three alicorns all said at once. Them firing their three respective beams at Omega, at the same time. Them all hitting their massive target. Their three beams of magic all hitting Omega just underneath his lower jaw. The giant laughing through the entire experience. The three alicorn's magic doing nothing more than giving a slight tickle.

"You ponies are pathetic." Omega chuckled, his chest beginning to glow a bright maroon color.

"Come on girls, all together now." Celestia said to the two other alicorns. All of their horns erupting with even brighter colors of light. Twilight and her friends having to shield her eyes from the brightness. The three beams combining into one massive beam of magical death. The beam hitting Omega squarely in the face.

Omega reared up on his hind legs and let out a roar of both slight pain and annoyance. Omega let out a blast of his maroon fire. The fire colliding with the multicolor magical beam from the three alicorns.

Omega's fire and the alicorn's magic beam collided in a massive explosion of fire, magic, and light. As the dust from the two attacks of unbelievable power subsided the three alicorns were on the ground, all three of them exhausted.

The three alicorns tried to struggle to their hooves. Only for the massive claws of Omega to force them back down to the ground. Omega using just enough force to trap the three alicorns, but not to severely injure them.

"You are no longer in charge of this kingdom." Omega said directly to Celestia, knowing that Luna was more of a decorative item than an actual co-ruler of Equestria.

"You haven't won yet... ah!" Celestia began to argue, only for Omega to increase the pressure of his claws on the white alicorn's body.

"You were saying princess." Omega said to Celestia, lowering his massive crane of a neck down to the three alicorn's eye level.

"I am the new ruler of Equestria, and if want to stop me. You going to have to do a lot more than just three tiny beams of magic." Omega said to the three alicorns trapped underneath his claws.

"Twilight, we need to get out of here." Applejack said to Twilight. The purple alicorn in a complete state of shock. Her just witnessing her former mentor, her mentor's little sister, and sister-in-law all get defeated by Omega. "Twilight, are you listening to m?" Applejack asked Twilight, snapping her out of her trance.

"Oh yes, of course." Twilight dumbly, reverting her eyes from the takeover by Omega.

"But where would we go?" Fluttershy asked her friends. Her clinging to the right foreleg of Rarity, her squeaking every time Omega let out a roar. "We can't stay in Canterlot for... obvious reasons, and the rest of Equestria is currently being destroyed by dragons. I don't even think that Ponyville will be an option." Fluttershy said, putting all of her friends into deep thought.

"What about the Everfree Forest." Rainbow Dash suggested. The words from the injured pegasus a surprise to all the ponies.

"RD, you are supposed to be restin." Applejack scolded the pegasus. Rainbow only grunting in both frustration and pain.

"No!" Rainbow yelled, or at least, the best she could manage. "If we are going to abandon Canterlot, then I get to add my voice to the debate. And I think that the Everfree Forest is the best idea." Rainbow Dash grunted, her shattered ribs making very difficult for her to speak with power behind her words.

"That just might work." Twilight said, rubbing her chin with her hoof. Twilight doing her best to block out the roars of Omega.

"Really?" Rarity and Applejack said as one.

"Yes, and like Fluttershy said Ponyville might not be safe. Plus we all know that the Everfree Forest is one of the most feared places in Equestria. The Everfree might just be our best option." twilight said, explaining her reasoning to her friends.

All of Twilight friends slowly nodded their heads in agreement, including Rainbow Dash. Twilight's horn then erupted into her magenta magic as she cast a teleportation spell on herself as well as her friends. Twilight teleporting all of her friends into the edge of the Everfree Forest. Omega beginning to turn Equestria into nothing more than a shattered form of its former self. Becoming nothing more than the first colony in the expansion of the Dragon Empire. Omega returning the Dragon Empire back to its glory days of the ancient past.

Zulu materialized on the peak of the mountain that Canterlot had been built into. Him having a perfect view of the destruction that Omega had created.

"Wow..." Zulu mumbled to himself. Him taking in the pure destruction that he was witnessing.

Then a thought came to Zulu had thought that made him begin to realize just how he had grown since living the hive. He remembered when he used to have dreams of Canterlot, and all of Equestria for that matter, being engulfed in flames. His Queen, Chrysalis, standing ruling above all of the ponies beneath her, him at the Queen's side as her most trusted lieutenant.

A dream that Zulu remembered having only a few months earlier.

"Wow! It's amazing how much life can change in just one month." Zulu thought to himself. The changeling staring off into the distance. The massive body of Delta walking off into the setting sun of the west. Celestia now being forced by Omega to lower her own sun.

"What do we do know?" Zulu asked himself. His eyelids beginning to waver, before completely closing. Zulu drifting off into his own nightmare filled sleep of his own.

And the Rise of an Empire (Omega's Return)

And the Rise of an Empire (Omega's Return)

The musical theme of this chapter is the Battle Theme from Narina you will know when to play it.

The next few days in Equestria seemed to move on by at the pace of a snail. The thing that showed that time had past at all was the relucent rising of the sun and moon by Princess Celestia and Luna respectively.

The three princesses of Equestria, along with the rest of the ponies of Equestria, turning into nothing more than slaves for Omega's sick mind. Omega ruling over the once great country of Equestria from the ruins of Canterlot. The constant fires from the many cities of the land being a constant reminder that the once land of peace had turned into an Empire of destruction. Omega's mind continued to spin as he had his sights not just set on Equestria. Soon he would lead an invasion of the Crystal Empire. Him hearing from his changeling spies that the ponies were preparing for war. In a manner to save their princess. Shining Armor also disappearing not long after the Second Battle of Canterlot. Shining presumed to have been killed in the fighting.

Twilight and her friends had spent the last the few days hiding in the darkness of the Everfree Forest. Them spending the last few days in the hut of their friend Zecora. A female zebra medicine mare from the distant lands of Zebrica that had the strange ability to speak only in rhyme.

"I can't thank you enough Zecora, for letting us stay in your home during... well all of this madness." Twilight thanked the medicine mare for the hundredth time. The ponies becoming accustomed to the constant roaring of dragons overhead. Twilight taking a sip out of a cup filled with herbal tea that Zecora had made for her. Pinkie Pie past out on the dirt floor of the hut, her snoring going along with the constant roaring of dragons. It sometimes amazed Twilight just how much that pony could sleep through.

"No worries young one. You are your friends may stay, until your deem your stay done." Zercora said to the purple alicorn, busy brewing a potion in a large black cauldron in the center of her straw-made hut.

Twilight let out a slight giggle as she took another sip from her cup of tea. The rhyming nature of Zecora might not make sense all the time, but it still made her entertaining to listen to.

Twilight's happy thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of somepony walking into the hut. Twilight and Zecora's eyes both instinctively shot toward the door of the hut. The pony being that of Applejack. The orange earth pony carrying a few herbs from the forest in her mouth. Zecora's face relaxed into a happy grin as she saw the herds in Applejack's mouth.

"Are this the herbs you were lookin' for?" Applejack asked Zecora.

"Yes, please place them other there. So that I may begin my special care." Zecora said pointing her striped hoof at a wooden table in the exotically decorated hut. The hut filled with tribal masks from Zecora' homeland.

Applejack did as the zebra commanded before trotting over to Twilight. Through the purple alicorn did her best to hid it, she was obvious stressed by the last few days. Her purple mane being unkempt mane and multiple bags under eyes from lack of sleep taking its toll on Twilight.

Applejack decided to avoid asking if her friend was alright and decided to ask her a different question. "Hey, Twi.." Applejack began to ask Twilight. Catching the purple alicorn's attention.

"Hmm..." Twilight hummed, turning her head toward Applejack as she took a seat next to her. Twilight taking another sip out of her cup. The warmness of the tea being a welcomed remember of the peace that Twilight used to know, only a week earlier.

"I was just wondering..." Applejack began to ask Twilight, fiddling with her hooves.

"Yes." Twilight said disinterestedly. Her lack of a full night's rest starting to show.

"How's Rainbow doin'?" Applejack asked Twilight. The purple alicorn letting out a deep sigh and placing her tea cup on the small circular wooden table in front of her. Rainbow being almost killed in a battle against the traitorous Sigma during the Second Battle of Canterlot.

"She's... she's been doing better. At least, I think she is." Twilight said, nervously circling the rim of her teacup. Fluttershy trotted out from behind a blue curtain. the yellow pegasus dressed in a white nurse's outfit that Rarity had made her the day before. Small drops of dried blood, presumably Rainbow's, on her nurse outfit. Fluttershy being tried by Zecora in the art of medicine for the last few days.

"How Dashie?" Applejack asked the yellow pegasus.

"She's... ok. She sleeping right now." Fluttershy said, trying to find the best words to describe her wounded friend. "Where's Rarity?" Fluttershy asked, looking around the hut for the white unicorn in question.

"She left going to Ponyville for supplies not too long ago." Twilight said to Fluttershy. The yellow pegasus raising an eyebrow in concern.

"Is that... safe? I mean with Equestria now being under control by... you know." Fluttershy asked Twilight, and as if on cue there was roar unmistakably from Omega that rocked the small hut. Pinkie Pie jumping to life from the roar of the massive dragon.

"CUPCAKES!" Pinkie cried as she returned to the waking world. The four other ponies all shared a laugh as the door to the hut opened. Rarity trotting into the small house, her a pair of saddlebags on her back. The bags filled with the bare essentials needed for seven ponies to live in one small hut in the woods.

"Applejack would you be a darling and help me out with these bags?" Rarity asked Applejack.

"Sure thing Rares." Applejack said walking over to help the white unicorn.

"Would you like to see her?" Fluttershy asked Twilight, seeing the distressed look in her friend's face.

"Um... sure." Twilight mumbled, taken a little off guard by Fluttershy's comment. Twilight stood up from her seated position and followed the yellow pegasus through the blue curtain and into the small room that the ponies were using to hold the injured pegasus.

Twilight had to cover eyes with her hoof as the moment she saw the wrecked body of Rainbow. The cyan pegasus a shell of her former self. The entire side of Rainbow being covered in a white wrapping around her body. Rainbow light blue coat with spots of dried blood. Some of the dried blood coating the wrapping around the injured pegasus. Rainbow's broken right wing laying lifeless on top of the broken body that it was attached to. Rainbow's body only moving when she breathed. Her breaths short, fast, and heavy. Rainbow's closed eyes shifting as she spelt, her seeming to be experiencing a nightmare.

"How long?" Twilight asked Fluttershy, small clear tears forming in Twilight's purple eyes. She never thought that she would see Rainbow Dash like this. I mean she had seen her in a hospital with a broken wing before. But this... this was something different that Twilight couldn't explain. All she knew it lit a fire within her chest. A fire that she had directed toward two dragons, Omega and Sigma.

"We don't know. She took quite a hit from Sigma." Fluttershy said, the yellow pegasus seeming to choke on her words. Fluttershy never imagining that she would be the one that would be taking care of Rainbow. She had always assumed that it would the other way around.

"It's ok." Twilight said to Fluttershy, placing a reassuring hoof on Fluttershy's shoulder.

"Sorry..." Fluttershy apologized to Twilight, wiping some of her tears from her eyes.

"Don't be." Twilight said with a smile. "Now, please continue." Twilight said, urging Fluttershy to continue.

Fluttershy was about to continue when Rainbow eyes slowly began to open and she began to speak. Rainbow's words low and raspier than normal. "I'll be fine." Rainbow said in denial. Trying to lift her broken body off of the ground.

"No Rainbow, you are not in the condition to move..." Fluttershy said to Rainbow, helping her wounded friend lay back down, against Rainbow's rejections. "Yet alone in a war." Fluttershy whispered more to herself.

"I'll... I'll give you two a little alone time." Twilight said awkwardly, beginning to leaving the small room that the pony was using as a makeshift hospital.

"Twilight wait!" Rainbow called out to Twilight or, at least, the best she could manage. The purple alicorn coming to a complete stop. "Shy, help me up." Rainbow ordered at Fluttershy. The yellow pegasus heeding her command and helping Rainbow into a sitting position.

"What is it, Rainbow?" Twilight asked the cyan pegasus, turning to face her completely.

"I want to you to promise me somethin' Twi." Rainbow said, grunting in pain.

"Sure, anything. What is it?" Twilight asked Rainbow, not really sure what the cyan pegasus was going to make her promise.

"I just want you to promise me that you will stop Omega, and..." Rainbow paused, a sharp pain piercing through the right side of her body. Rainbow snarled in pain as she tried to continue. "And that... that thing that tried to kill me." Rainbow said to Twilight, leaving Twilight speechless. Rainbow's magenta eyes burning with anger and pain all at the same time. A sight that brought tears to both Twilight and Fluttershy's eyes.

"Promise me Twilight..." Rainbow said laying back down on the feather bed that she was sleeping on. Her eyes beginning to waver. Twilight beginning to trot over to Rainbow. "Promise me..." Rainbow repeated her words now at a whisper volume that rivaled Fluttershy's. Shameless tears falling from both Twilight and Fluttershy's eyes. "Promise me..." Rainbow mumbled again, as she drifted into another round of sleep.

"Take it easy Dashie, you've been through a lot." Fluttershy said to her oldest friend. The yellow pegasus running her hoof through the rainbow colored mane of her oldest friend. Rainbow's mane losing a bit of its color.

"Yes." Twilight said, the purple alicorn taking Fluttershy off guard.

"What?" Fluttershy said in confusion, turning her head to look directly at Twilight. Fluttershy let out a high pitched squeak when she saw Twilight staring down at the sleeping body of Rainbow, her purple eyes burning with anger and determination.

"Yes..." Twilight repeated, trotting over to where Rainbow was laying down. "I promise. I promise that I will defeat Omega and Sigma." Twilight said with determination in her voice. Twilight turning and walking out of the small room. Her eyes burning with rage.

"I'll be right back." Fluttershy whispered to Rainbow, a small nod coming from the injured pegasus. "Twilight where are you going?" Fluttershy called after Twilight.

"I'm going to Canterlot!" Twilight announced, opening her above average wings. A universal gasp coming from all of Twilight's friends.

"Darling, you... you can't be serious?" Rarity asked Twilight, covering her mouth with her hoof.

"Yes Rarity, yes I am." Twilight said, her walking out of the small hut, ready for war.

"Sugarcube..." Applejack stopped Twilight before she could launch into the sky. "I know you are tough, but not even the other three princesses with their combined power could defeat Omega. What makes you think that you can?" Applejack asked Twilight, the purple alicorn looking at the ground as she responded.

"I don't know Applejack, but I got to do something." Twilight said, looking up at the sky.

"Than let us come with you." Pinkie said to Twilight, the purple alicorn shaking her head in disagreement.

"No... I don't any more of my friends to get hurt." Twilight said, all of her friends taking a step back. "Just... do your best to find the Elements of Harmony. We already have one." Twilight said, her crown and Element of Magic resting on one of the tables in Zecora's hut. "If I can't defeat Omega, those might be our only hope to bring peace back to Equestria." Twilight said.

"Well, I think I speak for all of us when I wish you the best of luck Twilight." Applejack said to Twilight, giving her a short hug.

"Thank you, thank you all." Twilight thanked her friends. The purple blasting into the air. Her having been surprising a good flier. The purple alicorn heading toward the ruined mountain city of Canterlot.

"You heard her girls, finding the Elements is our number one priority my any means necessary."

Delta continued to wonder through many mountains of that made up the southern border of Equestria. The rocky snow-capped mountains the only things that made that giant dragon actually feel of normal size.

Delta came to a halt and let out a heavy sigh. The coldness of the mountains making it possible to see the giant dragon's superheated breath. "Are you still back there Theta." Delta called back to his 'apprentice'.

"Yeah..." Theta said defeated. "I don't really know why." Theta thought to himself. The white dragon cradled like a hatchling up against one of the small, in comparison, of Delta's tail.

"I think that this will be a good place for us to rest until we keep going." Delta said, not expecting a response.

"Whatever. What's the point." Theta said defeated.

"Don't give Theta, there is still a chance for us to make a living somewhere else. Equestria just isn't it." Delta said back to Theta, not getting the response he was expecting from the white dragon on his tail.

"Why not, it's what you did?" Theta grumbled, bringing up Delta's defeat at the claws of Omega.

"Theta, that was different." Delta tried to defend himself, only to get interrupted by Theta.

"I don't see how!" Theta roared, beginning to walk up Delta's mountain of a back. "You gave up!" Theta continued to roar, him about halfway up Delta's back. His green eyes burning straight into Delta's. Delta tried to protest his 'apprentice's' words, only for Theta to interrupt him again. Continuing his rant.

"Don't deny it. I saw you, all of Canterlot saw you!" Theta roared, the white dragon now, nose to nose with Delta. "You. Gave. Up!" Theta roared. His eyes burning with rage.

The two alpha dragons stared into each other's eyes for a few minutes. Delta stunned by the younger alpha's bravery, the same bravery that he wished he processed.

"You're right." Delta said to Theta, the white dragon's face relaxing. "I did give up. There isn't an excuse for it. I gave up, not just on myself, but on everything else." Delta said staring off toward the distance. The many fires burning the cities of Equestria visible, even from the mountains.

"Alpha, there is still time to fix things." Theta said, switching his tactics.

"I think so Theta, Omega has increased his control all over Equestria. Soon he will try ton expand his outside of Equestria's border, and when he does there will be nothing that can stop him." Delta said down to Theta.

"That is why we must act now. Omega believes that he had defeated you for good. You will be the last one that he would expect to challenge him." Theta said to Delta, the younger dragon's words driving the elder into deep thought.

"Theta." Delta said, his voice returning to his original deep and powerful demeanor.

"Yes, Alpha?" Theta said happily, hoping that his words had gotten to Delta.

"We are going back." Alpha stated. An old flame reigniting within his chest. The giant dragon racing down the mountains and toward Canterlot. A final battle for Equestria about to commence.

Twilight landed into the ruined remains of an old cafe. Her stomach turning as she saw her former home being turned into nothing more than a smoking ruin. Some of the maroon fire of Omega still burning across the city.

Twilight's purple eyes shrunk as she laid eyes on the dragon that had caused the destruction of her former home. The black mountain-sized dragon that went by the name of Omega.

"You will pay for what you have done." Twilight snarled down to Omega, her wings unfurling and her horn beginning to hum with magical energy.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that." Twilight heard from behind her. Twilight's head snapped around her and she fired a blast from her horn. The beam barely missing the head of where the words had come from. The words coming from that of Zulu.

Twilight relaxed, recognizing the changeling that had saved her life a few days earlier.

"What do you want?" Twilight snapped at Zulu, still a little on edge.

"Hey, I'm not the enemy here." Zulu said to Twilight, holding up his front hooves in defense.

"I'm... I'm sorry, changeling." Twilight began to apologize to Zulu, only to be interrupted by the changeling.

"Zulu, my name is Zulu." Zulu said to Twilight. A warm smile appearing on Twilight's face. The smile leaving Twilight's face when she remembered why she was there.

"I'm sorry Zulu, and... and I grateful for your help. I guess I speak for the rest of my friends that if hadn't saved us we might have been killed by Sigma." Twilight said to Zulu, thanking him for saving her and her friend's lives.

"Or worse." Zulu thought to himself as Twilight continued.

"I wish that I could do something. So much for becoming a princess." Twilight said more to herself in a defeatist tone. Her unfolding her large feathered wings in disappointed.

"Hey, Twilight." Zulu said up to the saddened alicorn. Twilight shifting her attention to the changeling at her side. "Just because you haven't been able to do anything in your first week of princess-hood doesn't mean that you won't ever." Zulu said, placing one of his hole-filled hooves on Twilight's shoulder.

"Thank you, Zulu. I think I needed to hear that." Twilight thanked the changeling, before shifting her attention to the massive dragon was was below them. "So, do you have a plan as how to defeat Omega and Sigma?" Twilight asked Zulu, hoping for to get any kind of plan from the changeling.

"Well, I know my weapons can pierce his scales. But there nowhere near powerful to kill him." Zulu said to Twilight, his Warp Spear materializing out of the shadows around him.

The two ponies' chat was brought to a close as Omega's giant body began to walk over toward the destroyed that they were in.

"Hide." Zulu whispered to Twilight. The odd pair hiding underneath a scorched table hoping that Omega hadn't noticed them.

"Omega!" The pair heard a deep voice call out. Zulu clearly picked his head from under the table to see that the one calling for the massive dragon was Sigma.

"Traditor." Zulu spat out at the sight of the younger black alpha dragon. Him beginning to raise from the table.

"Don't, Sigma might be evil, but this isn't a fight that we can win right now. We just have to wait for Alpha." Twilight whispered to Zulu, grabbing Zulu's hoof.

Zulu reluctantly followed Twilight's command and lowered into a sitting position, him still being able to see the two dragon chat. The booming voice of Omega impossible to not hear as he chatted with the small dragon below him.

"What is it, Sigma!?" Omega roared down to Sigma. "You better have good reasons for interrupting my brooding." Omega said down to Sigma. Omega's one red eye burning with anger.

"Trust me, my dear Alpha this is something that would want to see." Sigma said to Omega, being intentionally vague in his words.

"You don't say, bring it forth, whatever you might have." Omega said down to Sigma. A devilish grin spreading across Sigma's face.

"What are you planning Sigma?" Zulu thought out loud.

"Bring him forth." Sigma called out to a large group of armored dragons.

"Him!" Twilight and Zulu said as one. The ground beginning to shake underneath them. The pair assuming that it was just coming from the footsteps of Omega.

Twilight's mouth dropped and tears flowed from her eyes when she saw who Sigma was talking about. "No!" Twilight cried out. Her words muffled by her tears.

"I present to you the former Captian of The Royal Guard and Prince of the Crystal Empire, Shining Armor." Sigma presented Twilight brother like a trophy to his master. Shining having cuts and bruises all over his body as he struggled to his hooves.

"No! Not my Shining!" Cadence cried out. Her along with the other three alicorns tied up by chains. Their horns covered by a magical barrier.

"Silence pony!" A red-armored ordered at Cadence slapping her across the face. The pink alicorn hitting the cobblestone ground with a loud thud. Cadence didn't cry out in pain, she laid their her broken body a shell of her former elegant self.

"Cadence!" Twilight cried, her having to be held back by Zulu.

"Twilight don't." Zulu tried to hold Twilight back. The purple alicorn kicking her hooves in every direction in order to break out of Zulu's grasp.

"No!" Twilight cried out, her not caring anymore if her words were heard.

Omega lowered his head down to Shining Armor's level, the white unicorn looking like an ant in comparison. "Where is your sister?" Omega asked Shining Armor. The giant dragon's voice booming.

"I... I don't know." Shining Armor said up to Omega, hiding behind his hooves.

"You. Don't. KNOW!" Omega roared.

"Twilight and her friends disappeared not long after the battle. I don't know where they could be." Shining Armor cried up to Omega.

"It seems that you are of no further use to me." Omega said down to Shining Armor, the skies above the dragon seeming to blacken. "Sigma take him away, and enjoy yourself." Omega said to Sigma, a devilish appearing on both of the black dragons' faces.

"With pleasure, Alpha." Sigma said to Omega, him grabbing Shining Armor from the back of his head. Sigma's black claws digging into Shining Armor's neck. Twilight's brother cried out in pain as he was thrown to the ground by Sigma. Sigma's serrated teeth shining in the sunlight.

"This is going to be fun." Sigma said in a devilish tone, as he slowly stalked toward Shining Armor.

"Let me go!" Twilight cried out to Zulu. Her continuing to kick in every direction.

"I will ask up one last time." Omega spoke to Shining Armor. "Where. Is. Twilight. Sparkle!" Omega roared down to the injured unicorn.

Twilight couldn't take it anymore. She brought her right hind leg all the way back and delivered a perfect buck to Zulu's face. The changeling going falling into a pile of rubble with a loud crash.

Twilight blasted into the sky. Her eyes a blank white and horn glowing with so much magical energy that it whined with it.

"I AM RIGHT HERE!" Twilight's voice boomed.

"Twilight." Shining Armor said in shock up at his enraged younger sister.

"Perfect." Omega said turning his attention to the engaged alicorn hovering in the sky. "I'm been looking for a real challenge." Omega said to Twilight, only adding to her rage.

"You Will Pay For What You Have Done!" Twilight voice continued to boom. Twilight charged up her magic in her horn and fired a massive beam of magenta magic at Omega

Twilight charged up her magic in her horn and fired a massive beam of magenta magic at Omega. The beam hitting Omega squarely in the face and engulfing the black dragon in the magenta magic. The beam destroying everything in its path as to shot past Omega's body.

"Wow! What a mare." Zulu thought to himself.

Twilight floated toward the ground, her energy spent. Her eyes beginning to waver as the dust caused by her attack began to clear. Twilight's eyes shot back open as she heard a bone-chilling laugh coming from the dust.

"Ya... ya!" Omega laughed, the massive dragon emerging from the dust completely undamaged. "You ponies never learn. Do you?" Omega laughed again. "Sigma destroy this pest. Along with her brother." Omega said down to Omega, turning so that his new apprentice could enjoy his work.

Twilight tried to fire another beam from her horn, but it only fizzled out. Her energy completely gone from her one attack. "Come here my little pony. I am not going to hurt you." Sigma stalked the purple alicorn. Twilight being driven backward until she was pinned up against the remnants of what she assumed was clothing store. "I'm going to kill you, and then eat you." Sigma continued. Twilight not thinking for a second that the dragon was lying to her. Twilight closed her eyes and waited for the eventuality of her death.

Zulu was about to jump out of his hiding place and attack Sigma when a white blur jumped out from a pile of rubble and attacked Sigma. Sigma roared out in pain as his attacked dug his teeth into his attack.

Twilight opened her eyes to see the creature that had undoubting saved her life. A happy smile spreading across her face when she saw him.

"Theta!" Twilight called out. Theta delivering a swipe from claws right across Sigma face. Sending the black dragon falling into a pile of rubble.

"Get away from her you bitch!" Theta spat at his former brother. Sigma struggling to his feet.

"What is going on!?" Omega roared shifting down to his apprentice. His gaze falling onto that of Theta. "Oh! Look what we have here. It seems that the smallest cub has wondered away its mother." Omega said to Theta. The white dragon snorting in disgust as Omega continued.

"You shouldn't have come alone, little one." Omega said down to Theta. A smug smile spreading across Theta's face.

"Who said I was alone." Theta stated and at that exact moment, an all too familiar roar sounded across the sky.

All eyes shot toward the mountain that the ruined city had been built into. The entire top half of the mountain getting destroyed as Alpha blasted through it.

"He's back." Luna said, tears coming to her eyes.

"That's not possible." Omega snarled. Alpha letting out another loud roar. Him signaling to everyone in Equestria that the TRUE Alpha had returned.

"Sigma, get rid of this pest. I have my own extermination to perform." Omega letting out a roar of his own.

"With pleasure..." Sigma snarled charging at Theta. Theta responded with his own charge at Sigma. The two dragons colliding in a fury of claws, teeth, and blood.

Twilight was about to join Theta in his fight against Sigma when she was stopped by Zulu. "Yeah, what are you doing?" Twilight protested.

"Twilight there nothing more we can do. This is Alpha and Theta's fight now. We have to get out of here." Zulu said to Twilight.

"He's right Twilight, get out of here." Theta said in agreeance. Theta roaring out in pain and Sigma clamped his massive down on his neck. Theta's legs giving out and him dropping to the ground.

"But... Theta." Twilight protested against her logical mind.

"Go!" Theta roared over the pain coursing throughout his body.

"Come on." Zulu ordered at Twilight, grabbing her hoof. The two ponies disappearing in a flash of Twilight's magenta magic.

With his friends out of harms way Theta shifted his entire attention back to that of Sigma. The black dragon still dug deep into his neck.

"Get off me!" Theta roared, shaking his brother off of him. Sigma landing a few yards away. Sigma teeth soaked in the blood of his brother.

"Hmm... you taste good." Sigma snarled, licking the blood on his pointed teeth.

"You are twisted, Sigma." Theta snarled at his former brother. Rivers of blood flowing from the three bite marks on his neck.

"I know, and I won't have it any other way." Sigma said with a grin that could make an Ursa Major heart skip a beat. The black dragon charging at Theta. The two young alphas engaging in another round of combat. The two dragons' attacks being but a fury of swipes of claws across each others faces. A much larger battle taking place above them.

"You shouldn't have come back, Delta." Omega said to Alpha, as two titans crashed into each other.

"I couldn't live with myself knowing that you would be the one ruling over the citizens of Equestria." Alpha snarled back at Omega. The two giants traded blows. Alpha slamming Omega off of the mountain and down to the grassland below, or at least, that's what it was before the dragon's under the command of Omega scorched it.

Alpha and Omega continued to trade blows. Omega's claws landing powerful strikes on the scales of Alpha. Alpha roaring out in pain as Omega began to gain the upper hand in the fight.

"You still can't defeat me." Omega roared, slashing Alpha across the face, knocking Alpha to the ground.

Theta overpowered his brother and used his tail to knock him unconscious. Theta's ear perked up when he heard the battle between Alpha and Omega. Theta ran over to the edge of the cliff that marked the end of Canterlot to watch the two giants fight.

"No!" Theta cried out as he watched Omega stand over Alpha. Giant drops of drool falling from Omega's mouth.

"You will never defeat me." Omega roared, placing his claws up against the throat of Alpha. Omega ready to end this battle once and for all.

Omega was about to deliver the killing blow would a small roar broke his concentration. All eyes shot to the where the roar had come from. The roar coming from that of Theta. The smaller alpha dragon running at full speed toward Omega.

"Get away from him!" Theta roared at Omega, jumping onto the snout of the larger dragon. Theta's claws digging into the scales of Omega. Fresh blood flowing from Omega.

Omega reared up onto his hind legs in a manner to knock the smaller dragon off of him. Omega roaring out in pain.

Alpha took advantage of Omega's distraction and rose to his full height. Omega came up down on his four legs, him shaking his head back and forth in a manner to shake Theta off. Theta dug his claws deeper into the snout of Omega as Alpha reared up on his hind legs. His massive coming directly down on the neck of Omega. Omega roaring out in pain as he was now being attacked by two dragons simultaneously.

Theta hopped off of Omega's head and landed on the shoulder of Alpha. His mentor now having the momentum of the battle.

Alpha lifted Omega in his jaws and threw him across the land. Omega landing on his side more pissed off than anything else.

Omega struggled to his feet and let out a roar at the duo that was attacking him. His one red eye burning with hatred.

"Enough! Omega, this is over, just surrender!" Alpha roared at Omega, hoping that his brother would finally realize when he was beaten.

"NEVER!" Omega roared charging at Alpha.

"Theta move!" Alpha roared at Theta, him shifting the position of his shoulders so that Theta would use his balance and fall off of him. In a manner to protect Theta from Omega's attack.

Theta plummeted toward the ground, hitting it with a loud thud. Theta just missing getting stepped on by Omega as he slammed into Alpha. Omega slamming Alpha into the cliff of the mountain that Canterlot had been built into.

"Alpha!" Theta cried out.

Twilight and Zulu teleported to edge of the Everfree Forest. The two landing on the dirt ground with a small thud.

"Ugh... where are we?" Zulu asked Twilight, struggling to his hooves.

"We're at the edge of Everfree Forest." Twilight answered Zulu hit a massive headache. Her surprised that she could teleport herself to Ponyville, yet another pony/changeling whatever.

"Twilight!" The pair heard somepony call out Twilight's name. Both of the ponies eyes shifted toward the sound to see that it was one of Twilight's friends, Rarity to be exact, calling for the purple alicorn.

"Rarity!" Twilight called out to Rarity running over to her friend. "What are you girls all doing here?" Twilight asked Rarity, seeing that see wasn't alone. The white unicorn being joined by Pinkie Pie and Applejack.

"All you know, just doing what you told us to do." Rarity said, Twilight's eyes widening at her words.

"You mean did you really find them?" Twilight asked Rarity. Rarity nodding in agreement.

"Find what?" Zulu asked the four ponies in front of him.

"These." Rarity said, her using her magic to levitate the Elements of Harmony out of one of the saddlebags on her back.

The happy moment between the ponies was interrupted by the roar of Alpha. "Enough! Omega, this is over, just surrender!" The ponies heard Alpha roared at Omega

"Hang on everypony." Twilight said her horn glowing as she cast a teleportation spell on the five ponies. Twilight and the rest of her friends teleporting to the open field where Alpha and Omega were fighting. Twilight collapsing out of exhaustion.

"NEVER!" Omega roared, charging at Alpha.

"Theta move!" Alpha roared at Theta, him shifting the position of his shoulders so that Theta would use his balance and fall off of him. In a manner to protect Theta from Omega's attack.

Theta plummeted toward the ground, hitting it with a loud thud. Theta just missing getting stepped on by Omega as he slammed into Alpha. Omega pinning Alpha into the cliff of the mountain that Canterlot had been built into.

"Alpha!" Theta cried out.

"You know what Delta you are just like the rest. Doing your absolute best to save the world and trying to play God. Let me tell you something Delta! There's only one dragon in the world who could play such a role!" Omega roared as he used his massive tail to slap Alpha into the side of the cliff. The cliff crumbling from the impact and covering Alpha in a pile of rubble.

"Me!" Omega spat at Alpha.

"No!" Theta cried out.

"A... Twilight." Rarity said, taking Twilight attention away from the battle taking place in front of her.

"What is it Rarity?" Twilight asked Rarity, her completely exhausted.

"I just wanted to know. Should the Elements be glowing like that?" Rarity said pointing at the Elements behind her.

"No why..." Twilight began to ask Rarity. Twilight falling silent as she saw all six of the Elements of Harmony glowing brightly as they began to hover above the ground.

Without warning, all of the Elements blasted toward Canterlot. Them marking their target, Alpha. Their most powerful form unlocked for the very first time.

The Elements blast past Omega's head as they shot into the rubble that covered Alpha. Rainbow colored light coming out from the rubble. Omega taking a step back in both fear and confusion.

"What is going on!?" Omega roared.

I don't know, Omega." Alpha said rainbow colored fire blasting out from rubble freeing Alpha. Alpha rising to his full height. Every pony and dragon alike mouths dropped in shock as they stared at Alpha. The giant dragon clad in some kind of rainbow-colored armor.

Alpha's right foreleg was covered in an orange battle armor that covered his entire left foreleg, ending at his shoulder. A large orange apple forming in the armor, just above his elbow. Alpha unlocking the greatest potential of the Element of Honesty.

Alpha's left foreleg was covered in a pink battle armor that covered his entire left foreleg, ending at his shoulder. A large blue balloon forming in the armor just above his elbow. Alpha unlocking the greatest potential of the Element of Laughter.

Alpha's right hind leg was covered in a pink battle armor that covered his entire right hind leg, ending at his hip. The yellow armor also ran up the right half of Alpha's long tail. A large pink butterfly forming in the armor where you would expect a cutie mark to be. Alpha unlocking the greatest potential of the Element of Kindness.

Alpha's left hind leg was covered in a white battle armor that covered his entire left hind leg, ending at his hip. The white armor also ran up the left half of half of Alpha's long tail. A large purple gemstone forming in the armor where you would expect a cutie mark to be. Alpha unlocking the greatest potential of the Element of Generosity.

Alpha's back was covered in a cyan colored battle armor that covered his back and the upper side of his neck, ending at the base of his tail. The battle armor also covering his massive bat-like wings. The armor seeming to heal the broken wing of Alpha. A large red lightning bolt forming in the center of Alpha's back. Exactly where Alpha's wings attached to his back. Alpha unlocking the greatest potential of the Element of Loyalty.

Alpha rose up on his hind legs to show the chest plate of his newly acquired battle armor. Alpha's chest covered in a purple battle armor that covered all of Alpha's underbelly and all the up to the underside of his neck. A magenta six-pointed star-forming in the battle armor in the center of his chest. The star being much larger than the rest. Alpha unlocking the greatest potential of the Element of Magic.

Alpha's head was covered in seven different lines. Them orange, blue, pink, purple, red, magenta, and white. Each line representing each Element of Harmony and the alpha status.

Alpha had unlocked the legendary Harmony Armor. The greatest potential of the Elements of Harmony.

"Being a god can't be too hard." Alpha said to Omega. Him admiring his newly required battle armor. "I mean, I'm the most powerful creature on the planet. I'm not playing God. All this time... I've been playing dragon." Alpha said to Omega, his eyes splitting into every color of the rainbow as he used the unbelievable power of the Harmony Armor for the first time.

The red lightning bolt began to glow as Alpha opened his massive wings. Alpha then flapped his wings just once. The increased power of the Harmony Armor created a small hurricane behind Alpha as he blasted toward Omega. The wing created by his wings leveling any building in Canterlot that was already a pile of burning rubble.

The orange apple on Alpha's right foreleg as Alpha punched Omega right across the face. I force of impact completely shattering Omega's jaw and leaving him in a state of confusion.

Alpha didn't let up with delivering another strike, this one from his left foreleg. The blue balloon glowing as Alpha punched Omega.

This punch knocked Omega to the ground. Alpha wrapping his armored right claws around Omega's neck. "Let's take a trip." Alpha said down to Omega. Him opening his massive wings and blasting into the air. Alpha slamming into the last remnants of the mountain that Canterlot had been built into.

When Alpha cleared the mountain he kept climbing for another few hundred feet before using his massive tail, both the pink butterfly and purple gemstone glowing, to hit Omega. Omega quickly plummeting toward the ground. Alpha decided to increase Omega speed of impact and he blasted toward the ground. Him hitting Omega right in the chest the two slamming into the ground.

Alpha picking up his brother and slamming back into the ground three times as they both slide to a stop. The orange apple on his right foreleg glowing each time.

Alpha then swiped across Omega's face with both his claws. Each respective Element glowing as he delivered his blow.

Alpha's attacks came to a stop when a small voice stop the armored giant. "Delta please." Omega said, his words weak.

Alpha stared down at his brother, his right claw still raised to attack. His brother's body battered and bloody. His face completely unrecognizable. What stuck Alpha the most was his one good eye. His eye no longer blood-red like the rest of him. No, instead it was blue, sky blue. The brother that had once played with all those centuries ago, that brother that he had once loved, had at last returned had returned, but at what cost.

"Delta... please." Omega begged at his brother. Tears flowing from both of their eyes.

"I'm... I'm sorry." Alpha said to Omega before delivering one last strike from his claws. His strike ringing true. Omega neck snapping in a single earth-shaking snap and falling to the ground limp. "Brother." Alpha said down to the limp body of his brother, clear tears falling down his cheek.

Alpha rose to his full height and let out of his fire. His fire being rainbow colored, fulfilling the same dream that Omega had for over millennia.

The Harmony Armor retreated from Alpha's body, them returning to the saddlebag of Rarity. Alpha's body beginning to sway from exhaustion. His vision blurry.

"Alpha!" Alpha heard his apprentice called his name.

"I'm coming." Alpha stated, him collapsing to the ground.

"ALPHA!" Theta cried out, taking off at full speed to his mentor.

"I'm coming... brother." Alpha said weakly. The white scales of Theta being the last thing he saw before blacking out.

The Ending of One Story (Manehattan Arc)

"Alpha!" Theta cried out, running up to the unconscious body of his mentor. The giant dragon's head buried a few into the dirt. "Alpha, please can you hear me?" Theta pleaded at the giant dragon in front of him.

There was no response from Alpha. The giant dragon's body continuing to remain motionless. His body was not even moving for breathing.

The sad truth began to dawn on Theta. "He can't be. He just can't be." Theta said in denial, tears coming to his eyes. Theta nearly jumped out of his scales when he felt a hoof on his shoulder. Theta jerked his head around to see the purple eyes of Twilight staring back at him. Theta relaxing at the sight of the purple alicorn.

"I can't image what you are going through right now." Twilight said up to Theta, her extended horn reaching about Theta's neck. "I won't what I would do if I lost any of my friends." Twilight continued to say to Theta.

"Good thing you will never have to find out." A raspy and weak voice coming from the giant dragon in front of the pair. Theta and Twilight both jumping backward at the sudden speech of Alpha. Alpha slowing opening his eyes. His eyelids moving like a rusty garage door as they slowly opened. Alpha's eyes returning to their original emerald green color.

"Alpha you're... alive." Theta stammered, the giant dragon slowly rising to his full height. Alpha's body covered in deep cuts and bruises larger than most ponies all over his body. Alpha grunting as he forced his battered body to move. Alpha turned his head toward to see his right wing, only to see that it was still cradled up against his side. The wing still bent at a weird angle.

"Figures..." Alpha thought to himself. The Harmony Armor appearing to just hold Alpha together during battle, instead actually healing him.

"Alpha... are you alright?" Theta asked his mentor, noticing that the giant dragon was staring at the lifeless body of Omega.

"No Theta... no, I'm not." Alpha said to Theta, looking directly at the floor.

Over in the ruins of Canterlot Sigma began to regain consciousness. "Ugh... what did I miss Omega?" Sigma grunted, rubbing his head in pain. A bump beginning to form on the base of his skull.

"Omega!" Sigma repeated when he didn't hear a response from his newest mentor. His red eyes drifted toward the plains where Alpha and Omega had fought. Him finding the lifeless and brutally attacked the body of Omega laying on the scorched ground beneath Sigma. Massive gashes that dug several feet into his flesh all over Omega's face. Omega's neck laying aimlessly at his side.

"No..." Sigma said in disbelief. Him not believing that the great Omega had fallen to his weaker brother. Sigma shot daggers at the massive body of Alpha. His body looking not much then Omega's. Alpha's body basically looking like it was being held together just by his battered scales. Alpha's red scales losing a lot of their color from his many battles against Omega.

"I guess that my cue." Sigma said to himself, him knowing that there was no way that he could win a fight between the Alpha and his brother without the assistance of Omega.

Sigma began to sneak out of the ruined city of Canterlot, the snowcapped mountains of the South looking as the best place for Sigma to find out until the time was right for him to return.

"You may have won this day brother." Sigma said to himself, as he began to leave Canterlot. His blood red eyes shooting spears at Theta. Theta's white scales making him impossible to miss. "But soon I will return. I will be victorious." Sigma roared, taking off to find shelter in the many caves in the Southern mountains.

"So... does anypony have any ideas as what to do with that." Rarity asked, pointing her hoof at the lifeless body of Omega. His decaying corpse being to stink in the late Spring sun.

"Let me take care of him." Alpha said. His words slow and defeated.

"Are you sure, Delta?" Luna asked Alpha. The blue alicorn, along with her sister and niece now freed from their bonds.

"I'm sure Luna. Omega is my brother." Alpha said, him pausing. The almost always stoic and powerful looking Alpha, now looking like a scared filly one the first day of school. The massive dragon's broken and battered body swaying in the light breeze of the Spring afternoon. "I am the one that hated him for all of these centuries." Alpha continued, all of time and space seeming to come to a stop as he did. "I am the one, that in the end killed him. So it seems only fitting that I should be the one that will put him to rest." Alpha said, turning his massive body to walk over to the lifeless corpse of Omega.

Everypony and dragon present watched Alpha in dead silence, only the sound of the light breeze in the air, as Alpha gently lifted the body of Omega off of the ground and onto his back.

"Delta, where are you going?" Luna asked Alpha as he began to walk toward the setting sun.

"I don't know Luna, somewhere that is quiet... I guess." Alpha said to the blue alicorn, him continuing his long march to finally put his brother to rest.

Silence came upon the group of ponies and dragon as Alpha disappeared under the setting sun. "So... now what." Twilight stated, the last flames from the rubble of Canterlot beginning to fizzle out.

"We rebuild." Celestia said to her former student.

"No, offense Princess, but how do we rebuild an entire city from the ground up?" Twilight asked Celestia.

"We don't, we may be able to rebuild Canterlot to the greatness that it once was." Celestia said to Twilight. A seemly forced smile coming to her lips as a thought came to mind.

"But I do believe that there is something that will do, at least for now." Celestia said, opening his gigantic wings.

"What?" Twilight asked Celestia, opening her own feathered wings.

"Follow me, Twilight." Celestia said as lifted into the air. Twilight quickly following the white alicorn a few feet into the air.

"Luna, would you please inform are citizens that Equestria is back under pony control?" Celestia asked her little sister. Luna giving her sister a quick nod, her opening her own wings to inform subjects of the latest change of control of Equestria.

"Cadence, I believe that you and Shining Armor should return to the Crystal Empire. I don't believe that they would be doing very well with the loss of their Prince and Princess." Celestia said down to Cadence, the pink alicorn nodding as she opened her own wings to fly off to the Crystal Empire.

"I will meet back home." Shining Armor called up to his wife.

"No, Shining you should here." Cadence said down to her husband. Flying back down to the ground to speak with Shining Armor in private.

"Are you sure?" Shining whispered to Cadence.

"Yes, you should stay here and look after Twilight." Cadence said to Shining, sneaking a glance at Equestria's newest alicorn. "She's been through a lot in the last few days, and she needs her family and her friends more than anypony right now." Cadence said to Shining. The small gears in her husband's head beginning to turn in thought.

"But you're family too." Shining Armor said to Cadence, the pink alicorn's face turning slightly redder in a blush.

"I know, but Crystal Empire needs somepony to rule over it right now." Cadence said to her husband. "And I believe that it needs its Princess, a little bit more than it needs its Prince." Cadence said to Shining Armor, the white unicorn nodding in agreement.

"Ok, I hear you, just be careful." Shining Armor said to Cadence.

"I always am." Cadence said to Shining Armor, the two sharing a short kiss on the lips. Cadence opening her wings and taking to the skies. Cadence hovering for a berth second when reached the attitude of Celestia and Twilight.

"I'll be back in a few days, Twilight." Cadence said, embracing her sister-in-law in a one-way hug. "Take care of yourself, Twi." Cadence said pulling out of the hug.

"I will Cadence." Twilight said back.

"I mean it Twilight." Cadence said firmly. "I saw what you did to Omega. You have a lot of power now, and you have to make sure that you are ready for it, and more importantly that you are able to control it." Cadence said to Twilight, the purple alicorn having to avert her eyes.

"Great, now I'm being lectured by my sister-in-law now." Twilight vented internally.

"Twilight, I'm just looking out for you." Cadence finished. Twilight having missed the last few sentences by her sister in law. Twilight quickly noticed her lack of focus and simply nodded to Cadence.

"Ok, I'll be back soon." Cadence said to Twilight, embracing her in another hug.

"Ok, I will see you when you return." Twilight said to Cadence, awkwardly pulling out of the hug.

Cadence quickly left for the Crystal Empire. Her pink body becoming nothing more than a pink dot on the horizon within a few minutes.

Celestia quickly turned her attention back to the white dragon that was standing below her.

"Theta." Celestia stated to the white dragon, taking Theta off guard.

"Um... yes Princess Celestia." Theta stammered.

"Do you think that you will be able to bring all of the dragons that had gone rogue under Omega's command back under control?" Celestia asked Theta. Theta falling silent for a few seconds. It was never the best at getting others to follow him.

After a few moments of awkward silence, Celestia asked Theta again. "Theta, did you hear me?" Celestia asked Theta.

"Yes... yes I heard you, princess." Theta said hoping for his bravery to return. "I will try my best to bring my fellow dragons under control. But, without the Alpha, it might be a little difficult." Theta said up to the hovering princess. Celestia raising one of her eyebrows at Theta's words.

"Why is that?" Celestia asked Theta.

"Because dragons have never been known as creatures that follow orders from anyone other than the Alpha." Theta said to Celestia. "Plus, I can guarantee that most of the dragons weren't under the control of Omega when they attacked Equestria." Theta thought to himself. "But... I will do my best to bring my brethren back under control." Theta said to Celestia. A smile spreading across the white alicorn's face.

"Excellent, the largest concentration of dragons are in Manehattan. I believe that is where you should start." Celestia said down to Theta, the white dragon nodding in response. "Perfect, follow me Twilight. I know the perfect place that will work well Canterlot is rebuilt, again." Celestia said to Twilight. The two alicorns flying deeper into the Everfree Forest.

"So... who wants to go to Manehattan?" Theta said to the rest of the Mane Six present. Rarity raising her hoof and jumping up and down in excitement. Theta couldn't stop himself from giggling at the sight of the white unicorn jumping up and down like a little school filly at the mention of going to Manehattan.

After a few minutes of flying in complete silence, Twilight built up the courage to ask Celestia exactly where they were going. "Um... Princess, don't mean to sound blunt or anything, but where exactly are we going?" Twilight asked Celestia.

"You'll see Twilight. We're almost there." Celestia said to Twilight. The two alicorns flying to a place that Celestia would have never thought to return to. Let alone live in.

"Wait... isn't this the way to..." Twilight began to realize where her former mentor was taking her.

"Yes Twilight, we are heading to the..." Celestia interrupted Twilight. The two alicorns flying over a pile of blackened trees to see the crumbling remains of Celestia and Luna's former home.

"The Castle of the Two Sisters." Celestia finished, her flying down to the ground. Twilight quickly following her. The pair stood in front of the ancient castle for a few awkward moments before Twilight finally began to spoke.

"Well... it's nice. I guess." Twilight said to Celestia, now really sure what else to say.

Celestia let out a heavy sigh at her former student's weak attempt to make conservation and said to her. "Don't flatter yourself Twilight. I know that this place is a crumbling wreck." Celestia said somberly. "But..." Celestia shifted, her warm smile returning to her face. "it will do for the time being." Celestia said, beginning to walk toward the large castle. "Come on Twilight, I will show you around." Celestia said to Twilight, motioning with her hoof for Twilight to follow. Twilight quickly trotting to catch up with the white alicorn's side.

"I can't believe that we are going to Manehattan!" Rarity exclaimed as her and Theta, rode a train to the city in question.

"I not sure that this is going to be a very pleasant experience Rarity." Theta said to the white unicorn who was eagerly jumping up and down in her seat. Theta having to clear out most of the extra chairs in the train car in order for him to lay down. Theta's tail wrapping around his body in a half circle. The three gashes in Theta's neck having stopped bleeding about a half an hour earlier. Theta had no doubt that he was going to be earning a few scars from his battles against both Spike and Sigma.

"I know that, with the full dragon invasion thing. But this is Manehattan it couldn't be that bad." Rarity said to Theta, waving off the prospect of going to a city under siege by an army of fire-breathing creatures. Theta seeing Rarity's arrogance as both stupid and self-destructive.

"Whatever you say Rarity." Theta mumbled to himself as he drifted off into a short nap.

A few hours seemed to pass when Theta was awoken by the constant tapping on his nostrils by a hoof. "What..." Theta groaned still half asleep. His eyes opened to see the purple ones of Rarity staring back at him.

"About time, you woke up darling." Rarity said rising to her full height. Theta quickly following suit. The white dragon's muscles all sore from a week filled with fighting. "We have just arrived." Rarity said to Theta, the odd pair exiting the train and walking into the Grand Central Station of Manehattan. It being the largest interconnection train station in all of Equestria.

"Ok, let's get started." Theta said walking in front of Rarity. The having to almost run in order to just keep pace with the long strides of her dragon companion.

"Hey, wait up!" Rarity called after her dragon companion. "I'm here to help just as much as you are." Rarity said to Theta. Theta only half listening.

"No offense Rarity, but I don't think that you will be of that much help." Theta said to Rarity. Him taking note of the crowd of ponies that seemed top part as he continued to travel through the maze of ponies that was the mane room of the gigantic station. Theta even noticing a light blue unicorn running off in fear. His white scales certainly made him stand out.

"How so?" Rarity asked Theta, taking slight offense to Theta's comment.

"Because you're not a dragon." Theta said to Rarity, getting a gasp from the fashion pony.

"Theta! I have never heard something so horrid!" Rarity covered her mouth with her hoof. Her sending a death glare that she was known for. Theta coming to stop when he realized his mistake.

"I didn't mean it that way. I just mean it is very unlikely for a full grown dragon to held the command of... well a tiny pony." Theta said to Rarity, the fashionista's face softening a little bit.

"So.. what's the plan. I mean a few dragons shouldn't that hard to find, even in a city like Manehattan." Rarity said, letting a seemingly forced smile.

"Hmm..." Theta hummed in deep thought, scratching his chin with his claws. "Rarity." Theta said catching the unicorn's attention.

"Yes, darling." Rarity said to Theta. Theta barely suppressing a laugh at Rarity's habit of calling everyone 'darling'.

Theta refocused and asked Rarity the question that would most likely lead them to the rest of his dragon brethren. "Where is the most expensive part of Manehattan?" Theta asked Rarity, the white unicorn's face lighting up at the question.

"The Fashion Distinct! Of course!" Rarity exclaimed.

"Perfect, lead the way." Theta said to Rarity.

'With pleasure." Rarity said to Theta, her scaled companion beginning to grow on her.

However, before Theta and Rarity could continue with their quest. A cry coming from the same light blue unicorn that Theta had seen run off made Theta's ears perk up.

"It's right there officer!" Theta heard the unicorn call out. Theta whipping his head toward the sound to see that the unicorn was accompanied by a half a dozen muscular unicorn ponies dressed in a blue officer uniform. All, but one, adorning a thick black mustache.

"Destroy it!" The blue unicorn called out, pointing her hoof at Theta. Theta instantly dropping down into a defensive stance.

"Theta, what is going on?" Rarity asked Theta, beginning to trot backward.

"I don't know Rarity, but stay behind me." Theta whispered to Rarity, placing his foreleg protectively in front of the white unicorn.

"Thank you, madam, we will take this form here." One of the officers, Theta assuming to be the captain, said to the blue unicorn. The officers all using their magic to hold a metal pole, blue sparks of electricity coming from the sticks in question.

Theta let out a slight roar of warning at the officers. Him beginning to retreat backward. Rarity still hiding protectively behind Theta's right foreleg. This was when Theta finally realized that the large concrete entrance hall had been completely deserted, with only a few ponies watching in assumed safety from the balconies above.

"Perfect, now we have ponies that find delight in our discomfort." Theta gruffed internally, returning his attention back to the officer ponies in front of him. Them quickly beginning to back Theta into a corner of the station. Theta's size might be a benefit most of the time, but right now it was starting to come back and haunt. The base of Theta's tail hitting the wall of concrete.

"Shit!" Theta thought. Him and Rarity now trapped. Theta refusing to use his fire on the ponies, unless it was absolutely necessary.

Once the officers realized that they had the white dragon right where they needed the officer that Theta assumed was the captain began to speak to him. His voice containing a thick Manehattan accent.

"We don't want any trouble here." The officer said to Theta. Theta letting out an irritated growl.

"That has sailed over a year ago, man." Theta thought to himself, his anger being barely contained.

"Just let the mare go, and turn yourself in peacefully." The officer said to Theta. Theta and Rarity sharing a confused look. Rarity sending Theta a look that said 'is he talking about me'. "We can either do this the easy way..." The officer continued, Theta and Rarity not really listening. "or the hard way." The officer continued, his electric stick thing sparking to life.

"What the buck is going on?!" Theta raged internally, him not really happy about getting in another fight that day.

Deep inside the darkness of the Everfree Forest, Twilight continued to follow Celestia throughout the ruins of the Castle of the Two Sisters.

"You know when you look past the overgrown plants and missing roof. This place isn't really that bad." Twilight said to Celestia, taking in her surroundings. Celestia giggling at the strangeness of Twilight statement.

"I must say that despite this places... short-comings. It will definitely be capable as a means of operation until Canterlot can be rebuilt, again." Celestia agreeing with Twilight. Celestia continued to ramble on about how to fix the ruins of the castle that Celestia used to call home over a thousand years earlier. Twilight only half paying attention. Her more interested in the events that lead up to Omega's betrayal.

"I believe that your friend Rarity could help mend this tapestries." Celestia said to Twilight. Her expecting one of the tapestries of the ruined castle with her hoof. The tapestries a blue piece of cloth that ran the length of the entire brick wall showing Luna surrounded by a blanket of stars. The blue alicorn's horn glowing as she raised the moon.

"Princess, may I ask you a question?" Twilight spoke up, catching the white alicorn's attention.

"Yes, Twilight, whatever you desire." Celestia said to Twilight, taken a little off guard.

"What happened between Alpha and Omega?" Twilight asked Celestia. Celestia muscles instantly tensing up at the question.

"Why... why do you ask?" Celestia asked Twilight, her words filled with hesitation.

"I think I would just like to know what was the cause for two brothers to hate each so much that they would destroy an entire country out of rage." Twilight said to Celestia, her words burning with sarcasm.

"Alright..." Celestia said waving her hoof to calm her former student. "I guess you do have the right to know exactly what happened all those years ago." Celestia said, turning to face Twilight directly.

"It all started long ago. Long before me and my sister were even born." Celestia began to explain the ancient history of Equestria to Twilight. The two alicorn walking side by side through the ruined castle. The soft Spring breeze sending a shiver down Twilight spine as Celestia continued.

"Equestria was once ruled by dragons and the King of them all was the Alpha. A gigantic dragon with scales the same color as gold as the flame that he created. The Alpha had two apprentices, them being Delta and his twin brother Omega." Celestia said, Twilight interrupting her.

"I already know that. What I really want to know is what exactly happened that drove Omega to betray Alpha?" Twilight asked Celestia, the white alicorn letting out a heavy sigh.

"The exact reasons as to why Omega betrayed his brother may be up for debate for centuries to come. Especially since Omega is no longer able to give his answer as to why." Celestia said to Twilight, her believing this was the best way to speak of Omega's death.

"Omega might have been jealous that his brother earned the right to be the Alpha. A right that he believed that he deserved." Celestia continued, beginning to go through her own reasons as to why Omega betrayed his brother. "He might have believed that he could lead his fellow dragons better than his brother, or he just wanted the power that came with the control of the Alpha." Celestia continued, placing Twilight into deep thought.

"Or maybe, he was just going down a different path in his life. A path that didn't include his brother." Celestia said to Twilight. Her words sounding very similar to those that Sigma had said to Theta. When Sigma betrayed Theta.

"That sounds a lot like what Sigma had said to Theta when he betrayed him." Twilight said to Celestia. Expressing her thoughts.

"Sigma and Omega do share a lot of similarities." Celestia said, continuing to trot through the castle. "If you think about, so does Theta and Delta." Celestia thought out loud. A small, seemingly, forced giggle escaping passed her lips.

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked Celestia, curious as to what her former was thinking.

"Both Theta and Delta were betrayed by the very creature that they loved most in their life. A creature that had grown to hate them." Celestia said to Twilight.

"They both also contain a great power within them. A power that they were both scared to unleash." Celestia said to Twilight, and eerie silence coming on the ruined castle.

Back in Manehattan, Theta and Rarity were still surrounded by a group of officer ponies. Theta doing his best to protect his pony companion. The officers taking his protection of Rarity as him pony napping her.

"I will only ask you this only one more time. Let the mare go." The officer said to Theta. Rarity only trotting closer to Theta's body. Her getting a perfect view of the bite marks on Theta's neck. Them slowly beginning to heal.

"Now why should I do that?" Theta spat at the officer. Moving his foreleg so that he could cover Rarity from the officers' view. Theta hoping to get, at least, some information as to why they were being attacked by local law enforcement.

"We have had to deal with enough dragons kidnapping ponies in the last few weeks. We hope that we wouldn't have to find another helpless soul dead in an ally with claw marks. Slaughtered by a bunch of mindless beasts." The officer that Theta assumed was the captain spat back at Theta. Only adding to his anger.

Theta slammed his right foreleg on the marble floor, cracking its surface. Rarity recoiling in fear, Theta's eyes turning red in burning anger. "I am not a mindless beast!" Theta roared, beginning to stand up on his hind legs. The white scales on his chest beginning to glow bright red.

"Ready your weapons men." The same officer ordered his men. "We got him right where we want him." The officer thought, a smug smirk appearing on his mustached face.

"Wait!" Rarity called out. All eyes shifting to the white unicorn as she walked out of the protection of Theta's leg.

"Rarity, what are you doing?" Theta whispered to Rarity.

"Trust me, I know what I'm doing." Rarity whispered back. Rarity trotted over to the half of dozen officer ponies, the lowering their weapons as Rarity approached.

"Are you alright madame? Had this beast harmed you in any way?" The officer asked Rarity, Theta muscles tensing up at being referred to as a beast.

Rarity shook off the insult to her companion and spoke the officer pony. "No, not at all." Rarity said to the officer, a small giggle escaping her lips. The officers' faces relaxing a little bit at the unicorn's words. "In fact, I was never in any danger to begin with." Rarity said to the officers, a look of confusion all appearing on their mustached faces.

"I beg your burden." One of the officers, this one being a pale yellow unicorn to the left of the supposed captain.

"You heard me." Rarity said bluntly, her blue eyes burning with anger. "I was never in any danger around Theta!" Rarity snapped, the six officers all taking a step back. Theta enjoying the fireworks going on in front of him.

"We... never meant to cause any inconvenience to you, madame." The officer pony apologized to Rarity. The white unicorn keeping a stern expression on her face.

"Do you even know you had just insulted?" Rarity yelled at the officer ponies. Them all taking another step backward. Them all shaking their heads no. "This is Theta, the apprentice of the great Alpha of all the dragons, and the next rightful ruler of the Dragon Empire!" Rarity continued to yell at the officers. The officers' eyes, along with the other ponies present, all widening at her words. A small blush appearing on Theta face.

"This dragon helped defeat the gigantic dragon that ruled over Equestria for the last week!" Rarity continued to yell. The officer ponies really beginning to realize just how much they had bucked up. Theta's blush only growing larger and redder.

"Rarity please." Theta said to Rarity, urging her to stop.

"No! I'm sorry Theta, but these gentle colts need to know what you have done." Rarity said back to Theta.

"Please Rarity, I didn't do that much." Theta said, him firmly believing that he hadn't done really anything that special.

"Theta, you on a dragon the size of a mountain. That's something not even Twilight or the even other Princesses for that matter, could you like it or not, you are a hero." Rarity said to Theta. The white dragon looking toward the ground. He had been called many things throughout his life. Most of them negative, like worthless. Words that he had come accustomed to in time. But, he had never been called a hero before. He never thought that he would do something in any major significance to even get the chance for anyone, dragon or pony, to see him as nothing more than a pitiful excuse for a dragon.

"Thanks, Rare." Theta mumbled, still looking toward the ground.

"I, along with the rest of my men, apologize for other previous behavior. I will accept our most sincerest apologies..." The head officer began to apologize to Theta. Theta having to take a step back at his neck words. "Your majesty." The officer said to Theta. Theta having to take a noticeable step back. He had never considered himself as royalty. Did him just being an alpha dragon make him, by definition royalty. Was it like being an alicorn. Theta didn't have the energy to overthink his current standing in the political leader so he just put on the backburner, as something to ask his mentor at a different time.

"No worries." Words seemed to come out of Theta's mouth without his knowledge. Snapping him back to reality. "You believed that I was a monster coming to destroy your great city." Theta said, his words seeming to work. With a smile appearing on all of the officers' faces.

"Great now that we all of this sorted out. We had come to assist in the reintegration of rebellious dragons." Rarity said.

"Well, in that case, we would much appreciate your assistance. My officers have been working night and day trying to wind up all of the loose dragons in this city. I hope that with the help of some dragon royalty that will make the process much faster." The officer that Theta had a firm belief being, at least, a captain said. Theta still not liking being called royalty.

Theta and Rarity followed the officer to the police in the city. The station a large multistoried apartment-like brick building with the words "Manehattan Police Department" in bold white letters on a blue plaque above the entrance to the station.

"Right this way future Alpha, we have a few rogue dragons that we have been able to capture inside." The officer that Theta had since learned had the name of Gold Star and was, in fact, a captain.

"Thank you, and please call me Theta. I don't want to make things any more awkward than they already have been between us." Theta said to Golden Star.

"That good to hear Theta, the dragons that we have detained are this way." Gold Star said to Theta, pointing his hoof down a hallway filled with steel cells large enough to hold up to a dozen or so ponies at once, or even a full grown dragon.

"Thank you, I believe it would be best I address my fellow dragons, alone." Theta said, Gold Star accepting the white dragon's wishes.

"What do you want me to do?" Rarity asked. Theta almost completely forgetting the presence of the white unicorn.

"You can find out where most of the dragon have been, and after I'm done here we can check it out." Theta said to Rarity. The white unicorn nodding in agreement.

"Now, where are these dragons that you are talking about?" Theta asked Gold Star, turning his attention back to the captain.

"Right this way." The captain said leading Theta down the hallway.

Alpha walked for hours, the deceased body of brother lying lifeless on his back. "Don't worry brother, soon your suffering will be over." Alpha said to the decaying dragon that was on his back. The mountain-sized dragon finally coming to a place that he thought would make a perfect resting place for his brother.

The place being a large cave that had dug into the face of a mountain. The entrance of the cave just large to hold the body of Omega.

"Soon, soon it will be finally over." Alpha whispered to his deceased brother. Him finding an almost strange connection with the giant corpse. A connection that Alpha couldn't describe.

Alpha placing his brother inside of the mouth of the cave. Omega large head sticking just outside of the entrance.

"I'm sorry, brother." Alpha said to his brother. The blood from the deep gashes across his face dying hours ago. Them being a constant remember to Alpha of what he had to do. Alpha's eyes drifted toward the only cut on Omega's face that had been there before. The scar across Omega's right eye. The very same scar that Omega had earned in their first battle, over fifteen hundred years earlier. The same scar that caused had caused Omega to earn his signature black eye of death.

"I'm sorry brother..." Alpha repeated, tears the size of a full grown pony forming in his eyes. His chest beginning to glow a bright orange. Alpha fired his orange flame at the cave. The cave becoming engulfed in the flames of the gigantic dragon.

Alpha slowly turned around and began to walk down the mountain. Alpha not able to watch his brother's burial by fire, the greatest burial a dragon can earn. A burial usually only reserved for fallen Kings. "He was greatest of them all." Alpha thought to himself.

Alpha continued down the mountain, the long walk back to Equestria seeming even longer without even a corpse to talk to. "What happened to us..." Alpha began to speak to himself. "What happened to both of us?"

And the Starting of a New (Manehattan Arc)

And the Starting of a New (Manehattan Arc)

Theta continued to follow Gold Star down the hallway of large cells. The occasional roar reminding Theta that he was, in fact, in a prison. Theta began to realize why Gold Star, along with the other officer referred to him as a mindless beast.

"We have the dragons that we captured held back here." Gold Star said to Theta, pointing his hoof down a dimly lit hallway of the cell block. The roars of his fellow dragons being an eerie calling for him top we captured held back here." Gold Star said to Theta, pointing his hoof down a dimly lit hallway of the cell block. The roars of his fellow dragons being an eerie calling for him to proceed.

"I guess I leave you to whatever you intend to do." Gold Star said to Theta, turning to leave.

"Thank you, Gold Star, and no hard feelings for what happened earlier." Theta said to the captain. "You had no clue as to who I really was, you were just doing your job. The same as the job that I was brought to Manehattan to do." Theta said to Gold Star, a smile spreading across the mustached pony's face.

"Thank you, Theta. I, along with the rest of my men, will be right down the hall." Gold Star said to Theta.

"I will do." Theta said to Gold Star, as the officer pony was now halfway down the hallway that leads to the cell block.

"Ok Theta, let's get over with this." Theta said to himself, as he began to walk down the hallway.

Has Theta began to walk down the hallway the countless roars from her fellow dragons came to a halt. Them soon being replaced by the dragons speaking in a language that very few ponies knew. The ancient language of from the dragon's past. A language that is only spoken when dragons want to hide secrets from other non-dragons.

Theta heard from the other dragons. "I wonder who they got this time." Theta heard one of the dragons say, him being able to get the main idea out of the slight differences between the two languages.

"I bet it was Silverpaw." Theta heard one of the dragon's say.

"Nah... wait is that who I think it is?" The first dragon, the dragon returning to the language that they regularly spoke. All of the dragons in the cell block taking notice of Theta. Theta never felt comfortable being the center of attention.

"Huh, I guess not even 'royalty' is immune from capture by these beasts." Theta heard the other dragon. Theta taking great offense to his fellow dragons referring to ponies as beasts. Something that Theta usually heard ponies call dragons.

"I wasn't captured." Theta began to say, the two other dragons falling silent. "But I would like to know how you both were. And more importantly were the rest of your fellow rogue dragons are." Theta said to the dragon that was talking a scrap about him earlier. The dragon gulping. Theta didn't like being seen as an aggressor, but it was what it took to get some information. Then so be it.

"My apologies, your highness..." The dragon began to speak to Theta. Theta interrupting the dragon.

"Theta, please call me Theta." Theta corrected the dragon. Him continuing not missing a beat.

"Right... Theta, anyway... wait a second." The dragon began to say to Theta. A thought coming to his mind.

"What?!" Theta asked not really interested in what this dragon was thinking about, he was just wasting his time.

"Weren't you, along with the other Alpha banished by Omega?" The dragon asked. Theta's muscles tensing up.

"I was, but that was before Omega was defeated. Our true has returned." Theta said, knocking down the dragon last words. "Now tell me dragon where are the rest of your rogue friends?" Theta asked the dragon. The said dragon rolling his eyes as he answered.

"Why should I listen to you. I am a citizen of Equestria. I don't follow the command of the Alpha." The snarked at Theta. Theta's irritation toward this dragon only growing.

"You are still a dragon, and all dragon must heed the call of the Alpha." Theta roared, the ignorance of his fellow dragons beginning to get on his nerves.

"Eh... I wouldn't follow a dragon that hasn't shown himself to be a great leader even if I was being forced to do so." The dragon said to Theta, and the white dragon snapped. Theta's eyes flashing blood red and his scales turning a dark gray.

Theta reached through the steel bars, grabbed the disrespectful dragon by the neck, and slammed him up against the bars. Theta's blood red eyes burning through the other dragons. Then Theta began to speak to him. Theta's voice much deeper than it was before.

"Now listen here." Theta whispered to the dragon, making sure not too loud enough to close an alert. The emotional brain was trying to stop him from turning to the darkness that had captured his brother while the logical part was fighting back. Them both knowing that time was running out. Needless to say, but his logical brain won out.

"You may not care for the Alpha, you might not even like him as a ruler." Theta continued to whisper roar at the dragon. His red eyes burning through the terrified dragon that he was speaking. "But you better respect him. Because if one baby alpha can walk in her and kick your ass. Just image what a full grown Alpha the size of a mountain and with an army of other grown dragons can do to you." Theta finished, letting go of the dragon's neck. His eyes still burning red.

The dragon that Theta was interrogating fell to the stone ground, his eyes filled with terror as the gray alpha dragon continued to stare at him with flaming eyes.

"Now..." Theta began to speak again. Him dropping down the eye level of the terrified dragon. "Tell me. Where are the other rogue dragons!?" Theta roared, his voice echoing off of the brick walls of the cell block.

The dragon that Theta was integrating gulped down an invisible apple in his throat as the gray dragon's red eyes continued to bore into his soul.

"I will only ask you this only one more time." Theta said to the terrified dragon, his the steel bars of the cell keeping Theta from tearing the dragon apart. "Where are the other dragons!?" Theta roared at the other dragon.

"The fashion distinct. The fashion distinct, that's all I know. I swear, just please don't hurt me." The pleaded to Theta.

"Good, you have been most helpful." Theta said to the dragon, his eyes returning to their original green while his scales stayed gray. Him leaving the cell block to meet back up with Rarity.

Inside the mane office of the police station. Rarity was having the time of her life learning the ins and outs of Manehattan life from the other officers. Rarity's fun was interrupted by the sounds of Theta returning to the office. It taking a few moments for Rarity to recognize her friend. His scales still a dark gray.

"Theta, is that you?" Rarity asked Theta.

A look of confusion appeared on Theta's face when he heard Rarity's words. Her confusion was understood the moment that Theta looked down at his paw, his gray scales being a massive wake up call to him.

"Oh!" Theta said more to himself, his gray scales returning to their original white color. "Yeah, it's me Rarity." Theta said to the white unicorn, him being shot with a needle filled with guilt. He had promised himself to not become like his brother, but that was just what he had done.

"Theta, are you alright?" Rarity asked Theta, her vividly remembering that Sigma's scales turned black when he had betrayed his own brother. Rarity trotting over and placing her hoof on the knee of Theta's foreleg. This was Theta realized how much bigger he was then his pony friends.

"No wonder they thought that I was a monster." Theta thought, remembering his less than stellar introduction to Manehattan.

"Yeah, I'm fine..." Theta said to Rarity briefly pausing. "I just lost a little bit of myself back there." Theta said, looking down the hallway that led to the cellblock. The hallway slightly darker than Theta had first remembered it.

"Are you sure?" Theta heard Rarity, snapping him back to reality.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Theta faked a smile.

"Ok, were you able to find out anything out from the dragon prisoners?" Rarity asked Theta, changing the subject.

"The dragon told that the rest of the rogue dragons are in..." Theta began to explain. Him being interrupted by Rarity.

"The fashion distinct." Rarity said, leaving a look of pure confusion on Theta's face.

"Wait... you already knew this?" Theta asked Rarity, shocked that she had already known this information.

"Yeah, the captain was so kind as to give me the reports of the most recent dragon attacks, and I used my keen eye to notice that the fashion distinct was the most commonly attacked region of the city. As I had guessed earlier." Rarity said, doing her best Twilight Sparkle impression. A sight Theta would've giggled at if it wasn't for the fact that he had to borderline torture dragon just to get information that he could've just asked one of the officers for the same information.

"The universe must hate me or something." Theta thought to himself, him blankly staring off into nothingness.

"A... Theta are you sure your ok?" Rarity asked Theta, waving hoof in front of his face. Snapping Theta out of his self-destructive trance.

"Hey, I'm fine." Theta said to Rarity, returning to reality. "Come on Rare." Theta said to Rarity, turning to leave the police station.

"Where are we going?" Rarity asked Theta, running to catch up to him.

"The Fashion Distinct of Manehattan." Theta said to Rarity, her blue eyes lighting up. "We just have something good happen today." Theta said more to himself as he left the police station. Rarity's face dropping at the dragon's words.

"What happened in that cellblock?" Rarity thought out loud, exiting the police station soon afterward.

Back in the ruined remains of Canterlot Twilight's friends were waiting for the return of Twilight and the other Princesses. Just as a way to pass the time, and to avoid boredom. They decided to start asking Zulu a bunch of questions about what it is like to be a changeling.

"So..." Applejack began to ask Zulu, not sure how to say the question in her head with tack. "What is it like..." Applejack began to continue, her falling silent again. Zulu already knowing what Applejack was trying to ask him.

"What is it like to be another pony?" Zulu said to Applejack, guessing her question. Applejack slowly nodded in response.

"Yeah, that." Applejack said shyly. A small giggle coming from Zulu.

"While you are asking the wrong changeling." Zulu said to Applejack. Leaving both Applejack and Pinkie Pie in a state of confusion. Fluttershy still over at Zecora's hut treating Rainbow Dash.

"What do you mean?" Pinkie Pie asked Zulu.

"Well... I'm a special kind of changeling." Zulu said with a small chuckle. "I am what is known as Shadow changeling, and by being one I have the ability to warp into the shadows around me. Making me, and the rest of my rare species of changelings perfect spies." Zulu said to Applejack and Pinkie Pie, them both nodding as Zulu continued.

"However, by doing so. We lose the ability to shapeshift into the forms of other ponies like every other changeling." Zulu explained, him never finding his inability of shapeshifting as a weakness. A shapeshifting changeling can be able to infiltrate the defenses of a country, but even the best changeling will get discovered eventually. A shadow changeling just has to shadow travel into the room that a secret meeting was being held and learn information that would be nearly impossible for a normal changeling to acquire.

"What is it like?" Applejack asked Zulu, leaving him in a state of confusion.

"What is what like?" Zulu asked Applejack his own question.

Applejack just rolled her eyes as she reasked her question. "Has it ever difficult for ya without being able to... you know." Applejack said to Zulu, still not sure how to ask the changeling about his biology.

Zulu giggled at the earth pony's awkwardness, but he answered the question anyway. "No, no I haven't." Zulu said, the ponies becoming even more intrigued as he continued. "I have never found my inability to change form as a handicap." Zulu said.

"How is it. To you know, walk in the shadows?" Pinkie asked Zulu.

"It is rather difficult to explain. Zulu said, rubbing his chin with his holed hoof. "In the most simple terms it is sort of like walking on a pillow of nothingness." Zulu said, not really sure how to explain what walking in the shadows feels like.

Applejack was about to ask Zulu another question when the surprising loud voice of Fluttershy broke the silence around the three ponies.

"Girls, Girls, Girls!" Fluttershy called out to her friends.

"What is it Fluttershy?" Applejack asked Fluttershy, a little panic in her voice. "Is something wrong?" Applejack added as the yellow pegasus caught up to the trio of ponies.

"No, no, not at all. In fact I have some very good news." Fluttershy said excitedly. "Where's Rarity and Twilight?" Fluttershy asked, not seeing her other two friends.

"Twi's helping out Princess Celestia while Rarity is in Manehattan helpin' out Theta." Applejack explained to Fluttershy. Fluttershy's face dropping a little bit at the news, only for her excitement as what she had come to tell her friends about had returned to her mind.

"That's ok, anyway what I came here to tell you about." Fluttershy said, her excitement returning.

"And what would that be?" Pinkie asked Fluttershy.

"Dashie's up!" Fluttershy exclaimed, her beginning to sound a lot more like Pinkie Pie.

"Really!" Applejack and Pinkie both exclaimed at the same time. Zulu assuming that the yellow pegasus was referring to the cyan pegasus that was almost killed by Sigma.

"I thought Rainbow wasn't even able to stand earlier?" Applejack asked Fluttershy.

"She was." Fluttershy said, pausing for a few brief seconds before continuing. "But the strangest thing. About a half an hour ago she was able to get up and walk around Zecora's place. She still isn't 100 percent, but it's a start." Fluttershy said.

"Ok, let's go see her then." Applejack said, the three friends taking off to see their wounded friend.

"Zulu, are you comin'?" Applejack asked the changeling when she noticed that he wasn't following.

"I better not, most ponies react very well to the presence of changelings." Zulu said to Applejack.

"I'm sure that Zecora would love the extra company. I also think that Rainbow would be very grateful for you saving her life." Fluttershy said.

"Eh... I guess it couldn't hurt." Zulu said, catching up to the other three ponies. The three ponies and one changeling disappearing into the darkness of the Everfree Forest.

Theta and Rarity continued to travel through the streets of Manehattan, Rarity in a state of awe at as she put it.

"The excellence and grandeur that is Manehattan!" Rarity exclaimed as the odd pair continued to stroll through the large city.

"Um... very nice." Theta said disinterested, Rarity movements coming to a halt at the dragon's comment.

"Theta what is wrong with you?" Rarity asked Theta, her question taking the white dragon by surprise.

"What?" Theta said, half turning to face Rarity. A piercing glare and frown on her face.

You heard me." Rarity said, continuing to glare at Theta. "Ever since the who talked to those dragons in those cells, you have been different." Rarity continued, Theta unable to keep looking at the glaring unicorn.

"I know." Theta said defeated, Rarity taken a little by surprise. "I have been different." Theta said, his eyes shifting up towards the massive skyscrapers in the city. The only things that were made by ponies that made him actually feel small.

"Then what happened to you?" Rarity asked Theta, trotting a little closer to the white dragon. Even though the angle where rarity was standing wasn't the best she could've sworn that she saw small tears forming in the green eyes of Theta.

"I... I... it's not that important." Theta said dodging the question, beginning to walk further down the streets of Manehattan.

"No, it obviously is." Rarity said, running in front of Theta in order to block his path. "So, what happened?" Rarity pressed, Theta letting out a heavy sigh.

"I know." Theta said to Rarity, giving a brief pause. "Rarity, do you remember what happened when Sigma... betrayed me." Theta asked Rarity. His words burning like acid in his mouth.

"Yeah... he attacked you." Rarity said to Theta, not sure how to handle speaking to Theta about his brother's betrayal.

"Yes... but he did more than just that." Theta said giving a slight pause. "Do you know what happened to him just before he attacked me?" Theta asked Rarity, turning his head to look directly at the white unicorn.

"He's... he's scales turned black." Rarity said, beginning to realize where Theta was going with this.

"Yes, yes they did." Theta said, his green eyes staring into Rarity's.

"But what does that mean?" Rarity asked.

"An alpha's scales are the visual representation of an alpha's moral standing in life. The darker an alpha's scales go. The darker than soul becomes." Theta explained to Rarity. "The same goes for their eyes." Theta added.

"So that's what happened to Sigma." Rarity thought out loud.

"I should've noticed it earlier." Theta said more to himself. "I should've seen the signs." Theta continued beginning to stare off into the distance, his self-destructive rant coming to an end when he felt the light hoof of Rarity on his paw.

Theta's eyes bolted down towards the white hoof on his scales to see Rarity staring up at him. Small tears in her blue eyes.

"Theta, no pony, or dragon, could've predicted what had happened to Sigma." Rarity said to Theta, the white dragon giving her a seemingly forced smile.

"I know, Rarity." Theta said, beginning to walk down the streets of Manehattan. "Come on, we still have a job to do." Theta called back to Rarity, the white unicorn running to catch up with her dragon companion.

Fluttershy lead Applejack, Pinkie, and Zulu to Zecora's small hut inside the Everfree Forest. Zulu coming to a halt when he saw the small hut.

"What is it?" Applejack asked, noticing that the changeling had stopped.

"Zebra." Zulu said simply, changelings not having a very nice relationship with the horse-like creatures from Zebrica. Tartarus, changeling didn't have that many good relationships with species other than their own.

"Oh, yeah Zecora is a zebra. I thought I mentioned that earlier." Fluttershy said, rubbing her chin in thought, her clearly not have told Zulu of Zecora.

"I know, Zebras and changelings have never had the best relationship." Zulu said, scratching the back of his head.

"Uh, I'm sure it will be fine. Zecora's is the bestiest zebra I have ever met." Pinkie said to Zulu hoping into the small hut that was Zecora's home.

"Ok, whatever." Zulu said with a little laugh at the ridiculousness of Pinkie Pie. Zulu following the other two ponies into the small straw hut.

Zulu entered the small straw hut and he had his breath taken away. The hut decorated with many tribal masks from Zecora's homeland. A large black cauldron in the middle of the mane room of the hut. A green liquid inside the cauldron, the green liquid giving the room a lime-green glow. Zulu's eyes wonder throughout the small hut until they fell on the body of the cyan pegasus whose life he had saved less than a week later.

Rainbow Dash was wondering around the small room. Her right side still wrapped in protective white gauze. Rainbow still having a slight limp in her right foreleg. Her silent grunting every time she put weight on the recently broken limb.

"Rainbow!" Pinkie exclaimed, tackling the pegasus in a hug. Rainbow yelping out in pain.

"DAMNIT! PINKIE!" Rainbow cried out, Pinkie quickly pulling out the hug. A look of confusion on her face, her confusion leaving when she realized the gauze still wrapped around her friend.

"Oh, right you're... hurt." Pinkie said, looking down at dirt floor of Zecora's hut.

"I almost died Pinkie, when are you going to get that through your thick skull!" Rainbow snapped at Pinkie, her injured foreleg cradled up against her side.

"I'm sorry, I just get... excited." Pinkie whimpered, small tears forming in her eyes.

"Huh, clearly." Rainbow spat at Pinkie, limping away from the pink earth pony. Her repeating "Ouch!" every time she took a step on her right foreleg. Pinkie collapsing onto her haunches as her friend limped away.

"Are you ok?" Fluttershy whispered to Pinkie, placing a hoof on her shoulder.

"Yeah..." Pinkie whimpered to Fluttershy, wiping away some of her tears with her hoof. "Why can I never do anything right?" Pinkie said, her puffy mane seeming to deflate as she continued to stare down at the dirt floor.

Fluttershy took a look behind at Applejack and Zulu, not sure how to comfort the crying pony.

Zulu's eyes drifted over toward the limping pegasus. Rainbow grumbling to herself. Rainbow holding a brown bag in her mouth. Her shaking a few green herbs out of the bag and placing them on a wooden table inside the room. Rainbow grinding up the herds with her left forehoof and eating the herbs. a chill going down her spine. The herbs coming from some kind of plants used for healing.

"Where's Zecora?" Applejack asked Rainbow.

"She left to get more herbs not long after Fluttershy left to get you guys." Rainbow said bluntly before disappearing behind a blue curtain.

"Wow... is she always this intense?" Zulu asked as Rainbow disappeared behind the curtain.

Fluttershy rose from comforting Fluttershy when he heard he say "I'm alright." and began to start talking to Zulu.

"No, she has just been through a lot." Fluttershy said to Zulu.

"I see..." Zulu mumbled. "So who is this... Zecora?" Zulu asked the other two ponies, the door to the small hut opening behind them.

"I hear someone has come to my tree. Looking for me." A hooded figure that Zulu assumed was Zecora said. Zulu taking note of the figure's strange ability to speak only in rhyme.

"Yes, Zecora. This is our friend Zulu." Fluttershy introduced the changeling to Zecora. The zebra taking off her hood. Her blue eyes staring directly into that of Zulu's. Her expression kept neutral and impossible to read by a normal pony.

Zulu, however, being able to sense the animosity that he had expected from the zebra.

"Pleasure to meet you, Zecora." Zulu said to Zecora, extending one of his forelegs for a hoof shake. A gesture that Zecora didn't return. Her responding simply with...

"Charmed." Zecora said to Zulu, breaking her rhyming just once. Zecora trotting over to the same wooden table that Rainbow had used earlier, using her mouth to place a bag filled with special herbs on the table.

"So... how has Rainbow Dash been doin'?" Applejack asked Zecora, trying anything to relieve the awkwardness inside the small hut. Zecora letting out a sigh of relief at mentioning of her latest patient.

"I have great news. Your friend is expected to get be rid of the blues." Zecora said, returning to her rhyming. Her rhyming didn't always make sense, but it made her interesting to talk to.

"That's good to hear." Applejack said to Zecora.

Zecora trotted over to the cauldron in the middle of the room and placed some of the herbs from the bag into the large pot. A rush of gasses coming out of the pot as each different herb was placed in the pot. The green liquid turning to a more teal color.

"Ha perfect!" Zecora exclaimed. "This will a make a perfect elixir, I predict." Zecora continued to speak to herself. Using a large wooden spoon to take a sip from a the black cauldron A warm smile coming to her mouth as she tasted the potion.

"Yes, yes, I do believe that this will rid you friend from the blues. That she had received from her bruises." Zecora said, pouring some of the teal liquid into a clay flask and handing it to Fluttershy.

Fluttershy didn't need to be told what to do. This had become a daily routine for her. Zecora would go into the forest and find some special herbs and make some kind of potion for healing Rainbow. Then she would give the said potion to Rainbow. Fluttershy knew that she liked helping out her animals, but she had never considered helping other ponies. Maybe she should be a nurse after this is all over with.

Zecora watched her assistant for the last week disappear behind a blue curtain with a smile on her face. A smile that left her face when she laid eyes on Zulu.

"I wish not to sound blunt. But why have you brought to me this grunt?" Zecora asked both Applejack and Pinkie Pie. A scowl on her face, a changeling the last thing she wanted to deal with today. At least, outside of a full grown dragon.

Applejack was about to defend Zulu, only to stop when Zulu held up his hoof. He had dealt with dragons the size of a mountain he could handle a single zebra.

"I never wished to bring discomfort unto you, Zecora." Zulu said to Zecora, the zebra's expression beginning to lessen. "I just wanted to make sure that Rainbow Dash was alright." Zulu said to Zecora. The zebra a little confused as to why a changeling would be concerned in the well-being of her latest patient.

"Why would a changeling like yourself. Consider oneself. With the well-being of my latest patients. I do wonder your intentions." Zecora said, doing her best to stay in rhyme.

"I just wanted to make sure that my actions of saying her life were worth it." Zulu said to Zecora. Zecora surprised at a changeling was the one that had saved Rainbow from certain death.

Zecora shifted her eyes toward Applejack and Pinkie Pie for confirmation of the changelings words. The ponies both nodding in agreement. Applejack still having a tough time believing that Zulu had saved them from certain death at the claws of Sigma.

"Huh, I guess judged you with just my eyes. I guess should've heeded my own advice." Zecora said, the two other ponies sharing a laugh at the mentioning of when the Mane Six misjudged Zecora the first time she came to Ponyville.

Zulu didn't know why the other ponies were laughing, he figured it was just an inside joke and continued to speak to Zecora. "I don't blame you. If I was in your situation. I would've probably reacted the same way.

"I see. Would you mind having some tea." Zecora said to Zulu.

The four then trotted over to the small wooden table and shared a cup of herbal tea made by Zecora. Zulu drank from his cup of tea, not wanting to offend Zecora more than he already had by not drinking the beverage that she had offered to him. Despite him being a changeling and not having to eat or drink anything to survive, his diet coming completely from the emotions of other creatures.

The four continued to drink and share stories about the insanity of the last week. Zecora's interest of Zulu continuing to grow as he recounted how he escaped from the changeling hive from Omega.

The stories came to an end when Fluttershy emerged from behind the blue curtain that led into Rainbow's room.

"How is she?" Pinkie asked Fluttershy, still feeling bad for causing her friend pain.

"She's sleeping right now. But I think she is alright." Fluttershy said to her friends, sitting at the small wooden table next to Applejack.

Hours in the small hut seemed to pass quickly as the five ponies continued to speak about whatever they wanted to talk about. The topic at hoof changing every ten to twenty minutes or so. Zulu continuing to think.

"I could get used to this... pony stuff."

Over in Manehattan, the sun was beginning to set. The sun's rays reflecting perfectly off of the harbor that surrounded the large island that made up most of the city.

"It's pretty, isn't it?" Rarity said to Theta, coming to a stop to admire the sun setting beneath the skyscrapers of the city. Rarity placing her front hooves over the metal railing that was on the edge of the harbor.

"I guess so." Theta said to Rarity, him seeing much better sunsets on top of the dormant volcano that made the capital of the Dragon Empire. It's sunsets being one of the high points of leaving in an inhabitable wasteland for most ponies.

"Ahh..." Rarity sighed, taking in the beauty of the world around her. "You know what Theta?" Rarity said, turning her head to face her dragon companion.

"What?" Theta said to Rarity, turning his attention anyway from the sunset and to the white unicorn at his side.

"I never expected a dragon like yourself to be so... well nice." Rarity said, Theta having to take a step back at the unicorn's words.

"What do you mean?" Theta asked Rarity, him slightly offended at her question.

Rarity noticed the offense on Theta's face and instantly began to explain her question to Theta.

"No, no, not like that, darling." Rarity said to Theta, waving her hoof back and forth. "I was curious, since all other dragons that I have met. When they are full-grown they are well... jerks." Rarity said, Theta getting a better understanding as to what she was saying.

"What about Spike?" Theta asked Rarity. Driving the white unicorn into deep thought.

"Well... Spike is sweet, but I remember when his internal greed got the better of him." Rarity said to Theta, remembering nearly destroyed Ponyville. A better of example for Spike coming to her mind. "Besides, you saw what happened to Spike when he was under Omega's control." Rarity said to Theta. Theta taking a single look down at his side. Him still having a little when he breathed from his fight with Spike.

"I see..." Theta said, pausing as he stared out at the harbor. The waters turning an almost peach color from the setting sun. "I guess, I'm just... different." Theta said to Rarity, a genuine smile coming to his face as he stared back at Rarity.

A single yawn passed from Rarity's mouth as the two stared into each other eyes. "Ah... I guess that ours cue to call it a day." Rarity said, taking her hooves off of the railing and onto the cement sidewalk by the harbor. "Come on, I know a great hotel in this part of the city that we can spend the night in." Rarity said to Theta, leading him into a cheap (by Manehattan standards) hotel by the harbor.

The hotel about a ten story building made out of brick. The entrance to the hotel having a red carpet that led into the lobby of the hotel. Theta impressed by the enginery of the ponies of this city.

Rarity trotted into the hotel in question without a word spoken to her. The pony at the door even tipping his hat as the white unicorn trotted inside. The door stallion being a gray unicorn with teal eyes and a standard brown mane and tail. The stallion wearing a blue uniform for the hotel. Rarity lowering her head to the door stallion in thanks as she entered.

It was Theta where they hit, an expected snag. As Theta approached the door to the hotel's lobby the door stallion closed the door in front of him and stepped in front of Theta. Theta taking a single step back.

The door stallion and Theta engaged in a staring match for a few seconds before the pony began to speak.

"No... whatever you are allowed inside the hotel." The door stallion said to Theta. Theta snarling in response. He thought being referred to as a beast by the officers was bad, but this... this made Theta blood begin to boil.

"Might I suggest something to fit your... kind better. Like maybe the Central Park Zoo, perhaps." The door stallion said to Theta, and he was about to explode. His temper was halted, at least for now by the voice of Rarity.

"Is there a problem here?" Rarity asked, seeing the enraged expression on her friend's muzzle. The wheels inside Theta's brain turning. Thinking up the best ways to roast the pony that was currently staring him down.

"Yes, madame there seems to a beast trying to get into the hotel, but worry miss. I have the situation under control." The door stallion said to Rarity. Theta's anger only increasing with each passing second.

A look of disgust appeared on Rarity's face. Her not believing how quickly the pony that had greeted her at the door with kindness changed when he was in front of a dragon. The very dragon that had just saved Equestria no less.

"I don't see any kind of beast." Rarity said, coming to the defense of Theta. Surprising both the door stallion and Theta. "The only thing I see here is my friend." Rarity continued Theta taken by surprise at Rarity referring to him as a friend. "Now, if you would so kind... step aside!"

"Now, if you would so kind... step aside!" Rarity ordered at the door stallion, him taking not just one, but five steps backward. "Come on, Theta." Rarity said to Theta, storming back into the lobby of the hotel.

"Damn, what a mare." Theta thought to himself before following Rarity into the hotel.

Rarity was forced to rent the largest room that the hotel had available just to be able to fit Theta. Many of the ponies inside the hotel sent concerned glazes and nervous whispers when they saw the white dragon inside the hotel. Glazes and whispers that were immediately silence when Theta shot the pony giving the gesture toward him a death glare. The brightly lit hotel lobby making Theta's white scales shine.

The brightly lit hotel lobby making Theta's white scales shine. Theta probably would've admired the beauty that his scales were able to create if it wasn't for him being both mentally and physically exhausted from the chaotic last twenty-four hours of his life.

The elderly mare that was behind the resignation desk handed Rarity the key to the room that the two would share for the rest of their stay in Manehattan. Rarity booking their hotel room for two full days.

"Do we really need one extra day?" Theta asked Rarity.

"You know, just in case." Rarity said to Theta. Theta playfully rolling his eyes at the mare's answer. Who was he trying to stop a fashion pony from spending as much time as possible in the fashion capital in Equestria.

Theta followed Rarity to their hotel room, and the room earned its price tag.

"Wow!" Theta said in awe, his breath taken away from the elegance of the hotel room.

The hotel room was massive, easily being able to hold not just one but two full grown dragons. The walls we as white as Theta's scales. The decals of the wall being in the shape of many golden suns. Theta would've been surprised with the sun's were actually made out of real gold. There was large King sized bed in the far end of the room. The bed being made out of mahogany wood. The bed having five or so white pillows at the base of the bed. There being two nightstands on either side of the bed, both of them being exactly the same and made out of the same wood that the bed was.

"I thought you said that this place was cheap?" Theta asked Rarity, still in awe.

"Oh, it is, more Manehattan at least." Rarity said to Theta, a laugh coming from her. "And remember we did book the largest room in the hotel." Rarity said to Theta, trotting over to the large bed.

"Now..." Rarity began, turning to face Theta. "Do you want the bed or not." Rarity said in a manner that Theta knew that there was only one correct answer.

"I'll sleep on the floor, you can have the bed." Theta said, Rarity doing a poor job to had a smile of victory from the white dragon.

Theta walked over to a section of the room that was clear of any kind of furniture and laid down, his long tail wrapping around his body as his placed his head on top of his front claws. Rarity hopped on the bed, and her body snuck into the soft mattress. Rarity gasping at the softness at the of the bed.

"Comfortable?" Theta tensed Rarity, seeing the relaxed expression on her muzzle.

"Loads." Rarity said her head collapsing on one of the pillows.

"I see." Theta said, a yawn escaping passed his lips. His yawn sounding like a low pitch roar, the room shaking slightly as he yawned. Theta laid his head down on his claws and closed his eyes.

His eyes weren't shut for long as the sounds of Rarity's voice brought him back to the waking world.

"Theta." Theta heard Rarity say, his eyes shooting back open.

"Yeah." Theta said a little groggy.

"Are you sure you don't want to sleep in the bed?" Rarity asked Theta, him a little surprised by the unicorn's question.

"No, I'm fine. I've used to sleeping on cave floors... yawn this is a luxury to me." Theta said to Rarity, him falling silent as his drifted into another shot of sleep.

"Ok, goodnight then." Rarity said to Theta.

"Hmm..." Theta hummed in response him escaping completely to the land of dreams.

When Rarity knew that Theta was, in fact, asleep she quietly hopped off of the bed and trotted over to Theta's sleeping body. Her focusing on the three bite marks that were slowly healing on his neck.

"I can't image what you are going through right now." Rarity said to the sleeping dragon. "Let these be a reminder that you will never become like him." Rarity said before climbing back into her bed and falling to her own round of much-needed sleep.

The three bite marks on Theta's neck quickly turning to three scars. Three scars that would be a forever reminder of his brother's betrayal and his lifelong fight not follow in his footprints.

A Manehattan Tragedy (Manehattan Arc)

A Manehattan Tragedy (Manehattan Arc)

Theta woke to the quiet sounds of hooves on the red carpet of the room that he shared with his companion in Manehattan, Rarity. Theta's eyes slowly fluttered open. He couldn't see Rarity, but could hear her humming. Her humming seeming to come from directly behind him. That was when Theta realized that there was a strange aura around his neck. The aura, him assuming that it was Rarity's magic, wrapping some strange cloth around his neck.

Theta let out an exaggerated yawn in order to get Rarity's attention. The strange wrapping around his neck coming to a stop. Rarity white body trotting into his vision. A white cloth being held in her Magic.

"Oh! You're awake, great. I was just finishing up." Rarity said to Theta, trotting back toward his neck and out of his line of vision.

"Done with what?" Theta said half asleep letting out another yawn, this one real. Theta began to rise off of the ground. Only for Rarity's magic to increase and force him back down.

"Hey?" Theta questioned Rarity, turning his head enough to she Rarity behind him, still wrapping the white cloth around his neck.

"Sorry Theta, but I am almost and you can't move while I do this." Rarity said to Theta, her almost done with whatever she was doing.

"What are you doing?" Theta questioned Rarity, starting to become slightly agitated.

"I'll show when I'm done, now just hold still I don't want to screw this up." Rarity said Theta groaning as he laid his head back on the ground.

A few minutes passed by with Rarity still wrapping the white cloth when Theta couldn't take the waiting any longer. "Ugh! Rarity are you done yet?" Theta roared at Rarity lifting his head off of the ground, his words a little longer and with more force than he had intended.

"Almost, and calm yourself. I have been up for almost two hours doing this." Rarity said, Theta starting to feel bad for snapping at Rarity.

"Sorry, I guessed I've just been... on edge all this week, that's all." Theta apologized to Rarity, placing his head back on the red carpet.

"No worries... and I'm done." Rarity said finishing whatever she was doing.

"Can I get up now?" Theta asked Rarity, the unicorn trotting into his line of vision.

"Yes, yes you can." Rarity said, Theta rising to his full height.

"So... what did you do?" Theta asked Rarity. The bones in his legs popping as he stretched. Theta groaning as he popped the small bones in his neck.

"Look." Rarity said to Theta, holding up a small mirror with her magic.

Theta stared into the mirror to see that Rarity had wrapped a white cloth similar to gauze seen in a hospital. The layers closest to his scales were stained red from presumably his own blood.

"What happened?" Theta asked Rarity, not remembering his bite marks to be bleeding when he went to sleep the night before.

"Well.. when I woke up in the middle of the night to use the mare's room I noticed that your cuts had begun to bleed again. Your blood beginning to stain the carpet that you were sleeping." Rarity said looking down at the red carpet that Theta was standing on.

Theta looked down at his feet and noticed that the only part of the carpet that were red was where his head and neck had been laying. The carpet stained to a point that you would've thought that it had been red in the place.

"Oh... thanks Rare." Theta said to Rarity, looking up at the clock in the hotel room. Seeing that the time was 6:30. If what Rarity said was correct then she had been up since at least 4 healing his wounds.

"Don't mention it." Rarity said, taking a sip out of a glass of water that was resting on the nightstand on the left side of her bed.

"No, I mean it. Thank you." Theta said forcibly, taking Rarity taken a little off guard. Her cough on her drink. But Theta didn't stop.

"Based on this." Theta continued looking down at the red mark on the carpet from his blood. "I could've easily died last night if it wasn't for you. So, again, thank you Rarity." Theta said to Rarity, embracing her in a hug. Rarity took a little off guard from the sudden contract with her large companion. Her head only reaching to about where Theta's neck was.

"Um... Theta..." Rarity began to say. Rarity falling silent when Theta 'hushed' her.

"Just enjoy the moment." Theta whispered to Rarity, his hug becoming a little tighter.

Rarity was about to pull out of the hug, only to stop when she looked up at Theta. His eyes were closed, but she could tell that the dragon was fighting back tears.

"Your welcome." Rarity said to Theta, placing her head on his chest. Theta's warm scales being a welcome addition to the tight hug that the large dragon was giving her.

The two friends continued to their hug for another solid minute before Theta pulled away.

"Ok, enough of the sentiments, we still have a job to do." Theta said pulling out of the hug and walking over toward the door to the hotel room.

Theta opened the door and was about to leave when Rarity called out to him.

"Theta!"

"Yeah?" Theta said, his movements coming to a stop.

Rarity opened her mouth to respond, only for seeming to forget what she was about to say. "... nevermind, darling." Rarity said, shaking her head.

"Ok, I'll be in the lobby waiting for you." Theta said leaving the room. "I know how you mares need to take forever just to get ready." Rarity heard Theta say down the hall. Rarity couldn't keep herself from giggling at Theta's comment.

Rarity took another two-three minutes to clean up and make sure fabulous before she followed Theta out of the hotel room that shared. Heading to the elevator in the hotel and followed Theta down to the lobby.

The day before, inside Zecora's hut. Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Zecora were all enjoying the company of Zulu. Them being surprised to find out that they would actually like just talking to a changeling.

Their various conversations shifted from topic to topic every five to ten minutes. The topic almost always having been about Zulu or other changelings in some capacity. Zulu didn't mind it. This gave him a perfect opportunity to help mend some relationships between changelings and both ponies and zebras alike. He ahd already been trying to mend relationships between dragons and changelings. Even if his audience was just three ponies, four if you counted the sleeping Rainbow Dash, and the one zebra of Zecora. It was still a start, a slow one, but still something.

Their conversations came to an end when the door to Zecora hut creak open.

All eyes shot toward the door only to see that there was no one standing in the doorway.

"Is someone outside. There is no need to hide." Zecora said in her usual rhyming ways.

Zecora's words seemed to be effective as a small purple dragon appeared in the doorway. The dragon about half the size of the other ponies. His body being covered in many cuts and bruises, his left eye being sullen into a massive black. Him flinching every time he blinked.

"Spike!" Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy all exclaimed at once. Them rushing over to give the little dragon a big hug.

"Don't!" Spike shouted at the three ponies. Holding up one of his claws. "I don't want to hurt you." Spike said under his breath, but loud enough

"You can't hurt me, sugar. Omega is gone." Applejack said to Spike, kneeling down to the smaller dragon's height.

"Are you sure?" Spike asked. Applejack and Pinkie both sharing a look. Them both vividly remembering Alpha killing his brother with the help of the Harmony Armor.

"Yeah, we're pretty sure." Applejack said, an awkward laugh coming from her friends.

"Where's Rarity?" Spike asked looking around the white that everypony knew that he had a crush on.

"She's with Theta in Manehattan, sugar." Applejack said to Spike. Spike's face dropping at the mentioning of Theta.

"Is... is Theta alright?" Spike asked, him still vividly remembering him becoming nothing more than a mindless under the control of Omega and attacking Theta, and more importantly Twilight.

All of the ponies shared a considered look, them not sure how to answer. Sure Theta could easily recover from his attacks from Spike, but what about mentally. An awkward silence fell on the hut as the three ponies tried to come up with an answer for the purple dragon.

"He will be." Zulu chimed in, breaking the silence. Spike at first took a step back when he noticed the changeling sitting at the same table as Zecora. But he disregarded it as none the ponies, or Zecora were fighting him. Besides, Spike had bigger issues to deal with at the moment.

"Where... where's Twilight. I... I need to talk her." Spike said to his three friends, knowing out of them Twilight was the one that he needed to apologize to the most.

"Twilight with Princess Celestia, and we don't know how long it will be before she gets back." Applejack said to Spike. His's expression dropping even further.

"I need... I need to say I'm sorry." Spike said more to himself, his eye plastered on the dirt floor beneath him. Spike's face lit up when he heard a soft voice behind him.

"You tell me that yourself." Spike from behind. Spike jumping around in a small circle to see Twilight standing in the middle of the doorway.

"Twilight!" Spike said, almost tackling Twilight to the ground in a massive hug.

"Wow! Spike, it's ok." Twilight said to Spike, taken a little by surprise.

"I'm so sorry!" Spike cried into Twilight chest. His tears matting her purple coat.

"Spike, it's ok. What happen to you wasn't you, it was Omega." Twilight said pulling Spike into a tighter hug as he continued to cry. Twilight's hooves wrapped around Spike's small head.

"It wasn't always Omega." Spike whimpered through his tears. Twilight pulling out of the hug.

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked Spike, using her hoof to wipe away some of Spike's tears.

"When... when I attacked Theta it was me." Spike said to Twilight, looking down at the dirt floor.

"Hey, it's ok Spike. We all make mistakes." Twilight said to Spike, holding up his chin with her hoof.

"So... you forgive me?" Spike asked Twilight, the pair staring into each others' eyes.

"Of course." Twilight said, pulling Spike into another hug.

"Aww! That's just sweet... I think I'm going to..." Pinkie whimpered before she burst into tears. Massive rivers of tears flowing out of her eyes.

Twilight pulled out of the hug with a slight blush on her face. Pinkie was always the best at bringing light to even the darkest situations, sometimes literally.

"Thanks, Pinkie you're the best." Twilight said to Pinkie. The two friends sharing a smile.

"Not to spoil the moment." Zulu spoke up, catching everypony's attention. "But, where's Celestia?" Zulu asked Twilight, not seeing the white alicorn.

"Princess Celestia left to see Cadence not long after I help her check out the Castle of the Two Sisters." Twilight said to Zulu giving him, along with Twilight's friends, even more, questions.

"Castle of the Two Sisters?" Fluttershy asked Twilight in surprise.

"Yeah, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are going to use it as their base of operations until Canterlot is rebuilt." Twilight explained to her friends. "Again..." Twilight mumbled underneath her breath.

"Did she say why she had to see Cadence?" Zulu asked Twilight, standing up from his seated position and trotting over toward the other ponies.

"No, no see didn't. I guess it was important because when she did leave, she left in quite a hurry." Twilight said to Zulu.

"I see..." Zulu said.

Time seemed to pass without much change. The ponies returning to the same random conservations that they had before Spike and Twilight showed up. Zulu taking note of the constant looks that he had received from Twilight. Twilight quickly looking away with a blush every time he noticed.

When the sun began to set the ponies, along with Zulu, decided it would be the best to stay with Zecora and watch over Rainbow Dash. Her not leaving her room since before Twilight had arrived. The fact that Theta and Rarity had yet to return only increased the decision to spend the night in Zecora's hut.

Rarity had to wait on what had to be longest elevator ride in all of Manehattan until she reached the lobby. She had to cover her eyes as she was blasted from the bright lights that were inside the lobby. Her eyes were stained even more when she glaze might on that of the scales of Theta. His white scales shined brightly in the bright lights of the hotel lobby.

"And I thought that I look fabulous this morning." Rarity said to Theta, catching his attention.

"What?" Theta said to Rarity confused.

"Your scales." Rarity clarified, Theta looking down at his scales. Them shining in the bright lights.

"Oh...right." Theta said, noticing her glow coming from her scales. "Sorry, they glow when light hits them just right." Theta said to Rarity, a look of confusion appearing on her face.

"Why should you be sorry. I think it should be celebrated that you are able to create something so beautiful so easily." Rarity said to Theta, the white scales on Theta's face beginning to turn red in a blush.

"I appreciate the thought Rarity, but where I grew up the things that were beautiful and admired were gems." Theta said to Rarity.

"Well, gems are nice." Rarity said, not grasping Theta's meaning.

"The only reason they were admired is because dragons can eat them." Theta said, the smile on Rarity's face dropping instantly.

"Well, aren't you just a party pooper." Rarity thought to herself.

"Well, at least you will be able to come to know ponies to are able to recognize the true beauty of all things. No matter how small." Rarity said to Theta, seemingly forcing a smile.

"Don't flatter me Rarity, now please come on. We still have a job to do." Theta said to Rarity walking out of the hotel lobby.

"Business as usual, I guess." Rarity said to herself as she followed Theta out of the lobby and into the busy streets of Manehattan.

The strange pair continued to walk through the streets of Manehattan, it taking them about an hour for them to reach the Fashion Distinct. The Fashion Distinct is what you'd expect from the fashion capital of the world, only being rivaled by Maris. Despite having been the section of the city that had been hit by dragon attacks the most it still looked fancier than anything that Theta had seen in his life. But based on him living most of his life in the desert wasteland that is the Dragon Empire. That's not saying much.

Rarity's eyes looked like they were about to explode as she continued to trot through the crowded streets of Manehattan. Theta almost losing the white unicorn as she rushed through the streets.

"Rarity! Wait up!" Theta called after Rarity, doing his best to catch up to the white mare before he lost her in the streets of Manehattan.

"Sorry, I guess I'm just a little excited." Rarity apologized to Theta when he finally caught up with her.

"It's ok. So, where do you think we should start?" Theta said to Rarity. In perfect timing, there was a massive explosion that went off several blocks away. Rarity and Theta both shared a look.

"I guess that's your answer darling." Rarity said, the two of them bolting toward the sound of the explosion.

Zulu's eyes began to open as the sun's rays begun to shine through one of the windows of Zecora straw hut. Zulu having fallen asleep on the dirt floor of the mane room of the small hut. Zulu slowly began to rise his head off of the ground, him rubbing one of his eyes with his hoof. Zulu looked around the small room to find the other ponies that were sleeping inside the room.

Applejack was sleeping in one of the wooden chairs at the wooden table on the far end of the room. Applejack's brown cowboy hat resting over her eyes. Her position making her look like some of the drunken ponies that Zulu had seen passed out from time to time during his travels through Equestria.

Pinkie Pie was resting on the dirt floor a few feet in front of Zulu. Pinkie letting out a small snore that sounded like small squeaks every time she breathed. Her hair seeming to inflate and deflate every time she breathed. Zulu was about to question the strange physics, or lack thereof when a thought popped into his head.

"It's Pinkie Pie, don't question it." Zulu thought to himself, his gaze turning toward the resting alicorn.

Twilight passed out in one of the wooden chairs at the table at the far end of the room. Her chair directly across from Applejack's. Twilight muzzle being buried in a book that Zulu couldn't make out the title of from where he was laying down. Zulu assuming that Twilight did some late night studying after the other had fallen asleep. A small amount of drool flowing out of her mouth as she slept on top of the book. Spike was not far from where Twilight was sleeping, him sleeping underneath the wooden table, small black smoke coming out of his nostrils every time he breathed.

Zulu couldn't see either Fluttershy nor Zecora anywhere in the room. Him assuming that they were in the other room where Rainbow was being treated for her wounds.

Zulu slowly began to raise off of the ground, his joints popping in and out of socket as he rose off of the ground. As a changeling, Zulu didn't have to sleep as often as other ponies, usually only once or twice a week. But after all the shit that he had been through the day previous, he took a single night's rest in stride.

Zulu just stood in place for several seconds, him being the first one to wake up in the small hut. "Well, I guess this is my cue to leave." Zulu said to himself at a whisper level. Him beginning to trot toward the wooden door that marked the only entrance and exit to Zecora's home. Not counting jumping out one of the windows.

"What, living so soon. Not even a goodbye." Zulu heard from behind him. Zulu's movements coming to a complete halt. Zulu slowly turned his head to see the half asleep eyes of Twilight staring back at him. The purple alicorn letting out a yawn as the two continued to stare at each other.

"Twilight, I didn't mean to wake you." Zulu stammered to Twilight, rubbing the back head with his hoof. "I was just leaving. I'm sorry to disturb your rest." Zulu said, taking a single backward step toward the door.

"Nonsense..." Twilight said to Zulu raising from her seated position. Another yawn passing by her lips. "I'm not that deep of a sleeper anyway." Twilight added as she began to trot over toward Zulu, her expertly stepping over the sleeping body of Pinkie Pie. Pinkie continuing to sleep peacefully.

Zulu continued to trot backward until his back hoof hit the door to Zecora's hut. Twilight continuing to slowly trot toward him. A flurry of mixed emotions coming from the purple alicorn, emotions that didn't seem to be possible. From sadness to fatigue, and of all the emotions in the world... love! Not very strong love, but still love!

Zulu's heart began to beat faster as Twilight continued to approach him. Her only a few feet away, the changeling being frozen in place.

"Twilight... are you alright?" Zulu asked Twilight, his words increasing in volume as she got closer.

"I'm fine... yawn... I just need to tell you something before you leave." Twilight said, her eyes beginning to droop, Twilight getting hit by a shotgun blast of fatigue as she continued to trot toward Zulu. Zulu was beginning to wonder if there was little more than just sleep altering Twilight perception. Them mere inches away from each other now. Their muzzles being able to touch if they wanted to.

"And what would that be?" Zulu asked Twilight, him flinching as she laid her head up against his neck. Twilight coat and mane feeling like silk compared to his bug-like flesh and cobweb mane.

" Thank you." Twilight whispered into Zulu's ear, her words at a volume that could rival Fluttershy. Her head snuggling up closer to Zulu's neck. The oil -like substance covering Zulu's body beginning to mat Twilight coat, turning it a slightly darker color of purple. Zulu breathing a nose full of Twilight's scent. The purple alicorn smelling like old books. A smell that Zulu found attractive for reasons that he couldn't even explain.

Zulu shook away the scent from hid mind as he began to speak to Twilight. "For what?" Zulu asked Twilight, him getting another nose full of Twilight eternal scent of old books.

"For saving my life." Twilight whispered, her beginning to nibble on Zulu's pointed ear.

"Is she doing this on purpose, or is this just something she does she's when sleep deprived." Zulu thought, the love he was receiving from Twilight growing in strength, but feeling more than along the lines of lustful love from a jealous lover.

"You already thanked me for saving your friends." Zulu said to Twilight beginning to run a hoof through her silk-like mane. Him wondering exactly where Twilight was going with this form of gratitude.

"I know, but you deserve another one." Twilight whispered into Zulu's ear, her warm breath sending shivers down Zulu's spine. "If it weren't for you none of us would be here right now. You saved us..." Twilight continued to whisper to Zulu, her falling silent mid-sentence.

"Twilight, are you alright?" Zulu asked Twilight, looking over his shoulder to find the purple alicorn with her eyes closed. A quiet snore coming from her mouth. Twilight sleeping peacefully up against his neck. A warm smile spreading across Zulu's face as she stared at the sleeping alicorn. "I think you have finally worn yourself out." Zulu whispered to the sleeping alicorn up against his neck. Zulu crooked horn began to grow his green magical aura as he wrapped his telekinesis around Twilight's body.

Zulu used his telekinesis move Twilight in a manner not to wake her and place her on the dirt floor. A noticeable shiver going across Twilight body as she was placed on the cold floor. Zulu bit his lip as he scanned the small shack for something to cover Twilight with. Zulu's gaze falling upon a hoof stitched blanket with tribal designs from Zecora's homeland embroidered into the blanket. Zulu assuming the blanket to of been made by Zecora herself.

Zulu used his green magic to levitate the blanket over to Twilight's sleeping body and cover her with the blanket. Twilight's shivering coming to a halt as she snuggled into the warm blanket. Zulu couldn't tell if Twilight was really asleep, or if this was just her teasing him again, but he honestly didn't care either way. Twilight was being adorkable and he loved it.

"I'm sorry Twilight, but I'm not looking for a relationship right now." Zulu whispered to the sleeping alicorn kneeling down to her level, moving his hoof through her purple mane. "I'm not even sure if a changeling can have a romantic relationship." Zulu said somberly, taking his hoof out of Twilight's mane. "But... I appreciate the thought, and maybe if things were different maybe... just maybe we could be something." Zulu whispered to Twilight, rising to his full height.

"Besides... I need to move on. I'd like to learn what my fellow changelings are doing at the moment." Zulu said more to himself looking out one of the windows in the Zecora's hut. "I do hope that I will be able to see you again." Zulu said to Twilight, him beginning to trot toward the door to Zecora's hut.

"Smooth moves, sugar." Zulu heard a voice that wasn't Twilight's.

"Huh." Zulu said in surprise, doing a quick 180 to see the piercing green eyes of Applejack staring at Zulu from under her brown cowboy hat. A blush began to appear on Zulu's muzzle as he gave a quick glance at the sleeping body of Twilight. Her body moving up and down ever so slightly as she breathed in her sleep. A smile appearing on Zulu's muzzle not long after.

"Don't worry sugar cube..." Applejack whispered from her wooden chair, her hat still rested to cover most of her face. "It will be our little secret." Applejack whispered to Zulu, a warm smile spreading across the orange pony's muzzle.

Zulu mouthed a thank you to Applejack as he opened the door of Zecora's house with his green magic. Him stepping out into the cool morning air. And before you could've said 'Sweet Celestia' Zulu was gone. Him disappearing into the shadows of the morning.

Theta and Rarity rounded one of the corners of the Fashion Distinct to find that one of the most expensive dress shops. A large brick building three stories tall was on fire, the windows on the lowest level shattered. The orange flames of the fire completely engulfing the large building.

"Oh. NO. YOU. DIDN'T!" Rarity yelled, her eyes burning with rage. She was about to bolt toward the burning building, only to be stopped by one of tree trunk sized forelegs of Theta.

"Don't even think about." Theta said to Rarity, his claws digging into the concrete beneath him.

"But... the shop... all those fabulous clothes." Rarity whimpered to Theta, trying to force her way passed Theta's legs. Theta's claws only digging further into the concrete as Rarity continued to struggle.

"And I'll take care of it, you just go and get somepony that can put out the fire." Theta ordered at Rarity while still keeping his voice calm and collected.

Despite what Rarity's heart was telling her, she sighed in defeat. "Theta's right, he's a dragon. He is better suited to take on other dragons." Rarity thought to herself. "Ok, you can do it." Rarity sighed in defeat. "Just be careful." Rarity added before taking off to find anypony to put out the fire.

"I will, now go." Theta said at Rarity. The white unicorn taking off into the opposite direction. "I'll take care of this." Theta said to himself, letting a roar and charging at the burning building, a roar from another dragon coming from the burning building.

Theta body slammed his way into the burning building. Him not having that much force to destroy the door of the clothing store with everything on the lowest floor being engulfed in flames. The light blue door that marked the entrance to the clothing store disintegrating when Theta ran through it.

Theta's eyes gave a quick scan of the burning clothing store. His gaze falling on the teal colored dragon that was currently tearing the clothing store apart looking for anything kind of jewelry to quench his gems. Theta seeing all of the shattered necklaces across the blue carpeted floor. All of the gems, excluding the red ones, being stripped from the necklaces. Theta took it a little surprising that a dress shop would actually have more gems in it than an actual jewelry store. Theta decided to ask Rarity about it later, he had more pressing matters at the moment. Namely, the adolescent dragon that was currently destroying somepony else property.

"Not a fan of rubies, I see." Theta said sarcastically, catching the blue dragons attention.

"Mine!" The light blue dragon hissed at Theta, him standing protectively over his hoard of stolen gems. The blue dragon's eyes were burning an unnatural red color and he seemed to be a lot thinner than a dragon his age should be. Theta assuming the dragon to be no more than five years younger than he was. That was when he was him with realization. It hitting him harder than the tail swipe that he took from Omega about a week earlier.

"This dragon isn't from the Empire." Theta thought most dragons that come from the Dragon Empire being in great health due to the large amounts of gems that can be found there. "This dragon is from Equestria." Theta thought, him subconsciously taking a single step closer.

"Don't move any closer!" The dragon called out to Theta, his words filled with terror. His eyes, while still being red, had changed from being filled with hatred and madness into fear.

That was when Theta noticed his error, him raising his left foreleg off of the ground and taking a single step backward. "Ok, I hear you. I'm not coming any closer." Theta said to the blue dragon, taking another step backward.

"Good, these are my gems, and no one else's." The dragon spat back, gathering up another five necklaces of many different gems with a single swipe of his claws.

"Look, I see that you are scared, just let me help you." Theta said, extending his paw toward the blue dragon.

"You said you wouldn't move!" The dragon yelped, taking his own step backward. The fires of the building continuing to rage, the two dragons have no ill effects as dragons have evolved to be very resistant to smoke inhalation.

"I'm not moving any closer, I'm just trying to help you." Theta said to the dragon. Theta swearing to the first Alpha himself that he saw small tears beginning to form in the dragon's eyes.

"I don't need your help, I'm fine!" The dragon roared, the floodgates having been opened.

"It's alright, I'm here to help." Theta said to the dragon, him fighting with every fiber of his being not to take a step forward.

"No, no help. No one has ever help me, why should you be any different!" The dragon roared back.

"Because I'm not like everyone else. I can actually help you." Theta said to the dragon, trying to find some kind of words that could help the terrified dragon. The blue dragon's ears perked up at Theta's words. Them seeming to be working on him.

"What do you mean?" The blue dragon asked, taking a step toward Theta and off of his small hoard of gems.

"I guess I should introduce myself, my name is Theta." Theta said to the blue dragon, only to get interrupted by him.

"I don't care who you are, just how you can help me." The blue dragon roared at Theta. Theta's beginning to get agitated at the blue dragon in front of him.

"Relax Theta, this dragon has been through a lot, so just take a deep breath and keep talking to him. Rarity should be back any time now." Theta thought to himself.

Theta heeded his advice and took a deep breath before continuing to talk to the dragon in front of him. "Look, I understand that you have been through a lot, and I'm just trying to help you. So if you just let me help you, I can get out of this burning building and change your life for the better." Theta said to the dragon, a small smile appearing on his face.

"Ok, ok, I get it. So... what can you do to help me?" The blue dragon said to Theta, accepting his help.

"You come to where I grew up." Theta said, a look of confusion spreading across the other dragon's muzzle.

"And where would that be?" The blue dragon asked Theta.

"The Dragon Empire, now it isn't anything like Equestria. No giant cities filled with ponies. Just a large desert filled with your fellow dragons, every corner of the seemingly endless desert filled with gems for you to enjoy." Theta said to the blue dragon, his red eyes changing to a more teal color and widening as he continued to speak. "And you don't have to worry about stealing them just to survive." Theta finished, taking at look at the small hoard of treasure underneath the blue dragon's claws. A look that the other dragon shared.

"Ok, I will go with you to this, Dragon Empire. You call it." The blue dragon said Theta spirits being to rise. "But only one condition." The dragon added, Theta's hopes getting dashed.

"A condition, what kind of a condition. Calm down Theta, its probably nothing." Theta thought himself. "And what condition would that be?" Theta asked the blue dragon, shaking his previously thoughts out of his head.

"I just want you to promise me that nothing bad will happen to me once I get there." The dragon said to Theta.

"Um... sure, you have my word." Theta said, a little surprised by the other dragon's request. "Now, come on. I think it's about time get out of here." Theta said to the blue dragon. The fire inside the dress shop still raging.

"Right, let's go." The blue dragon said to Theta, following him outside of the burning building.

Theta and the blue dragon walked out of the burning shop and were quickly met by a large group of a dozen or more police and firefighting ponies. Rarity standing in the middle, in between two police ponies holding bronze spears in light blue magic.

The blue dragon tensed up at the sight of the two bronze weapons. Him dropping into a defensive stance. The police only raising their weapons even higher. Several other officers following suit.

"Wait! There is no need for aggression." Theta announced, pointing his foreleg protectively in front of the blue dragon, while holding his other in a stopping motion. "This dragon is my friend." Theta began to say, him being interrupted by a fashionably dressed unicorn that Theta hadn't noticed before. Theta assuming her to be the owner of the shop.

"Well, your friend here just broke into my shop and set it ablaze." The fashion mare said to Theta and the dragon he was defending. The blue dragon sneaking at little bit from the mare's words.

"Officer, you know the punishment for those that destroy other's property." The fashion mare said speaking to one of the police ponies, Theta assuming him to be either a sergeant or captain. "Especially ones of that kind." The mare spat, both Theta and the blue dragon tensing up at her words. The blue dragon snarling at the mare, his white sharpened teeth showing in the bright sun. Theta having to put a forcible claw on the small dragon's shoulder to prevent him from attacking the mare.

"You see, pure monsters, each and every one of them. Their kind almost destroyed Equestria forever." The mare said to the sergeant/captain officer, her finding a twisted delight in the animosity that she was creating. A twisted delight that reminded Theta way to much of his brother.

"There also the one's that save it!" Theta screamed internally. Him not fighting with very fiber of his bring to hold back not just the blue dragon at his side, but also himself from attacking the mare that Theta could only describe as pure evil.

"Ok, there's no need for violence." Rarity began, only to get interrupted by the same mare.

"No pony asked for your opinion young lady, now move along. This matter is no concern of yours." The mare spat at Rarity. Rarity taking several steps back in appallment.

"Now, get rid of these pests." The mare said speaking to the officer pony next to her. The officer was internally debating whether he should follow the mare's wishes or not. His decision was made up for him by the mare's next words. "If you don't kill them than I can get my, who is the chief of police, to fire all of your men." The mare said to the officer, her words no louder than a whisper so that no one would hear her blackmail. But Theta, along with the dragon he was protecting with their advanced hearing could.

"You heard her men. Equip weapons and prepare to attack." The officer announced, and all the ponies present got a look of surprise on their faces. Including the officers own men, but they followed their orders regardless. The only two that weren't surprised by his actions were Theta and his blue dragon companion.

The half a dozen or so officer ponies raised their bronze spears that were strapped to their sides. Them all being held in a combination of blue, red, and green magic.

"Fire." The officer pony said simply, the words feeling like acid on his tongue.

"WHAT!" Rarity cried as a half a dozen bronze spears starting flying at Theta and his blue companion.

At the last second, the blue dragon broke out of Theta's grasp and sacrificed his own body to jump protectively in front of Theta.

"NO!" Theta roared as one the spears pierced through the neck of the blue dragon. Another scraping past the blue dragon left foreleg. His leg giving out from the impact. All the other spears missed either of their targets. Them either implanting into the concrete behind them or flying through the broken windows of the burning clothing store. The spear that had gone right through his neck and implanted itself a solid four inches into the concrete sidewalk. The blue dragon brought his right claw up to his the gaping wound in his neck. Him falling to the concrete sidewalk in a puddle of his own blood.

Theta's brain seemed to lag as his left claw caught the blue dragon head before it hit the ground before he even thought to do so. "No!" Theta heard himself roar.

"You said that nothing would happen to me." The blue dragon said, taking his claw off of his neck. His red blood beginning to flow like a river. His blue scales turning a dark purple color from all the blood.

"No kid, you stay with me! You hear me, stay with me." Theta cried down to the blue dragon that he cradled in his forelegs. His right claws covering the wound that blue dragon had in his neck.

"You... promised..." The blue dragon said, and then he was gone. The color in his teal eyes leaving as he stared blankly at the bright sun above him. Theta removed his claw from the dragon's neck and closed his eyes for him. Theta unable to look at the nothing more than a kid that he couldn't save. Theta didn't shed any tears, he had none left to shed.

"Theta... I'm so sorry... I didn't know that this would happen." Rarity whimpered to Theta, trying to apologize to him. Rarity placing her white hoof on Theta's shoulder, him only to shake it off. Tears beginning to form in Rarity's eyes.

"I... didn't even know his name." Theta said more to himself, him raising off of the concrete sidewalk. His claws still covered in the blue dragon's blood. Him beginning to walk down the street from Rarity in absolute silence.

"Theta, where are you going? We still have a mission to do." Rarity called after Theta, the white dragon's movements coming to a halt.

"You can do whatever in Tartarus you want Rarity. I'm going home." Theta said defeated, him beginning to start walking again.

"Theta!" Theta heard somepony call his name. This pony's voice not being that of Rarity's. Intrigued Theta turned his head toward the sound, all of his previous thoughts . His eyes widening as his gaze fell upon the body of a grayish-yellow unicorn with a red mane with purple and pink highlights.

"Moon Dancer."

The Return of the Red Head (Manehattan Arc)

The Return of the Red Head (Manehattan Arc)

"Moon Dancer... what are you doing here?" Theta asked the grayish-yellow mare.

"I'm heeding my own advice to get out of Canterlot. I guess I trotted out of one battle only to trot into another." Moon Dancer said to Theta, her gazing passing over toward the clothing store that Theta had just left. The building no longer on fire, and the officer ponies currently cleaning the mess that was on the sidewalk.

"I'm guessing you saw... that?" Theta asked Moon Dancer, making a quick look at the clothing store before turning to face Moon Dancer directly.

"No, not all of it, but I saw enough. And I'm sorry for what happened to your friend." Moon Dancer said to Theta, a solemn expression appearing on his face. Neither of them even noticing when they were joined by Rarity.

"Thank, but there was really nothing that I could have done." Theta said to Moon Dancer, his eyes drifting toward the concrete sidewalk.

"I wouldn't say that there is always something that we can in all situations." Rarity's voice chimed in, and Theta's brain snapped. Theta's eyes turning to a burning red as he went off on the white unicorn.

"No Rarity, I couldn't!" Theta roared at Rarity, the white unicorn taking an instinctive two steps backward. Rarity had seen Theta in battle and didn't want to provoke a dragon that was able to stare down Omega. "I couldn't do a damn back there, and I never will!" Theta continued to roar at Rarity, him releasing all of his pent-up frustration he had for the last week at her whether he wanted to or not.

"I have never been able to do anything that has made a difference, I have just been trying to convince myself that I can actually make a difference!" Theta roared at Rarity, his scales getting darker with each passing second. Moon Dancer taking special note of the white dragon's color change in his scales. "Well, guess what Rarity. I can't do a damn thing. I can't even save a kid from getting murdered in cold blood!" Theta roared at Rarity.

Theta was about to continue his rant when he felt something soft on his right foreleg. Theta looked down to see the yellow-gray hoof of Moon Dancer resting on top of his paw. Her purple eyes staring directly into his. Theta's red returning their original emerald green. Something that Moon Dancer careful note of.

"Theta, that's enough." Moon Dancer commanded at Theta, her words calm but filled with force. Theta only needed to stare into the purple eyes of Moon Dancer for a second to notice his error.

Theta let out of heavy sigh as he slowly turned his head toward Rarity. Her blue eyes watery, Rarity choosing it best to just stare at the concrete sidewalk beneath her. "Rarity..." Theta said calmly, Rarity flinching slightly at Theta calling her name. "I'm sorry." Theta apologized, Rarity taken a little by surprise by Theta's words.

"What?" Rarity said, looking up and into Theta's green eyes.

"I'm sorry." Theta repeated to Rarity, his words calm while his scales began to slowly return to their original white color. Moon Dancer's hoof still resting on top of his paw.

"You... you don't need to apologize. I get it... you've been through a lot." Rarity said to Theta, his reverting her eyes back toward the ground.

"That's no excuse. I may have been through a lot in the last week, but so have you, and the rest of your friends." Theta explained himself to Rarity. "Practically your friend, Rainbow Dash." Theta mentally added. "I... I had no right to yell at you. I know that it's not much, but I hope that you will be able to accept my apology." Theta said to Rarity. Him now being the one looking at the ground.

Rarity just stared at the white dragon in front of her. She just stared at Theta for what seemed to her several minutes before a smile appeared on her face. Her trotting up to Theta and embracing him in a hug. Her only able to partially wrap her hooves around Theta's tree trunk of a neck. The bandages that she wrapped around her neck beginning to turn a dark shade of red. Theta's cuts on his neck must have started to bleed again.

"Two hours worth of work, wasted." Rarity internally sighed as she pulled out of the hug with Theta. "Yes, I forgive you Theta." Rarity said to Theta, accepting his apology.

"Thank you, Rarity." Theta said to Rarity.

Rarity took a look around the city, there seeming to be not much more they could do to improve, Manehattan own police force seeming to have the situation of dragons under control.

"Come on Theta, I think it's about time to go home. I don't think that there is much more that we can do here. Besides, I think you need to see Zecora about those cuts on your neck." Rarity said to Theta. Theta taking a quick look at his neck to see that the gaze was starting to turn a dark red, him nodding in agreement. The two friends beginning to walk toward the train station in the middle of the city.

"Hey, wait for me!" Moon Dancer called, catching up to Rarity and Theta.

"You want to come with, we're just going to a friend of mine that is an expert at zebra medicine." Rarity said to Moon Dancer, surprised as to why the yellow unicorn wanted to join them in what was really just a trip to small hut inside the Everfree Forest.

"I know." Moon Dancer said, only adding to Rarity's confusion.

"Wait, you know Zecora?" Rarity asked Moon Dancer.

"Well no, not personally anyway. But I do know of her and of her advancements in medicine. It would be best for all of Equestria if I am able to include some of her advancements into Equestrian medicine." Moon Dancer said, Rarity seeming to accept her reasoning. "Besides my home in Canterlot was destroyed when Omega attacked so I am looking for a new home, and I have heard that housing in Ponyville is pretty cheap." Moon Dancer added, speaking more to herself.

"Well then, come on. The train ride to Ponyville is only a few hours." Theta said to Moon Dancer, motioning her to follow them further. Moon Dancer's face lighting up with a smile. Moon Dancer trotting up to Theta's side.

Rarity, Theta, and Moon Dancer all got on the next train to Ponyville. Rarity and Theta both ready to have some peace and quiet after what was truly a hectic week. Moon Dancer spending most of her time near Theta. Moon Dancer didn't know why, but ever since she had met Theta during her trip to the Dragon Empire during the dragon migration she had always had an attraction to the white dragon. An attraction that she couldn't explain. Maybe it was his eyes of emeralds or his snow white scales or their strange ability to change their color depending on his mood. She didn't know but she intended to find out. Her even falling sleep up against his white scales. Theta was at first a little, understandably, freak out by the yellow unicorn's evasion of his personal space. But he soon came to enjoy Moon Dancer's company him quickly falling

Theta was at first a little, and understandably, freak out by the yellow unicorn's evasion of his personal space. But he soon came to enjoy Moon Dancer's company him quickly falling asleep along with her. His long tail wrapping around the both of them in a half circle. Theta protecting the yellow unicorn like his own hoard of treasure. Them both sleeping in a tight embrace for the rest of the journey.

Inside Zecora's hut Twilight continued to sleep peacefully her dreams being the most pleasant ones she had in the longest time. Her first dreams that didn't include books since, well forever really. Her sleep was, however, interrupted when she started to feel something inching her muzzle.

"Ugh... five more minutes." Twilight groaned still half-asleep, using on of her hooves to swat at whatever was interrupting her borderline perfect dreams.

"Come on Twilight, it's time to wake up." Twilight heard, the voice being unmistakably that of her number one assistant Spike.

"No, leave me be." Twilight continued to groan. Her snuggling up closer to the blanket that she didn't remember putting on before she went to bed.

"Zecora made breakfast." Spike said, a noticeable growl coming from Twilight's stomach. A laugh coming from Spike afterward

"Damn you primal instincts." Twilight internally cursed her own body. Her wanting to return to the greatness that was dreamland.

"Breakfast..." Twilight said, opening one of her eyes. Spike's green reptilian eyes staring back at her. Twilight able to see both Applejack and Pinkie Pie snickering at the spectacle going on in front of them.

"Yeah, Zecora made pancakes, there actually not that bad." Spike said to Twilight, the purple alicorn opening both eyes now while still squinting at Spike.

Twilight let a defeated sigh as a smile appeared on her face. "Fine, I'll get up." Twilight said to Spike, raising her full height the blanket that wrapped around her body aimlessly falling off as she stretched. Her stretching her hind legs, Twilight letting a groan as she felt one of the joints in her left hind leg pop.

Twilight, still in her joyous attitude after her most pleasant dream, trotted over to the wooden table where the rest of her friends were located. Rarity and Theta still not back from their journey to Manehattan. Twilight sitting down and grabbing three pancakes from a clay plate in the center of the table with her magic. Twilight quietly humming a happy tone as she ate.

"You must have had one heck of a dream if you are this happy." Applejack commented, taking a seat next to the purple unicorn. Applejack nudging Twilight gently in the shoulder.

"Hmm..." Twilight hummed, mid-bite of her second pancake, this was when she noticed that all of her friend's eyes were staring at her. This was also the first time that she noticed that Zecora, Fluttershy, and even Rainbow were in the room. Zecora off in the corner making more pancakes at a wood burning stove. While Fluttershy and Rainbow both staring directly at Twilight. Fluttershy and Pinkie looking with genuine as to what had made her purple friend so happy. Rainbow looking more bored, her right wing still wrapped in a protective gaze so that the small bones in her wings could heal correctly. Applejack sending a knowing look toward Twilight, as she was almost 100% sure what she had dreamed about.

"Oh... it was alright, I guess." Twilight said taking another bite of her pancake, her face beginning to flush pink in a blush.

"I would say it was a little more than alright. I haven't seen you happier since you come to Ponyville." Applejack said to Twilight, her taking a sip out of a glass of cold apple cider. Her giving Twilight her own glass of the amber colored liquid. Twilight accepting the glass from Applejack. Her downing a third of the drink in one go.

"What was it about?" Fluttershy asked Twilight, the purple alicorn's blush intensifying with every passing second.

"Really girls, it was nothing." Twilight said, trying to drop the issue without sounding rude as much as possible.

"Yeah, she was probably dreaming about egghead stuff, like the boring books she reads." Rainbow chimed in her already lost interest in whatever had put Twilight in a happy mood.

In any other situation, Twilight would've called Rainbow out for calling her an egghead, knowing that the cyan pegasus was a fan of reading books. Practically the books from the Daring Do series that Twilight had introduced to Rainbow in the first place. But wasn't any situation and Twilight needed a good lie to convince her friends. Or, at least, convince them enough to just drop the issue altogether.

"Yeah, a book. I was dreaming about a book. It was very book, that's why I'm so happy." Twilight said quickly, stuffing her mouth with her third pancake. Something she regretted as she began to cough. Her having to down another third of her glass of cider in order not to choke.

"Wow... slow down there partner, we don't want you to die on us here."Applejack said, giving Twilight a friendly pat on the back.

"I'm ok." Twilight said, breathing heavily. Her lie, along with her coughing seeming to do the trick as all her friends went back to eating. Twilight taking note of Rainbow wincing every time she took a bite of something. She couldn't tell if the pain she was going through was physical or mental. But either way, it was clear to her at least. The Rainbow Dash that had confidently shown off her unrivaled moves in the air was gone. It leaving her the very moment she was almost broken in half by Sigma.

When Twilight finished her third pancake that morning she noticed something that was off. "Where's Zulu?" Twilight asked her friends.

"I dunno, ask AJ. She's the one that saw him leave." Rainbow said, getting up from her seat. "I'll be in my room if anypony needs me." Rainbow excused herself, her disappearing behind the blue curtain that marked the entrance to her room. Twilight watched Rainbow disappear behind the blue curtain before turning her attention over to Applejack.

"So... where is Zulu?" Twilight asked Applejack trying her best to hide her true motives for asking.

"I don't know." Applejack said and Twilight looked like her brain just snapped. An expression of pure shock that Applejack couldn't help but laugh at.

"You... don't know." Twilight repeated her left eye beginning to twitch.

"No, didn't say where he was going when he left." Applejack said to Twilight, taking another sip from her glass of apple cider.

"Did he at least say why he left?" Twilight asked Applejack, her words becoming more forceful and her left eye continuing to twitch.

"He said he wanted to join up with the rest of the changelings. Whatever that means, he left just as I woke up." Applejack said to Twilight. The purple alicorn's ears folding to the back of her head in disappointment.

"Oh... I see. Did he say even he would return?" Twilight asked Applejack. "If he will return." Twilight mentally added.

"He didn't say." Applejack said, Twilight's ears drooping even more. "But..." Applejack began to say, Twilight's face instantly lighting up. "I think I did here him say that he hope that he would see all of us again." Applejack said to Twilight, restoring a little bit of her hope of seeing that certain changeling.

"Ok.. thanks, AJ." Twilight said returning her attention back to the glass of apple cider that was in front of her. Twilight beginning to drink the remaining third of her drink.

When Twilight was almost done with done with her glass, just for fun, Applejack began to whisper in her ear. "Why were you hoping to a little alone time with Zulu." Applejack whispered to Twilight. The purple alicorn's face instantly flushing rose red in a blush and her eyes growing the size of dinner plates. Twilight spitting out the cider that was currently in her mouth. Twilight entering a massive coughing fit.

"Oh, Twilight! Are you ok?" Fluttershy asked her coughing friend as she continued to cough her lungs out.

"I'm... ack ack ack... ok." Twilight managed to say to Fluttershy, trying to get her coughing fit under control. Her sending a death glare Applejack's way. "I guess, I just drank too much at once. The cider just went down the wrong tube or something." Twilight made up a believable excuse. Fluttershy seeming to accept Twilight's words with a nod of her head. The yellow pegasus not seeming to notice the death glare that Twilight was sending toward Applejack.

"Oh! I did that once. It just wasn't with apple cider, it was with chocolate milk." Pinkie chimed in. Twilight taking Pinkie strangeness as a welcomed distraction. Twilight asked Zecora if she could excuse herself in a manner as to not interrupt Pinkie's story has to how Discord made Pinkie laugh so hard that she started sneezing chocolate milk out of her nose. Fluttershy seeming to be practically intrigued by the story about the Spirit of Chaos Zecora sent Twilight gave a single head nod and Twilight rose from her seat and began to trot toward the wood door that marked the entrance to Zecora's small straw hut.

Applejack was enjoying Pinkie tale when Twilight hit her seat with her hoof. Twilight did a motion with her head urging Applejack to follow her outside the small hut. Applejack gave Twilight a small smile as she finished her glass of apple cider.

Applejack followed Twilight outside, the bright spring sun shining down on the two ponies. Applejack still with a happy smile on her face. Twilight closed the wooden door to Zecora's hut with her hoof, her still sending a glare toward Applejack. Applejack's smile began to fade before disappearing completely. Applejack let out a sigh as she started to address Twilight.

"What is it Twi?"

"How do you know?" Twilight asked bluntly, her sitting on her haunches and crossing her hooves.

"What... what do you mean?" Applejack awkwardly asked Twilight her own question, her trying to avoid the question that she was asked. Twilight's glare only increasing from Applejack's evasion. Applejack certain that if Twilight's glare was connected to her horn she could cut a diamond with it.

Applejack didn't like to see her friend made at her. Teasing her was fun, but this wasn't what Applejack wanted. Applejack let out another sigh, this one heavier than the last. "I saw the two of you." Applejack said to Twilight, the purple alicorn's eyes widening at Applejack's words.

"How... how much did you see?" Twilight stammered to Applejack, her hoping that Applejack didn't see anything... too embarrassing.

"Not much to be honest." Applejack said to Twilight. Twilight let out an internal sigh of relief. "I woke up just as you fell asleep on his neck, him putting you bed, and placing a blanket over you as you slept." Applejack said to Twilight.

"That explains the blanket." Twilight thought as Applejack continued.

"He left to somewhere I don't know after that." Applejack finished. Twilight rising to her full height soon afterward.

"Did he say anything before he left? Well, anything other than that you already said?" Twilight asked Applejack.

"Other than that he wished that he would like to see you again, nothing." Applejack said, Twilight's ears dropping at her words.

"Oh... ok." Twilight said defeated, her beginning to trot down the dirt path that led to Zecora's hut.

"Twilight wait!" Applejack called after Twilight, having remembered something else that Zulu said before he left.

"What is it, AJ?" Twilight asked Applejack, doing a quick 180. "Did you remember something?" Twilight asked Applejack, running over to her side. Her almost literally jumping for joy.

"Yes, I do remember him saying one more thing before he left." Applejack said to Twilight.

"What he say, he what he say?" Twilight asked Applejack, her jumping up and down in excitement. Applejack having to fight with every fiber of her being not to laugh at Twilight. Her looking more like a school filly with their first crush instead of the latest Princess of Equestria.

"I remember saying that he was flattered by your... advancements..." Applejack began to say, Twilight eagerly waiting for her friend to continue. "But..." Applejack said and Twilight face dropped.

"But, what, but what!? Buts are never a good thing!" Twilight screamed internally, time seeming to slow down for her as she waited for Applejack to continue.

"While Zulu said that he was flattered, he said that he wasn't looking for a relationship. A relationship that he didn't even think was possible with him being a changeling." Applejack said to Twilight, all the light in Twilight face leaving her in a second.

"Oh... I see." Twilight said defeated, looking down at the dirt ground beneath her.

"Hey, Twi." Applejack said, lifting up Twilight hoof with her hoof. "Keep your chin up. Like the saying goes, there are plenty of fish in the sea." Applejack said to Twilight, trying to raise her spirits.

"Hey fish in the sea... right whatever you say AJ." Twilight said defeated beginning to trot back toward Zecora's hut.

"What am I going to do with you Twilight?" Applejack thought to herself as she followed Twilight back to the hut.

Them both completely unaware that there were two pegasi looking for them, or more accurately looking for Twilight.

Over the skies of the Everfree two pegasus royal guards on a mission from Celestia herself. There mission being to find and deliver an important message to Princess Twilight Sparkle.

"Tartarus, how hard can it be to find one purple alicorn in the Everfree Forest." One of the pegasus guards said to his partner. Him being a white stallion with a jet black mane with silver highlights.

"I don't know Lightspeed. But Princess Twilight Sparkle has to be around here somewhere." Lightspeed partner said to him. Him a dark gray stallion with a lighter color of gray mane, him going by the name of Silver Spear, or just Spear for short.

"Hey, Spear isn't that the Princess?" Lightspeed asked Dust. Him pointing his light hoof at a small clearing in the tree tops near the edge of the forest that was located at its border of Ponyville. Him swearing that he saw a purple pony with wings, him not to tell if the pony also had a horn sticking out her forehead from the attitude that he was flying.

"Maybe, but there's only one way to find out." Dust said back, the two fly down toward where Lightspeed had seen the purple mare.

The two guards landed in the small clearing in the tree tops to find that the purple mare that Lightspeed had thought was Princess Twilight was indeed Twilight. Twilight still joined by Applejack.

"There she is." Dust said to Lightspeed.

About time." Lightspeed said, beginning to trot toward the purple alicorn. "Princess!" Lightspeed called out into the dark forest. Both Twilight and Applejack coming to a halt.

Twilight and Applejack both did a quick 180 to see the two pegasus guard wearing golden armor staring back at them. The dark gray guard with his golden helmet removed, it resting underneath his left wing. Twilight was frozen in place, her not sure why white guard had addressed her as Princess. Her still not used to her new title.

"Twi, I think there talkin' to yay." Applejack whispered to Twilight.

"Oh, a yes." Twilight said quickly, realization coming to her. Twilight quickly cleared her throat before addressing the two guards that were standing in front of her at attention. "Yes, what is it that you two have to tell me?" Twilight asked the white guard that had called her name earlier. Twilight doing her best to sound like Princess Celestia.

"I guess we should introduce ourselves first. My name's Corporal Lightspeed..." The white guard introduced himself, removing his helmet and placing underneath his left wing, much like his partner. "And this is Private Silver Spear." Lightspeed said introducing his partner to Twilight and Applejack. Silver Spear giving Twilight a quick head nod when his partner introduced him to Equestria's newest Princess.

"Pleasure to meet you both, now what is it that you needed to speak to me about?" Twilight asked her Princess voice a little better than it was before.

"We are both on a mission from Princess Celestia herself..." Lightspeed said, Twilight instantly tensing up at the mention of her former mentor. "to merely deliver a special message to you." Lightspeed finished, adding more questions to Twilight's mind.

"A message, why would she send two guards to give me a message when she could just send one to Spike? Maybe she feared that he would still be under Omega's control and couldn't risk such important information to end up in the wrong hooves, or claws." Twilight thought to herself. Coming up with her own reason for Celestia's reasoning.

"What kind of message did Princess Celestia want to deliver to me." Twilight asked the two guards. Silver Spear speaking up this time.

"Princess Celestia, along with both Princess Luna and Princess Cadence, have summoned you and your friend, if possible, to the Crystal Empire for your first Princess Sumit." Silver Spear said to Twilight. Twilight a little surprised that Twilight hadn't just sent her a letter through Spike.

"Um... Thank you Corporal Lightspeed and Private Silver Spear, I will inform my friends, and we will be on the next train out of Ponyville heading toward the Crystal Empire." Twilight said to the two guards, them both nodding and placing their golden helmet back on top of their heads.

"Thank you, your highness, we will inform Princess Celestia that you have received her message and will be arriving in the Crystal Empire soon." Lightspeed said to Twilight, giving her a small bow before opening his feathered wings.

"Thank you, Corporal Lightspeed. Me, and as many of my friends as possible, should be in the Crystal Empire by sundown. Twilight said to Lightspeed as the two guards began to hover in the air.

The two pegasus guards were about ready to began the long flight back to the Crystal Empire when a masculine voice broke the silence of the mid-day Spring air. "What is this about a Princess Summit in the Crystal Empire?" The voice of Theta said, taking everypony by surprise.

All eyes shot around to the sound of the voice to find Theta standing a couple of yards away from the four ponies, his snow white scales shining in the bright sun. Rarity standing at his left, and Moon Dancer to his right. The two guards recognizing the white dragon and landing back on the ground, removing their helmets and giving a small bow toward Theta. Theta being the dragon equivalent to a Prince or Princess.

"Rarity, Theta, you're back!" Twilight and Applejack both cried out at once. Them both running over to give their friends a big hug. Twilight and Applejack embracing Rarity in a tight hug. Followed shortly by a short exchange of hugs with Theta. Moon Dancer being to feel like the third wheel in this interaction. Tartarus, the two royal guards that were bowing to dragon royalty looked more in place than what was nothing more than a homeless pony that had an attraction to a dragon that she couldn't even begin to understand.

"Oh, and I hi Moon Dancer is it?" Twilight said, surprised to find the yellow unicorn standing close to Theta.

"Hey Twilight, and yes my name is Moon Dancer." Moon Dancer all but spat at Twilight. The two guards were about to correct Moon Dancer for her rudeness but decided against. "Twilight had only been a Princess for less than a week. You can't expect the general population to be as respectful toward her as a trained guard would be." The two guards thought, them not knowing of the bad blood between the two old friends. Bad blood that not even Twilight knew of.

"When did you guys get back?" Twilight asked, completely forgetting the conservation that she was very only a minute earlier.

"Will discuss Manehattan at a better time, but what I currently what to know is about this Princess Summit." Rarity said turning Twilight's attention back at the two pegasus guards.

"Oh right, my bad. Rarity, Theta, Moon Dancer, this is Corporal Lightspeed, and this is Private Silver Spear." Twilight said introducing the two guards to the new arrivals. The two guards raising from their bow and placing their golden helmets back on their heads.

"Pleasure to meet you both soldiers, now what is this about a Princess Summit." Theta said speaking to the two pegasus guards.

"We are filled with much information about the latest Princess Summit in the Crystal Empire, we are simply message ponies." Lightspeed said.

"I see..." Theta said, an idea coming to him. "Twilight do you to think that I could accompany you to this Princess Summit? As a representative of the Dragon Empire." Theta asked Twilight.

"Sure, I think Princess Celestia would like to add another royal to the mix, even though you're not technically a Princess." Twilight said, getting a playful glare from Theta.

"Will that be all Princess?" Lightspeed asked Twilight, the two guards opening their feathered wings. Them preparing for the long trip back to the Crystal Empire.

Yes, I believe so Corporal. You both can inform Princess Celestia that I, my friends, and now Theta, will be attending the latest Princess Summit, and we should all arrive in the Crystal Empire by the end of the day." Twilight said to the two guards.

The two guards both nodded, gave a bow to the two royals, and launched into the sky. Them flying back toward the icy north of the Crystal Empire.

Twilight, Theta, and Rarity all walked back to Zecora's hut. They quickly pack all that was needed for a two day trip to the Crystal Empire and got on the next train heading to the Crystal Empire. Moon Dancer deciding it best to just spend her visit in Ponyville, she wasn't needed in the Crystal Empire. Besides, she might still be able to get so important medical advancements from Zecora.

"At least it's something." Moon Dancer thought to herself as she sat at the wooden table in Zecora's hut. Her drinking a cup of herbal tea that Zecora had graciously made for her.

"Why so gloom? It is Springtime you should be in bloom." Zecora asked Moon Dancer in her usual rhyming, the zebra taking a seat across from the yellow unicorn. Moon Dancer used her magic to place the small ceramic tea cup on the wooden and let out a heavy sigh before talking to Zecora.

"I don't know Zecora. I guess I just feel an emptiness inside of me. I've been feeling it ever since I took a trip to the Dragon Empire for the dragon migration." Moon Dancer said to Zecora, the zebra nodding as Moon Dancer continued. Zecora taking a sip out of her own tea cup. "I thought it was just from the lack of knowledge that I didn't learn during my travel. But... that isn't it either." Moon Dancer said, her logical mind trying to make sense of the flurry of emotions that she was feeling.

"What do you mean? If I can help, I must know how to make you clean." Zecora said back, taking another sip of her teacup.

"I don't know Zecora. I knew it wasn't the knowledge about dragons as just study the Alpha when he was asleep gave me more information about dragons than anything I ever could've gotten from the dragon migration. I just keep feeling this emptiness. An emptiness that seems to just get better everytime I see Theta." Moon Dancer said, putting Zecora into deep thought.

"Hmm... Moon Dancer are you sure it is not something, but someone that you are missing." Zecora said to Moon Dancer, breaking her rhyming just once.

"What! That's... that's just absurd. I... have never needed ponies and I still don't." Moon Dancer denied. Only making a smile appear on Zecora's muzzle.

"I didn't say anything about a pony. I have come to believe that it a certain dragon, from your testimony." Zecora said with a smile, Moon Dancer's pupils shrinking to the size of peas.

"No, that's just absurd! We're not even the same species!" Moon Dancer loudly denied, shaking her head quickly back and forth. Her standing up from her chair and beginning to storm out of the small hut.

Moon Dancer's movements coming to a halt when Zecora called after her. "You can deny my words all you want Miss Dancer. That change the fact that Theta makes your heart prancer." Zecora said to Moon Dancer, her eyes filled with determination.

Moon Dancer simply ignored Zecora's words, she was too furious to care. "Thank you for the tea Zecora, but I think I'll find where else to stay while I'm in Ponyville." Moon Dancer spat at Zecora, slamming the door with her magic behind her. "Ugh! The nerve of that pony, no zebra." Moon Dancer cried out, her beginning to trot out of the Everfree Forest in order to find a motel in Ponyville so that she could find a good place sleep before she got a permanent housing.

"Oh, Moon Dancer, my sweet dove. There is no debate that you are in love." Zecora said taking another teacup.

Over in the Crystal Empire Celestia, Luna, and Cadence were all having a special meeting involving a very special object that was currently in front of them.

"I'm so glad that I took your advice earlier little sister to move this over to the Crystal Empire." Celestia thanked Luna.

"No problem sister, we don't know what would've happened to the other side if was destroyed when Omega attacked Canterlot.

The three alicorns were then joined by Cadence's husband, Shining Armor. A look of confusion appearing on his face as he watched the three other alicorns staring at what seemed, to him at least, just a regular purple full body crystal mirror with magenta gemstones around the base of the mirror.

"I don't mean to intrude, but what is so important about a mirror?" Shining Armor spoke up, trotting up to his wife's side.

"I'm glad you asked, Shining Armor." Celestia said, trotting up to the large mirror. "This isn't any ordinary mirror." Celestia said to Shining Armor, her touching the face of the mirror with her white hoof. A ripple going across the mirror from her touch.

"I see that... but what does it do?" Shining Armor asked Celestia, looking for a little bit more information.

"This mirror isn't just something that can be used to check your reflection." Luna joined in. "This is a portal to another world." Luna explained.

"What do mean by... another world?" Shining Armor asked the two alicorn sisters.

"This mirror acts as a portal to another world... an alternate dimension if you will where everypony in Equestria are turned into these bipedal creatures known as humans." Celestia explained.

"Oh... so how does it work?" Shining Armor asked.

"Well... you walk through it and it sends it to that world that we were talking about." Luna said.

Shining Armor was about to ask the alicorn sisters another question about the strange mirror, only for the Royals to be interrupted by a white pegasus guard trotting into the room. The guard being Corporal Lightspeed. The white guard removing his helmet as he addressed the four royals.

"My apologies for the interruption, but I have urgent news from Ponyville." The guard said, all of the royals eyes widening at the guard's words.

"Did Twilight receive the message?" Celestia asked Lightspeed.

"Yes your highness, Princess Twilight Sparkle did receive your message and said that she was going to be the next train from Ponyville which departed about a half an hour ago. The Princess, along with her friends, should be in the Crystal Empire by sundown." Lightspeed said, getting a few nods from the four royals.

"Excellent, is there anything else that you wished to inform of." Celestia said to Lightspeed keeping the white guard on his hooves.

"Yes your highness, in fact, there is." Lightspeed said to the four royals. Celestia, Luna, and Cadence all sharing a look. "Not long me and my partner, Private Silver Spear, found the Princess we came across the apprentice of the Alpha of the Dragon Empire." Lightspeed said Celestia and Luna both sharing another look.

"Theta?" Cadence said to confirm her suspicions. Lightspeed giving the pink alicorn a single head nod.

"The apprentice said that he would be honored to join your Princess Sumit, and is on the same train as Princess Twilight Sparkle heading toward the Crystal Empire." Lightspeed said, putting Celestia into deep thought.

"What are you thinking big sister?" Luna asked her older sister. Luna liking to refrain from calling Celestia by her name while those that she didn't see as friends were around.

"I hadn't predicted Alpha nor Theta joining us or our Princess Summit." Celestia said more to herself.

"I haven't seen Alpha since Omega's attack on Canterlot." Luna added, getting a nod from Celestia.

"Nor have I, but with Theta coming it might be best to also have Alpha along with him." Celesta thought out loud. "Corporal Lightspeed." Celestia called out to the to the white pegasus guard.

"Yes, Princess. What are your orders for me?" Lightspeed said, expecting to be given another assignment from the white alicorn.

"I want you and Private Silver Spear to find Alpha and tell him that he is summoned by the two alicorn sisters of Equestria to the Crystal Empire for a special diplomatic conference." Celestia ordered at Lightspeed. Him nodding and putting his helmet back on his head.

"If I may ask before I depart, where exactly could I find this Alpha?" Lightspeed asked, beginning to open up his wings.

"His a dragon the size of a mountain Corporal, he is pretty hard to miss." Shining Armor said sarcastically, him not really helping.

"Shining your not helping, I believe he was traveling toward the southern mountains after he defeated Omega, so I'd check there first." Cadence said being more helpful than her husband.

"Thank you, your highness, is there anything your graces." Lightspeed said, beginning to leave the room.

"No, I believe that is it Lightspeed. You are free to go and follow out your orders." Celestia said to Lightspeed.

"Thank you, your majesty." Lightspeed said closing the door behind him with a kick of his hind leg. His partern standing just outside.

"Come on Silver, we got another mission from Princess Celestia, I'll fill in on the way there." Lightspeed said the two guard launching into the skies to find the massive body of Alpha who seemingly disappeared after Oemga's defeat.

The royals continued to talk their discussion changing from being about the mirror that was currently behind them and to about the Princess Summit that was being held the following day. Them completely unaware that someone else was listening to very word that they were saying on the other side of the mirror.

"Another princess, a princess that was a student of her's. Princess Celestia must really desperate if she thinks that she could find a student that could even challenge me at magic." A creature on two legs that went by the name of a human said to herself as she continued to listen to what was going on the other side of the mirror. The other side of the mirror being a large square podium made out of marble with a statue of a horse on top of it.

The human being amber-skinned with a head of hair that looked like it was on fire, or made out of bacon depending on your perspective and teal eyes. She was wearing a black leather jacket with a purple shirt underneath. The shirt having a split sun emblem in the middle. The right side of the sun being yellow while the left is red, the center of the sun being orange. The human also wore an orange skirt with two stripes, one purple the other yellow. Along with a pair of black cowboy boots with purple details.

"Just wait Equestria, soon you will be mine." The human said to herself, a plan malicious plan beginning to shape in her mind. Her teal eyes twinkling as her plan began to shape.

The human's malicious thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of two idiots that she had made her wonder why she didn't kick to the curb ever since they began taking her orders.

"Right Equestria." An overweight light-blue-skinned human wearing a black shirt with a pair of scissors on and blue pants said dumbly.

"Yeah, wait what's Equestria? Sunset why talking to yourself all evilly again?" A shiny amber-skinned human wearing a long sleeved green vest with a small snail on it and tan pants said in response. The amber-skinned human by the name of Sunset Shimmer hitting face palm with her five-fingered hands.

"Why do I still work with you idiots?" Sunset internally groaned. "Because they are stupid and will do all of the manual labor needed for you." Sunset mentally talked to herself as she turned to face her minions.

"Nothing, it's not important." Sunset said to her two minions. Them going by the names Snips and Snails. "At least, not yet." Sunset thought to herself before continuing. "Did you to do want I told you to do?" Sunset asked her minions in a simple and direct voice.

"Yes Sunset, we checked with Pinkie Pie to make sure that you will be the only one that will be running against for the Fall Formal Princess." Snips said to Sunset.

"Yeah, we also made sure that anyone that would run against didn't." Snails added with a small giggle.

"You made sure not to use any... unnecessary force right? The last thing I need right now is to get on the wrong side of Principal Celestia before the fun actually starts." Sunset asked her two minions, her turning around in a flash of fiery red and orange hair.

"Nope, nothing more than threats of embarrassment, like normal." Snips said, a devilish smile appearing on Sunset's face.

"Excellent, now go and do whatever you idiots do on your spare time." Sunset dismissed her minions, her turning back around to face the statue, which functioned as the human world entrance to Equestria.

"Just wait Princess Celestia, you will soon come to regret ever letting me leave." Sunset said bitterly, her eyes burning with hatred.

A Royal Summit (Equestria Girls)

Twilight, her friends (including Spike), and Theta all arrived in the Crystal Empire just as the sun began to set underneath the snow-capped mountains of the far north. The six ponies trotting through the large city made almost entirely out of crystal. The gigantic crystal castle standing in the middle of the city. Spike followed the six ponies, him pulling a suitcase on wheels that contained all that Twilight need for her first Princess Summit as the newly crown fourth Princess of Equestria. Theta following a little behind the ponies. Him taking in the surroundings. This being the first time he had visited the Crystal Empire after the defeat of King Sombra, and he planned to take advantage and soak in the beauty of the city.

"Hoo-wee! Your very first princess summit. You must be over the moon, Twilight." Theta heard Applejack say to Twilight, the orange mare's words taking him from the beauty of the world around him.

"I am excited But, to be honest. I am a little nervous too." Twilight said to Applejack.

"You're nervicited." Pinkie hopped into the conversation, literally, her creating her own word in the process. Pinkie's friends all giving her a look of confusion. "It's like you wanna jump up and down and yell YAY ME!" Pinkie said, jumping up and down to emphasize her words. "But you also wanna curl up in a teeny-tiny ball and hide at the same time!" Pinkie said, curling up into a small ball shape. Theta couldn't stop himself from laughing at the pink ponies ridiculousness. "We've all been there!"

"I'm there almost every day." Theta heard Fluttershy whisper under her breath.

"You've got no reason to fret, Twi. Everything's gonna be just..." Applejack began to reassure Twilight, only to be interrupted by Rarity. Her pushing Applejack out of the way.

"TWILIGHT! Oh, sorry, darling, but I just realized you're not wearing your crown. You haven't forgotten it back in Ponyville, have you?" Rarity asked Twilight, noticing the purple alicorn wasn't wearing her golden crown, that just happened to also hold her Element of Harmony, on her head.

"It's in my bag." Twilight said to Rarity, looking at her blue suitcase. Rarity pulling shortly afterward. "I just feel a little self-conscious about wearing it. Haven't really gotten accustomed to these yet, either." Twilight said, talking about her wings. Her doing a quick hover only to fall straight back to the ground.

"At least you can still fly." Theta heard Rainbow grumbled under her breath, her right wing still wrapped in a protective gaze. Theta taking a quick look at the gaze that wrapped around his neck. The gaze no longer white, but now a dirty maroon color from his own blood and dirt. The gaze even beginning to smell. "I need to get a new wrapping when we get to the castle." Theta mentally noted, returning his focus back to Twilight.

"Besides, this isn't much a Princess Summit anyway, since Theta's now joining us and maybe even Alpha, if were lucky." Twilight said climbing back to her hooves.

"You are a princess now, Twilight. Embrace it! I'm telling you, if I had a crown like that, I would never take it off. Why I'd sleep in the thing." Rarity said in her usual over-the-top fashion. A yawn escaping passed her lips not long after. "Speaking of which, I hope that this meeting we the Princesses isn't that long. I need my beauty sleep after a long day of traveling." Rarity said, her now leading her friends as they walked into the towering crystal castle that was located in the center of the large city. The castle being one of the few things that Theta had seen in his life that actually made him feel small.

Theta eyes drifted off toward the setting sun and he could've sworn that in the mix of the yellows, oranges, and reds of the setting sun he could see a stream of a bright red light mix with a light blue one shooting into the sky. Theta wrote it off as nothing special as he followed the other ponies into the large crystal castle. All of them unaware that in Ponyville something was about to be unleashed.

Twilight and her friends all entered the throne room of the crystal castle. The sounds of trumpets playing triumphantly as she entered. The throne room having a red carpet laid out in front of her. Cadence sitting atop of a crystal throne at the far end of the long room with her being flanked at both sides by Celestia and Luna. Purple crystal unicorn guards at both of Twilight sides them holding and using a golden trumpet with their magic. Each of the purple guards coats shining like they were made of actual crystal.

Twilight continued to trot down the red carpet in front of her in a state of awe only to stop when she accidently ran into the guard that was standing further to the front on her right side. The guard being different than the rest with him being a regular orangish/yellow pegasus wearing armor that Twilight expected to see guards under the command of Princess Celestia to wear.

The orangish/yellow guard shock off the accidental contact with the purple alicorn well and introduced her to the other royals in the room, them being Princesses Celestia, Luna, and Cadence respectively. Shining Armor being nowhere to be seen.

"Her highness, Princess Twilight Sparkle!" The guard announced Twilight, her being followed by the rest of her friends them all in a different state of fatigue. Most of which being Rarity, her body beginning to shut down from a day filled with travel to three different places, all of them being a long train ride from each other.

Theta entered the throne room soon after Twilight and her friends and was met with the same royal entering that Twilight had received. The same orange guard announcing the white dragon. Twilight hopping over to her left as the orange guard spoke.

"Now presenting Theta, the apprentice of the Second Alpha!" The orange guard announced as Theta walked down the same red carpet that Twilight had earlier. The three other princesses all trotting down from the crystal throne in the far end of the long room.

"It is so good to see you Twilight." Cadence said, embracing her sister-in-law in a short hug. "How have you been since I saw you last?" Cadence asked Twilight, the purple alicorn being the verge of a mental breakdown the last time she had seen her.

"I'm ok, I mean I'm not perfect by any means, but just... ok." Twilight said giving the pink alicorn a seemingly fake smile. Cadence could tell that the smile was fake, but she didn't press. Cadence turning her attention to Theta.

"It is good to see again Theta, and even better that it is on peaceful terms." Cadence said to Theta, the white dragon muscles tensing up at the reference, either it being intentional or not.

"It's good to see you to Cadence." Theta said, doing his best to remain cool as his blood began to boil as flashes of his fight against Sigma flashed before his eyes. Theta beginning to feel a wetness on his neck. His scars on his neck beginning to bleed again. Theta internally cursed his internal remember of his brother, his blood only continuing to flow the angrier he got.

Theta shifted his attention over to the other two alicorns. The two alicorn sisters standing next each with a warm smile on their faces. "I same for you Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, but before we start I do have one question." Theta said, catching the two alicorn sisters' attention.

"Yes, and what question would that be?" Celestia asked.

"Do you know if Alpha would be joining us for this 'Princess Summit'?" Theta asked Celestia, holding up two claws to make air quotes at 'Princess Summit '.

"I had sent two pegasus guards to look for Alpha, but we are still waiting to hear back from either of them." Celestia said, only to stop when she was tapped on the shoulder by her little sister, Luna. "What is it, little sister?"

"Look." Luna said simply, pointing her blue hoof at a white object in the sky. In closer inspection it came clear that the white object was indeed the white pegasus guard that she sent to find Alpha or at least one of them. Celestia clearly remembering sending two guards to find Alpha.

The white guard landed through the open windows in the throne room. Him completely exhausted and breathing heavily from a day filled with flying from one place to another.

"Corporal Lightspeed, such a pleasure to see you once again." Celestia ordered at the exhausted guard, her using her 'princess' voice, not as loud as the Royal Canterlot Voice, but still delivered with force to show that she was the boss in any situation.

"One moment... I just give a moment Princess." Lightspeed said to Celestia, him completely winded. "Ok... I'm good." Lightspeed said, regaining his composure. "Corporal Lightspeed reporting for duty your highness." Lightspeed said giving Celestia a bow before standing at attention.

"Excellent, now what is it that you have to report?" Celestia asked Lightspeed. "I would also like to now what happened to Private Silver Spear?" Celestia added, noting that the silver pegasus guard was nowhere to be found.

"Yes Princess, I suppose I should start with Silver Spear. Silver Spear was, unfortunately, unable to continue once we made it to Ponyville. Him beginning to fall asleep while flying and I was forced to make a decision to make him stop in Ponyville and rest. Me continuing with the mission that you assigned to the both of us of finding Alpha." Lightspeed said to Celestia, her nodding in understanding as he spoke.

"And what of your mission were able to locate Alpha?" Celestia asked Lightspeed.

"I was able to locate the dragon known as Alpha, and he agreed that he would arrive in the Crystal Empire as soon as possible." Lightspeed said to Celestia. Theta feeling the ground beginning to shake just slightly. He dismissed it as no pony else seemed to notice.

"Excellent, did he give an estimated time of his arrival?" Celestia asked Lightspeed. Theta feeling another small tremor beneath his claws. A small appearing on Theta's muzzle as he instantly knew where, or more accurately who, the shaking was coming from.

"He didn't say, but he wasn't that far behind me when I was flying back. So I would assume that he shouldn't be long before..." Lightspeed began to say to when he was interrupted by the ground around them shaking violently, the crystal castle literal swaying from the shaking. The shaking followed shortly by an unmistakable roar breaking the silence of the twilight sky. "Yeah, like I said, shouldn't be long before he arrives." Lightspeed said as Alpha's massive head poked through the eternal storm clouds that surrounded the Crystal Empire. The Crystal Empire being a strange oasis in the middle of the frozen tundra of the far north.

"Thank you, Corporal, you are now dismissed." Celestia said to Lightspeed with a smile on her face.

"Thank you, your highness." Lightspeed said, giving a short bow to the white alicorn before leaving the throne room for some much-needed rest.

Alpha continued to walk toward the crystal castle that towered over the city. The earth shaking slightly everytime that Alpha took a step, though the shakes being much less than the massive earthquake that it the Crystal Empire when he arrived. Theta guessing that Alpha had reared up on his hind legs and stomped on the ground in a manner to announce his presence.

Alpha arrived at the crystal castle and was so tall that he didn't even need to stand upon his hind in order to look through the open window of the castle's throne room. "You summoned for me, Celestia." Alpha said down to Celestia, in a manner that was more like a question than a statement.

"Yes, but I believe that a proper meeting can wait until tomorrow. You look tired from your respective journeys. Now off to bed, you need your rest for a long day tomorrow." Celestia said the Mane Six all nodding in agreement and turning to leave the throne room.

Their movements came to a stop when the doors to the throne room shot open and trumpets started to play. These trumpets being much louder than the one's that the purple crystal unicorn guards had used when Twilight and Theta had entered. Twilight and her friends all took several steps backward as four, them being in two single file lines, changeling soldiers wearing black battle armor most likely made out of steel.

Alpha instantly tensed up and began to build up a blast of his fire in his chest. "Celestia, what is the meaning of this." Alpha roared, his giant eyes burning through the four armored changelings. They stood their ground but were noticeably nervous as they stared down a dragon the size of a mountain.

'Oh, I almost forgot. Not long after I sent one of my guards to find you I had received a message from the Changeling Kingdom that they had just crowned their newest King." Celestia said, Twilight and Theta's eyes both widening at her words.

"King!" Twilight and Theta exclaimed as one.

"Yup!" Twilight heard a voice that oddly familiar.

"No, it can't be." Twilight thought as she slowly turned her head to face the opened doorway. Her mouth dropped when she saw who was the new King of Changeling Kingdom.

"Hi, Twilight." Zulu said to the purple alicorn, him wearing black body armor similar to what the other armored changelings. But what made Twilight mouth drop was the black crown that rested on top of his head. The crown being about the same size as her own while having a large green emerald in the center while having smaller emeralds surrounding the large emerald on the band of the crown. Zulu seemed to grow several inches, him easily being able to rival Luna in height, and his eyes were no longer just blank green but instead green eyes with pupils in the middle.

"Zulu...you're the king." Twilight said in disbelief.

"Yeah... the last time I checked." Zulu said slightly sarcastic.

"Now that we have all of the royals here. I bring up my last request that I presented earlier that we go to sleep and wait until the morning to discuss important matters." Celestia said, all of the royals (including the newly crowned King Zulu) nodding in agreement.

"I'll be underneath the castle sleeping if anyone needs me." Alpha said laying underneath the castle, inside the courtyard that held the crystal heart. The rest of ponies inside the throne leaving. Twilight running up to by Zulu's side.

The rest of ponies inside the throne leaving. Twilight running up to by Zulu's side. Zulu's guards tensed up at the alicorn's movements only to calmed by a single wave of Zulu's hoof.

"No need to worry boys, I am perfectly safe. In fact, you are all dismissed and can return to the hive if you deem it fit." Zulu said to his four accompanying guards.

"Are you sure your majesty?" One of Zulu's guards asked him. The guard being slightly taller than Twilight and looking like any other normal soldier changeling. Him having blue blank eyes, a curved horn, no hair, clear beetle-like wings, and wearing black battle armor that was designed to take hits from changeling energy weapons. Him looking more like an insect than a pony.

"Yes, Sargent Dustpan, all of these ponies and dragons are my friends. I am in no real danger here in the Crystal Empire." Zulu said, sending Twilight a quick look a blush appearing on Twilight's face before he continued. "Besides, even if I was..." Zulu began to say, the warp blade that was on his right hoof crackling to life. Its twin green blades humming with magical energy in the twilight air.

Twilight's purple eyes widened as she stared at the green double blade in front. She had seen Zulu with his spear before, but this was different. It was both beautiful, but also deadly at the same time. Twilight felt a certain part of her body heat up as she continued to listen to the voice of Zulu. A changeling that she was growing more attracted to, as the time that they were together increased.

"I think I can handle my own." Zulu finished, his warp blade returning to its original form as nothing more than a black band around his right forehoof. A band that Twilight hadn't even noticed until his used his energy sword.

"If that is what you wish your majesty, then we of the honor guard will follow it." Sargent Dustpan said, giving his new King a bow.

"It is, Sargent. You and the rest of your men are dismissed." Zulu dismissed his four escorts. "Besides, I have some... catching up to do, and I would like to do it without four guards breathing down my neck at all times." Zulu said to Dustpan, sending a look Twilight's way. Twilight's muzzle turning pink with another.

Dustpan shared a knowing look with Zulu before saying. "I see... well come on men it is a long travel back to the Hive, I wish the best of luck unto you, your majesty and may the darkness be with you." Dustpan said before exiting the throne room the other three guards in tow, them all giving their newly crowned King out of respect.

"Now that that's settled..." Cadence spoke shifting attention back to her. Twilight, however, had different ideas with her staring into the green eyes of Zulu. Her finding them even more beautiful when he was a royal changeling then as just a regular soldier. "One of the castle's servants by the name of Sugarlily will show you all to your rooms." Cadence said pointing her pink hoof at a light blue unicorn mare with a pink mane. The mare having used to serve in the Canterlot castle before being transferred to the Crystal Empire shortly after the defeat of King Sombra.

"Follow me, your majesty. Your room is right this way." Sugarlily said to Zulu.

"Please call me Zulu, I don't anything like title making me seem more superior than you in any way." Zulu said to Sugarlily, the blue mare genuinely surprised by the changeling's kind words.

"Alright, Zulu if you will just follow me I will gladly show you to your room." Sugarlily said, beginning to lead Zulu to his room inside the castle. "You can follow me as while your highness, your room as while as your friends are along the way." Sugarlily said to Twilight, the purple alicorn she was talking to only partially paying attention. She had different priorities at the moment.

"Sure whatever you say, lead the way." Twilight slightly disinterested. Sugarlily didn't take any offense from Twilight's actions she was able to see, while little confused as to how the love in Twilight's eyes every time she looked eyes with Zulu. Zulu being the one that knew the extent of Twilight's love for him more anypony. Her buckets full of love flowing into him very second. Zulu making sure not to consume any of it, him not wanting hurt Twilight.

Zulu, Twilight, her friends, and Theta all followed Sugarlily down the halls of the crystal castle. The light blue crystal that made up the architecture of the castle beautiful in the twilight almost dusk sky. The blue crystal reflecting the reds, oranges, and yellow from outside in a beautiful soup of rainbow colors. The colors created by the castle even reflecting off of the white scales of Theta, turning his scales slight shade of rainbow colors.

Twilight was by Zulu's side the entire time that they followed Sugarlily throughout the castle. Twilight attraction to Zulu attracting some attention from her friends. The gossiping of which, no surprise, being Rarity.

"Is Twilight... no, that's not possible." Rarity said in a debate with herself wither or not Twilight actually had a thing for the new changeling king. "I mean they look adorable together. But Twilight and Zulu, nah that would never work. " Rarity debated with herself. Applejack hearing Rarity debate with herself and deciding to have a little fun with the white unicorn.

"You never know Rarity, I hear that you and Spike might have something." Applejack said, both of Rarity's and Spike's movements coming to an instant halt. A blush appearing on both of their faces as they stared at each for a few seconds. Them quickly averting their eyes quickly afterward. Applejack walking passed the odd 'couple' with a laugh and a smile on her face. She could get used to this, what did Pinkie call it. Trolling? Yeah, she could definitely have fun doing this trolling.

Zulu couldn't help himself but listen to the batter between the two friends, his hearing and sense of smell being much better than most ponies. Them being more heightened to help changelings when hunting for food, that food usually being love. Their hearing being heightened in order to help determine what prey would be best to feed off of, and their smell to make sure that the creature that they were feeding off of wasn't another changeling in disguise.

"I think your friends are talking about us." Zulu whispered to Twilight, the purple alicorn only trotting up closer to Zulu. Their bodies almost touching.

"Let them talk, their all just jealous and don't know it yet." Twilight said losing herself in Zulu's green eyes again. Even though in the back of her mind she was debating whether or not Zulu was just doing this as a way to drain her of her power.

Zulu and Twilight's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Sugarlily's voice. "This is your room, your majesty." Sugarlily said to Zulu, pointing her hoof at a room that was the fourth one down on the right side of a hallway that ended with a large room in the center. Zulu nodding at Sugarlily's words. "And that room is furthermost down is your room, your highness." Sugarlily said to Twilight, her nodding at looking at her room.

Sugarlily showed all of Twilight's friends and Theta to their rooms. All of Twilight friends' room being the six, on both sides of the hallway, that were directly after Twilight's. Theta's being the room that was the one directly across from Zulu's.

"Thank you, Sugarlily, you are now dismissed." Twilight said to the blue mare after she had shown all of her friends their respective rooms.

"Thank you, your highness." Sugarlily said to Twilight giving her a short curtsy before leaving to finish her the last things that she had to do before the end of the day.

Twilight separated from Zulu for the first time since she saw him, her beginning to trot toward her bedroom at the end of the hall. Spike, with her blue suitcase, at her side. Zulu began to open the door to his room with his green, him stopping with the door half open when a thought came to his head.

"I need to talk to Twilight, to clear some things up." Zulu thought to himself. "Hey, Twilight!" Zulu called to the purple alicorn, her movements coming to a quick halt.

"Yes, Zulu?" Twilight said, turning her head to look directly at Zulu.

"I can talk to for a second?" Zulu asked Twilight, making a motion with his head indicating to her that he wanted to talk inside his room.

"Sure." Twilight said simply trotting over toward Zulu, Spike beginning to follow after her.

"In private, please." Zulu said when he noticed that Spike was following after Twilight.

"It's ok Spike, Zulu is a friend." Twilight said reassuringly to Spike.

"I see that." Spike said sarcastically to Twilight. He might be young he wasn't stupid, he could tell that Twilight attracted to Zulu. A creature that literally feeds off of your love for them. Spike let out a sigh before speaking again. "Just be careful, Twi, alright." Spike said to Twilight with genuine concern behind his words.

"I will." Twilight said, understanding the purple dragon's concerns, some concerns that she also had. Twilight trotted over to Zulu and followed him into his room.

Twilight entered the room just after Zulu did, the room being about the same size as her room in her library back in Ponyville. The room being almost pitch black, her almost losing Zulu in the blackness if she hadn't used her horn to light up the room. The room having a large king-size bed in the center of the room. The bed frame being made out of stained reddish-brown wood that Twilight had guessed was mahogany. The bed covered in black and green sheets that fit with the atmosphere of pure darkness that the room was giving all around Twilight. Twilight watched as Zulu used his magic to place his crown on a wooden dresser on the far end of the room. The changeling green magic lighting up perfectly in the low lighting.

"Close the door behind you." Zulu said to Twilight as he placed his crown on the dresser. Twilight did as Zulu said, magically closing the door behind her. "I suppose that you have many questions that you want to ask me." Zulu said turning to face Twilight, him using his magic to light a few of the candles that were located in the room. Adding some much needed light to the small room.

Twilight let out a small sigh before asking Zulu one of the many questions that had been rattling around in her mind since she saw him as the newly crowned King of the Changeling Kingdom. "How long have been King Zulu?" Twilight asked Zulu, a sigh coming from Zulu. This being the question that he had expected Twilight to ask him first.

"A few hours, five tops in fact." Zulu said, beginning to trot over toward Twilight.

"So... you weren't the King when I first met you." Twilight thought out loud, getting an affirming nod from Zulu.

"No, Omega was still technically the leader of changelings when we first met. I didn't become the King until I left Zecora's hut earlier this morning." Zulu said to Twilight.

"So what happened to you, when became King that is. You look different than you did earlier this morning?" Twilight asked Zulu, noting his change in height, design of his eyes, and his even darker appearance than before.

"I became a royal, that's what happened." Zulu said beginning to float his crown off of the wooden dresser that it was resting and over toward him. Him staring at his reflection in the large green emerald that was in the center of the crown.

"A royal?" Twilight asked, not familiar with the term.

"It's like an alicorn, just different." Zulu said, placing his crown back where he had it before.

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked.

"So many questions, so many questions." Zulu thought to himself, well shouldn't have expected anything less from the priced student of Princess Celestia. "A royal is the highest class of changeling there is, and the rarest out of all of them. There are hatchlings (which are the lowest level) nurse, soldiers, shadow changelings (which is what I am and the second rarest), and finally the royal changelings. There usually only being one royal changeling, unless there is another royal that is just too young to take the throne." Zulu explained to Twilight, the purple nodding in understanding as he spoke.

"Is that what Chrysalis was?" Twilight asked, her remembering the changeling queen that tried to take over Canterlot looking similar to Zulu, just even taller and being a mare not a stallion.

"Yes, Chrysalis was the last naturally born royal changeling." Zulu said to Twilight, adding another question to Twilight's mind.

"Then if Chrysalis was the last royal changeling... then how did you become one?" Twilight asked.

"The same way you became an alicorn." Zulu said, a look of confusion appearing on Twilight's face. "Well... sort of. You see, while you were brought to a strange dimension where Celestia turned you into an alicorn." Zulu said to Twilight, her nodding as he continued. "Well, when I was chosen to become the next King of the Changeling Kingdom, and the first king in nearly a thousand years, I was put inside of a chrysalis that would alter my body and turn me into a royal changeling." Zulu said to Twilight.

"Did it hurt, I mean I remember feeling some pain in my back with I got my wings?" Twilight asked, taking a look behind her at the pair of feathered wings that were protruding out of her back.

"No, at least I don't remember there being any pain. The moment that I had entered the chrysalis I was put into a deep sleep and didn't wake until the process to turn me into a royal was already done, about an hour or two later." Zulu said to Twilight. Him now sensing that Twilight had asked him all of her questions about him being the newest King of the Changeling Kingdom.

"I see... so about what happened earlier today." Twilight said, her looking at the light blue crystal floor in shame. The crystal floor that was reflecting some of the light given off by the multiple candles that were giving some much-needed light to the room.

"Twilight..." Zulu began to say, only for Twilight to interrupt him.

"No, no I get it. I came on too strong and you aren't looking for a relationship." Twilight said.

"How do you know that I wasn't looking for a relationship?" Zulu asked Twilight, remembering that she had already fallen asleep when he said that he wasn't looking for a relationship with anypony.

"Applejack told me, she told me everything." Twilight said.

"I see, Twilight just because I wasn't looking for a relationship doesn't mean that I wouldn't be looking for one later." Zulu said to Twilight, trotting a little closer to the purple alicorn.

"No, I need to back off... I shouldn't have put you in that kind of situation in the first place." Twilight said shaking her head back and forth.

"Damn it Twilight, you don't get it." Zulu thought to himself, a smirk appearing on his face as a thought came to his mind. Him trotting even closer to Twilight. Him removing the metal ring that was on his right foreleg and placing it on the wooden dresser behind him. The metal ring being located right next to his black crown. The same metal band that turned into his magical warp blade.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm sorry." Twilight said, noticing that Zulu was practically on top of her.

"Twilight..." Zulu said catching Twilight's attention.

"What Zulu?" Twilight said her staring directly into Zulu's green eyes.

"You talk too much." Zulu said to Twilight, mere inches from her muzzle.

"What do you mean..." Twilight began to say, her sentence being cut off half-way when Zulu planted a passionate kiss on her lips.

Things Heat Up (Equestria Girls)

Twilight's purple eyes widened to the size of diner plates from the contact, but they slowly began to close as she embraced the fantastic kiss that she was receiving from Zulu. Twilight letting out a soft moan as she wrapped her hooves around Zulu's neck, her hind legs giving out and falling onto her haunches as Zulu continued the kiss. Twilight leaning backward and hitting her head on the door to Zulu's room. A small zap of pain going through the back of her head, but the pain was overpowered by the pleasure that her lips were getting from Zulu. One of the benefits of kissing a changeling is that they are trained from birth to be the best kissers possible, and Zulu was no exception.

Twilight couldn't believe how good this felt. Ponies always say that your first kiss is your best, and her first kiss ever, not just with Zulu was definitely the best. Twilight having never been kissed before if you don't count the kisses that she received from her parents when she was just a filly.

"What would Mom and Dad think if they saw this? I don't want to know what Shining or Cadence would think." Twilight somehow thought through the pleasure she was getting from Zulu. "No, bad brain. Don't ruin this. This is the greatest moment of my life and you are not ruining it!" Twilight mentally yelled at herself. Twilight losing herself in the pleasure that Zulu was giving her. Twilight's unmentionables beginning to heat up as Zulu continued.

At the sound of the back of Twilight's head hitting the door Zulu slowly pulled out of the kiss and asked her. "Are you ok?" Zulu asked Twilight in a tone of voice that only a changeling could've pulled off.

"Yes." Twilight whispered back, her all but begging for Zulu to continue.

"Good, because I'm not done." Zulu whispered with a smirk on his face. Zulu moving in for another kiss, but this time, Twilight was prepared. Twilight readied her lips for another kiss from Zulu but was surprised when she didn't feel anything.

Twilight opened her eyes and saw that Zulu's mouth was venturing lower than she had expected, his smirk growing as he saw the confusion on her muzzle. "Don't worry Twi, I'm not done with those beautiful  lips. But I want to make sure that you remember this for the rest of your life." Zulu thought as he planted a kiss on Twilight neck, just below her chin.

Twilight let out a gasp and arched her neck as Zulu began to nibble at her neck. Twilight letting out a soft moan as he continued, sparks of pleasure going all over her body.

"You like that, Twi?" Zulu whispered to Twilight as he started making small kisses down her neck. Twilight slowly nodding as she let out another soft moan.

"I thought you didn't want a relationship?" Twilight asked Zulu.

"I didn't." Zulu said simply continuing his kissing assault on Twilight's neck.

"Then what do you wanna... Ah!" Twilight began to think, her brain falling silent as she let out another moan. This one being her loudest to date. "Oh yes, right there Zulu!" Twilight thought, Zulu hitting Twilight soft spot and he knew it.

Twilight's blissful thoughts were interrupted when there was a knock on the door that she leaning up against. Zulu didn't stop his kissing, making it difficult for her brain to think at the moment.

"Twilight, are you alright in there?" Twilight heard Spike ask her from the other side of the door.

"Yeah, I'm ok..." Twilight tried to respond, her having to bite her lip in order to stop another moan as Zulu began to also suck her neck for a few seconds after each kiss. Him seeing the introduction of Spike as more of a reason to increase Twilight's pleasure rather than a reason to decrease it. "I'll be out in a few minutes." Twilight finished through a grunt, her eyes glazing over.

"Ok, just be careful." Spike said walking away from the door. Twilight didn't like lying to Spike, but he wouldn't understand what was happening between her and Zulu. Not just because he was young, but Zulu was also a changeling. A creature that fed off the love of others.

With that thought what Twilight had kept behind a brick wall in the back of her head broke free. She had to ask Zulu the question. She didn't want to, but she had to. She stared down at Zulu, who was still busy giving her the time of her life. Him now kissing around her collarbone region. His green eyes were opened, and she knew that he sensed that she was about to ask him the question that they both feared. She couldn't tell if he feared to answer the question because he was really just using her to get her unbelievable power or if he wasn't and he didn't want what he was, be a reason for her not to trust him.

"Zulu are you... are you..." Twilight began to say, Zulu's actions coming to a halt. "Are you doing this..." Twilight tried to finish the question that she knew she had to ask but wished she didn't have. Twilight thankfully didn't have to finish it, with Zulu finishing it for her.

"Am I doing this just to drain you of your power?" Zulu finished for Twilight, him staring directly into her purple eyes. Twilight slowly nodding as she looked away in shame. Zulu using his hoof to make so that she was looking directly at him again. But hr didn't do it forcibly, his hoof was light and made sure Twilight only moved when she let it move. He was just guiding her to where he wanted her to look.

The two stared into each other's eyes for a full minute in utter silence. Twilight staring into eyes that reminded her way too much of the eyes of Chrysalis when she found out that she was disguised as her sister-in-law, Princess Cadence. But, while looking similar, they were different. The eyes weren't filled with anger, but happiness. Not deceit, but honesty. But most of all, they weren't filled with the same false love of somepony acting like they loved another, like what she saw every time she saw Chrysalis when she was disguised as Cadence with her brother. No, these eyes were filled with love that was real and it was all for her, not her power, but her.

"Twilight" Zulu spoke softly, taking Twilight from her thoughts. "If I really wanted to drain of your power I would've done it when you were coming on to me this morning." Zulu said planting a soft kiss on her cheek, her muzzle flushing with a pink blush.

"Then if you could, why didn't you. I mean, I have more raw power than most unicorns could even dream of processing. Why not take that power and use it for your own purposes?" Twilight asked Zulu, her looking away as she added. "I know Chrysalis would." Twilight whispered.

"But I'm NOT Chrysalis!" Zulu internally screamed. Zulu let out a sigh as he placed his left hoof on Twilight cheek. Twilight's face melting at his touch, her letting out another soft moan. "Twilight, you are more powerful than any pony I have ever seen. I mean, you shot Omega in the face with a laser that destroyed half of Canterlot. You have enough power to feed my changeling subjects for centuries." Zulu said to Twilight, her purple eyes widening as Zulu continued to speak of her power. But Zulu wasn't done. "It is true that I could just drain you of your power, but I don't, and you know why I don't." Zulu said to Twilight, him moving in for another kiss.

"Why's that?" Twilight asked seductively, her preparing for another one of Zulu's heavenly kisses. Zulu didn't answer as he planted another kiss on Twilight's lips, both of their eyes closing as their lips interlocked.

This kiss was different than their first one, however, a few moments into the kiss Twilight began to feel Zulu's tongue push up against her lips. "Does he really want to give me tongue?" Twilight thought as the pressure against her closed lips only increased. Twilight fought off a small giggle as she knew that Zulu's tongue was entering her mouth with or without her help.

Twilight decided to take the initiative and began to open her mouth, begging Zulu to become one with her. Zulu didn't reject the invitation that was given to him. Zulu's tongue quickly invading Twilight's mouth and quickly making a new friend. Them both letting out a muffled moan as their tongues made contact with each other for the first time. Zulu moving his hoof through Twilight silk-like mane.

Twilight only pulling away from the kiss so that she could breathe, a small trail of saliva keeping them connected. Her breathing being rapid and irregular while her heart was beating faster than a freight train. Once Twilight got her breathing under control she spoke to Zulu, her placing her right hoof on his cheek. "You know, you didn't answer my question." Twilight said to Zulu, a smirk appearing on his face.

"I know." Zulu said planting a soft kiss on Twilight's cheek. Zulu standing up and beginning to trot over toward his King-sized bed in the room. Twilight wiping the saliva that was on her neck and beginning to trot after Zulu.

"You still didn't answer me." Twilight pressed, she honestly didn't really care if he answered her or not, his reasons for not draining Twilight of her power are his own and she really wasn't complaining that he wasn't.

"I know." Zulu repeated him not seeming irritated by Twilight's repeated question at all. Him hopping on top of his bed.

"What are you doing?" Twilight asked Zulu, wondering he had trotted over to his bed... unless he wanted to. Twilight's eyes widened and her movements came to a stop as a thought came to her. "Does he what to... no, he wouldn't." Twilight thought, her logical brain now functioning at maximum efficiency.

"Come here... and I'll show you." Zulu said patting a place on his bed next to him. Twilight eyes than shrank to the size of peas, she started sweating like she had just run a marathon, and her heart was beating faster than Rainbow when she did her Sonic Rainboom. Her beginning to trot backward.

"Um... Zulu... don't you think this a little fast." Twilight stammered, biting her lips as she continued to trot backward. Zulu realizing his mistake from the look of pure terror on his marefriend's face. "I mean, we haven't even officially started dating yet." Twilight continued to ramble. Zulu hopping off his bed and trotting over to her side.

"Hey Twilight, it's ok. That's not even what I wanted to do anyway." Zulu said to Twilight, running his hoof through her mane in an effort to calm her down. His actions to seeming to be working as Twilight's breathing and heartbeat returned to normal.

"Are you ok?" Zulu asked Twilight after her breathing had returned to normal. Him feeling bad for nearly giving the purple alicorn a panic attack. Twilight placing her head up against Zulu's shoulder and nodding slowly. "I'm an ass for that, I didn't mean to scare you. I know your not ready for a commitment like that, and I don't want to make you feel like you were being forced into anything." Zulu said to Twilight, her feeling a little better now. "I just wanted to try something with you." Zulu whispered into Twilight's ear, him getting a muzzle full of her eternal scent of old books. A scent that most ponies would be turned off by, but not this changeling.

"And what would that be?" Twilight asked Zulu, looking into his green eyes.

"I just wanted to spend the night with me, in my bed." Zulu said to Twilight, putting the purple alicorn into deep thought.

"Should I, we have been moving pretty fast lately, and now he wants me to sleep in the bed with him, at least we aren't *sleeping in the same bed together, but still this is far too fast."* Twilight thought, her breathing and heart rate beginning to hasten again.

Luckily Twilight didn't need to answer Zulu. Him sensing that Twilight was on the verge of another panic attack and that he was indeed moving too fast for her. Him talking her in the same comforting and compassionate manner that he had known him for since she had truly met him for the first time, inside of a destroyed diner in Canterlot.

"Twilight, you don't have to spend the night with me if you really don't want to." Zulu said to Twilight, cupping his right hoof on her cheek and giving her a light peck on the cheek.

"Are you sure? I... don't want to leave you alone." Twilight said to Zulu, getting a soft but still saddened laugh from the changeling.

"I... I'll be alright Twi, I have survived my entire life sleeping without you by my side.. Tartarus, I've survived most of my life without as much as a bed to sleep in. So I'll be fine." Zulu said to Twilight, a small smile appearing on his face.

Twilight could tell that Zulu's smile was forced but she didn't care. He had given her more respect than any pony she had ever met, including her own friends. "Thank you. You don't know how much this means to me." Twilight whispered to Zulu, embracing the changeling in a tight hug.

Zulu let out another laugh, this one being genuine and said to Twilight. "Twi, I might be a changeling, but that doesn't mean that I'm heartless." Zulu said to Twilight, getting a small laugh from the purple alicorn.

"Are you sure that you will be alright when I'm gone?" Twilight asked.

"Twilight, I'll be fine." Zulu said with a smile. "However, I don't think I could make without tasting those fabulous lips of yours again." Zulu said slyly, getting a smirk from Twilight.

"Well, we can't have that can we." Twilight said planting a passionate kiss onto Zulu. This being the first time that she had kissed him. The odd pairing made out for several minutes before Zulu pulled away from the kiss.

"I think that will be enough for me to make it through the night." Zulu said to Twilight as he stared into the most beautiful pair purple eyes that he had ever seen and smiled. Twilight's eyes beginning to droop from fatigue from a day that was truly exhausting both mentally and physically. "I also think it's time to put you to bed." Zulu said, Twilight absent mindlessly nodding with him.

"I guess you're right." Twilight said standing up and beginning to trot away from Zulu and toward the door to exit his room. Zulu noticing the extra sway in her hips as she trotted away from him.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow then." Zulu said to Twilight, rising to his full height as Twilight began to open the door to his room with her magic.

"I guess so. It was good to see you Zulu, and I hope that we will be able to do this again." Twilight said, taking a step out into the hall.

"I hope the same Twilight." Zulu said beginning to trot back to his king-sized bed.

"I love you." Zulu heard Twilight say behind him, his eyes going wide and his movements coming to an instant halt.

"Did she just say what I think she said?" Zulu internally debated, him slowly turning to face Twilight, a smug smirk on her face. "She did, and it wasn't an accident." Zulu's mind raced.

"What did you say?" Zulu asked Twilight in shock of what she had just told him.

"You heard me." Twilight said closing the door behind her, the wind from the door closing blowing out of the candles, leaving Zulu alone in the dark with his jaw hanging open.

"What have I done?" Zulu thought, him sitting on his haunches and staring blankly off into space. He was a changeling and he couldn't even tell if his marefriend had truly, for the first time, told him that she love him. "What is this mare doing to me!?" Zulu screamed internally, a mix of emotions shooting through him all at once. Then he noticed something, something that he hadn't noticed before. That despite all of the love that he had received from Twilight he hadn't fed off of any of it.

"I wonder, a little bit of her love couldn't be that bad, right." Zulu thought, him still being able to sense Twilight's love all around him. Almost like a thick fog of love. "What in Tartarus?" Zulu thought out loud, despite Twilight unbelievable amounts of love. He wasn't able to feed off of any of it. "This doesn't make any sense... unless she's my..." Zulu thought to himself, his eyes widening as he found the true extent of his love for Twilight and her love for him.

Twilight left Zulu's room with a happy smile on her face. "Checking... double checking... triple checking for good measure... yup! That was the greatest moment of my life." Twilight internally celebrated. Twilight smile getting even bigger as she remembered their first kiss. Her smile didn't last long when she looked down, the glare of a certain baby purple dragon glaring back at her.

"What is it, Spike?" Twilight asked Spike, a look of confusion on her face.

"That was longer than just a few minutes." Spike snarled, crossing his arms across his chest. Him still staring daggers that the purple alicorn.

"Well... I guess we just lost track of time." Twilight said to her oldest friend, her still in a dream-like state of mind.

"Clearly." Spike spat, beginning to walk toward the room that he shared with Twilight at the end of the candlelit hall. The sun having set several minutes earlier. A confused frown appearing on Twilight face as she watched the purple dragon walk away from her.

"Did.. did he hear what went on in there. Does he think that I... I need to fix this." Twilight thought, her eyes widening at her error and trotting to catch up to Spike.

"What's wrong Spike?" Twilight asked the purple dragon, him letting out a black smoke filled snort at her question. Him opening the door to the room that he shared with the purple alicorn with his a single push of his claws.

"You know actually what's wrong." Spike snarled as he climbed into a small basket that was in the center room. The basket located not that far from a king-sized bed that was for Twilight. A dresser with a mirror resting on top of it located on the right side of the room.

"Spike, does have anything that you are doing have to do with Zulu?" Twilight asked the angry dragon that lying in a small basket in front of her. Twilight slowly and cautiously approaching Spike.

"Some of it." Spike spat, Twilight taking a single step backward.

"What do you mean by 'some of it'?" Twilight asked.

"Twilight, lately I just feel like we have been growing further and further apart lately." Spike said, him now sitting up in the basket.

"What... what do you mean?" Twilight asked sitting down next to the purple dragon in the basket.

"Ever since we moved to Ponyville I've noticed that we have hanged out less and less. You were always with your friends, which I proud of you for making. But it just isn't the same. Every time we go on some big adventure you either don't take me because you think it is too dangerous or even if I do go. I either don't help or just make the situation worse." Spike admitted to Twilight, her having no idea that he had all of these buried deep inside him.

"Spike, you aren't worthless. You have never been, and you never will be." Twilight said to Spike, bringing her hoof to hug the small dragon.

Spike swiping away the hoof with his claws and said to her. "Let me finish." He said, leaving no place for a response from Twilight. "And with you being a Princess now." Spike said pointing at the golden crown that was resting on a nightstand next to Twilight's bed. "Not to mention this Zulu character. I fear that we will slowly drift apart, I fear that soon you will actually drive me away. Like in my vision." Spike said, Twilight now remembering what he had seen when he went through Sombra's door.

Twilight motherly instincts kicked in as she embraced the purple dragon in a hug. Tartarus, she practically was his mother. She did hatch him from his egg with her magic.

"No Spike, I will never leave you. You will always be my friend." Twilight said as tears formed in her eyes. "My best friend." She added as her hug around Spike got tighter. "And even if am not with you physically, you will always have me right here." Twilight said pulling out of her hug and poking Spike in the chest, right where his heart would be.

"Thank you Twi, I... I think I needed to hear that." Spike said to Twilight, a happy smile appearing on the purple alicorn's face.

"Your welcome Spike, now I think it's time for us to go to bed. Don't you think?" Twilight said to Spike as she patted him on the top of the head.

"Sure Twi." Spike said as he laid down in his small basket.

"Good." Twilight said as she climbed underneath covers of her bed. Her closing her eyes as she began to prepare herself for dreamland. Her having a very special dream in mind.

"Twi, one last question" Twilight heard Spike catching her attention. Twilight's eyes quickly opened and she turned her head to face Spike. The purple dragon on his side and looking at her while still underneath the small blankets that were in his basket.

"Yeah Spike, what is it?" She asked, curious as to what Spike could ask her.

"Did you mean what you said?" Spike asked, speaking of when Twilight told Zulu that she loved him.

"Oh... um I don't know. I things between the two of us were moving so quickly. I don't know maybe." Twilight said.

"That's not an answer, Twi." Spike said catching Twilight in a corner.

"I know Spike, maybe at that moment, but I don't know. I've never been an emotional and physical relationship with somepony before. So, maybe. I'll tell more if this thing between continues, ok." Twilight said, Spike seeming to be satisfied by her answer as he gave her a happy smile.

"Ok, good night, Twilight." Spike said to Twilight as he rolled over to his other and closed his eyes.

"Good night, Spike." Twilight said as rolled onto her right side, closed her eyes, and quickly drifted off into a pleasant dream about a certain shadow changeling.

What they all didn't know was that an amber-colored unicorn was preparing phase one of her plan to take over Equestria, and phase one started with something that should be pretty simple. Steal Princess Twilight Sparkle's crown that just happened to be the Element of Magic. Simple right, while Sunset Shimmer thought so. While she was going to get an unexpected surprise when she tried to steal it.

Sunset put the first phase of her plan into action by walking through the mirror portal that connected Equestria to the human world. The amber-colored unicorn covered from head to hooves in a black hooded cape. It felt a little weird for her to back on her four hooves again after so long on two legs, but she was quick at adaptation. She had a job to do anyway. "First part of phase one complete; arrive in Equestria. Now time for part two; find the Princesses room and steal her crown." Sunset said to herself as she poked her head out from the door that led to the room where the magic mirror was located.

The hallway that led to the room was empty, no guards, just the sounds of crickets and the loud rumbles of something that Sunset assumed was just thunder. "Hmm... this might be easier than I thought." Sunset thought as she exited the room, her quietly closing the door behind her. "Now, where is that Element of Harmony?" Sunset thought as a light at the end of the hall caught her eye.

"Shit!" Sunset shouted internally as she ducked behind a corner as a purple unicorn patrolled the hallway. The using the light from his horn as a flashlight. "For the hatred I have for Celestia please don't see me." Sunset thought as the guard scanned the area with his horn, the light getting closer to where the amber unicorn was hiding. "Shit! He might have heard me when I was hiding." Sunset thought, her fears coming true when the unicorn guard spoke.

"I know you are there, I heard you. Now, come out and I won't report the intrusion." The guard said in a voice that could come somepony that was in the military.

"Shit! Wait, could I use this to my advantage. He ought to know where the princess is." Sunset thought as an idea came to mind.

"Ok, you caught me. I'm coming out." Sunset said in a mocked surrender as she stepped out from her hiding place.

"Good, now remove that hood of yours." The guard ordered at Sunset. She didn't like others telling her what to do, but she complied anyway. She needed to earn at least a little bit of the guards trust before she enacted her plan. The guards eyes widened as Sunset removed her hood. Her fiery red hair that had attracted many of eyes over in the human world seemed to have lost none of their flair back in Equestria. Everything was according to plan, including the guard getting attracted to her good looks.

"State your name and your reasons for wondering suspiciously about the corridors at night." The guard ordered at Sunset, the amber unicorn internal frustration toward this pony growing as he pressed her. But she hid her frustration well and adopted her fall back plan just in case she happened to be caught. Her face warped into that of a stereotypical damsel in distress.

"Oh, I'm so sorry officer. My name is Starlight Glimmer and I apologize deeply for disturbing your patrols, but I making my late rounds of the castle and I seem to have gotten lost in the blackness of night. Could you be a dear and direct me toward the bed chambers of Princess Twilight Sparkle." Sunset said to the guard in an over-the-top dramatic voice and a flip of her mane of fire that would make Rarity look subtle. Sunset hated acting like she was a ditsy mare that needed to be recused by a knight in shining armor. But if this act helped her get what she wanted, then so be it.

The guard was put into deep thought as he studied the mare up and down. Sunset fought the urge to cover herself as the guards eyes hovered a little longer than was necessary.

"No need to worry, there was no harm done, Miss Glimmer. The Princess's bed chambers are just down that hall, you then take a left and then a right and the room should be the one at the far end of the hallway that you turn onto." The guard said with a smile that made Sunset's stomach turn.

"Thank you, now it is time for your reward for helping me." Sunset said as her horn, which she loved to have again, began to glow with her opal colored magic. Her quietly levitating a glass vase off of a pedestal behind the guard and holding it above her target. A devilish smile appearing on her face.

"And what reward would that be?" The guard said his smile mimicking the fiery mare in front of him, though him having a different idea in mind.

What Sunset said next burned her to the core, but it needed to be said. "Look up... baby, and I'll show you." Sunset said as seductively as she could. The guard followed the amber unicorn's demands and looked up.

"Son of bi..." He began to say, him getting cut off as Sunset dropped the vase on his head. The vase shattering as it hit his head and the guard dropping to the guard unconscious.

"Pig." Sunset spat at the unconscious guard as she flipped her hood back over her head and started quietly trotting down the hall.

It didn't take long for Sunset to follow the guard's instructions and find herself in front of the door that was led into Twilight room. The sounds of the alicorn and her dragon companion snoring coming from inside the room.

"Ok Sunset, you're almost there. Just walk in. Find the crown take it and replace it with this fake one." Sunset thought to herself as she took a nearly identical replica of the crown that was currently resting on Twilight's nightstand out of her cloak. "Then steal the crown and return to the human world and then gather up my army and invade Equestria." Sunset finished her thought as a devilish smile appeared on her muzzle. "Ok, let's do this." Sunset whispered to herself as she quietly opened the door to Twilight's room with her magic.

Sunset's movements stopped briefly when she noticed Spike sleeping in his basket right next to Twilight's bed. "Really she has a bucking dragon for a pet, what kind of insane mare keeps a dragon as a pet." Sunset thought as she carefully trotted around the sleeping dragon in the basket. Spike continuing to sleep peacefully, small puffs of black smoke coming out of his nostrils as he snored in his sleep. "At least, he's a baby dragon. There it is." Sunset thought as she neared her price. The crown of Princess Twilight Sparkle, a crown that just happened to also be the famed Element of Magic. She had read about the Elements of Harmony. The final sixth element being the one that always interested her the most. She hoped that she would be the one to find and wield. But that dream was behind her, if she couldn't have the Element of Magic the old-fashioned why of finding it, then she was going to get it the really old-fashioned way of stealing it from one that had found it. She also had a mission that she needed to finish.

Sunset's horn began to glow with her green magic as she began to levitate the golden crown off of the nightstand that it was resting on. As Sunset began to lift the crown off of the nightstand she accidently hit a lamp that was also resting on the same nightstand. The lamp beginning to fall toward the ground. Sunset noticed the lamp falling and expertly caught it with her magic just before it could hit the ground. Sunset took a single glance at Twilight to make sure that the purple alicorn hadn't been awoken by her carelessness.

When Twilight's seemingly pleasant slumber continued Sunset placed the lamp back on the nightstand and replaced the real crown with her replica. Sunset helping with her handiwork began to trot away with her price. Sunset tucking the crown underneath her cloak and trotting back toward the door and assumed success.

However, Sunset was aware that Spike had shifted his body while in his sleep and his tail flipped out from the basket and onto the floor. Sunset didn't notice Spike's tail and tripped over it. Her falling head over hooves and landing in a loud crash a few feet from the door. The crash waking both Spike and Twilight from their respective slumbers.

Twilight rose from her bed and let a yawn as she rubbed her eyes. Her head moving toward the sound of the crash. Her eyes widening as she saw her crown being in the procession of a cloaked unicorn that she had never seen before.

"Yeah, that's my crown. Theif!" Twilight called out to the cloaked mare.

"Shit! Looks like that's my cue." Sunset thought as she ran out of the room at a full gallop.

"Thief!" Twilight called after Sunset, her words catching the attention of her sleeping friends. Most notably that of Zulu, Theta, and one really big dragon.

Zulu's eyes instantly shot open at the sound of his marefriend's calls of distress. "Twilight!" Zulu exclaimed as jumped off of his bed and landed in a battle stance as his black armor formed out of the shadows around him, his metal band that contained his warp blade flying onto his right hoof and crackling to life in a flash of green light. "Oh, you messed mare, you bitch." Zulu spat as his spear formed out of the shadows and landed in his mouth, both of its end crackling into pointed ends made out of green fire magic. Zulu's body warping into the shadows around him. Him determined to make the mare that dared to mess with his marefriend to pay.

Theta's green eyes shot open at the sound of Twilight's words. Him letting out an irritated growl as he knocked the door to his off of its hinges with a single pounce. Sunset let out a yelp as she saw the large white dragon appear in the hallway in front of her. Her ducking to dodge a swipe of Theta sharp claws.

"Another dragon, are bucking kidding me!" Sunset screamed internally as she continued to gallop at full speed.

"Twilight, get on my back." Theta said to Twilight. The purple alicorn followed Theta's instructions as she hopped onto the bare back of the white dragon. Him then taking off after Sunset.

Everyone's movements came to a halt as the entire castle was shaken by what seemed to Sunset was a large earthquake. "Oh, what now!" Sunset grunted internally. Sunset's eyes than shrink when a loud roar sounded throughout the castle.

"Alpha!" Theta exclaimed wide-eyed. "You're in big trouble now orangey." Theta said as Sunset ditched her cloak and started running even faster than she was before. Theta then took off after Sunset. Sunset's plan falling apart faster than she could've ever expected.

"I didn't think this plan through, I didn't think this plan through!" Sunset screamed internally as Theta began close in on her. The white dragon surprisingly fast and agile for his large size. Her letting out a yelp as a long spear with two green blades came shooting out of seemingly nowhere. The spear implanting itself into the ground an inch away from Sunset head would've been. Zulu appearing out of the shadows not long afterward and barely missing slicing Sunset in half with his warp blade.

"Shit!" Sunset exclaimed as she stared at the black insect-like body that had almost killed her. "Changelings! Equestria works with them now! What the buck did I miss since I left!" Sunset exclaimed internally as she continued to gallop as fast as her small body could take her. Her heart was beating faster than it had ever had and her lungs felt like they were about to explode, but she didn't care. Once she got to the mirror with the crown she could be safe, right.

"The mirror, the mirror. I have to get to the mirror. I figure the rest out after that, but I have to get to the mirror." Sunset thought to herself. Her rounding the corner that led to a hallway that the mirror was located. Her instantly regretting it as she was might by the massive head of Alpha.

"BUCK!" Sunset exclaimed as she slid to a stop as Alpha let a blast of his orange escape from his mouth. Sunset missing getting torched my the massive dragon fire my mere inches as ran down another hallway. She didn't know where she was going, but she saw another hallway that led to the one that had the room with the mirror in it so she was sure that she would be able to find it. Hopefully.

Zulu warped into the shadows around in order to escape the blaze and Theta blocked the fire with his own body as he chased after Sunset with Twilight still hanging onto his back.

Theta and Twilight continued to chase Sunset until the amber unicorn finally found the door that led to the room that had the magic mirror in it. Sunset was about to run into the room when her back hoof was slashed by one of Theta's claws. Sunset cried out in pain as she tumbled into the room. The cut was deep was it impossible for her to run anymore. Sunset tried to stand but found it impossible as he pinned to the ground my Theta's claws. When Sunset hit the ground of the room Twilight crown went flying bounced around the room and went flying through the mirror portal and into the other world.

"What did you do to my crown?" Twilight asked Sunset as she saw her crown go flying into parts unknown.

"Sorry, it had to end this way..." Sunset said to Twilight with a smirk, her horn glowing as she teleported herself out of Theta grasped and in front of the mirror. "Princess." Sunset spat at Twilight as she jumped into the portal with an evil laugh.

Twilight was about to run after her when she was stopped by the calm hoof of Zulu. Him warping out of the shadows to stop the purple alicorn from doing anything reckless.

"What is the meaning of this?! We have to find her!" Twilight yelled at Zulu.

"And we will, but we need to know more before we do anything reckless." Zulu said to Twilight, his logic working on her.

"You're right." Twilight said, moving Zulu out of the way.

"Um... who was she?" Fluttershy asked the group as the rest of Twilight's friends entered the room.

"I don't know Fluttershy, but I intend to find out." Twilight said as she stared intently at the strange mirror/portal in front of her.

Welcome to CHS (Equestria Girls)

Welcome to CHS (Equestria Girls)

It didn't take long for the other royals to reach the room where the magic mirror was kept. Celestia was the first to enter the room with her followed quickly by her younger sister Luna and her adoptive niece Cadence. The first Celestia noticed was Twilight staring intently at the magic mirror that was located in the room. Her purple eyes burning through it. Wouldn't have surprised Celestia if Twilight was fighting with every fiber of her being not to just jumped into it and chase after her former student. Celestia didn't need the others to tell her who took Twilight crown, she already knew. She just wished it hadn't have happened.

Luna attention was elsewhere. Luna teal eyes falling onto that of Alpha and Theta. Alpha being able to look into the room and discuss tactics with his apprentice through the opened windows of the room. Luna noticing that both Theta and Alpha seemed to be looking different than the last time she had seen them up close. Alpha scales seeming to lose some of their color and turning more of faded red with some scales colored gray. Theta was a different story, ever since Sigma's betrayal she had paid special attention to the dragon's dreams. She didn't want to see another great dragon filled with potential fall into the darkness, not like Omega, not Sigma, and not like herself. For the last week, she had feared that Theta was starting to lose himself and follow the dark path she had left not that long ago. But, last night it was different. Theta, unlike every night since his brother's betrayal, didn't dream about his brother but instead of a yellowish-gray unicorn mare. A mare that Luna recognized as Moon Dancer, a mare that she happened to have a pleasant conservation with during the Grand Galloping didn't know if the two were a couple or not, but she could tell they had feelings for each other as that after she saw Theta's dream she saw the yellow's mare and she was also dreaming about the white dragon. Luna could still she the pain from Sigma's betrayal on Theta, most notably his three scars on his neck from when his brother bit him. But even with that lingering darkness around Theta she could still she that he was happier, maybe this mare could be the thing that keeps Theta from the darkness. Just maybe.

Cadence gaze was first on Twilight, but quickly shifted over to Zulu as she noticed the changeling sitting directly to Twilight right side, and Twilight didn't seem to be concerned at all by the changeling's presence. In fact, Twilight seemed to be calm, despite the angry snarl that adorned her face. Cadence knew this changeling, he was King Zulu. The newly crown King of the Changeling Kingdom. But more importantly to her he was the very same changeling that had helped Chrysalis kidnap her. Cadence earning a scar below her lower lip because of the changeling. The changeling had apologized to her for his actions. Him saying that he was simply following the orders he was given, and she told him had forgiven him. But she still had a lingering anger toward the changeling. An anger that only increased the closer that the changeling was to her sister-in-law. But, she could tell that they had feelings for each other, she was the Princess of Love after all. Them even closer than Cadence could ever have guessed. Even though she didn't like the idea of Twilight dating a changeling, especially that had a hoof in her kidnapping, she still understood that it was Twilight's life and it was her decision on who she wanted to date. Even if that creature wasn't one that Cadence approved of.

The rest of Twilight's friends were all in different stages of going back to sleep. Applejack and Rarity both having fallen back asleep in a dark corner of the room not long after Sunset had disappeared into the mirror and parts unknown. Fluttershy was helping mend Rainbow's right wing while the cyan pegasus drifted in and out of alertness. Pinkie seemed to still have all of her energy as she laid down near where Applejack and Rarity were sleeping and hopped down next to them. Pinkie's movements didn't seem to disturb Applejack's nor Rarity's slumber. Pinkie announcing to the world as she got into a comfortable position. "I think I can stay up the rest of the night!" Pinkie exclaimed as she then passed out of exhaustion that seemed to appear out of nowhere next to her other sleeping friends.

Celestia couldn't help but laugh at the pink ponies antics. The white alicorn's laughter catching the attention of Fluttershy. Fluttershy stopping her care for Rainbow's wings and hoping to bow to the three royals. "Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and Princess Cadence, it is... um... a pleasure to see the three of you again." Fluttershy catching the attention of everyone else in the room.

Rainbow followed the example of Fluttershy as she also raised and bowed to the three royals. The two pegasi' movement catching the attention of the rest as Pinkie, Rarity, and Applejack all awoke from their nap and did the same showing of respect that the others were doing. The only one of ponies in the room that seemed not to notice the entrance of the three royals was Twilight, her continuing to stare directly into the circling vortex of the mirror.

Twilight's mind was finally brought back to reality when she was lightly tapped on the shoulder by Zulu. "What is it, Zulu?" Twilight asked the changeling, taking her eyes off the magic mirror for the first time in minutes.

"Look." Zulu said to the purple alicorn, pointing his hoof at the opened door. Twilight followed his hoof and her eyes widened as she saw Princess Celestia. Twilight then hopped up to her hooves and gave each of them a small bow out of habit of her own.

"It is a pleasure to see the rest of you as while, even though I wished that we would be meeting on better matters." Celestia said, addressing the entire room.

"Princess Celestia, I don't want to be the one to address the elephant in the room. But... who was that, and why did she steal Twilight's crown?" Zulu asked Celestia in the politest way that he could. King or not he was still technically a guest in a foreign country after all.

"Yes, of course, you should all know of the pony who stole Twilight crown." Celestia said, her words physically hurting her as she remembered the complicated past that she had with her former student Sunset Shimmer. "Join me in the throne room of the castle and I will explain everything." Celestia said as exited to the room, her younger sister and niece not far behind her.

About ten minutes later Twilight, her friends, Zulu, Theta, and Alpha all met the other three princesses in the throne room of the crystal castle. The three other princess were sitting at the end of the room on top a crystal throne. Cadence sitting in the middle with the other two princesses at her right and life sides (Luna right and Celestia left).

"Now that you are here. I can begin to explain what happened last night in more detail." Celestia said from her throne. Twilight stepping forward to speak to her former mentor.

"Yes Celestia, now would mind informing us on who it was that stole my crown while I sleeping and where they had taken my crown too?" Twilight asked Celestia. The white alicorn letting out a sigh as she answered Twilight's question.

"Yes, of course, her name is Sunset Shimmer. She was a former student of mine." Celestia said, Twilight's eyes widening. She had always thought that she was Celestia's only student or at least, the only student of Celestia during her lifetime. "She was a powerful unicorn when she was my student, even being able to rival you Twilight." Celestia continued, Twilight becoming more aware of how much of a threat this Sunset Shimmer really was to her. "But when she did not get what she wanted as quickly as she liked, she turned cruel and dishonest. I tried to help her, but she eventually decided to abandon her studies and pursue her own path. One that has sadly led to her stealing your crown." Celestia said stepping down from the throne and trotting closer to Twilight.

"She replaced Twilight's crown with this one." Zulu said to Celestia, him still at Twilight's side, holding up the fake crown from Sunset in his green magic.

"I suppose Sunset Shimmer thought you wouldn't notice right away that this was not yours. And by the time you did, it would be too late to go after your crown and Element of Harmony." Celestia said to Twilight as she examined the fake crown. Her beginning to trot out of the room.

"But I don't understand. Where did she go? Why did she take the crown?" Twilight asked the larger alicorn, following her out of the room.

"You'll soon know more about this place than even I do." Celestia said to Twilight as she led everyone back to the room that contained the magic mirror.

Back inside the room that had the magic mirror, the three princesses began to explain the true nature of the magic mirror. "This is no ordinary mirror. It is a gateway to another world. A gateway that opens once every thirty moons." Luna said explaining the true nature of the mirror to everyone.

"Sparkly!" Pinkie said happily as she touched the mirror's surface with her pink hoof. The mirror warping at the touch of the pink mare. Luna's face dropped into a frown as she used her dark blue magic to move Pinkie away from the mirror.

"It has always been kept in the throne room of Canterlot Castle. But when Princess Cadance took over the Crystal Empire, we sent it here for her to watch over. Good thing to given what ended up happening to Canterlot." Luna said, a noticeable snort coming from both Alpha and Theta at the mention of the destruction of Canterlot.

"I had always hoped that Sunset Shimmer would someday use it to return, to come back to Equestria seeking my guidance. Obviously, this is not what has happened." Celestia said with a sigh as she remembered her falling out with Sunset Shimmer.

"Twilight, you must use the mirror to go into this other world and retrieve your crown. Without it, the other Elements of Harmony have no power and Equestria is left without one of its most important means of defense." Cadence said to Twilight, giving her another mission.

"Why Twilight, why don't you idiots go through the portal and clean up the mess that would've never happened if you had just kept the mirror guarded at all times, especially whenever it was active." Zulu internally vented as the other three princesses were volunteering his marefriend into going to a world that could be many horrors that the princesses don't even know of.

"Your crown does not belong in the place Sunset Shimmer now calls home. And in her possession, your Element of Harmony will no doubt be used to bring harm to the inhabitants of this other realm. They will not have the power to defend themselves." Luna said, adding to Cadence's statement.

"You understand the importance of your task?" Celestia asked Twilight, her stepping closer to the mirror.

"Of course." Twilight said agreeing to her new mission.

"Good. Then you must go at once." Celestia said.

Twilight let out a sigh and began to approach the mirror to parts unknown. Her being stopped when Zulu put his hoof in front of her. "No, if she going. Then I'm coming with her."

"I agree, where Twilight goes. We all go." Rainbow said speaking for the rest of her friends.

"Oh my goodness! We're gonna go to another world! I'm so nervicited!" Pinkie exclaimed as she jumped for joy.

"You know that's not a real word, right?" Applejack said to Pinkie as she squealed in delight.

"I'm sorry, but I cannot let you go." Celestia said, Zulu irritation of the white alicorn growing.

"What, why not?!" Rainbow asked Celestia with a stomp of her hoof.

"Sending all of you will upset the balance of this alternate world, creating havoc that would make it impossible for Twilight to get the crown back from Sunset Shimmer. No, this is a mission that Twilight must do alone." Celestia said, all of Twilight's friends' faces dropping. While Zulu angry frown only increased.

"While I'm going with her and nothing you say can stop me." Zulu said trotting to Twilight's side and taking her hoof in his.

"Zulu, I'll be fine. You don't need to come with me." Twilight whispered to Zulu with a small blush on her face.

"I know, but I don't trust Celestia's way of handling problems that happen in Equestria." Zulu whispered, sending a silent glare the white alicorn's way.

"Celestia isn't all bad, sure she had her own ways of dealing with issues..." Twilight whispered to Zulu, a thought coming to his head. "Or have you deal with the problems." "but at least she cares." Twilight finished, another thought to come to Zulu. "Does she Twi, does she really care what happens to you or even greater, does she really care about what happens to all of Equestria."

The inclusion of Zulu to go with Twilight through the strange mirror portal lead the gears in Alpha's brain to start turning. As an idea formed in his mind he spoke to Theta.

"Theta, I want you to go with Twilight and Zulu." Alpha said, taking everyone by surprise.

"Really, you want me to go through that thing." Theta said, pointing at the magic mirror.

"Yes, I believe that it will be most active to have a representative from all the nations that are presented today to go searching for the lost Element of Harmony." Alpha said, putting Theta into deep thought.

It didn't take long for Theta to make up his mind. Him letting out a sigh as he spoke to his mentor. "Screw it, why not. Going to another world might be fun." Theta said as he took a spot to Twilight left side, Zulu to her right and their hooves still locked.

"Very well if that is all. Time is of the essence. On the third day, when the moon reaches its peak in the night sky, the gateway will close. And once it does, it will be another thirty moons before you will be able to use it to return." Luna said as she used her magic to show what would happen if they were unable to stop Sunset. "Do you understand?" Luna asked as she finished explaining.

"Yes." Twilight, Theta, and Zulu all said as one.

"Good, now go. You all have a lot to do and not much time to do it." Luna said as she stepped away from the mirror.

"Be careful Twilight." Fluttershy said to Twilight as the three began to approach the mirror. "We all have complete faith that you will be able to pull this off." Rarity said as Twilight and Zulu stood in front of the mirror.

"Well... mares first." Zulu said breaking the physical connection between them. Twilight sending the changeling a playful glare.

"I'll be right behind the both of you." Theta said as Twilight touched the mirror with her hoof.

"Alright, I'll see you on the other side." Twilight said as she stepped through the portal, her being quickly followed by Zulu. Theta being not that far behind the others. Unaware the rest Spike was biting his claws in anxiety.

"Spike no!" Twilight's friends all shouted as he made a beeline for the portal. Him following Twilight, Zulu, and Theta to parts unknown.

"So know what?" Rainbow thought out loud.

"We wait, it's the only thing that we can do." Celestia said as she began to leave the room.

Twilight slowly began to open her eyes as she landed in the new world. Her landing on so kind of hard surface, her thinking that it was some kind of sidewalk. "Ugh... my head." Twilight groaned.

"Uh, Twilight?" Twilight heard Spike say, his words taking her by surprise.

"Huh? Spike! You're not supposed to– Spike? Are you a... dog?" Twilight said as she opened her eyes to see a small purple dog with a green underbelly with Spike's words coming out of its mouth.

"I... think so. But I have no idea what you are!" Spike said as he looked the new version of himself over. Twilight looked down to see two five-fingered hands in front of her face. Twilight wearing a light blue blouse with a purple skirt with the design of her cutie mark being embroiled into the skirt. Twilight was also wearing a pair of purple and pink boots. Twilight getting hit a rush of anxiety and let out a high pitched scream.

Once Twilight's scream was over she heard another familiar voice call out. "By the darkness, Twilight! Did you really need to scream." Twilight heard someone else say, it was Zulu.

"Zulu, where are you?" Twilight said not seeing the changeling anywhere.

"Right in front of you, Twi." Zulu said and Twilight drifted eyes upward. Her breath being taken away when she saw the new him.

"Zulu... is that you?" Twilight asked the... whatever he was that had Zulu's voice coming out of. The whatever it is was a tall being standing on two legs and wearing all black. Him wearing black jeans with black leather boots, a black leather jacket with a green shirt underneath. This new version of Zulu wearing a pair of black leather gloves and black sunglasses with lenses that were slightly tinted green over his eyes. Twilight hoping that his gorgeous green eyes had survived the trip. His hair being jet black and spiky. Most might have seen him as scary, but not Twilight. She thought that he looked sexy.

"I guess so." Zulu said he removed his sunglasses and placed them on top of his head. Twilight's wishes being confirmed as she stared into his beautiful green eyes. "Come on we need to find Theta." He said as he offered his gloved hand to Twilight. Twilight accepted the hand as he helped pull up to her feet. Twilight only to nearly faceplant as she wasn't familiar with walking on two legs.

"Wow Twi, are you ok?" Zulu said as he caught Twilight falling forward.

"Yeah, I'm alright." She said as she steadied her feet. "Ok, let's find Theta. With the both of us being whatever we are and Spike being a small purple dog. I have no idea what he would've been turned into." Twilight said to Zulu, the voice of Theta breaking the silence of the light fall breeze.

"You don't have to look that far." Theta said, the source of his voice currently unknown.

"Theta, where are you? We can't help you if you don't show yourself." Twilight said searching in every direction for anything that could be Theta.

Theta let out a sigh as he spoke. "Ok, I'm coming out just whatever you do, don't laugh." Theta said, Twilight realizing that his voice was coming from behind the statue of a horse.

"Sure, whatever you say Theta." Zulu said, him a little confused as to why we would tell them not laugh at them.

"Ok, I'm coming out." Theta said as he stepped out from around the statue. Twilight's face lit up and she went 'daw' as she saw Theta for the first time. Theta having been turned into a dog like Spike, but him being very different than Spike. Theta was much larger than Spike with him going up to the knee of Twilight and Zulu. His coat was a white with shades of a silver/gray on his underbelly and face to make look like he was wearing a mask. His fury tail being held underneath his belly. His green eyes stayed with his as he stared up at his two changed friends. Theta always pointed up in the air ears dropped down as he stared at the concrete sidewalk.

"I know, I look stupid." Theta said in a defeated tone.

"Oh Theta, I don't think you look stupid. I think you are cute." Twilight said as she cupped her hands around Theta's neck and brought him into a tight hug, she then began to scratch the large dog/dragon's left ear which Theta began to involuntarily kick his hind leg in excitement. "Does that feel good?" Twilight asked as she continued to scratch his left ear.

"Yeah, though I still like being bigger than you guys. I could get used to this." Theta said as he dropped down onto his belly and Twilight began to scratch it.

"Sorry to break up the moment, but we still have a mission to do." Zulu said being Twilight and Theta back to the problem at hand.

"Right, so where should we start?" Twilight asked as she rose to her full height.

"Think we should split up. You and Spike can search the confines of whatever this large building is." Zulu said to Twilight as he pointed at a large building made out of a magenta painted brick that was in front of them. The building having white steps that lead to a glass door that marked the entrance to the building. "While Theta check the surroundings areas." Zulu suggested, Twilight nodding her head in agreement.

"Ok, Spike and I will check out the castle while you and Theta check out the surrounding area." Twilight as she began to walk toward the large building, Spike at her side.

"Copy that, We'll meet back up here around 2:00." Zulu said as she looked at a watch on his right hand, Zulu assuming that was what his warp blade had turned into when he went through the portal.

"Alright, have fun." Twilight as she started to run toward the large building. Spike having to completely sprint just to keep up with her.

"Ok, where do you want to start Theta?" Zulu asked the white dog that used to be a dragon.

"I don't know..." Theta began to say as he sniffed the air. "But, I'd like to have what that is that I'm smelling." Theta said as he began to follow his nose down the sidewalk.

"Following your nose it is. I wouldn't mind having something to eat anyway." Zulu said as he put his sunglasses back over his eyes and began to follow Theta wherever his nose was taking him.

"Ok, let's do this Spike." Twilight said as she was standing in front of the door that led into the building. "Hmm..." Twilight grunted as she went into deep focus, her trying to use her magic to open the door for her. "Huh, my magic it isn't working." Twilight said looking down at Spike.

"Well, you have your horn." Spike said not seeing Twilight signature horn sticking out of her head.

"What!?" Twilight exclaimed as she touched the top of her head to see if Spike was correct, Twilight not feeling anything on the top of her head other than dark purple hair with light purple and pink highlights.

"Ugh... we really need to find you a mirror." Spike said as he pushed the door open with his paw. Twilight following after the small dog into the building.

Twilight and Spike both entered the strange building and walked over toward a case filled with gold trophies inside of it. "What do ya think, Spike? Other artifacts she's stolen from Equestria?" Twilight said as she studied the gold objects inside the glass case. "What am I?" Twilight gasped as she got a full body look at herself for the first time.

There was then a ringing of a bell overhead and the halls of the building were filled with dozens of teenagers that Twilight couldn't recognize, but still seemed oddly familiar. Twilight was caught up in the crowd and did her best to get out of it. The only way being her having to get down on her hand and knees and crawling out. Twilight just getting out of the crowd and rolling, her accidently hitting a teenaged male that was standing next to a metal locker.

"Huh? Oof!" Twilight grunted as she hit the leg of the teenager.

"Whoa." The boy said, him being a blue-haired and orange skinned boy wearing a black jacket with a white shirt underneath and blue pants. Him helping Twilight off of the guard. "You okay?" He asked as he helped Twilight to her feet. Twilight giving a silent nod.

"I don't think this is a castle." Spike said to Twilight as the boy walked away with several books being held in his left hand.

Twilight then began to search through the halls of the building. Twilight coming to learn that the building wasn't a castle at all, but some kind of school for the people in this different world. Despite the world being very different than Equestria, Twilight couldn't stop herself from feeling like this place was strangely familiar. This no more so than when Twilight and Spike were almost run over by a purple girl riding a scooter. The girl bearing a striking similarity to Scootaloo. The similarity only enforced when the when two other girls chased after the girl on the scooter. The two other girls looking like Rarity and Applejack's little sister's, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom.

"Spike, is it just me or is this place feeling kind of... familiar?" Twilight asked Spike as the pair continued to search the school.

"I don't know, Twi. Maybe, I guess." Spike said as he continued to follow Twilight.

"Oh, I'm really sorry. I-I just found it, and-and I thought I should give it to her. I didn't know you had dropped it." Twilight a girl with a soft voice that heard strangely familiar.

"Do you hear that, Spike?" Twilight asked the purple dog. Spike giving her a quick head nod. "It sounds like that girl's in trouble." Twilight as she rounded the corner to see a yellow-skinned girl with flowing pink hair being bullied by another girl with a head of hair that made it look like she was on fire. The girl that was being bullied wearing a white shirt, a lime green skirt with butterflies on it, and a pair of boots in the same color as her skirt. The girl that was bullying her wearing a black leather jacket with a magenta colored shirt underneath and an orange skirt with a matching pair of black and magenta cowboy boots.

"Well, I did! And I was about to get it before you swooped in and ruined everything! You shouldn't pick up things that don't belong to you." The girl with the hair of fire shouted at the yellow-skinned girl.

"It... doesn't really belong to you, either." The other girl said underneath her breath.

"Excuse me?!" The bully shouted as she hit the lockers that she was pinning the other girl up against.

"N-n-nothing..." The poor girl whimpered as she shrank underneath the glare of the other girl.

"That's what I thought. It's as good as mine, and you know it. You really are pathetic. It's no wonder your best friends are all stray animals." The bully said down to Fluttershy as she hid underneath her hands. Spike growling that the girl with the head of fire.

"How dare you speak to her that way!" Twilight shouted at the bully as she stepped out from the lockers that she was watching from and confronting the girl with a head of fire.

"What did you say?" The bully said as she shifted her attention away from the poor girl and onto Twilight.

"I said! How dare you speak to her that way!" Twilight repeated herself as she walked over to the girl with the head of fire and stared her down. A smug appearing on the other girl's face as she began to laugh.

"Huh, you must be new here." The bully said as she began to walk away. "I can talk to anyone anyway I want. "I speak to anyone, anyway, I want." She said as she continued to walk down the hall like she owned.

Twilight sent the girl a glare before turning her attention to the girl that was being bullied. "Are you ok?" Twilight asked as she helped the poor girl to her feet.

"I can't believe you did that." She said once Twilight had helped her to her feet.

"Well, I couldn't just stand there." Twilight said with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Well, it's just that nobody ever stands up to Sunset Shimmer." The other girl said.

"Sunset Shimmer!?" Twilight gasped as she whipped her head around to see the girl with the head of fire turn the corner down another hall.

"You've heard of her?" The other asked.

"Sort of..." Twilight said as she shifted her attention back to the girl that was being bullied.

"I don't think I've seen you around before. Did you just transfer to Canterlot High from another school?" The girl asked and Twilight began to learn a little bit more of what kind of world she had walked into.

"Um... yes! Another... heh, school! My name's Twilight." Twilight said introducing herself to the girl.

"I'm... Fluttershy." She whispered at a level that was barely audible.

"Sorry, what was that?" Twilight asked as she cupped her hand around her ear to hear her better.

"It's Fluttershy!" She said even quieter than before.

"It sounds like you're saying Fluttershy, but how can that...?" Twilight began to say, her being interrupted and almost run over when Fluttershy saw her purple dog companion.

"Oh, my goodness!" Fluttershy exclaimed and her eyes widened when she saw Spike. "Who's this sweet little guy?" Fluttershy asked Twilight as got down on her knees and cuddled with the small purple dog. Twilight and Spike getting a strange sense of deja vu.

"That's Spike! My, uh... dog!" Twilight said as Fluttershy continued to be fascinated by the purple dog. A thought coming to Twilight head as she watched this world's version of Fluttershy. "I wonder what would happen if she saw Theta."

"Oh, he's so cute! Go on, eat up, little pup!" Fluttershy squealed as she offered a doggie treat to Spike. Spike was hesitant at first, but after he took a small bite of the treat he was convinced and ate the rest of the treat in record timing.

"Oh, wouldn't ya just give anything to know what they're really thinking?" Fluttershy sighed her in complete bliss around the small dog.

"He usually just tells me." Twilight said, a look of confusion

"Oh, w-what do you mean?" Fluttershy asked Twilight. Spike noticed Twilight mistake and bailed her out with a single bark.

"Oh, uh, nothing!" Twilight said laughing off her previous comment as she quickly changed the subject back to the reason that she was in this alternate dimension. "Never mind. Sunset Shimmer said you picked something up. Something that belonged to her. It wasn't a crown, was it?" Twilight asked Fluttershy, the other girl raising to her feet.

"How did you know?" Fluttershy asked.

"Uh, lucky guess? Do you still have it?" Twilight asked with a happy face. Her face dropping when Fluttershy shook her head no.

"But you know what happened to it." Twilight asked her face returning to a happy expression. Fluttershy giving a single head nod.

"This morning, I was passing out flyers for the animal shelter like I do every Wednesday." Fluttershy said as she told the story of how she found Twilight's crown. The crown having seemly appeared out nowhere and hitting her in the back of the head as she was sitting next to the statue in front of the school. A statue that also happened to be this world's portal to Equestria.

"I have no idea how it got there. But I didn't want anything to happen to it, so I decided to give it to Principal Celestia." Fluttershy said to Twilight, a look of confusion appearing on Twilight's face at the mention of 'Principal Celestia'.

"Principal Celestia? She's the ruler here?" Twilight asked Fluttershy.

"You could say that. Technically, I guess she and Vice Principal Luna do make the rules." Fluttershy said.

"Where is she now?" Twilight asked, her beginning to get somewhere in her search for the crown.

"Probably in her office." Fluttershy said and Spike and Twilight both took off in different directions looking for the principal's office. Them both walking back to Fluttershy when they realized that they didn't know where they were going. "Third door on your left." Fluttershy said pointing Twilight in the right direction.

"Thank you!" Twilight said as she took off again to find the principal.

"Oh, wait! You're not really supposed to have pets on school grounds. Might wanna tuck him into your backpack. That's what I do." Fluttershy called out to Twilight as she placed her backpack on the tile floor of the school. A white cat and a bird coming out of it. "They just get so lonely when I'm in school all day." Fluttershy said as she played with her , okay! Thank you!

"Oh, okay! Thank you!" Twilight as she followed her new friend's, or was she an old friend Twilight couldn't tell, advice and tucking Spike into the largest pocket of her purple backpack.

There was another of a bell overhead as Fluttershy jumped up to full height as her eyes widened at the sound. "Oh, no! I'm late for class!" Fluttershy gasped as she rounded up her animals, waved goodbye to Twilight, and started running off to her classes. Twilight gave

"Huh, this might be easier than I thought. I hope Zulu and Theta are having the same success that we are." Twilight thought as she walked toward the principal's office. Her completely unaware that her mission to get her crown back would become far more difficult than she could ever have thought.

Back with Zulu and Theta, the changeling turned human continued to follow the dragon turned husky through the streets of the city. "Theta, are you sure you know where you're going?" Zulu asked as he continued to follow the white dog through the streets of the new city.

"Do you want the honest answer or the bullshit answer that I can come up with in a few seconds." Theta said as he took a left down another street. They all look the same to him, contrary to popular belief he could see in color but he had seemed to lose the ability to see the different shades of red and green. Him only able to see the different shades of yellows and blues.

"I would prefer the honest answer, but if your bullshit answer is good then I'll take it." Zulu said with a small laugh as he continued to follow the white dog.

"Well... honestly I don't know where I am going, but I am still to smell something good so I will continue to follow that smell until I find where it comes from." Theta said as he continued to follow his nose. The smell continuing to grow stronger.

"Whatever Theta, are you close because I don't know about you but I'm hungry." Zulu said to Theta him continuing to follow the white dog as he turned down another street.

"I think so." Theta said, his eyes widening as he found the location where the beautiful smells were coming from. The smells coming from a large diner at the end of the street that they were currently on. The diner going by the name of Derpy's.

"Huh... Derpy's." Zulu said as he stood in front of the large diner, a large sign showing the name of the diner in bold letters. The sign shaped like a big muffin with the apostrophe in 'Derpy's" being in the form of seven silver bubbles. "Are you sure this is where you nose lead you?" Zulu asked Theta, who sitting on his rump and shaking his furry tail back and forth. Him beginning to pant in excitement and hunger. "I'll take that as a yes." Zulu said to himself as he saw the white dog's reaction.

Zulu took off his sunglasses and placed them on top of his head as he entered the diner Theta not being far behind him, a bell on the door signaling his entry to a girl wearing a standard apron over her clothes that was standing behind the counter in the center of the diner. The girl being a gray-skinned teenager that looked about Zulu's age with blonde hair and yellow eyes that seemed to look in different directions.

"Hello, and welcome to Derpy's. Please take a seat at any open booth, a waitress will be with you shortly." The girl said to Zulu, him giving her a single head nod as he took a seat in an empty booth. The booth being the second one in the diner. There only being two other people seating in the first booth inside the diner. "It must be before most people have lunch." Zulu thought as he sat down in the booth, Theta taking a seat next to Zulu's leg as the waitress approached. The waitress being another teenage girl with a light purple skin and blonde hair. The girl looking a year or two younger than Zulu.

"Hello, my name is Dinky and I will be your server today." The waitress said as she gave Zulu the menu for the diner and placed down a glass filled with water.

"Thank you, I hope that the dog isn't that big of a problem." Zulu said to the waitress looking down at Theta, who was happily sitting next to Zulu.

"Of course not, we have always allowed dogs inside the diner. Especially one as cute as this one." She said as patted Theta on the head.

"Yeah, I could definitely get used to this." Theta thought as the waitress turned her attention back to Zulu.

"So, what would you like to start out with, sir?" She asked as she took on a pen and paper to write down Zulu's order.

"The name's Zulu, and I think I would like a..." Zulu began to look through the menu, him stopping once his eyes fell upon a delicious looking cheese and bacon burger. "I will have the Bacon and Cheese Burger, please." Zulu said to the waitress, her writing down his order on her piece of paper.

"Will that be all?" She asked just Theta began to whimper. Theta usually didn't like to look weak in front of others, but it got him food then so be it.

Zulu let out a small chuckle as he looked at the whimpering face of Theta and said to the waitress. "And could get me a few slices of cook bacon and sausage for Theta here." He said, the waitress writing the rest of his order.

"Ok, would that be all for you?" She asked.

"I believe so." Zulu said as he patted Theta on the top of the head.

"Ok, I'll be back in few moments with your order." She said as she walked off to give Zulu's order.

"Thank you." Zulu said as he took a sip from the glass of water in front of him. His gaze falling onto Theta who looked like he was having the time of his life. "You're having way too much fun with this, aren't you?" Zulu asked Theta, the white dog giving him a look that said 'maybe'. Zulu chuckling as the waitress returned with a black tray that contained his order.

"Ok, a single Bacon and Cheese Burger with a side of bacon and sausage. Is that correct?" The waitress said as she placed the tray on the table that the booth that the table that the booth was attached to.

"Yes, thank you." Zulu said as he took a bite out of his burger, it tasting just as good as he had expected.

"Great, I will be back with the check in a few minutes." She said walking away. Zulu giving her a single head nod as he took another bite of his burger. Theta whimpering returning when he wasn't getting any of the food.

Zulu let out a chuckle and looked down at the whimpering dog. "You know you're not really my dog. I don't need to feed you." Zulu said and got a disapproving bark from Theta in response. "Alright, here go bud." Zulu chuckled as he threw a strip of bacon at Theta. The white dog catching the bacon with his mouth and eating it in about a second. Zulu let out another chuckle as he tossed the rest of the bacon and sausage into the white husky's mouth.

"There, do you feel better now?" Zulu asked when he finished feeding the dragon turned husky. Theta giving him a single head nod and laid down next to Zulu's neck. Zulu returning to eating the rest of his half-eaten burger.

Zulu's eating came to a halt when the bell on the door of the diner ringed, signaling that someone had entered. Zulu and Theta both turned their heads to see who had entered. The people being three girls all wearing hoodies of different colors, one being purple, another a magenta color, and the last being green. Zulu couldn't see any of the girl's face as they all had their hoods up. Zulu and Theta follow their movements as they sat down in the furthermost booth in the diner. The both of them getting a strange uneasiness the moment the trio had entered the diner. An uneasiness that only increased once the trio began to hum a harmonic tone in perfect sequence.

"I guess that's our cue to leave." Zulu whispered to Theta as he finished his burger and called over the waitress that had his check. Zulu paid for his meal with money from a wallet that seemed to be created when he walked through the portal to Equestria, even giving the waitress a decent tip.

Before Zulu and Theta left the diner he asked the waitress about the three hooded girls. "Hey, who actually are those three girls?" Zulu asked the waitress, her shrugging her shoulders.

"I don't know, they come in every day during lunch and dinner, but they never order anything. I don't even know their names." She said as she returned to her duties.

"Hmm... interesting." Zulu said as he exited the diner, Theta being not far behind.

Zulu and Theta exited the diner and began to walk back toward the school. Zulu putting his sunglasses back over his eyes as he walked down the sidewalk. Theta's movements coming to a halt when something caught his eye. Theta gaze falling on a black husky with red eyes that was standing on the sidewalk across the street from the diner. The husky being looking almost identical to Theta, minus the fur and eye color. Theta also noticing a red gem of some kind that was connected the black collar of the dog. The two dogs' eyes met and they stared at each other for a few brief seconds. Theta could've sworn that he saw a devilish smile appear on the dog's face as it began to walk down a dark alley and disappearing into the blackness.

"What are you looking at?" Zulu asked when he noticed that Theta had stopped following him.

"What... oh um... nothing. I just thought that I saw something familiar." Theta said as he began to start walking down the sidewalk again.

"Familiar?" Zulu said as he followed after the white husky.

"It's nothing, my mind was probably just planning tricks on me." Theta said as he began to walk a little faster. Him not wanting to believe that this world its own version of him.

"Whatever you say, Theta." Zulu said, him noticing for the first time the three scars that were on his neck. Zulu continuing to follow the white husky back to the school where Twilight and Spike were located them both completely unaware that they would see that black husky again, and they would very soon.

The Black Husky (Equestria Girls)

The Black Husky (Equestria Girls)

Twilight stood in front the wooden door that led into principal Celestia's office and took a deep breath. "You ready, Spike?" Twilight asked the purple dog that was hiding out in her backpack, there being a small opening so that he could breathe.

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be." Spike said to Twilight.

Twilight took another deep breath as knocked on the door three times.

"Come in." A familiar voice called from the inside. Twilight opening the door with a flick of her wrist, her becoming better at using her newly required hands. Twilight entered the room to find this world's version of her former mentor. The principal sitting at her desk reading some kind of file that Twilight couldn't read from where she was standing. Twilight placing the backpack that contained Spike on the ground next to the door. "How may I help you?" Celestia asked as Twilight entered the room, putting the file she was reading on her desk.

"Um, uh... Whew. My name's Twilight Sparkle. I-I'm new here, and... Well, I understand that Fluttershy found a crown this morning and gave it to you." Twilight stammered as she introduced herself to . I've had Vice Principal Luna put it somewhere for safekeeping. No idea how it ended up on the front lawn. Were you interested in running for Princess of the Fall Formal this year?

"Yes. I've had Vice Principal Luna put it somewhere for safekeeping. No idea how it ended up on the front lawn. Were you interested in running for Princess of the Fall Formal this year?" Celestia said as she stood up from her desk and placed the file that she was reading in a drawer of a metal filing cabinet on the other side of the small room.

"Uh, no. Not exactly. The truth is... Well, the truth is I... You see, the crown is actually... Princess of the Fall Formal?" Twilight asked, her not familiar with the whatever the Fall Formal was.

"It's Canterlot High's big Fall dance." Celestia said as she used a red marker to 'x' out a day on a calendar on the far end of the room.

"Like the Grand Galloping Gala." Twilight said excitedly, her beginning to get somewhere.

"Uh, Grand Galloping Gala?" Celestia asked Twilight.

"Oh, uh, it was a big deal at my old school." Twilight said.

"And was there a princess?" Celestia asked as she went back to whatever she was doing.

"Yes, but she wasn't exactly a student." Twilight said.

"Here at Canterlot High, the students select one of their peers to represent them. She receives a crown at the Fall Formal." Celestia said as Twilight saw three framed pictures showing the previous winner. Them all being of Sunset Shimmer in increasing amounts of smugness.

"Hmm. You asked me if I was interested in running for Princess. Can anyone run?" Twilight asked as she began to walk out the room, her backpack being put over her shoulder.

"Yes. You just need to let the head of the Fall Formal planning committee know you'd like to be on the ballot. Was there anything else?" Celestia said to Twilight with a smile.

"Um, nope! That was it!" Twilight said back to Celestia.

"Well, if you do need anything else, my door is always open." Celestia said to Twilight as she closed the door to her office.

"Twilight, why didn't ya just tell her the crown was yours and ask for it back?" Spike asked Twilight from the back pocket of her backpack as she walked into the main hall of the school.

"Oh, I was going to, but imagine if one of them showed up in Equestria saying they came from a place filled with tall, fleshy, two-legged creatures with these? We'd think they were crazy!" Twilight said to Spike as she flailed her arms. One of the students of the school seeing her strange actions and slowly walking away to enforce the meaning behind Twilight's words.

"Hmm. You make a good point." Spike said as Twilight continued to speak.

"Looks like if I want my crown back, I'll have to become Princess of the Canterlot High Fall Formal. So that's what I'm gonna do." Twilight said as she extended her arms toward the ceiling.

"And how exactly do you plan on doing that?" Spike asked Twilight.

"I have no idea!"Twilight exclaimed as another bell sounded overhead and the hallways were filled with students adding to their next class for the day. Twilight following the other students toward the cafeteria of the school.

Back with Zulu and Theta, the changeling turned human continued to follow the dragon turned husky through the streets of the city. The white dog being different ever since they had left the diner, and Zulu wanted to find out why.

"Theta, are you sure that you're alright?" Zulu asked Theta, making sure to talk to Theta whenever they were alone as it seemed that must dogs in this world didn't have the ability to speak.

"I'm fine." Theta said bluntly as he continued to walk, his nose leading him back to the school where Twilight and Spike were. The image of the black dog that he saw from earlier still ringing inside his head.

Are sure, you on to on edge. What did you see back there?"

"It's not what, it's who." Theta said as he turned down a corner of a street and began to walk a little faster. He didn't want to discuss what he saw with Zulu, all he knew what or who he saw was nothing more than a trick by his new dog brain to screw with him.

"Theta, wait up!" Zulu called after the white dog as he dropped into a full sprint.

Inside the cafeteria of the school, Twilight found the human world version of her friend Fluttershy getting a tray filled with school food and decided it to be best for her to talk to her.

"I know we've just met, but I was wondering if you might be able to help me with something." Twilight said as she took a blue tray in her hands and began to fill it with random food from a counter in front of her.

"Of course!" Fluttershy said, intrigued into what the new girl would what to ask of her.

"I've decided to run for Princess of the Fall Formal, and..." Twilight began to say, her being silenced when Fluttershy gasped and accidently spilled her drink on her.

"Oh! Oh, gosh! Sorry." Fluttershy gasped as she grabbed a handful of napkins and began to clean up her mess. "It's just, oh, running for Fall Formal Princess is a really bad idea." Fluttershy said to Twilight as she cleaned up her mess.

"Why?" Twilight asked Fluttershy as they began to walk through the cafeteria.

"Sunset Shimmer wants to be Fall Formal Princess, and when she wants something, she gets it! She'll make life awful for anyone who stands in her way. Just ask the girl who ran against her for Princess of the Spring Fling." Fluttershy said to Twilight as they walked through the cafeteria.

"I have to try!" Twilight said as they began to get near the middle of the cafeteria.

"Oh, I don't think you understand. You'd have to convince everyone here to vote for you instead of her: the athletes, the fashionistas, the dramas, the eco-kids, the techies, the rockers..." Fluttershy said as she pointed the many different groups of people that were in the schools.

"Why is everypony..." Twilight began to ask, her getting hit the back of the head by Spike that the usage of 'everypony'. "Uh, everybody separated this way?" Twilight corrected herself as she and Fluttershy took a seat at an empty table at the end of the cafeteria.

"Maybe it was different at your old school, but at C.H.S., everybody sticks to their own kind. One thing that they do have in common is that they know Sunset Shimmer is gonna rule the school until we graduate." Fluttershy said to Twilight as she used her fork to take a bite out of her salad.

"Not if I can help it!" Twilight announced as she leaned forward and took a bite of a red apple that was on her tray. Fluttershy's eating her salad and staring at Twilight with a look of both shock and confusion. "So, uh, where would I find the head of the party planning committee?" Twilight asked Fluttershy as she took the apple that she was eating out of her mouth and held it in her hand.

Back with Theta and Zulu, the changeling turned human finally caught up to the dragon turned dog and had to tackle him to the ground in order to stop him from moving.

"Let me go!" Theta cried out as he tried to squirm out Zulu's grasp. The small claws on his furry paws cutting into Zulu skin, but he didn't care. He needed to know what Theta had seen that turned him from a happy puppy into a grumpy cat.

"No! I'm not letting go until you tell me what happened." Zulu said to Theta as he used all of his strength to keep the large dog from running away.

Theta's squirming and kicking of his legs came to a stop and he let out defeated sigh. "Fine, I'll tell you." Theta said to Zulu.

"Are you going to run away if I let you go?" Zulu asked Theta, him feeling like Theta's owner the longer they stayed in this situation.

"Yes, I promise that I won't run away." Theta said as Zulu placed back on the ground.

"So, what happened?" Zulu asked bluntly.

"I saw him." Theta said as he sat on his haunches and began to stare off into the distance.

"Who..." Zulu began to ask when realization hit him. "Oh, you saw him." Zulu said as he took a seat next to the white husky. "Are you sure it was him and not this world version of him?" Zulu asked Theta, the white dog letting out a heavy sigh.

"I don't know, all I know is that he was black and seemed to recognize me. I hope it was just this world's version of Sigma and not the real him, but I have to keep my guard up just in case." Theta said as he rose to his feet again.

Despite having lost his ability to tell the emotions of others, Zulu could still tell that there was something more that was bothering Theta. Zulu let out another sigh as he asked Theta. "Theta, do you blame yourself for what happened?" He asked, and Theta took a step away from him and holding up on of his paws as if he had just been hit.

"What?" Theta said in disbelief.

"Do you blame yourself for what happened to Sigma?" Zulu asked again, Theta taking another step away from Zulu. His heart began to beat faster and memories of the moment when he was betrayed by his own brother flashing into his head.

"I don't..." Theta stammered as his heart began to beat faster and memories of the moment when he was betrayed by his own brother flashing into his head.

"Sigma... what are you doing? Finding my true calling in life. A calling that doesn't include you!" The memory of Sigma's betrayal blasted at max volume inside Theta's head. The poor dog cradling his head with his forelegs and dropping into a fetal position. The poor dog quietly whimpering from the pain.

"Theta, are you ok!?" Zulu cried out as he rushed to Theta's side and cradled his head in his arms.

"It was my fault! I could've saved him, but I didn't. I failed! I failed!" Theta whimpered into Zulu's chest as eyes began to tear up.

"No Theta, what happened to Sigma no one could've predicted. You didn't fail, you were just betrayed by the dragon you should've trusted the most. You aren't a failure Theta, you are a hero." Zulu said, Theta pulling away from the hug. The dragon turned husky, not able to look at Zulu in the face.

"I'm no hero, I couldn't even save a kid from getting murdered in cold blood." Theta said as he began to walk away, his words leaving Zulu speechless. Zulu just sat there for a few seconds in silence until he let out a sigh and rose to his and began to follow Theta back to the school where Twilight and Spike were located.

"What am I going to do with you Theta?" Zulu internally sighed as he followed Theta back to CHS.

Unknown to the two friends a black was watching everything that was going down from the shadows of a dark alleyway. Him enjoying every second of the white husky's misery.

"Huh, this might be easier than I thought." The black dog said as he continued to watch the two friends that were currently having a moment across the street. "I might not even need you to defeat him." He said down to the red gem that was attached to his collar. The red gem beginning to turn a cornflower blue color. "Hmm... about damn time." The dog said as he continued to walk through the shadows. His destination being exactly the as that of Theta and Zulu, though having very different reasons for heading to CHS.

Twilight followed Fluttershy directions and headed toward the school's gym. It not taking her that long for her to find the gym in question.

"Fluttershy said she'd probably be in here." Twilight said to herself as she entered the gym. The gym being in the final stages of being set up for the Fall Formal dance.

"Incoming!" A girl from above called to Twilight as she was pelted with party streamers. The girl being a pink-skinned teen with a head of puffy pink hair and was wearing a white shirt with light blue sleeves that had a pink heart in the center, a pink skirt with three balloons on it, and a pair of matching light blue boots. The girl blowing up a balloon that she to take from her shirt.

"Hi, my name's Twilight Sparkle and... Pinkie Pie?" Twilight introduced herself to the girl, her stopping her normal greeting when she noticed the striking similarities between her and her pink earth pony friend.

The girl gasped and deflated her balloon at the purple girl strange ability to know her name before she told her. "Are you psychic?!" Pinkie asked Twilight as she got right up against her face.

"Uh, no. I don't think so. Unless of course, that's something you can do here." Twilight said to Pinkie.

"Not usually." Pinkie said, bouncing away to continue blowing up balloons.

"Fluttershy said this is where I'd find the head of the Fall Formal planning committee." Twilight said as an uncharacteristic frown appearing on Pinkie's face at the mention of Fluttershy.

"Fluttershy, huh? Don't let the whole "shy" thing fool you. She can be a real meanie." Pinkie said, much to Twilight's surprise, as she finished the balloon that she was blowing up.

"You two aren't friends?" Twilight asked Pinkie quite shocked, as everything else about this world had been pretty close to Equestria.

"Waited a bit to get your name on the ballot, huh? Dance is the day after tomorrow." Pinkie said to Twilight, her almost always happy demeanor returning in full stride.

"I'm brand new here." Twilight said to Pinkie.

"Oooh! I thought you didn't look familiar." Pinkie said as she began to walk around her. "Though, now that I'm really lookin' at you... Do you have a twin sister who lives in the city, has a pet dog named Spike that looks just like that one?" Pinkie asked Twilight.

"Uh, maybe." Twilight said with a shrug.

"Thought so. Anyhoo, just need to fill this out and you are officially up for the coveted Princess of the Fall Formal crown." Pinkie said to Twilight as a pen and clipboard popped out of her puffy pink hair and landed in her hands. Twilight had seen Pinkie do crazier things back in Equestria and didn't question this for even a second.

Pinkie gesturing for Twilight to take the pen that was in her hand. Twilight taking the blue pen in her mouth. Twilight putting the pen in her left hand when she got a weird look from Pinkie. Twilight then doing her best to write her name on the piece of paper that was on the clipboard. Twilight giving the pen back to Pinkie when she was done.

"Wow! You have really bad handwriting. It's like you've never held a pen before." Pinkie said in shock as she saw Twilight epic fail of a job at writing her name with a pen.

"Is it?" Twilight nervously laughed off her failure as the door to the gym opened, catching both of the girl's attention.

"Somebody order a dozen cases of fizzy apple cider?" A girl with a thick southern accent and wearing a cowboy hat with matching cowboy style clothing said from the doorway. Twilight having a heavy suspicion that this girl was this world's version of her friend, Applejack.

"Oh! Oh! Me, me-me-me, me, yeah, ha-ha, me!" Pinkie called over to the cowgirl. The cowgirl then placed a crate filled with glass of the amber-colored liquid on an empty chair in the room.

"Can you bring in the rest?" The cowgirl called out of the room as she wiped the sweat from her brow.

"Eeyup." A boy with a similar southern accent to that of Applejack's said as he entered the room carrying enough crates of cider that it made so you couldn't see his face. Twilight pretty sure that he was this world's version of Applejack's older brother, Big Mac.

"Hey, I know you." Applejack said to Twilight as she took a glass of cider out of one of the carts that she had delivered for Pinkie.

"You do?" Twilight asked the cowgirl, surprised as to how she could've known her.

"Sure. You're the new girl who gave Sunset Shimmer the what for today." Applejack said to Twilight as she used her teeth to opened the glass bottle and began to gulp down the amber-colored liquid.

"Twilight Sparkle here is gonna run against Sunset Shimmer for Princess of the Fall Formal." Pinkie told Applejack, this making Applejack spit out the cider that she was currently drinking.

"I'd think twice about that. Oh, sure, she'll probably approach you all friendly like..." Applejack said to Twilight as took two balloons to show Twilight just what she was taking on if she went against Sunset. "I sure am lookin' forward to some friendly competition." Applejack faked Sunset voice with one of the balloons, speaking to the other. "That's so good to hear." Applejack said as she mimicked Twilight voice with the other balloon. "But then, here comes the backstabbin'." Applejack said with her normal voice as she turned the balloon that she was using for Sunset around to reveal a nail taped to it and popped the balloon that she used for Twilight.

"About the only girl in this school you can trust less than Sunset Shimmer is Rainbow Dash." Applejack said more to herself, much to Twilight's surprise.

"Rainbow Dash?" Twilight said shocked, her not believing that this world's counterpart for her cyan pegasus friend would be untrustworthy since she is the Element of Loyalty after all.

"She's the captain of, like, every team at Canterlot High." Pinkie said to Twilight as she on an over inflated balloon. The balloon popping not that long afterward.

"She's also the captain of sayin' she's gonna do somethin' for ya, and then turnin' around and not even botherin' to show up." Applejack added, her words filled with bitterness toward this world's Rainbow Dash.

"Thanks for the advice, Applejack, but this is something I really need to do." Twilight reassured Applejack as she embraced her in a friendly hug.

"Huh, suit yourself. Hey, how'd you know my name is Applejack?" Applejack asked Twilight, catching that she had told the new girl her name.

"Um, I uh... Didn't you say?" Twilight nervously laughed at Applejack's statement, her pulling out of the hug.

"Nnnope." Big Mac said using one of his two signature catchphrases.

"Well, it sure was nice meeting you both. I'm sure I'll be seeing you around." Twilight said as she exited the gym, not wanting to increase the awkwardness that was currently one's tryin' to hide a secret, but I am totally on to her. [whispering] She's psychic!

"That one's tryin' to hide a secret, but I am totally on to her." Pinkie said as Twilight left the gym. "She's psychic!" Pinkie whispered to Applejack.

"Uh-huh. If you say so." Applejack said to Pinkie Pie not very convinced, but she didn't seem it necessary to go further into the strange woman's warped logic.

The doors to the gym opening and Sunset Shimmer walking in, with her minions Snips and Snails in tow. "This is awful!" Sunset announced as she entered the room. "There need to be more streamers by the stage and fewer balloons." Sunset ordered as she popped a balloon that was tied to a chair with her finger.

"Yeah, streamers!" Snips announced as he torn two paper streamers in half.

"And fewer balloons!" Snails added as he tried, and failed, at popping a balloon. The balloon that he tried to pop floating out of his grasp and toward the ceiling.

"Fizzy apple cider? Ugh! This is my coronation, not a hoedown." Sunset complained disgusted.

"Well, now, it ain't necessarily gonna be your coronation this time around." Applejack said to Sunset, the girl with a head of fire sprinting to the cowgirl and began to insert her dominance of the school to Applejack.

"Oh, is that so? You country folk really aren't that bright. Must be why the other students say such awful things about you." Sunset said to Applejack sarcastically as she placed the girl's cowboy hat over her head and began to walk away. Sunset's body nearly glowing in all her smugness.

"Grrr..." Applejack growled at Sunset as her face began to flush red in anger.

"Obviously, it's gonna be my coronation. I'm running unopposed." Sunset announced, her plan to take over Equestria was going better than she had planned.

"Not this time. The new girl just signed up!" Pinkie said to Sunset, holding up the clipboard that Twilight had signed earlier.

"What?!" Sunset shouted in a state of shock, her taking the clipboard out of the hand of Pinkie.

"I know. Her handwriting is really bad." Pinkie said as Sunset's face flushed with anger.

"Where is this Twilight Sparkle?" Sunset angrily said to herself as her knuckles began to turn white as to held the clipboard. Sunset laughing off her words as she handed the clipboard to Snips. "I'm looking forward to meeting the competition!" Sunset said to Pinkie and Applejack, her attention being broken when a muffled bark by a familiar dog broke the silence of the room. Sunset's teal eyes moving toward one of the windows in the gym, her gaze falling on that of a black husky that was waiting outside the gym and barking at her. Sunset's eyes widening as she saw the black dog.

"If you'll excuse me." Sunset said as she exited the gym and started to walk toward where the dog was located. Snips and Snails quickly following after Sunset. "Alone you idiots!" Sunset shouted her minions as she continued to walk toward

"Then what do you want us to do, Sunset?" Snips asked Sunset, her movements coming to a stop.

"I care don't care, just make sure that it keeps the control of this school in my hands." Sunset said to Snips and Snails, them both saluting her and run to do whatever they wanted. She didn't care, she had a meeting with a dog that she needed to attend to.

Sunset exited the school and began to walk toward the soccer field and found the black husky sitting next to one of the windows of the gym waiting for her. "You know you can't just do that. Ordering me around like I am your little mutt, especially since you would probably I'd be seen as your master and not the other way around." Sunset vented to the black dog, her falling silent with a wave of his paw.

"Silence Sunset, I'm not here interrupt any your plans to win over this petty school." The black husky said as he turned his head to face Sunset directly. His red eyes burning directly through Sunset.

"Then why are you here... Sigma?" Sunset asked the black dog, getting a small laugh that made Sunset's skin crawl out of him.

"I have come to warn you." Sigma said to Sunset as he stood to his full height, him standing just past her knee.

"About what, I already know that Celestia sent her 'prized pupil' after me." Sunset said using air quotes at 'prized pupil'.

"Did you know that she's not alone?" Sigma asked Sunset, her eyes widening.

"What do you mean, Celestia didn't send the rest of the gang, because with a single set of those goodie goods. I think I'd go insane having to deal with two." Sunset said with a snarl.

"No, at least not to my knowledge." Sigma said.

"Then why are you here?!" Sunset asked Sigma, beginning to get frustrated at this dragon turned dog's existence in her life.

"Calm down Sunset, I'm not here to fight you." Sigma said as a thought came to his mind. "Though I could get a kick out of it." "I'm just here to warn you that this Twilight Sparkle is getting assistance by two others from Equestria. A changeling and a dragon." Sigma said to Sunset. Sunset nodding her head in understanding.

"I think I have might these two that you speak of."

"Really?" Sigma said genuinely curious as how she had met his brother.

"Well... saying that I met them is a bit of a stretch. It was more like they just happened to be chasing me when I tried to still steal that Twilight Sparkle's crown. That dragon nearly took my took my leg off when he swipe at me." Sunset said as she took off her left boot to reveal a small cut from three claw marks just above her ankle.

"Hmm... not bad Theta, maybe if your aim was better what I am planning could be even further along." Sigma thought as he looked at the small cut.

"Sigma, if you would be kind, could you help me in my mission to get rid of this Twilight Sparkle and her posse?" Sunset asked Sigma.

"Is she really that desperate to come to me for help?" Sigma thought as he weighed pros and cons of working with Sunset.

"Fine, I'll help you this once Sunset, but be expecting to get regular favors from me." Sigma said to Sunset as he accepted her offer.

"I wouldn't have expected anything more from you." Sunset said to Sigma as they snuck back into the school.

"Sigma, I have a question to ask. Why are you even here?" Sunset asked Sigma as they both began to walk through the halls of the school. This part of the school having not the greatest lighting and it difficult to even see Sigma.

"My reasons for being stuck in this inferior body are my mine own. The same as your reasons for ditching Celestia are your own." Sigma said to Sunset, a small snarl appearing on her face at the mention of Celestia. "It is better for your sake not to learn of them." Sigma said to Sunset as his nose caught a whiff of a familiar scent that instantly put him on edge.

"Fine, can you at least use that nose of yours and find this Twilight Sparkle for me?" Sunset all but ordered at Sigma.

Sigma snarled internally as his nose switched targets from that of an ally turned enemy and to that of the smell of a certain purple alicorn turned human. Although he still did miss his steel-hard scales and ability to breathe fire, this dog nose was a welcomed addition. "Got it, follow me. She isn't that far away from here." Sigma said as he began to lead Sunset in the direction of Twilight.

Zulu and Theta arrived at Canterlot High and the both of them stood in front of the large building. The two of them both blankly staring at the building in front of them.

"So, how do we get in?" Theta asked Zulu.

"Hmm... we can't risk you getting spotted in this place so..." Zulu began to say as he another person in a green vest walking a small dog. Him heading toward the back of the school. "Theta can you find a back door to this place?" Zulu said as an idea came to him.

"Hmm... maybe." Theta said as he began to lead Zulu around the perimeter of the school. Theta let out a bark to Zulu once he found a door that wasn't locked near the back of the school.

"Great job, Theta." Zulu said as he patted Theta on the top of the head. "Come on Theta, Twilight's got to be in here somewhere." Zulu said as he opened the door and entered the school, Theta following close behind him.

Theta took a single whiff of the air and was instantly put on edge as a familiar stench. His fur standing on end, his heart began to beat as fast as a freight train, his breathing increased, and him beginning to quietly growl with his teeth showing.

"Theta? Are you alright?" Zulu asked Theta as he noticed his strange behavior.

"He's here." Theta snarled as he took another of the air.

"Who?" Zulu asked, Theta sending a death glare his way.

"Who do you think?" Theta snarled.

"Theta, I know that you and him have a complicated history together, but right now we have to find Twilight and Spike. We can deal with him later. After all of this stuff involving Sunset Shimmer and Twilight's crown is done and over with." Zulu said to Theta, him only getting a snort from Theta in response.

"Good thing they aren't that far from each other." Theta said this making Zulu's eyes widened.

"Where are they?" Zulu nearly shouted at Theta.

"Follow me." Theta said as he began to lead through the dimly lit halls of the part of the school, Theta following his nose straight to the scent of Twilight and hopefully to his traitorous brother.

Twilight was walking through the darker halls of the school when she flinched as someone called out to her. "I can't believe I didn't recognize you earlier." Twilight heard a girl say behind her. Twilight wiping her head around to see the smug face of Sunset Shimmer staring back at her as she leaned up against a locker. Sunset's husky companion waiting in the shadows. His black fur making him nearly invisible.

"Should of known Princess Celestia would send her prized pupil here after my crown, and her little dog, too." Sunset said as she walked over toward Twilight, her smugness only growing. Sigma taking careful note of Sunset's clear underestimation of Twilight Sparkle's abilities. She might not have her overpowering magic but she still had unrivaled smarts.

"It's my crown!" Twilight snapped back at Sunset, pointing at herself.

"Whatever. This is just a minor setback for me. You don't know the first thing about this place, and I already rule it." Sunset waved off Twilight's words. Sigma nose taking note that the smell of his brother and the same changeling that had to kill was getting closer. He readied himself just in case he had to fight his way out. He wanted a rematch with his brother anyway.

"If that's so, why do you even need my crown? You went to an awful lot of trouble to switch it with the one that belongs here." Twilight asked Sunset.

"Pop quiz: what happens when you bring an Element of Harmony into an alternate world?" Sunset tested Twilight, her rival not able to come up with any answer to Sunset's question. "You don't know? Seriously?" Sunset said with a laugh with Twilight couldn't come up with any answer. "And you're supposed to be Princess Celestia's star student? Then again, what were the chances she'd find somepony as bright as me to take under her wing after I decided to leave Equestria? Bit embarrassing that you were the best she could do." Sunset mocked Twilight, her getting a growl from Spike in the process. Sunset not intimated by the small purple dog, especially since she had Sigma waiting in the shadows just in case things got out of hand.

"Oh, and I'd keep an eye on your mutt. Hate for him to be... taken away from you." Sunset mocked Spike, the small dog's anger only growing.

"Is that a threat?" Spike spat at Sunset as he hopped out of Twilight's backpack and onto the tile floor.

"Oh, of course not." Sunset said down to Spike, her slowly walking backward. Not out of fear, but as an invitation for Spike to attack her and give Sigma a little bit of fun for the day. Sigma noticing what Sunset was doing and began to get into position to pounce on Spike.

"That's it you deserves this!" Spike barked as he charged at Sunset.

"Spike don't!" Twilight called out, a devilish smirk appearing on both Sunset and Sigma's face.

"Get him!" Sunset announced and Sigma jumped out of the shadows. His claws mere inches from Spike muzzles. Spike yelping at the sudden inclusion of the black husky and running back to Twilight and hiding behind her right leg. Sigma having to fight with very fiber of his being not to laugh at the smaller dog. He didn't want to make it clear to Twilight that he was in the human world just yet. Sigma refraining himself to just growling dangerously at Twilight and Spike.

"You're not the only one with a dog at your disposal." Sunset said patting Sigma on the top of the head. Sigma doing everything he could not attack the hand that was touching him. He wasn't this bitch's pet if anything she was the puppet in this situation. He just needed her to distract Twilight and her companions so that he could continue his search without any interruptions.

"Sunset, look I'm not here to fight you." Twilight to Sunset as she held up her hands and began to walk away, Spike following her very step. "If you let me get my crown back then I will be out of your hair. You can continue to do whatever it is that you do here." Twilight said to Sunset, it paining her to say that she would leave this world in the hands of Sunset. But she needed to get out of this situation and if it meant talking out of her ass to Sunset then so be it.

Twilight continued to walk backward until she was standing in the middle of the hallway where two different hallways going different directions connected with a cross. Twilight turning her head to see Zulu and Theta walking toward her from the hall that connected to the one that she and Spike were currently on. Twilight's purple eyes widening at the sight of her friends. Her not noticing angry growl that was on Theta's face.

"Hmm... that does sound reasonable." Sunset said in mocked thought. "But... I like the idea of having ultimate power so... no. Sigma, you would be so kind as to get rid of this pest for me." Sunset said, ordering Sigma to do her bidding. Twilight eyes widening at the mention of the former Alpha apprentice.

"Sigma?!" Twilight exclaimed, Theta instincts taking over and him going into a full sprint toward Twilight. Theta's brain only thinking about one thing, and that one thing was revenge.

"You. Stupid. Bitch!" Sigma shouted internally. "Well, I might as well make the most of this." Sigma thought as he charged at Twilight with his teeth and claws ready.

Twilight cried out as Sigma charged at her, Twilight cradling Spike protectively in her arms as she fell to the ground and shut her eyes. Twilight waiting for the eventual impact of Sigma's sharp claws hitting her soft flesh. When the impact didn't and instead the

When the impact didn't and instead there was growling she slowly began to open her eyes to see what had happened. The sight in front of her almost brought tears to her eyes.

"Theta!" Twilight called out as the white husky stood protectively in front of her. Theta's white fur was on end and the scars on his neck began to tickle small drops of blood from them. Theta's left claws were also bloody from scratching Sigma across the face in a manner to protect Twilight, plus get some payback against his traitorous brother.

Sigma was knocked to the ground from the swipe by Theta but quickly regained his footing and growled aggressively at his former brother.

"Get away from her you bitch!" Theta growled at Sigma. Sunset taken by surprise at the white dogs ability to speak, her assuming that this was the white dragon that tried to kill her the day before.

"Good to see you too... brother." Sigma said knowing that his cover was blown. Sunset's eyes widening even further at Sigma's words. She had no idea just how much Sigma had known of Twilight and her companions.

"You are no brother of mine." Theta said as the two dogs began to stalk each other. Them back and forth in front of their respective humans. Sigma mocking to be hurt from Theta's words.

Zulu had caught up with Theta and was now at her side. "Twilight, are you ok?" Zulu asked Twilight with concern in his voice as he helped Twilight to her feet. Twilight still holding Spike protectively in her arms.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Twilight said as Theta and Sigma continued to stalk each other, both of them waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.

"Zulu get Twilight and Spike out of here. I'll take care of this pest." Theta said to Twilight and Zulu. Sigma snorting at Theta's threat.

"You can try brother, but we both know that you can't beat me." Sigma said a smug look appearing on Theta's face.

"I've done it before." Theta said, another aggressive growl coming from Sigma as he remembered his defeat to his brother during the destruction of Canterlot.

"Are you will be ok?" Twilight asked Theta, her getting an affirmative grunt from Theta.

"I'll be fine, now go!" Theta ordered at Twilight and Zulu, the two humans taking off in another direction. But the both of them making sure that they still stay close just in case if Theta gets hurt.

Sunset continued to stare at the two dogs as they stared each other down. Them both looking like two rival wolves as they continued to pace the small hallway.

"Come at me bro." Sigma taunted Theta.

"With pleasure." Theta said and the two huskies charged at each other. There being a clash of teeth, claws, and killing intent. Blood from both of the dogs beginning to turn the tile floor red.

"Sweet Celestia, what have I done." Sunset thought as the two former brother continued to fight each other.

Open Wounds (Equestria Girls)

"I've been waiting a long time for this." Sigma said as landed a strike right across the left side of Theta's muzzle. Theta falling to the tile floor as his blood from the scars on his neck and some new wounds that had been getting Sigma began to spill onto the floor. Theta quickly regained his footing, which wasn't easy as his padded paws didn't get the best traction on the tile floor.

"It has been three days Sig, have really wanted a rematch that bad?" Theta asked Sigma sarcastically.

"Yes." Sigma snarled as his eyes continued to burn a deep blood red.

"Huh, so be it then." Theta said as the two huskies charged at each other again, teeth and claws making contact with each other. Sigma was larger than Theta and his strikes proved it. Theta being knocked off balance after every strike. Theta's strikes only doing minor damage against the black husky.

Sunset continued to watch the fight between the two rivals from the safety of the shadows. Her enjoying the show, her really wishing that she had some popcorn for this epic showdown that her companion was easily being the winner of. If Sigma really wanted he could've ended this battle several times over, but he wanted to savor this fight.

After another strike by Sigma's right paw, Theta being knocked to the ground. Theta tried to get back up but his movements were stopped when Sigma put his paws on top of his neck. Sigma sharp teeth growling as he growled down at him.

"Fine, get it over with it. Kill me!" Theta shouted at Sigma as the black husky increased the pressure on his neck.

"I don't want to kill you brother, at least, not yet anyway." Sigma said with a devilish smirk on his face. "I want to savor the moment when your flesh turns cold, your blood runs dry, and the light leaves your eyes." Sigma said in a manner that made Theta wish he had the ability to breathe fire. Theta squirming underneath Sigma's claws. Sigma only making his claws dig deeper into Theta's flesh.

"What are you planning, Sig?" Theta asked weakly, him having lost a fair amount of his blood. The blood that was flowing from the scars on his neck turning his fur a slight pink color.

"Now wouldn't you like to know, but you will have to wait, my dear brother. But don't worry, we will meet again." Sigma said to his former brother has he released him from his death grip and began to walk toward Sunset. "Come on Sunset, we're done here." Sigma said as the two partners disappearing out of one of the back doors of the school.

Theta couldn't move, he was too injured and exhausted. His eyes began to waver as unconsciousness set in. "Is how it ends for me. Dying in an alternate universe, in the body of a white dog at the claws of my own brother." Theta thought as black spots began to form in his vision. "At least, you can say that my death was honorable." Theta continued to think as he heard someone calling out to him. He couldn't hear want they were saying, everything was muffled. He then saw someone he didn't recognize kneeling beside him. She was a yellow-skinned girl with pink hair.

"Is this an angel. Am I really dying?" Theta thought has he saw the pink-haired speak to him. He couldn't hear what she was saying, all of his senses were shutting down, that including his hearing. But he could make out her saying 'You are going to be alright'.

Theta vision continued to fade as unconsciousness continued to set in. His vision now playing tricks on him as the pink-hair girl began to warp into a familiar sight. The girl warped into the form of a yellowish-gray unicorn with a red mane with purple and pink highlights. Theta felt his facial muscles make a small as he stared up at the unicorn mare.

"You're going to be alright." The mare said as Theta's eyes began to flicker in and out of consciousness. "Everything will be fine." She continued as Theta body began to feel cold. Theta wasn't used to the cold, he was a dragon for Alpha's sake. "All of your pain be gone soon enough." She said in a muffled tone.

"Moon Dancer... I wonder what happened to her. Is she alright? I hope so." Theta thought as the blackness of unconsciousness overtook him. And then nothing, nothing but the eternal blackness of unconsciousness.

Several hours later, Theta's eyes slowly began to open again. He was no longer on the cold tile floor of Canterlot High's hallway, but instead, he was in some kind of hospital room. Theta had to squint his eyes as he was nearly blinded by the bright lights of the room. Theta groaned in annoyance and tried to roll over away from the bright lights. Theta's groaning and attempts at moving catching the attention of the only person in the room. Him rushing to the injured husky's side.

"Wow, wow, wow, don't try to move Theta. You got hurt pretty bad by Sigma." The only person in the room said, it was Zulu. Theta grimacing at the mention of his former brother. The changeling turned human running his hand across Theta's once white fur, it being stained red from a mix of his own and Sigma's blood.

"Where... am I?" Theta asked Zulu through a grunt of pain.

"You're at the animal shelter in the city. Twilight was lucky enough to find this world's Fluttershy just in time to save your ass." Zulu said with nervous laughter, laughter that came to an end when Theta didn't return any in return. Not just because he wasn't in the mood for humor, but it also hurt every time that he breathed.

"What happened to Sigma?" Theta asked Zulu as he laid his head on the small medical bed that he was laying on top of.

"We don't know." Zulu said looking away from the crippled husky in front of him. "He disappeared with that Sunset Shimmer not after he nearly killed you." Zulu said, his words filled with bitterness.

"Sometimes I even doubt if that dragon even has a moral bone left in his body." Theta heard Zulu mumble underneath his breath. He couldn't tell if Zulu wanted to hear his insults of his former brother or not, but he didn't care. Zulu, as much as it pained Theta, was right. The brother that had once played with when he was just a hatchling was gone. All that was left was a traitorous monster that had it his mission to make his life as miserable as possible.

"What about Twilight and Spike." Theta asked Zulu weakly.

"There both ok, and waiting just outside with Fluttershy." Zulu said to as the door to the room that the two were opened and one of the vets of the shelter walked in. She was a light yellow-skinned girl with light hair with white highlights. She looked to be in her early to mid-twenties and was wearing a white veterinarian coat and a pair of reading glasses. The girl holding a brown clipboard in her right hand.

"Remember not to talk, you are still a dog." Zulu whispered to Theta, the wounded husky slowly nodding in agreement as his grimaced as another sharp pain rippled throughout his body.

"You don't have to remind me of what I am." Theta thought as the vet removed her glasses and placed them in the collar of his coat.

"How is he?" Zulu asked with genuine concern in his words. Theta really beginning to feel like he was Zulu's pet, and he his owner.

"Feeling like hammered shit." Theta internally groaned as his body was rocked by another sharp pain going through his midsection.

"Well, I have some good news and I have some bad news. Which would you like to hear first." The vet said to Zulu as he continued to run his right through Theta's bloodied fur.

"Bad news first please." Zulu said, his heart beginning to beat faster.

"Well, you're dog Theta is that correct?" She said, Zulu nodding at her words. "Took quite a beating from the dog that attacked him." She said, her eye widening as she read Theta's list of injuries. Her even surprised that this dog was even breathing.

"What kind of beating?" Zulu asked seeing that woman's eyes had widened as she looked at the clipboard.

"Well, he sustained several bite and claws marks to the head and lower neck, a minor concussion, and him losing some blood in the process. But it wasn't the wounds from this fight that surprised us." She said striking Zulu's attention even further.

"What do you mean?" Zulu asked.

"Well... it seems that when we took X-Rays of Theta we found, even more, injuries. Injuries that he couldn't have gotten from the fight that brought him here in the first place." She said, Zulu sending Theta a quick look before speaking to the vet again.

"What kind of injuries?" Zulu asked, urging the vet to continue.

"Well, his X-Rays showed that he had two broken ribs that were in the process of being healed, several other healed bones that seemed to have been broken earlier in his life, and a few other minor injuries of unknown origin. In short, your dog has taken a lot of damage in his life." She said.

"And that's the bad news." Zulu said, getting a nod from the vet in return.

"Yes, even despite his injuries sustained in both his latest fight and his entire life. I have a firm belief that he will be able to make a few recovery." She said with a smile. A wave of relief washing over Zulu at her words.

"Well, that's good to hear!" Zulu said with a sigh of relief.

"Yes, yes it is. If you don't mind I have to check Theta's vitals, and it isn't recommended that you are here when I do them." She said.

"Of course, I'll be right back Theta." Zulu said as he ran his hand through Theta fur for one last time. "And remember no talking." Zulu whispered to Theta as he left his side. Theta giving him a slow nod. Theta's head was killing him and he just wanted to go back to left the room not long afterward.

Zulu seeing Twilight with Spike resting in her lap and Fluttershy waiting just outside the door of the room. Twilight anxiously tapping her left foot as she looked up at Zulu. Twilight's eyes puffy and red like she had been crying recently.

"How is he?" Twilight asked Zulu as he took the seat right next to her. Twilight words filled with worry for the dragon turned husky that had now probably saved her life for the second time in less than a week.

"He took quite a beating from Sigma, but the vet says that he will make a full recovery." Zulu said to Twilight, a sigh of relief coming from her.

"Oh! That's great news, I can't imagine what we would've done if we returned home and he wasn't ok." Twilight said, not realizing the problem of talking Equestria next to Fluttershy.

"Why would that be the case. Isn't Theta your dog Twilight?" Fluttershy asked putting Twilight on the spot.

"Um..." Twilight stared at Fluttershy, her brain farting and unable to come up with a believable answer. Good thing Zulu's brain was still working and was able to swoop in and save the day.

"He's not, he's actually my dog, and I don't think it would be good to go home and tell my... parents that my dog had got himself killed in a fight with another dog." Zulu said quickly, saving Twilight from some awkwardness. Twilight sending Zulu a look that said 'thank you'. Another question coming to Fluttershy's mind.

"Another... fight?" Fluttershy asked, Twilight's eyes shooting toward Zulu. Zulu didn't even break a sweat, he was a changeling even if this world didn't show him as one. He was still had training since birth to be the best liar he could possibly be.

"Yes, he has gone through... a lot throughout his life. Several broken ribs that were in the process of healing and some other broken bones that had healed from earlier in his life." Zulu said.

"Wow, I had no idea how much Theta had been going through." Twilight said as the door to the room was in opened. The vet exiting the room with Theta not far behind her. The white husky having most his fur been cleaned and having a large cone that wrapped around his head. Theta looking less than assumed.

"There you go, just like brand new, minus a few scratches here and there." The vet said.

"Thank you, I don't want I would've done if Theta wasn't alright." Zulu thanked the vet as Theta took a seat next to Zulu. Theta doing his best to remove the cone that was attached to his head. He was pretty much royalty, he didn't deserve to be treated like nothing more than someone's bucking pet. At least, in his opinion anyway.

"Now make sure that he keeps that cone on for at least a week and that he has no strenuous activity until his wounds seal up and are healed completely." The vet said to Zulu.

"Of course, we don't want Theta to get hurt again." Zulu said with a happy on his smile.

"I'm a dragon, getting hurt to nothing new to me." Theta groaned internally, him more just wanting to return to Equestria so that he could have his built armor of scales and fire breath again.

"Well, it's getting late and we should find some place where we can stay for the night." Twilight said as she looked out to see the sun beginning to set over the horizon.

"What about Zulu's place, can't you just stay there?" Fluttershy asked. Twilight beginning to sweat bullets again as their cover looked like it was about to be broken. Again Zulu's coming to the rescue again.

"We could, but both of our parents are out on business trips and they won't back until the weekend and neither of us has keys to our respective houses." Zulu said to Fluttershy. Twilight, Theta, and Spike all looking at Zulu. Them all surprised by his unrivaled ability to come up with believable bullshit just out of the blue.

"Well, you guys could stay at my place until your folks get back." Fluttershy offered, Twilight's eye widening at the pink-haired girl's words. Sure, she was Fluttershy. This world's version of the Element of Kindness, but she hadn't her to be so helpful as to actually allow two people that she had just met that same day to spend a certain amount of time with her. This was shocking, even coming from Fluttershy.

"Are you sure, I mean, I don't want either us to be a burden on to you?" Twilight asked Fluttershy politely. It was the most she could do after such a generous offer.

"Yes, there's plenty of room over at my place and if Theta's wounds began to start acting up well... I have all of the things necessary at my place to take care of him, just in case." Fluttershy said, standing by her words. A smile spreading across Fluttershy's face.

"Ok then, then we should start heading toward your place since it's about to get dark soon." Twilight said as the sky was in the final moments of the stage that she was made after.

"Great, follow me to my car and I will drive you guys there." Fluttershy said as she took a pair of keys that were on a keychain that was attached to her skirt. Fluttershy leading the rest out of the animal shelter.

"Ugh! I guess I better get this over with." Theta internally groaned as he followed after the rest. The giant cone that was on his head making it difficult for him to move in a straight line as he had almost no peripheral vision, not to mention all of the drugs that were currently in his system. "Wait..." Theta thought as his came to a complete stop. "What the buck is a car?" Theta thought as he followed the rest out of the animal shelter and into the parking lot. Theta walking out just in time to see Fluttershy getting into some kind of yellow self-propelled carriage with four doors.

"What the buck is that thing?"

It didn't take long for Fluttershy to her 'car' to her house and parked her 'car' on the side of the road in front of her house. The house being an average-sized two story house made out of brown brick and with a black tiled roof.

"Here we are!" Fluttershy said as she turned off her car and stepped out, her being quickly followed by Twilight (who was sitting in the front passenger seat with Spike in her lap the entire trip), and then shortly by Zulu. Zulu having seat in the backseat with Theta as they traveled. Theta not taking car rides every well. Him jumping out of the car the second Zulu opened his door.

"Are you alright, bud?" Zulu asked Theta as the white husky implanted his coned head into the grass front yard that was in front of Fluttershy's house.

Theta wanted more than anything than to respond with a sarcastic comment, but he knew he couldn't, given that Fluttershy was standing not that far away. He instead opted to just holding up his left paw to signal that he was alright. The car ride was terrible, given the general motion sickness that he received while in the backseat, something that was only amplified by the infernal cone that was on his head that made it possible to see anything to his left or right.

"Don't worry Zulu, He'll be alright." Fluttershy said with a small laugh. "Most dogs don't like riding in the back of cars." Fluttershy said with a small laugh.

"Ugh! Why did I agree to this horseshit?" Theta internally groaned as he followed after Fluttershy to the front door of her home.

"Come on it, my parents should be home by now." Fluttershy said as she opened the door to her home and lead everyone inside. Fluttershy wasn't lying when she said this place was big.

"Wow, this place is huge!" Twilight said in awe, a slight blush appearing on Fluttershy's face. Twilight eyes falling on her falling on a wooden bookcase that was on the far end of the front room and resting next to a large black piano.

"Thank you, Twilight." Fluttershy said as one of her parents came into view from a top of the stairs. It being Fluttershy's mom, her an amber-colored woman with raspberry hair that was done up and matching eyes and wearing a pair of blue glasses over her raspberry-colored eyes.

"Oh dearie you're back, and it seems that you brought some friends." Fluttershy's mom said in a voice that could've rivaled her daughter's in volume.

"Yes mom, do you think that Twilight and Zulu could spend the weekend here?" Fluttershy's asked her mother as Zulu entered the house. Fluttershy pointing to both of her new friends.

"Why would we have to do that dearie?" Fluttershy's mom asked in a calm voice. Fluttershy's dad now coming into view. Him a teal-skinned middle age man with pinkish-gray hair and mustache.

"What is this about friends staying over?" Fluttershy's father asked in a tone of voice that was similar that of his wife and daughter. Fluttershy beginning to visibly sweat in front of her parents.

"Um... you see..." Fluttershy stammered in front of her parents. Zulu having to come to the recuse.

"Well, the thing is Mr. and Mrs. Shy. It happens that Twilight's and my own parents are out of the city on business and won't be able to return until the end of the weekend and neither of us has a key to our respective places." Zulu quickly said to Fluttershy's parents, him making that it didn't sound like he was related to Twilight in any way. "Plus, there's one more thing." Zulu said as Theta lumbered into the large house.

"What do you mean..." Fluttershy's mom began to ask, her stopping mid-sentence when her gaze fell on that of Theta. "Aw... what happened to this poor little guy." Fluttershy's mom said as she walked down the stair as kneeled down to Theta.

"He was attacked by another dog earlier today, so he has to have that cone on his head for at least a week." Zulu said to Fluttershy's mom.

"Oh that poor thing, you two can stay here until your folks get back." She said as she patted Theta on the top of the head.

"Thank you." Twilight thanked Twilight's parents.

"Come on Twilight, you can sleep in my room." Fluttershy said as he led Twilight up the stairs and down the hall that led to her room. Spike following close behind the two teenagers. Spike making it into Fluttershy's room just as the door to it closed.

"You can and your dog can stay in the spare room." Fluttershy's dad said to Zulu as he began to lead him down another flight of stairs that led to a lower level of the house. Fluttershy's dad taking Zulu to a room that was at the far end of the hall. "I think this should be enough for you during your stay." Fluttershy's dad said as he opened the door to the spare room and showed Zulu the room that he would be staying in for the time being.

The room was of average size and had green carpet and felt a little weird on Theta's padded paws. There being a window that let the last drops of sunlight shine through on the right-hand side of the room. The room having a twin-sized bed on the far end of the room that was right in front of the window. A white dresser with empty soda cans must have been on top of it for quite some time.

"It will do most nicely for the time being." Zulu said to Fluttershy's dad as Theta laid down on the bed and took a well-deserved nap.

"Diner should be ready in a few hours, and it is first come first served." Fluttershy's dad said from the doorway.

"Ok, thank you, sir." Zulu said as he took a seat next to the sleeping husky.

"You're welcome, and Mr. Shy is perfectly adequate." Fluttershy's dad said as he began to close the door.

"Yes, I'll keep that in mind." Zulu said as he took his first real look at the room that surrounded him.

"Oh, and one more thing before I go." Mr. Shy said, his tone becoming more direct while still keeping his polite demeanor.

"Yes, what is it?" Zulu asked Mr. Fluttershy.

"I just want to know what is your plans for my daughter?" Mr. Fluttershy asked Zulu crossing his arms, him doing the whole protective dad trope. Or as Zulu knew it, Changeling Basic Training #117.

Good thing Zulu didn't have to use any of his training to deal with this question since he wasn't even interested in either version of Fluttershy that he had met.

"You need not worry sir, I can promise you that I am not interested in going after your daughter. My eyes are set on... someone else." Zulu said his words seeming to be effective against Mr. Shy as he happy nodded his head.

"Good, I tell you when dinner is ready." Mr. Shy said as he closed the door behind him.

"Thank you!" Zulu called through the door.

"You're welcome!" Zulu heard Mr. Shy call back.

Zulu let out a sigh as he collapsed completely unto his bed for the time being. "What a day." Zulu sighed as he stared up at the ceiling above him. Fluttershy's room must have been the room directly above his as he could her the laughter of Fluttershy and Twilight from below. "This might not actually be that bad." Zulu thought out loud. Him getting an unexpected response in return.

"That's easy for you to say." Theta said waking up from his short nap.

"Oh quit being such a party popper Theta." Zulu said to Theta, getting an expected grunt in return.

"No, I won't." Theta said closed his eyes again. Zulu letting out a short laugh as he decided to just lay in the bed that he was sharing with the injured husky until dinner was ready.

"You can sleep in my room until your folks return." Fluttershy said as she led Twilight into her room. Fluttershy's room living up to the person who owned it. Fluttershy's room being rather large and with a queen-sized bed with light green sheets and yellow pillows at the far end of the room. The bed facing a piece of technology that Twilight didn't recognize. She thought she heard Fluttershy calling it a TV. The walls of Fluttershy's room being completely covered with posters of animals, most notably being butterflies.

"So what do you think?" Fluttershy asked Twilight as she took a seat on her bed.

"It's... nice." Twilight said as she scanned her eyes around the room. Her gaze falling on a small bookcase that was filled with all different kinds of books. Twilight eyes widening as she locked onto one that was a yearbook to Canterlot High from what seemed like a few years ago.

"What's this?" Twilight asked Fluttershy as she picked up the yearbook.

"Huh?" Fluttershy said as she stared at the blue book with a yellow horse on the cover. "Oh, that's my yearbook from my sophomore year. You can look through it if you want." Fluttershy said as she took some kind of electronic device out of her pocket and use her finger to play with it. Twilight had heard Fluttershy call it a 'phone' and it seemed to be some kind of communication device as she saw Fluttershy call the animal shelter with it just after she helped save Theta from his attack from Sigma.

"Cool, thank you." Twilight thanked Fluttershy as she sat on the purple carpet floor of Fluttershy's room and began to skim through the yearbooks pages. Twilight never had a yearbook when she was back in Equestria. When she went to Celestia School for Gifted Unicorns she had never found it necessary to have a book to remember something that he mind would remember for her anyway. Plus she didn't have real friends at the time to sign her yearbook.

Twilight's fingers stopped when she came to that realization. "Wow, I really was different when I was just a filly." Twilight thought, her having a hard time finding a memory in last few months where she wasn't with her friends. Even in the past few days, she had been without her friends for than usual. But with the time lost with her friends she had earned more time with Zulu, somepony that she had come to be very fond of. The thought of Zulu bringing a warm smile to Twilight's face. Her slowly beginning to continue flipping through the pages of the book in front of her. Spike having cuddled up next to her crossed legs. Twilight happily humming to herself as she skimmed through the book in front of her.

Twilight's skimming came to a halt when she fell on a picture that caught her eye. The picture showing a younger version of Fluttershy sitting with four other girls. All of the girls looking oddly familar. Twilight being able to guess two of the girls being younger versions of Applejack and Pinkie Pie based on what she saw of them earlier that same day. The other two it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that they were her other friends, or this world's versions of her friends, Rainbow Dash and Rarity. Twilight taking special note that they all looked like they were friends, something that didn't seem to be true anymore.

"Um... Fluttershy." Twilight said catching the pink-haired girl's attention.

"Yeah, Twilight?" Fluttershy said, looking away from her phone.

"What's this?" Twilight said standing up and walking over to where Fluttershy was sitting on her bed. Twilight showing her the photo in question. Fluttershy tensing up as she stared at the photo that Twilight was showing her.

Fluttershy let out a sigh as she spoke to Twilight. "The Freshman Faire, our school holds it every year for all of the incoming Freshman to the school. That was a picture that I took with my friends Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash. At least I did when they were my friends." Fluttershy said glumly.

"What happened, between you and your friends? What made you stop being friends?" Twilight asked.

"What didn't happen." Fluttershy said as she placed her hand on the picture of Pinkie.

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked.

"Well... all of us seemed to drift apart over what now that I think about it were small things." Fluttershy said with a seemingly forced laugh. "It all happened when I was holding a fundraiser for the local animal shelter." Fluttershy said, Twilight nodding when appropriate. "Pinkie was helping me out with the preparations and that's when everything went wrong." Fluttershy said as she placed her face in her hands in a groan.

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked, Spike having hopped onto the bed and now resting in Twilight's lap. Spike's purple paw running across the picture of Rarity.

"Well, I guess Pinkie didn't get the memo that a fundraiser is supposed to be a serious occasion and brought fireworks. The fireworks scaring all of the animals and pure chaos ensued." Fluttershy explained to Twilight.

"What happened after that?" Twilight asked Fluttershy, the pink-haired girl letting out another sigh.

"I kind of... yelled at Pinkie for what she did. I'm not proud of what I did, but I did it. Pinkie and I stopped stop talking not long after that." Fluttershy said.

"How long ago was this?"

"A... year and a half ago, why do you ask."

"No reason, what about everyone else. I heard from Applejack that she had something against Rainbow Dash." Twilight asked Fluttershy.

"I don't know much about what happened between Rainbow and Applejack." Fluttershy said with a shrug. "You'll have to ask them about that, all I know is that I haven't talked to each other since sophomore year over a year and a half ago." Fluttershy said, Twilight beginning to create a connection between this two instances.

"Fluttershy, I know this might sound random, but when did Sunset start going to CHS?" Twilight asked Fluttershy, testing out her theory.

"That is random, but I remember seeing Sunset for the first time just at the end of Freshman year. Why do you ask?" Fluttershy said to Twilight.

"No reason, just curious. That girl does seem to have a certain amount of interest in me." Twilight said as the door to Fluttershy's room was opened. It was Fluttershy's mom.

"Diner is ready... if you want something to eat." Fluttershy's mom said from the doorway.

"Ok, thanks, mom. We'll be right out." Fluttershy said to her mother. Fluttershy's mom left the room with the door still opened a little bit. "You coming Twilight?" Fluttershy asked Twilight as she hopped off her bed.

"Yeah... I'll be right behind you." Twilight said as Fluttershy left the room.

Once Fluttershy left Twilight hopped off the bed and went over to the small bookcase that was in Fluttershy's room, her returning the yearbook to where it was before. The gears inside Twilight's head turning.

Believing that it was safe enough for him to speak, Spike spoke to Twilight. "Whatcha thinking Twilight?" Spike asked Spike and he walked over to the bookcase with her.

"I don't know Spike, I just can't shake the feeling that my friends no longer being... well friends in this world has to do something with that Sunset Shimmer." Twilight said to Spike, her almost spitting out the name of her rival.

"Twilight, not that I would put it past Sunset to do something like break up your friends, but what makes so sure that she was the one that caused your friends to break up? I mean going through so much terrible to break a group of five friends seems a little excessive." Spike said to Twilight, her letting out a sigh.

"I know Spike, but there has to be a reason for Fluttershy and Pinkie having a falling out around the same time that Applejack has a falling out with Rainbow. And both them happening after Sunset started going to CHS." Twilight said, Spike scratching his chin with his paw.

"I guess you have a point Twi, but how are you going to prove that Sunset was behind this?" Spike asked Twilight.

"I don't know Spike, but I do intend to get to the bottom of what happened to my friends." Twilight said as a growl of hunger came from her stomach. "But first, I need to get some energy before I can even begin worrying about Sunset." Twilight said with a laugh. Twilight leaving Fluttershy's room with Spike following close behind. Her nose leading her to the kitchen of the house. A kitchen that also worked as a dining room. Her reading to start filling her stomach with much-needed food. No one in the house aware that at the furthermost reaches of the city Sunset and Sigma were preparing for the phrase of their plan. Or, at least, the next stage of one of their plans.

Near the edge of the city, inside of an abandoned building, Sunset and Sigma were having a special discussion as the sun began to set. The building being a large two story house that despite being abandoned for quite some time before Sunset had turned it into her makeshift home. It was still in good condition and after that some rewiring and one large generator that was located in the backyard, she made it so that it would get power.

"Was what you did really necessary?" Sunset scolded Sigma as she entered the abandoned building. This old house being the only place that she actually felt safe and at home. That even including back in Equestria.

"Probably not, but it was worth it." Sigma said in a certain amount of satisfaction in his voice. Sigma's words sending shivers down Sunset's spine.

"Um... ok." Sunset said as she climbed the stairs of the house that she 'borrowed' when she went into her own self-isolation. Sigma seeing Sunset's unsettledness and wanting to take full advantage of it.

"Sunset, you seem on edge?" Sigma asked as he followed after her.

"What makes you say that?" Sunset asked as she entered the master bedroom of the abandoned house. The room being her's since she made this house her home during her stay in the human world. Sunset placing her backpack at the edge of the queen-size bed that was located in the middle of the room and collapsing onto it out of exhaustion.

"Seriously, have you looked at yourself in the mirror lately." Sigma said as he took a seat on his rump at the front of the bed.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Sunset shouted at Sigma, slightly offended. Sunset honestly didn't care what she looked like, even when she lived in Equestria. As long as her hair was good and she looked as badass as ever, she didn't care about anything else. She was more concerned as she had to keep up the appearance of the ruler of CHS, and any sign of weakness could destroy that image that she had been building for years.

"I don't mean any offense." Sigma said holding up his front paws, one benefit of being a dog was that he had the evolutionary advantage of being cute. Something that he was going to take advantage of. "But just look at yourself." Sigma said as he circled the bed and took a seat at Sunset right side. "All that stress in your muscles from the planning of an invasion of a country as gotten to you. Not mention having to deal those idiots, Snips and Snails, I think their names are." Sigma said, Sunset absent-mindedly nodding her head in agreement.

"Hey, they are pretty stupid, but they do everything I say so I guess it balances out." Sunset said to Sigma as she moved into a sitting position on top of her bed.

"Does it?" Sigma questioned as he hopped on top of the bed. Everything going according to plan.

"What do you mean?" Sunset asked as Sigma took a seat behind Sunset and began to lightly massage her shoulders. "And what are you doing?" Sunset asked Sigma as the muscles in his shoulders began to soften.

"I'm just loosening those stressful muscles in your shoulders, now just relax you are going to enjoy this." Sigma said as he began to press a little.

"Ok... Oh yes!" Sunset gasped as her muscles loosened.

"Hook..."

"Hmm... you still didn't answer my question." Sunset said as she bit her lip.

"Oh yes." Sigma said in mock forgetfulness. "You see, I believe you would be far more effective in getting the crown that you desire if you go straight to the source of all your problems." Sigma said as he began to move his paws further up Sunset's neck.

"What do you mean..." Sunset asked Sigma, her stopping mid-sentence to let out a pleasureful moan as Sigma continued to work over her shoulder and now moving up to her neck. "Oh yes! Right there, I needed this for too long!"

"Line..."

"Well, you see while you could get the old fashioned way through the dance. You could just break into the school at the dead of night and just... I don't take the crown." Sigma suggested as his paws were nearing closer and closer to his target.

"Steal the crown? I don't know Sigma, that is a little extreme, isn't it." Sunset said as the excellent massage that she was receiving from the dragon turned husky was clouding her judgment.

"You don't have worry about that, you have those minions of yours. They'll do all of the dirty work for you, while you will get all of the profits." Sigma whispered into Sunset's ear. Sunset's signature smug smile appearing at his next words. "Profits that will include you becoming the rightful Queen of Equestria." Sigma whispered his finding exactly what he was looking for.

"You are right, and you will be right by my side as the King of all of the Dragons. Imagine it, you and me ruling over all of the world with an iron fist." Sunset said, Sigma knowing that he had caught her.

"And Sinker!"

"I can imagine that..." Sigma whispered into Sunset's ear as his paws wrapped around the pressure points of Sunset's neck. "Only you won't be a part of it." Sigma whispered with a devilish smile on his face.

"Wait what!?" Sunset shouted as Sigma enacted his plan all along. Sigma's claws digging into Sunset's flesh and enacting her pressure points. Sunset's eyes rolling into the back of her head as unconsciousness overtook her. Sigma's releasing his paws and making her fall gently onto the bed.

"Shh... shh you must have tired yourself more than I thought." Sigma said to the unconscious Sunset, him having fun playing with his pry. Sunset's head falling gracefully onto one of the many pillows that were at the top of the bed. "You may be brilliant Sunset, but have the same problem that all ponies have. They trust ponies, or in my case dragons too quickly." Sigma whispered into Sunset's ear. Sigma walking over to the end of the bed and taking the gem that was connected to his collar off and pointing it directly at the unconsciousness body of Sunset.

"Don't feel so bad, just know that your power will help me become the most powerful creature ever." Sigma said as the cornflower blue gem began to glow. An orange beam from Sunset's unconscious body and into the blue gem. The gem beginning to turn a bright orange. "This is too easy." Sigma said as the gem continued to drain the life force of Sunset and turn it into very powerful magic. Sunset aging several decades as Sigma continued to drain her of her magic.

But just after Sigma externally celebrated an electric shock came from the gem and Sigma yelped and dropped the gem. The gem turning to its blue color and all of the life force that it had drained from Sunset returning to her. Sunset returning to her original teenager self.

"Buck!" Sigma shouted in pain as he picked the gem off of the carpeted ground. "I don't get it, you were supposed to work." Sigma shouted at the blue gem. Him actually getting something in response.

"You foal, you know the rules. I can only drain the power of the one that I am destined for." A deep voice that made Sigma's fur stand on end said. The voice coming directly from the gem.

"You said your bearer was here!" Sigma snarled at the gem. The voice of the gem laughing at his words.

"Oh dragons, you never read between the lines, don't you." The gem mocks Sigma. The dragon turned husky rage beginning to build.

"What do you mean?" Sigma snarled.

"I never said my bearer was here. I said that one of the bearers of my brother was here. You foal." The gem said, Sigma's irritation only growing.

"So you tricked me." Sigma snarled at the blue gem, another laugh coming from the gem.

"Ha, ha, ha! NO! You just didn't listen to me." The gem said, Sigma's red eye burning even redder than usual.

"So, I had no reason for being here." Sigma said to the gem, him having to fight the urge to just crush it in his claws.

"Not entirely, like I saif one of my brothers and his bearer is in this world."

"Who and where?" Sigma asked the gem, another evil laugh coming from the blue gem.

"Ha, ha, not so fast you young one, the rest of my brethren will be revealed to you in time, but first you must reunite me with my bearer." The gem said.

"Then who is your bearer and where is it?" Sigma asked the gem, him about done with the blue rhombus that he was holding in his

"Why, tell you when I could show you." The gem said as the gem began to glow and projected an image to Sigma. The image showing a cornflower blue unicorn with a light blue almost white mane and purple eyes. The unicorn wearing a purple cloak with stars of different colors and sizes that covered the cloak. The unicorn also wearing a matching magician hat. A devilish smile appearing on Sigma face as he stared at the unicorn.

"Do you know of this unicorn?" The gem asked as the image of his bearer disappeared.

"Yes, yes I do. Do you know of this pony's location?" Sigma asked, his faith in the blue gem returning.

"I am afraid that is not something that I do know. All I know is that she is in Equestria. Where exactly I cannot." The gem said, now not treating Sigma as an inferior being.

"Figures, given what she does for a living it would be difficult to find her." Sigma thought out loud. "Do you think you could tell the location of another one of your brethren?" Sigma asked the gem.

"I do know the location of another of my brothers and of his bearer, but it will take a lot to find him." The gem said.

"I have traveled to an alternate universe and became a dog, I think I can handle whatever you can throw at me." Sigma said sarcastically.

"Well then, if you are sure the only other brother of mine that I know where is he is in..." The gem said pausing for dramatic.

"Yes, what is it!?" Sigma shouted frustrated.

"Tartarus." The gem said and Sigma's red eyes shrank.

"You've got to be bucking kidding me."

One Long Night at Shy's (Equestria Girls)

Twilight entered the kitchen/dining room of Fluttershy's house to find that Fluttershy and her parents were all sitting at a wooden dining room table eating dinner. Fluttershy's dad sitting at the head with his wife at his right and his daughter at his left. Them all eating some kind of spaghetti and meatballs. Twilight's stomach turning as she saw the rolled up pieces of meat.

"Um... I don't wish to sound rude. But is there something vegetarian that I could eat instead?" Twilight asked catching the attention of the family.

"Oh, I am sorry my dear." Fluttershy's mom gasped as she stood up from her chair and walked over to the stove. "I should've told you what we were making and adjusted accordingly." She said as she made a plate of spaghetti without any meatballs for Twilight. "Sorry honey, I should've been more considerate." She as she handed Twilight the plate filled with the vegetarian food.

"Don't worry about, it's fine really." Twilight said as she took a seat at the table next to where Fluttershy's mom was sitting. There was a pounding of steps on the stairs as Zulu appeared out of the corner of Twilight's right eye. Zulu wasn't wearing his leather jacket anymore, and this was the first time that Twilight could see that green shirt that he was wearing underneath. The shirt being an emerald green t-shirt with the words 'Give me your love' written in black letters with a darker shade of green outline on it. Twilight couldn't stop herself from giggling a little bit at the words on Zulu's shirt.

Zulu being followed closely by Theta, him still having a slight limp in his right foreleg. A small smile appearing on her face as she watched Zulu fill his plate with spaghetti and meatballs. Zulu not seeming to be bothered by the balls of meat that he was placing on his plate. Maybe changelings were omnivores, she didn't know. She really needed to learn about Zulu and the rest his species if they were really going to get into a serious relationship.

"I hope you don't mind eating meat." Fluttershy's mom said to Zulu as he took a seat at the table next to Twilight, the couple's hands interlocking. Theta lying down next to Zulu.

"Not at all, meat is my favorite way of getting energy, but I won't shy away from eating it if I have to." Zulu said as he used his fork to take a bite of the food in front of him. Twilight giggling at his words.

There were a few moments of silence as they all ate when Fluttershy spoke, her noticing that a certain member of their family was oddly not present. "Mom, Dad, where's Zephyr?" Fluttershy asked her parents as she was almost done with her dinner.

"Zephyr?" Twilight said confused, her never hearing that name before.

"My little brother." Fluttershy explained to Twilight as she turned her head back to her parents.

"Fluttershy has a brother! Huh, she never mentioned having a brother. I'll ask her about him once I get back." Twilight thought has the gears in her head began to turn.

"Zephyr said that he was spending the night at one of his friend's house and should be home sometime tomorrow." Fluttershy's mom said as she put her finished plate in the sink before walking back over to the table.

"Oh, ok." Fluttershy said as she returned to her dinner, Twilight hearing Fluttershy mumble something underneath her breath, but she couldn't make out what she was saying.

There were a few moments of silence until Fluttershy's mom began speaking to Twilight and Zulu. "So, how did you two meet?" She asked, Twilight's eating coming to a stop. Her plate being almost completely finished.

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked, her not sure if she was asking her about Zulu or her daughter.

"You and Zulu, you said that your parents were both away on business, does that mean that you are siblings?" Fluttershy's mom asked and both Zulu and Twilight's eyes widened at the question. There interlocked hands breaking and them both shaking their heads back in forth.

"No, no, no! Zulu and I aren't related." Twilight denied, before turning her head to Zulu. "We aren't related, right?!" Twilight asked her coltfriend with genuine concern in her voice.

"Not that I'm aware of." Zulu said with the levels of shock in his voice that his marefriend had.

"Oh, I apologize for the question." Fluttershy's mom apologized.

"It's ok, but no. Zulu and I aren't related, were just friends." Twilight said, waving off the middle-aged woman's words.

"Close friends." Zulu added, Twilight sending a playful glare his way before returning to her plate. Fluttershy looking like she was enjoying every second

"But the question still stands." Fluttershy dad said, entering the conversation. Twilight sending a knowing look Zulu's way. Him always seeming to be able to come up with believable lies on the spot.

Zulu didn't disappoint as he answered Mr. Shy question with probably his best lie yet. "It was actually our parents that were how we met." Zulu said as he finished his plate.

"Really, how's that?" Mr. Shy asked as Zulu put his plate in the sink.

"Well, both of our parents work for the same company so whenever they went on business trips we would spend time at each others house. Which house we were staying at changing every so often. It just happened that our parents left for an unplanned business trip well we were at school today and neither of us had a key to our respective places." Zulu lied in an almost perfect explanation. If Twilight didn't already know that he was lying she might have actually believed him. "Speaking of which, I would just like to thank you again for allow us to stay here until our folks get back." Zulu added as Twilight finished her plate.

"Don't mention it, dearie, I couldn't have you searching for a place to live after having your dog getting attacked by another." Mrs. Shy said taking a took at Theta, who was sleeping next to the chair that Zulu was sitting in.

"And again, thank you. I don't know what would've happened to him if we didn't find your daughter." Zulu said, Fluttershy's face flushing pink in a blush. Theta opening his eyes that the mentioning of his name. A thought, though it being very pessimistic coming to his mind.

"I would've been perfectly fine. Sigma wouldn't have left me alive if he wanted to kill me. He has bigger plans for me yet, this was nothing more than a sign of dominance over me." Theta thought as he internally sighed. Three days earlier he was a warrior taking on a dragon the size of a mountain and now look at him. He was nothing than an injured animal with a cone of shame on his head. Some fall from grace.

"Oh please, all I did was make sure that he didn't bleed out. It was the animal shelter that did all the help to Theta. I was just the one that made it so that they could do their job." Fluttershy said modestly.

"That's still worth celebrating!" Mrs. Shy exclaimed as held up his glass that was filled with soda.

"Mom!" Fluttershy groaned as the blush on her face only got bigger. The pink-haired teen burying head in her hands.

"What I can't celebrate when my daughter does something great, nope I think not. Clears for my daughter!" Mrs. Fluttershy said as she made a toast for her daughter, whose face was now completely red in a blush of embarrassment.

Twilight and Zulu just laughed as they went along with the toast. Twilight mouthing 'I'm sorry.' to the blushing teen that was still hiding her face behind her hands. "Well, I want to thank you again for the meal, and I hope that this carrying forward into the rest of our stay here." Twilight said as she stood up from her chair and placed her empty plate in the sink.

"I hope the same to all of you." Mr. Shy said as dinner came to an end.

The next few hours went by without that much excitement. Fluttershy and Twilight returning to the pink-haired girls room and having 'girl' talk for the next few hours while Zulu returned to the room that he would be staying in for the foreseeable future. Zulu didn't really mind being alone in the room. He liked being alone, especially in the dark.

Zulu didn't really mind being alone in the room. He liked being alone, especially in the dark. Zulu's night vision might not have been as good as it was when he was a changeling, but it was still a lot better than most humans. Zulu chalking it up to some of his changeling genes staying with him through the portal.

Plus Zulu wasn't completely alone, he still had Theta. Who now was in full reign to speak as the walls of his room blocked out most words from coming out of it. It was a good thing to because Zulu needed someone to talk to about something that had been bugging him for the last two days.

"Hey, Theta!" Zulu called out to the white husky. Theta laying on top of a pile of blankets that worked as a makeshift bed.

"Yeah?" Theta said the changeling turned human's words catching his attention.

"Are you busy? I have to talk to you about something." Zulu asked Theta, him getting an expected snort from the white dog.

"Zulu, I'm an injured dog with a cone on my head. I'm everything, but busy." Theta said sarcastically, Zulu not being able to suppress a laugh from Theta's sense of humor.

"At least he can find humor even the worst of scenarios." Zulu thought as he went back to the topic that he wanted to discuss with Theta. "Theta have you ever been in... a relationship?" Zulu asked Theta. Zulu's question taking Theta a little off guard.

"Wh-what do you mean?" Theta asked Zulu, him moving into a sitting position on his bed.

"I mean like a romantic relationship. You being with someone that you care for." Zulu said, his words putting Theta into deep thought.

"Oh, not really. I mean, I remember having a crush on another dragon when I was just a hatchling. But that was years ago, I don't even remember her name. Amber I think was her name or something like that. So, I guess not." Theta said as the image of a blue scaled dragon appeared in his mind. He dismissed the mental image. As he asked Zulu his own question. "Why do you ask?"

"Just curious." Zulu said as he rolled over to his back and looked up the ceiling. The laughter of Fluttershy and Twilight from above beginning to make him rethink if he truly like being alone in the darkness.

"Does this have anything to do with Twilight?" Theta asked catching Zulu's attention.

"Wait, what!? "Ah! Shit!" Zulu cried out as he rolled off the bed and fell to the carpeted ground. "H-how did you know?" Zulu asked as he struggled off of the floor and got into a sitting position.

"Seriously Zulu, I might be a dog now, but I'm not stupid. You and Twi might think that whatever the two of you are is secret, but I can guarantee that almost everyone knows about the two of you." Theta said, Zulu letting out a sigh at his statement. "What's wrong, Zulu?" Theta asked Zulu.

"I don't know Theta, I guess I just fear that something will happen that will drive us apart." Zulu said as he buried his head in his hands. Zulu let out another sigh as he changed the subject slightly. "What about you Theta, have been seen anyone that has caught your eye?"

Theta's sore muscles tensed up at Zulu's question, but he answered it anyway. "There's a mare back in Equestria that I... like." Theta said if his fur allowed it he would have been blushing. The image of the grayish-yellow unicorn that he had an unexplained attraction to appearing in his head.

"What's she look like?" Zulu asked, a laugh coming from Theta as he continued to think of Moon Dancer.

"She looks like Twilight." Theta said, Zulu now being whose muscles tensed up.

"What's that supposed to mean!?" Zulu all but ordered at Theta.

"It's not what you think." Theta said waving his paws in denial.

"Then what do you mean?!" Zulu snarled at Theta, him sending the white husky a death glare his way.

"I mean that she looks almost identically to Twilight, nothing more, nothing less." Theta said.

"Oh, so what do you mean that she looks almost identically the same?" Zulu asked Theta, him calming down.

"I mean that literally, she looks a lot like her, who wouldn't be surprised if you thought that they were twins. Aside from her having a yellowish-gray coat and a red mane with purple and pink highlights." Theta said, a happy smile appearing on Theta's face as he continued to think of Moon Dancer.

"Have you asked her out yet?"

"No, I don't even know if she interested in mean, besides I'm a dragon and she's a pony. That's just not natural."

"You're talking to a changeling that has fallen in love with the newest alicorn princess of Equestria. Trust me if you look up the word unnatural up in the dictionary up you would find 'the relationship between Princess Twilight Sparkle of Equestria and King Zulu of the Changeling Kingdom'." Zulu said with a laugh, Theta more paying attention to his choice of words.

"Do you love, Twilight?" Theta asked, Zulu's happy smile disappearing from his face.

"I... I don't know. Twilight told me that she loved me yesterday, but I'm not sure if she was just screwing with me back then." Zulu said to Theta.

"Hm... I see. Well, it's getting late and it looks like we are going to have a long day ahead of us. So good night Zulu." Theta said seeing that their conservation about mares was going nowhere and decided that it would be best just to turn in for the night.

"Yeah, right. Good night Theta." Zulu said as laid back on top of his bed.

"Good night, Zulu." Theta said with a yawn as coiled up into a ball and went to sleep. His letting out a small snore as he slept.

Zulu continued to stare up at the ceiling above him, the sounds of Twilight and Fluttershy talking coming from above him. He could tell what they were talking about, but from what he could hear. He could tell that they weren't talking about stuff as he couldn't hear any laughter coming from them.

"I wonder what they are talking about?" Zulu thought has he was greeted by the sounds of silence again. "Hello, darkness my old friend." Zulu said as he continued to stare up at the ceiling above. His body drifting in and out of alertness as he continued to lay on top of the bed.

Inside Fluttershy's room, the two friends were in resting on Fluttershy's bed laughing as Twilight listened to stories that Fluttershy told her about her friends.

"Wait, you and Rainbow really did that?!" Twilight said in a fit of laughter.

"Yeah, my parents think that she is a bad influence on me." Fluttershy said with a small giggle.

"Clearly, at least you had some good times with your friends. At least, when you were friends." Twilight said with an internal sigh.

"Well, not all of us broke apart." Fluttershy said, catching Twilight attention.

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked Fluttershy.

"Well, Rainbow and I still hand out with each other from time to time, it isn't as often as it was before me and Pinkie stopped talking to each other. But at least we still do things together. It's awkward, but still civil around Rarity and Applejack. It is more just me and Pinkie that have a problem." Fluttershy said, her face flooding with guilt as she remembered when she yelled at Pinkie.

"What about every...one else. Do they still hang out?" Twilight asked she needed to know just how far Sunset's sabotage of her friend's relationship was.

"I know Applejack still helps Pinkie out with her parties by supplies all of the food and drinks, but other than that. Not really, her and Rarity were friends but had completely different interest and usually butted heads. So, they don't really talk that much either." Fluttershy explained with Twilight nodding her head in understanding. Twilight logging all of the information for future usage. "Rainbow and I still hang out, but other than that I don't know what she does with the others. She's usually at practice for one of the many teams that she plays for, right now. I here that Rarity is the one that designs the uniforms for the school teams, but other than that I don't know anything else." Fluttershy said a thought coming to Twilight's mind.

"What about Pinkie? Do you know what she's been doing lately?" Twilight asked, Fluttershy seeming to tense up at the question.

"I haven't really to Pinkie after I blow up on her during the fundraiser, but I do know that she had a falling out with Rarity not too long ago. I don't know that details of it, but all I know is that Rarity stopped talking to her long afterward. As I know Pinkie has been busy planning the Fall Formal dance, mostly by herself." Fluttershy explained to Twilight.

"Sheesh looks like everyone turned against Pinkie." Twilight thought out loud.

"Not necessary." Fluttershy said, catching Twilight's attention.

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked Fluttershy.

"Well, even though I don't get along with her. Rainbow keeps telling me that Pinkie is sorry for what she did and that she still wants to be friends with me." Fluttershy said, adding some more information for Twilight to logged for later use. "I don't know if what she telling me is true, but Rainbow has never been anything but loyal to me in the time that I have known her, so she might be right." Fluttershy said more to herself as the door to her room was opened and Fluttershy's mom walked in.

"Ok, girls I know that you two are having fun, but it's time to go to sleep." Mrs. Shy said from the doorway.

"Oh come on mom." Fluttershy said in a fake debate with her mother.

"Sorry honey, but it's a school night and the both of you need your rest." Mrs. Shy said.

"Ok mom, were going to bed." Fluttershy submitted defeat.

"Good night, girls." Mrs. Fluttershy said as she closed the door to her daughter's room.

"Good night, mom." Fluttershy called out to her mother as she crawled underneath the covers of her bed.

"Good night, Mrs. Shy." Twilight called as she climbed into a purple sleeping bag that was next to Fluttershy's bed. Spike climbing on top of her and curling up into a small ball.

After a few minutes of Twilight trying to fall asleep, she heard Fluttershy call out to her. "Twilight, are you awake." Fluttershy asked, Twilight's eyes opening and rubbing her half-asleep eyes.

"I am now." Twilight sarcastically groaned. "What is it Shy?" Twilight asked the pink-haired girl, Twilight sitting up on her elbows.

"I never got to thank you." Fluttershy said to Twilight sitting cross-legged on her bed. Fluttershy's words taking Twilight by surprise.

"Thank me! Thank me for what?" Twilight asked putting her index finger at herself.

"For what you did to Sunset Shimmer earlier today. You standing up to her, no one has stood up to Sunset. Especially for me." Fluttershy thanked Twilight. Twilight truly beginning to understand just how much power Sunset had over the students of Canterlot High.

"Um.. don't mention it, it wasn't that big of a deal. I did and I would gladly do it again." Twilight said to Fluttershy, her now sitting on top of her sleeping bag.

"But it is a big deal. You have done something that no one in this school has even dared to do, and you play it off like it is just another

It is isn't that weird, trust me, Shy. I have taken on things far scarier than Sunset Shimmer." Twilight said catching Fluttershy's interest even more.

"Like what?" Fluttershy asked

"Take your pick, I got everything you would want. A traitorous alicorn that made the sky into eternal darkness, a chaos spirit that turned all of us into our opposites, an army of shapeshifting changelings, a shadow pony that tried to make slaves of the crystal ponies, and don't forget the dragon that was the size of a mountain." Twilight thought as she named off of the enemies that she defeated in last few months that would make Sunset look tiny, with some of them that being literally.

Twilight erased those thoughts from her mind as she gave Fluttershy the answer she was expecting. An answer that wasn't entirely false. "Bullies, I had to deal them a lot at my old school. So Sunset isn't that big of an issue to me." Twilight said to Fluttershy.

"Oh, I see. While your braver than I'll ever be Twilight Sparkle." Fluttershy said as she began to lay back down on her bed.

"Only because you have haven't seen your full potential yet." Twilight thought as she began to lay back down in her sleeping bag. Twilight was about to try to go back to sleep when Fluttershy called out to her again.

"Twilight, I have one more question." Fluttershy said catching Twilight's attention.

"Yeah, what is it?" Twilight asked Fluttershy.

"What's the relationship between you and Zulu?" Fluttershy asked, Twilight's muscles tightening up at the question.

"Why... why do you ask?" Twilight asked Fluttershy her words being shaking.

"I know you said that you weren't related, but how close are the two of you?" Fluttershy asked Twilight.

Twilight's heart began to beat faster as she tried to come up with an answer to Fluttershy question. She wasn't like Zulu, she could come up with convincing lies on the spot. That was when a stunning revelation came to Twilight. "This is Fluttershy. I don't have to lie to her." Twilight thought as her heart rate returning to normal.

"Zulu and I are close. You could even say that we are dating if you would." Twilight said with a small laugh.

"Oh, really!" Fluttershy said, her interest being stuck even further. "Does your parents know that you are dating?" Fluttershy asked, Twilight remembering the lie that Zulu used from dinner.

"They do, but it's not really our parents that are the issue." Twilight said, catching Fluttershy's attention even more.

"What do you mean?" Fluttershy asked Twilight.

"It's not really my... parents that are the problem, it's my friends that are." Twilight said as she never expected all of her friends to be 100 percent on board with her dating a changeling. She knew that Applejack was ok with her and Zulu as she hadn't spilled their secret. A secret that probably didn't even exist anymore. But she didn't know how the others would react.

"How's that? Zulu's a great guy, why wouldn't your friends like him?" Fluttershy asked Twilight.

Twilight bit her lip as she tried to come up with a convincing answer. She let out a sigh of defeat when she couldn't find one and said to Fluttershy. "It's complicated, I just fear that they wouldn't approve of him once they find out about us." Twilight said to Fluttershy.

"Twilight, I'm not really if it's my place or not, but here're my two cents." Fluttershy said sitting crossed-legged on her bed. "If your friends can see through whatever it is that you fear would drive them away from Zulu then they don't truly deserve to be your friends." Fluttershy said and Twilight heart instantly began to beat faster. "Now I am not saying that they have to like you being in a relationship with him, but they must be able to accept it." Fluttershy added, Twilight beginning to feel a little better.

"Thank Shy, well I think it's about time for us to finally go to bed." Twilight said, her getting all that she needed from Fluttershy.

"Right, well good night, Twilight." Fluttershy said with a yawn. Fluttershy climbing back underneath the covers of her bed and rolling over to his right side, away from Twilight.

"Good night, Fluttershy." Twilight said as she laid down completely inside her sleeping bag, but she didn't go to sleep. Fluttershy might be a good analog for her friends, but she wasn't them completely. She needed more and there was only one other person that she could ask about her relationship with Zulu, and that Zulu himself.

Twilight waited in her sleeping bag for several minutes until she was sure that Fluttershy had fallen asleep before she finally got up and began to sneak out of the room. Her movements didn't go unnoticed by everyone, however.

"Twilight, where are you going?" Spike whispered out to her.

"Shh." Twilight quietly scolded Spike, her sending a look Fluttershy's way. Twilight letting out a sigh when the pink-haired girl's slumber continued. "Don't worry, I'll be right back, hopefully." Twilight whispered to Spike as she quietly opened the door to Fluttershy. The moonlight from the hallway shining into the room.

"You're going to see Zulu, aren't you?" Spike asked Twilight running over to her side.

"Yes, yes I am. I need answers and he is the only one that here that can give the answer that I need." Twilight said to the purple dog as she took a step out of the room.

"Ok Twi, and if this helps." Spike whispered his green eyes staring directly into Twilight's. "I'm glad that you have found somepony that loves you. I might not like what he is, but I know that he's love for you is real, and that's all that matters to me. And I hope that everypony else will feel the same way." Spike said with a smile.

"Thanks, Spike, and I hope so too." Twilight said as she closed the door and began to tip-toe through the halls of the house heading down the stairs and toward Zulu's room.

Zulu had been resting on top of his bed for almost an hour in boredom. He had almost fallen asleep a few times before that when he heard a knock on his door. The knock didn't seem to disturb the sleeping body of Theta, who continued to sleep away with a quiet snore coming from him.

Zulu was about to ask who was there when whoever was behind the door spoke to him. "Zulu, are you awake?" The person asked from behind the door, it was Twilight.

"Yeah." Zulu said to Twilight.

"Can I come in?" Twilight asked from behind the door.

"Sure, I'm not doing anything important." Zulu said and the door to his room opened. Twilight walking into the room and closing it behind her.

"I hope that I didn't wake you." Twilight asked in a whisper, her seeing Theta sleeping peacefully in his own bed of blankets.

"Not at all Twilight, I just haven't been able to put myself to sleep." Zulu said to Twilight as he sat up on his bed.

"Zulu, can I ask you about something?" Twilight asked Zulu as she took a step closer to him.

"Sure, take a seat." Zulu said patting a spot on the bed next to him. A spot that Twilight quickly filled, Zulu wrapping his arm around her shoulders in a loving hug.

"What do you want to talk to me about?" Zulu asked Twilight moving in for a small kiss on her left cheek. His attempt at physical contract coming to a halt when Twilight out her hand in front of his lips. A look of confusion appearing on Zulu's face as Twilight spoke to him.

"I wanted to ask you about..." Twilight began to say, her head turning away from Zulu.

"Yes." Zulu urged Twilight to continue, him already knowing what she was wanted to talk to him about. He wasn't stupid, he could tell that Twilight was having seconds thoughts about the two of them being in a relationship. She had all of the warning signs.

"I wanted to talk you about us." Twilight said and Zulu's face along with the arm that was wrapped around Twilight's body dropped. Even though he was expecting her words, they still hurt to hear. Zulu's gaze falling away from that of Twilight and onto the white wall that was directly opposite to that of the bed that he was sitting on. Zulu's gaze eventually falling on the sleeping body of Theta. Zulu guessing that he wasn't really sleeping as he could see a slight twitch in Theta's ears as if we was listening to every word that was being said.

"What did you want to talk about?" Zulu asked Twilight, he couldn't look at her. He truly wanted to, but he just couldn't force his head to turn toward her direction.

"I just wanted to know if we could actually work?" Twilight asked, her feeling bad for even bringing up this issue to Zulu.

"Of course, we can." Zulu said turning to face Twilight and placing his hands over hers.

"What about my friends? What if they don't approve of us?" Twilight asked Zulu looking him directly in his green eyes.

"Then they can go to Tartarus." Zulu said bluntly, his hands squeezing Twilight's tighter.

"Wh-what?!" Twilight said, her completely shocked by Zulu's words.

"I don't wish to speak ill will of your friends, I'm sure there all great." Zulu said as he tried to explain himself.

"There the best." Twilight thought as Zulu continued.

"But if they don't approve of us then that's their problem, not ours." Zulu said with the same bluntness as before, his words sounding very similar to those of Fluttershy.

"What about Cadence, Shining Armor, and my parents. What if they are against us being together?" Twilight asked Zulu, her leaning up against his chest.

"Twilight, I can see Cadence and Shining Armor being weary of us being together, but I'm sure that in time they will come to accept us. Once they see that our love for each other is pure." Zulu said and another thought came to Twilight mind, she thought she had grown past this, but apparently, she was wrong.

"Is your love for me pure?" Twilight asked Zulu. Zulu being physically hurt by her question as he lifted his hands away from hers.

"Twilight, I thought that had gone passed this." Zulu said to Twilight as he balled his left hand into a fist.

"Thought so too, but I still need to make sure that no matter what happens to us that you will stay with me." Twilight said to Zulu.

"Twilight..." Zulu said with a sigh before continuing. "I love you, and even if others might not believe it to be true, it is." Zulu said as he cupped his right hand around Twilight's cheek. Twilight's muscles loosened at his touch and all of her worries seemed to disappear.

"Prove it." Twilight said slyly with her purple eyes filled with desire.

"With pleasure." Zulu said as he planted a passionate kiss on Twilight's lips. Twilight let out a moan of pleasure as she wrapped her arms around Zulu and tackled him onto the bed. The bed shaking slightly as they continued to make out.

Zulu was the first to notice where this was going and broke the kiss before things could go any further. "Twilight is this want you really want?" Zulu asked Twilight through heavy breathing.

"Yes." Twilight said as she removed her shirt, revealing a dark purple piece of fabric that contained her breasts. Twilight eyes burning with desire and lust as the logical part of her brain shut down.

"Are you sure?" Zulu asked as he stared up at the beauty that was above him.

"Yes, I want you to become one with me." Twilight said to Zulu, her eyes filled with lust as she moved in for another kiss.

"Please don't." A small voice called out from across the room. Zulu and Twilight's eyes both shooting toward the source of the sound. Them both finding the green eyes of Theta staring back at them with a look of pure terror on his face.

"Theta!" Zulu and Twilight both said as one, both of their faces flushing pink with a blush. Twilight's even more so than Zulu's. "Theta, how much of this have you seen?" Zulu asked as Twilight climbed off of him. Twilight running her hands through her hair anxiously.

"More than enough." Theta said still in a state of terror.

"It's ok, Theta we weren't going to do anything." Zulu said sitting up and putting a reassuring hand on Twilight's shoulder. Twilight shaking her head at Zulu's words.

"I highly doubt that." Theta said as he rolled over to face the wall that was across from Zulu's bed. "If I hadn't said anything you'd already be halfway inside of her by now." Theta said as tossed one of the blankets that made up his bed over his body. Twilight's blush only increasing at the husky's words.

Zulu saw the distress on Twilight's face and body language and she needed someone to reassure her that everything was alright. "Twilight, it's alright." Zulu said to Twilight in a calm voice. The nearly topless girl shaking her head no.

"No, Theta's right." Twilight mumbled as he buried her head in her hands.

"Of course, I am." Theta called out, Zulu sending a glare the dog's way. Theta being lucky that he was facing away from the changeling turned human's rage.

"If he hadn't said anything we would be in of middle of having..." Twilight began to say before falling silent. She didn't have to finish for Zulu know what she was talking about. Twilight looking down at her chest in shame, a small purple fabric being the only thing that kept her from being completely topless.

"I know Twilight, I know." Zulu said as a thought came to his mind. "But, yeah that still doesn't mean that we can't that we can't spend the night with each other company." Zulu said as he gave Twilight back her shirt, something that she quickly put back on.

"I guess so." Twilight said as she leaned up against Zulu's chest and a yawn escaped passed her lips.

"Besides, you look like you need a good night's rest." Zulu said as wrapped his arms around Twilight.

"Agreed." Twilight said with another yawn as the couple laid down on the bed. Zulu pulling the covers over the both of them. Twilight feeling warm and safe inside the tight embrace of Zulu.

"I love you." Twilight whispered as she gave a quick peck on Zulu's cheek before turning over to her side and closing her eyes. Twilight leaving the waking world and heading straight into dreamland.

"I love you too." Zulu whisper as he kissed Twilight on the cheek before closing his eyes. Zulu quickly following after his beloved into the land of dreams.

Theta couldn't stop himself from smiling at the sight of the couple in their loving embrace. "Good night you love birds." Theta whispered as he also closed his eyes. Theta drifting off into a pleasant dream including a certain yellowish-gray unicorn.

Over at the edge of town inside an abandoned house, around midnight, Sunset finally regained consciousness.

"Ugh! My head." Sunset groaned as she sat up on her bed, the girl with the head of fire rubbing the back of her neck. "Sigma!" Sunset called out into the empty room. "Uh, strange." Sunset thought out loud when she got no response. "Sigma!" Sunset called out the name of her 'business' partner again, her getting no response again.

"Where in Tartarus is he?" Sunset thought out loud as she walked through the house looking for the black husky. After a few minutes of searching through her empty house, she gave up and went back to her bedroom and laid on her bed.

"Ugh... I guess he just left." Sunset said a little disappointed, she was truly hoping that she would be able to continue working with Sigma. Despite his less than traditional ways of getting what he wanted. That's was when she remembered something that Sigma had said to her before falling asleep.

"Why don't you steal the crown." Sunset remembered Sigma telling her. His words being one of the last things she remembered before falling asleep for reasons that she didn't know.

"That just might not be a bad idea." Sunset thought out loud as she took her phone of her pocket and called one of her minions, Snails to be specific.

"A... hello." A half-asleep Snips said over the phone to Sunset.

"Snips, thank you for answering. I need you and Snips to do something very special for me." She to Snails as she ran a finger through her raging fire for a head of hair.

"What is it Sunset?" Snips asked with a yawn.

"I need the both of you to go over to the school and borrow the crown for the Fall Formal for me." Sunset said to

"Isn't that illegal?" Snips asked Sunset, him saying in a manner that made it seem that what Sunset was suggesting was nothing new to him.

"It is, but the both of you have done far worse things for me before." Sunset said, her mind coming up with something else that could guarantee that Snips and Snails would do whatever she would ask of them. "Plus, if you succeed I would let you and Snails do whatever you desire of me." Sunset added slyly in the best way to sound sexy.

"Anything?" Snips asked Sunset, her smiling as she knew she had him wrapped around her finger.

"Anything, within reason, of course." Sunset said, making sure to keep her dog on a tight leash for the time being.

"Alright Sunset I'll call Snails and we'll be right over to the school." Snips said to Sunset.

"Excellent, I'll be over to make sure that you two don't screw this up." Sunset said with a devilish smile on her face.

"Don't worry Sunset we won't let you down." Snips said as Sunset heard sounds of things clanging in the background as Snips gathered all of things needed to break into the high school.

"I have full confidence in the both of two." Sunset said with a fake smile, her trying to sound as convincing as possible given how many times they have both screw things up.

"Thank you Sunset, me and Snails will met just out the school in ten minutes." Snips said as he ended the call. Sunset letting out a sigh as her plan was quickly falling away from her original plan of taking over Equestria.

"These idiots are going to buck this up." Sunset said to herself just after he ended her call with Snips. Sunset gathered up all of the equipment that she needed in order to break into the school, something that was a lot easier than it sounds as she had done it many times before. All of which she never got caught for.

"Let's get this over with." Sunset sighed as she put her key into the ignition of her car and it roared to life. Her car wasn't the greatest in the world, but it served what she needed and that was all she cared about at the moment. She could deal with having the best of everything once she was the Queen of Equestria, and that Element of Harmony was going to be her ticket to the train of success. All of these thought of takeover of Equestria making a devilish grin appear on Sunset's face.

"Yes, just wait, Equestria. You are about to have a change in leadership." Sunset said to herself as she pulled out of her driveway and started driving down the dirt road of that lead up to the abandoned house that was her home. Her heading directly toward Canterlot High and supposed victory.

Property Damage (Equestria Girls)

Property Damage (Equestria Girls)

Twilight's eyes slowly began to open as the sun began to shine through the window that was in the room that was sleeping in. Twilight having completely forgotten that she had indeed fallen asleep inside the embrace of Zulu. It didn't take long for Twilight to realize that Twilight wasn't alone in the bed that she was sleeping in. Her skin feeling another wrapping around her body.

Twilight slowly turned her head to see the still body of Zulu wrapping his arms protectively around her body. Twilight small movements in Zulu's grasp disturbing Zulu's sleep and his eyes slowly opening to see his beloved staring back at him.

"Hey Twi, did you sleep well?" Zulu asked his beloved in a pleasant tone. Twilight's heart beating faster as she wanted to know the true extent of how far they had gone last night.

"Um... Zulu, we didn't... you know last night. Did we?" Twilight asked Zulu, her getting an answer from someone she didn't expect.

"No, I made sure of it." Theta said catching Twilight and Zulu's attention. Theta lying on top of his bed of blankets looking extremely bored.

"Well, that's a relief." Twilight said as she sat up on the bed and stretched her arms.

Zulu also sat up on the bed and planted a light peck on Twilight's cheek. "Well, I still enjoyed your company last night." Zulu said as he planted another kiss on Twilight's neck, just below her chin. Twilight's head aching back at his touch.

"I'm sure you did." Twilight said as she playfully pushed Zulu onto the mattress. The bed sheets spreading as he collapsed onto it.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Zulu asked Twilight playfully as she laid on top of him and they both stared into each other's eyes.

"You know exactly what it means." Twilight said as she kissed Zulu on the lips. Zulu running his right through Twilight purple hair.

"Oh, get a room you two love birds." Theta groaned as he stood up and walked over toward the door of Zulu's room.

"Oh, don't be like that Theta." Twilight said breaking her kiss with Zulu.

"I can and I will." Theta said as he took a seat facing away from the couple and staring at that closed door in front of him.

"Don't mind Theta, he's just being grumpy that he doesn't have a mare of his own." Zulu said as he pulled Twilight into another passionate kiss.

"I'm not grumpy, I'm just irritated that I have a bucking cone stuck to my head!"

"That sounds grumpy to me." Zulu said to Theta in between kisses with Twilight, him having fun tormenting the poor husky.

"I hate you, Zulu." Theta said back to Zulu as he continued to stare at the door in front of him. Theta doing his best to block the two people that were making out behind. "At least there not having sex." Theta thought as Zulu continued to speak to him.

"I love you too, Theta." Zulu said getting a playful glare from Twilight as they continued to make out.

"Really, does that mean that were breaking up?" Twilight asked Zulu playfully.

"Of course not, I can have completely nonromantic love towards a dragon turned dog that many think is my own." Zulu said with a laugh.

"Ugh! Why, did I ever agree to any this in the first place." Theta groaned as he tried to facepalm into his padded paws. Something that was impossible given the white cone that wrapped around his head. "Damnit, I can't even facepalm!" Theta cried out as he implanted his head in the ground of frustration. The cone that wrapped his head making so that he his rear was hanging a few inches in the air. "I hate my life." Theta groaned his words muffled by the cone that wrapped around his head.

Twilight's sympathy went out for the poor husky. Twilight getting off of Zulu and walking over to where Theta had his head implanted in the ground like an ostrich that Twilight had seen in some of her books when she was just a filly. "Theta, are you alright?" Twilight asked the dragon turned husky.

"I've been worse." Theta said taking Twilight by surprise, but Theta wasn't done. "I could be knocked unconscious after getting slammed into a golden throne by my own brother." Theta spat bitterly from the inside of his 'protective' cone. Twilight sending a concerned look Zulu's way. Her coltfriend sending a concerned shrug her way in response.

"Theta, what happened to Sigma wasn't your fault." Twilight said to Theta, getting another unexpected response from the white husky.

"I didn't say that I was. I'm just saying that me being stuck in the ground with my ass being suspended in the air is the least of my worries after all of the other shit that I have already gone through." Theta spat sarcastically and very bitterly at Twilight. He knew that he was being a jerk, but wasn't in the mood to having Twilight psychoanalyzing him right now. He didn't want to make it look like he was mad at Twilight specifically, but really just wanted to be alone with his thoughts, and if this was the way to do it then so be it.

Twilight was about to speak to Theta again when there was a knock on Zulu's door. Twilight sent a concerned look Zulu's way as Zulu answered the knocking.

"Um... who is it?" Zulu asked who was outside his door.

"It's me, Fluttershy. I was just wondering if you knew where Twilight was. She wasn't in my room when I woke up and I can't find her anywhere else in the house." Fluttershy said from outside the door. Twilight and Zulu both sharing another concerned look. The couple having an internal conversation through eye motions and blinking.

"Do you want to answer, or do you want me to answer?" Zulu's facial expression asked Twilight. Twilight let out a sigh as she answered Zulu's question.

"No, I'll do it." Twilight answered with a blink of her eyes as she stood to her full height and opened the door to Zulu's room. Fluttershy being taken by surprised when she saw her newest friend standing in front of her.

"Oh, Twilight... clears throat... I didn't suspect to see you in here." Fluttershy said with a small blush of embarrassment spreading across her face.

"Yeah, I must have woke up before you did and came down here to check on Theta." Twilight made up a lie to tell to Fluttershy. She didn't want Fluttershy to think that she had done anything special with Zulu last night.

"Oh the poor thing, I guess he hasn't been having the best morning so far." Fluttershy said as she kneeled down to Theta's level and helping the dog get back to a sitting position.

"Don't speak Theta, you are still just a mindless dog." Theta thought as he stared into the teal eyes of Fluttershy.

"He's ok, just frustrated." Zulu said as he stood up from the bed. Zulu walking over to where Twilight and Fluttershy were standing and wrapping his right arm around Twilight's shoulders. A slight blush appearing on Twilight's face as he leaned up against Zulu's shoulder.

"I see..." Fluttershy said as she stared blankly at the couple that was in front of her.

Twilight cleared her throat as she tried to end the awkwardness that was starting to build in the room. "Well, you said that you were looking for me. What for?" Twilight asked Fluttershy.

"Oh yes, I just wanted to tell that you should get ready because I will be leaving in a few minutes." Fluttershy said, Twilight a little confused as to what she was talking about.

"Leaving, leaving to where?"

"School, don't you go to CHS?" Fluttershy asked Twilight with even more confusion than Twilight. Twilight's purple eyes widening when she noticed her mistake.

"Oh, yeah. I guess I just forgot, It has been a hectic last few hours." Twilight said facehoofing... or palming herself as it would be technical.

"Right... well, there should still be able to get some breakfast before we have to leave." Fluttershy said as she began to walk out of the room.

"Ok, thank you Fluttershy." Twilight said as she watched her friend leave the room.

"Don't mention it Twilight, and will you be coming with us Zulu?" Fluttershy asked Zulu, putting him on the spot. This girl was really testing his abilities.

"No, I won't I... have already graduated." Zulu said quickly, not sure if what he was saying was correct given that he was in an alternate world.

Oh, I see. Well, I'll see upstairs in a few minutes ok, Twilight." Fluttershy said a little sheepishly, awkwardness beginning to set again.

"Of course, Shy. I'll be up in a few minutes." Twilight said as she pulled out of Zulu's hug and began to get all of her stuff together.

"Alright, but remember I'll have to leave in ten minutes in order to not be late." Fluttershy said to Twilight, her responding with a single nod of her head. "Ok, I'll see you in a few minutes." Fluttershy said as she closed the door.

"Ok, thanks, Shy." Twilight called out to her pink-haired friend as Fluttershy closed the door.

"Smooth." Zulu teased Twilight as soon as the door was closed.

"Hey, I'm not like you. I can't come up with believable lies at seemingly any point of time." Twilight said as she rounded up the last of her things.

"Well, I think you handled yourself pretty well regardless." Zulu said as he kissed Twilight on the forehead.

"Thanks, but I'm nowhere near as good as you." Twilight said to Zulu, her cheeks beginning to turn a slight pink color. Twilight a little concerned that she was talking to Zulu about who was the better liar.

"Well, I am trained since birth to be the best liar possible. So, that's to be suspected." Zulu said to Twilight. A thought coming to Twilight's mind.

"Zulu, how old are you exactly?" Twilight asked Zulu.

"I turned twenty-four a few months ago." Zulu said as he kneeled down and patted Theta on the head. The injured husky taking the attention as one good thing in an otherwise decent morning. "Why do you ask?" Zulu asked Twilight his own question.

"No reason, just curious." Twilight said as she began to walk toward the door. Twilight was dating an old stallion, Twilight having turned twenty-two not that long ago. "Anyway, I'll you two later today." Twilight said as she began to open the door.

"Ok, Theta and I will do the same thing that we need yesterday. We might be able to find clues as to what Sunset Shimmer is planning." Zulu said, Twilight nodding in agreement.

"Ok, I'll see the school at the same time as before and hopefully we won't have another incident." Twilight said, her words making Theta snort inside his cone.

"Right, I'll see you later." Zulu said as he embraced Twilight in a loving hug.

"I love you." Twilight as she planted a short kiss on Zulu's lips.

"I love you too." Zulu said in return as Twilight pulled out of the hug and walked out of the room. Twilight sending Zulu one last loving look before closing the door behind her. Zulu turned around with a happy smile on his face. A smile that vanished once he set eyes on Theta, who was sitting on his rump and glaring at him.

"What?" Zulu asked with a shrug.

It didn't take long for Twilight to walk up the stairs of Fluttershy's house and find herself in the kitchen/dining room. Twilight walked over toward the fridge and took a box of cereal off from the top. Twilight poured herself a bowl began to eat it from the counter that was in the center of the room that marked as a physical barrier between the kitchen and the dining room.

Twilight was about almost done with her bowl of cereal when Fluttershy walked into the kitchen. The pink-haired girl having her car keys wrapped around her finger and holding Twilight's backpack in her hand.

"Are you ready Twilight?" Fluttershy asked as Twilight took her last few bites of her bowl of cereal.

"Almost, just give me a second." Twilight said as she took the last bite of her cereal leaving only the left over milk inside the bowl.

"Ok, I'll be outside and here's your backpack." Fluttershy said placing Twilight backpack on the ground next to Twilight feet.

"Ok, thank Shy." Twilight said as she drank the leftover milk. Fluttershy giving a single head nod in response and walking down the stairs and out the door, leaving the door slightly open for Twilight to follow after her.

Twilight put her finished bowl in the sink and picked up her backpack with her left hand. "Spike." Twilight called toward Fluttershy's room, her purple dog companion running out of the room. Twilight unzipping the large pocket of her backpack and Spike walking into it. Twilight closing the backpack most of the way while making that there was still a hole be enough for Spike to breath.

"Ok, Spike lets go to school." Twilight said as she walked down the stairs and followed after Fluttershy. Fluttershy already being in her car and starting it the moment that Twilight exited her house. Twilight climbing into the passenger side of Fluttershy's car and placing her backpack on the floorboards next to her feet. Fluttershy spending the next few minutes driving the both of them to the high school.

After a few minutes of driving in silence Fluttershy finally broke it when she talked to Twilight. Twilight mostly staring out the window of Fluttershy's car looking bored. "So, you weren't in my room when I woke up. Would this have anything to do with Zulu?" Fluttershy asked Twilight, trading looks from Twilight and the road in front of her very couple of seconds.

"Didn't we already have this conversation last night?" Twilight gave Fluttershy her own question. Twilight keeping her cool from Fluttershy's question about her love life.

"Kind of, but I want to know if you really woke up before me or you and Zulu did other things last night?" Fluttershy asked, this time, Twilight's face beginning to flush pink in a blush and her heart began to beat faster.

Twilight was silent for a few seconds, her looking down at her backpack. Her eyes falling on the green eyes of Spike who was giving her some nonverbal support.

"You can tell me Twilight, I'll understand if you lied to me earlier. I wouldn't blame you if you did, hell I'd probably done the same thing." Fluttershy said to Twilight as the silence continued. Her words lifting a giant weight off of her shoulders.

"In that case then, yes. I did lie to you. I didn't wake up before you to check on if Theta was alright." Twilight admitted to Fluttershy, but she wasn't done. "In fact, I spent last night with Zulu." Twilight said, her feeling a small amount a shame from what she did. Shame that she didn't understand. Fluttershy said she didn't care that she had lied to her earlier, and she didn't have sex with Zulu. So, why was she feeling guilty? Damn, love is weird sometimes.

"Oh, this might be personal. But did you guys, you know?" Fluttershy asked as she turned down the road that Canterlot High was located on.

"No, Zulu and I didn't have sex." Twilight answered, a thought coming to her head. "But we almost did, thank you Theta." Twilight thought as another thought came to her. "Maybe that's why I feel guilty. Ugh! Love sucks!" Twilight internally groaned.

"Well, that's good to hear." Fluttershy said as her car neared the high school.

"I guess so." Twilight said as she went back to staring blankly out of the passenger side window of Fluttershy's car.

Another minute passed by as Fluttershy continued to drive down the street that CHS

"What the hell?" Fluttershy thought out loud as the school came into view. There being two cop cars with their lights flashing in front of the school. There being two cops at the top of the stairs talking to Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna.

"What is it?" Twilight asked as Fluttershy's car came to a stop on the sidewalk next to the school.

"I don't know Twilight." Fluttershy said as she put her car in park

"Sorry ladies, but there is no school today given the events of last night." A cop, a white-skinned man that looked to be in his mid to late twenties with black spiked hair with gray highlights, said to Twilight and Fluttershy. Stopping their movements with an extended hand.

"What happened officer?" Fluttershy asked the cop. Twilight now noticing the broken glass of the front doors that was covered up by yellow police tape that said 'Crime scene in progress. Don't enter.' in bold black letters.

"Did either of you watch the news this morning?" The cop asked, Twilight and Fluttershy both shaking their heads no. "Figures. Well, to make a long story short the school was broken into last night and the school has been closed until the person or people responsible have been caught." The cop explained to the two teenage girls. Fluttershy covering her mouth her hands in a gasp.

"Who would do such a thing?" Fluttershy asked the cop.

"We two have suspects that are being held for questioning that this time. Two individuals that I am currently not at liberties to discuss any further with you. But we are also following up any and all leads at this time." The cop said and the gears in Twilight's head began to turn.

"Do you know what was stolen, if anything?" Twilight asked the cop, speaking for the first time.

"Yes we do, let's see." The cop said as she pulled out a notepad and read it. "So far the only thing that was found missing, at least that we know of, was a golden crown. A crown that the Principals both confirm was going to be used for the school's upcoming dance." The cop explained, the two girls eyes widening even further.

"Why would someone want to steal the crown to the Fall Formal?" Fluttershy asked, her sending a concerning look Twilight's way.

"We aren't sure as to way, but even with our two suspects being held for questioning. The crown whereabouts are currently unknown." The cop said, Twilight brain only leading her to one person that could be responsible for this, Sunset Shimmer.

"Do you know if your two suspects had any assistance?" Twilight asked the cop.

"Like I said, they are both being questioned and I am unable to discuss any further. Now would you just go home and enjoy your unscheduled day without school." The cop said cutting off any further questions that Twilight could have.

"Come on, Twilight. We could get ourselves a bite at one of the cafes in the town instead." Fluttershy said to Twilight.

"Sure Fluttershy, let's go." Twilight said with an internal groan. "Thank you, officer." Twilight said to the cop as she followed Fluttershy back to her yellow car.

"Don't mention it kid, now gone along and enjoy your morning. I still have several reports to write." The officer said with one last effort to make Twilight and Fluttershy leave the school's premises in the most polite way that he could.

"Of course, we are leaving as we speak." Fluttershy said as she opened her car driver side door. Twilight having already climbed into the passenger side of the yellow car.

"Excellent, have a safe travel to where ever you are going ladies." The cop said as Fluttershy got into her car and started it. Fluttershy then did a quick U-turn and began to drive back down the road that she had been driving on for quite some time. The gears in Twilight's brain continuing to turn as she went back to staring out the window of Fluttershy's car.

Zulu had been laying on his bed ever since Twilight and Fluttershy left heading to the high school. "Hmm... Twilight won't be back for several hours. Maybe I can get a few more hours of sleep before I head out to find more clues." Zulu thought as he closed his eyes and drifted into a short power nap.

Zulu sleep didn't long as Theta walked over to him with a pillow being held in his mouth. "Zulu, wake up!" Theta shouted as he used his mouth to throw a pillow at Zulu's head. It hitting him squarely in the forehead. Zulu's body jumping to alertness.

"I'm up!" Zulu shouted as he shot to alertness. Zulu picking up the pillow that Theta had thrown at his head. "What the darkness, Theta!?" Zulu asked Theta as the white dog just walked over to the door of his room and sat in front of it.

"You have clues to find and I need to get my daily walk outside. So, let's go." Theta ordered at Zulu, the changeling turned human groaning as he stood up.

"Fine, come on Theta." Zulu groaned as he opened the door to his room and the two walked up the stairs to the living room of Fluttershy's house. Zulu finding Fluttershy's mom sitting in a blue reclining chair reading the newspaper.

"Good morning, Zulu." Mrs. Shy said greeted Zulu while still reading the newspaper.

"Morning, I'll be right in a few hours. Going to take Theta for a walk around town." Zulu said politely as grabbed a leash for Theta. Theta sending Zulu a death glare that said 'if you put that on me I will kill you when we get back to Equestria'.

"Ok, you should have Fluttershy and Twilight go with you. My daughter doesn't go out that much anymore." Mrs. Shy said, Zulu and Theta both sharing a look in confusion.

"I thought Twilight and Fluttershy had already left, for school?" Zulu asked Mrs. Shy. Fluttershy's mom folding up his newspaper at Zulu's words and standing up.

"Huh, I must not have watched the news this morning." Fluttershy's mom thought out loud.

"What do you mean?" Zulu asked as he wrapped the upper part of a leash loosely around Theta's neck in a makeshift collar. Theta's cone not making it easy.

"You must not have heard either. The high school was broken into last night, and all cases had been suspended until the investigation was finished." Fluttershy's mom explained, Zulu and Theta sharing another look.

"Huh... interesting. Well, I'll see you later and I'll make sure that if I see Twilight and/or Fluttershy I'll tell of this. If they don't already know if I find them." Zulu said as he opened the door to the house. Theta already rushing outside, the sun's rays feeling good on his white fur.

"Thank you, Zulu. You are such a dear." Mrs. Shy thanked Zulu, it feeling good to be thanked for doing something. Even how small it was in comparison to what he had done even in the last week of his life.

"I try to be." Zulu said with a smile before turn his attention to his dog companion for the day. "Now come on, Theta." Zulu said as he closed the door. Theta being revealed with the ability to finally talk again.

"Can you keep up with me?" Theta asked the moment that the front door closed, there being a little twinkle in his eyes.

"Try me." Zulu said and Theta took off. "Oh, you weren't kidding me." Zulu said as they went to for a run.

"Keep up, Z!" Theta called back to the human that was walking him. Zulu feeling very thankful that he had put on Theta before leaving the house. Theta just feeling great that he was outside and feeling the morning air rushing through his fur. He might have a cone on his head and a few more scars but he was happy and his mind returned to that yellowish-gray unicorn that had been dreaming about for the last few days. Theta knew that the first he was going to do that moment that he returned to Equestria was find that mare and see if she shared the same feelings that she had for him that he had for her.

After a few minutes of driving Fluttershy pulled her car into the parking lot into of the town's local diner by the name of 'Derby's'. Fluttershy and Twilight both entered the diner and took a seat in the booth that was closest to the front door of the diner. The bell on the door of the diner ringing as the two girls entered and took their seats.

A blonde-haired purple skinned waitress walking up to the two friends and introducing herself while giving both of them a menu. "Hi, my name is Dinky and I will be your server today. What could I get for the both of you?" The waitress asked Twilight and Fluttershy in a polite voice.

"I'll have my regular breakfast, Dinky." Fluttershy said to the waitress.

"Alright..." Dinky said as she wrote down what Fluttershy had always ordered when she had breakfast at the diner, her order being scrambled eggs and pancakes with a side of a light salad. "And what about you Miss?" Dinky said as she shifted attentions to Twilight.

"Hmm... I'll have..." Twilight hummed as she skimmed through the diner's menu. Twilight going through the vegetarian section of the menu. Even though Twilight was now in the body of a creature that looked to be an omnivore she still felt it weird to eat meat from animals that she could easily have as a friend back home.

"A serving of your best pancakes with a side of hash browns, and no meat products. I'm a vegetarian." Twilight said to the waitress.

"Understood..." Dinky said as she wrote down Twilight's order. "Will that be all?" Dinky asked as she finished.

"I believe so." Twilight said with a smile.

"Excellent, I'll be right back with your order." Dinky said as she walked off toward the kitchen of the diner.

Awkward silence came upon the two as they waited for their food. Twilight knew that if she didn't break the silence than it would last for the entire time that they were here and she didn't a second opinion on who would be as so bold as to break into the school and steal the crown for the Fall Formal. Twilight already had her suspicions, but needed to see if Fluttershy shared the same opinion as she did.

"So Fluttershy..." Twilight began to say, catching Fluttershy's attention. "I was wondering what you thought about the school getting broken into last night?" Twilight asked Fluttershy.

"To be honest, I'm still a little surprised that someone would actually have the guts to actually do something like that." Fluttershy said as Dinky returned with the two friends' order.

"Thank you." Twilight said to Dinky as she as took a bite of her plate of pancakes. "So, who do you think could've done it?" Twilight asked Fluttershy, returning to what was currently important.

"I have an idea, but I really don't want to say it out loud." Fluttershy said with a cautious look around the nearly empty diner. There only being three other girls in the diner, them sitting in the furthermost booth in the diner. Them seemingly out of earshot. Them all wearing different colored hoodies.

"Is it Sunset Shimmer?" Twilight asked as she took another bite of her pancakes. Fluttershy's teal eyes widening at her words.

"How did you know?" Fluttershy asked genuinely surprised.

"Fluttershy, I'm not an idiot and neither is Sunset Shimmer. I am going against her for the Fall Formal Princess and if she can't have the crown that she make sure that no one else will be able to have the crown." Twilight said as a scary thought coming to her mind as she continued to eat her second source of breakfast for the day. "I just fear what she will do if the crown."

"I see, well if that's the case then how do we prove it." Fluttershy said as she took a bite of her food.

"It shouldn't be that hard, Sunset's probably one of the suspects just because she is one of the girls that is running for the Fall Formal Princess. We just need to find proof that she was at the school around the same time as the robbery." Twilight said to Fluttershy as a cop car pulled into the parking lot of the diner and two police officer step out. Twilight nor Fluttershy noticing the car and just continued talking.

"But aren't you also running for the Fall Formal Princess?" Fluttershy asked Twilight as she finished her scrambled eggs.

"Yeah, why do you ask?" Twilight asked as the two officers walked into the diner. The bell on the door ringing at their entry.

"No reason, just curious." Fluttershy said as she quickly finished her meal.

"What are you getting at Shy?" Twilight thought as she noticed on the two cops for the first time.

"Morning Officers, can I interest the both of you in a cup of the best coffee in town. On the house for all members of law enforcement." Dinky said politely to the two cops at their entry.

"No thank you, madame, under other circumstances maybe. But the both of us are on official business right now." One of the cops said, him being a middle-aged man with brown hair and a fluffy mustache. The other being a man that looked to be in his mid to late twenties with short blonde hair.

"Of course, well enjoy your stay here." Dinky said as she returned her duties washing tables for the breakfast rush that was doomed to happen in the next few minutes.

The cops then walked over to where Twilight and Fluttershy were sitting and introduced themselves to the two teenagers, or more specifically to the Twilight. "Are you Twilight Sparkle?" The cop with the mustache asked Twilight.

"Yes, can you help you, officers?" Twilight said as she stared at the two cops that were in front of her.

"Yes, can you come with us and answer a few our question down at the station?" The blonde-haired cop asked Twilight.

"Um... can I ask why?" Twilight asked the two cops, her heart beginning to beat faster and Fluttershy was sending a cautious look her direction.

"We will explain more down at the station. Can you please just come with us without making a scene?" The mustached cop said to Twilight. The squabble between Twilight and the cops getting the attention of the girls that were sitting in the back of the diner. Them beginning to feel physically stronger as they continued to talk.

"Twilight what's going on?" Fluttershy asked with concern in her voice.

"Don't Fluttershy, I'll take care of this." Twilight said to her friend before returning her attention back to the two officers that were standing in front of her. "I believe I have the right why I have been called into questioning." Twilight said her brain turning and coming to only one conclusion that whatever was happening in front of her had something to with the high school getting broken into last night and even further, something to do with Sunset Shimmer.

"Madame all will be explained at the station. Please we can do this the easy way or..." The blonde-haired cop said as he reached back his back for his handcuffs. "the hard way."

Twilight let out a sigh as she admitted defeat. "Ok fine, I'll go with you."

"Twilight, you can't be serious?" Fluttershy said as Twilight rose to her feet.

"Find Zulu, he'll know what to do." Twilight said to Fluttershy as she was escorted out of the diner by the two cops.

In the furthermost booth, the three girls that were sitting in it were enjoying the spectacle that was happening in front of them. This being the best meal that they had in quite some time.

"What was that all about Adagio? I mean I'm not complaining. That was the best meal I've had in years." The girl that was wearing a green hoodie asked. Her removing her hoodie to reveal a purple-skinned girl with purple and light blue pigtails and purple eyes.

"Yeah, that was weird." The girl wearing a magenta-colored hoodie said revealing her hood. The girl underneath being a light-skinned girl with a two-toned blue hair that was tied up in a long ponytail and having pink eyes.

"Shut up, Sonata." The purple-skinned girl said to the blue-skinned girl.

"You shut up, Aria!" Sonata said back to Aria and the two girls began taking playful slaps at each other. The third hoodie wearing girl groaning at the other two's actions.

"Stop it!" The girl that the other two were talking to shouted, her name being Adagio. "Ugh, I'm surrounded by idiots!" Adagio groaned internally as she removed the hood on her purple hoodie. Adagio being an amber-skinned girl with a puffy orange head of hair that had a small streak of yellow in it.

"Does it really matter how we got our breakfast. We got it and that's all that I care about right now." Adagio said rubbing her eyes magenta eyes. Her mood becoming much better as the diner began to be filled with people from the breakfast rush. "And we might be able to get a second serving by the looks of it." Adagio said with a devilish smile that would put Sunset to shame.

"Let's get this over with." Aria said as she put her hood back over her head. The other two girls putting their hoods on their heads and beginning to hum a single harmonious tone. A strange green gas coming out of the red gems on a necklace that they all had.

The people inside the diner all beginning to break into small arguments for no apparent reason. The girls humming now becoming audible and the arguing only growing louder in the diner. The three girls all smiling, Adagio most of all, as they seemed to grow even stronger from all of the arguing.

Fluttershy being the only one that seemed to be not effect by the girls' sirenic music and quickly left the diner to avoid getting involved in a fight between two men that Fluttershy recognized as being on the high school's football team. Adagio disregarding the pink-haired girl immunity as nothing special, she and her companions weren't even close to being at full power so it made so sense that they could infect everyone inside a small building.

Zulu and Theta were walking through the streets of the city when they came across the diner that they ate lunch at the day before. Theta's movements came to a stop when he noticed out of the corner of his eye Twilight being escorted out the diner by two police officers.

"What is it, Theta?" Zulu asked Theta, noticing that he's movements had come to a stop.

"Look." Theta said to Zulu, pointing his paw across the street. Zulu's eyes following where Theta was pointing and seeing Twilight being put into the back seat of a cop car.

"What the darkness?" Zulu said as he watched the cop pull out the parking lot and sped away down the street away from the diner. Zulu shifted his attention away from the cop car and back to the diner when he saw Fluttershy walking out of it. Fluttershy not looking the best.

"Fluttershy!" Zulu called across the street, catching Fluttershy's attention. When Zulu's knew that he had gotten Fluttershy's attention, and when the street was clear of any other cars, he crossed it. "Fluttershy, what's going on?" Zulu asked as he greeted the pink-haired girl.

"I don't know, Zulu. In fact, I was just leaving to find you." Fluttershy said.

"So what happened?" Zulu asked Fluttershy, the three of them being completely unaware that hidden in the darkness of an alleyway they were being watched.

"Twilight and I were just inside of the diner having a bite to eat after we found out that the school had been closed after it had been broken into last night." Fluttershy explained to Zulu.

"I know, your mother told me about it, that's why Theta and I have been walking around the city looking for the both of you." Zulu said as Fluttershy continued to explain what had happened.

"Well, Twilight and I were just having a good time eating our food when two cops entered the diner and asked if they could bring Twilight down to the police station for 'questioning'." Fluttershy said with air quotes.

"Did they say for what?" Zulu asked Fluttershy. Theta's eyes began to wonder and he looked off into the distance and he could've sworn that he saw someone with a head of hair that looked like fire hiding in an alleyway. Theta soon dismissed it as nothing more than his brain playing a trick on him and went back to Zulu and Fluttershy talking.

"No, they said they would 'explain at the station'." Fluttershy told Zulu repeating what the cops told her and Twilight.

"Well, let's go! If Twilight is getting questioned by the police then she going to need some support." Zulu said to Fluttershy.

"Ok, I'll us over to the police station. Whatever this is, has to be about the school getting broken into last night." Fluttershy said as she walked over to her yellow car.

"Agreed." Zulu said as he got into the passenger side at the same time as Fluttershy got into the driver side and started her car. Theta hopping into the backseat of the car. Theta hated riding in cars, but if Twilight was in terrible than he was going to through the pain. Twilight was worth a few minutes of wanting to expel all of the contents of his stomach.

Fluttershy's yellow car pulled out of the diner's parking lot and began driving down the street heading toward the police station of the city. The girl that had been watching them from the shadows of an alleyway showing herself as she watched the yellow car speed away.

"This is going to be too easy." Sunset said with a devilish smile, her smile vanishing as one of her minions that were hiding behind a green dumpster spoke to her.

"That's easy for you to say, your not the one that was almost thrown in jail." Snips said to Sunset.

"Yeah, what gives Sunset. Almost going to jail isn't a reward for help breaking into the school." Snails added.

"Shut it you, idiots!" Sunset snapped, she really hated working with these two idiots but they did what she ask without question and soon so would everyone else. "I just saved your asses from being charged with a felony." Sunset continued her fiery rage beginning to build. "And I promised you a reward if you succeed with failure. Something that you didn't do." Sunset said as she began to walk down the sidewalk across the street from the diner. Sunset's car being parked at the street corner.

"At least we got you the crown, and the cops don't suspect anything of you." Snips said as Sunset arrived at her car.

"Yes, but I still to win the Fall Formal. I just needed a distraction for Twilight and dealing with the cops will work quite nicely." Sunset said as she got into the driver's side of her car.

"Why would you still need to win the dance, you already have the crown?" Snails asked Sunset.

"My reasons are my own, and never question them again." Sunset said as she started her car. "Now move before I run you over." Sunset said to her two minions. Them both taking a step backward. "I'll call both of you in few hours for the next stage of my plan. In that time you can do whatever you want." Sunset said to her two minions. Both of their faces lighting up.

"Thank you, Sunset." Snips said gleefully to his master.

"Just do anything that will but back in a jail cell again, it was hard enough to get out once, and I'm not planning on trying to do it a second time." Sunset said as she began to drive her car back toward the abandoned house that she used as a home during her stay in this world.

"Don't worry, Sunset. We won't let you down!" Snips called as Sunset drove away.

"I find that highly unlikely." Sunset groaned to herself as she continued to drive toward her destination. A memory that hadn't thought about in years coming to her mind.

Sunset could feel her teal eyes beginning to water as she recalled the memory. She pulled over to the side of the road and quickly wiped away her tears. It was strange that despite all of the years that had passed she was still brought to tears when she remembered the pleasant times that she had with her.

"No!" Sunset shouted from inside her car. "She is the enemy! She didn't care about me! She never cared about me!" Sunset continued to shout as more tears continued to flow from her eyes.

Sunset hit her head on the edge of her car's steering wheel, a small jolt of pain going through her head from the impact. But she didn't care. She was having a fury of emotions going through her mind right now that she didn't care about any physical pain.

Sunset lifted her head off the steering wheel and opened the glove compartment of her car. She searched through the glove compartment until she came across one of the few things that she had taken with her from Equestria.

A picture. A picture of her and Princess Celestia to be exact. Sunset was just a filly in it, maybe only five or six. She hadn't even gotten her cutie mark yet. She was sitting on a grassy hill staring up at the white alicorn that was sitting wings spread above her. Celestia staring back down at Sunset with a warm smile on her face. Both them looked happy, and they were happy.

Sunset ran her fingers over the picture that she held in her opposite hand, a few of her tears dropped on the picture in front of her. Sunset quickly wiping away of her tears that had fallen on it. Sunset didn't care if anyone saw her crying her eyes out. She needed this right now, she needed to be vulnerable. Years and years of holding up a brick wall of being the tough girl around CHS. Right now she just needed to cry. And cry she did.

"I miss you..." Sunset whimpered as she held the photo up to her chest, more and more tears flowing from her eyes as more and more painful memories that she thought that she had buried long ago came flooding back to her.

"Mommy."

Getting the Band Back Together (Equestria Girls)

Getting the Band Back Together (Equestria Girls)

Zulu walked up to Twilight and Applejack and introduced himself to the latter of the two. "Hello, my name's Zulu. Pleasure to meet you." Zulu said to this world's version of Applejack, him extending his hand toward the cowgirl. It felt a little weird to meet Twilight's friend all over again, but at least time around he didn't have the fact that he was a changeling making the situation any worse.

"Howdy, name's Applejack. Such a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Applejack said in her distinctive thick southern accent.

"Same, and this is Theta and Spike." Zulu said introducing the two dogs that were at his side. Applejack's green widening as she saw Theta.

"Aw! What happened to this little fella?" Applejack asked Zulu, dropping her knees to examine the husky that still had a white cone that wrapped around his head. Theta beginning to get more and more annoyed from all of the attention that he was getting from the white cone that was on his head.

"He was attacked by another dog yesterday, so he has to wear that cone for the next week or so." Zulu explained to Applejack as she patted the white dog on the top of the head.

"I'm not wearing this damn back in Equestria!" Theta internally vented as Applejack and Zulu continued to talk.

"So Applejack, as I was saying. Would you mind taking a break and joining me and Zulu for some lunch at the town's diner?" Twilight asked Applejack, the cowgirl wiping some of the sweat from working in the field for the last few hours.

"Sure, it might be fun. Let me just clean myself up and I can drive us over in ma truck." Applejack said to Twilight as she ran off to the red barn to wash up.

"What are you planning, Twilight?" Zulu asked Twilight when Applejack was out of earshot.

"I told you, I'm getting the gang back together." Twilight answered Zulu, the calm breeze of the early autumn sending a shiver down her spine.

"But, didn't you say that something happened between Rainbow and Applejack?" Zulu asked Twilight.

"Yeah, and I'm the Princess of Friendship. I'm sure that I can find a way of getting them back together." Twilight as Applejack came out of the red barn and started walking back toward Twilight and Zulu.

"Ok, let's go. I've had a cracking for some of Derpy's signature pancakes for quite some time now." Applejack said to met back up with Twilight and Zulu.

"Great, let's go then!" Twilight said as she and Zulu followed Applejack to her pickup truck that was parked near the red barn. The truck being an older green pickup that had its bed filled with empty wooden baskets that were used to store the apples of the harvest.

"Are you sure that taking a lunch with us isn't too much of an issue for you?" Twilight asked as she climbed into Applejack's truck. Zulu climbing into the truck and sitting next to Twilight with his left arm wrapping around her shoulder. Spike hopping off of Theta's back and leading in the front of the truck. The purple dog resting in the lab of Twilight. Theta hopping up into the bed with the truck moving some of the wooden baskets so that he could lay on the steel bed.

"Not at all Twilight, I was going to stop and eat not that long before you showed up anyway, and ma siblings are more than capable of finishing the harvest without me." Applejack said as she put her key in the ignition of her truck and started its engine. The green truck rumbling to life. Applejack put her truck in gear and pulled out of the dirt driveway of the red barn and began to drive back down the gravel path, heading back toward the city.

Over in the diner, Fluttershy was waiting in the diner, her sitting in the same booth that she was sitting in when she had breakfast with Twilight earlier that day. Fluttershy had ordered a cup of tea, herbal just like she like it, as she waited for Rainbow Dash, Twilight, and Zulu to arrive.

Fluttershy ran her finger along the ring of her teacup as she waited anxiously for her friends to arrive. "Where's Rainbow, Twilight said that she was probably going to be late, but it was never like Rainbow to be late." Fluttershy thought as she looked down at her communication device that called 'a phone' to check the time for the fifth time in the last two minutes. Rainbow being late for the last three minutes. Fluttershy was concerned as Rainbow was almost never late.

Fluttershy let out a small squeak as the door the diner was opened suddenly and her the rainbow-colored hair of her friend ran in a dash. Rainbow was wearing her normal light blue jacket over a white shirt that had what would've been her cutie mark back in Equestria on it. Rainbow was also wearing a magenta-colored skirt with black sweating shorts underneath and a pair of matching blue boots.

Rainbow's magenta eyes scanned the small diner until her eyes fell upon the pink hair of Fluttershy, a happy smile spreading across her face. Rainbow walked across the diner and took a seat in the booth across from Fluttershy.

"Sorry, I'm late, Shy. You called just in the middle of practice and I couldn't get out of it until a few minutes ago." Rainbow apologized to Fluttershy as the waitress of the diner gave Rainbow her usual every time that she went to the diner. A single glass of clear cold water.

"It's no problem Rainbow, you didn't leave me waiting here that long." Fluttershy said as she took a sip of her tea.

"So, what was it that you wanted to talk to me about?" Rainbow asked Fluttershy as she took a sip of her glass of water.

"Um... Fluttershy stumbled as she tried to come up with an answer for Rainbow, Twilight hadn't arrived yet and she didn't know why Twilight wanted to meet Rainbow in the first place.

"No reason." Fluttershy finally said. "I just thought that it would be a good idea for us to spend an afternoon together. We don't really hang out that much anymore anyway." Fluttershy said to Rainbow with a small smile.

"I guess so Fluttershy, well I hope that today will be a great one." Rainbow said raising her glass of water. The two teens connecting their two drinks in a light clang of glass.

A few minutes passed and Fluttershy and Rainbow continued to talk to each other when Fluttershy noticed a familiar green pickup truck pulling

"Hey, Rainbow isn't that Rainbow's truck?" Fluttershy asked as the green truck pulled into the diner's parking lot.

"What is she doing here!?" Rainbow said a little louder than she expected as she saw the cowgirl step out of her green truck.

"I don't know Rainbow, maybe she just wants to have lunch." Fluttershy said. her now noticing Twilight

"Maybe." Rainbow all but spat as she quickly ate a piece of bacon. Fluttershy now noticing Twilight as she hopped out of Applejack's green truck.

"What is Twilight doing with Applejack?" Fluttershy thought as she watched Twilight, Zulu, and Applejack walked toward the diner.

It didn't take long for Applejack to drive her truck to the diner and pull into the parking lot. Applejack pulling into an empty parking spot that was near the front of the building.

"I can't thank you enough Twilight from taking away from Sweet Apple Acres." Applejack said to Twilight as she turned off her truck.

"I thought you liked working on the farm?" Twilight asked as she and Zulu got out of the truck. Theta hopping out of the bed and landing with a small thud on the black pavement of the parking lot.

"I do, but even I need a day off sometimes." Applejack said with a laugh.

"I see, well Fluttershy should be waiting for us inside, come on." Twilight said, Applejack's movements coming to a stop at the mention of her former friend.

"Wait, Fluttershy having lunch with us?" Applejack asked Twilight, her never mentioning the inclusion of Fluttershy before.

"Yeah, didn't I tell you that Fluttershy was having lunch with us?" Twilight asked Applejack, her fully aware that she had intentionally bring up Fluttershy in fear that Applejack would've said no.

"No, you didn't." Applejack said crossing her arms.

Twilight suppressed a giggle as she stared at Applejack, she was just as stubborn as her friend back home. "Oh, sorry about that, well now you know. Come on, it could fun." Twilight said happily.

"I'm not going in there, Twilight." Applejack said showing her stubborn side.

Twilight let out an internal sigh as she tried a different angle. "I thought you and Fluttershy were friends?" Twilight asked Applejack, trying to play the innocent dumb card.

"I have nothing against Fluttershy, it's her friend Rainbow Dash that I have a problem with." Applejack said to Twilight, her almost out Rainbow's name.

"Why would Fluttershy hanging out with Rainbow be an issue with hanging out with her?" Twilight asked, her noticing the unmistakable rainbow-colored hair of this world's version of Rainbow Dash. Twilight gave a smile as Applejack didn't seem to notice Rainbow Dash's presence yet.

"Fine!" Applejack groaned as she accepted Twilight offer to have lunch with Fluttershy.

"Alright, let's go then." Twilight said as she let Applejack walk passed her. She wanted to make sure that Applejack couldn't just leave the diner when she saw Rainbow Dash.

"Not bad Twilight, I think I'm a good bad influence on you." Zulu whispered to Twilight as they both entered the diner. Theta and Spike being close behind.

"I do my best." Twilight said as she gave a quick peck on Zulu's cheek and entered the diner after Applejack. Spike following after the purple-skinned teen.

"This is so going to blow up in our faces." Theta said to Zulu as the two stood out of the diner for a few seconds.

"Don't be so pessimistic, Theta." Zulu said down to the white husky.

"I can and I will." Theta said as he entered the diner with a push of his padded paws. Zulu laughing to himself as he followed after the white dog.

Zulu entered the diner and it looked like the gates of Tartarus had been opened.

"Twilight, what is the meaning of this?!" Zulu heard Applejack shouted as he entered.

"I feel the same way!" Rainbow shouted, her and Applejack staring each other down.

"Twilight, what are you doing?" Fluttershy asked Twilight as she watched her two friends staring each other down. Everyone else in the diner slowly moving toward the rear of the diner. Three familiar girls wearing hoodies getting another great boost of energy from the two former friends staring each other down.

"Don't worry Shy, I know what I'm doing?" Twilight said to Fluttershy.

"Are you sure." Zulu whispered to Twilight.

"Yes, I am." Twilight whispered back.

"What exactly are you doing?" Rainbow asked Twilight.

"I know that you two used to be friends. I want to know what happened between the two of you." Twilight said to Rainbow and Applejack.

"Rainbow knows exactly what she did to me." Applejack said as she continued to stare down Rainbow.

"And Applejack knows exactly what she did to me." Rainbow added as her magenta eyes stared directly into the green eyes of Applejack.

"I didn't do anything to you. You're the one that didn't go to my bake sale."

"I did go to your bake sale, you were the one that ditched on me!" Rainbow shouted back at Applejack.

"Wait, stop, what bake sale are you two talking about."

"Rainbow promised that she would have the softball team make an appearance at my latest bake sale. I tell everybody they're comin', and then not one of 'em shows up! She made a liar outta me!" Applejack angrily explained to Twilight. Twilight brain being to turn with reasonable reasons why Rainbow didn't show up, most them having something to do with Sunset Shimmer.

"And I ain't no liar." Applejack all but shouted at Rainbow, her green eyes burning with anger. Three girls in hoodies at the rear of the diner getting the best meal in their life from the two former friends arguing. The girl with the puffy orange hair having a devilish smile on her face that only continued to grow.

"What are you talking about!" Rainbow shouted back. "You are the one that ditched on me!" Rainbow continued, the two girls now nose to nose.

"How's that?" Applejack snarled at Rainbow.

"I was told by someone that you had changed the date of your bake sale. When I finally arrived with the soft team you weren't there. You ditched on me, not the other way around AJ!" Rainbow shouted back, Applejack's green eyes widening at Rainbow's words.

"I never rescheduled. Who told you this?" Applejack asked Rainbow, her calming down.

"Sunset Shimmer, why?" Rainbow said, Twilight's concerns being confirmed. Twilight and Zulu both shared a look, Twilight nodding her head happily.

"Is it possible that this was just a big misunderstanding." Fluttershy joined in for the first time.

"That is possible, but I have my own theory." Twilight said.

"What do you mean?" Rainbow asked Twilight.

Twilight looked around the diner before answering and saw that the waitress was sending her and her friends a glare that could cut marble. "Um... maybe it would better if we discuss this outside." Twilight said, all of her friends nodding in agreement.

"Sure, Twi." Applejack said all of Twilight's friends followed her out of the diner.

"You were saying Twi?" Rainbow said as they all gathered outside of the diner.

Oh, yes." Twilight said as she picked up where the conversation in the diner had left off. "You said it was Sunset Shimmer that told that Applejack had changed the date of her bake sale, right?" Twilight asked Rainbow.

"Yeah, so." Rainbow said with a shrug of her shoulders. "It was probably just an accident by Sunset." Rainbow added.

"What if it wasn't an accident, what if Sunset told you the wrong date in a manner to ruin your relationship."

"What makes you say that? I'm not saying that it out of Sunset's character to do something like that." Applejack asked Twilight.

"I have no proof to say that Sunset broke up your relationship on purpose, but it just I feeling I have. It seems that she broke up all of your relationships, Rainbow and Applejack, in a manner to make harder for me to beat her." Twilight thought out loud. "Fluttershy did you ever ask Pinkie why she ruined your fundraiser with balloons and fireworks?" Twilight asked Fluttershy, her laughing nervously and rubbing the back of her neck in regret.

"No, I kind of stop talking to her after I yelled at her. But I can remember Sunset looking super happy in the weeks after I stopped hanging out with Pinkie."

"Hmm... do any of you know where Pinkie is?" Twilight asked her friends.

"I have her number and she and I still hang out together." Applejack said taking out an apple red cell phone out of her pocket and dialing the number of Pinkie.

"Great, that still leaves Rarity." Twilight thought out loud.

"Rarity's probably at her boutique doing whatever she does." Rainbow said.

"Perfect, AJ how's getting a hold of Pinkie going?" Twilight asked Applejack as the cowgirl ended her call with Pinkie.

"She says that she's at the school still preparing for the Fall Formal." Applejack said, a look of confusion appearing on Rainbow's face.

"How's that even possible, I taught it was canceled because of the school getting broken into last night." Rainbow said.

"I don't know, and there's only one way to find out." Applejack said as she put her phone back in her pocket.

All of Twilight's friends all gathered into their cars, Twilight, Zulu, Theta, and Spike all riding in Fluttershy's car, and drove to Canterlot High to see what Pinkie was currently doing. Them about to met with something that none of them had expected.

It didn't take long for Twilight and her friends to drive to CHS and they pulled into the student parking lot. The first thing that they noticed was the lack of the police presence that was there earlier that day.

"Hmm... interesting, I'd except there to be more cops." Fluttershy said as she put her car in park.

"It is interesting." Twilight said as she got out of the passenger seat of Fluttershy's car. Fluttershy, Zulu, Theta, and Spike quickly following after her. Applejack and Rainbow pulled into the parking lot and parked both of their respective cars next to Fluttershy's. Rainbow driving a light blue muscle car that she got a lot of hell from Fluttershy about its fuel efficiency. Most of the time things that she ignored.

"Hey, Fluttershy." Rainbow said catching Fluttershy's attention.

"Yeah, Rainbow?" Fluttershy asked, turning to face Rainbow.

"Isn't that Sunset's car?" Rainbow asked Fluttershy, her pointing her index finger at an old sedan that was parked near the front of the school.

"I think so." Fluttershy answered.

"What the hay is Sunset doing here?" Applejack asked.

"There's only one way to find out, come on girls." Twilight said her status as the de facto leader of the Mane Six coming back to her. Something that Zulu really enjoyed seeing.

Twilight began walking toward the school with her three friends in tow and Spike following close behind her. Twilight's movements coming to the stop when she noticed that Zulu and Theta wasn't following her.

"Zulu, are you coming with?" Twilight asked Zulu.

"You girls got an get Pinkie. Me and Theta will catch up with the both of you later." Zulu said to Twilight, Theta looking up at the changeling turned human and thinking.

"Zulu, what are you doing?"

"If Sunset's really here then I think it would best if I and Theta incept her and really find out what she is planning." Zulu said

"Good idea, Zulu." Twilight said to Zulu with a smile. "Come on girls, let's find Pinkie.

"Do you think that you can find Sunset, Theta." Zulu asked Theta as Twilight and her friends walked away. Theta sending Zulu a look that said 'what do you think'. Theta taking a sniff of the hair and began to walk toward the rear of the school.

"You got her scent!" Zulu called out to Theta as he got into a light jog to keep up with Theta.

"Of course, I got it!" Theta called back to Zulu. "Now keep up!" Theta said as he rounded one of the corners of the large brick building. Zulu letting out a single laugh at Theta's words.

Twilight went through the front doors of the high school, Twilight surprised that the doors were even opened and began to search the school for Pinkie.

"Does anyone have any idea where Pinkie might me?" Twilight asked her friends.

"If the dance is back on then Pinkie's probably in the gym finishing up the last bits before the dance tomorrow night." Applejack answered, her words making Twilight really now just how time she had left until the portal closed.

"Alright, come on. We don't have that much time and we still need to get Rarity back." Twilight said as they all started heading toward the mane gym of the school.

Once Twilight and her friends got to the gym they could hear the sounds of stuff being moved around inside of it. The doors to the gym were closed so they couldn't see who was moving stuff inside the gym, most likely Pinkie, but they could tell just from the sound that they were indeed still preparing the gym for the Fall Formal.

"Sounds like Pinkie's here." Applejack said at the sounds of something heavy being moved over the tile floor of the gym. But it only sounding like things were being moved

"She sounds like she needs some help, does Pinkie usually get any help for parties and stuff?" Twilight asked her friends, them all shaking their heads no.

"Pinkie does most of the setup for the school events herself, sometimes she gets some help from a junior by the name of Cheese Sandwich, but I think that's about it." Applejack said, her seeming to be the best person to ask for information on this world's Pinkie.

"I see." Twilight said turning her head back toward the blue double doors of the school's gym. "Pinkie needs our help and we need Pinkie." Twilight said with determination in her words and eyes as she opened the doors in one quick motion.

The sudden opening of the doors startling Pinkie Pie, who was currently leaning over a large black speaker. Her forehead being covered in sweat as her hair lay flat and matted from all the sweat that she had worked up getting the gym reading for a dance that she thought was canceled only a few hours earlier.

"Oh, Twilight!" Pinkie gasped putting her right hand to her chest. "You startled me." Pinkie said to Twilight breathing heavily. Her not yet noticing any of the others.

"We have come to help you, Pinkie." Twilight said to Pinkie gesturing to the rest of her friends. Fluttershy sending a small wave Pinkie's way. A wave that was met by a death glare from Pinkie. Fluttershy quickly retracting her hand and smoothing out the bottom

"Hmm... all of you except Fluttershy, she has to go far away and never come back." Pinkie said as she began to struggle to move the large speaker again.

"Come on, Pinkie. I have come to make peace with you." Fluttershy said to Pinkie stepping passed her friends.

"I don't care you were a meanie to me for doing what you wanted me to do." Pinkie spat back Fluttershy bitterly. Pinkie's light blue eyes burning with anger toward Fluttershy.

Twilight rarely saw Pinkie ever angry and when she did it terrified her. Her seeing a pony, in this case, a human that was almost always happy and bubbly being angry at someone, let alone someone who used to be her friend. It just pained Twilight to see.

"I never said that I wanted a giant party for the fundraiser." Fluttershy said to Pinkie, her trying to remain civil. Something that Pinkie was not inclined to share.

"Yes you did!" Pinkie shouted taking out her phone. "I got a text from you saying that you didn't want a serious celebration, you wanted a big party!" Pinkie shouted showing

"I never sent you any text, Pinkie." Fluttershy said softly, Pinkie's anger fading from her as she saw the truth in Fluttershy's face.

"Then if you didn't, then who did?" Pinkie thought out loud.

"Sunset Shimmer." Twilight said catching Pinkie's attention. "She made so that you and Fluttershy stop being friends, and you aren't the only ones. She did the exact same thing to Rainbow and Applejack, and I would bet that it wouldn't be that far-fetched if she also did something else to Rarity." Twilight said putting a reassuring hand on Pinkie's left shoulder.

"Ugh!" Pinkie groaned as she covered her face with her hands in shame. "I'm such an idiot." Pinkie whimpered.

"Hey, Pinkie." Fluttershy said now comforting her new old friend. "It's ok. We all make mistakes, I am at fault for what happened just as much as you are. Even more so because I am the one that overreacted and yelled at you." Fluttershy apologized to Pinkie.

"Thanks, Shy. Hugs!" Pinkie said extending her hands for a big hug.

"Hugs." Fluttershy said as she accepted the hug from Pinkie.

"Now that we have that settled." Twilight said bringing the friends back to what was now currently important. "Pinkie can you tell us why you are still getting the gym ready for the Fall Formal dance?" Twilight asked Pinkie, her pulling out of her hug with Fluttershy.

"Yeah, I thought it had been canceled because of what happened last night." Rainbow Dash added.

"It was." Pinkie said as she went back to pushing the heavy speaker. "But apparently, someone had found the crown and returned it. So Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna put the dance back on since they now had the only thing that was stolen and the damage to the school during the break-in was only minimal." Pinkie grunted as she continued to struggle at moving the large speaker.

"You need some help, sugar cube?" Applejack asked Pinkie with a small laugh.

"Yes." Pinkie grunted as the black speaker refused to move.

"Alright, hold on Pinkie." Applejack said as she walked over to Pinkie and began to push the speaker with ease. Applejack's years of working in the fields of Sweet Apple Arches being a big help to her.

"So has the police investigation been called off?" Twilight asked as Pinkie wiped some of her sweat from her forehead.

"I don't think so, but they did say that we could continue with schooling and the dance as it was scheduled." Pinkie said to Twilight.

"Where do you want this thing bein' put, Pinkie!" Applejack called from across the gym as she continued to push the speaker around.

"Oh, next to the stage would be great AJ!" Pinkie called out to Applejack, the cowgirl grunting in acknowledgment.

"Since you girls are here, I would really appreciate it if you would help me finish the gym for the dance." Pinkie said as the gym was still nowhere near being finished. There being only three tables that were

"Of course, Pinkie." Twilight said with a warm smile. "Come on girls, we have some word to do." Twilight and she and her friends got busy helping the gym get ready for the dance that was the next night.

"I hope Zulu and Theta's having luck finding Sunset Shimmer." Twilight thought as she helped Fluttershy blow up balloons for the dance.

Theta continued to follow his nose until he neared the football field of the school. Theta's movements coming to a stop near the bleachers for the home team.

"Why are you stopping, Theta?" Zulu asked as he caught up to the white dog.

"She's here, where actually I don't know. But she's definitely here." Theta said as he pushed opened an unlocked door to that led to the bleachers with his left paw.

"Alright, stay back Theta. I can take it from here." Zulu said as she stepped in front of Theta and began to search the bleachers. It didn't take long for Zulu to catch sight of Sunset Shimmer. Her head of fire being impossible to miss in the autumn breeze. Theta growled as he stared at the amber-skinned teen.

"Calm yourself, Theta. She doesn't know that were here, yet." Zulu and Theta stopped growling.

"Yeah, yet." Theta thought as the two slowly sneaked up to the teen.

Despite the bleachers being made out of metal Zulu and Theta were reasonably quiet as they slowly approached Sunset. Sunset sitting in halfway up the bleachers in the section that was designated as the student section. Sunset looking down at her feet as she held the same picture of her and her mother in her hands. Sunset not noticing the presence of Theta nor Zulu as she had her teal eyes were locked on the picture that was in front of her.

"What is she holding." Zulu thought out loud

"Doesn't matter." Theta spat bitterly, him eagerly awaiting getting some revenge on the teen.

"Calm yourself Theta, are mission is get the crown back and return Sunset to Equestria if possible." Zulu tried to calm Theta, something that he wasn't interested in.

"I don't care what our mission is, Zulu. She put me in this damn cone." Theta snarled back his white fur beginning to turn a light shade of gray. "And she needs to pay." Theta snarled as he launched into a full sprint at Sunset.

The loud clang of Theta's paws hitting the metal of the bleachers catching the attention of Sunset. Sunset just able to put her picture of her and Celestia in the pocket of her leather jacket before she was tackled to the ground by Theta.

"You will pay for what you did me!" Theta growled at Sunset, his eyes burning red with anger. While Sunset's teal eyes were filled with terror. Sunset not able to determine if Theta was more or less intimidating by having a cone wrapped around his head.

"Is this what my actions have done." Sunset thought as she stared into the blood red eyes of Theta. Her being able to see the newly formed scars on the white dog's muzzle. Theta's signature scars on his neck beginning to bleed again.

"Theta stop!" Zulu shouted as he lifted Theta off of Sunset.

"Let me at her!" Theta shouted as he kicked his legs in frustration.

"No!" Zulu shouted as he tossed Theta away from Sunset. Theta landing on the steel bleachers in a loud crash. Theta quickly regaining his footing and charging back at Sunset. "Theta stop!" Zulu shouted stomping his foot and standing protectively in front of Sunset. Sunset

"We are not monsters here!" Zulu shouted at Theta, the white husky taking a step backward.

"Monster is a matter of perspective." Theta said as he slowly limped away.

Zulu let out a frustrated grunt as he turned his attention to Sunset. "Are you alright?"

"Are you alright?" Zulu asked Sunset extending his hand to help her to get her feet.

"I don't need your help." Sunset said knocking away Zulu's helping hand.

"A simple thank you would've sufficed." Zulu said he watched Sunset slowly climb to her feet.

"Why did you that?" Sunset asked as she rubbed the back of her head. Sunset's head hitting the steel bleachers hard when Theta attacked her.

"Because it would've have been the noble thing to do." Zulu said

"Noble, you a bucking changeling. A creature that feeds off the literal love of others. Is giving me a lecture on being noble.

"I'm going to ask this once Sunset." Zulu sighed as he stared off toward the large green football field that was in front of him. "Where's Twilight's crown? I know that you stole it." Zulu asked Sunset.

"I don't have it, at least not anymore." Sunset said as she took a seat back on the metal bleachers again. "I gave it back to Principals Celestia and Luna not that long ago. I only needed to borrow it just slow your girlfriend down."

"Well, you failed Twilight inside the school and getting her friends back together despite your efforts to drive them apart." Zulu said to Sunset.

"It was only a matter of team before she got the gang back together." Sunset said with what was a forced laugh.

"You're a real piece of work, Sunset." Zulu said as he began to walk away from her. His movements coming to a stop when a thought came to him.

"Sunset?" Zulu said turning back to face her.

"What?" Sunset spat at Zulu.

"What is it that you have against Twilight?" Zulu asked Sunset, her teal eyes

"I-It's not Twilight that I have a problem with. It's her teacher, Princess Celestia." Sunset said, images of her filly-hood flashing before her eyes as she spoke.

"What in Tartarus did Celestia do to you?" Zulu asked Sunset a little blunter than he had intended.

"My past with Celestia is my own and is of no concern of yours." Sunset said to Zulu.

"I see." Zulu said as he began walking away from walking from the fiery-headed teen. "Come on Theta, we let's get back to the others." Zulu said as he regrouped with Theta.

Once Theta and Zulu left Sunset reached into the left pocket of her leather jacket and took the picture of her mother out of it and held it in her hands. Sunset running her fingers over the picture as the memory of that day flashed before her head.

"I'm sorry Mommy, but I have to do this." Sunset said to herself as relived the last moment she can remember being happy around her mother.

Fifteen years earlier and back in Canterlot, Sunset had just turned nine and was currently sleeping in one of the spare rooms of the Canterlot palace. It was still more than two years until Sunset would leave Equestria and Twilight would become the new star student of Princess Celestia. Only a few ponies knew that she was Celestia's daughter. Celestia fearing that if the enemies of Equestria knew that she had a daughter that she would quickly become a target and disturb the peace that Celestia had held over Equestria for the last millennia.

Celestia didn't care for Sunset like a normal parent would, her instead having a foster family of two of her most trusted staff taking care of Sunset. Raising her like their own until Sunset got of age for Celestia to take her on as her star student without raising suspicion. Sunset's foster parents being the only two ponies that knew that she was really Celestia's daughter.

Sunset knew that she was the daughter of Celestia, she had known for several years. While Sunset's 'parents' tried to keep the truth from her, she quickly came to learn that she was the only known offspring of Princess Celestia.

Sunset's small teal eyes slowly opened as she awoken. The bright morning sun that her mother brought forth each and everyday shined through the red and yellow curtains that were in her room. Sunset let out a yawn as she sat up in her bed, her bed being a twin-sized bed that had blankets that were red and yellow in the design of a raging fire with her new cutie mark being embroiled in the center.

That was when Sunset remembered what today was, and a happy smile spread across her face. Today was the day that her mother was going to teach her her most advanced to date. Sunset was about to learn how to teleport short distances. Teleportation being one of the most complicated and most dangerous spells to do. With only their only being small amount of ponies to try to teleport for than a few feet or so, and even less that had succeeded with all of their limbs still attached.

Sunset's ears perked up as she heard the door to her room begin to open and the unmistakable white body of Celestia entering. The alicorn's flowing mane shining in the morning sun. Sunset's teal eyes widening as she saw her beautiful mother standing in the doorway.

Sunset knowing that this day was going to be a great one.

The Beginning of the Fall (Sunset's Backstory)

"Great, you're already awake. Come I have much to teach you and not much time to do it." Celestia said to Sunset with a warm smile well still holding the teacher-student relationship with Sunset that he had to have toward her at all times. Celestia's facade pained her, but she knew that it was the only way to guarantee Sunset's safety. Celestia couldn't lose another family member, she had already lost too many.

"Ok mommy." Sunset said as she hopped off her bed. Celestia cleared her throat and Sunset noticed her error. "Sorry, I mean your highness." Sunset corrected herself, a forced smile coming from Celestia at Sunset words.

"That's better. Now get your things together and meet me in the throne room in fifteen minutes." Celestia said to Sunset in the same manner that a master would their app, she hated holding up this facade.

"Ok..." Sunset responded back quietly, the amber filly awkwardly rubbing her foreleg.

"Hey Sunset, you can still call me Celestia. You just can't call me Mom or Mommy or anything along those lines." Celestia said down to her daughter.

"I know, but why?" Sunset asked Celestia, the white alicorn's smile fading into a disappointed frown.

Celestia let out a heavy sigh as she spoke to the amber-colored filly. "Sunset, we have already had discussions about this." Celestia said to Sunset but she didn't give up.

"I know, but why can't the world know that I'm your daughter. It would make it easier for the both of us." Sunset asked Celestia, the white alicorn beginning to grow tired of this discussion.

"Maybe, but I can't risk putting you in danger if Equestria's enemies learn that I have an heir to the throne." Celestia said down to Sunset, the amber-colored filly looking down at the teal colored carpet that was in her room. Celestia using her gentle hoof to make so that Sunset was looking at her. "I don't know what I would do I lost you Sunset. I've already lost too much of my family." Celestia said to Sunset. Sunset remembering when the white alicorn told her about the Mare in the Moon and how she was really Nightmare Moon and even further her own little sister Princess Luna. Celestia being forced to banish her own sister with the famed Elements of Harmony.

"I hope you understand?" Celestia said to Sunset with her patented warm smile.

"I-I understand." Sunset said to Celestia well still having a ton of questions in her head that she decided it to be best to keep to herself.

Good, now get yourself ready and meet in the throne room in fifteen minutes. Today I am going to teach the basics for teleportation. So make sure that you get something to eat before you meet me. I want at your best." Celestia said to Sunset returning to her teacher-student that everypony thought she had with the amber filly.

"Ok Princess, I'll be there in a few minutes." Sunset said as she trotted over to the wooden nightstand that was next to her bed and used her magic to place a brown saddlebag that had her cutie mark embroiled into it. "And I'll make sure that I get something to eat from the kitchen before our lesson." Sunset said with a warm smile.

"Excellent, I'll see you there then." Celestia said as she exited the room, closing the door behind her.

Sunset just stood there for a few more seconds as she turned her head around to look at the full body mirror that was located at the far end of the room. Sunset trotting over to the mirror and staring directly at her reflection.

Sunset was first at doubts that she was the 'long lost' daughter of Celestia, given that she only shared only one similarity to her mother and that being both of their cutie marks were suns. A cutie mark that she had only earned a few weeks earlier.

Outside Sunset's cutie mark she had almost no similarities to her mother, their coat, eyes, their manes and tails were entirely different. She wasn't even born an alicorn to make impossible to doubt that she was a royal. Sunset had originally asked her parents if she was Celestia's daughter as nothing more than a joke. A prank that a five-year-old would play on her parents just to get attention. Little did she know that she had unintentionally been right and she was the only known offspring of Princess Celestia and the current heir to the throne of Equestria.

Her foster parents told her that she shared most of her features from her father, her real father. A father that she hadn't even met, a father that whenever she asked her foster parents or even Celestia about she was always met by one of two answers that he either died before she was born or that he left Celestia the moment that he found that she was parent and that he was paid to remain silent. Sunset didn't know which version of her father's whereabouts was true, even if either the two stories that she was being told were true.

Sunset continued to stare into the mirror her mind running several hundred miles per hour.

"What if ponies found out who I was?" Sunset thought as she continued to stare at her reflection "What if they found that I more than just the prize student of Princess Celestia?" Sunset continued to think as a stunning realization came to her.

"What would the enemies of Equestria do to me if I was found out. Could I even defend myself." Sunset thought, she wasn't an alicorn. She was just a regular old unicorn. She didn't have god-like magical powers that made her practically immortal. Her magic, while more powerful than any other unicorn that she has seen, was still nothing compared to the magic of what Princess Celestia could achieve.

"You would kill them." Sunset heard somepony say, catching her off guard.

"Who said that?" Sunset asked the seemingly empty room.

"I did." The same voice said. Sunset returning her gaze to the mirror and taking a step backward in fright at what she saw. Sunset seeing an alicorn version of herself staring back at her. The alicorn version of herself having its wings spread open, green eyes that were a darker shade than her normal eye color, and staring at her with a devilish grin. The alicorn also wearing a golden crown that had a large gemstone that was blackened version of her cutie mark. Her mane and tail also had a thin stripe of black going through it.

"What are you?" Sunset asked the pony in the mirror. Sunset moving her head in each direction in curiosity. The strange alicorn version of herself following all of her moments while still keeping a devilish grin on her face that sent a shiver down Sunset's spine.

"The better question is who are you." The mirror version alicorn of herself said back.

"Fine, then who are you?" Sunset asked the mirror.

"Who I am isn't really what's important right now, but you can just call me Nightmare for the time being." The alicorn version of Sunset saying to the real Sunset.

"How you even able to do this, Nightmare?" Sunset asked the alicorn version of herself.

"This is a magical mirror, and it allows me to communicate with you." Nightmare said to Sunset, the amber unicorn's eyes widening at her words.

"Wait, is mirror is magical?" Sunset asked her reflection, taking a step backward from the mirror. The alicorn following her actions and looking like it was walking away into a blue abyss.

"Of yes, and in more ways than one." Nightmare said.

"How, what kind of magic does it process?" Sunset asked Nightmare trotting closer to the mirror.

"You will come to learn the fullness of this mirror in time, but first, you must go to your lesson for the day. Princess Celestia won't wait for you forever." Nightmare said to Sunset as her stomach growled for the need of food.

"Also get some food in that stomach of yours. I wouldn't want

"Ok, will I ever see you again?" Sunset asked Nightmare.

"Oh, I can guarantee it, my dear." Nightmare said with another devilish smile showing a set of pointed white teeth.

"Ok, I guess I'll see you later." Sunset said as she turned around and began trot away from the mirror. This time, the alicorn in the mirror didn't follow her actions.

"I look forward to it, my pet." Nightmare said catching Sunset's attention.

"What did you call me?" Sunset asked Nightmare turning around to face the mirror. Her eyes widening when the alicorn was gone and the mirror was only reflecting her usual unicorn self.

"Huh, strange." Sunset thought as her stomach rumbled again with another growl.

"Ok, ok, calm yourself stomach." Sunset said to her uncooperative stomach and beginning trot toward the door. "There got to be something worth eating down in the kitchen." Sunset said to herself as she opened and closed the door to her room with her teal-colored magic.

As soon as the door closed the alicorn version of Sunset returned broke into a small fit of maniacal laughter. The amber alicorn's body then burst into green flames and transformed into the body of a tall black alicorn that had pointed white teeth and was wearing a set of light blue armor with a flowing mane that looked like the night's sky.

"Just wait, my dear Celestia." The black alicorn laughed in a manner that could make your blood freeze. "Soon your precious little sister won't be the only one to fall to my powers. If your daughter is anything like her aunt then it will only be a matter of time when she follows in her hoof steps." The alicorn going by the name of Nightmare Moon said.

"I thought you gotten rid of me by banishing me the moon Celestia, but you were wrong." Nightmare Moon laughed as her body began to dematerialize. Her disappearing from the reflective surface. Her maniacal laughter being the only reminder of the crazed pony's presence.

Back in the present day of the Crystal Empire, Twilight's friends were still waiting for her just a few feet away from the mirror portal to the human world. Most of them barely left the room, only Fluttershy and Applejack leaving whenever somepony got hungry. Alpha was still in the Crystal Empire but had returned to resting as a mountain-sized guard dog on the outskirts of the city.

All of Twilight's friends were currently on edge, none more so than Rainbow Dash. You had been pacing back and forth in front the mirror portal. In the day since Twilight, Zulu, and Theta left to the human world Rainbow's wing had repaired enough that she didn't need to have it wrapped in a protective gauze anymore. Rainbow's wing was still not strong for her to fly, but she could still open both of her wings without much discomfort.

"Rainbow, pacing quicker won't make Twilight return faster." Rarity said to the pacing pegasus. Rarity finding her best way to past the time being by sewing a brand new dress. Her hoping to make for a new line inspired by Twilight's ascension into princess status. The dress being a dark purple dress that was designed to match Twilight's eyes.

"Then what to you suppose I do!" Rainbow shouted back Rarity frustrated. Rarity stopping her sewing and staring at Rainbow for a few seconds wide-eyed. It didn't take long for Rainbow to notice her error. Rainbow face hoofing when she realized her error.

"I'm sorry, Rarity. I'm just frustrated that Twilight hasn't gotten back yet." Rainbow apologized to Rarity.

"I know Dashie, I'm frustrated too. I want are purple alicorn back, that doesn't mean that I release all of that frustration at my closest friends. I have better ways of releasing stress."Rarity called out Rainbow as she returning to sewing her next line of dresses. Rainbow taking a take step backward in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry, Rarity." Rainbow apologized to Rarity for the second time.

"Don't apologize to me Rainbow, apologize to yourself." Rarity said back to Rainbow not looking up from her sewing.

The door to the room that held the mirror portal opened and Celestia and Luna both trotted in. All of the ponies that were present in the room rose and prepared to bow to the two royals. Their movements being halted by the forehoof of Celestia.

"Please skip the formalities, my sister and I come as two worried friends wishing for news on the whereabouts of Princess Twilight Sparkle, King Zulu, and Theta. We are equal at the current time." Celestia said as she entered the room.

"My sister is right." Luna said as she followed after her older sister. "Now is there any updates as to the current status of the mission to return the Element of Magic back to Equestria and the possible capture of Sunset Shimmer?" Luna asked the other ponies that were in the room. Celestia's body flinching slightly at her sister's words. She didn't want to capture her daughter, she just wanted her to come home.

"No, nothing at all. I'm sorry your highnesses. The no pony or dragon has gone in or out of the portal since Twilight, Zulu, and Theta went into it yesterday." Fluttershy explained to the two alicorns.

"It's alright, she still has another day to get her Element of Harmony back." Celestia said as she trotted up to the mirror. The mirror's surface circling in a small blue vortex showing that it was still active. Rainbow sending a death glare the white alicorn's way. A glare that Celestia either didn't notice or simply didn't care to give her attention to.

Celestia let out an internal sigh as a thought came to her. "And hopefully bring my daughter back to me."

"Princess Celestia, I have a question." Rainbow said catching the attention of Princess Celestia.

"Yes, Miss Dash?" Celestia said turning her head to face the cyan pegasus.

"Why do we have stay here when we could be helping Twilight take down that evil Sunset Shimmer?" Rainbow asked Celestia, her flinching slightly at the mentioning of her daughter being evil.

"Miss Dash, I have already told why you, and your friends, are unable to follow after Twilight." Celestia said to Rainbow.

"I know, but keep thinking that your hiding something from us." Rainbow said to the white alicorn.

"Rainbow, what are ya doin'?" Applejack asked the cyan pegasus.

"Relax AJ, I know what I am doing." Rainbow said to Applejack while keeping her gaze on Celestia.

"Do you?" Celestia snarled at Rainbow.

"You say that we can't help Twilight, but why?" Rainbow asked Celestia unphased by her words.

"I told you! I said that bringing all of you through that portal would upset the balance of the alternate world that is through that portal." Celestia said to Rainbow gesturing her hoof in the direction of the mirror portal.

"What is on the other side of that portal that we could possibly disturb the balance of?" Rainbow continued to press.

"It is another alternate universe where there are all another version of all of you. Including myself." Celestia said to Rainbow. "Does that satisfy you?" Celestia asked Rainbow bitterly.

"Not in the slightest." Rainbow snarled at Celestia. "Who is this Sunset Shimmer?" Rainbow asked Celestia.

"I told you, she was my personal student before Twilight came along." Celestia all but shouted back at Rainbow. Memories of Celestia spending time with her daughter flashing before her eyes.

"There's has to be something more than that. You wouldn't have sent Twilight after this Sunset Shimmer if you didn't have another reason for it." Rainbow said to Celestia, both of the ponies anger growing as they continued to stare each other down.

"I have nothing to hide from you Miss Dash. I just want Twilight to return to Equestria with her crown and Element of Harmony in hoof. Not that I don't wish for her to also return with Sunset Shimmer if possible.

"If you ask me it would be better for Twilight just to rid that world of that Sunset Shimmer." Rainbow spat at Celestia. Celestia's rage building as Rainbow continued to refer to her daughter as nothing more than an object.

"No, it wouldn't." Celestia said to Rainbow, her irritation toward the cyan-colored pegasus growing with each passing second.

"Why do you say that?" Rainbow spat at Celestia. Celestia beginning to regret making Rainbow the Element of Loyalty.

"I don't believe in the concept of capital punishment. Sunset Shimmer might have done some terrible things in her life, but she doesn't deserve to be killed for her crimes. She is still a citizen of Equestria after all, and all of the citizens of Equestria and granted a trial for their actions." Celestia said to Rainbow still trying to remain civil. Something that Rainbow wasn't going to give her in return.

"And yet you don't mind sending Twilight into a battle against the forces of evil with a high likely hood that she would be killed!" Rainbow shouted back at Celestia, and the white alicorn snapped.

"That's enough!" Celestia shouted with a booming voice, her eyes flashing open with them burning with anger. All of the ponies taking a step backward at her outburst, while all expect one. That one pony being Rainbow Dash. "I have grown tired of this discussion!" Celestia shouted as she turned away from Rainbow and began trotting toward the door of the room.

"Tia, are you alright?" Luna cautiously asked her older sister.

"I'm fine, Luna. I just need a moment to myself." Celestia snarled as she trotted past her younger sister.

"Do you even care about her!?" Rainbow called out to Celestia bitterly, the white alicorn's movements coming to an instant halt.

"What. Did. You. Say?" Celestia spat bitterly at Rainbow, her doing a quick 180 to face Rainbow again. All of the others in the room slowly began to retreat backward as the two ponies. Rainbow, however, stood her ground as Celestia slowly approached her.

"You heard me." Rainbow snarled at Celestia, the white alicorn's anger only growing by the second. "Do you even care about Twilight?" Rainbow asked Celestia bitterly. The other ponies in the room's eyes shifting between Rainbow and Celestia as they stared each other down.

"Of course, I care for Twilight. She is a Princess of Equestria and I practically raised her like my own foal for the last decade." Celestia said to Rainbow trying to control her anger. Unfamiliar rage building within the white alicorn as Rainbow continued to press.

"While you have a funny way of showing it!" Rainbow shouted back at Celestia.

"I might not be the best at showing my love for Twilight, but can assure you that I love her just as much as you do. Perhaps even more so." Celestia said back to Rainbow, her barely contained anger at the cyan pegasus about to reach its tipping point.

"Horseapples!" Rainbow shouted back. "I would never abandon Twilight. I'm the Element of Loyalty for buck's sake!" Rainbow continued to shout and Celestia snapped.

Celestia closed her eyes and stayed silent for a few moments. Her brain blocking out any and all words of hate coming from Rainbow.

"That might be true, Miss Dash." Celestia finally spoke with her eyes still closed. Rainbow's words of hate coming to a halt as Celestia continued to speak to her. "But there is one thing that you have forgotten about me." Celestia said slowly, Rainbow breaking her stance against the alicorn for the first time and slowly beginning to retreat backward.

"I was the once the Element of Magic!" Celestia shouted as her eyes flashed opened revealing two white dots where her pink eyes used to be.

Celestia's horn ignited with her golden magic and she wrapped her aura around the body of Rainbow and forced her against the wall. Rainbow feeling a sharp snap in her right wing as slammed against the wall of the room. "And I am very powerful with it!"

"Tia!" Luna shouted as she saw her sister assault Rainbow.

"SILENCE!" Celestia shouted back at her sister, her eyes still being blank white dots. Everypony taking a couple steps backward in fear.

"Now!" Celestia continued to shout as she returned her attention back to the cyan pegasus that was squirming in her magical grasp. "You might not agree with my methods, but you have no right to question them." Celestia said to Rainbow as she released her magic around the pegasus' body and she fell to the floor in a loud thud.

"This that understood." Celestia said down the Rainbow as her eyes returned to their original pink color.

"sniff... Yes." Rainbow whimpered as she cried underneath Celestia's hooves. Her just now realizing just how much bigger Celestia was than her.

"Never question my affection toward Twilight ever again."

"Of course, never again." Rainbow whimpered back as she hid behind her hooves.

"Good." Celestia said before turning around to see the shocked faces of the other ponies of the room.

Sunset continued to trot through the halls of the Canterlot castle, the amber filly having a small skip in her step as she neared the kitchen for the castle. Sunset having all but forgotten about the conservation that she had with the alicorn version of herself.

Sunset trotting into the kitchen and being met by one of the cooks. The cook being a pink unicorn with a magenta mane and eyes. The mare's mane having had its ends tied up in a single bow and covered in a black hair net. The mare's cutie mark being a cherry topped cupcake with four jelly beans surrounding it. The mare going by the name of Sugar Belle and despite being only a cook at the castle for a few months she had quickly risen to being one of the prized chiefs on the grounds, especially when it came to baking.

"Whatcha making Sugar Belle?" Sunset asked the pink mare, catching her attention. The mare stopping her frosting of a pink colored cupcake with light blue frosting. There another dozen cupcakes exactly like it.

"Oh, Sunset!" Sugar Belle exclaimed as she noticed the amber-colored filly. "I'm just putting the final touches on the cupcakes for the arrival of Princess Cadence in the next few days." Sugar Belle said as she finished the frosting of the pink cupcake. Sugar Belle using her magic to put some blue, pink, and white sprinkles on the cupcake.

"You want one, I can always make more?" Sugar Belle asked Sunset as she held the cupcake that she just finished in her light blue magic.

Sunset's brain was wondering what Sugar Belle meant by 'Princess Cadence' but her stomach was hurting so much from hunger that she didn't really care at the moment.

"I will ask Celestia about this 'Princess Cadence' later." Sunset thought as she took the cupcake from Sugar Belle with her teal magic. Sunset examined the cupcake for several seconds before taking a single bite into the cupcake. Sunset's eyes widened before slowly closing as she took another bite of the cupcake. Sunset letting out a small moan as she dug into the pink cupcake.

"I was going to ask if you like it, but based on your expression I got my answer." Sugar Belle said at the sight of the sugar comatose face of Sunset. Sunset having to cover her mouth her hoof to stop any of the crumbs of the cupcake from coming out of her mouth.

Sunset quickly finished her cupcake and used her magic to tossed the leftover paper wrapping in a trash can that was nearby. "Thank you, Sugar Belle." Sunset said to in gratitude to Sugar Belle.

"Don't mention it Sunset, it is an honor to just have the prodigy of Princess Celestia herself to be eating my food." Sugar Belle said with grandeur, Sunset's muzzle flushing pink in a blush.

Sunset cleared her throat as she began speaking to Sugar Belle again. "Thank you Sugar Belle, but I'm no Princess Celestia. She's a Princess that has raised and lowered the sun and moon for over a millennia." Sunset said to Sugar Belle modestly. One of the many non-magical lessons that her mother had been teaching her ever since she got her cutie mark. "I'm just a regular old unicorn, I'm nothing special." Sunset said looking up at the small horn that protruded out of her forehead.

"Don't be so modest Sunset. I can, and I can assume that Princess Celestia does as while, tell that you are destined for great things. You just have figured it out yet." Sugar Belle said as she took out a wooden bowl out of the kitchen cabinets and began to make another batch of cupcakes.

"But I already got my cutie mark. I know my destiny." Sunset said not sure what Sugar Belle was getting at with her statement.

"Cutie marks aren't your destiny my dear, Sunset Shimmer. They are simply just something that helps guide you to find your true calling in life." Sugar Belle said with Sunset with some food for thought.

"Now, I have to get back to work and you have a lesson with the Princess to get to." Sugar Belle said to Sunset as she returned to her baking for the arrival of the anomaly that was Princess Cadence.

"Right... thanks, Sugar Belle." Sunset said slightly defeatist as she began to trot off, her movements coming to a stop when Sugar Belle called out to her.

"Hey, Sunset!" Sugar Belle called out to Sunset.

"Yes, Sugar Belle?" Sunset said stopping mid-trot.

"Keep your chin up, this your big day. You are learning teleportation today right?" Sugar Belle said to the amber filly. Sunset nodding her head. "Then you should be excited. I could never have imagined doing something so difficult as teleportation when I was your age." Sugar Belle, her stopping when I thought came to her mind.

"Tartarus, even now I doubt that I would ever be able to pull it off right now if I tried." Sugar Belle thought out loud as she returned to Sunset. "You are one powerful unicorn Sunset Shimmer, and there are great things in your future. Just make sure that you don't use sight of the things that are most important." Sugar Belle said to Sunset, the baker's kind words making her feel a little better.

"Thank you, and I will." Sunset said to Sugar Belle with a genuine smile on her face.

"Good, now go you don't want to keep the Princess waiting." Sugar Belle said to Sunset, urging her to run off to her lesson.

"Right, it was nice talking to you Sugar Belle, and thank you for the cupcake." Sunset said in gratitude to Sugar Belle as she began to trot out of the kitchen.

"You too Sunset, now back to work." Sugar Belle said more to herself as Sunset left. The pink mare returning to her job of creating cupcakes for the arrival the enigma that was Princess Cadence.

Back in the present day, all of the ponies inside the room that held the magic mirror were standing there with their mouths open in a state of pure shock. They had just seen Princess Celestia explode at Rainbow Dash. Princess Celestia, the seemingly perfect ruler of Equestria for over a millennia. An alicorn that many of them saw a perfect god-like figure. Celestia never showed any signs of weakness to her subjects, her always looking like the strong impenetrable ruler that Equestria needed. Even Luna and Cadence rather saw her in any other emotion other than calm. And almost never in anger, or in this case pure rage.

Out of all the ponies present, the one that was most surprised was Celestia own sister Princess Luna. Luna, unlike the rest, had seen Celestia when she was angry. But had never seen her blow her top at somepony, yet alone one of her subjects. Even when Luna had turned into Nightmare Moon, Celestia wasn't angry at her. The only thing that she saw Celestia direct at her during her darkest hour was if anything pity, never anger.

Celestia snorted as she turned to leave the room. "I grow tired of this. I'll be in my quarters if you need me." Celestia said as she

"Tia..." Luna tried to stop her sister. Luna's words coming to a stop with Celestia white hoof.

"Don't Luna, just don't." Celestia said quietly to her younger sister.

"What the buck just happened?" Applejack thought out loud as she comforted the crying Rainbow Dash.

"I don't know, dear Applejack. But I do intend to find out." Luna said as she exited the room calling after her sister.

It didn't take long for Sunset to trot from the kitchen that was located in the lower levels of the castle and across the large castle and to the throne room. Sunset arriving that large double doors that marked the entrance to the throne room with still a few minutes to spare. There was a single royal guard standing in front of the door.

A guard with brilight orange coat stood in front of the throne room. The guard looking like his mane was made of fire. The guard being one of the commanders of the royal guard and having been the personal guard for Princess Celestia for longer than Sunset had been alive.

"Another lesson with the Princess, Miss Shimmer?" The guard asked Sunset.

"Yeah." Sunset said quietly as she continued to stare at the large doors that were in front of her.

"Nervous little one?" The guard asked Sunset as he saw her nervously kick her front hooves into the carpet of the long hallway that led to the throne room.

"A little bit, this is my first lesson in teleporting." Sunset said to the guard.

"I see, well good luck to you during your lesson." The guard said to Sunset with a warm smile on his muzzle.

"Thanks." Sunset said with a sigh.

Sunset brought in a deep breath as she ignited her horn and opened the doors to the throne room. Sunset entered the room to find Celestia sitting on her throne reading some papers. Celestia's reading coming to a stop when she noticed Sunset entering the room.

"Sunset! So good to see you again, please come closer." Celestia said to Sunset rising to her hooves.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything, Princess." Sunset said, her still not used to referring to Celestia by her title and not 'mom' or 'mommy'.

"Of course not Sunset, just getting some paperwork done before our lesson. Nothing is more important than your greatest magical challenge to date." Celestia said to Sunset as she stepped down from her golden throne.

"Of course, Princess!" Sunset squealed in delight as she clopped her forehooves together.

"Excellent, now get yourself ready. We are going straight to the manticore of training today, so to speak." Celestia said with a warm smile. Celestia's words getting an amused giggle out of Sunset. Her mother always used the strangest analogies.

"Alrighty Princess!" Sunset exclaimed as she took her saddlebag off her back with her magic and set it out the floor of the throne and did her usual stretches before doing advanced magic. Celestia smile only getting larger as Sunset continued to refer to her by Princess rather than any maternal pronouns. She still didn't call her by her first name, but it was filly-steps in the right direction.

After Sunset finished her stretching she stood in the center of the room and waited for Celestia's next instructions. "So what next?" Sunset asked Celestia eagerly awaiting the beginning of her next lesson.

"I believe that it would be best to start out with a simple spell to warm up that beautiful horn of yours." Celestia said to Sunset, the amber-colored filly's muzzle beginning to turn pink with a blush. "Just do a simple spell to warm your horn. Like an ice spell for example." Celestia said to Sunset, her student nodding in agreement.

Sunset was an expert at most spells, but ice spells were ones that she struggled with more than most to master, maybe some cruel irony that the world wanted to play on her given her name and who her mother was. Sunset was much better at spells that had something to do fire. But Celestia wanted an ice spell and she had learned quickly that if Celestia suggests you to do something she is really ordering you to do it, she's just not being an ass about. And it's not cursing if you are referring to an actual ass.

Sunset followed her teacher's instructions and her horn lit up with her teal magic and her left hoof was wrapped in her magical aura. Sunset closed her eyes and began to feel her left hoof that she was holding up get colder. Sunset slowly opened her left eye to see that a small ball of white snow had formed in her hoof.

"Good, keep going Sunset. You're doing perfectly." Celestia encouraged Sunset.

Sunset didn't respond as talking would break her concentration the ball being extra difficult to maintain as it was currently the middle of June and it was currently ninety degrees outside and she had to make sure that snow didn't melt and to replace any that did. Sunset would've been sweating through her coat if it wasn't for the castle's magical air conditioning along with its own natural conditioning, AC that only lowered the temperature inside the castle to around seventy degrees.

"Perfect, I believe that would be a perfect warm up for what I am going to teach you today." Celestia said as Sunset expertly handled the snowball that was in her hoof. Sunset let out a sigh of relief at Celestia's words and her magic left the snowball. The

"Th-thank you, Princess." Sunset said to Celestia breathing heavily, Sunset just then realizing that she hadn't been breathing during her 'warm-up', something that Celestia told her multiple times not to do.

"Alright, now that you have warmed up your horn yet's start with the easiest form of teleportation and move up from there." Celestia said to Sunset.

"Ok, what's that?" Sunset asked Celestia.

Instead of answering, Celestia's horn glowed with her golden magic and she disappeared in a flash of blindly gold magic and appeared further down the long hallway that made up the throne room a few seconds later.

"Teleporting ten feet." Celestia said as she teleported back to Sunset's side.

"Ok, how do we began?" Sunset asked Celestia.

"Alright, now just concrete on a location that you want to teleport to."

"Anywhere?" Sunset questioned as she lit her horn again with her teal magic.

"As this is your first teleport, I recommend something easy. Like there." Celestia said pointing a corner of the throne room that was about ten feet from where Sunset was currently standing.

"Ok." Sunset said as she looked at where her teacher was pointing. Sunset's horn

"Now, make sure that you have a perfect mental image as to where you will be teleporting. Even a single thing being wrong could completely strange where you end if you end up in one piece at all." Celestia said as Sunset continued her spell.

"Good thing I have a photographic memory." Sunset thought as she closed her eyes and focused on the corner of the throne room. Sunset painting a perfect replica of the corner in her mind.

"Now be careful, one drop in concentration and you could end up somewhere that you had never wanted or different parts of your body can end up in different places.

"Hmm hmm." Sunset hummed as her horn glowed bright teal with magical energy.

"Now, cast a simple location spell on where you are focusing on." Celestia said to Sunset.

Sunset did as Celestia commanded and her the exact location of the corner of the throne room.

"Do you see the exact coordinates of where you want to go?" Celestia asked Sunset, making sure that her question wouldn't break Sunset's concentration.

Sunset didn't respond verbally but she did nod her head at her teacher's question.

"Come find me." Sunset heard a voice that she hadn't heard before say in her mind.

"What?" Sunset thought out loud, her mind changing to the voice inside her head. Sunset not noticing that her change in focus also changed the location to where she was teleporting to. Her focusing on the location of the pony in question instead of the corner of the throne room.

"Sunset what's going on?" Celestia asked her student with concern in her voice.

Sunset didn't answer instead her horn only glowed brighter as she performed a more advanced version of teleportation. Sunset's horn glowed so brightly at Celestia had to cover her eyes with her white hoof to stop herself from going blind.

Sunset was concreting so much and her eyes were closed so hard that her eyes began to water as she continued with her spell. Sunset let out a high pitched scream as her horn hummed with magical energy. Her scream was then followed by a loud popping sound. Almost as if somepony had opened a bottle of champagne. And then nothing.

Celestia removed her hoof from her muzzle and her eyes grew to the size of dinner plates.

"Sunset!" Celestia exclaimed as she could no longer see her daughter. A scorch mark in the shape of Sunset's cutie mark, where she had been standing. Sunset shouldn't have been able to complete long distance teleportation yet, the big question was where had Sunset ended up.

"No, NO, NO!" Celestia shouted as she fanatically searched the room for her daughter.

"Guards!" Celestia shouted at the top of her lungs and the royal guard that had been standing just outside the room rushed into the room. His golden spear being held in his green magic.

"Yes your highness, what happened? Is there an intruder? Are you alright?" The guard asked Celestia quickly his green eyes scanning the room for any noticeable threats to the Princess.

"No, I'm fine." Celestia said to the guard, him relaxing and returning his golden spear to a holster that was on his right side. "My student, on the over hoof, is a different matter entirely." Celestia said to the guard, his green eyes widening at her words.

"Sunset! What happened to her, Celestia!?" The guard asked Celestia dropping all previous formalities. "Tell me!" The guard pleaded with Celestia his green eyes beginning to water.

"I don't know. I was teaching her the basics of teleportation and... and..." Celestia said quickly and breathing heavily. Her hind legs buckling as she continued to hyperventilate.

"Celestia calm down." The guard said rushing to Celestia side. Him placing a reassuring hoof on Celestia's shoulder. Celestia's breathing returning to normal from the guard's mere touch. "Now, tell me what happened." The guard said to Celestia as he began to run his hoof through Celestia's flowing mane.

"I-I was teaching Sunset the basics of teleportation and everything seemed to be going perfectly fine and then..." Celestia began to say, her stopping mid-sentence unable to continue.

"And?" The guard urged Celestia to continue.

"And then I lost her!" Celestia cried out her pink eyes beginning to swell up with tears. "She was gone, she disappeared, and she didn't reappear where I had told her to." Celestia said as her breathing began to heighten again. Her falling silent for a few moments before speaking again.

"Sunbeam, just find my Sunset, I can't lose her." Celestia pleaded with the guard. "I have already lost too much of my family." Celestia said as she stared directly into the green eyes of the guard that was in front of her.

"Don't worry Tia, we're going to find her." Sunbeam said to Celestia as he wrapped his hooves around her in a tight hug. "She probably just teleported herself to another part the castle by mistake." Sunbeam said to Celestia pulling out of the hug. A half a dozen more royal guards arriving in the throne room. The throne room beginning to feel smaller with each passing second.

"You called Princess." One of the guards said as they all stood at action near the rear of the room.

"Are you alright, Princess?" One of the guards, a young white unicorn stallion with a two-tone blue mane and a cutie mark that was a dark blue shield with a magenta star on it.

"I-I'm fine. Commander Sunbeam, explain the situation." Celestia said while still sitting on the ground.

"Of course, your highness." Sunbeam said returning to his role as the leader of the royal guard.

"The personal student of Princess Celestia, Sunset Shimmer has gone missing." Sunbeam said to the other guards, the six guards all sharing a concerning look.

"Permission to speak freely, Commander Sunbeam?" One of the guards asked, him an orange pegasus with a dark blue mane, asked his commanding officer. Commander Sunbeam nodding his head in response. "How is did Miss Shimmer go missing exactly?" The pegasus guard asked Sunbeam.

"A mishap during a teleportation spell. The exact of which is currently unknown." Sunbeam said sending a quick look Celestia's way. The other guards shared another concerned look and mumbled a few things underneath their breath. Sunbeam would've under other circumstances slammed his men for speaking out of term, but this wasn't normal circumstances and he needed all of his men to be on the same page.

It was silent, outside of a few whispers along the royal guards, until the young white unicorn guard stepped forward.

"What are our orders, Commander?" The white unicorn guard asked Sunbeam.

"Your orders are to the entire castle and the surrounding areas for the lost Sunset Shimmer." Sunbeam ordered at his men. "Privates Shining Armor and Lightspeed, I want the both of you to search the West Wing of the castle. The young student's living quarters are located in that section of the castle and is the most likely place she would end up in." Sunbeam said to the white unicorn that happened to the older brother of Twilight Sparkle and a white pegasus guard with a spiky black mane. Them both giving a single head nod and saluting their C.O.

"Corporal Warhammer and Private Red Wing, you search the left wing of the castle." Sunbeam ordered at two pegasus guards, one blue and the other red. Them both nodding in unison at their orders.

"Sergeant Broadsword and Private Silver Bullet you search the surrounding areas of the castle. Miss Shimmer could've teleported herself anywhere, and we have to search every possible location for the missing filly." Sunbeam ordered an older tan unicorn with brown hair and a large mustache and a light gray guard that was also a unicorn with a two tone mane of blue streaks of slightly different colors. The two guards both

"Do you all understand your orders?" Sunbeam asked his men.

"Yes, sir!" The half a dozen guard in question all said in unison saluting their commander.

"Make sure that your search isn't too obvious. I don't want to cause an unnecessary panic among the populous." Celestia said as she returned to hooves, she still needed to look like the seemingly perfect ruler of Equestria. Even if she was on the verge of a mental breakdown.

"Did you hear that, men?" Sunbeam said to the other guards under his command.

"Yes, sir!" They all said in unison giving a salute to their commanding officer and their Princess.

"Very well, you have your orders, now execute them." Sunbeam ordered at his men.

"Yes, sir!" They all said as they all broke off into three, two stallion crews to search the castle and its surrounding areas.

"Aren't you going to go with them?" Celestia asked Sunbeam as the double doors of the throne room closed with a loud slam.

"No." Sunbeam said as he looked Celestia directly in the eyes.

"You aren't, why?" Celestia asked Sunbeam genuinely shocked.

"Because I am needed elsewhere." Sunbeam said to Celestia, the white alicorn's muzzle turning slightly pink in a blush.

"Sunbeam, I'm flattered but happened between can never happen again. Not that I miss us.

"I don't care Tia and I'm not trying to get back with you. I just don't you to go down the same dark path that took your sister all those years ago." Sunbeam said to Celestia and her raged spiked.

"I will never be like my sister. I will never hurt my family for selfish reasons!" Celestia shouted but Sunbeam remained unfazed.

"Are you sure about that Celestia?" Sunbeam asked Celestia.

"Sunbeam, just find my daughter." Celestia said frustrated.

"Tia, please." Sunbeam pleaded with Celestia.

"That's an order!" Celestia shouted at Sunbeam. She didn't want to play the 'Princess card' but she just wanted

Sunbeam let out a defeated sigh as he spoke. "As you wish." Sunbeam said in defeat as he slowly trotted away.

Celestia watched the commander slowly leave the throne room, the sounds of the doors opening and closing again thundering throughout the large room. Celestia let out a heavy sigh as she said. "Oh, Sunset. What have I done."

Sunset landed in her new location with a heavy thud as she landed hard in a pile of some kind gray dirt that Sunset had never come across before. Her first reentering not being the best.

"Ugh, oh!" Sunset exclaimed as she slowly returned to her hooves, her spitting some of the gray dirt out of her mouth. Sunset finding it slightly easier to raise her body off of the ground.

"Where am I?" Sunset thought out loud as she examined the soil in her hoof. Small drops of soil falling out of her hoof and slowly falling toward the ground. That was when something in the corner of her eye caught her attention.

Sunset slowly turned her head to see a large green and blue ball that took up most of the black void that completely surrounded her. It didn't take her long to realize that she was staring at was her home. Her very own planet, she wasn't in Equestria anymore. Tartarus, she wasn't even on the same planet anymore.

"I-I'm on the moon!" Sunset exclaimed as she stared at the large green and blue planet that was directly in front of her.

"Huh! Impressive little one. You're even more powerful than I had originally thought." Sunset heard somepony say from behind her. Sunset flinched at the sounds behind her.

Sunset slowly turned her head toe what it was behind her and she took a single step backward at what she saw. Behind her was a tall black alicorn with a flowing dark blue mane that looked the night sky. She had slit teal eyes that reminded Sunset of a dragon's. Her having bright blue armor over her black body. The armor covering her hooves, chest, and head with a blue helmet that her long black horn poked out of. The chest plate of the armor having a large crescent moon in the middle. The black alicorn's cutie mark being a crescent moon over a large purple spot.

"Who-who are you?" Sunset asked the black alicorn taking another step backward in fright.

"You have no need to fear me little one. You probably know me better from this form." The black alicorn said as her black body erupted in green flames. The black alicorn's appearance burning away and being replaced by an alicorn version of Sunset. Her armor remained but was now red and had a blackened sun in the chest piece replacing the crescent moon.

"Nightmare?" Sunset said as she recognized the alicorn version of herself.

"Yes." Nightmare said as she returned to her original form.

"How did I get here, or is this just some really strange dream?" Sunset asked herself out loud as she stared at the green and blue planet that was in front of her. Sunset sitting on her haunches and just stared at the large planet that was in front of her. Sunset getting a sight that very few ponies had ever seen.

Nightmare Moon smiled devilishly to herself at Sunset's words. "This is going to be too easy." Nightmare Moon thought as trotted over toward Sunset and took a seat next to Sunset.

"Sure, a dream. A very powerful dream." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset.

"What happened, how did I end up here?" Sunset asked Nightmare.

"You must have just pushed yourself past your limits with your last spell and passed out. Don't worry little one, I'm sure that you are just sleeping in your bed recovering right now." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset.

"I see. So what now?" Sunset asked Nightmare.

"I heard that you are being taught magic by Princess Celestia as her personal protege." Nightmare Moon said down to Sunset

"Really, how would you know that?" Sunset asked Nightmare.

"I know of many things little one." Nightmare Moon said as she tapped her chin in mocked thought. "Things that might just include some... magic." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset, her getting an expected spike of interest from the amber filly. Nightmare Moon could stop herself from smirking as she saw Sunset's small ears perked up at her words.

"Calm yourself Moony, you don't have her just yet." Nightmare Moon to herself as she continued to reel Sunset in.

"You know about magic!" Sunset exclaimed as she jumped up and down in excitement. Nightmare let a genuine smile spread across her face as she watched the amber filly slow rise and fall in the lowered gravity of the moon. That was when Nightmare did a mental check as she felt the presence of something that she had thought she buried centuries before.

"No! Not Adorable! Disgusting!" Nightmare Moon shouted internally as she silenced the last remnants of her host. The fallen Princess of the Night of Equestria, Luna. She wasn't going to ruin all of the work that she did so easily.

"Why yes, little and I can teach many things." Nightmare Moon said as her pitch black horn ignited with her teal magic that reminded Sunset of her own. Nightmare Moon's horn than charged up and in a puff of blindly light she had teleported to the right side of Sunset. Her laying down right next to her.

"Y-you can teleport?" Sunset asked Nightmare whipping her head around to the black alicorn to her right side.

"Why yes, and that's not all, my dear." Nightmare Moon said as her magic began to charge up again. "I can teach you many things about magic, even some spells that your actual teacher Princess Celestia would deem not natural." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset, her almost spitting out the name of her rival.

A happy smile spread across Sunset's face for a few seconds before it disappeared as an unknown thought came to Sunset's mind. "I appreciate the thought, but I going to have to decline. I already have a great teacher that most other unicorns would kill to have as theirs. Plus is just a dream right." Sunset said to Nightmare.

"Hmm... this might be a little more different than I had originally thought, but no matter. That Princess Luna was a hard nut to crack but still cracked nonetheless. No pony can resist the power of the darkness." Nightmare Moon thought as she changed tactics.

"I understand Sunset, but please if take this from me as a gift, free of charge." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset with fake humidity. Nightmare Moon conquering a strange hardcover book that Sunset didn't recognize but knew that Celestia wouldn't approve of her having.

The book was an old hardcover spellbook that looked to be that's cover show a black alicorn that reminded Sunset of Nightmare. The black alicorn had six strange gemstones with all different colors. Sunset first thought that the gems were the fame Elements of Harmony. But they were different. They were different colors and gave her a vide of evil that she just couldn't logically explain. The book must have had at least seven hundred pages in length based on its sheer size.

"I hope you can read ancient alicorn." Nightmare Moon said as she presented the book to the amber filly.

"Yeah, my m..." Sunset began to say, catching herself midsentence before she could reveal any important information. Information that Nightmare already knew, but Sunset didn't know that. "I mean Celestia thought me it when I was younger.

"Perfect, now take this book as a simple parting gift from me to you." Nightmare Moon said as she gave the large book to Sunset. Sunset examined the strange book in her magic.

"Thanks, but if this is a dream how will be able to read it when I wake up?" Sunset asked Nightmare.

"You'd be surprised what you can find if you just believe enough." Nightmare Moon said down to Sunset as she used her magic to summon a portal behind Sunset.

"What's that?" Sunset asked Nightmare Moon as she stared at the teal vortex that was behind her.

"That is a portal my dear, a portal that will take you back to the waking world." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset telling her a half truth.

"Can't you come with me?" Sunset asked Nightmare as she slowly trotted toward the portal.

"So many questions, a little surprising that you haven't seen through my facade yet. Or figure out my true identity yet for that matter." Nightmare Moon thought as she made up a believe lie for her banishment. Stupid Elements of Harmony, but she would return soon and she would need some support back home for her plan to be successful.

"I'm afraid not my pet. This is your dream and you must leave it alone. But don't worry I am sure that will see each other again soon." Nightmare Moon said, her words seeming to work on Sunset as she gave her a single head nod in response.

Sunset then trotted through the portal and returned to Equestria. The portal closing shortly afterward.

"Yes, I can guarantee that we will see each again." Nightmare Moon said as she jumped into a fit of maniacal laughter. The first part of her plan to turn Celestia's own daughter against as revenge for banishing her to the moon over a millennium ago having entered its first stages.

The Black Book (Sunset's Backstory)

The Black Book (Sunset's Backstory)

Sunset exited the portal and found herself stepping out the mirror that was in her room. Sunset wobbled in place as her hooves made contact with the carpet of her room. This was Sunset's first time going through a portal, and the sensation was strange, to say the least.

"Wow!" Sunset exclaimed as she nearly fell on her face from the strange feeling of walking through the portal. "That was weird." Sunset said as she turned her head around just in time to see the portal that took her back home close behind her.

Sunset looked down at the old book that she held in her magic. The book was covered in some of the dust from the moon and Sunset blew it off to get a better look at it. "Hmm... what's so special about this book?" Sunset said as she examined the book in her magic. The book looking like any other old spellbook that Celestia had given her for studying.

When Sunset was done examining the book, it only being slightly different in weight from when she was on the moon. She returned it to its cover and stared at it. The black alicorn that reminded her of Nightmare staring right back at her. Sunset's teal eyes falling on the title of the book. Like Nightmare had told her the title was written in the ancient alicorn language. A language that many ponies considered be a dead language as only the Princess and some scholars were still fluent in it.

"Lux autem Tenebris." Sunset read the title of the book, her ancient alicorn was perfect but she was able to understand what the title meant and it didn't make sense to her.

"The Light of Darkness." Sunset said as she translated the book's title. "What does that mean?" Sunset said as trotted over toward her bed and laid down on it. The book being placed on near her front hooves.

Sunset continued to stare at the book, her contemplating opening and reading the book. The book gave off a dark vide that Sunset couldn't understand. Then a thought came to Sunset's mind.

"Why am I scared. This is all just a dream right." Sunset thought as she waved off her previous fears. Sunset's horn ignited with her teal magic and she wrapped it around the cover page of her newest spell book. The cover slowly opened and Sunset's muzzle was engulfed by a giant puff of a tan powder.

Sunset coughed as she cleared the smoke from her head with her left hoof. "cough... cough... cough... Dusty!" Sunset said waved away all of the dust from her muzzle. Sunset was then hit with a massive dose of fatigue as her eyes began to droop. "Oh, I'm tired all of sudden." Sunset said as she let out a yawn. "Can you even be sleeping a dream..." Sunset mumbled as she slowly succumbed to effects of the powder that was released by the book. The powder being made from the seeds of the poppy flower.

Nightmare Moon's image returned to the magical mirror that was behind Sunset and she watching her hoof work with glee.

"Yes, sleep my pet. You have had a long day and I want to make sure that you are at your best before I begin to turn you against your own mother." Nightmare Moon said from the magical mirror that was behind Sunset. The black alicorn laughing letting out another fit of laughter as the spell book that she gave Sunset magically disappeared from Sunset's bed. Nightmare Moon soon removed her presence from the mirror, leaving the amber unicorn sleeping in her own bed. Nightmare Moon not doubting that when she awoke that she would truly believe that happened between the two of them was nothing than a dream. At least until the time was right for her to think otherwise.

Back in the present day of the Crystal Empire, Celestia was currently trotting through the halls of the castle. Her actions of the last five minutes playing over and over again her mind. She wasn't proud of what she did to Rainbow Dash, but she didn't regret her actions. Rainbow was out of line and she needed somepony to put her in her place. At least that's what she continued to internally say to herself as she slowly trotted back toward her living quarters in the castle.

Celestia really just some time to herself.

"Tia, I need to talk to you!" Celestia heard her little sister call after her. Celestia movements came to a stop as she let out a heavy sigh. She turned her head just enough to see her younger sister of the corner of her right eye and spoke to her.

"Luna, I know you are just trying to help, but I am not in the mood for a lecture from you. I know what I did to Miss Dash was wrong, but it needed to be said." Celestia said back to Luna, her beginning to slowly trot toward her living quarters again.

"I'm not here to lecture you Celestia, and even if I was. My words wouldn't be worth anything as I probably would've done the same thing given the circumstances." Luna said to Celestia as she quickly trotted up to her side. "I probably would've even gone further than you did." Luna thought as she followed her older sister.

"Don't flatter me, Luna. I know what I did was wrong, but I don't regret it in the slightest." Celestia said as she took a left down the hall that led to her living quarters.

"Celestia, I'm trying to flatter you." Luna tried to speak with her sister, but Celestia wasn't in the mood.

Celestia ignored Luna's words and she continued walking. Her passing the guard that was posted in front of her room. Celestia didn't as much as acknowledge the guard's existence. Something that he had gotten used to over the many years.

"Celestia please don't push me away, don't do what I did to you all those years ago." Luna called out to her sister as she began to open the door to her room with her golden magic.

"Luna, I appreciate what you are doing, but I just need to be alone right now. I hope you understand." Celestia said back to Luna as she entered her room and closed the door behind her. Luna just stood in front the door for a few seconds before she let out a sigh and turned to speak to the guard that was stationed just outside her sister's room.

"Guard." Luna said to the guard that was stationed at her sister's room.

"Yes, your highness." The guard said to Luna in his usual military way. The guard was the same commander that had been Celestia's personal bodyguard for the last two and a half decades. His orange coat had paled over the years and it made him look more like a walking orange creme popsicle. His mane of was still burning as bright as ever, aside from a few sneaks of graying hair.

"I want you to watch after my sister, I worry that she could do something drastic." Luna said to the guard.

"You don't have to order me to watch after the Princess, your highness." Commander Sunbeam said to Luna. Sunbeam then took a quick look at the closed door before returning to the blue alicorn. "I'm been doing just that for the last two decades without a single complaint." Sunbeam said to Luna.

"Excellent, then resume your post soldier." Luna said to the commander.

"Of course, your highness." Sunbeam said to Luna.

"Damnit Celestia." Sunbeam groaned as he turned to knock on the door to the Princess' room.

"Leave me alone, Luna!" Celestia shouted at the closed door, her incorrectly assuming it be her sister.

"It's me, Tia." Sunbeam said softly. Celestia muscles loosened and her snarl left her face.

"Oh..." Celestia said as she took a quick look at the full body mirror was in her room to her direct right. Celestia quickly fixed her frazzled mane the best that she could and then continued speaking to Sunbeam. "Please, come in." Celestia said to Sunbeam and the doorknob was encased in the commander's green magic and the door slowly began to open. Sunbeam entered the room and quickly closed the door behind him, locking it.

Sunbeam stood in front of for a few moments in silence. Neither of them looked at each other directly. Celestia looking at her hoof while Sunbeam made it look like he was scanning the for potential threats to the Princess well-being. You could cut the awkwardness in the room with a knife if wanted to. The awkward silence continued until Celestia falling broke by speaking to Sunbeam.

"What is that you want, Sunbeam?" Celestia asked the commander, her not even able to look him directly

"Your sister has ordered me to watch over you for the time being." Sunbeam said to Celestia in his usual guard way.

"You didn't answer my question." Celestia said seeing right through the commander's bullshit.

Sunbeam let out a sigh before he spoke. "Is it true?" Sunbeam asked Celestia.

"Is what true?" Celestia asked playing dumb. She knew what, or who to be more accurate, he was talking about but she had already yelled at one of her subjects that day. She didn't want to get into another argument.

"You know what I'm talking about." Sunbeam said to Celestia, the white alicorn gaze falling even away from him now. "Did... she really come back?" Sunbeam asked Celestia quietly.

Celestia still couldn't look at Sunbeam, she was too ashamed. It was her fault that Sunset had left in the first place. Maybe if she was a better teacher, maybe if she was better at protecting her from the darkness of the world, maybe if she wasn't scared of what would've happened if other found out of her having a child in the first place. Maybe, just maybe. She may never know.

Celestia's brain continued to run through her regrets of being a terrible mother before she finally silenced them and spoke to Sunbeam.

"Yes, the rumors around the castle are true. Sunset did come back." Celestia said to Sunbeam, the orange guard's eyes lighting up with hope.

"Where is she?" Sunbeam asked Celestia, hopeful that he would be able to see the amber unicorn for the first time in almost fifteen years. His hoped being dashed when Celestia spoke again.

"I don't know, she went right back through the portal that she fled through in the first place." Celestia said laying eyes on Sunbeam for the first time.

"Oh, I see." Sunbeam sighed. "Why did she come back?" Sunbeam asked Celestia, another rumor that had been going around the castle coming to his mind.

"Is it also true that she stole the crown of the newest Princess of Equestria?" Sunbeam asked Celestia.

"Yes, yes it is." Celestia said with a single head nod. "Princess Twilight, along with King Zulu, and the Alpha's apprentice Theta went through the portal to find Sunset and return the Element of Harmony back to Equestria." Celestia explained to Sunbeam. "And hopefully bring Sunset back with them." Celestia thought as finished her last statement.

"King Zulu?" Sunbeam asked Celestia, him not familiar with the name. Sunbeam despite still being technically the rank of a commander he hadn't been in command of the royal guard for several years. Him giving that command over to Shining Armor about five years earlier.

"Yes, he is the newly crown king of the Changeling Kingdom." Celestia said to Sunbeam, his green eyes widening at her words.

"Changeling!?" Sunbeam exclaimed.

"Relax, Sunbeam. Zulu can be trusted. As strange as it may sound he is the one that originally warned us of the return of Omega and even assisted during the Destruction of Canterlot." Celestia said to Sunbeam, the armored unicorn calming down a little bit.

"Ok, have they any of them returned yet?" Sunbeam asked Celestia.

"No, but they still have a full day before the portal closes again and won't reopen for another month." Celestia said to Sunbeam.

"Is there anything else?" Sunbeam asked Celestia, hoping to get any more information about the current situation of Sunset Shimmer.

"No, nothing at all." Celestia said in defeat, but Sunbeam wasn't convinced.

"Are you hiding something from me, Celestia?" Sunbeam accused Celestia, his words taking the white alicorn off guard.

"What?" Celestia asked puzzled.

"You heard me, Tia. Are you hiding anything from me?" Sunbeam pressed.

"I am not hiding anything from you Sunbeam. I know nothing about what is happening through that portal. And if I did know anything more I would tell you, but I just don't." Celestia said to Sunbeam.

"I believe that I have the exact same right to know what happens to Sunset that you do Celestia!" Sunbeam shouted at Celestia, him being the only guard that had the balls (or the insanity) to argue with Celestia.

"Why would you have any right to know about my Sunset!?" Celestia shouted back at Sunbeam.

"Because she's my daughter too Celestia!" Sunbeam shouted back and Celestia fell silent. "Or have forgotten that small little detail about our Sunset too!" Sunbeam continued to shout.

Celestia felt the corners of her eyes beginning to water. Of course, she remembered that Sunbeam was Sunset's father. How could she forget something like that?

"I'm sorry Sunbeam." Celestia began to apologize to Sunbeam, only for him to cut her off.

"Save it, Celestia. You weren't the only one that lost a part of them when you decided to abandon Sunset." Sunbeam said as he turned to leave the room. Sunbeam's movements stopped and turned his head to face Celestia.

"Did you ever love me, Celestia?" Sunbeam asked Celestia and she continued even look at the armored stallion anymore.

"Do I have to answer?" Celestia asked as she recalled the moments that the two shared.

"Yes." Sunbeam said bluntly.

"Maybe, all those years ago." Celestia said quietly as her memories of spending time with Sunbeam all those years ago. Celestia had a few relationships before Sunbeam, all of them in secret, of course. But Sunbeam was really the only one that she missed once it was over.

"Maybe before Sunset was born and everything changed." Celestia continued the memory of Sunset's secret birth flashing before her eyes. Celestia remembering that she was more thankful at the time that Sunset wasn't born an alicorn than that she had just given birth to a beautiful amber-colored filly.

"Maybe even when Sunset was just a filly and I had to watch her grow from afar." Celestia said turning her head to face Sunbeam directly. Celestia's pink eyes watering and on the verge of opening the floodgates.

"Maybe even when I lost my Sunset." Celestia continued as she swallowed an invisible apple in her throat.

"Maybe... I still do." Celestia as tears began to flow down her cheek.

"That's enough Celestia, save your pity for someone who still cares." Sunbeam said as he turned around and began to open the door to Celestia's room with his green magic.

"Do you still love me?" Celestia called out to Sunbeam. Sunbeam could hear the desperation in her voice. She was in her worst shape since when Sunset had put herself in self-exile over a decade earlier.

Sunbeam's movements came to a stop and he let out a sigh, his green magic releasing from the door and it closing with a quiet shut.

"I have always loved you, Celestia." Sunbeam said to Celestia without looking at her. Celestia's eyes widened and her ears perked up at his words.

"Maybe not romantically after all of these years, but I would still be the first one to take an arrow for you." Sunbeam said as his green magic wrapped around the doorknob and he began to open the door. The candlelight from the hallway shining into the dark bedroom.

"All of my guards would take an arrow for me." Celestia said to Sunbeam

"Yes, but they would do it because they'd have to. I would take an arrow for you because I would want to." Sunbeam said as left the room, his words leaving Celestia completely speechless.

Back in the past, Celestia had been nervously pacing the throne room for the last half an hour or so. It might have been a few minutes, it might have been a half an hour, it might have been several hours. Celestia didn't care, time had seemed to stop for her. Sunbeam had at least made sure that he made one of staff of the castle to watch over the princess as he and his men search the castle for the missing Sunset Shimmer.

"Are you sure that you are alright, your highness." The staff member that Sunbeam had watch over the Princess asked Celestia. The staff member being the newest guard of the royal guard. Her being a light gray, almost silver, unicorn mare that had a dark blue mane that also had light blue highlights. Her going by the name of Silver Bullet.

"I'm fine." Celestia said to Silver Bullet quickly as she continued to pace up and down the throne room.

"Are you sure? You seem on edge." Silver asked Celestia, the white alicorn's movements coming to a halt and her sending a glare that could cut marble Silver Bullet's way. Silver Bullet taking a cautionary step backward.

"I have just lost my prized student, and I have no idea if she is safe. I think that I have the right to be 'on edge'." Celestia said to Silver Bullet as she continued to pace up and down the throne room.

"I understand that Princess but don't you think that it would be far more effective if you were helping search for your student?" Silver Bullet asked, the white alicorn's pacing coming to a halt and her letting out a heavy sigh.

"Perhaps, but I don't think I could ever forgive myself if I was the one that found my little Sunset hurt... or worse." Celestia said to Silver Bullet.

"You must really care for this Sunset Shimmer." Silver Bullet said to Celestia, trotting over to the white alicorn's side.

"Of course, I care about Sunset. She is my student after all." Celestia said to Silver Bullet as she took a seat on her haunches. The mid-day sunlight shining straight through her flowing mane.

"I know, but you sound more like a mother being worried about her lost foal than a teacher being worried about a lost student." Silver Bullet said to Celestia, the white alicorn's muscles tensing up at Silver Bullet's choice of words. Celestia couldn't tell if Silver Bullet knew of her true relationship with Sunset, she made sure of it that not that many knew of it, and patronizing her. Or if Silver Bullet was just being a worried member of her royal guard that had a cruel sense of irony.

Celestia took her time before responding to Silver Bullet, she needed to make sure that she didn't say anything that could compromise her secret. There were a few moments of awkward silence until Celestia finally spoke.

"I can see why would think that. I have practically raised Sunset since she has become my student. So you could say that I could've put some motherly instincts onto Sunset." Celestia said with a slight pause. "Do you have any foals of your own?" Celestia asked Silver Bullet.

"No, I don't have any of my own. But, I did spend a good amount my teenage years as a babysitter so I know what it feels like when you lose a child that you are looking after." Silver Bullet said and Celestia couldn't stop a small giggle from coming from her lips.

"I'm sure that Sunset is perfectly fine, Princess." Silver Bullet said placing a reassuring hoof on Celestia's shoulder. Celestia was taken a little off guard by Silver Bullet's actions. Sunbeam was usually the only guard that would touch her without her before hoof permission, but she accepted the gesture nonetheless.

"Thank you, Silver Bullet. You are now reviled from duty." Celestia said to Silver Bullet, taking the young mare a little off guard.

"I have direct orders from Commander Sunbeam himself to watch over you, Princess." Silver Bullet said removing her hoof from Celestia and standing up straight.

"And I am the Princess of Equestria and overrule his original command." Celestia said to Silver Bullet, the young mare still not looking convinced. "Don't worry, I will be alright. I have been through worse situations than this." Celestia said to Silver Bullet, memories of her having to fight her own sister for the fate of Equestria flashing through her head.

"I hope that Sunset Shimmer is alright, Princess." Silver Bullet said to Celestia.

"I do too, Silver Bullet. I do too." Celestia said to Silver Bullet as the doors to the throne room closed. Celestia now being alone again, her brain continuing to think up the worst possibilities of what could've happened to her Sunset.

"Oh Sunset, please be alright." Celestia thought as her guards continued to search the castle for the missing filly.

In the West Wing of the castle, Private Shining Armor, and his partner Private Lightspeed were busy searching that part of the castle for the missing Sunset Shimmer.

"Where do you think Miss Shimmer could be Lightspeed?" Shining Armor asked Lightspeed as the two guards continued to search through the castle. Them being sure not make it look like they were doing nothing more than their normal patrolling.

"Why are you asking me, you're the one that can actually control magic. I'm just a pegasus." Lightspeed said to Shining Armor as the two neared the part of the castle where Sunset's room was located.

"Point taken, but just flatter me on this." Shining Armor said to Lightspeed.

"Fine Shining, I'll make you feel better." Lightspeed said sarcastically as he let out a small sigh. "I'm no expert, but I would guess that if Sunset Shimmer would've teleported anywhere it would probably be the place that she felt the safest." Lightspeed said as the two guards turned down the hallway that led to Sunset's room.

"And what would be?" Shining Armor asked Lightspeed.

"Wow, you are thick." Lightspeed said him completely unaware that in the next fifteen years he would soon be the one taking orders from Shining Armor. "Anyway, I would say that the best place to look would be the young filly's room." Lightspeed said as the two guards reached Sunset's room. "Speaking of which, Shining Armor would you like to be the one to do the honors.

Shining Armor just shook his head as the two guards took positions on both sides of the door. Shining Armor checked the doorknob of the door and found that it locked. Shining than softly knocked on the door with his hoof and spoke. "This is the royal guard, if there is anypony in there please open up."

There was no response.

Shining Armor and Lightspeed shared a look before Shining Armor knocked on the door again, this time being louder than the first. "This is the royal guard, open up or we are breaking this door down." Shining Armor said at a near shout.

There was still no response.

Shining Armor and Lightspeed shared another look and Lightspeed gave his partner an affirmative grunt. "We're coming in!" Shining Armor shouted as he bucked the door open with his hind legs. The door launching open from Shinning Armor's kick. The door hitting a wooden dresser that was next to the doorframe with a loud crash.

Sunset, who was still sleeping on her bed, jumping (literally) to life at the crash.

"What's going on!" Sunset shouted startled, her body jumping to life.

"Our apologies Miss, but you wouldn't happen to be Sunset Shimmer, would you?" Shining Armor asked Sunset.

"Um... yeah, would you two mind telling me what's going on." Sunset said and the two guards shared a look.

"Lightspeed, inform the Princess that we have found Miss Shimmer, you are the pegasus and can get to her faster." Shining Armor said to Lightspeed.

"Copy that." Lightspeed said as he opened his wings and flew out of the room and started flying back toward the throne room to inform Celestia.

"Soldier, please tell me what is happening."

"Don't worry Miss, the Princess has been searching for you ever since you disappeared during your teleportation lesson." Shining Armor explained to Sunset.

"She's... she's been looking for me." Sunset said as itched her forehoof.

"Yes, she looked really worried when I saw her last." Shining Armor said to Sunset.

"She was worried about me?" Sunset asked genuinely surprised that Celestia would actually send her royal guard after her if she went missing.

"Yes, you should've seen her. I have never seen the Princess in a worse state." Shining Armor said to Sunset, the amber filly's eyes widening as he continued.

"She broke her facade for me." Sunset thought as she built up her courage to ask another question to the young guard.

"Did she say anything else about me?" Sunset asked Shining Armor.

"Not that I am aware of. Come with me, Miss. I'm sure that the Princess will be more than happy to see you." Shining Armor said, Sunset's face losing a little bit of its original light.

"Alright, I'll be right behind you." Sunset said as she hopped off her bed.

"Excellent, follow me." Shining Armor said as he began to lead Sunset out of her room.

"Of course... what the." Sunset said as she took a quick gaze at her bed. Her surprised to find that the book that Nightmare had given her had disappeared.

"What is it?" Shining Armor asked Sunset when he noticed that she was following after him.

"What, oh nothing." Sunset said with a shake of her head. "It's nothing, come on the Princess must be going crazy right now." Sunset said as she quickly changed the subject and trotted out of her room.

"Of course, Miss Shimmer." Shining Armor said as he closed the door to Sunset's room behind him with his magenta magic.

The moment the door closed the image of Nightmare Moon reappeared in the magical mirror that was next to Sunset's bed.

"Ha, ha, ha... excellent." Nightmare Moon said with maniacal laughter. "Everything is going according to plan." Nightmare Moon said as her horn ignited with her teal magic. The spellbook that she had given Sunset reappearing on the bed. Some strange and aggressive humming coming from the book as the red eyes of the black alicorn glowing brightly.

"Don't worry, soon you will become more than just something to collect dust with. Soon my little pet will come to learn the true power of darkness.

The book responded to Nightmare Moon's words by making so that all of the gemstones that surrounded the black alicorn glow.

"Yes, soon they will be found, maybe not by me, or even my future puppet. By someone that will unleash their full power, and once they are unleashed nothing will be able to stop them." Nightmare Moon said with a slight pause, a devilish smirk appearing on the pitch black alicorn's muzzle.

"Not even the great Elements of Harmony could stop them." Nightmare Moon finished her thought. The book seeming to accept her words and its aggressive humming to an end.

"This is going to be too easy." Nightmare Moon said as her body disappeared from the mirror in a fit of maniacal laughter. The bright eyes of the black alicorn that was on the cover of the spell book dying down with the six gemstones following shortly after.

The gemstones looking similar to the original form of the Elements of Harmony just being different colors and slightly different shapes while still being arranged in the same manner with five gemstones surrounding a single larger gemstone in the center. The gemstone that was in the middle being a large red rhombus. The gemstone that was directly above it being a slightly smaller red triangle. The gemstone that was to the one in the middle's direct right was a lime-green circle that looked almost like a large green pearl. The gemstone that was to the one in the middle's direct left was an orange four-pointed star. The gemstone that was to the right and below the one in the middle was a black five-pointed star. And lastly, the gemstone that was to the left and below the one in the middle was a brown parallelogram.

All six of the gems glowing simultaneously before burning out and leaving the book alone in a room. The book waiting patiently for its next victim to fall into its trap.

Celestia continued to nervously pace up and down the throne room. She was half way through trotting back up to where her golden throne was when the doors to the throne were opened and an exhausted pegasus guard flew in. Celestia did a quick 180 to see one of the two guards that Sunbeam had assigned to search the West Wing of the castle. The part of the castle that was the most likely place where her daughter would have end up after her teleport mishap. Private Lightspeed, she thought his name was.

Celestia hopes were the first time in the last few hours as the pegasus guard landed.

"Is there any word on the location of Sunset?" Celestia asked the guard the moment that he landed. "Did you find her!?" Celestia demanded the guard to answer.

"Yes, your highness." Lightspeed said to Celestia catching his breath. Lightspeed having his fastest since flight school. "Did you find her!?" Celestia demanded the guard to answer.

"Did you find her!?" Celestia demanded the guard to answer.

"Yes, your highness. Private Shining Armor and I found Miss Shimmer in her room sleeping safe and sound. The overload from her spell must have knocked her out." Lightspeed said to Celestia and her the corners of her pink eyes began to water.

"She's alright! Oh, thank heavens she is alright." Celestia sighed internally at the news that her daughter was alright.

"Where is she now?" Celestia asked Lightspeed.

"Private Shining Armor was with her when I left to inform you of her discovery." Lightspeed said to Celestia.

"I see... take me to her." Celestia said to Lightspeed.

"Of course, your highness." Lightspeed said with an affirmative head nod. '"Follow me." He said as he led Celestia out of the throne room. Lightspeed and Celestia's movements coming to a halt when they both saw Shining Armor turn down the corner that connected to the hallway that the throne room was.

"Private Shining Armor, do you have the package?" Lightspeed asked Shining Armor.

"Yes, she right behind me." Shining Armor said to Lightspeed, looking behind him to see Sunset slowly following behind him. Sunset turning around the corner that led to the hall that the throne room was on. Sunset's eyes being directed straight at the ground and her tail wrapping underneath her belly. Sunset looking like a shameful filly that had just been caught having her hoof in the cookie jar.

Celestia motherly instincts kicked in and she rushed past Lightspeed and Shining Armor and hugged Sunset. Sunset being taken off guard by Celestia's movements and the force of her hug. Celestia being much stronger than she had previously thought.

"Oh, Sunset..." Celestia whimpered as she embraced Sunset in a motherly hug. "I thought I lost you." Celestia as tears began to flow down her cheeks.

"Princess... too tight... I... can't breathe." Sunset grunted through the death hug that was receiving from Celestia.

"Oh sorry!" Celestia said pulling out of the hug while still having her forelegs on Sunset's shoulders. Sunset was about to completely pull out of the hug when the both of their eyes met. Sunset noticing something in Celestia's eyes that she hadn't seen before.

Sunset always thought that she shared no similarities between her mother when it came to their eyes. Sunset's eyes were teal, her mother's eyes were pink. But now it was different. Her mother's eyes weren't filled with the same blank stare that she had perfected to show no emotion. These eyes were different. They were puffy and red from tears, tears that Celestia shed for her. Sunset being able to see some new tears beginning to dry on Celestia's white cheeks. She had truly cared about her like a mother would care for her foal. True Celestia was her mother, but she had never thought that she had seen her any more than teacher cared about her student. But this was different.

It was a good kind of different, a different that Sunset hoped when soon turn into a regular occurrence. Sunset resting her head up against her mother's chest and enjoying the sweet and warm embrace that her mother's body gave her.

Lightspeed and Shining Armor both shared a look as they watched Celestia and Sunset having their moment. Lightspeed than cleared his throat and spoke.

"We'll the two of you some alone time." Lightspeed said catching Celestia's attention.

"Yes, thank you guards. Please inform Commander Sunbeam that Sunset was found perfectly safe." Celestia said to Lightspeed, the two guards both acknowledging their Princess' words with a bow.

"Of course, your highness." Lightspeed said in response, he and Shining Armor trotting off to continue their final patrols for the day.

There were a few moments of silence as Celestia and Sunset continued their tight hug. The silence finally being broken when Sunset spoke.

"Um... Princess." Sunset said to Celestia catching her attention.

"Hmm hmm..." Celestia hummed with a nod of her head.

"I'm sorry for what happened." Sunset said to Celestia, her mother rejecting her words with a shake of her head.

"No, I'm the one that should be sorry. I'm the one that should be apologizing to you." Celestia said to Sunset, her pink eyes feeling with tears again.

"But... I did teleport." Sunset lightly protested.

"Yes, you did, but you don't have any control over you ended up. You could have ended up somewhere else completely." Celestia said to Sunset, flesh tears beginning to flow down her cheeks again. "I can't risk losing you again Sunset, not again." Celestia said through her newly formed tears. Her hug around her daughter tightening.

Sunset was going to protest further, but she just couldn't. Celestia was her Princess, and her teacher, and her own mother. What she said was law and there was no way to change that. Besides the last thing that she wanted to do was bring even more pain to her mother.

"I understand, Princess. Thank you." Sunset said as she fully embraced her mother's hug.

Silence fell upon the two for a few more seconds as Sunset just enjoyed the warming embrace of her mother. A thought coming to her mind as the hug between to two continued.

"Princess?" Sunset said in her mother's embrace.

"Yes, Sunset." Celestia said looking down at her daughter.

"Can I... ask you a question?"

"Sure, anything." Celestia said to Sunset, not sure where her daughter was going with this conversation.

"I know you said that don't want me calling you this." Sunset began to ask, Celestia already knowing what she was about to ask. "But don't you think it would better... at least for now. That I could call you... mommy now?" Sunset asked Celestia.

Celestia would've under normal circumstances immediately shut her down and insist that she refer to her by Celestia, or at the very most Princess. But this wasn't normal circumstances. She had almost lost her daughter physically that day, and she wasn't going to lose her today mentally.

A warm smile spread across Celestia muzzle as she softly spoke to her daughter. "Of course, my little Sunset. You can call me whatever you want." Celestia said as her tight hug around Sunset increased. Her making sure that she didn't hurt her daughter. She was so much stronger than the small filly.

A warm smile spread across Sunset as she tightened her small hooves around her mother. Sunset wanted this to last forever. She

Another round of silence fall upon the two, it wasn't an awkward silence either of them wanted to put to an end. No, it was a peaceful silence. It was a silence that neither of them wanted to end. But life never does what you want it to do and the silence was broken by the voice of a young mare that Sunset didn't recognize.

"Auntie, who's this?" Sunset heard somepony say behind her. She didn't recognize the voice, it sounded similar to Celestia but younger. Sunset estimating her to be in her early to mid-teens. Sunset taking special note of whoever was talking had just called her mother, auntie.

Sunset reluctantly pulled out the hug that her mother was giving her and turned around to see where the words coming from. Sunset eyes falling on a bright pink young mare that looked to in her early to mid-teens that had a tri-tone mane that was split equally purple, magenta, and gold. She had purple eyes and a cutie mark that was a blue crystal heart that was surrounded by two golden brackets. But the part of the pink mare that took the most of Sunset's attention was the fact she had both a horn protruding from her forehead and a pair of feathered wings. She was an alicorn!

"Um... Princess." Sunset said to Celestia, reverting back to calling her mother by her title. Her mother might not be against calling her mom anymore, but she still needed to keep the fact that were related a secret, at least for now. Celestia didn't like seeing her daughter pulling away from her, but she knew that it was a necessary evil.

"Who's this?" Sunset asked Celestia pointing at the pink alicorn that was in front of her.

"This is..." Celestia began to answer her pausing as she saw the confusion in eyes of both her daughter's and her adoptive niece's eyes.

"Why did today have to be when Cadence was scheduled to visit?" Celestia internally cursed her poor planning. Cadence was actually scheduled to arrive the next day but Cadence was known to appearing before she was actually supposed to arrive.

"This is Princess Cadence." Celestia finally answered. Sunset's teal eyes widening as she whipped her head around to look directly at the pink alicorn. Her remembering the name when she talked to Suger Belle earlier that day.

"Princess!" Sunset all but shouted her eyes about ready to pop out of her skull. Sunset than dropping into a snarl as she stared the pink alicorn down. Her already marking the pink alicorn as a rival. Cadence being the tipping point to her falling into the darkness. She just needed the right push in order to fall head first into the loving embrace of the black void.

Blood is Thicker than Water? (Sunset's Backstory)

Blood is Thicker than Water? (Sunset's Backstory)

"Um... hello." Cadence addressed Sunset with a wave of one of her forehooves. Sunset didn't say anything, her only continuing to send a death glare the pink alicorn's way. Sunset standing in a defensive position in front of her mother.

Sunset's actions didn't go unnoticed by anypony however, Celestia letting out an internal sigh at her daughter's actions. She wasn't surprised by Sunset being protective of her. Sunset didn't know who Cadence was. She was just random alicorn that had just shown up and called her auntie. Sunset needed an explanation and she needed it fast.

"Um... auntie... who's is this?" Cadence asked Celestia. Sunset's anger only growing at the pink alicorn that was in front of her. She wouldn't address her directly. What a something that Celestia had told her to never say again.

"My name is Sunset Shimmer!" Sunset spat at Cadence, the teen taking a step backward from Sunset's outburst.

"Um..." Cadence stammered as she swallowed an invisible knot in her throat. "Nice to meet you, Sunset."

"Pleasure, and its Sunset Shimmer to you." Sunset snarled, a snort from her as she continued to stare Cadence down.

Cadence blinked her purple eyes a few times before she spoke again. "Um... auntie can I talk to you for a second?" Cadence asked Celestia.

Celestia sent a quick look her daughter's way before Celestia finally spoke to the pink alicorn. "Sure Cadence..." Celestia said her gaze falling back on her daughter who continued to send a death glare Cadence's way.

"Sunset could you go to your room while I discuss with Princess Cadence?" Celestia asked Sunset, her words taking Sunset by surprise.

"What?" Sunset asked Celestia turning her head to face her mother.

"You heard me." Celestia said down to her daughter, her words now being more powerful and forceful.

"Why?" Sunset asked Celestia turning her body completely to face her mother.

"Because Princess Cadence and I have very important matters to discuss and I want to do it in private." Celestia said down to Sunset, her leaving no room for Sunset to rebuttal.

Sunset was going to protest further but quickly decided against it, she didn't want to make her current situation any worse. "Fine Princess." Sunset spat at Celestia as she began to slowly trot away. Celestia letting out an internal sigh as watched her daughter slowly trot away from her. Sunset quietly mumbling to herself as she turned the corner down another long hallway.

"What's up with her?" Cadence asked Celestia once Sunset had turned the corner.

"You don't want to know Cadence, trust me you don't." Celestia said as she turned back around to trot back into the throne room. "Come on Cadence, you must have very important things to talk to me about." Celestia said as she entered the throne. The evening sun shining just perfectly through the windows of the throne room.

"Indeed auntie, I do." Cadence said as she followed after the taller white alicorn. The double doors of the throne room closing behind the two alicorns.

Sunset didn't follow her mother's orders to go to her room, she wasn't a child, she instead trotted down to the kitchen of the castle. She was hungry and she needed something to eat, plus she liked talking with the castle's chief Sugar Belle.

Sunset trotted in the kitchen to find Sugar Belle pleasantly humming to herself as she was busy making a cake. The pink looked so happy and peaceful that Sunset debated either or it was a good idea for her to interrupt her.

Sunset pushed away her thoughts. She needed somepony to talk to, and after Celestia, Sugar Belle was the pony that Sunset felt must comfortable talking to about her problems. While there was that one guard that always seemed to stationed guarding Celestia, but he was nothing special to Sunset. Right?

Regardless Sunset slowly trotted up to Sugar Belle and cleared her throat.

The sudden sound broke Sugar Belle's concentration and she yelped out in startlement. Her blue magic left her horn and the bowl that she holding started to fall. Sunset's reflexes were lucky fast enough and she was able to catch the

"Sunset!" Sugar Belle gasp when she saw Sunset.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." Sunset apologized to Sugar Belle as she placed the bowl that she barely caught with her magic on the counter that was in the middle of the large kitchen.

"Oh, you're fine little one." Sugar Belle said to Sunset as she picked the bowl with her magic and continued to stir the batter of what would certainly make a delicious cake. "You were able to catch this before it hit the ground. So no harm was done." Sugar Belle as she tasted a small sample of the cake batter.

Sugar Belle then paused as she remembered something that heard of earlier that day. "Does the Princess know where you are Sunset, I heard that she had sent the royal guard looking for you?" Sugar Belle asked Sunset.

Sunset's eyes drifted toward the ground as she recalled her last moment with her mother. "Yeah, she knows where I am. I was just talking to the Princess before coming to talk to you anyway." Sunset said to Sugar Belle. Sunset's words striking Sugar Belle's interest even further.

"You wanted to speak to me. Why?" Sugar Belle asked Sunset curiously.

"I just need to somepony to talk to about something, something that I'm not comfortable talking about to the Princess." Sunset said to Sugar Belle, catching the young mare's attention even more.

"Oh..." Sugar Belle said as she placed the bowl of cake batter that she was working on down on the counter and trotted over to Sunset. "What is it that you want to talk about?" Sugar Belle asked Sunset as she kneeled down to be at the same eye level as the amber colored filly.

"Do you know who Princess Cadence is?" Sunset asked Sugar Belle, her question taking her by surprise.

"She's the Princess' adoptive niece. She took her in and made her an alicorn when she saved her hometown from a love stealing unicorn, or something like that. I don't have all the details." Sugar Belle said to Sunset. Sunset adding the much-needed information to the database of a brain that she had. "Why do you ask?" Sugar Belle asked Sunset still curious as to the reason for the mentioning of Princess Cadence.

"Because, she's here and..." Sunset began to explain, her being cut off by Sugar Belle gasping.

"She's is!" Sugar Belle gasped, covering her mouth with her hoof in shock. "She wasn't supposed to arrive until tomorrow!" Sugar Belle all but shouted as started to run all over the castle's kitchen looking for the cupcakes that she had made for her. Cadence having arrived at the castle for the next few days to celebrate her fourteenth birthday, and her first birthday since becoming an alicorn.

Sunset was hit with what felt like a sledgehammer as she watched Sugar Belle scramble to gather all the things that she needed to greet the young princess. Her being completing unaware that she had already been speaking to one.

"I was supposed to have been told the moment that she arrived, bucking ponies." Sugar Belle vented to herself in frustration. Sugar Belle holding a plate of blue and pink (Cadence's favorite colors) in her blue magic.

Sunset watched as Sugar Belle trotted past her and was about to leave the kitchen. Sugar Belle movements stopped and she turned her head and spoke to Sunset.

"Sunset I am sorry, but I have to run this over to the throne room for the Princess Cadence." Sugar Belle said to Sunset genuinely sorry for leaving the amber-colored filly.

"No... no..." Sunset said with a defeatist tone of voice. "It's fine." Sunset snarled bitterly as she closed her eyes to stop any tears that could flow out of her teal eyes. "You go do whatever you need to do." Sunset said in the same defeated tone, her half-heartedly urging Sugar Belle to continue.

"Are you sure that you will be alright?" Sugar Belle asked Sunset seeing the despair on the filly's face.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Tell the princess that I'll be in my room if she needs me when you see her." Sunset said to Sugar Belle.

"I will, and keep your chin kid." Sugar Belle said

"Right." Sunset said as she trotted past Sugar Belle, her heading towards her room.

In the throne room, Celestia and Cadence were busying talking to each other about the pink alicorn's slightly unexpected visit.

"It's to see you again, Cadence." Celestia said to Cadence.

"I feel the same way auntie, but you never answered my question. Who was that amber filly from earlier?" Cadence asked Celestia. Celestia's muscles tensed up, she had completely forgotten that she had never told Cadence about Sunset.

"Do I tell her?" Celestia thought as she debated telling the young alicorn the truth about her relationship with Sunset or just tell her what everypony else outside of a select few actually knew.

It didn't take long for Celestia to come up with an answer.

"She's... my student, my personal student a protege if you would like to say." Celestia said to Cadence. The pink alicorn's eyes widening at the older one's words.

"Oh really, how long has she been your student?" Cadence asked Celestia, and Celestia had to think for a few seconds to determine how long she had been Sunset's official teacher.

"Sunset had just turned eight when I took her under my wing, and she has just turned nine not that long ago. So, a little over a year." Celestia said to Cadence. Cadence was about to ask Celestia another question when there was a knock on the double doors of the throne room. The knock taking both of the alicorns by surprise.

"Were you expecting anypony, auntie?" Cadence asked Celestia.

"Technically, I wasn't expecting you to arrive for another day." Celestia said sarcastically to Cadence, the pink alicorn's muzzle turning slightly pinker than usual. Cadence letting out a small laugh as Celestia spoke to whoever was behind the door.

"Who is it?" Celestia asked whoever was behind the door.

"It's me your highness, Sugar Belle." The voice of Sugar Belle came from the behind the door. The pink eyes of Celestia widening at the sound of her favorite chief in the castle.

"Oh, Sugar Belle! Please come in." Celestia said to the closed.

"Sugar Belle?" Cadence asked Celestia, having never met the castle's top chief.

"She's the castle's top chief, and I have heard from some of my staff that she has been creating something special for your arrival.

"Really?" Cadence exclaimed, almost literally jumping for joy.

"Yes." Celestia said to Cadence as the right door for the throne opened and Sugar entered the long room. a plate of blue and pink cupcakes being held in her blue magic as she trotted toward the two royals. Cadence's pink eyes widening when she saw the cupcakes.

"I apologize for my tardiness your highness, was not aware of Princess Cadence's arrival until a few minutes ago." Sugar Belle said as she placed the cupcakes on a wooden table that was covered with a white cloth that was on the right side of the long room. Cadence walking over and using her light blue magic to pick up a pink cupcake and take a small bite out of it. Cadence letting out a pleasureful moan as she took another bite of the cupcake, this one larger than the first.

"How is the cupcake, Princess?" Sugar Belle asked Cadence as she finished her first cupcake.

"It's fantastic, thank you." Cadence said as she picked up another cupcake, this one a blue one, and started eating it.

"No worries Sugar Belle, neither was I." Celestia said to Sugar Belle while sending a playful glare Cadence's way. Cadence having to cover her mouth with her hoof to suppress a laugh.

"If that will be all then you can go about the rest of your day Sugar Belle." Celestia said to Sugar Belle. Cadence having a bite of a third

"It is but..." Sugar Belle began to say her not sure how to discuss the well-being of Sunset to Celestia.

"Yes?" Celestia said to Sugar Belle, intrigued by her strange pause.

"Do you believe that I could talk you for a few minutes in privacy?" Sugar Belle respectively asked Celestia.

"Why?" Celestia asked Sugar Belle as to where her priced chief was going with this conversation.

"It concerns Sunset." Sugar Belle said to Celestia, her eyes widening at the mentioning of her daughter.

Celestia recovered quickly and spoke to Cadence. "Right, Cadence do you think that you could give Sugar Belle and I a few moments of privacy?" Celestia asked Cadence, taking the pink alicorn slightly off guard.

"Oh, of course, I'll be right outside." Cadence said as she began to trot toward the double doors of the throne room. "But I will take one more of these." Cadence said as she took another cupcake, this now being her fourth. Cadence than disappearing through the left of the double doors.

"Now, what is it that you wanted to discuss with me about my student?" Celestia asked Sugar Belle, her voice becoming more and powerful.

"Right, Sunset was the actually the one that told me of the arrival of Princess Cadence." Sugar Belle explained to Celestia, the white alicorn nodding in understanding as Sugar Belle continued to speak.

"But when I left to bring the cupcakes that I made for the young Princess, Sunset just seemed blue." Sugar Belle said striking Celestia's interest even more.

"What are you saying, Sugar Belle?" Celestia asked Sugar Belle.

"I'm saying that I fear that Sunset might feel like she's being ignored, and I fear what she will do. She's such a powerful little filly and I fear what would happen if all that power was used for evil and not good. I mean I might be rushing to conclusions, but I remember hearing about the tells of the Mare in the Moon and Sunset just keeps reminding of that legend." Sugar Belle said to Celestia. Celestia's eyes widening and her muscles tensing up when the thought of her very daughter following in the hoof steps of her fallen sister.

"I see." Celestia said somberly. "Thank you for bringing your concerns of my... student to my attention. You may return to your current occupation.

"Thank you, your highness." Sugar Belle said as she began to trot toward the double doors of the throne room.

"No, thank you. You have no idea how much your words mean to me." Celestia said as Sugar Belle exited the throne room. Cadence quickly trotting back into the large room after Sugar Belle's exit.

"What was that all about?" Cadence asked Celestia.

"Guards!" Celestia shouted, her sudden outburst taking Cadence off guard.

Celestia announcement was quickly followed the same half a dozen guards from earlier and Commander Sunbeam all entering the throne room and standing at attention.

"Yes, your highness!? What are your orders!?" The six guards and Sunbeam all asked their Princess as one. Them all standing at attention.

"Auntie, what's going on?" Cadence asked Celestia with a look of pure confusion on her face.

Celestia ignored Cadence's question and spoke to the seven guards that were standing at attention in front of her.

"Private Armor and Private Speed would you both be so kind as to escort Princess Cadence to her guest room." Celestia politely ordered at Shining Armor and Lightspeed.

"Yes, your highness." Shining Armor and Lightspeed both said in unison.

"Auntie, what are you doing?" Cadence asked Celestia. This time, Celestia turning her head in the direction of the younger alicorn and answered her question.

"I'm sorry Cadence, there was something that was brought to my attention. Something that I have to attend to as soon as possible." Celestia said to Cadence, the pink alicorn nodding her head in understanding. She might not have had all of the information, but she was used to getting only what was needed from Celestia.

"I understand." Cadence said turning her attention to the two guards that were meant to escort her to the room that she was going to spend the next week at. "So which ones of you are going escort me?" Cadence asked the group of seven guards that were in front of her. Privates Shining Armor and Lightspeed both stepping forward.

"That would be the both of us, your highness." Shining Armor said to Cadence, him completely unaware that he was currently speaking to his future wife.

"Excellent, follow me, I know the way to my room." Cadence said as she took the lead for the two guards. Them becoming nothing more than passive observers as Cadence left the throne room with the two young guards in tow.

"What is it that you wish us to do, your highness?" One of the five remaining guards asked Celestia once Cadence had left with her guard escorts.

"Nothing, I wasn't expecting for all of you to answer my call. You are all dismissed and can return to your regular portals." Celestia said dismissing the rest of her guards.

"Yes, your highness!" The guards, excluding Sunbeam, all said in unison. The four guards saluting their Princess and turning to leave the throne room.

"Are you coming, Commander?" A young guard asked Sunbeam, noticing that the older guard hadn't moved since Celestia finished her orders.

"Yes, I just have something that I have to talk to the Princess about. Return to your post Private Bullet, I'll be right behind you all." Sunbeam said to the younger guard.

"Yes, sir." Silver Bullet said as she exited the room.

"What are you hiding, Tia." Sunbeam thought as she shifted his attention back to the white alicorn.

"What's really going on, Tia?" Sunbeam asked Celestia once the two were alone in the throne room.

Celestia let out a sigh and dropped her 'princess' face as she spoke to Sunbeam. "It's... complicated." Celestia said to Sunbeam, not really sure how to explain her concern for her daughter to Sunbeam.

"Try me, Celestia." Sunbeam said to Celestia trotting up to her side. The two staring into each other's eyes. Memories of Celestia spending wonderful times with Sunbeam when she was young, or younger, flashing into her mind as they continued to stare at each other.

"One of my staff had come to me saying that she feared that Sunset had been blue lately, and feared that a young filly of her power could lose her way." Celestia said to Sunbeam, her wording not really helping the guard that was standing next to her.

"What do you mean, Tia?" Sunbeam asked Celestia.

"Sugar Belle, the pony that warned about Sunset, told me that she fears that she might fall into the darkness of the world and use her great power for evil, rather than for good." Celestia said to the orange guard, Sunbeam nodding his head in understanding as Celestia continued. Sunbeam was aware that Sunset had been found by two of his men. Him looking award both them greatly for finding the missing filly.

"I can't lose my Sunset, Sunbeam. I already almost lost her physically today, I can't risk losing her to the same darkness that took my sister tomorrow." Celestia said to Sunbeam.

"Celestia, you're overreacting." Sunbeam said putting a reassuring hoof on Celestia's shoulder.

"Maybe, but I can't risk losing my Sunset."

"Would you like if I talked to her as well?" Sunbeam asked Celestia. While Celestia would adore having Sunbeam's assistance. Sunset didn't know her true connection

"No, as much I would love your help. I would have to decline." Celestia said beginning to trot away. Her movements coming to a stop when Sunbeam called out to her.

"Why's that?" Sunbeam asked Celestia, the white alicorn letting out a heavy sigh.

"Sunset doesn't know the true extent of her connection to you. As far as she is aware you are nothing more than my own personal bodyguard." Celestia said to Sunbeam, the orange guard's face dropping at her words. He understood her reasoning behind her decision.

"Sunset still believes that her father is dead and I don't want to think that I have been lying to her, her entire life. That might just help her fall further into the darkness of this bucked up world." Celestia said, Sunbeam taking a step backward. Celestia rarely, if ever cursed, this just showing how much frustration she had built up within her.

"I understand Celestia, I just hope that one day Sunset will be able to learn about me." Sunbeam said as Celestia began to trot away.

"I do too, Sunbeam." Celestia said as she opened the right double door for the throne room with her golden magic.

Sunbeam let out a heavy sigh as the double doors of the throne room closed, him now being alone in the large room. "How did we get to this moment, Celestia?" Sunbeam thought out loud. Memories of him spending pleasant times with Celestia when he was just a captain flashing into his mind. He debated whether or not he was just made a commander as a way to shut him up after Sunset was born. But he hated to think of Celestia like that.

He was good at reading ponies, but Celestia had been hiding her secrets for over a millennia, and she rarely if ever opened up to anypony. He was really the one that was able to get information out of Celestia, and even if he did Celestia was still able to leave out of the most important details.

If Celestia was really this concerned about Sunset following in the hoof steps of the fallen Princess Luna, then he had to treat like an almost certainty. Besides, Sunset was his daughter too.

Back with Sunset, the slow trot back to her seemed to last forever. Sunset's head looking down at the ground, her not even noticing when she finally came to her room until she noticed the sun door decoration that hung on the outside of her door.

"Does anypony even really care about me." Sunset thought as she entered her room. Sunset using her magic to let some of the candles that were in her room to add some much need light.

"I care about you." Sunset heard somepony say, the voice taking Sunset off guard with her heart seeming to jump into her throat from shock.

"Who said that?!" Sunset announced to the empty room, or so she thought.

"Relax, my pet. It's just me." Sunset heard the same voice say, Sunset now recognizing the name.

"Nightmare!" Sunset exclaimed as she turned to face the full body mirror that was at her bedside. Her gaze falling on the black body of Nightmare. Nightmare now no longer having any fear towards showing her true form towards Sunset.

"Yes, my dear." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset with a nearly devilish smirk on her muzzle.

"How have you been?" Sunset asked the black alicorn happily.

"I can honestly say that I haven't felt any better these last hundred years, all of it because of you." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset, the amber filly's muzzle turning slightly pink in a blush. Knowing that had Sunset hooked she began to slowly reel her in.

"What about you my little Sunset? How have you been doing since I saw you last?" Nightmare Moon asked Sunset, the amber filly's face dropping as she stared at the ground. Nightmare Moon knowing that she had Sunset's hooked on tight and continued to reel her in, even faster this time.

"What's wrong my pet?" Nightmare Moon asked Sunset, faking any genuine concern for the filly's well-being.

"It-It's nothing." Sunset lied.

"Oh please, my little pet. You can tell me anything." Nightmare said to Sunset, trying to emotionally connection with the amber filly.

"Ok, I don't know if the Princess still cares about me." Sunset said as she rubbed her left foreleg awkwardly.

"Oh, why's that?" Nightmare Moon asked Sunset.

"Well... this Princess Cadence showed up and she just blew me like I was nothing." Sunset said, Nightmare taking special note of the mentioning of another Princess of Equestria.

"Princess Cadence?" Nightmare Moon asked Sunset, intrigued by this Princess that wasn't her sister. Or the sister of her host to be technical.

"She's apparently the Princess's niece. I don't know, and I really don't care." Sunset said turning away from the image of the black alicorn.

"Oh, don't be like that." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset her best reassuring voice. The black alicorn wishing with every fiber of her being to touch the amber filly. Physical contact making reassuring somepony so much earlier. Damn, those cursed Elements of Harmony. But she could sense that their chains on her were weakening and she was going to need an apprentice once she returned. And she knew that she would Celestia's hooves tied as she would not just have to defeat her little sister for the second time, but now her own daughter. Possibly banishing both of them, and then she would have Celestia all for herself.

"You can tell me anything. You trust me, don't you." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset.

Sunset bit her lower lip as she continued to speak to the black alicorn. She didn't want to speak ill will of her mother, but she needed to let out her frustration and she trusted Nightmare, she would never betray her, right?

"I trust you." Sunset mumbled out and Nightmare knew that she had her. Sunset let out a heavy sigh as she continued to speak to the black alicorn. "I just keep thinking that the Princess doesn't care about me." Sunset said to Nightmare.

"Which Princess?" Nightmare Moon asked Sunset in mocked confusion.

"Princess Celestia." Sunset said not noticing the black alicorn's sarcasm.

"But I'm her blood!" Sunset shouted at the mirror, only getting a laugh from the black alicorn. "What? What are you laughing at!?" Sunset continued to shout. Nightmare finding twisted delight in the little filly's misplaced anger, but anger could easily be turned into misplaced hatred if the right steps were put in place.

"Are you sure about that?" Nightmare Moon asked Sunset with a devilish grin.

"Yes, sh-she told me herself." Sunset said as tears began to fill her eyes.

"You might share the same blood as Princess Celestia, that doesn't mean that you are her daughter." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset and the amber filly began to slowly trot backward in fear and denial. She couldn't believe what she was hearing, she didn't want to believe what she was hearing. Her mother still cared about her, she... she just...

"B-But... I-I am h...her daughter." Sunset whimpered as she continued to trot backward. Small clear tears

"Blood is thicker than water, Nightmare!" Sunset shouted at the black alicorn and Nightmare willing allowed a piece of her to return to the surface, just this once. The black alicorn's body warping into the form of a dark blue alicorn with teal eyes and a flowing star-like mane.

"No, it's not!" Princess Luna bitterly shouted at Sunset, the amber filly falling backward and cowering behind her forehooves. Luna's teal eyes burning with hatred toward her former sister.

The blue alicorn then began to slowly warp its body out of the mirror and took a step into Equestria. Princess Luna wasn't really there, her body was translucent and she cast no shadow on the floor. But her burning teal eyes made Sunset slowly begin to trot backward.

"You have no idea what family really means to your dear Princess Celestia." Luna bitterly spat at Sunset as she stood above her. A river of fresh tears flowing down her cheeks as Luna continued to speak to her.

"She doesn't care about you!" Luna shouted. "Why would she, your nothing but a pathetic, cowering, unicorn!" Luna shouted and Sunset spirit was broken. Her rolling over to her side and implanting her head into the carpet of her room. Sunset releasing a year's worth of tears in the ground.

"That's enough Luna, you served your purpose." Nightmare Moon said to her host. The blue alicorn walking back into the mirror and returning to the form of the black alicorn of darkness, Nightmare Moon.

"I'm sorry that you had to hear that, my little Sunset." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset trying to sound like an old comforting friend.

"Is it true?" Sunset asked the black alicorn standing up with shaking limbs.

"I'm afraid so, Celestia might pretend to care about you. But I am afraid to tell you that the only thing that your mother has for you is fear." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset.

"Why?" Sunset asked Nightmare.

"Your power. She's scared of you may dear. And fear can drive ponies to do " Nightmare Moon said to Sunset, the amber filly looking up with her small horn that protruded out of her forehead.

Sunset's eyes became filled with anger and she wiped away her remaining tears with her hoof. "Then if my mommy fears me, then I might as well accept it." Sunset said with determination in her voice, and Nightmare knew that she had her.

"Excellent, and I have just the thing that will make sure that your mother will respect you." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset, catching the amber filly's attention even further.

"What?" Sunset asked Nightmare.

"The answer you seek in resting a top your bed." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset.

"This book..." Sunset said confused while holding the black book in her magic. "Nightmare, I know that books are powerful, but how will this make my mother respect me?" Sunset asked

"Open it and you will soon come to learn all of the things you will need to become the most powerful unicorn ever, maybe even more so than Princess Celestia." Nightmare Moon said being intentionally vague.

"Ok, whatever you say." Sunset said as she opened the cover of the book and began to read the contents of the black book. Sunset's life being forever altered by her one decision.

Sunset had been reading the black book that Nightmare had given her for the last few minutes. Her soaking in all of the knowledge that was in the book like a sponge. She knew that her mother wouldn't approve of her reading the book, but she didn't care. If this book could give all of the answer all of the questions that she wanted than her mother could go to Tartarus. She was going to prove her... mother wrong. She was the rightful heir to the throne of Equestria. Not that worthless pink what's her face.

Sunset stopping her reading when she came across something in the early pages of the black book that caught her eye. "Um... Nightmare." Sunset said to the mirror behind her. The black alicorn presence having never left the mirror since Sunset had entered the room. She wanted to make sure that everything went smoothly.

"Yes, my pet." Nightmare Moon said, urging the amber filly to continue.

"I have a question." Sunset said, catching the attention of Nightmare even further.

"Yes, what is it?" Nightmare Moon asked Sunset with genuine interest.

"What are the Anti-Elements. The book keeps mentioning them, but what are they exactly?" Sunset asked Nightmare, a happy smile spreading across the black alicorn's muzzle.

"They're just what they sound like." Nightmare Moon said. "They are the only things that can match the power of the famed Elements of Harmony." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset, the amber filly's eyes widening at her words. Sunset's mother having told her many stories of the great power of the Elements, so the idea something being able to match them seemed impossible to her. "You may know them by a different name, the Elements of Chaos." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset. Sunset's shock levels reaching a new maximum that she didn't even know existed.

"The Elements of Chaos! I thought that those were just an old fillies tale." Sunset said shocked that such powerful objects could even exist. She had heard some of the staff of the castle talking about the Elements of Chaos, but she had never actually considered them to be real.

"Oh, I can assure my little Sunset. They are just as real as you or I."

"Do you know where they are?" Sunset cautiously asked Nightmare.

"No, no pony does. They're one of the great mysteries of this world." Nightmare Moon said, cursing herself for not forcing her current host for not finding the Elements of Chaos when she had the chance.

"But, what I do know that there are six of them." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset.

"Like the Elements of Harmony." Sunset added, Nightmare nodding. Sunset was a fast learner, which was good.

"Yes, that's why they are also known as the Anti-Elements. They are the physical manifestation of the worst that this world has to offer." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset, the amber filly's heart beginning to beat faster as she began to fully understand what she was getting herself into.

Sunset instinctively pushed the black book away from herself at Nightmare's words. Her movements didn't go unnoticed and she was quickly called out on it.

"What are you doing?" Nightmare Moon asked Sunset with genuine concern in her voice. Her concern not being for the filly's well-being, the worst mental state the better. No, she feared that Sunset's knowledge of the Elements of Chaos might have brought her back into the light. She was dealing with the daughter of Princess Celestia after all. Shepard of the Light for the ponies.

"This book... it contains dark magic, doesn't?" Sunset asked Nightmare.

"The darkest, what about it." Nightmare Moon said thinking nothing of it.

"My mom... she told me to stay away from the dark arts." Sunset said to Nightmare, a thought popping into the black alicorn's head.

"You're losing her Nightmare, you need to reel her back in before she breaks your line." Nightmare Moon thought to herself as she changed strategies.

"Your mother can go to Tartarus!" Nightmare Moon shouted, Sunset's muscles tensing up at the black alicorn's words. "She is holding you back from reaching your full and true potential. She has been stopping." Nightmare Moon continued to say to Sunset. "This book will give you the power to show her that you should be fear.

"But, I don't want to be feared. I want people to love me." Sunset expectedly

"Sunset, there's a lesson that this book will teach you." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset softly and delicately. The black alicorn knowing that her next words could capture Sunset or lose her forever.

"What?" Sunset asked.

"That only the weak are loved, while only the powerful are feared. They are never both." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset, her words seeming to work on the amber-filly. Sunset looking back toward the black book in deep thought.

"You only have to choose which you want to be." Nightmare Moo said and Sunset made the decision that would bring her down a path of no return.

"I want power, and everypony else be damned to Tartarus!" Sunset shouted making up her mind to accept the darkness as her newest friend. Sunset's coat taking on a darker tone and her teal eyes beginning to gain a slight tint of yellow.

"Excellent, I'll be back in time my pet." Nightmare Moon with her trademark devilish smirk.

"I will be waiting." Sunset said as the image of the black alicorn disappeared from the mirror behind her.

Sunset brought the black book back to herself and began to start reading it again. If this book could give her the power that she wanted then so be it who's hooves she had to step on to get it. Regardless of how close the pony was to her. She had a set a goal for herself, and Sunset never gave up on a goal that she had set up for herself. And this was no exception.

Unknown to both Nightmare Moon and Sunset somepony had been listening in on their conversation. She hadn't been listening in for that long, but she had heard enough to know how dire the state for her daughter was. The door to Sunset's room being slight ajar and Celestia standing just outside.

Celestia quietly closed the door to Sunset's room behind her with her magic and the moment the door closed she dropped to her haunches and the floodgates to her eyes opened. Celestia opening crying just outside her daughter's door.

"I'm losing her, not again. I'm losing somepony else I love to the darkness. Why again?" Celestia pleaded to an unknown power, her aware that somepony was watching her current mental breakdown.

"Tia, are you alright?" Celestia heard the unmistakable voice of her previous lover, Sunbeam.

"No, Sunbeam. No, I'm not." Celestia said wiping away some of her tears with her white hoof.

"What's wrong?" Sunbeam said taking a seat next to Celestia.

"I'm losing her, Sunbeam." Celestia said to Sunbeam as she buried her face in her hooves.

"What do you mean?" Sunbeam asked.

"She found it. I don't know she did it, but she found it." Celestia said more to herself as she violently shook her head back and forth in denial.

"Wait, slow down Celestia. What did she find?" Sunbeam asked Celestia, the violently shaking of Celestia's head back coming to a stop. Celestia still having her face hidden in her white hooves.

"The black book." Celestia said to Sunbeam as she took her head out of her her hooves and stared up at the ceiling of the hallway that she was having a mental breakdown in.

"I don't follow." Sunbeam said in confusion, him having heard of this mysterious 'black book' before, but based on Celestia reaction to having her daughter process it. He could tell that it wasn't a good thing.

"The black book contains the most powerful dark magic known to pony-kind." Celestia explained to Sunbeam, the guard's green eyes widening

"How did Sunset get her hooves on something like that?" Sunbeam asked Celestia with a panicked tone of voice.

"I don't know, I thought the book was destroyed when I..." Celestia began to say when revelation struck her.

"What is it, Tia?" Sunbeam asked Celestia.

"I know how Sunset got the book, but that's not possible." Celestia began to ramble to herself. "Unless..." Celestia said to herself, her rambling leaving Sunbeam in a state of confusion.

Celestia then face hoofed in shame when she realized her error that she would quickly come to regret for years to come. "I'm an idiot." Celestia said to herself. The white alicorn completely forgetting about the presence of Sunbeam next to her.

"What are you talking about, Celestia?" Sunbeam finally asked Celestia, his words taking the white alicorn by surprise.

"It's nothing, I just now know what I have to do." Celestia said raising her full height, Sunbeam quickly following suit. Celestia began to turn and face the door to Sunset's room before stopping half turn and speaking to Sunbeam.

"I don't believe I have ever thanked you Sunbeam." Celestia said to Sunbeam, her words taking the commander a little off guard.

"Thank you, thank you for what?" Sunbeam asked Celestia, not sure where she was going with this.

"Thank you for... everything. You were at my side through all the good and the bad. Even when the had the chance to expose me because of Sunset's birth, you didn't. And I thank you for that." Celestia thanked Sunbeam.

"Your welcome Celestia, and I would've never exposed you for Sunset's birth." Sunbeam said as his muzzle flushed with a blush. "I loved the two of you too much to betray you like that." Sunbeam said to Celestia as he began to slowly trot away.

"Well.. . thank you again Sunbeam. I owe you a debt that I could never repay." Celestia said to Sunbeam, the guard's movements coming to a stop at her words.

"You owe me no debt Celestia, Sunset's well-being is enough payment for me. Just make sure that she doesn't end up like Princess Luna." Sunbeam said to Celestia.

"I'll do my best." Celestia said with a small smile.

"That's enough for me, Tia." Sunbeam said to Celestia as he continued to trot away, him leaving his daughter's mother to deal with Sunset. She had defeated the forces before and he trusted her with his life.

"Ok, Celestia, let's do this." Celestia said to herself as she turned to face the door to Sunset's room completely. Her pink eyes burning with determination.

Celestia opened the door to Sunset's room with a quick swing of her hoof. The quick motion of the door opening hitting the wall with a loud slam. The sound startling Sunset, who jumped out of her bed in shock. Landing on the carpet of her room in a small thud. Sunset grunting in slight pain as she sent an angry death glare her mother's way.

"We to talk Sunset." Celestia directly to down to Sunset. Her white coat and radiate mane somehow seeming to drive the darkness out of the small bedroom. The black book hissing as it magically closed itself and cast an invisibility spell on itself at the inclusion of the white alicorn.

Celestia noticed the book's seeming sentient but logged it in the back of her mind, she had a more pressing issue at the moment. She could deal with the black book at another time. She had to bring her only daughter back in the light. She wasn't going to lose another loved one to the darkness again.

Back in the present and the world of the mirror portal, Sunset was still sitting on the bleachers of the soccer field. The memory of her meeting a pony that she would soon learn was actually Nightmare Moon flashing through her mind as she sat on the metal bleachers. The cold breeze of fall blowing through her raging fire that she had for a head of air. A meeting that would eventually lead her down a path darkness and destruction that would lead to having a falling out with her mother and going into our form of self-exile to escape her troubles.

Sunset cast away the memory with a shake of her head. She needed to stop caring about the past, she might not have liked the outcome of her time as the apprentice of Nightmare Moon, but regardless it happened and she couldn't change the past. Even if she wanted to.

Sunset shifted her gaze over to her brown backpack that had her cutie mark embroiled on a flap on the front of the bag that she had brought with her. Sunset picked up the brown bag and unzipped the largest pocket and pulled out a book. This book wasn't like the book that Nightmare Moon had given her when she was just a filly. This book wasn't black it was brown and intend of having a black alicorn on the cover it had her cutie mark. The book looking very similar to the backpack that it had come from.

The book was something that her mother had given her when she was younger, it being one of the few things that she had taken with her when she left Equestria. It was a magical book, the book allowing her to send messages back a forth to Celestia via another journal that Celestia had in her possession.

Sunset opened the book and flipped through its many pages until she came across a page that was blank. The last entry in the book being years ago when Sunset decided to leave Equestria. Her having not written anything in the book for years. She had considered destroying the journal on multiple occasions but just like the picture that she had with her mother. Every time she tried to destroy either one of them she just couldn't. Maybe it was a part of her brain urging her to return to Equestria and apologize to her mother for the things that she had done, she didn't know.

Either way, Sunset continued to stare at the blank page that was in front of her. The almost golden pages of the book staring back at her, taunting her. Sunset felt the sides of her eyes beginning to tear up as she continued to stare at the book.

Her heart and her mind were at odds again. Her heart pleaded with her to write to her mother, to write something. To write that she was sorry for what happened. To write that she missed her mother. Write that she wanted to return to Equestria. But most of all her heart wanted her to write that she loved her mommy and that she never stopped loving her. Even when she mind was too clouded by the darkness to recognize it.

But her mind pounded in her head. Her mind telling her that she was being weak, that love was a weakness. Her mind demanding Sunset to return to her mission. To reach her goal. To get the power and recognition that she deserved. To return to Equestria and rule over it as its Queen. To finally show her mother that she was better than her. To finally achieve what she never could under Celestia. To finally earn what she always wanted, freedom.

Sunset shut her eyes and covered her eyes as her head and heart continued to fight for dominance. But already knew who would win in the end, it always won. Even when she was just a filly, it always won. No matter how hard she tried to stop it, it always won in the end. So she rarely ever tried fighting.

Sunset opened her eyes and stared down at the opened journal in disgust. Sunset slamming the book shut and shoving it back into her backpack. Sunset re-zipping her backpack and swinging over her right shoulder.

She had a job to do. A job that needed to be finished. A goal that needed to be reached. And when Sunset made a goal, she didn't stop until that goal was reached, no matter who she had to step on to get to her goal.

The image of Twilight Sparkle flashing into her mind and her anger increased as she thought about the mare that Celestia was so eager as to take her place. Celestia never really cared for her. No, she never loved her. She was just using her. And if she never cared about her, then why should Sunset care about her.

Sunset's blood boiled with anger as she made up her mind. "It's time." Sunset thought out loud as she rose her feet and began to walk across the metal bleachers of the soccer field back to the school. The metal underneath her feet banging with a loud clang after each step that she took.

Sunset walking back to the parking lot of the high school to she Twilight along with the rest of her friend, excluding Rarity walking out of the school. They were all laughing. Sunset was too far away to hear what they were saying she could tell that they were happy. Why were they happy, she was going to win. Soon they would be nothing more than the dust underneath her boots.

Sunset watched with burning anger as Twilight, now joined by Theta and Zulu, and her friends walked back to their respective cars and all sped off heading in the direction of Rarity's boutique. Sunset growled in anger as she saw her years of effort to drive the five friends apart to being made useless by a single wimpy princess from Equestria.

Sunset snorted in anger as she watched Twilight, along with Theta and Zulu climb into the passenger seat of Applejack's green truck and sped away from the school.

"So this is how it's going to be." Sunset snarled as she watched the green truck drive away. "While if you want a war Twilight, then a war is just what you are going to get." Sunset said angrily to herself as she walked over to her car and climbed into the driver seat. Her car roaring to life with a simple turn of the key. Sunset pulling out of the parking lot and beginning to drive back to her house.

Sunset ready for the insanity that was going to go down the following day.

The Past Doesn't Die (Equestria Girls)

The Past Doesn't Die (Equestria Girls)

"What is it that you want Celestia!" Sunset angrily shouted at Celestia as she slowly climbed to her hooves. Sunset continuing to send a death glare her mother's way.

"I told you that we need to talk, and I am your Princess and your mother. And you will address me as such." Celestia all but shouted back her daughter. Sunset's angry snarl only increasing at her mother's words.

"Whatever." Sunset snarled as she began to follow her mother out of the room.

Sunset sending a quick look back to her bed, the black book reappearing and a low-pitched snarl coming from the book.

The book and Sunset sharing a nonverbal conversation. Sunset's few minutes of reading it seeming to give her the ability to understand the book's strange language. The book speaking mostly in snarls, growls, and hisses. Celestia was able to hear the book's strange sound but she wasn't able to understand it. But she didn't need an Equestrian-to-evil book dictionary to know that it was something evil. And Celestia needed to protect her daughter from the darkness. She wasn't going sit by and watch another one of her loved ones fall to the forces of evil.

"Are you coming!?" Celestia called after her daughter, her words breaking the mental conversation that Sunset was having with the book.

"Whatever, mom. Let's get this over with." Sunset grunted as she trotted past Celestia and out of her room. Sunset flicking her tail in front of her mother's face when she passed her.

Celestia letting out a heavy sigh as she watched her daughter trot away from her. "This is going to be a long day." Celestia said to herself as she followed after her daughter. Celestia closing the door to Sunset's room with her golden magic.

The moment that the door closed the invisibility spell that book had the ability to cast on itself returned and the book disappeared into the darkness of the room. The first seed of the shadows being planted inside the heart and mind of Sunset. A seed that would quickly grow into a strong tree of darkness. A tree that's roots still remained deep within the head of Sunset, and continued to control her some many years later.

Back in the present and in the world of the mirror portal. It didn't take long for Twilight and her friends to drive to Rarity's boutique in the center of the city. The boutique located about a mile from the high school. The boutique acting like a second home for the teenager. She didn't own the boutique and was still technically the apprentice to a young woman by the name of Sassy Saddles but everyone in the town knew that it was really Rarity that was the master at dress making. Sassy working more as the woman behind the scenes that handled the financial side of the boutique.

Anyway, Twilight and her friends arrived at the large white building (it looking very similar to the boutique that Rarity owned back in Ponyville) and all of them parked their respective cars in the small parking lot that was at the front of the dress shop.

"Are you sure that Rarity's here?" Twilight asked her friends as she hopped out of Applejack's truck. Her being closely followed by Zulu. Theta spending the trip in the bed of the green truck. Theta liked the bed, the metal was hard but nothing compared to the cold floors of the caves that he had grown accustomed to sleeping on when he was growing up. Theta quickly shaking away memories of his childhood as all of them included him.

"She should be." Fluttershy said, the pink-haired girl's words being a welcome distraction of Theta's bucked up life. "If she isn't at his house, which is unlikely, she's usually here." Fluttershy said to Twilight.

"I see. You all stay out here until I call for you. I don't want another moment like back at the school." Twilight said to her friends. They all shared a look before they all nodded. None of them wanted a blow up between Rarity and anyone else that history with her Twilight accepting her friends nonverbal confirmation to her logic and started walking toward the white boutique. A thought coming to her mind as she approached the dress shop. "Sounds like Rarity hasn't changed a bit." Twilight said internally as opened the door to the dress shop, Spike being the only one that followed after her. A bell that was attached to the top of the door ringing signaling to anyone that was inside to her entrance

As Twilight entered the dress shop she heard a familiar voice call out from an unknown location. "One second and I'll be right there." The familiar voice of Rarity called out. Spike's ears perking up at the sound of his crush's voice, or this world's version of his crush to be technical.

"Alright." Twilight said as she scanned her eyes around the front room of the boutique. The boutique was similar to the one that Rarity had back in Equestria. Just slightly different. The boutique's front room was really just a long hallway that had many dressing rooms. The dressing rooms being covered by a red curtain. The many dresses of the store being hanged on multiple wheeled racks just in front of the dressing rooms. The dresses looking to be ordered by a certain design and then by color.

Twilight's natural curiosity came to a halt when she assumed who was this world's version of Rarity stepped out of one of the dressing rooms on the far end of the long hallway. This girl was white-skinned and looked to be the same age as the rest of her friends. She had a flowing and elegantly crafted head of purple hair that had three blue pins that were in the shapes of gemstones. She wore a light blue blouse with a purple belt with a blue belt buckle and a golden bracelet that wrapped around her left wrist. The girl also wearing a purple skirt with three blue gemstones embroiled on the upper left side. She also wore long purple boots that went boots that went up to her knees with a blue gemstone at top of each respective boot.

The girl also was holding a bright red dress in her right forearm. Her elegantly placing the beautiful dress on its respective hanger before talking to Twilight. "My name's Rarity, and how may I help you this afternoon?" The girl asked Twilight with a pleasant smile. Twilight's assumptions being corrections.

"The right word could I help you with." Twilight said to Rarity, a look of confusion appearing on Rarity's face at Twilight's words.

"Come again?" Rarity said not where Twilight was going with this.

"Pinkie!" Twilight called out and the door to the boutique opened and the pink-skinned girl entered the dress shop. Pinkie with an unnatural lack of making conservation as she refrained from making eye contact with Rarity.

"What is the meaning of this?" Rarity asked Twilight bitterly, her happy smile gone and now replaced by an angry frown.

"I'm trying to make it so the two are friends again." Twilight told Rarity, her angry frown not leaving her.

"Why would you care, I have never even seen you before until now?" Rarity asked Twilight.

"My reasons are my own and not important right now." Twilight said expertly dodging the question, maybe spending time with Zulu was paying off for her. "What is important is that two friends should hate each other. So make it easier for the both of you and apologize to each forever happened between the both of you."

"I won't apologize until Pinkie does, she the one that's at fault anyway." Rarity said crossing her arms and Pinkie exploded.

"I never did anything to you!" Pinkie shouted at Rarity. Pinkie showing a piece of herself that every who people, or ponies for that matter, ever saw.

"Don't start Pinkie, you know exactly what you did!" Rarity shouted back. Twilight beginning to get a sense of Deja vu of when Pinkie and Fluttershy went

"Stop!" Twilight shouted breaking up the verbal fight between the two teens. "I'm sick and tired of seeing my friends tearing themselves apart over pity things!" Twilight continued to shout. Pinkie looking away in shame at Twilight's words while Rarity just stared angrily at the purple teen. She didn't know Twilight, she didn't know her name."Now, that being said. How did the two of you stop talking to each other?" Twilight asked Rarity.

"While if you must know." Rarity bitterly spat at Twilight, something that Twilight took in stride. "I was always willing to help Pinkie Pie when it comes to setting up parties and special events for the school. But whenever I said I was going to help her out I get an email from Pinkie saying that she has enough hands and doesn't my help. Only later to find out that Pinkie did all of the work by herself. So either she was intentionally lying to me or she just didn't care about me. Either way, by the fourth or fifth time I had just given up and we had never engaged with each other since." Rarity explained to Twilight. Her words being a surprise to both Twilight and Pinkie respectively.

"I never sent you any emails, never." Pinkie said catching both Rarity and Twilight's attention.

"Really, then who did?" Rarity asked and Pinkie and Twilight both shared a knowing look.

"I think it's time to bring in the rest." Twilight said to Pinkie.

"Agreed." Pinkie said in agreeance. Pinkie hopping away and opening the door to the boutique. "You girls can come in." Pinkie called to the outside. The rest of Twilight's friends entering the boutique. Them being quickly followed by Zulu and Theta. Zulu walking over toward Twilight and the two interlocking hands while Theta walked over to the corner and laid down. Theta being bored out of his mind.

"What's going on?" Rarity asked as the shop was now filled with her former friends, two complete strangers, and two dogs. One dog that looked like it had just been hit by a car. "When have you and Fluttershy been on speaking terms?" Rarity asked Pinkie.

"Maybe an hour ago." Fluttershy said to Rarity. She still felt some shame for yelling at Pinkie when it really wasn't her fault, but that was in the past and she hoped to create a better future.

"Twilight came to us and showed that we were both being stupid and that what happened at the fundraiser was any of our faults." Pinkie added.

"It is the same between me and AJ here. Just replace fundraiser with a bake sale that included the softball team." Rainbow spoke for the first time.

"How... you girls haven't even talk to each other in almost over a year?" Rarity asked, still confused.

"Simple, Twilight just showed us that we were directing all of our anger at the wrong person." Pinkie said to Rarity in her normal polite and happy demeanor.

"Yes, and would bet that the same person that tried to break up the relationship of Pinkie and Fluttershy and Rainbow and Applejack was the same person that sent you the emails that eventually drove you and Pinkie apart, Rarity." Twilight said to Rarity in a pleasant voice.

"Then if Pinkie didn't send me any of those emails, who did?" Rarity asked Twilight beginning to trust this new stranger a little bit more.

"Sunset Shimmer!" All of Twilight's friends said as one.

"Sunset, why would do such a thing. I mean, not that I wouldn't put it passed her to do something like that?" Rarity asked the group of teens that were front of her.

"I really don't know, Rarity. But everything points to Sunset Shimmer. Plus with me running against her in the Fall Formal, I would need all the help that I can get to beat her." Twilight said to Rarity.

"I thought the Fall Formal was canceled?" Rarity asked Twilight.

"No, Principal Celestia and Luna were able to recover the crown put the dance back on for tomorrow night." Fluttershy answered Rarity's question.

"Really?" Rarity said with genuine surprise in her voice. "Hmm... looks the fabulous gown that I had planned to wear to the dance won't go to waste after all." Rarity said more to herself when a thought came to her mind. "And Twilight..." Rarity said scratching her lower chin in deep thought, her words catching the attention of the girl that she was speaking to.

"And Twilight..." Rarity said scratching her lower chin in deep thought, her words catching the attention of the girl that she was speaking to. 'You said that you would need all the help possible in order to defeat Sunset Shimmer." Rarity said to Twilight, her nodding her head yes.

"Well, I might have just the idea that might just work to give you what you need to beat Sunset." Rarity said her words being music to the ears of Twilight.

"Really, how?!" Twilight asked Rarity barely able to contain her excitement.

"It's easier to explain to with actions rather than words darling, so meet at the Cake's in ten minutes and I'll explain everything there." Rarity said to Twilight, her sounding more and more like the white unicorn that she remembered back home in Equestria.

"Ok, We'll all meet you there, Rarity." Twilight said to Rarity with a happy smile on her face. Theta, Zulu, Spike, Twilight, and the rest of her friends leaving the dress shop. Getting into their respective cars and driving over to the sweet shop that was in the town. The sweet shop being the most popular hang out for students of CHS next to Derpy's diner. Twilight plan to take down Sunset Shimmer beginning to take shape. Twilight well aware that she was running out of time to enact it.

Back in the past of Equestria, Sunset continued to follow her mother through the halls of the Canterlot palace. Sunset's indifference towards her mother increasing every second that passed in absolute silence.

After almost five minutes of following her mother through the winding halls of the castle, she finally spoke. Her mother said that she wanted to talk to her, and even though Celestia's methods were strange, when she said that she wanted to talk. She wanted to talk.

"What is that you wanted to talk me about?" Sunset asked Celestia.

"I don't want to talk you Sunset, I just said that in order to get you to follow me." Celestia said back to her daughter as she continued to trot through the halls of the castle.

Sunset groaned internally, she had been tricked out of learning important magic by her own mother. Then Sunset did a mental double take. Why was she so angry all of a sudden? Has reading that book really changed her that much. All she had learned in her short amount of time was of about the existence of the Elements of Chaos and some minor dark magic spells that Sunset could've pulled off when she just yearling if given the chance.

"No, that's ridiculous." Sunset thought to herself as her mind and heart continued to fight for dominance. This being only one of her many fights against her 'logic' and her emotions.

Sunset was so stuck in her own mind that even hear that her mother was still talking to her until Celestia said her name. "Sunset, are you even listening to me?" Celestia asked her movements coming to a stop. Sunset just stopping herself from running into the rear of Celestia.

Sunset shook away her thoughts with a shake of her head. "Sorry, I'm been... thinking. What did you say." Sunset said up to Celestia.

"I said that I didn't want to talk to you. I wanted to introduce you to somepony." Celestia said sparking Sunset's interest. "Or, more accurately, properly introduce you to somepony." Celestia said to Sunset as she began to start trotting down the long halls of the castle.

"Meet somepony, who?" Sunset asked her mother.

"You'll see, and trust me. I think that the two of you will turn into good friends." Celestia said in her usual vagueness.

The two continued to trot through the halls of the castle in mostly silence for another five to ten minutes. Celestia would usually say something to break the ice between her and her daughter. But the conservations would usually be very quick and brief and would only lead to another round of awkward silence between the two. Eventually, to the relief of both Sunset and Celestia, the white alicorn came to her destination. Celestia stopping in front of a seemingly random door on the far East Wing of the castle.

"Um... Princess, where are have we stopped?" Sunset asked Celestia

"Because this is where the pony that I want you to meet is, or at least, she should be." Celestia said as she used her golden magic to open the door to the room that she was standing in front of, the door slowly opening and Celestia entering the room with Sunset not far behind.

Sunset quickly began to regret following her mother as she heard the voice of a young mare start speaking to Celestia. "Auntie I wasn't expecting to see you." Sunset heard Cadence say to Celestia. Cadence sitting on a large pink bed that made Sunset's look like a peasant's bed. The bed being easy twice the size of Sunset's and being made of expensive wood that Sunset assumed to be mahogany. Cadence was laying down on the bed and was reading a book that from where Sunset was standing she couldn't read the cover of. Cadence closing the cover of the book that she was reading and sitting up on her bed.

"Is it time for our lessons?" Cadence asked Celestia, the pink alicorn still not noticing the presence of Sunset.

"Wait, you're giving Cadence magic lessons too, what about me." Sunset thought as she felt like she was just hit with a sledgehammer from her mother's words. Sure Cadence used to be a pegasus and she would need help with magic. But she could just enroll in a special magic school. Sunset's magic lessons with her mother they... they were special. It was one of the few things that Sunset was able to do with her mother just by themselves. Sunset not having to fear to call Celestia mom as they always did their lessons alone.

"Nope, nope, nope, not happening!" Sunset internally vented as she did a quick 180 and walked out of the room. She wasn't going to share magic lessons with a precious little pink alicorn.

"Not, quite. I actually wanted you to be properly introduced to my star student..." Celestia began to say as she turned to introduce Sunset to Cadence, only to find that her daughter was nowhere to be found. "Sunset, where'd you go." Celestia said when she didn't see her daughter standing behind her.

"I'm not sharing lessons with her!" Sunset shouted back as she continued to trot down the hallway away from Cadence's room.

"Damnit, Sunset." Celestia internally groaned and sighed at the same time. "Sorry Cadence, could you excuse me for just one moment?" Celestia asked Cadence. The younger alicorn giving the elder a single head nod as she went back to reading the book that she was reading before Celestia had entered. The book being a spellbook for beginners at magic. A spellbook that Sunset remembered completing with flying colors even before she had become Celestia's student. "Great, I'll be right back." Celestia said to Cadence, her trotting out of the room and after her daughter.

Back in the mirror portal of the present. It didn't take long for Twilight and all of her friends to drive to the sweet shop that they were supposed to regroup with Rarity and learn of her plan to finally knock Sunset off of her pedestal.

Twilight and her friends all entered the sweet shop and ordered a round of milkshakes before taking a seat in an area in the shop that allowed all of them to seat comfortably. Twilight, Zulu, and Fluttershy sitting on a comfy couch while still leaving enough room for when Rarity joined them. Applejack and Rainbow both sitting in separate chairs that were next to the couch. Zulu sitting next to Twilight and wrapping his right arm around her shoulders, while Spike sat in the lap of Twilight and Theta laid down next to the feet of Zulu. Theta might have liked his cone in most situations but at least it made so that his head didn't touch the cold tile floor.

Several minutes passed by with them sitting in the sweet shop without the inclusion of Rarity. As more and more time passed by the more and more anxious Twilight got. She was on a limited time table. If she wasn't able to get the students of CHS on her side by the next day and defeat Sunset, if she even would be able to, she would be stuck in this world for the next thirty moons.

Zulu could sense the anxiety in her marefriend increasing and he tightened his hug around her and whispered into her ear. Making sure that none of the others could hear. Twilight's friends, while meaning while, still were unaware that they were dealing with an alicorn Princess from Equestria, the newest king of the Changeling Kingdom, and two dragons, one that was the current heir to the reign as Alpha of the Dragon Empire.

"It's alright Twilight, everything going to work out in the end. We will defeat this Sunset Shimmer and return home with time to spare." Zulu whispered into Twilight's ear. His seemed to work as the tight muscles of Twilight's shoulders began to loosen. "Everything is going to work out Twilight, they always do in the end." Zulu whispered into Twilight's ear. Twilight turning her head to face Zulu and a happy smile spreading across her face.

"Thanks, Z." Twilight whispered back as leaned up against his chest.

"Ugh! What's taking Rarity so long!" Rainbow exclaimed breaking moment that was going on between Twilight and Zulu. Her speaking what everyone was thinking, well all but Theta. He still liked his idea of using direct force against Sunset. She wasn't so scary, he could take her. Even in his damaged state.

"Calm your horses, Rainbow." Applejack said scolded Rainbow, Twilight not being able to stop herself from giggling at Applejack's words. "This is Rarity that we are talkin' about. She probably still makin' sure that her hair just perfect." Applejack said to Rainbow with a flip of her straw-colored hair in a motion to sarcastically imitate Rarity.

Just as Applejack finished her sentence the door to the sweet shop opened and Rarity rushed in. The young teen was out of breath and was carrying a large cardboard box in her arms. Rarity seeing the empty seat on the couch where Twilight, Zulu, and Fluttershy were sitting and quickly continued to the rest of her friends.

"Sorry, I'm late girls. It took me a little longer than I thought to find everything that I needed." Rarity apologized as she placed the large box that she was carrying on the ground next to her feet. The sound of the box hitting the tile floor waking Theta from his nap. The white husky sending an annoyed growl Rarity's way as he shifted his body away from the humans and returned to his nap.

"It's alright Rarity, what is it that you wanted to show us." Twilight said to Rarity, pulling out of Zulu's hug.

"These" Rarity said taking out a blue headband that had two yellow horse ears on it, there also being a matching fake horse tail. The base of the tail that wrapped around a person body like a belt was blue with the actual tail being a bright yellow.

"Now, this may be an absolutely preposterous idea, but what if we all wore these as a sign of unity?" Rarity said as she placed the headband and fake tail on herself to show them off.

"Freshman year, they were very, very popular. A way for everybody to show their school spirit! You know? 'Go, Canterlot Wondercolts!" Rarity exclaimed like an overexcited cheerleader while jumping up and down.

"Ahem. I haven't sold any in ages." Rarity cleared her throat as she went back to the topic that was at hand.

"I mean, the five of us are obviously very different, but deep down, we're all Canterlot Wondercolts! Sunset Shimmer is the one who divided us, Twilight Sparkle is the one who united us. And we're gonna let everyone know it! What do you think?" Rarity said mostly to Twilight as she finished showing off her plan to beat Sunset Shimmer.

"It's your call, Twi." Zulu said to Twilight holding one of the headbands in his hand. Twilight examined the idea in her head and determined the likelihood that it would be a success. The odds weren't good, but they were better than before

"It might just work, and I have a plan as to how." Twilight said with determination in her voice.

"Really, how?" Fluttershy asked Twilight.

"Meet me at the high school tomorrow and I tell you all about it then, ok." Twilight said to her friends.

"Copy that boss." Rainbow said standing up from her chair. The rest of Twilight's friends following the example of Rainbow and nodding in an agreement.

"Excellent, I'll meet you all there." Twilight said standing up. The rest of Twilight friends following her example and them beginning to walk out of the sweet shop. Rarity's idea giving Twilight the perfect idea to show the students of CHS that they didn't have to put up with Sunset crap anymore.

Back in the past of Canterlot, Celestia was doing her best to stop her daughter from following in the hoof steps of her sister. Something that hit a snag when Sunset learned of the magic lessons that Celestia was giving to Cadence. Along with her own. Sunset not taking the news of this fact as well as Celestia would've liked.

"Sunset wait." Celestia called out to her daughter. Sunset heeded her mother's words and stopped trotting but her anger didn't disappear from her.

"I'm not sharing lessons with her!" Sunset shouted angrily at Celestia.

"You said that I wanted you to." Celestia said to Sunset, her daughter doing a double take from her mother's words.

"But... she said that you were giving her lessons too, and doing that would take away time from our lessons." Sunset said to Celestia with tears beginning to form in her eyes.

"Sunset..." Celestia said kneeling down to be at Sunset's eye level. "Listen to me." Celestia said down to her daughter cupping her hoof underneath the chin of Sunset. Celestia voice being soft and reassuring as she continued to speak to Sunset. "It is true that have been teaching Cadence magic lessons ever since she had become an alicorn." Celestia said to Sunset.

"Why didn't you tell me." Sunset asked Celestia.

"Because I knew this was how you would react if I did. You knowing that I was spending time teaching somepony else magic when you were my student." Celestia said to Sunset. The amber-filly doing a double take. Sunset knew she was being selfish, something that her mother had constantly told her not to be. "Think about others rather than just yourself." Celestia's words pounded in Sunset's head.

"I-I understand, but if you didn't want me to share lessons with Cadence. Then what was it that you wanted me to do with her?" Sunset asked Celestia.

"I wanted you to help Cadence with her magic lessons. Be a sort of mentor for her." Celestia said to Sunset, the amber-filly being blown away by her mother's words.

"You want me to do what?" Sunset stammered in a state of shock.

"Sunset, you are one of the most powerful unicorns that I have ever come across. I wouldn't surprise me if you would be able to challenge the great Star Swirl the Bearded in a match of magical prowess." Celestia said to her daughter, a small blush appearing on Sunset's muzzle from her mother's words. Sunset knew that her mother was just buttering her up with her words. But not matter how intentionally flattering they might have been, they still worked and made Sunset feel better.

She was being selfish and disappointing her mother, two things that she never wanted to do. She had a gift that some unicorns would only dream of processing. It would be irresponsible for her not to use it to help others.

"All I wanted you to do was help me out during my lessons with Cadence. She is far behind even what fouls would be currently learning in magical kindergarten." Celestia said to Sunset, the amber filly's ears perking up at her words.

"So... I'd be like an apprentice to you, a tutor." Sunset said happily, her being able to boss around a pony that was older than her made her want to jump for joy.

"You... could put it that way." Celestia said to Sunset. "So, are you saying that you would be willing to help me in teaching Cadence about the greatness of magic?" Celestia

"Yes, I would love to!" Sunset exclaimed as a thought came to her mind. "As long as I never have to share my lessons with her." Sunset said firmly but still politely, her doing her best imitation her mother. She trusted her mother, but she needed assurance.

"Of course, now follow me. I believe that it would be best to start with getting back on the right hoof with Cadence. You weren't practically friendly when you met her earlier." Celestia lightly scolded Sunset.

"Right, led the way, Princess." Sunset said slightly ashamed of her less than pleasant greeting to Cadence the first time they met. Sunset following after her mother back into Cadence's room. The pink alicorn was still lying on top of her bed and reading her spell book.

Celestia cleared her throat to get Cadence's attention, the pink alicorn lifting her head from her book shifting her attention from her studies of basic levitation and some of the easiest spells in existence and onto Celestia. This time, Cadence did notice the amber body of Sunset standing behind the left hind leg of Celestia. The sight reminding Cadence of a mother bear standing protectively in front of her cub. Cadence letting out an internal giggle at the sight in front of her.

"You're back Auntie, I hope that everything was resolved." Cadence said happily to Celestia.

"Yes, and I believe so. I believe that my student as something that she would like to tell you." Celestia said to Cadence. The white alicorn looking down at Sunset urging her to apologize to Cadence for her earlier behavior.

"Hi..." Sunset began quietly with a small wave of her hoof. "I'm Sunset Shimmer. I apologize for my behavior earlier, it was selfish and childish and I apologize for my misbehavior and I hope that we will be able to put all things aside and start over." Sunset said to Cadence, she felt genuinely sorry for her less than pleasant introduction to Cadence and hoped for them to become in not friends, at least mutual acquaintances.

"I accept your apologize Sunset, and I do hope that we will be to put our differences behind us and become good friends." Cadence said to Sunset a happy smile spreading across Cadence and Sunset's faces.

"Excellent, now that we got everything settled. Come on Cadence, I still have a magic lesson to teach you." Celestia said happily that her niece and her daughter had made amends.

"Lead the way, auntie." Cadence said to Celestia hopping off her bed and following after her out of the room.

"Come on Sunset, I am going to need your help if Cadence is ever going to become a master at magic." Celestia said to Sunset urging her to follow after the two alicorns.

"Come again, auntie." Cadence said to Celestia, not sure as to why Sunset was going to join the two alicorns.

"Oh yes, Sunset going to help me in your magic lessons. I thought it would just be appropriate." Celestia explained to Cadence.

"Oh, then I'd be honored. Being thought magic by both Princess Celestia and her priced student would be an honor." Cadence said happily.

"Excellent, now follow me. We have much to do and not much time to do it." Celestia said leading Cadence and Sunset through the halls of the castle and to the throne room. A thought coming to Sunset as she followed her mother and her supposed adoptive cousin.

"She stealing your mother from you, soon the both of you will drift apart and it will be all her fault." A deep voice that Sunset didn't recognize said in her head. Sunset being racked by a massive migraine. Sunset quietly groaning as the voice continued to speak to her. "You must get rid of her before it is too late, or else." The voice spoke again before falling mysteriously silent.

"No." Sunset said quietly out loud not aware that she was actually speaking.

"Come again, Sunset." Cadence said to Sunset noticing her words.

"Um... I'm just... speaking to myself. I talk to myself a lot, don't about it Princess." Sunset said to Cadence. "Nice recovery, Sunset." Sunset thought to herself when she saw a happy smile spread across Cadence's face.

"Ok, and please just call me Cadence. I was born just a regular pegasus anyway." Cadence said to Sunset a small smile spreading across Sunset's face as well. A smile that quickly left Sunset's muzzle once Cadence turned back toward Celestia. A look of despair taking its place as the strange voice returned.

"Just wait, soon you become nothing more than just a nuisance to her and soon she will make the choice as to which one of you that she cares for more, and I can guarantee that she won't pick you." The voice said to Sunset before disappearing again. Sunset looking down at the white tile floor of the castle's hallway. "That's not true, my mother loves me. She would never do that to me." Sunset thought as she looked at her own reflection in the tile floor. The image of a scared filly looking back at her.

"Are you sure about that?" Sunset could've sworn she heard her own reflection say back to her. Sunset's strange trance being broken by the sound of her mother's voice.

"Hurry along Sunset, we all have many things to do today and not much time left in the day to do them." Celestia said back to her daughter.

"Right, coming!" Sunset called back to her mother as she quickly galloped to catch up with the two alicorns. Sunset internally sighing as she caught back up to them. Cadence's larger and more mature body blocked her path to her mother.

"This is going to be one really long day." Sunset thought as the large double doors of the throne room came into view, the same orange guard standing in front of the doors. Sunset noticing the guard and Celestia sharing a look but thought nothing more of it. The guard using his green magic to open the double doors for the three mares, him bowing respectively as they all entered. Him oddly bowing the most when Sunset walked past. Sunset saw the occurrence as strange, but again, thought more of it. The guard quickly closing the doors behind the three mares as they entered.

"Now, yet's get started." Celestia said turning to face her adoptive niece and her daughter. The evening sun shining through the stained glass windows of the throne room and making it so that Celestia mane and coat both shined beautiful. Sunset also noticing a faint aura of golden magic wrapping around Celestia's long horn. Celestia doing her job of lowering the sun and raising the moon while at the same time teaching Cadence basic magic, impressive.

"I assume that you have been practicing your magic as of late, Cadence?" Celestia asked Cadence while using her teacher/mentor voice.

"Yes, auntie. I have read and reread all of the spell books that you have given me." Cadence said'

"Study and practice is not the same thing, Cadence. Have you been able to complete any of your assigned spells?" Celestia scolded Cadence, the pink alicorn's body seeming to shrink at Celestia's words. Cadence's muzzle turned even pinker (if that was even possible) with a blush of embarrassment.

"N-No... I still haven't been able to make it so that my horn would do what I want it to do." Cadence said to Celestia, the white alicorn sighing at Cadence's words.

"I see." Celestia said physically disappointed. "Sunset, could you be so kind as to create a snowball that is an inch in diameter?" Celestia asked Sunset shifting her attention away from Cadence.

"Snowballs, why always snowballs!?" Sunset internally vented while retaining a neutral expression the strange voice of unknown origin returning to her.

"To torture you. She knows that you aren't power in ice magic. She's just using you as her own puppet and her the puppeteer. Soon you be nothing more than that to her, and once you realize it. It will already be too late." The voice's deep voice pounded in her head. Another massive migraine hitting Sunset and a small groan coming out of her.

"Shut up, please!" Sunset internally shouted back at the strange voice.

"If that is what you wish, but you will come to me in time. They always do." The voice said before leaving Sunset's mind again.

"Good riddance." Sunset said internally with a snort.

"Sunset... are you alright?" Celestia asked Sunset, snapping the amber filly out of her trance. Sunset just then realizing that she had been silent and staring off into space for a solid minute.

Sunset shook the cobwebs out of her head with a single shake of her head back and forth. "Sorry, I must have zoned out there. Sorry Princess, it won't happen again." Sunset apologized to Celestia.

"No apology necessary, Sunset." Celestia said to Sunset with a warm smile on her face. "Now, could you please make a snowball for me?"

"Of course." Sunset said as her small horn ignited with her teal magic and her hoof began to start feeling cold as she began to form a small snowball in her left hoof. The snowball was smaller than the one that she created earlier but it was no less difficult to create.

Once Sunset was done the snowball was a perfectly shaped white sphere about an inch and a half in diameter. Sunset breathing heavily and sweating from her forehead when she was finished.

"Impressive..." Cadence said with genuine intrigue to the young unicorn's magical powers. "But... what does Sunset making a snowball have to do with my lack of success with magic?" Cadence asked Celestia, Sunset feeling slightly insulted by Cadence's words. It having taken Sunset months to master ice magic and this pink alicorn that currently stealing her private with her mother had just waved it off with her polished hooves.

Celestia didn't answer Cadence's question right away and instead turned her attention back to Sunset. "Sunset, how long did it take you to master ice magic?" Celestia asked Sunset while still looking at Cadence.

"You could, at least, look at me." Sunset internally vented as she snorted.

"Like three months." Sunset said to Celestia while looking directly at Cadence with a death glare on her muzzle.

"Oh!" Cadence said with genuine surprise. "But my question still stands, what does this have to do me having issues with my magic?" Cadence asked Celestia.

"I did it to prove a point." Celestia said to Cadence. A look of confusion appearing on both Cadence and Sunset's faces.

"A point?" Cadence and Sunset said as one.

"Yes, no matter how spell books you read, the amount time that you spend studying, you will never be able to master magic until you actually try your luck with your magic." Celestia said to Cadence, a high amount of boredom beginning to build inside of Sunset.

"Now, I want you to do a simple spell that I know that you should've studied by now." Celestia said to Cadence, the pink alicorn's muscles tensing up.

"Now, let's begin by having you do some basic levitation lessons to test out that new horn of yours." Celestia said to Cadence with a warm smile. A smile that only made Sunset angrier.

"She gets basic levitation as a warm up, while I have to make snowballs. Buck you mommy, buck you." Sunset vented internally as she angrily snorted at how unfair her young life was.

"Ok." Cadence said, her voice and muscles a little shaky.

"Keep your chin up Cadence, this is going to be simple. Just focus your magic and levitate that object over to you." Celestia said to Cadence pointing her hoof at a red apple that was resting on top of a table that was on the left side of the throne room.

"Ok..." Cadence said as she took in a deep breath. "Let's get this over with." Cadence said as the small horn that protruded out of her forehead glowed with her light blue magic. Her light blue aura wrapping around the red apple. The apple slowly beginning to lift off of the ground. Cadence's horn humming with her powerful magic as the apple slowly moved towards her. Her magic being so strong that the apple was bruised and quickly to began to leak its juices onto the tile floor of the throne room.

Sunset watching disinterestedly, a silent glare from Celestia being the only thing stopping her from sitting on her haunches and resting on her forelegs. Absolute boredom beginning to set in.

But suddenly Cadence's magic failed. All of her magic leaving her horn and the apple that she was levitating falling from her aura and hitting the ground with a loud splat.

"I'm sorry, but no matter how hard I try. My magic just doesn't want to listen to me and do what I want it to do." Cadence complained to Celestia. The pink alicorn breathing heavily and sweating from her forehead. Sunset beginning to get more and more irritated with this pink alicorn as this 'lesson' continued.

"I believe that I see the issue." Celestia said catching the interest of Cadence. Sunset disinterest and boredom only increasing with each passing second.

"You do!?" Cadence said clapping her hooves happily.

"Yes, it is very clear that you don't have an issue when it comes to the magical power that you process." Celestia said to Cadence, a happy smile spreading across the pink alicorn's muzzle. "But, it seems that you are having difficulty when it comes to focusing all of that power into a single controlled force." Celestia explained to Cadence, the pink alicorn nodding when appropriate.

"I see... can you help me in 'focusing my power'?" Cadence asked Celestia.

"I believe so. Sunset, do you believe that you can help Cadence in her endeavor. I remember you having a similar issue when you were younger?" Celestia asked, more ordered, Sunset to help Cadence.

"Sure." Sunset said defeated, her quickly beginning to regret agreeing to help Cadence with her magic.

"This is going to be one really long day." Sunset thought as she began to quickly regret agreeing to help Cadence with her magic. Sunset really wanting to return to her room and continue reading her latest spell book. Her having some kind of strange connection with the book ever since she had opened its pages for the first time.

Back in the present of the mirror portal. The rest of the day went on without much activity for Twilight, Zulu, and Theta. The three piling into Fluttershy's car and returning to the pink-haired girl's house to unwind and prepare for the final stages of Twilight's plan to defeat Sunset Shimmer.

It was a very different story for Sunset Shimmer. Sunset had been pacing around the front room of the abandoned house that she had made her home during her self-exile planning out every possible event that could happen the following day in extreme detail. Sunset being in the middle of her planning for one of the more unlikely situations, or so she thought.

"So if Twilight Sparkle is somehow able to win the crown through the voting system." Sunset thought out loud as she continued to pace up and down the front room of her house. "Not likely, but I have to prepare for everything. Mother always told me that the only way to prepare for everything is to plan for everything before hoof." Sunset thought to herself. Her being quickly hit by a massive migraine the moment that she finished her thought.

"No, stop thinking of Celestia, she is the enemy and should be treated as such." The same voice that she had since gotten accustomed to said to her.

Sunset let out a heavy sigh. The voice was right, it was always right. But her mother's words still stood and they were still good advice to follow. "You're right, but my mother's words are still a good piece of advice." Sunset said to the voice in her head as she continued to pace up and down the front room of her house.

"Perhaps, now what's your plan?" The voice asked Sunset.

"The best case scenario is that I just beat Twilight fair and square and use her Element of Harmony to take over Equestria and make it my own." Sunset said to the voice in her head.

"Hmm... I see." The voice said to Sunset. Sunset imagining a black red eyed devil scratching it's chin as it continued to speak. "And what if you fail to just win the crown?" The voice asked Sunset.

"Then we take it through more... direct means." Sunset said suddenly beginning to speak in the third person.

"I like the way you think." The voice said to Sunset, the fiery head girl imagining a devilish grin on the face of the strange voice that had been a part of her for over a decade.

"Thank you, now leave me. I still have so planning to do, and I don't want you to distract me from my plans." Sunset said to the voice in her head.

"If that is what you wish, then I shall leave. I just hope that you hold on to your end of the burden in our endeavor." The voice said to Sunset in a threatening tone.

"Are you threatening me?" Sunset asked the voice in her head as her pacing came to a stop.

"No, I'm just making sure that I will be properly repaid for my investments." The voice said to Sunset, her snorting at its strange words. She wasn't a sack of potatoes that could be sold at auction. But... she needed the voice. It gave her power, more power than she could ever have imagined. The power that it had only promised to give her more of. And nothing, not even Twilight Sparkle. Or even her Mother was going to stop her from all of the power that she craved.

"Fine, you have my word. You will be properly repaid for your efforts." Sunset said with a small flash of anger. A flash of anger that only made the voice happier at the words that it had done.

"Excellent, I will leave you now." The voice said before Sunset felt its strange presence leaving her. She still didn't know how she got it or where it came from. But it had helped more than it had hurt. Besides, in a place where she was feared by almost everyone. She needed someone to talk to, even if that someone was nothing more than her own subconsciousness.

Sunset let out a heavy sigh, it was almost over. Soon she would have all that she would need. Soon it would be all over. She would be free. She would have all of the things that she wanted for so long. All the power that she had craved for so long, or was it all the power that the voice inside her head craved for so long. She had been surrounded by the voice for so long that she could even tell the difference between herself and it anymore.

Was she even the same mare as before? Was she still be that happy filly that enjoyed learning all that there was to learn about the greatness of magic? No, she wasn't. That filly with love, hope, and magic had died a long time ago. She had changed so much in the last decade of her life. She wasn't happy all the time anymore, she was angry. She didn't crave to learn all the things anymore, she craved for power.

Which was better, she still didn't know. But she was soon going to find out.

It Just Gets Buried (Equestria Girls)

Twilight's eyes slowly began to open as the sunlight from the rising sun shown through the window of the room that she was currently sleeping in. Twilight having fallen asleep for the second straight night in the loving embrace of her colt friend Zulu. Her becoming more assumed to having his strong arms around her body. Twilight eagerly awaiting when they go back home and what it would be like in his loving embrace of his holed hooves.

Twilight let a yawn past by her lips as she began to shake off the remains of her sleep. Twilight's purple eyes falling on the white fur of Theta. Most of Theta's fur having returned to its original snow-white coloration with only a few patches near where the cone that still wrapped around his neck. The white husky was sleeping peacefully on a makeshift bed of blankets. The dog looking to be having a pleasant dream as Twilight could see what looked like a happy smile on Theta's muzzle as he continued to sleep peacefully. A sight that brought a warm smile to Twilight's face. Spike having fallen asleep at the base of the bed. Spike having told Twilight She then shifted her head upward to see the still sleeping body of Zulu wrapping his strong arms around her body.

"Zulu... Zulu... it's time to wake up." Twilight whispered to her colt friend in a manner to wake him up.

"Five more minutes." Zulu mumbled still half-asleep his grip around Twilight's waist tightening. Twilight could tell that Zulu was just playing with her and she was willing to play along with him. Man, how she had changed since she met Zulu.

"Come on, it's time to wake up. We a lot of things to do today if we have a chance to returning to Equestria before the portal closes." Twilight said as she moved one of her arms out of Zulu's embrace and placed her opened hand on Zulu's cheek. The cheek being warm as the rising sun continued to shine on it.

The soft touch of Twilight's hand on his cheek making Zulu slowly begin to open his eyes. "Fine, I'll get up.

"Did you sleep well?" Twilight asked as sat up on the bed. Twilight leaning up against Zulu's chest.

"Yeah, I'd say so." Zulu said with a yawn as he stretched his arms. "What about you?" Zulu asked as he cupped his right hand under Twilight's cheek and moved in for an early morning kiss.

"It was perfect." Twilight said as the couple interchanged short kisses on each other lips. Their kissing coming to a quick end when there was a knock on the door of the room that Zulu and Twilight shared. The knocking waking Spike from his slumber while Theta just continued to sleep on.

"Twilight, I'll be leaving for school in the next few minutes. Are you up and ready to go?" The voice of Fluttershy asked from behind the door.

"Almost, I'll be out in a few minutes." Twilight said to Fluttershy.

"Ok, I'll be in the living room when you're done." Fluttershy said from behind the door. Her words being quickly followed by the sounds of her walking away.

"I guess that's our cue." Zulu said as he walked over to the closet of the room and took his leather jacket off from a metal hanger and put it on. "How do I look?" Zulu asked Twilight after he put his jacket on.

"Sexy." Twilight while biting her lower lip. Spike only rolling his eyes at Twilight's words. "I'm fine with this. I'm fine with this." Spike repeated in his head as he walked over to the closed door and sat impatiently in front of it.

Twilight noticing Spike's movements and covering her mouth to suppress a small giggle. "Calm down Spike,

"Then do it." Spike said a little bit more bluntly than he had intended. Twilight, nor Zulu, didn't take any offence from the purple dog's words. Twilight walking over to where Theta was sleeping and kneeling down to his eye level.

"Theta, it's time to wake up." Twilight whispered to the sleeping husky. The white dog's green eyes slowly opening and a yawn coming out his mouth. Theta slowly stood to his full height, a blanket that lay on top of him when he slept falling off his body. Theta then doing his early morning stretches with the joints in his hind legs popping in and out of place as he stretched them.

"What time is it?" Theta asked as he moved his head back and forth in a manner to pop it.

"Just past 6:30." Zulu said looking at a watch that was on his right wrist.

"Alright, let's get this over with." Theta said as he walked over toward the closed door and took a seat next to spike.

"Alright, let's go." Zulu said as he opened the door to his room. Spike quickly walking out of the room and up the stairs that lead to the living room that was on the mane floor of Fluttershy's house.

"Princesses of Equestria first." Zulu said as he held the door open for Twilight.

"Such a great gentle colt helping the needing Princess." Twilight said to Zulu her eyes filled with love.

"I guess that would make me your knight in Shining Armor, princess." Zulu said sarcastically as he continued to hold the door open for his marefriend.

"No, that's my brother." Twilight said playing along with Zulu previous state with a small laugh. Twilight's purple eyes filled with love and happiness as she stared directly into the green eyes of Zulu. Twilight seeing them as the prettiest eyes that she had ever seen. "You are more the huntsman that was originally sent to kill that but only ends up falling for her."

A small laugh came from Zulu as moved in for another kiss. "I don't think that's how that story goes." Zulu said as he embraced Twilight in a small hug, the two of them staring directly into each other's eyes.

"I don't care. I'll be your Princess as long you stay my huntsman." Twilight said as the couple's lips were only a few inches from each other.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Zulu said as he and Twilight's lips interlocked. A muffled moan coming the two as they made out.

"I guess that would make me your noble steed or something." Theta said sarcastically as he walked past them and out the door. A shiver going up his body as his padded paws made contact with the cold tile floor.

"Don't be like that Theta, I'm sure that you will find a mare some day." Zulu called out to Theta as the white husky walked out the door and Theta's movements stopped. Theta snapping his body back around to face Twilight and Zulu and he went off at them. Theta knew that Zulu was just trying to cheer him up with some early morning humor, but Theta wasn't in the mood. He wanted to go home and Twilight and Zulu's random make out wasn't going to keep him from returning to a form that didn't break so easily.

"That's not why I'm angry!" Theta shouted back at the two humans. Twilight and Zulu's eyes both widening at the husky's outburst. The white dog's eyes flashing red as stared the two of them down.

"Theta, are you alright?" Twilight cautiously asked the enraged husky.

"No Twi, I'm not!" Theta continued to shout. He didn't care anyone else heard him. This was the last day that the portal would open and he needed to remind Twilight and Zulu of it.

"Theta, what's wrong? Why are you so mad?" Twilight cautiously asked Theta.

"Because I want to go home Twilight! You know back to the Empire, where I'm a bucking dragon! Not one these useless bodies that this world has made me become!" Theta shouted back at Twilight. Theta's shouting catching the attention of Fluttershy, who was waiting for Twilight and Zulu in the living room of her house.

"Twilight, is everything alright down there?" Fluttershy asked Twilight from the living room of her house.

"Yeah, everything alright. We'll be up in a second."

"Ok, I'll be waiting for guys." Fluttershy said back to Twilight. Fluttershy returning to whatever she was doing on the floor above. Once Twilight was sure that this world's Fluttershy had lost interest she returned her attention back to Theta.

"Theta, you need to calm down. You're going to blow our cover." Twilight scolded the white husky. Twilight's words only fueling Theta's increasing anger. He wasn't her pet he was royalty just as much as the rest of them, and he deserved to be treated as such.

"No Twilight, I don't." Theta said as he continued to stare the purple-skinned human down. "In fact, I'm sick and tired of wearing this stupid thing." Theta said as he sat on his rump as began to try and remove the cone from his head.

"Theta, what are you doing?" Twilight asked Theta with concern in her voice.

"I'm getting this damn thing off." Theta said back to Twilight as he struggled to reach behind his neck and detach the cone. He remembered how the vet put it on and he would just need to find the part of the cone that held it together.

"Theta, I understand that you are angry but this is no excuse for doing anything drastic.

"No Twilight, I am perfectly fine. Or, at least, I would be if I was back home." Theta said back to Twilight as the claws on his hind legs made contact with part of the cone that held it together. Now he just needed to find out how to... snap.

"About damn time!" Theta exclaimed a sigh of relief as he released the straps that held his cone together. The plastic cone breaking into two pieces and falling to the tile floor with a small crash. "Ugh! That's so much better." Theta said as he was finally able to see what was to the direct left and right of him. Him moving his head back and forth in a motion similar to someone shaking their head no.

"Theta, what are you doing?" Twilight asked Theta beginning to become irritated at the white husky's actions.

"I'm proving a point Twilight." Theta snapped back at Twilight. The love that she has for Zulu leaving her and being replaced by anger being directed straight at Theta.

"And what point would that be?" Twilight spat back at Theta. Zulu putting his forearm in front of Twilight. Zulu having to physically distance his marefriend from Theta.

"Twilight, calm down." Zulu whispered to Twilight.

"I am calm." Twilight angrily spat at Zulu while sending a death glare his way, inadvertently directing the anger that she had for Theta at her beloved. "Theta, on the other... hand. I'm not so sure." Twilight spat at Theta. Theta snorting back in disgust and anger. But his anger seemed to leave him quickly. Theta needed to remind Twilight and Zulu of their true mission and he was going to be able of doing that by yelling at them.

"I am calm Twilight. I'm just frustrated." Theta said to both Zulu and Twilight. His words more calm and collected than they had been before.

"Why's that?" Zulu asked Theta taking the initiative of the conservation while putting a calming hand on Twilight's shoulder.

"Why haven't you guys told Fluttershy, or any other your 'friends' for that matter, why you really want to take down Sunset?" Theta asked both Zulu and Twilight while more directly his question in the direction of Twilight.

"Well... I didn't even think if it was necessary. If we beat Sunset without any problems then why should we bother with telling them that we are from a world of magical flying horses." Twilight said to Theta, the dragon turned husky's scowl only increasing at Twilight's words. Was he truly the only one that was taking this 'mission' seriously.

"What did plan on doing if you failed and Sunset got your Element of Harmony and used its power for her own twisted means. What then, Twilight?" Twilight spat back at Twilight. His question leaving Twilight absolutely speechless.

"Um..." Twilight tried to come up with an answer but couldn't find one.

"That's what I thought, you have to tell them. You can't risk everything going to shit if you don't. Plus, them knowing what this is really about and what is at stakes if we fail should be able to give them some more motivation to take Sunset down." Theta said to Twilight in a calming voice. He might have been angry but he still needed to get Twilight on his side and that wasn't going to happen if he continued to yell at her. Theta seeming to work as Twilight's angry snarl began to warp into a regretful frown.

Twilight let out a sigh of defeat. Theta was right, all of her friends deserved to know her true reasons for wanting to take down Sunset Shimmer. Plus, like Theta said, if they knew what was truly at stake if they failed then just maybe it would that final push for all of them to take sunset down.

"You're right, Theta." Twilight said to the white husky.

"Twilight is everything alright down there. You're taking a long time." The voice of Fluttershy sounded from above.

"Well, now's your chance." Theta said to Twilight as he heard Fluttershy walking the stairs.

"What's been taking so long, Twilight?" Fluttershy asked as she walked down the stairs. "And why isn't Theta wearing his cone anymore?!" Fluttershy asked Twilight noticing that Theta wasn't wearing his protective cone around his head anymore, the alicorn turned human looked down at Theta. The white sending a look back at her that said 'if you don't tell her, then I will', a look that Twilight knew that Theta would go through with. Dragons were known to be very subtle creatures in the first place.

Twilight let out a sigh as she turned her head to look at Zulu. "She needs to know." Twilight whispered to Zulu while keeping her words loud enough for both Theta and Fluttershy to hear.

"I know." Twilight whispered back.

"I need to know what?" Fluttershy asked Twilight and Zulu.

"Fluttershy..." Twilight began to say before pausing, her trying to come up with the best way to tell Fluttershy that she was really a pony princess from an alternate dimension.

"Yes." Fluttershy urged Twilight to continue.

"You see..." Twilight said looking away from Fluttershy in shame. "I haven't been completely truthful with you." Twilight said to Fluttershy, the pink-haired girl's eyes shrinking at Twilight's words.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Fluttershy angrily asked Twilight as she crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"It's nothing like that." Twilight said waving her hands back and forth. "You see, I haven't told you the real reason that I'm here." Twilight said still trying to find the best way to tell Fluttershy without her flipping out or just thinking that she was insane.

"I thought both of your parents were out of town and just needed a place to stay." Fluttershy to Twilight and Zulu, mentioning the lie that Zulu and told to convince Fluttershy to crash at her place while they were in the human world.

Twilight and Zulu both shared a brief look before she responded. "That's not exactly true. You see, none of our parents are really on a business trip, and we weren't really locked out of our places without a place to stay." Twilight said to Fluttershy, the pink-haired rarely shown anger beginning to boil to the surface.

"What are you saying, Twilight?" Fluttershy asked Twilight, her words more forceful and filled with anger as she spoke them.

"For Alpha's sake!" Theta exclaimed not being able to put up with pony bullshit anymore. The sudden speaking by Theta taking Fluttershy by surprise, as would anyone from this world hearing a dog speak perfect English would be. "Twilight's a pony princess from an alternate dimension." Theta said to Fluttershy pointing his white paw at Twilight. Fluttershy remaining silent "Zulu is a creature that is called a changeling, a creature that literally feeds off the love the others." Theta said

Once Theta had finished there were a few moments of awkward silence before Fluttershy slowly turned her head to face Twilight and spoke to her. Fluttershy's voice being shaking and filled with shock. "Hum... Twilight why can your dog talk?"

"It's a long story." Twilight said with a small laugh. "A story that I was going to tell you." Twilight spat at Theta, the husky not taking her words happily.

"What? She deserved to know and you were taking forever." Theta said with a snug of his shoulders.

Twilight let out a sigh before she spoke to Fluttershy, her new friend still in a state of understandable shock. "Fluttershy, don't worry I'll explain everything. But it might be best with we group up with the rest of the girls beforehand." Twilight said to Fluttershy.

"Ok, but if I hear that dog talking about magical flying horses again, then I'm gonna scream." Fluttershy said in agreement to Twilight.

"Just wait until you learn what Spike and I really are then you'll be really freak out." Theta said to Fluttershy as they all walked upstairs and walked out of Fluttershy's house as if nothing had happened. Them all being quickly joined by Spike, him taking note of Fluttershy's jumping behavior. But he didn't question in further. Fluttershy driving them all to CHS. Fluttershy having more questions flying around her head than she could even count.

Back in the past of Canterlot, Sunset had just finished 'helping' Princess Cadence with her magic. Sunset quickly becoming to regret agreeing to help Cadence with her magic.

Sunset letting out a sigh of relief as she trotted back to her room. She was joined by Celestia again, her assuming that her mother was just making sure that she made it back to her room safely. Celestia making random small talk as the mother and daughter slowly trotted back to Sunset room on that far west wing of the castle. Sunset had asked her mother if she could move her room closer to Celestia but always gave her the excuse that it would either rise to much attention and risk blowing Sunset's cover as Celestia's heir the throne of Equestria.

"I'm happy that you agreed to help me with Cadence's magic lessons." Celestia said to Sunset with a warm smile on her face.

"Yeah, whatever you say, Princess." Sunset said disinterestedly, she having stopped paying attention to what her mother was saying about half way through trotting back to her room.

"Sunset, are you even listening to me?" Celestia asked Sunset, her tone of voice becoming more direct.

"I'm sorry, I guessed I'm just tired from all of the stuff that has happened today and just need a good night's rest." Sunset said to her mother as she let a yawn pass her lips. Celestia having lowered the sun and raised the moon part way through Cadence's magic lessons. The soft moonlight from a crescent moon shining through the stained glass windows of the castle. Sunset had never seen herself as a night pony, probably something she got from her mother, but she had to admit that the castle the night sky look absolutely beautiful. The image of the bright moon with the Mare in the Moon being a beacon to her in a blanket of darkness. Sunset not afraid to argue that it made the night look even more beautiful than the daytime.

"I understand." Celestia said to Sunset as the two turned down the hallway that led to where Sunset's room was. "Today has been a trial for us all and maybe it is for the best to just recharge with a good night's rest." Celestia said to Sunset, her believing that she was making some great progress in bringing her daughter back to the side and harmony.

"Yeah... maybe for the best." Sunset said in a slight defeatist tone. Sunset's words bring a saddened frown to Celestia's muzzle.

"Hey Sunset, are you alright?" Celestia asked her daughter, stepping in front of her and blocking her path.

Sunset let out a sigh, she was growing tired of her mother's antics (both literally and figuratively) and all she wanted was a good night's sleep. She understood her mother's concern but she really wasn't in the right mental state to deal with her mother's insecurities right now.

Sunset did a quick check to make sure that there was no pony else within earshot before she answered her mother's question. "I'm fine mom, trust me." Sunset answered at a whisper level, they might have still been along but you never know. "I'm just tired." Sunset said to Celestia with a small yawn, the amber filly's teal eyes beginning to droop as fatigue set in.

"Alright, just don't hesitate to tell me anything that bothers you. Your happiness is my top priority." Celestia to Sunset. The amber filly doing a double take at Celestia's words.

"Do you really mean that?" Sunset asked Celestia. Sunset hoping that her words didn't come off as insulting. She trusted her mother with her life, but what that voice had told her. She had to be sure, just in case.

Celestia let out an internal sigh as she looked down at her daughter. Sunset might have even realized it, but Celestia could see it. She could see in Sunset's eyes. The same thing that she saw in her little sister over a millennium earlier. A sight that she had first ignored and it only lead to pain. Pain not just for her, but also for her sister, and for the rest of Equestria. She didn't want this same thing to tear her family apart again, not this time.

What Celestia saw was doubt. Doubt in your love ones. Doubt that they wouldn't be there for you when you needed them the most. It was the same doubt that Celestia had seen in her little sister not long after the defeat of Discord. Doubt that if left unchecked and unaltered could leave to her little Sunset falling into the same darkness that she was trying to fight her from.

She needed to kill the doubt that was in Sunset eyes, heart, mind, and soul. And she knew the best, simplest, and easiest way to do it. She needed to show Sunset that she cared about her and that no matter what happens she would always be the number one in Celestia's world.

A small warm smile spread across Celestia's muzzle as she kneeled down to Sunset eye level and spoke to her in a soft whisper. "Yes, I really mean that." Celestia said down to Sunset, small tears beginning to form in the corners of her pink eyes.

"Most might just see me as a princess and you my student, but we are so much more than that." Celestia said peacefully to her daughter as she interlocked her hooves with her daughter's. Sunset reeled back at the contact but quickly relax once her eyes met with her mother's and all of her doubt that had, either she recognized it or not, faded away. Sunset saw the tears in her mother's eyes. Tears that she rarely saw her mother shed tears. Even with her seeing her mother come out of her mother come out of her shell has the seemingly perfect princess more and more lately. The sight was still difficult and strange to see.

Her mother had always been seen has an ideal that ponies strive to become. She was almost god-like in the eyes of my most ponies. But now, with interlocked hooves, with tearing eyes she was nothing like that. Celestia wasn't perfect, no pony was. Right now Celestia wasn't the incorruptible beacon of light that some many others saw her as. No, she was a scared mother that didn't want to stand by as she watched her only daughter fall into the darkness.

The sight in front of Sunset brought tears to her eyes. But Celestia wasn't done with her speech of both apology and gratitude.

"I know that you don't believe that I really care about you." Celestia said to Sunset, the amber filly shaking her shaking her head no in denial.

"I never said that I didn't believe you... I just... I just..." Sunset pleaded with her mother. Her mind was clouded with emotions and she couldn't think straight. She loved her mother, and she knew that she loved her.

"It's ok, it's ok. I understand." Celestia said to Sunset as she embraced her only daughter in a tight hug.

"But... but..." Sunset lightly protested.

"Shh... shh... Mommy's here, everything is going to be alright." Celestia smoothed her daughter as she ran her hoof through Sunset's fiery mane to calm her down.

"You promise?" Sunset asked her mommy in desperation.

A small smile spread across Celestia's face as she tightened her hug around Sunset and answered in a calm, soothing, and happy.

"Yes, as long as I'm here nothing bad will happen to you." Celestia said to Sunset.

"Thank you, mommy." Sunset said in gratitude, a small sniffle coming from her as she fought back tears. She knew that her mother cared for her, but she had never known the true extent of her love until now. Her mother's words of kind wisdom and love contradicted with everything that the voice had told her. Was all of this words genuine or was it just her mother's attempts to stop her from gaining all of the power that she craved. She needed answers and she knew exactly where to find them. She just needed to get back to her room and hope that the answers that she sought were still there.

"You're welcome, honey." Celestia said as she pulled out of the hug and used her white hoof to wipe away the small tears that had flowed down Sunset's cheeks before wiping her own away.

"There! All better." Celestia exclaimed as she rose to her full height again. Sunset letting out another yawn as her body and brain continued to fight for dominance. So far her body was winning.

"You also look like some pony that needs to get some shut eye." Celestia said down to her daughter as Sunset rubbed her eyes with her right hoof. Sunset nodding dumbly in agreement. Sunset's brain wanted to get more answers to her questions but her body was denying her the opportunity to do so.

"I can get my answers tomorrow." Sunset thought as she left out another yawn. "Ok, mommy." Sunset said as stood up to her full height and continued to flow her mother back to her room.

The trot back to Sunset's room was filled the same amount of silence as before. But, this time, it was different. The silence was the same, neither of them spoke, aside from some quiet humming by Celestia. The night sky as just as dark as before, but now it seemed welcoming. Sunset still saw the night sky as beautiful before, but now it was for a different reason. Before she loved the blanket of black that was the black sky and the image of the Mare in the Moon staring down at her. But now, it was different. Now she didn't focus on the dark, but the light. Not the blanket of darkness, but the shattered patterns of bright stars.

Sunset felt a warm smile spread across her face as she stared up at the stars. Sunset's body, either consciously or unconsciously, trotting closer to her mother and leaning up against her leg.

Sunset reluctantly pulled away from her mother's leg and trotted over to the door to her room. Sunset's small horn glowing dimly with her teal magic.

Sunset opened the door to her room with her magic and slowly trotted over to her bed and hopped onto the mattress. Sunset collapsing onto her comfy pillows in a splash of soft fabric.

"Do you want me to... tuck you in?" Celestia asked Sunset from the doorway. Celestia doing her best to sound like a real mother to Sunset. Sunset half-mildly shaking her head no.

"No, I'll be fine. But thank you anyway." Sunset said back to Celestia.

"Ok, well good night." Celestia said to Sunset in a peaceful tone that warmed Sunset's heart.

"Good night." Sunset said back with a yawn. Sunset laying her head down on her comfy pillow and beginning to drift off into the land of dreams. Sunset only to open her eyes when a thought came to her mind, a question that needed to be answered.

Celestia began to slowly close the door to Sunset's room, only to stop when her daughter called out to her.

"Mom, wait!" Sunset called out to Celestia, the white alicorn's movements coming to a stop.

"Yes, Sunset?" Celestia said to Sunset, turning to face her daughter. Sunset sitting up on her bed with her with her lower body still covered by the .

"Um..." Sunset looked away from her mother as she bit her lip. Did she really want to ask her mother this question? What if she got mad at her? Maybe she should just pretend like she just forgot and went back to sleep.

Sunset's thoughts were interrupted when she felt the light touch of a hoof on her shoulder. Sunset jumped at the sudden contact but quickly relax when she saw the pink eyes her same warm smile staring back at her. Sunset felt peace and she quickly made up her decision.

"What is it, my little Sunset?" Celestia asked a soft whisper that brought warm to Sunset's body. Sunset felt peace and she quickly made up her decision.

Sunset looked away from the gaze of her mother again and instead decided to look down at her forehooves. "Um..." Sunset stammered as she bit her lower lip again.

"Yes." Celestia urged her daughter to continue. Celestia sitting down at the each of Sunset's bed and placing her forehooves of the mattress.

Sunset let out a heavy sigh before she turned her head to stare directly into her mother's eyes and spoke. "Mom, can you tell me the story of Nightmare Moon?" Sunset asked her mother. Celestia's muscles tightening up and her eyes widening.

"I-I thought you knew the story of Nightmare Moon?" Celestia asked her daughter with a shaky voice.

"I do, but I want to know more." Sunset said to Celesta.

"What do you mean?" Celestia asked Sunset her body beginning to shift uncomfortably at the continued mentioning of her greatest failure.

"I want to know how she became Nightmare Moon. I want to know what happened to Princess Luna to drive her into the darkness." Sunset said to Celestia, her body might have been fighting her to fall asleep but if she was going to get one answer this night then this was going to be one.

"Are you sure, honey?" Celestia asked her daughter, internally hoping that she would not have to relive the memory of her greatest embarrassment.

"Mom, I want to know what happened to her. What happened to Princess Luna? What happened to my aunt?" Sunset pressed her mother, wanting an answer. Any kind of answer. Even if neither of them was going to like it.

Celestia let out a heavy sigh before she spoke to Sunset. "Ok, I'll tell you." Celestia said to Sunset, the amber filly's face lighting up at her mother's words. "But..." Celestia said with a stern look on her face and holding up her right hoof with authority. Sunset's happy movements coming to a stop and her staring intently at Celestia. "I must warn you the story is not one for the faint of heart." Celestia cautioned Sunset, the amber filly remained silent and simply nodded her head in understanding.

"It is also a story that I am not every proud of." Celestia said more to herself as she looked away from Sunset in shame.

"I understand, Mommy." Sunset said comfortingly to her mother as she gently touched her white hooves. Celestia's body slightly jumping at the sudden contract with her daughter's smaller hooves. "It's ok, you can tell me." Sunset said in a soft and reassuring voice to Celestia, urging her to tell secrets of the past.

"Ok, it all happened long ago. Long before you were born, long before anypony that is still today was born." Celestia began her story, she was speaking slowly and filled with somber. Sunset sat up on her bed as she listened intently. She made sure not to look too eager when listening. This was a painful memory that Celestia was sharing, a memory that Sunset wouldn't have been surprised to learn fi Celestia had never shared with anypony before.

Sunset sat and listened as Celestia told her story, a story that would change both Sunset's and Celestia's lives forever.

Back in the present of the mirror portal world. The car ride to the high school was a long and awkward one. Twilight, like usual, seating in the front passenger seat across from Fluttershy with Spike sitting in her lap. With Zulu and Theta both sitting in the back of the car. The car filled with continuous silence from all of the passengers. The only sounds coming from the car's radio that was currently on a radio station that seemed to specialize in pop songs. Pop songs that Theta wasn't very fond of.

Spike had gathered at Fluttershy knew that Theta was able to speak as the white husky had spoken once during the trip and Fluttershy didn't seem to be too shocked, relatively speaking, by a dog being to talk. He still didn't speak but was able to gather that Twilight was soon going to spell the secret of her true reasons of being in this world. Spike also found it odd that Theta was no longer wearing the cone that wrapped around his head, but again he didn't question it further. He was sure that there was a good reason as to why and he was sure that he would quickly come to learn the reason for it. So he didn't really see any benefits of asking.

The awkward car ride finally came to an end when Fluttershy pulled her car into the parking lot of the high school and they all climbed out of the vehicle. The awkward silence continued as Fluttershy started to walk away from her car and toward the high school.

"You have to go after her." Zulu whispered to Twilight as the two watched Fluttershy silently walk away.

"You're right." Twilight said to Zulu as she broke off from Zulu's side and started chasing after Fluttershy. Spike following after Twilight, leaving Zulu and Theta alone in the parking lot near Fluttershy's yellow four-door sedan.

"Fluttershy wait!" The voice of Twilight called out to Fluttershy as Zulu shifted his attention down to Theta. Zulu sending a disappointed frown the husky's way.

"You had to speak, didn't you." Zulu said to Theta disappointedly. Theta snorting in disgust at Zulu's words. Theta didn't see anything wrong with what he did.

"I'm not having this discussion with you, Zulu. Fluttershy deserved to know and you were both taking forever at telling her." Theta said up to Zulu, this being a time that Theta really wished that he was a dragon. While not having the cone wrapping around his head made him look not a weak. He was still nothing more than a dog and Zulu his master in this world.

"I know that, but you should've at least handled the situation more tacitly, or subtlety." Zulu countered down to Theta. The white husky letting out a small laugh at Zulu's words.

"Zulu, I don't know if you realize this but... um... Dragons. Aren't. Subtle!" Theta barked at Zulu as stormed off from the changeling turned human.

"Whatever you say, Theta." Zulu said to himself as he followed the white husky to regrouped with Twilight and the others.

At the same time, Twilight was trying to explain the situation to Fluttershy. "Fluttershy wait!" Twilight called out to her friend. Fluttershy's movements coming to a halt and her breathing out a heavy sigh.

"What is it, Twilight?" Fluttershy asked Twilight, turning around to face her friend directly.

"I wanted to explain everything to you." Twilight said to Fluttershy, the pink-haired girl not taking her words likely.

"Save it, Twilight. You lied to me and nothing you can say can change that." Fluttershy said to Twilight with a huff.

"I didn't lie to you Fluttershy..." Twilight said back to Fluttershy. "That was Zulu." Twilight mumbled underneath her breath. Her words weren't loud but they were loud enough for Fluttershy to hear. Twilight's words only building to Fluttershy's anger.

"And that makes it better!?" Fluttershy shouted at Twilight in frustration.

"No, no, of course not." Twilight said to Fluttershy quietly. Twilight knowing that she had to change strategies if she was going to be able to keep Fluttershy as a friend. "But aren't even a little curious as to why Theta can talk?" Twilight asked Fluttershy shifting tactics.

"Fine, humor me Twilight. Why can Theta talk?" Fluttershy asked Twilight angrily and without much interest. Twilight was hurt by her friend's words, but she wasn't surprised. She did lie to Fluttershy, and to the rest of her friends for that matter. She needed to make this right.

"Fluttershy..." Twilight began catching Fluttershy's attention. "What Theta said is true, all of it." Twilight said to Fluttershy, the pink-haired girl raising one of her eyebrows in disbelief.

"Really, you expect me to believe that you are a pony princess from an alternate dimension and that your two dogs are dragons from the same world?" Fluttershy asked Twilight sarcastically with a wave of her arms in an 'I'm done' matter.

"No, I guess not." Twilight gave a heavy sigh. "But what I am saying is the truth." Twilight said back to Fluttershy still trying to strong in front of her friend.

"Then prove it, Twilight." Fluttershy said to Twilight harshly. Twilight had rarely seen Fluttershy angry, even less than Pinkie Pie. She didn't know which one was scarier or heart wrenching to see, but they both hurt her to watch.

Twilight breathed out a heavy sigh as she looked down at Spike and started talking to the purple dog. "Ok, Spike do you're thing." Twilight said down to the purple dog, a smug look appearing on Spike's muzzle as he stared up at Twilight.

"What do you mean, Twilight?" Spike said up to Twilight, him speaking in front of someone other than Twilight, Zulu, or Theta for the first time.

"Ok, so you have two dogs that can talk, so what?" Fluttershy said to Twilight crossing her arms.

"Fluttershy, I would like to explain everything to you, but I just can't." Twilight said to Fluttershy.

"Why not, Twilight?" Fluttershy asked Twilight.

"Because you are not the only one that I have to explain myself to." Twilight said to Fluttershy, looking past her and seeing the rest of her friends sitting on the front lawn waiting for them.

Fluttershy turned her head around to see what Twilight was looking and saw the rest of her friends waiting for them. Rainbow was sitting on top of the Wondercolt Statue playing on her phone, Rarity sitting on the grass of the front lawn sewing her latest dress, Applejack sitting next to Rarity and was picking some of the strands of grass out of the lawn to stop herself from getting completely bored, and Pinkie... well she was being Pinkie.

"Alright, but this better be good." Fluttershy said to Twilight as she turned around and started walking over to where the rest of her friends were. Twilight just remained standing as she watched Fluttershy take a seat in the grass next to Rarity and Applejack. Twilight's body jumping when she heard a familiar voice speak to her, it was Zulu.

"So... that went well." Zulu said as he wrapped his arms around Twilight's shoulders in a small hug.

"You can say that again. I just hope that this doesn't ruin all of the things that we had work hard for the last few days." Twilight said to Zulu. The couple walking over toward where the rest of Twilight's friends were with

"Let's get this over with." Theta thought as he followed after Twilight and Zulu.

"About time you guys showed up. School is almost about to start and this is the last day that we have to finally take down Sunset Shimmer." Rainbow said as she saw Twilight and Zulu. Rainbow than jumping off the pedestal that horse statue was standing on and landing on the high school's front lawn.

"You don't need to remind me Rainbow, trust me." Theta thought, him just barely stopping himself from saying his thoughts out loud. He might not have been showing it the best but he did trust Twilight being able to explain to the rest of her friends. She just needed the right push, to begin with, that's all.

"What took you guys so long anyway?" Applejack asked as she continued to lean up against the side of the large pedestal of the horse statue.

"It's a long story." Twilight said to Applejack. "But that's not what's important." Twilight said to her friends, trying to find the best way to bring up that she was a pony Princess from Equestria.

"What do you mean, dearly?" Rarity asked Twilight, taking her focus away from the new dress that she was making and redirecting it toward Twilight.

"You see, I haven't been entirely truthful with you guys when it comes to why I really have to take down Sunset Shimmer." Twilight said to her friends. All of them, excluding Fluttershy, all sharing a look of concern.

"What do you mean, Twilight?" Rarity asked Twilight, her question more out of curiosity than out of malice.

"Yeah, aren't you running against Sunset in order to take back the high school and show that she can't rule us like a dicator.?" Rainbow added.

"That's part of it. but... there's something else . Something that I didn't tell you guys when I first met you all." Twilight said to her friends.

"What you talking about, Twi?" Applejack asked Twilight.

"You see..." Twilight began to say, her only to be cut off by Pinkie.

"You're from an alternate world and you're a pony princess there and the crown actually has a magical element embedded in it that helps power up other magical elements, and without it, they don't work anymore, and you need them all to help protect your magical world, and if you don't get the crown tonight, you'll be stuck in this world and you won't be able to get back for, like, a really, really long time!" Pinkie said in one long sentence that left Twilight, Zulu, Theta, and Spike's mouths opened in a state of shock.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure that isn't the reason." rainbow said matter-of-factly and with a roll of her eyes.

"Nope, she pretty much spot on." Theta and Spike both said at the same. The two dragon turned dogs words taking all of Twilight's friends, excluding Fluttershy, by surprise.

"Your dogs can talk!" Rarity exclaimed wide eyed and putting her hands at the side of her head.

"That's not all." Spike said walking forward, him making most out of being able to freely speak for the first time in the last few days. "Oh, yeah! And back where I come from, I'm not even a dog! I'm a ferocious, fire-breathing dragon!" Spike said to Twilight's friends.

"How did you know all that?" Twilight asked Pinkie.

"Just a hunch." Pinkie said with a shrug of her shoulders that only she could've pulled off.

"It's Pinkie Pie, don't question it." Theta thought as eagerly awaited how Twilight's friends would accept the news of Twilight being a princess from a land filled with magical flying ponies and dragons.

"Wait a minute! Lemme get this straight. You're a pony?" Applejack asked Twilight.

"You're a princess?" Rarity added in a state realized shock.

"And you're from another world?" Applejack added.

"Mm-hmm..." Twilight hummed as she awkwardly scratched the back of her head.

"That... is... awesome!" Rainbow exclaimed as Twilight's friends embraced her in a big group hug. The only one, not the join in on the group hug being, understandably, Fluttershy.

Twilight, while still in the group hug, looked over in Theta direction to see a look of 'I told you so' on his muzzle.

Twilight reluctantly pulled out of the hug and spoke to her friends. "There is still more that I to tell you." Twilight said to her friends, them all nodding in understanding. "But that can wait until later. Right now we need to worry about getting enough people to vote against Sunset so that I can get my crown back." Twilight said to her friends, Rainbow and Rarity scratching their lower chins in thought.

"Alright Twi, and I hope that you have found a way to doing that in the last twenty-four hours?" Rainbow asked Twilight as they all began to start walking toward the front doors of the high school.

"I have, and I will tell you girls all about it once we get inside the school." Twilight said to her friends, they all give her a single firm head nod.

"Alright, we'll meet back up in the library in a few minutes to talk about this later. Sound good?" Rarity said as she climbed the steps that led to the front doors of the high school.

"Sounds good." Twilight said in response.

"Alright, we'll all meet back up in a few minutes." Rarity said as Twilight's friends, excluding Fluttershy, broke off. Them all heading toward the library of the school. Twilight and Zulu was about start looking for the school's library, only to stop when a familiar voice quietly called out to Twilight.

"Um... Twilight, can I talk to you?" Fluttershy sheepishly asked Twilight. Twilight and Zulu, him having never really left her side, both sharing a look. "In private." Fluttershy quickly added when she saw Zulu following after his marefriend.

Twilight and Zulu both shared another look and began to whisper to each other.

"I'll be fine, you take Theta and Spike and meet up with the rest. I shouldn't be long." Twilight whispered to Zulu. the changeling turned human giving her a single firm head nod in response.

"Whatever you say, Twi." Zulu whispered back at Twilight as he shifted his attention over to the bodies of Theta and Spike. "You heard Twilight, let's go." Zulu said to Theta and Spike. The two dogs both giving a single head back up to Zulu.

"Copy that, Zulu." Theta said to Zulu as the two dogs followed Zulu into the high school. The three of them following after Rarity, Pinkie, Rainbow, and Applejack.

"So... um... is everything that you told me true?" Fluttershy sheepishly asked Twilight once they were alone.

"Yes Fluttershy, everything that I have told you today has been the honest truth." Twilight said to Fluttershy holding up her right hand as if she was swearing to an unknown higher power, probably Princess Celestia herself.

"I see..." Fluttershy said quietly, even more so than usual, as she realized her mistake.

"Hey, it's ok Fluttershy." Twilight said lightly nudging Fluttershy in the shoulder. "I would've acted the same way if I was in your situation. So, don't beat yourself up about it." Twilight said to Fluttershy, a small smile spreading across Fluttershy's face as she continued to speak. "In fact, I will make it my mission that as long as I am still in this world I will make sure that I will tell all of you girls exactly what is going on between me and Sunset Shimmer." Twilight said to Fluttershy, holding up her right hand in the a similar manner as before.

"Ok, I believe you Twilight. You are truly a great friend." Fluttershy in gratitude to Twilight as she walked passed her and through the front door of the high school.

"I try to be." Twilight said happily to herself as she watched Fluttershy disappear inside the confines of the high school. Twilight simply standing still in triumph for a few seconds before she began walking toward the front doors of the school. Twilight quickly climbing the steps that led to the front doors and entering the school not long afterward. Her ready to fight another battle, a battle that she wasn't expecting to be on the losing side of.

Twilight unaware that she was, in fact, being watched. Twilight being watched by a person that had made it her mission to watch Twilight go down in a ball of flames. The person watching Twilight being Sunset, and she having been watching her for the last few minutes from the safety of the bushes that were located on the school's front lawn.

"What are you doing, Sunset?" Someone asked from behind Sunset, the teenager jumping and turning around in flash of red, orange, and yellow hair. Sunset dropping into a defense stance as turned around to face whoever was talking to her.

"Sweet Celestia!" Sunset breathed a sigh of relief when she realized it was only her minion Snails. "Damnit! Do I have to put a bell around your neck, Snails?" Sunset sarcastically asked Snails with a groan.

"Well... it might help." Snails said to Sunset, him not understanding that the question that he asked hadn't been expecting an answer.

"That was rhetorical, you idiot." Sunset groaned as she rubbed her eyes. "Why do I continued to torture myself with these idiots." Sunset internally groaned as she felt a solid year of her life being shaved off just by talking to this idiot.

"Oh, but my question still stands." Snails pressed Sunset. The fiery-haired teen letting out a heavy groan/sigh.

"What does it look like I'm doing!" Sunset shouted in frustration at Snails. Her faithful minion taking a small step backward in both fright and feeling hurt by her words. Sunset was never practically nice, to him but if this was too much. Even for her.

"Sunset, are you alright?" Snails asked Sunset. The exiled pony turned teenaged dictator covering her face in her hands and letting out a single loud, yet muffled, groan.

Sunset wanted to say that she was fine, or just being frustrated and on edge because of the Fall Formal. But that wasn't true. She wasn't fine. Her mind and heart have been fighting for dominance for the longest time and the possibility to return to Equestria were just making it worse. Every time her mind would defeat her heart and she would continue onward with her mission to defeat Twilight Sparkle and take over Equestria. But she didn't know how long that would last. And even if her heart was able to defeat her mind. Would she been happy or sad? Would it be a good thing for her or a bad? She didn't know and she needed an answer. An answer that as sure as Tartarus wasn't going to get from Snails.

Eventually, Sunset just gave up and said to Snails. "No Snails. No, I'm not." Sunset said to Snails, the weight of thousands of tons feeling like it had just been lifted off of her shoulders.

"D-Do you want to talk about it?" Snails asked and Sunset was put into deep thought. Did she want to talk about what she was going through? She would leave out all of the things that included Equestria and... her mother. But would that even be enough? She was under so much stress lately, she needed someone to talk to. Even if that person was Snails.

At least, that what her heart was telling her. Her mind, on the other hand, that was a different story entirely. Sunset's brain pounding with the same voice that had been inside of her since she was just a foal. The voice angry shouting inside her head. Sunset dropping to her knees and grabbing at the sides of her head. Her grip around her head so hard that she began to feel pain. But the small on the side of her head was nothing compared to the pain that was going on the inside.

"Sunset, are you alright?" Snails asked cautiously and out of concern as he took a step back from the fiery-headed teen that was currently going through an internal war with herself.

Sunset tried to respond but her trying to do so only increased the internal insult that was currently going on inside of her. Sunset closing her eyes and letting out a high pitched scream as the voice inside her fought for the dominance that it had demanded for so long.

Her heart was trying was trying to fight back, it was trying to win. But when something spends the last decade or so losing small battles. It was only a matter of time when it finally lost the war.

The voice inside Sunset's head silence and Sunset removed her hands from her head and opened her eyes. Her rising her head off of the ground and she began to speak to Snails. "Snails call Snips, I want you to send him a message for me." Sunset said to Snails as he raised to her full height. The girl's head of fire being matted from sweat and tangled, but she didn't care. She had bigger issues to deal than what her hair looked right now.

"Ok, what do you want me to tell him?" Snails asked Sunset, still, a little shaken by what he had just witnessed. And Sunset seemingly speeding recovering was helping him in that department.

"I want you to tell him that neither of your services are no longer required." Sunset said to Snails, her former minion's eyes widening at her words. "You both are required to halt all activities and return to whatever in Tartarus you idiots did before I made you my slaves." Sunset said in an almost robotic-like voice.

"A-Are you sure Sunset?" Snails cautiously asked Sunset. The girl that he was talking whipping her head around and staring back at him with daggers for eyes. Sunset's teal eyes seeming to look straight into his soul.

"What. Do. You. Think." Sunset spoke slowly and firmly to Snails. Her voice was deep and almost robotic in delivery. Sunset didn't sound like herself anymore, no this wasn't Sunset this was something else.

"Of course Sunset, right away Sunset." Snails quickly said to Sunset as he pulled out his phone out of his pocket and quickly speed-dialed Snips before running off. Him wanting to be as far away from Sunset as possible.

"Excellent." Sunset said to herself as she watched Snails quickly run away in fright. A sight that brought a devilish smile to her face.

"You are doing well my pet, soon this world will be nothing more than rubble underneath our boots. Rubble that will quickly be followed by the Fall of Equestria. And you will finally get all of that power I promised that you will get all those years." The voice said to Sunset, her being a nothing more than a shell of her former self.

"Of course, my master. I will do whatever you wish of me." Sunset said to the voice in a tone of voice that made her sound more like a robot, rather than an actual person.

"I know you will my pet. Now go forth and do my bidding." The voice said to Sunset, it having complete control over the body that was once known as Sunset Shimmer.

"Of course, my master. I will do whatever you wish of me." Sunset repeated in the same robotic tone of voice as before. Sunset's body beginning to move in an efficient and never changing manner toward the front doors of the high school. Each footsteps being the same as the next. Left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot. The more she continued walking, the more and more she became more like a robot. Nothing than a puppet on a string and the voice her puppeteer.

"I know, my slave. And my slave you shall stay." The voice said as a devilish smirk spread across Sunset's face as she entered the confines of the high school.

"Yes, my master. I will do whatever you wish of me." Sunset said to the voice as her teal eyes changed to form two small vertical slits where her pupils used to be. No, not Sunset. This wasn't Sunset, Sunset was gone. And was replaced by...

Nightmare!

Before the Fall Formal (Equestria Girls)

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

The Fall Formal (Equestria Girls)

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Returning to Equestria (Equestria Girls)

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

A Long-Awaited Homecoming

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

An Alliance Is Born

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

A Romance is Born

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Witchcraft and Magic (A Magical Disturbance)

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

When All Paths Converge (A Magical Disturbance)

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

One Down, Five to Go (A Magical Disturbance)

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Prologue

The great and vast land of Equestria. Now ruled by Princess Celestia and until about one thousand years ago her little sister Luna. But it was not always this way. Long ago even before ponies first stepped hoof in land that would earn the name of Equestria was originally a realm ruled by dragons, and the leader of them all was known simply as the Alpha. Whose real name as since been lost to history.

A massive dragon the size of a mountain with golden scales that glowed brighter than the sun, and were stronger than steel. His claws were the size of spears and as sharp as diamonds. His fire burned in a pure white flame burning anything in it's path. His wings were as stronger as over one thousand full grown pegasi warriors, being to lift his almost twelve hundred ton body off the ground, and capable of flying at over three hundred miles per hour. Though the Alpha size and power he ruled over the his kingdom maintaining peace throughout his role for centuries. During this time the Alpha thought his ways to two young apprentices. This two dragons were smaller than the Alpha, and like the rest of their rare species did not have wings.

You see the species of dragon they belonged to was called the Alphaus Dragonus Omegaus, or just Alpha for short. A very rare and very large dragon species that was born without wings.

Unlike most other dragons that are born with wings the Alphas most earn them. How do they earn their wings you many ask. An Alpha earns its wings when an elder Alpha gives an younger one the ability that makes the Alphas special. You see Alphas are the only known species of dragons that have the ability to control other smaller dragons. Once a Alpha gains this ability they don't just earn their wings as a symbol of being the Alpha, but they also become much larger than a Alpha could ever naturally become.

Anyway the two apprentices of the Alpha learned all they could from their mentor and as quickly as they could. The apprentices were young twin alphas that had been the Alpha's apprentices since their births.

About two thousand years ago as a way to recolonize after their home was destroyed by a massive blizzard three tribes of ponies, the earth, pegasi, and the unicorns wandered into Equestria seeking to colonize it.

The Earth Ponies were lead by the hyperactive Chancellor Puddinghead and assisted by her trusted secretary Smart Cookie, the Pegasi were lead by the war hungry Commander Hurricane and her shy subordinate Private Pansy, and finally the Unicorns were led by the glamor filled daughter of the unicorn king, Princess Platinum along with her adviser Clover the Clever.

The leaders along with their assistances traveled from their original home arriving in Equestria and all at the same time. Each of the respective tribes were set in a state of awe at the newly discovered land. Each one claiming the newly discovered land as their own, of course unaware that the land had already been claimed and ruled over by dragons for centuries

This three tribes didn't get along you see and the leaders of their respective factions instantly began fighting over who had claimed the newly discovered country.

Anyway, unknown to the tribes their bickering had summoned a herd of windigos, winter spirits that feed off the distrust and hatred of others. The same herd of windigos that had destroyed their original settlement not long before hoof.

The misplaced hatred between the three leaders was so powerful that the windigos were able to bring Equestria into it's own winter similar to that which destroyed the original home the three tribes.

This act of eternal winter didn't come unnoticed by the Alpha. He gathered his two apprentices and he traveled to the small cave that the three tribes took shelter in from the cold.

The animosity between the three leaders grew to a point that they were all frozen in block of ice. Their outsides literally showing the coldness of their hearts from the inside. The hatred caused by the leaders was so powerful that it was able to keep forming even beginning to trap the leaders' assistances.

Contrary to pony folklore just before the ice could cover the other three the Alpha arrived at the cave and ripped off the top. The ponies and windigos alike stared up at the massive golden dragon in awe and fear.

The windigos were expressly fearful since the fire from a dragon doesn't mix with the icy bodies of a windigo, not to mention fire from a dragon the size of a mountain.

The Alpha let out a single blast of his white fire burning the windigos into nothing but puddles of water. Without the windigos to keep the ice growing it melted quickly. The leaders of the three tribes quickly escaped from their icy prisons to look up and see a mountain sized dragon staring down at them.

Commander Hurricane still a little hot blooded flew up to the Alpha and said. "Come to fight us have you?" The Alpha just made a slight smirk and huffed creating a cloud of smoke engulfing the Pegasus.

"No he saved us." Private Pansy called up to her commanding officer. Commander Hurricane then backed down hearing her private's words.

The three tribes of ponies migrated to the vast land and ruled under the Alpha's rule much like the dragons before them and peace was true throughout the land.

The Alpha ruled over all of the land of both dragons and ponies, even becoming good friends with the powerful unicorn known as Starswirl the Bearded. Until two young ponies were born some fifteen hundred years ago. The two ponies were unlike any other before them. These two ponies, one a few decades that the other. Had the unique ability to have the strength of a earth pony, the powerful wings of a Pegasus, and the magical horn of a unicorn.

These two ponies were known as Alicorns. The eldest went by the name of Celestia and the younger by Luna. The eldest had the ability to rise the sun and bring forth the day with ease without the help from follow unicorns. The younger had the ability to rise the moon and stars to bring forth night with the same ease as her sister. The two taking over the duties of the unicorns that had raised and lowered the sun for longer than time itself.

The two sisters grew popular amongst the ponies for their vast powers and their shared ability to lead the ponies. The Alpha growing older and against the advice of one of his apprentices relinquished his command over the ponies to the two sisters. While he still stayed in command of his follow dragons the two sisters were left to rule over the three ponies species in a castle inside of the Forever Free Forest.

Peace continued throughout the land of Equestria until the Alpha grew the a point in his life were his internal fire was going out and he had to pass off his Alpha status to one of his apprentices. A moment that would change Equestria's landscape forever, literally.

Celestia vs Nightmare Moon

It was not long after the Alpha was put under his sleeping spell by Luna that war consumed all of Equestria. The evil unicorn king that ruled of the Crystal Empire, an isolated empire in the far north, surrounded by the world's tundra, by the name of King Sombra began to threaten Equestria. King Sombra had a heart darker than that of a black hole and ruled over the Crystal Empire with a topaz fist. Treating the crystal ponies that lived there as nothing more than slaves for his own sick means. The two Alicorns traveled to the Crystal Empire to stop the evil tyrant.

"Princess Celestia, and Princess Luna, what gives me the pleasure to have the both of you as an honored guest?" King Sombra asked the two alicorns, fully aware of the reason why the alicorn's were giving him a visit.

"Save your flattering Sombra, you know exactly why we are here!" Luna yelled at the shadow pony, her not in the best mood.

"Yes, I do, and what are you going to do to stop me." Sombra said, knowing fully that the two alicorns, or at least Celestia, didn't believe that killing was an option.

"We will defeat you!" Luna yelled at Sombra, take a step back, sarcastically grasping at his chest.

"And in what way do you plan on doing that?" Sombra asked the two alicorns, his muzzle warping into a devilish smirk.

" This is how." Luna said, as her horn glowed her blue aura as she fired her magic at the shadow pony.

Sombra blocked the beam, with his own black magic. "If war is what you want, then it is a war that you will get." Sombra said as his body warped into the shadows.

"Luna, what are you doing!" Celestia shouted, stopping her sister before she could chase after the cowardly King.

"I'm doing what you are incapable of doing!" Luna barked at her older sister, making the white alicorn take a step back. Luna's teal eyes seeming to burn with hate, as she opened her feathered wings and took off after Sombra. Heading straight toward the large castle in the center of the large city that made up the Crystal Empire, it almost unrecognizable from what it originally was. Dark crystal forming out of the supports of the castle.

Luna flew up to the top of the castle and land on the top, the cold air of the tundra swirling around her. A universal chill spread over her body as she trotted around the top of the castle. But she didn't care she was on a mission.

"Sombra where are you, come out and fight. Or are you just too much of a coward!" Luna had to yell over the wind.

"With pleasure." Sombra said as he warped out of the shadow, firing his black magic at the blue alicorn.

The blue alicorn was taken off guard and was unable to block the incoming blast. The black magic hit Luna directly in the chest, making her fly into one of the pillars of the castle.

Luna yelped out in pain, as she fired her own blue magic at the black pony. Sombra transformed his body into pure shadow, the beam passing harmlessly through him as he reverted back to his original form.

"That's cheating." Luna grunted, as she struggled to her hooves.

"No, that's biology." Sombra said to Luna, as he fired another black beam at the blue alicorn.

The black beam of magic was blocked, as Luna was surrounded in a small protective dome of golden magic, as her older sister landed on the top of the castle.

"Back away from my sister!" Celestia yelled at the shadow pony. Sombra taking a step back, as he realized that there was no way that he was going to win this battle.

"Are you ok Luna?" Celestia asked her sister, helping her to her hooves.

"Yeah I'm fine. Let finish this."

The two Alicorns lead in the air and combined their magic to defeat Sombra, by turning him into nothing more than shadow, and trapped him underneath the ice of the tundra that surrounded the empire. The spell that the two Alicorns used on Sombra had an unforeseen effect that it didn't just banish Sombra, but the entire empire along with him. As time went by Sombra along with his Empire would get forgotten from history. Only to be remembered by a select few ponies.

A few years later the draconequus, an animal with the head of a pony and the body of all sorts of different creatures. by the name of Discord, a pupil of Omega. Took advantage of the chaos caused by the two dragons fight, along with the Alicorns distraction of Sombra, and plunged Equestria into a kingdom of chaos.

The draconequus ruled over Equestria in a state of chaos until the two sisters discovered the six Elements of Harmony from the mystical Tree of Harmony that was located not far from their castle in the deep inside the Everfree Forest.

The two Alicorns used the Elements; Celestia wielding the Elements of Magic, Kindness, and Generosity, while her sister wielded the Elements of Loyalty, Honesty, and Laughter. The two Alicorns used the combined force of the six elements to defeat Discord turning him into stone. But before they turned Discord into stone he planted vines, that he hoped would drain the tree of its great power, and eventually free him from his stone prison. Knowing that he would return sooner or later, he was frozen in the stone. The expression on his face filled with laughter, rather than that of fear.

A few centuries passed and peace remained throughout Equestria, but it didn't last long. Ever since Luna had to put her best and really only friend under a sleeping spell she had begun to become a mare of darkness, both figuratively and literally. These feelings inside of her only got worse as she felt that her subjects rejected and shunned her night by sleeping through it.

These feelings that Luna kept inside of her began to corrupt her from the inside. Her bitterness toward her sister and subjects, the loneliness she had felt since the departure of her only friend, and the inability from her sister to be there for her when she need her most. Caused Luna to create a split personality to help her cope with her day to day problems.

This personality would later earn the name Nightmare Moon, and would use her flaws to turn her into nothing more but a weapon for its will.

One night in the two alicorn sisters' castle, on the night of the longest day Nightmare Moon took its chance.

"It is time for the ponies of this land to learn the true meaning of the night." The voice of Nightmare Moon said in Luna's head. "I agree it is now time for the our subjects to truly learn the beauty of our night." Luna said now embracing the darkness.

"Did you really expect me to sit idly by while they all basked in your precious light? There can only be one princess in Equestria. And that princess... will be me." Luna said confronting her sister in the throne room of their castle transforming completely into Nightmare Moon when she raised the moon in front the sun creating a solar eclipse, blanketing the landscape in darkness.

"Luna I will not fight, you must lower the moon. It is your duty." Celestia said to her sister.

"Luna? I am... Nightmare Moon and I have only one royal duty to destroy you." Luna said, Nightmare Moon now taking full control over her body. Nightmare Moon fired a light blue beam from her horn into the roof of the castle destroying it. Pieces from the destroyed ceiling came fall down scattering across the floor. Celestia opened her wings and flew through the hole the ceiling flying into the sky above the castle.

"And where do you think you're going." Nightmare Moon said to Celestia taking off into the sky after her sister. Nightmare Moon fired another beam of magic at her sister barely missing, instead hitting a column of the castle making it collapse. Celestia tha=en soared up into the pitch black sky the eclipse leaving a slight red tone across the sky as the Sun battled the Moon, in a battle that would change the night sky over Equestria for the next one thousand years. Nightmare Moon followed Celestia, her more powerful wings making her pass her sister in the sky.

Nightmare Moon then flipped back around and kicked her sister making her plummeted to the ground. Celestia used her wings to land safely on the green grass. Nightmare Moon fired her blue beam at Celestia. Celestia barely dodged it using her wings to glide across the ground before launching back into the sky, knowing that if she was going to survive this she had to fight back.

Celestia flew back up passed her sister and in an attack of self-defense Celestia fired her own gold beam at her sister. Nightmare Moon was pushed back by the beam before countering it with a small shield that surrounded her body. The sisters then fired their beams of magic at the same time at each other.

The two beams collided in a massive stream of light, the point of impact turning into a massive sphere of energy lighting up the pitch black sky. The beams battled until the more powerful beam filled with hatred and loneliness of Nightmare Moon's overpowering the lighter emotions filled one of Celestia. The beam from Nightmare Moon slammed into Celestia making her plummet from the sky, slamming through the door of the room that Elements of Harmony were kept in the castle.

When Celestia crashed into the room she slammed in the podium that held the Elements releasing the powerful Element of Magic from its dome. Celestia weaken from her fight with her sister noticed the Element falling toward the ground. As she noticed the Element Nightmare Moon crashed through the stain glass window.

Celestia with no other choice, in an act of self-defense, used the Elements against her sister. The six Elements of Harmony combined in a massive dome of rainbow colors surrounding Celestia in a protective circle and exploded outwards. Nightmare Moon slammed into the dome of magic and knocked her unconscious.

The force of the magic force Nightmare Moon out the window and banished her to the thing she controlled, the moon. Her image being engraved into the surface of the moon marking her imprisonment.

Celestia stared up at the pitch black moon, now with its right side imprinted with the image of her sister. Celestia mane now changed to that of a rainbow, from the usage of the Elements of Harmony, instead of its original pink. The white alicorn's pink eyes filled with tears until the floodgates broke and she cried at the loss of her sister.

After the defeat of Nightmare Moon, Celestia ruled over Equestria as a single ruler, raising both the sun and moon each and every night. Celestia left the castle of the two sisters, it being a reminder that she had to banish her own sister to the moon.

Much like how the Alpha did when he banished his brother to the outskirts of Equestria. Celestia founded the city of Canterlot and built a castle in its mountainous surroundings and she ruled over Equestria, as its merciful ruler for a thousand years, still retaining the title as Princess rather than Queen as to remember that the pony she still knew as Luna still remained trapped her own prison known as Nightmare Moon.

Not long after the defeat of Nightmare Moon a prophecy involving her return was created by a pony whose name has been lost to history. The prophecy stated "That on the longest day of the thousandth year, the stars will aid in her escape and she will bring about nighttime eternal." Little did anypony know that Nightmare Moon would return, and it would take six unlikely heroines to use the Elements of Harmony again. This time to free Luna from her real prison, Nightmare Moon.

Before A Canterlot Wedding (The Awakening)

Before A Canterlot Wedding

It had been almost a month since the Queen of the Changelings, Chrysalis, had disguised herself as the niece of the two of other alicorns, Princess Celestia and Luna. The pink alicorn and the Princess of Love, Princess Cadence. So far she hadn't been suspected by anypony to be anypony other than Princess Cadance. Though she found being the princess entertaining, she hated having to pretend to be a sweet and kinding pony in front of other ponies.

"Having a great day so far your highness" Lemon Hearts asked the disguised changeling, in a chipper attitude that disgusted Chrysalis to her core.

"Why of course... Lemon Tarts is it." Chrysalis said to the yellow unicorn, doing her best to fake it as the Princess of Love.

"Close your highness, it's actually Lemon Hearts, but that is good to hear. Well, I better get going. If you need anything from me your highness." Lemon said, about to trot away, only for the disguised changeling to stop, when a plan came to her mind.

"Actually Lemon Hearts I do have something that I think that you can help me with." Chrysalis to the yellow unicorn, instantly catching her attention.

"Yes, what can I do for you, your highness?" Lemon Hearts asked the disguised changeling. Unbeknownst to her, the pink alicorn's pink eyes flashed green for less than a second. Chrysalis' changeling magic transferring into the yellow unicorn. The unicorn's raspberry eyes glazing over and turning olive-green.

"Now you will listen and follow every command I give you, correct." Chrysalis whispered to the hypnotized unicorn, who nodded absent mindedly.

"Good..." Chrysalis said more to herself, as she placed the yellow unicorn under her spell.

Inside of the Canterlot cafe the hypnotized Lemon Hearts was completely the orders given to her by the disguised Chrysalis, find her some bridesmaids.

"Wait why don't you want to be one of the princess' bridesmaids." Twinkleshine asked the yellow unicorn, as she sat at their normal table inside the cafe. The two unicorns were also joined by Moon Dancer, Minuette, and another of Lemon Heart's friends by the name of Lyra Heartstrings.

Lyra was in Canterlot to visit her friends, after she moved to Ponyville about a year earlier. This being the first time since Moon Dancer's birthday party that most of the three other ponies had seen the mint green unicorn.

"I can't be one of them because of my duties as the head party planner for the castle I would be to busy to be able to be one of the princess' bridesmaids, but she said that if I knew anypony that would be willing to be her bridesmaids." Lemon Hearts said, her friend's faces, excluding Moon Dancer's, lighting up as the yellow unicorn continued.

"The princess said that she will need at least three bridesmaids by the end of the week." Lemon Hearts said and the eyes of Minuette, Twinkleshine, and Lyra looked like they were about to plunge out of their sockets.

"I would love to be one of the princess' bridesmaids!" Twinkleshine said a little louder than she had expected, as she almost fall out of her small stool in excitement.

"I would love to join you Twinkle, I still the rest of the week off to spend with you guys, and what better than being the bridesmaids of a princess." Lyra said, agreeing with the ivory colored unicorn.

"Well, you guys can count me in." Minuette said, as she finished her third hay smoothie of the day.

"How about you Moon Dancer, do you want to be a bridesmaid to a princess?" Lemon asked the grayish-yellow unicorn.

"I don't know, I mean the princess is nice and all, but I don't think I can take a break from my studies for that long." Moon Dancer said to her friend rejecting the offer.

"Well in that case, would you three all like to meet her?" Lemon Hearts said, her raspberry eyes, turning olive-green for less than a second.

"Of course!" Twinkleshine yelled, jumping out of her seat in joy.

Over in the Dragon Empire all of the inhabitants were preparing to invade Equestria, the wedding between Princess Cadence and Shining Armor only a few days away. Most of the dragons were just happy that they were able to something our then just collect more gold. Two dragons that however weren't very pleased were the wingless twins, Theta and Sigma.

"Why did you have to agree to this Sig?" Theta asked his twin brother, as the white dragon was shining off a steel battle helmet.

"It's not like I had that much of a choice T! I was backed into a corner, literally, you would have made the exact same decision that I did!" Sigma yelled at his brother, throwing his steel helmet to the dirt ground.

"Ok Sig, I get what you're saying. If I was in a similar situation I would probably would've made the same decision." Theta said to his twin brother, knowing that despite his lack of wings he was the last dragon that you wanted to piss off.

"Now can we just get this over with. The both of us might be very fond of going to war with Equestria, but we both must the orders of our great King Steelclaw." Sigma said his words burning with frustration and sarcasm.

"Hey Sig, are you alright?" Theta asked the grayish-silver dragon, taking a step back from his twin brother.

"Sorry bro, I'm just frustrated that's all." Sigma said to his brother, trying to calm himself down.

"I assume that the preparations are going as planned?" King Steelclaw asked the two dragons, walking into their shared room inside the capital of the Dragon Empire. A city the size of Canterlot that was literally a giant cave carved into a dormant volcano.

"We are actually ahead of the original planned schedule." Theta said to Steelclaw, handing him a clipboard that contained all of them preparations for the invasion of Equestria. An invasion that was in less than week's day time.

"I see, with do the two of you believe that you should have all of the preparations done by?" Steelclaw asked the two dragons, more directing his question toward Theta.

"We should been finished by the sundown tomorrow, your majesty." Theta said to Steelclaw, picking up a large steel sword. The Dragon Empire renowned for their unrivaled metal work, especially when it came to weapons of war.

"Excellent, alert me of any further developments." Steelclaw said to the two dragon, turning to leave the small room, hidden deep within the dormant volcano.

"Of course your majesty." Sigma said, picking a dull short sword ready to be sharpened.

The same question that had been bugging Theta for the last few weeks had been flying through his mind, and he needed for it. "I'll be right back Sig. I need to take a break from all of this war and violence." Theta said half-lying to his twin brother.

"You better get used to Theta, because no dragon, man or women, young or old, is getting out of this invasion." Sigma said to his brother, looking up from his current work. As his brother left the room to ask the king a very important question.

"Follow me girls, I think that you will really like the princess." Lemon Hearts said, still under Chrysalis' spell, as she led that three other unicorns toward the disguised changeling's private quarters.

Wow, I've never been inside the castle before. It's beautiful." Lyra said, taking in the awe of the castle.

"You get used to it, trust me." Lemon Hearts said, as the four unicorn's neared 'Cadence's' room. "This is it." Lemon said, stopping just outside the large room that served as both Cadence and Shining Armor's room.

"Wait here, I'll inform the princess that you have volunteered to be her bridesmaids." Lemon Hearts said as she entered the room, leaving her friends just outside. Each of them barely able to contain their excitement.

Moon Dancer, who had returned to the castle to do some last research about the Alpha, noticed the three unicorns standing outside the pink alicorn's room.

"Oh, there you are Moon Dancer! Have you changed your mind about becoming on of the Princess' bridesmaids?" Minuette asked Moon Dancer, when she noticed the grayish-yellow unicorn.

"No I haven't." Moon Dancer said to the blue unicorn.

"Then what are you doing here?" Lyra asked Moon Dancer, not knowing that she worked at the castle.

"Because I work at the castle." Moon Dancer, said a little more bluntly than she had intended.

"What you mean like what Lemon does?" Lyra asked Moon Dancer, not taking offense to her bluntness.

"Not exactly, while Lemon is the head party planner for the castle. I am the head scientist for Princess Celestia herself." Moon Dancer said to Lyra, the mint colored unicorn's eyes widening to the size of dinner plates.

"What kind of sciency things do you do?" Lyra asked Moon Dancer, doing her best to sound smart.

Moon Dancer chuckled to herself at the mint unicorn's attempt, before she answered. "Unfortunately, I am unable to discuss the manner of my of work, with anypony. Including the rest of the staff of the castle." Moon Dancer said as Lemon Hearts reemerged from the pink alicorn's room.

"She's right, even I don't know what she does. Anyway, are you three ready to meet the princess." Lemon Hearts said, shifting the conservation back to being about Cadence.

"Of course!" Twinkleshine said jumping up and down in joy.

"I guess I'll see you girls all later." Moon Dancer said to her four friends, as she began to trot away.

"Follow me, I think that you will really like Princess Cadence." Lemon Hearts said as she lead her three friends into a fate that none of them would have ever expected.

"Your majesty!" Theta called out to his King, catching the red dragon off guard.

"Yes, what is it, Theta. Has something already come up that could delay the invasion?" Steelclaw asked Theta quickly, his words filled with concern.

"No, nothing like that I just wanted to ask you a question." Theta responded back.

"Oh, of course, walk with me why don't you." Steelclaw said to Theta, and the white dragon caught up to the red dragon's side.

Now what is it that you what to ask me Theta?" Steelclaw asked Theta, in a rather calm voice. A voice that took Theta a little off guard.

"Your majesty I was just wondering. Do you..." Theta began saying, the rest of his words he mumbled underneath his. Not sure on how Steelclaw would react.

"What was that?" Steelclaw said, not hearing the white dragon's words.

"I said, Do you really believe..." Theta began again, only to trail off again.

"I still didn't catch that." Steelclaw said, becoming slightly frustrated at Theta's antics, but was still able to keep his cool.

Theta let out a deep sigh as he repeated himself for the third and final time. "Do you really believe that it is such a good idea to invade Equestria!" Theta said a little louder than he had intended.

Steelclaw's movement instantly came to a stop, and his large body's muscles all tense up from the white dragon's words. "Are you questioning the orders that I have given not just you, but all of the citizens of this Empire?" Steelclaw asked Theta, and it was at that exact moment that Theta realized just how much small he was compared to the red dragon that stood next to him.

"Of course not majesty, but I must ask. Do you really believe that it is necessary for us to go to war with Equestria, or even if we did go to war. Do you really think that we should trust the success of our mission on the access of Queen Chrysalis and her own army of changelings." Theta asked his king, the king's muscles relaxing at the white dragon's words of respect. His words making a fair point to make.

Steelclaw then went into deep thought. "I understand your concerns Theta, believe me I truly do." Steelclaw said to Theta.

"Then why are you so set on invading Equestria, even against your own better judgement?" Theta asked Steelclaw, making his king let out a deep sigh.

"As the King, I have to make very difficult decisions that no other dragon would be willing to do. You understand this, don't you?" Steelclaw asked Theta, getting a nod from Theta in response. As the two dragons began to walk through the many tunnels inside the dormant volcano.

"Well in the past few years, even before I became the King, I noticed that the respectation and respect of the our fellow brethren that were born and lived inside Equestria were increasing getting taken away. I knew it was only a matter of time before the ponies of Equestria saw our species as nothing more than a small group of scales creatures that are compiled by greed and nothing else." Steelclaw said to Theta, the white dragon's respect toward his king growing as he continued to speak to him.

"I see your majesty, but that still doesn't my question as to why you what to assist Queen Chrysalis and her changelings. Even though we have more than enough firepower (literally) to take over Equestria without her assistance." Theta said to Steelclaw, making his King let out another deep sigh.

"You are partly true Theta, we can take over most of Equestria without the help from Chrysalis." Steelclaw said to Theta, making the gears inside the white dragon's head start to turn.

"What do you mean your majesty?" Theta asked Steelclaw, the larger dragon coming to another complete stop.

"You see Theta, our forces may be able to overpower the lightly guarded borders of Equestria with ease. We may be able to take over the entirety of Equestria with relative ease, and with a minimal loss of lives. We may be even able to overpower the great power of Equestria's alicorn princesses. However, whatever invasion that we might have against Equestria would be useless if we don't get rid of the Elements of Harmony." Steelclaw said to Theta, this being the first time Theta had ever heard of the Elements of Harmony. Six objects that would soon come very familiar with.

"If I may ask your majesty, but exactly are the Elements of Harmony?" Theta asked his King, curious about these magical super weapons, that could make the combined powers of the three alicorn princesses look like hatchling play.

"The Elements of Harmony are the six most powerful objects in the world, the Elements of Honesty, Laughter, Kindness, Generosity, Loyalty, and lastly Magic, powered by the true friendship that is contained in the bearers of each element respectively."

"Then if these so called Elements of Harmony are so powerful, how did you come up with a way to get them of the picture?" Theta asked Steelclaw.

"The one weak leak about the Elements of Harmony is that you need all six of them in order for their magic, so getting rid of one of the bearers, gets rid of all them." Steelclaw said to Theta, him finally realizing why he had made an alliance with Queen Chrysalis.

"So in order to get rid of the Elements of Harmony you enlisted Queen Chrysalis. Who is able to get rid of one of the bearers in a way that no dragon ever could." Theta said to Steelclaw, his King nodding in response.

"Chrysalis promised to me that she would be able to get rid not just one, but all of the bearers of the Elements of Harmony, paving the way for both of our invasions. All though I don't trust her completely, and I probably never will. I still must admit that Chrysalis is the creature when it comes to getting other ponies to do her dirty work." Steelclaw said to Theta, as he began to walk off.

Theta decided not to follow. He had already gotten what he had come to ask Steelclaw, and decided to return to the small room that he shared with his twin brother.

The four unicorn ponies entered Cadence's room, the dark room only letting in a small amount of light. "A... Lemon, what is the meaning of this?" Lyra said turning her head hoping to see the yellow unicorn behind her.

Lyra let out a little yelp when Lemon Hearts wasn't behind her, and the shadows of the room seemed to grow in size. The images of the shadows beginning to warp into the silhouettes of ponies.

That was when the three ponies saw the pink alicorn for the first time, her pink coat acting like a flashing beacon in the dark lighting. "Your highness." Twinkleshine said, as she noticed the pink alicorn. The ivory unicorn, along with the rest of her friends, bowing to the alicorn that they thought was the Princess of Love.

"You three must be the three bridesmaids that your friend was talking about." The disguised changeling said as Lemon Hearts appeared out of the shadows, by her side.

"Yes, this Twinkleshine, Minuette, and Lyra Heartstrings." Lemon Hearts said to the pink alicorn, in an emotionless almost robotic-like tone.

"Excellent, I believe that they will quite nicely for my purposes." Chrysalis said dismissing Lemon Hearts, who robotically nodded and left the her three friends in the same room with one of the most dangerous creatures in the world, alone.

Back in the Dragon Empire, Theta had arrived back at the small room that he shared with his brother. He walked in, his brother still busy fixing the last of the weapons for the invasion of Equestria.

"About damn time you decided to comeback."Sigma said to his brother, not looking up from the sword that he was busy sharpening.

"Sorry bro, I got caught up." Theta said to his brother, as he walked over the small pile of weapons that he was required to get ready for battle.

"Don't worry about it Theta, I finished my pile about a half an hour ago. So I went on to working on your pile for you." Sigma said to Theta, placing the sword he had just finished into a steel bucket filled with other sharpened swords.

"Thanks Sig, I didn't realize that I was gone for that long." Theta said to his brother, as he began to sharpen a spear designed to piece through both the armor and scales of a full grown warrior dragon.

"I don't sweat it Theta, I'm sure even with your absence earlier today. I think that we will still be able to finish my sundown today." Sigma said, grabbing a short sword designed for quick stab wounds through armored ponies and dragons alike, and beginning to sharpen it.

The two dragon brother's continued this same routine for the next few hours until the had finished their task. Both of them collapsing to the ground, their bodies exhausted from all their work. The two dragon's then drifted off into sleep. Their room filled with weapons of war, each type in their own respective barrel. Each weapon ready for the invasion of Equestria.

"Um... our friend told us that you were need of three bridesmaids, your highness." Lyra said to the pink alicorn, her getting a slow nod in response.

"That is correct, but there's one more thing that I will require of you." Chrysalis said, the shadows behind the three unicorn's warping into the silhouettes of three Shadow Hive changelings.

"And what is that your majesty?" Minuette asked the pink alicorn. Getting a devilish smile from her in return.

"To be my slaves." Chrysalis said, her pink eyes flashing back to their original olive-green.

"What!?" Lyra yelped, as the three unicorns were forced to the ground by the three changelings. The three changelings crooked horns glowing the same color as their blank green eyes. The small band that wrap around their hoof turning into a small green blade that each them held to each of the unicorn's throats. Preventing them from screaming out.

Chrysalis then transformed out of her disguise, returning to her changeling form. Her giant frame towering over the petrified unicorn's.

"Ch... change... changelings." Twinkleshine manage to mumble out, the changeling pinning her to the ground being his sword closer to her throat.

"Yes you are correct little, now you belong to me." Chrysalis said as he cast her mind control on the three unicorns, all at the same time. The three unicorn's eyes all changing from their original eye color to that of the changelings'.

"Stage Three: Find at least three bridesmaids to run inference." Chrysalis said to herself as the three changeling retreated back into the shadows. Their job finished, for now.

"Now onto Stage Four: Get rid of the Elements of Harmony." Chrysalis said turning back into her pink alicorn disguise, fully aware of which of the six bearers she was going to go after.

The next week passed and in Ponyville the mane six were having their weekly picnic in the park. They're picnic wouldn't last that long with Spike running up to them a message from Princess Celestia held in his claws.

"Twi... light! ...I... have... Lemme just..." Spike said to the purple unicorn, doing his best to catch his breath. As he belched out another letter from Princess Celestia. Twilight took the letter with her magic and began to read it.

"Dear Twilight, I am sure you are as excited as I am about the upcoming wedding in Canterlot." Twilight read the letter, becoming confused, not aware of any wedding in Canterlot before hoof.

"Wedding?" Twilight said to her friends in confusion, as she continued reading.

"I will be presiding over the ceremony, but would very much like you and your friends to help with the preparations for this wonderful occasion. Fluttershy, I would like you and your songbird choir to provide the music." Twilight read, giving Fluttershy her assignment for the wedding.

"Oh my goodness! What an honor!" Fluttershy said in her normally high pitched angelic-like voice.

"Pinkie Pie, I can think of no pony more qualified than you to host the reception." Twilight continued reading, giving Pinkie her assignment.

"Hip, hip, hooray!" Pinkie said her normal chipper attitude, doing a few flips while jumping over a pink cake that they had brought with them for the picnic.

"Applejack, you will be in charge of the catering for the reception." Twilight said to the cowpony.

"Well, color me pleased as punch!" Applejack said, thinking about all of the tasty apple originated treats that she would make for the wedding.

"Rainbow Dash..." Twilight said to the cyan Pegasus, making her yawn in boredom.

"...I would very much appreciate it if you could perform a sonic rainboom as the bride and groom complete their 'I do's'." Twilight said to Rainbow.

"Yes!" Rainbow said excited, that she would get to be able to create another trick that defies the laws of physics. But then again Pinkie does that all the time.

"Rarity, you will be responsible for designing the dresses for the bride and her bridesmaids." Twilight said to the white unicorn, rolling her eyes at Rainbow's reaction.

"Princess Celestia wants me to ...wedding dress? For a Canterlot wedding... I, ah, ooh, oooh!" Rarity said, if you can even call it that, as she flopped to the grassy ground in a small thump.

"And as for you, Twilight, you will be playing the most important role of all: Making sure that everything goes as planned. See you all very soon. Yours, Princess Celestia." Twilight said finishing the letter. "But... I don't understand. Who's getting married?" Twilight said to her dragon assistant, still in a slight state of confusion.

"Oh, wait! Uh, I was probably supposed to give you this one first." Spike said, handing the purple unicorn another letter from her mentor.

Twilight rolled her eyes as took the other letter from Spike with her magic, and began to read it.

"Princess Celestia cordially invites you to the wedding of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and..." Twilight began reading, only to gasp as she reached the bottom.

"My brother?!"

The Crystal Empire Part 2

The Crystal Empire got shaken by the laughter of Sombra. His shadowy form ready to make the Crystal Empire his own once again.

"The Empire is under attack." Shining Armor called out as he helped his wife to her hooves. Cadence's horn glew with her blue magic as she cast her dome spell again. The blue dome forming over the Crystal Empire.

"Arrgh!" Sombra roared out in pain as he ran into the new blue dome that Cadence had created her new blue dome. Cadence's dome of blue magic breaking off the shadow pony's red horn. It falling in the confines of the city.

"I have to find the Crystal Heart!" Shining Armor said, with determination in his voice.

"No, you stay here with Cadance. She needs you, Shining Armor. I'll retrieve the Heart." Twilight said to her older brother. Seeing the distressed l look on Cadence's face.

"Let's do this!" Rainbow Dash said to the purple unicorn.

"I've been trying to figure out how I'm meant to pass Celestia's test. Retrieving the Crystal Heart must be it. But there is something else you can do." Twilight said to the cyan pegasus.

"Seriously who uses the invasion of a monster made entirely out of shadow as a test." Theta thought to himself, becoming ever more concerned about Celestia's teaching methods.

"Name it." Rainbow Dash said to Twilight.

"You and the rest of our friends have to keep the faire going." Twilight said to Rainbow. Leaving the cyan pegasus with a confused look on her face.

"What? With that thing moving into the Empire?" Rainbow asked Twilight, pointing her hoof toward the blue dome that surrounded the city.

"The whole purpose of the Crystal Faire is to lift the spirits of the Crystal Ponies, so they can activate the Crystal Heart." Twilight said to Rainbow.

"Yeah, and?'

"If the Crystal Ponies find out that King Sombra is trying to take over the Empire again, their spirits are gonna be anything but lifted. It won't matter if I find the Crystal Heart. They won't be able to make it work. You have to keep them happy here at the Faire." Twilight said to Rainbow, explaining her reasoning.

"Keep the faire going and the Crystal Ponies' spirits high. Done and done!" Rainbow said taking off to keep the faire running.

"Twily, be careful." Shining Armor said to Twilight.

"I will." Twilight said as she took of to find the Crystal Empire.

"So what's the real plan Twilight?" Theta asked Twilight.

"Not to sound like I don't appreciate your help, but this is my mission from Princess Celestia, and she said that I can't get any help." Twilight said to Theta.

"And I've on orders from the Alpha himself to assist you by any means necessary. So if that includes disobeying the orders of a leader of a country that I'm not the citizen of, then so be it." Theta said stopping the purple unicorn. Using logic on Twilight, that she couldn't argue.

"Then what are we waiting for. Let's go find the Crystal Heart." Twilight said, her warm smile returning to her face.

"What about this Crystal Heart?" Sigma said, catching everyone in the room off guard.

"Sigma! What in all of Tartarus are you doing up?" Theta asked his brother.

"What, are you saying that you don't want my help now?" Sigma asked his brother, his voice slightly deeper than it was before.

"No, of course not. It's just you took a hard hit from Sombra." Theta said to Sigma.

"Well I'm perfectly fine. Now can we get back to the matter at claw." Sigma said, Theta taking a step back at his brother sudden shift in personality.

"Um... while the Crystal Heart is an ancient relic of the Crystal Empire that the crystal ponies used to defend the empire against attacks." Twilight said explaining the Crystal Heart to Sigma.

"Ok, do you know where the heart is?" Sigma asked Twilight.

"No we do not, but it must be hidden somewhere in the Crystal Empire." Twilight said to Sigma.

"Ok, do you know what the heart looks like?" Sigma asked Twilight, the purple unicorn's face dropping in disappointment.

"Sadly no, but it can't be that hard to find a heart made entirely out of crystal." Twilight said, trying to liven up the current situation. he irritated look on Sigma's face showing that it had not worked.

"So you're telling me that you know what you are looking for, but you don't even know what the damn thing even looks like." Sigma said to Twilight.

"A... yes." Twilight said cautiously.

"Just what I would expect from ponies. Theta if you need me I'll doing something that might exactly stop that thing out there." Sigma said as he started walking out of the castle.

"Where are you going" Theta called out to his brother.

"I'm going to do what I was brought here to do." Sigma called back.

"And what was that Sig?" Theta said, slightly challenging his brother.

"What you never could... kill." Sigma said as he left the castle, leaving his brother speechless.

"Hey...Theta, are you alight?" Twilight asked Sigma after a few moments of awkward silence.

"Yeah, Sigma just being difficult. So what's the plan?" Theta said doing his best to hide his shock of his brother's actions.

"Well I thought it would best to search the courtyard." Twilight said to Theta.

"Sounds good." Theta said to Twilight as the two headed out of the castle.

"Twilight, wait! I'm coming with you!" Spike said running up to Twilight.

"You can't. I have to retrieve the Crystal Heart by myself." Twilight said to Spike.

"I know. I promise I won't lift a claw to help you. And isn't Theta helping you?" Spike said pointing at the white dragon standing next to Twilight.

"I'm not helping Twilight. I'm following my orders from the Alpha." Theta said answering Twilight's answer for her.

"Not a claw, Spike." Twilight sighed to Spike.

"Where are we going exactly?" Spike said hopping on Twilight's back.

"I think I might know where King Sombra hid the Crystal Heart." Twilight said looking toward the castle.

"The castle?" Spike and Theta asked Twilight at the same time.

"The king would've been counting on the fact that nopony would dare come looking for it here. They'd have been too afraid to even try." Twilight said as she started running toward the crystal castle that towered over the empire.

"I hope you're right." Spike said to Twilight.

"You and me both." Twilight said to Spike.

"Hey, wait up for me!" Theta called after Twilight and Spike, as he ran to catch up to them.

Back in Canterlot, Celestia, Luna, and Alpha were in the throne room of the castle. The roof of the throne removed so that Alpha could engage in conversations unobstructed. Luna was busying pacing up and down the throne, doing her best to not go insane from the tension of the current situation.

"Luna will you stop pacing, everything will be fine." Celestia said to Luna, doing her best to calm her little sister down.

"How can you say that Celestia? We don't know if everything is going to be alright." Luna said to her sister, continuing to anxiously pace up and down the throne room.

"Luna there is no need to worry. I have complete faith in both of my apprentices in this matter." Alpha said down to Luna.

"Do you. Are you using the return of Sombra and the Crystal Empire as nothing as a test for your two apprentices. Or do you truly believe that they can succeed." Luna questioned Alpha. Her being the only pony that would even dare to question the mountain sized dragon.

"Luna, my methods are of no concern to you. All you need to know that I have complete faith in my apprentices will be able to pull off the task that I have given them." Alpha said as the scene switched back to that of the castle made entirely out of crystal that towered over the Crystal Empire.

"Can you tell why we are here again?" Theta asked Twilight as the trio searched the castle, looking for the Crystal Heart.

"We are looking for the Crystal Heart, and this seems like the best to look." Twilight said, as she searched inside a small trashcan made out of crystal. "Shit is everything in this place made out of crystal."

"Well I know that, but do you really do you think that something this... perfect could have been used by Sombra." Theta asked Twilight, putting the unicorn into deep thought.

"If the Empire is filled with hope and love, those things are reflected across all of Equestria. If hatred and fear take hold..." Celestia's words echoed in Twilight's mind.

"Of course!" Twilight exclaimed running into the throne room of the castle.

"What?" Spike said running after the purple unicorn.

"Did you find it?" Theta asked catching up to Twilight.

"No. Because this isn't King Sombra's castle." Twilight said to the two dragons.

"Come again?" Theta said in confusion.

"Well, isn't this where he lived when he was in power?" Spike asked Twilight.

"It is. But it didn't look like this." Twilight said to Spike, as her horn started glow the same black magic that Celestia had showed her earlier that day.

Twilight then fired her black magic at the crystal that hanged above the throne, turning it the same color as the magic. The crystal then cast a large shadow across the throne and as it spread across the floor it magically revealed a spiral staircase that snaked down into darkness. Twilight clopped her hooves in glee as she stared at her hoofy work.

"Whoa. When did you learn to do that?" Spike asked Twilight, staring into the blackness of the staircase.

"That was a little trick Celestia taught me." Twilight said to Spike

"A little." Theta said sarcastically. Making Twilight roll her eyes.

"Come on Twilight, let's go." Theta said as lit a small fire inside his mouth, as started walking down the stairs.

"Why do you get to be in front?" Twilight asked Theta.

"This is why." Theta said as he let out a small orange flame from his mouth.

"Right, you can be in front." Twilight said agreeing with Theta's logic, as she began to follow Theta down the spiral staircase.

Spike began to follow the others, only for Twilight to stop him saying. "You stay here." Twilight said to the purple dragon.

"Huh, if you insist." Spike laughed nervously as he watched his closest friend descend into the darkness.

After a few minutes of hearing nothing coming from either Theta or Twilight, Spike called into the staircase.

"Can either of you guys see what's down there yet?" Spike called into the darkness. His words echoing down the stairs.

"Not yet. I can't even tell how far down this goes!" Twilight called up to Spike. "Can you see anything Theta?" Twilight asked Theta, the white dragon a flight of stairs ahead of Twilight.

"No, I can't see anything." Theta said up to Twilight.

"Spike?" Twilight called up Spike.

"Yeah?" Spike called down to Twilight, his voice echoing down the pitch black corridor.

"Can you see outside?" Twilight called up to Spike.

"It's not good! Cadance's magic must be fading... faster than before!" Spike called down to Twilight. The blue dome that protected the city beginning to flicker. Sombra licking his lips as his dark crystals began to spread across the empire.

"Twilight hop on my back, I can get us down there faster." Theta called up to Twilight. Twilight did as Theta commanded and the dragon raced down the spiral staircase that seemed to go on forever.

It took the pair a few minutes until they finally reached the bottom of the staircase. "About damn time." Theta said, as Twilight hopped off his back.

"A door?" Twilight thought outloud. Staring at a black wooden door with a crystal above it.

"Well there's a door, and doors always lead to something." Theta said to Twilight, getting a small chuckle out of the purple unicorn.

"Hold on, I got this." Twilight said as her horn glew her magenta magic to open the door. The door then whipped around the bottom the staircase.

"What in the... " Twilight said in confusion as she tried to use her magic on the door. "Stop... moving." Twilight said as she used her magic of the black variety on the door, bringing it to a stop.

The door then creaked open, showing a room filled with light.

"Spike! I think we found it!" Twilight called up to Spike.

"That's great!" Spike called down to Twilight.

"Mares first." Theta said to Twilight.

"Oh you're so sweet." Twilight said with a slight tint of sarcasm, as she ran into the room filled with light.

"Well, I try to be." Theta said to himself as he followed Twilight into the room. Neither of them knowing that they were about to have one major mind buck. Especially when it comes to Theta.

"Where am I? Canterlot." Theta said as he walked into the throne room of the Canterlot castle. "What the buck is going on?" Theta said to himself as the ground was shaken by what seemed to be a massive earthquake.

Theta ran over to one of the windows of the throne room to see something that he hadn't expected to see that day.

"Alpha..." Theta said in both shock and awe, as he witnessed his mentor being engage in battle against another giant dragon that he had never seen before.

The dragon Alpha was fighting was only slightly smaller than him. His scales were almost pitch black with only a slight tint of maroon remaining. The giant dragon's wings were much smaller than those of Alpha's and reminded Theta of the ones of a giant beetle.

"You still protect these... these weaklings. They deserve to be nothing more than our slaves." The black dragon roared at Alpha. In between the two titans trading blows. The already recently destroyed city not taking the battle between two creatures the size of mountains very well. The newly constructed building collapsing from the two creatures movement.

"They have the right to choose for themselves." Alpha roared back, as his right claw scraped across the black dragon's muzzle.

The black dragon roared out in pain as stood on his hind legs the ground shaking around him as delivered one massive blow to Alpha. A blow so powerful that it made Alpha go slamming into a large apartment. His giant collapsing the building as he came to rest.

"Delta!" Theta heard Luna cry out, and that was when he noticed that he wasn't alone in the throne room.

Luna along with her sister and Cadence were in the room them all dressed in grows that Theta could've only assumed that they were wearing because of a wedding of some sort. The princesses were also joined by Twilight and the rest of her friends. All of them dressed in extraordinary groans similar to the one's of the princesses. What really caught Theta's attention was the fact that Twilight had what looked like a pair of feathered wings on her back.

"This has got to be just some crazy dream." Theta thought to himself, as his attention shifted back to the massive battle going outside. As a ear piercing roar spread across the city, and the world for that matter.

"Alpha!" Theta cried as he saw his mentor being held in the dragon he was fighting jaws by the neck. The black dragon then threw Alpha toward the castle as if he was nothing more than a chew toy.

"Lookout!" Celestia cried out. As Alpha slammed into the castle, his head slamming into the part of the castle where the throne room was located.

"Delta!" Luna exclaimed running over to her old friend, her teal eyes filling with tears.

"Run." Alpha said to Luna weakly. His neck looking like it had just went through a meat grinder, with his red blood staining the white brick of the castle.

"No! I'm not losing you again!" Luna cried through tears.

"I have been waiting a long time for this." The black dragon said as he slowing stalked toward the Alpha.

"Luna we got to go." Celestia said, placing her hoof on her sister's shoulder.

"Go, I'll be alright." Alpha said to Luna weakly. The open wound in his neck making it difficult to breathe, let alone talk.

The ponies left the throne room, Luna running straight through Theta as if he was nothing more than a ghost.

"You have been abandoned brother." The black dragon said to Alpha, raising up on his hind legs.

"You can kill me Omega, but as long as there are still good alphas in this world you will never win." Alpha said up to his brother.

"I don't to kill you Delta, that's to easy. I want you to go through the exact same pain that I went through." Omega said to his brother as he fired his maroon fire at Alpha.

Alpha fired his own golden alpha fire at Omega and the two flames collided. "You have grown weak in my absence." Omega roared as his fire defeated Alpha's.

"Now to take what was supposed to be fine in the first place." Omega roared at Alpha as he literally sucked the alpha flame out of his brother. Alpha roared out in pain as the command over all dragons went with the fire.

"Finally!" Omega roared as his bug-like erupted in golden flames and spread to full length becoming more dragon than bug like. Omega let his first roar as the first roar as the new alpha, followed by a stream of his maroon that quickly warped into that of one golden flame.

"No..." Theta said in shock, as he stared at the golden flame coming from Omega.

"Alpha you got to get up and fight." Theta said to his mentor not knowing if he could even hear him.

"No Theta, my battle is finished. But yours is yet to begin." Alpha said to Theta.

"What?" Theta asked the giant dragon in front of him. His eyes filling with tears.

"You will be the one that follow in my footpoints." Alpha said weakly to Theta, his breathing slowing.

"But... but I'm not ready." Theta said to Alpha, beginning to choke on his tears.

"You will be. Trust me... you will be." Alpha said as his large eyes closed, as his red scales turned gray, and his massive tail slammed onto the ground as his final breath escaped from his lungs.

"Alpha... no... no you can't die. No that's not possible." Theta said to himself, on the brink of going into hysteria.

"But it is." Theta heard a coming from behind. Theta turned his head to the sound of the voice and took a step back in both surprise and fear at the creature standing in front of him.

"Sigma... what... what happened to you?" Theta asked his brother, whose scales were now pitch black and his eyes burning red.

"Not much... brother... expect, you know, learning my real place in this world." Sigma barked at his petrified brother, his words filled with hate, and bitterness. Sigma then lowered into an attacking position. Almost as if he was a predator stalking his prey.

"Sigma... what are out doing?" Theta asked Sigma, as his brother again to walk around him in a circle.

"You are nothing Theta." Sigma said to Theta ignoring his question.

"What?" Theta said, not believing what his telling him.

"You are a disgrace to the entire dragon race. I would never follow a hatchling into battle then you... brother if you even deserve to share the same blood as I." Sigma said to Theta, his brother's words cutting into like a blade.

"Sig... why are you doing this?" Theta asked his brother.

"Isn't it simple Theta." Sigma said stopping directly in front of his brother. "I am here to show you your true place in this world." Sigma said as Omega giant body stood over the destroyed castle.

"What have you done to my brother!?" Theta roared up to Omega, only getting a slight chuckle out of the newly crowned Alpha.

"Oh, nothing I can assure you. All I have done is show him his true calling in life, and it is time that he return the favor to you." Omega said to Theta.

Before Theta could respond the ground beneath him began to crumble and he fell into a black abyss. Theta hit the bottom of the black hole in a loud thud. "Ugh, what in Tartarus." Theta grunted as he struggled to his feet.

"See you never... brother." Theta heard Sigma call down to him as the hole that he had fallen in from closed up. Leaving him at the bottom of the pitch black cavern, completely alone.

"Maybe I am just as useless as everyone says." Theta said to himself, as he cradled himself up into a fatile position. The distant callings of his name echoing in his head has he drifted off into a nightmare filled sleep. The sounds of Omega destroying all of Canterlot being the only other thing that he heard.

"Theta! Theta! Theta!" Theta heard, snapping him out of his comatosic state.

"What... what happened?" Theta said shaking himself out of the strange vision that he had just encountered.

"You tell me." Twilight said to Theta, a look of concern on her face.

"What do you mean?" Theta asked Twilight."

Well, I came down to see what happened to Twilight you were just standing there." Spike said, Theta finally noticing the smaller dragon's presence.

"Hey, you where in this strange trance, you were mumbling to yourself, you even broke into fit of crying, three times." Twilight added, only adding to Theta's confusion.

"So... it was all a dream?" Theta said more to himself, him remembering every single moment of his strange vision.

"A vision to be more technical. This door must be a doorway to someone greatest fear." Twilight said expressing her theory as to how the magic door worked.

"But it seemed so real." Theta said, still a little sceptical.

"What did you see?" Twilight asked Theta, becoming even more concerned of his actions.

The image of his mentor dying in front of him flashed before his eyes as he remembered his vision. "Nothing... it's not important anyway. Come on we got a Crystal Heart to find." Theta said as he walked into the door again. This time it leading to a white room with another set of spiral staircase that ascend to the heavens.

"You've got to be bucking kidding me." Theta thought out loud, as stared up the staircase that seemed to gone on forever.

After about ten minutes of walking up the staircase that seemed to go on forever. Spike said panting.

"What if this is just more of his magic? He makes a door that leads to your worst nightmare. Why not a staircase that goes on forever?" Spike said to Spike, him doing to climb the insane amount of stairs. Spike's words brought Twilight into deep thought.

"What are you thinking Twi?" Theta asked Twilight.

"Theta can I climb your back again?" Twilight asked Theta, who simply nodded. Not really understanding what Twilight was meaning, but decided it to be best not to question.

"Come on Spike hop on." Twilight said to Spike, the purple dragon following her commands and climbing onto Theta's bareback. One of the few benefits of not having a pair of wings.

Twilight's horn then glowed with her magenta as the spell she was casting lifted Theta off of the ground. "Twilight what are you doing?" Theta asked the purple unicorn resting on top of him.

"Just wait." Twilight said simply, as the ground of them seemed to switch, and trio began to slide down the bottom of the staircase above them. Them going further up the staircase while technically going down.

Back with Twilight's friends, they were doing their best to keep the faire, but despite their efforts they were simply running out of time.

"Excuse me, pardon me..." Rarity laughed as she whispered to Applejack. "I am running out of weaving materials for the traditional crafts booth! I just made a hat out of three pieces of hay and a drinking straw!" Rarity said to the cowpony, pointing at the crystal pony with the hat in question. "I made it work. But still!" Rarity said shifting her attention back to the matter at hoof.

"We gotta do everything we can to keep this thing goin'. The Princess isn't lookin' so good. I can't imagine her magic is gonna last much longer. It's gonna be fine. These ponies are gonna power up that Crystal Heart when the time comes, and we won't be needin' her magic anyway." Applejack said, trying keep some optimism.

"I sure hope that time comes soon! Even I can't keep this party going forever!" Pinkie said dressed in a clown outfit, juggling flugelhorns, on top of a large ball. She then slipped on the ball and fell to the ground, one of the horns landing on her head.

The ball Pinkie was on then rolled and hit the covered fake Crystal Heart, making it fall and break off the section the carved into the shape of a heart.

"This isn't the Crystal Heart." One of the crystal ponies said, pointing out their forgery.

"Oh, of course it isn't. The real one is..." Rarity laughed nervously.

"On its way!" Applejack said, finishing for Rarity.

"I was going to say 'being polished' to buy us some more time?" Rarity whispered to Applejack, the tension of the situation only growing.

"Oops." Applejack said, which was followed by the sound of laughter coming from Sombra, as his black crystals continued to spread across the empire. The blue dome protecting the empire from Sombra himself weakening after every passing second.

Sombra's laughter was then followed by the distressed cries of the crystal ponies, as their former ruler was about ready to make the Crystal Empire his once again.

"It's... It's him!" One of the crystal ponies cried out.

"Good, I'm been waiting for a rematch." Sigma said, his eyes beginning to turn a greenish-yellow.

"Whoooooahahaha! I actually studied gravity spells, thinking it might be on my test! Turns out I was prepared for this! Wooo-hooo!" Twilight exclaimed happily as the trio continued to slip down (or up) the stairs, getting closer and closer to their goals.

"That's great Twilight, but do you think you can change gravity back." Theta said as his claws were currently implanted into what would be the ceiling of the top platform of the castle.

"Right." Twilight said as she reversed her spell. Her and Spike falling to the ground in a loud. Theta however simply let go of the ceiling and dropped to the ground, landing on his feet.

The trio stared at the small blue heart made out of crystal that hovered in the middle of the open room. The icy cold wind blowing around them.

"Go Twi, I got you covered." Theta said, as he lit a small orange fire in his mouth.

Twilight slowing approached the hovering Crystal Heart, her purple eyes widening as stepped on the large circle in the middle of the tower. The circle turned black, signaling to Sombra that somepony had found the Crystal Heart.

Sombra growled has he used his newly restored horn to cast a spell a trap in the circle. Trapping Twilight inside the circle, surrounded by large black crystal.

"The Heart... Where's the Crystal..." Twilight began, searching frantically for the only thing that could defeat Sombra.

"Here! It rolled over to me when you dropped it!" Spike said to Twilight, the blue heart of crystal a few feet from the purple dragon.

"Don't move!" Twilight called out to Spike.

"You can move, just not toward me! How could I have been so foolish? I was just so eager to get it! Then when I saw what was going on outside, I..." Twilight said as she used her magic to teleport out of the her crystal prison. Only for a spell created by Sombra to teleport her back into the prison.

"You have to get out of there, Twilight!" Spike said to Twilight.

"Hang on Twi." Theta said as he fire a blast of his orange fire at the black crystals. His fire having no effect on the crystal that surround the purple unicorn. "Damnit!" Theta grunted as Sombra's black crystals continued to spread throughout the castle.

"King Sombra is already attacking the Empire. He could reach the Crystal Ponies at any moment... reach Princess Cadance, my brother, my friends. There may not be enough time for me to find a way to escape." Twilight said to herself as she came to a revelation.

"You have to be the one to bring the Crystal Heart to the Faire." Twilight said to Spike.

"Me? But Twilight..." Spike began to protest.

"Go!" Twilight interrupted Spike.

"But..." Spike began to say to Twilight.

"Goooo!" Twilight ordered at Spike.

"Come on Spike we got to get out of here" Theta said to Spike, the purple climbing onto his back, the Crystal Heart held in Spike's claws.

The two dragons then jumped out of the opened tower and started sliding down the black spikes that continued to spread across the castle. Theta's black claws digging into the crystals.

"Now, don't y'all worry your pretty, little Crystal heads! The real Crystal Heart will be here any second!" Applejack said down to the crystal ponies, doing her best to calm the crowd that was amassing at the center of the city.

"I don't know if they believe you..." Rarity whispered to Applejack.

"Don't know if I believe me..." Applejack whispered back.

The blue dome surrounding the city then gave out, relieving the red sky that covered the city, leaving the city completely unprotected against Sombra.

"He's back! I can't take it!" One of the crystal ponies cried out as she ran off. Running into one of Sombra's black crystals. Sombra only a few inches from her face.

"Was she about to commit suicide."

"King Sombra..." The crystal said to her former King, petrified as to what might happen.

"My crystal slaves..." Sombra said in a sadistic tone. All of the crystal ponies being driven into a state of panic.

"Hey! Up here!" Spike called down to the other ponies.

"Spike?" Rarity called up the purple dragon, the Crystal Heart still held in his claws

"I got the Crystal Heart!" Spike called down to them.

"That is mine!" Sombra growled, his shadow form diving into the ground. His dark crystal spreading through the Empire.

"Hold on Spike." Theta said to the dragon clanging to his back, as the crystals around them started to crumble. Causing them to fall. The Crystal Heart falling out of Spike's grasp.

Sombra regaining his pony form, as his black crystals soared into the heavens. Sombra only inches from victory.

"Spikey-wikey!" Rarity called up to Spike as the two dragons fell. Theta wrapping Spike in a protective cradle as the two slammed into the ground.

"Theta!" Sigma said running over to his brother.

"I'm ok Sig." Theta said as he struggled to his feet.

"Finally..." Sombra licked his lips, as the Crystal Heart fall toward him.

The weakened Cadence unfurled her wings and launched into the skies with help from Shining Armor. Cadence grabbed the Crystal Heart with her blue magic flying toward the ground.

"Behold the Crystal Princess!" One of the crystal ponies called out talking about Cadence.

Cadence flew to the ground, the Heart still held in her magic, smashing the fake heart under her hooves. Her cutie mark, which showed the Crystal Heart

"The Crystal Heart has returned. Use the light and love within you to ensure that King Sombra does not." Cadence addressed the crystal ponies. Her placing the Crystal Heart back in its holder in the middle of the city.

The crystal ponies than all used the love deep inside them to power the heart. Their love creating a massive shockwave the turned all of the ponies' coats and dragons' scales to a shining crystal.

When the shockwave it Sombra the power of the ponies' love was to much for him, destroying him. The Heart then powered up completely and fired its magic into the air, spreading its power all across the world. The magical rays coming from the Crystal Empire in all the colors of the rainbow.

"Ah... good job Spike." Twilight said admiring her closest friend's handywork.

Over in Canterlot, the magic from the Crystal Empire showed over the horizon.

"I told you they could do it." Alpha said down to Luna. Him getting a playful glare from his old friend.

"I do so wish it was permanent. Did you see how my mane just absolutely sparkled?" Rarity said as the six ponies were about ready to leave the Crystal Empire.

"But... good things are better when they're a rarity." Applejack said the disappointed unicorn, using a bad pun.

"Aww." Rarity said, before bursting into a small fit of laughter.

"Everything's gonna be okay. You've gotta stop saving my rump like this. It's starting to get embarrassing." Shining Armor said his younger sister, trying to cheer her up.

"Wasn't me who saved you in the end. It was Spike and Theta." Twilight admitted.

"It's just a test. Maybe she'll let you retake it." Shining Armor said to Twilight.

"I don't think she's gonna give me a new test." Twilight said, not believing that she would get a good 'score' on her latest test.

"Are you sure that you are alright?" Sigma asked his brother, Theta still limping a little bit.

"Yeah I'm fine." Theta said, shrugging off the fact that he feel almost fifty feet onto a crystal floor. "A better is are you alright?" Theta said directly the same question back to Sigma. Theta intrigued by his brother's rapid change in scale and eye color.

"I'm fine Theta." Sigma snapped at Theta. Before walking off, looking like he was about to fight something.

"What has gotten into you brother." Theta thought to himself. The image of his own brother betraying him flashing into his mind. "No! That would never happen. It can't." Theta thought to himself, forcing his greatest fear out his mind.

"Wow!" Zulu said to himself, after watching the almost literal fireworks that had just gone down in the Crystal Empire.

"So there is not just one apprentice to the Alpha, but two. Hmm... Omega needs to learn of this right away." Zulu said to himself as he dissolved into the shadows. Heading back to the Changeling Hive.

"Keep it together, buddy... Gotta stay strong... for Twilight..." Spike said to himself, as he anxiously awaited outside the Canterlot castle.

"It's beautiful." Celestia said, admiring the newest stained glass window in the throne room of the castle.

The painting depicting Spike on the back of Theta, holding the Crystal Heart in his claws. The magic from the Heart spreading all across the world.

"I wish it had been me who ultimately made it so. But it wasn't." Twilight admitted to her mentor, disappointed in herself.

"Twilight, as I understand it, Spike brought Princess Cadance the Crystal Heart because you weren't sure how quickly you could find a way to escape the tower. You weren't willing to risk the future of the citizens of the Crystal Empire in an effort to guarantee your own. Far better that I have a student who understands the meaning of self-sacrifice than one who only looks out for her own best interests." Celestia said to Twilight, explaining her reasoning.

"Does this mean...?" Twilight began to say as we switched back to Spike. "Because reasons."

"She's totally gonna lose it! breathing heavily Keep it together, buddy... Gotta stay strong... for Twilight...!" Spike said to himself, as Twilight walked out of the castle. A neutral expression adorning her face.

"I passed!" Twilight exclaimed, earning a hug from Spike. The rest of her friends erupting into cheers.

"You were prepared to do your best

Had what it takes to pass the test

All those doubts you can dismiss

Turns out you were" Rarity began to sing.

"Prepared for this!" All of Twilight's friends joined in.

"You clearly have just what it takes" Applejack sang.

"To pass a test with such high stakes" Pinkie Pie added.

"We knew for sure you would prevail"

"Since when does Twilight Sparkle ever fail?" Rainbow added.

"cough... Swarm of the Century... cough."

"All those doubts that you can dismiss

Trust yourself and you cannot miss" All of Twilight's friends sang.

"Turns out you were" Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy sang.

"Turns out I was" Twilight added.

"Turns out you were" Rarity, Rainbow, and Spike sang.

"Turns out I was" Twilight added.

"Turns out you were" Rarity sang

"Prepared for this!" All of Twilight's friends sang, as they all entered a train heading back to Ponyville.

"Yeah, I knew everything was going to be fine." Spike laughed nervously as he passed out on Twilight's back.

Over on a balcony of the Canterlot castle Celestia, Luna, and Alpha watched the train that held the seven heroes in deep interest. Luna used her magic to materialize a spiral bound notebook. The two alicorn's sharing a knowing look, as Celestia spoke to her sister.

"She is ready." Celestia said to Luna, who nodded in agreement. Convinced that Twilight was ready for the next step in her journey.

"What about you Delta, how are your apprentices doing?" Luna asked her old friend.

"I know that one is ready, the other however, I feat of what might happen in the recent future." Alpha said simply as he opened his massive wings to fly to the Dragon Empire.

Zulu warped out of the shadows of the cavern inside the Changeling Hive. Omega lying asleep only a few feet from his position.

Zulu cleared his throat, immediately catching Omega's attention. His massive body jerking to life.

"What is it that you want." Omega's voice boomed down on Zulu, the giant dragon not pleased that his rest was being disturbed.

"My apologizes, but I have urgent news from the Crystal Empire." Zulu said, striking Omega's attention even more.

"Yes, come out with it then." Omega said, slamming his right claw on the ground. Picking up a mound of brown dust.

"I am here to inform you that unfortunately Sombra was defeated, and based on what I saw. He was most likely destroyed by this thing that I heard the citizens of the Crystal Empire call the Crystal Heart." Zulu explained, Omega keeping an impossible to read expression.

"Is that all?" Omega said irritated.

"Not quite... I did learn of two other alpha dragons." Zulu said not knowing how Omega would react.

"What?!" Omega roared. "What do you know these two alphas that you speak of?" Omega asked Zulu in geniune interest.

"Well all I know is that their names are Theta and Sigma." Zulu said to Omega.

"What do they look like?" Omega asked Zulu.

"Well... the one by the name of Theta ha scales that are snow white. While the other by the name of Sigma has dark gray scales." Zulu said not knowing the importance of the scales of an alpha dragon.

"What are their eye color?" Omega asked Zulu.

"The one by the name of Theta has green eyes, while the one by name of Sigma has yellow the time I saw him." Zulu answered Omega's question. Putting the giant dragon into deep thought.

"Hmm..." Omega thought to himself, as a new, even better plan came to his mind. "Yes that will do most nicely." Omega said, a devilish grin appearing on his face.

"What will do nicely?" Zulu said, beginning to slowly retreat backwards.

"Relax Zulu, soon we might gain another into our mitts."

Before a Magical Mystery Cure (Twilight's Ascension)

Before a Magical Mystery Cure (Twilight's Ascension)

"You can't be serious?" Shining Armor said to the three other alicorns that he shared with a small windowless stone room in the west wing of the Canterlot castle.

"Shining, are you alright?" Cadence asked her husband, genuinely concerned about his reaction to top secret news.

"No, no, no... Twily... one of you... no that can't happen." Shining Armor said to the three other alicorns, fumbling around with his words.

"You say that as if... it were a bad thing?" Cadence asked her husband, staring up at the horn that Celestia had given her when she was just a filly.

Shining Armor paused for a second before answering, noticing his error. "No, that's not what I mean at all." Shining said to directly to Cadence. "I... just don't know how to take the news that my sister will becoming an alicorn." Shining said, correctly guessing what the three other alicorn plan was. A small smile appearing on Cadence's face.

"Now, what's the plan?" Shining asked the other two alicorns.

"Well... we planned on giving Twilight one more test, to insure that she was ready to join us." Celestia explained, getting a nod from Shining Armor, despite not understanding it completely.

"Ok... what test would that be?" Shining Armor asked Celestia.

"Follow me." Celestia said, a small smirk appearing on her face, as the two other alicorns and one unicorn followed her out of the small room. Heading toward the part of the castle that held the greatest treasures of Ancient Equestria.

In the sky over Equestria, Alpha and his two apprentices were heading back the Dragon Empire to discuss the matter of Omega's supposed return with the rogue changeling Zulu.

"Are you sure that this is a good idea Alpha?" Sigma asked his mentor, as the giant dragon began to fly over the city of Manehattan, getting a few gasps of awe from the ponies below.

"Are you questioning my choices Sigma?" Alpha asked Sigma, slightly tilting his massive head toward the younger alpha that he was talking to.

"Of course not, I'm not sure that we should trust the likes of a... changeling." Sigma said to Alpha, the giant dragon slightly taken aback by Sigma's words.

"We are dragons and the Princesses still trust us." Alpha countered Sigma's argument.

"Yes, but changelings are monstrous creatures that lie, cheat, and fed off of the emotions of others." Sigma countered.

"And we are dragons, giant fire breathing creatures that care only for gold and jewels." Alpha countered, leaving Sigma without any words to interact with.

Near the end of Alpha's massive body Theta was currently talking to Zulu.

"So... how was at the hive." Theta asked Zulu.

"It was fine... I guess." Zulu said staring off into the distance toward the desert wasteland that marked the southern border of Equestria. "At least it was until..." Zulu said, stopping himself when he remembered Omega murdering his former Queen.

Seeing the distress on the changeling face, Theta quickly changed the subject. "So... what is that stick thing that you got there?" Theta asked Zulu, pointing his claw at the staff/spear thing that was attached to Zulu's side.

"Oh this?" Zulu said, slightly surprised. Getting a single head nod from Theta. "Well it's called a Warp Staff. It's chosen weapon for the most elite of my squad, or a least when I wasn't the only Shadow Hive changeling." Zulu said to Theta.

"How does it work?" Theta asked, shifting Zulu's attention back to his strange staff/spear weapon.

"You see these two emeralds?" Zulu said, pointing his hoof at the two green emeralds at the each each of the ends of his staff.

"Yeah..." Theta said, his eyes widening as he stared at the large green gems. The two emeralds shining in the setting sun.

"While when I use my magic..." Zulu began, his horn now glowing with his magic, the same color as the two gems. "And I use it on these two gems..." Zulu continued, his staff being held in his green magic, the two emeralds beginning to blow a bright green.

"Ooh pretty." Theta thought out loud, getting a soft chuckle from Zulu.

"Yes, quite beautiful, but the real important thing about this is what it does." Zulu said, getting a confused look from Theta.

"What do you mean?" Theta asked Zulu.

"This..." Zulu said as he used his magic to activate the two emeralds at the ends of his staff. A two curved blades of green fire/magic coming out of each end. The blades flashing out in small crackle sound. The two blades emitting a constant humming sound as Zulu held the newly created double bladed spear in his green magic.

"Wow!" Theta said in awe, never seeing a weapon anything like it. "How does it work?" Theta asked Zulu.

"Ancient changeling magic." Zulu said, releasing his magic from the two emeralds. His staff returning to its original form, and attaching to its holder on the right side of his body. "The weapon was created almost two thousand years ago when the first Shadow changeling, by the name of Shadow was born." Zulu began to explain the history of the weapon.

"Real original name there Zulu." Theta joked, getting a laugh from Zulu.

"Egh... the name of the first, plus his unique abilities. The name just stuck." Zulu shrugged. "Anyway, Shadow was the first changeling ever born with the ability to dematerialize their bodies into the shadows around them. As more Shadow changelings were born, they also gained the ability to use the shadows to travel to any location on the planet and spy on others. The creature being spied on being totally unaware of the changeling's presence." Zulu explained the history of his nearly excitant species of changelings.

"I see..." Theta said in deep thought. "Is that the only thing you use." Theta asked Zulu.

"Not quite." Zulu said remember the small metal that wrapped around his hoof on his right foreleg. The band made out of the same black metal that Zulu's Warp Spear was made out of, the band also had a small green emerald similar to the emerald at both ends of his energy spear. "This." Zulu said, directing Theta's attention to the band that was on his hoof.

"Yeah... what does it do?" Theta asked Zulu.

"It does this." Zulu said as he used his green magic to activate the emerald. A thick green blade of magical fire coming out of the from the small band. The green blade was about two feet long after Zulu's hoof. The blade surrounded Zulu's hoof in a protective shield of green magical fire that spilt into two smaller blades that were pointed at both edges. The blades designed to trap other swords and disarm their attacker. The two blades hummed with magical energy as small sparks jumped back and forth between them.

"Pretty." Theta said in awe of the strange sword like weapon in front of him.

"Thanks, its called a Warp blade." Zulu said, releasing his magic from the metal band around his hoof, returning it back to its harmless looking appearance.

Theta was about to ask Zulu another question when his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of his mentor's voice. "Dragon Empire straight ahead, brace yourself for landing." Alpha said, as he ready himself for a landing on the desert ground of that blanketed the Dragon Empire.

Over in Canterlot, Luna, Cadence, and Shining Armor were following Celestia to the part of the Canterlot Palace that held the ancient treasures of Equestria.

"Can somepony explain to me what is going on?" Shining Armor said, becoming frustrated at the secreticy of the situation.

"Relax Shining Armor, what we have to show will be worth it." Celestia said to Shining, as the small group of ponies arrived at a large blue metal door that had two unicorn's dressed in armor. The two guards saluted their Princesses and Captain and opened the door with their magic, without saying a word.

"Thank you." Celestia thanked the two guards, as she, and the rest, entered the room.

"Yes your highness." The two guards said as one, closing the door behind the royals.

What are we doing here?" Shining Armor asked the three alicorns.

"You'll see, just be patient dear." Cadence said to her husband. Shining rolling his eyes at his wife's words.

Shining Armor grumbled to himself as he continued to follow the three other alicorns through a brightly lit hallway filled with many of the treasures from Equestria ancient past. The four ponies continued up the hallway passing the large wooden chest that used to hold the Elements of Harmony before Discord's reformation.

Near the end of the hallway Celestia abruptly halted her moment in front of a white podium. The white alicorn towering frame made it impossible for Shining Armor to see what was on the podium however.

Celestia horn ignited with her golden magic as she used it to levitate whatever was on the white podium. Celestia turned around slowly to show Shining armor what she was holding in his magical aura. Shining face dropped into a combination of confusion and disappointment.

"A book... you told me in secret that you were planning to turn my little sister into an alicorn, just to show me... a book." Shining Armor said in shock, getting a muffled giggle from his wife. A small brown spiral bound notebook being held in Celestia's magic.

"This isn't just some originary notebook. This notebook was the personal notebook of the great wizard Starswirl the Bearded." Celestia explained. Shining Armor recognized the name from his little sister. Twilight used to, and did, idolize the famous unicorn. Many modern historian considering him one of, if not the greatest, unicorn of all time.

"Ok... but what does a notebook from a long dead unicorn have to do with your plan to make Twilight an alicorn?" Shining Armor asked Celestia.

"There's an unfinished spell by Starswirl the Bearded in this book." Luna answered for her sister.

"And you think that Twilight will be able to finish it. How?" Shining Armor asked, not sure how his sister could finish a spell that not even the greatest unicorn of all time could complete. Not that he doubt his sister his abilities when it came to magic.

"For the last few months Twilight has been learning about the magic of friendship, and the three of us believe that with her connection with her newly found friends, she will be in fact able to complete the spell. And by doing so she will prove that she is worthing to become the fourth alicorn in Equestrian history." Celestia said, putting Shining armor into deep thought.

"I see... but weren't you afraid that Twilight wouldn't be ready?" Shining asked Celestia, the white alicorn's warm smile disappearing from her face.

"It is true that I fear that my star student won't be ready to earn the wings that she so deserves." Celestia began, her pink eyes staring at the small blue notebook that was held in her golden magic. "But... that being said. I am certain that Twilight will be able to pass her last test as my student." Celestia said, her warm smile returning to her face.

"Great, so what's the plan?" Shining Armor asked Celestia.

"I am glad you asked. Follow me." Celestia said, the blue notebook still held in her magic. Her words getting another groan from Shining, as the royals started the long trot back to the throne room of the castle.

Alpha landed at the base of the dormant volcano that was used as the capital city of the Dragon Empire. Theta, Sigma, and Zulu slide down the side of Alpha's right wing, landing on the volcanic rock that made up most of the ground in the Dragon Empire.

"Umm... strange." Zulu commented, getting a confused look from Theta.

"Strange... what's strange?" Theta asked Zulu.

"It's just... I never thought I would ever find a place that was in worse shape than the eternal desert that surrounded the Hive." Zulu explained, getting a soft chuckle from Theta.

"Well... it's not much, but when you live here for your entire life, you get used to it." Theta said to Zulu.

"Same." Zulu agreed.

"Hurry up you two. We have much to discuss and not much time to do so." Alpha said to his apprentice and the changeling. Alpha climbing up the dormant volcano. Heading toward its peak.

"Of course Alpha!" Theta called up to his mentor, who gave a single head nod before continuing up the volcano. "Come on. Alpha's not a dragon that likes to wait." Theta said to Zulu as he ran into the entrance of the volcano. The entrance cave being guarded by two dragons, one a light blue, the other a crimson red, dressed in steel battle armor, and with two spears implanted into the ground by their sides.

Zulu swallowed an invisible apple in his throat as he feared the reaction of the guardian dragons to a changeling. Zulu slowing followed Theta toward the entrance to the cave that cut through the volcano. Theta passed through the entrance without issue, even getting a small bow from the two guards as they greeted the next possible alpha.

Zulu got the reaction that he dreaded as the two guardian dragons blocked his path into the cave by with their two long metal spears. Zulu retreated backwards as the the light blue dragon addressed.

"Changelings are not welcomed here. Now leave, or face terrible." The blue dragon said to Zulu, the point of his spear shining in the setting sun's light.

Theta heard the commotion behind him and turned around to see the two guards blocking Zulu's path. "Blue Diamond, Ruby Claws, stand down. This changeling is an honored guest that needs to discuss important matters with the Alpha." Theta ordered at the two guards.

The two guards stared at the stern expression on Theta's face for a few moments before heeding his command. "Yes... Theta." The crimson dragon said to Theta, the two dragons then returned their staffs to their original position implanted into the ground by the sides. Allowing Zulu to enter the volcano.

"You alright?" Theta asked the shaken changeling.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I could've taken them." Zulu said, staring at his staff attached to his right side. "But... thanks anyway." Zulu thanked Theta.

"Don't mention it." Theta said as the pair climbed the tunnels that cut through the volcano until they reached the peak.

The peak of the volcano was completely covered from the leftover ash from the long ago time when it was active. The old ash made the top of the volcano completely flat, to an untrained eye the dormant volcano looked more like an ashy plateau than an ancient mountain of fire.

"What took you two so long?" Sigma grumbled, crossing his forelegs over his chest as he sat in a disappointed scowl.

"Sorry bro, the place had been on high alert ever since the invasion of Canterlot." Theta said to his twin brother.

"Right... I wonder why?" Sigma said sarcastically, directing his scowl at Zulu. Who seemed to shrink at the look that Sigma was giving him. Zulu couldn't explain why he was able to stand his ground against the sheer power of Omega, but he looked like a colt in front of the scowl of Sigma.

Zulu's thoughts were interrupted by the booming, yet calm, voice of Alpha. Alpha was laying on top of the flat plateau, his tail wrapping around his body in a tight spiral. The last lights of day making his red scales shine.

"Calm yourself Sigma, Zulu is our guest." Alpha said to Sigma.

"Of course Alpha." Sigma said, climbing to his feet and walking over to where his mentor was laying down. "I just wished that he wasn't a changeling." Sigma mumbled to himself.

Alpha either didn't hear Sigma, or had just come accustomed to his constant grumbling attitude of Sigma, as he addressed Zulu.

"So... you believe that my brother is ready an attack on Equestria." Alpha said, his internal fire igniting at the mere mentioning of Omega.

"I don't believe... I know." Zulu said, taking a step closer to the giant dragon in front of him.

"Is that so?" Alpha questioned, still not completely able to trust everything that comes out of Zulu's mouth.

"Yes it is." Zulu snapped, immediately covering his mouth with his hoof. A small jet of gray smoke came out of Alpha's nostrils as Zulu continued. "My deepest apologies for my rudeness." Zulu apologized to Alpha, before continuing. "But what I say is the truth. Now I don't know what happened between you and Omega, but by what I have actually seen from Omega. I can tell that he isn't just planning to visit Equestria for old times sake. He is planning on burning to the ground!" Zulu vented at Alpha, the giant dragon keeping a neutral expression on his face as Zulu continued.

"Now, Omega may not have the size of a changeling that might have wanted, but just based on his seer size. I don't think it would matter if he had one changeling or one million changelings." Zulu said, taking a deep breathe as he finished.

"Are you done?" Alpha asked Zulu.

"Yes... I believe so." Zulu said back.

"Good." Alpha said, raising to his feet. "Now, what do you know specifically about my... brother's plans to invade Equestria?" Alpha asked Zulu, memories of his brother's betrayal against him all their years ago flashing before his eyes.

"I know he has been planning it for as long has he has been banished." Zulu said to Alpha.

"Hmm... do you know when he plans to invade?" Alpha asked.

"That, I sadly do not. However, I can take a good guess and believe that it will be very soon." Zulu said to Alpha.

"I see..." Alpha said with a slight pause in his words. "Theta would you mind finding Zulu a place that he could stay? I have a lot to think about at the moment, and would Zulu to be in close proximity just in case I have anymore questions." Alpha asked Theta.

"Of course Alpha. Follow me Zulu, I believe that the cave reserved for the elite from countries would do perfectly for your stay in the Dragon Empire. However long it might be." Theta said to Zulu, who groaned at the idea of spending more time locked up in a cave.

"Ugh... great even more time in a cave." Zulu groaned sarcastically.

"Trust me Zulu, this cave is worth it." Theta said to Zulu, as the unlikely friends descended the tunnel that cut through the volcano.

"I still don't trust him Alpha." Sigma said, expressing his opinions to his mentor.

"I am aware of that Sigma." Alpha said with a slight hint of sarcasm. "However, I do believe we should heed his words." Alpha said down to Sigma.

"He is a CHANGELING! And changelings should never be trusted." Sigma roared at Alpha.

"I am aware of that, and trust me, my apprentice, I am also weary when it comes to associating with a creature that excels the act of deception." Alpha said, an angry growl appearing on Sigma's face. "However, the fact remains that Omega is still out there, somewhere, and if he is in fact building a changeling army to destroy Equestria. Then I must be prepared for it." Alpha said, the fire rushing through his veins making his blood boil in anger.

"What are you going to do?" Sigma asked Alpha bitterly.

"I will do what I must." Alpha said staring off at the setting sun. The snowcapped mountains of the far north reflecting the sun's rays in a beautiful, yet tragic blast of rainbow colors.

"And what would that be?" Sigma asked his mentor.

"I will kill my own brother."

Back in Canterlot, Celestia small group of royals arrived at the throne room in the castle, and Celestia took a seat on the golden throne that she shared with her sister.

"So... what do we now?" Shining Armor asked Celestia.

"Now, you all do nothing." Celestia said, getting a confused look from all of the royals present.

"What?!" The three other royals exclaimed as one.

"Sugarlily!" Celestia called out, a light blue mare about the same age as Twilight, with a pink mane that could rival Pinkie's in color quickly trotted into the room.

"Yes, your highness?" Sugarlily asked, giving a quickly to the royals. "How may I serve you?" Sugarlily asked, raising to her hooves.

"Could you take a note for me?" Celestia asked the light blue mare. Leaving a confused look on both her and the rest of the royals.

"Umm... sure. Whatever you say your highness." Sugarlily said, using her bright pink magic to hold a small piece of parchment and quill. As she waited for her Princess to speak.

"Dear, my dearest and most faithful student Twilight Sparkle." Celestia began to speak, addressing a letter to her star student. Sugarlily writing down every word that her Princess Spoke.

"I, Princess Celestia, request your presence in the city of Canterlot as soon as possible. This is a matter of great importance, that I don't have the time to discuss with you at the moment. I eagerly await your reply. Sincerely yours, Princess Celestia." Celestia said, speaking a short letter to Twilight.

"Sincerely yours, Princess... Celestia." Sugarlily said finishing the letter. "Ok, done." Sugarlily said happily.

"Great! Send it." Celestia said, a frown appearing on Sugarlily's face.

"Umm... Princess. I don't know the spell for postal delivery." Sugarlily said, getting a understanding look from Celestia.

"Right, let me do that for you." Celestia said taking the piece of parchment in her golden magic. Celestia horn slightly glowed a little brighter as she cast the mailing spell on the letter, sending it to Twilight.

"Now... would that be all Princess?" Sugarlily asked Celestia.

"No, that be all Sugarlily. Thank you for your assistance." Celestia thanked the light blue mare.

"Your welcome Princess." Sugarlily said, giving a bow to her, as well as the other royals, as she exited the throne room.

"Really... a letter that's it." Shining Armor said to Celestia, his words filled with disappointment.

"Clearly you don't know your sister that much, Shining. I'd bet that Twilight would packing her bags as I speak." Celestia said to Shining as the scene switched to the treehouse library in Ponyville.

"Spike, Spike, Spike!" Twilight called as she bounced around her library, looking for literally anything that she might have to use in a trip to Canterlot to meet with Celestia. Twilight receiving the letter from the Princess only a few seconds earlier.

"Yes, Twilight. What is it?" Spike asked Twilight, still recovering from burping up the letter.

"Do you know where my Mysteries of the Everfree Forest Volumes 1-3 is do you?" Twilight asked her number one assistant. Getting a disappointed frown from Spike. "Well..." Twilight said, waiting for any response from Spike.

"Twilight do think that, that, is really necessary?" Spike asked the purple unicorn, him vividly remembering the last time Twilight had overstressed on a mission from Celestia. Ugh... her smartypants doll was never the same way again after that one.

"Do you remember the last time the Princess requested me to come to Canterlot?" Twilight said, directly her own question at Spike. Spike went into deep thought has he remembered getting her 'test' to save the Crystal Empire from Celestia the last time they had visited Canterlot.

"I guess you're right." Spike sighed in defeat.

"Of course I'm right. Now if being prepared for anything that might happen, includes me getting a series of books that I might use. Then so be it." Twilight said with confidence that could have rivaled the Princesses. "Now, are you going to help find those books or not?" Twilight said, returning to searching her unbelievable amount of books.

"Did you check under M?" Spike asked the purple unicorn, a small blush appearing on her face.

"No..." Twilight said, bolting over to the part of the library that shelved the books from K-N. "Found them! I found them!" Twilight exclaimed, finding the books in question. Spike only rolling his eyes at the unicorn adorkableness.

"You would be completely helpless with me." Spike said for to himself.

"I would not!" Twilight called out to Spike, getting a soft laugh out of the purple dragon. Has he continued to help Twilight prepare for her meeting with the Princess. Fully unaware of that her fate was going to change so much in the next twenty-four hours.

A Day at the Station (Equestria Girls)

A Day at the Station (Equestria Girls)

Sunset continued to sob as she held the picture of her mother up to her chest. Then a thought came to her. "What am I doing?" Sunset thought to herself as her sadness quickly turned into anger. "You are the rightful Princess of Equestria. You are the one that deserves to have ponies worship the very stones that you walk on." Sunset continued as she wiped away her tears.

"Sunset, get a hold of yourself, you got to do this. No matter who Celestia is, she has to pay for she did to you." Sunset said to herself as she regained a little bit of her composure. Sunset putting the picture of her and her mother in the cup holder of her car. "Even if it might be painful in the long run." Sunset said to herself as she took one last look at the picture. Sunset shaking her head in disgust as she felt sadness beginning to take over again.

Sunset didn't spend another moment sulking as she drove back to her house. Sunset still needed to ready herself for the Fall Formal. The dance was tomorrow and she needed ready herself for her big moment for returning to the crown to Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna.

Over in the police station, Twilight was currently being interrogated by two cops inside of a small room made out of brick that had a single metal table that was bolted to the floor in the center. Twilight was sitting on one side of the table while one of the two cops was sitting across from her, the other cop was pacing back and forth behind the other cop. Twilight was never put in handcuffs during the ride over to the station, but she felt like a criminal nonetheless. Twilight's eyes venturing up at the one-sided window that was behind the two cops as she was behind her.

"I'm going ask you this again..." The cop that was sitting across from Twilight said in a direct tone. The cop was the same mustached cop that had escorted her out of the diner and her brought here in the first place. The cop that pacing behind him was a new cop that Twilight had never seen before, but he reminded her of one of the royal guards from Canterlot. Twilight guessing that royal guards became the police officers in this world. "Where were you last night at around 12:23 A.M.?" The mustached cop asked. This being the third time that he had asked Twilight this question. The cop had also asked Twilight other random questions in between asking her about

The cop had also asked Twilight other random questions like what was her name and where she went to school and where she was born in between asking questions about the high school getting broken into. Twilight assuming this be a tactic by the police in a manner to tripping her up and making a mistake. Something that wasn't going to happen. Twilight might not be like Zulu and able to come up with convincing lies within seconds, but she was still smart and was able to see through the cops tactics and use some of her own.

Twilight let out a sigh as she told the cop the same thing that she had told him the last three times that he had asked her about her whereabouts around the same time that the school was broken into.

"I like I said before, I was sleeping at a friend's because my parents were out of town and I needed a place to stay. I was a fast asleep long before the robbery took place." Twilight said to the cop. The officer looked to take her words slightly different than he had before. Twilight's hopes began to rise as the cop didn't ask her anything else.

Twilight hopes were dashed, however when the cop turned to the other officer that was behind him. "Cadet, watch her. I'll be right back. Hold any further questions until I return." The mustached cop said as he raised from his chair.

"Yes, Sergeant. Understood, Sergeant." The other cop said in response as his commanding officer left the room. The younger officer stopped pacing the room and stood up against the brick wall that was facing Twilight. The officer trying to look as intimidating as possible. Twilight saw right through his facade and dropped into a stance of boredom as she rested her chin on her left elbow.

The mustached cop walked out of the interrogation room and walked down the hall of the police station for a few feet before walking into another room. The room being much smaller than the one that Twilight was currently inside of. The room also being the room that was behind the single one-sided window that was in the interrogation room.

There was one other officer inside the room, him being the same detective that had told Twilight and Fluttershy about the school being broken into the night before.

"What do you think Detective Lightspeed, do you think that she did it?" The mustached cop asked the detective that had talked to Twilight and Fluttershy earlier that day.

"No, no I don't." Detective Lightspeed said to the mustached cop.

"Why's that?" The mustached cop asked as he walked over to his side.

"She just doesn't seem like someone who would break into the high school in the dead of night, plus both she and her friend looked genuinely surprised when they found out that the school was broken into." Lightspeed said to the mustached cop.

The mustached cop was about to ask the detective another question when the door to the control room of the interrogation room. A blue-skinned, pink haired woman officer walking in.

"Sorry to interrupt, but Sargeant Broadsword there's someone at the front desk that says that he has information about the break-in of Canterlot High." The officer said to the mustached sergeant.

"Thank you, Officer Sugarlily. Did he say, anything else?" Sargeant Broadsword asked the female officer.

"Yes, he said that he has determinative proof that Twilight Sparkle didn't break into the high school last night." Officer Sugarlily said to Broadsword. Broadsword and Lightspeed sharing a look at each other.

"Did he say what he had?" Broadsword asked Sugarlily.

"No, he didn't, but he did request that he would only discuss his information if he was allowed to see Twilight Sparkle, alone." Sugarlily said, Lightspeed and Broadsword sharing another look.

"Alright, Detective you stay here and keep an eye on her. I'll talk to whoever this is." Broadsword said to Lightspeed.

"Copy that." Lightspeed said to Broadsword as he returned his attention to that of Twilight. Her now nervously playing with her fingers.

"Alright, Officer Sugarlily, show me this man with important information that you speak of." Broadsword said to Sugarlily.

"Follow me, Sergeant." Sugarlily said as she led the mustached sergeant out of the small room.

In the mane hall of the police station, Zulu, Fluttershy, and Theta were all waiting. Theta sitting next to Zulu, the changeling turned human looking like he was about to explode in both anger and frustration.

"Zulu, are you sure that you're alright?" Fluttershy asked Zulu.

"I will be the moment that I see Twilight." Zulu said bluntly, him running his fingers through the white fur of Theta being the only thing that kept him sane at the moment.

Zulu's attention going away from the pink-haired girl and to the front desk of the police station as he saw the female officer that he had spoken to earlier that day. The female officer being followed by a mustached cop that had three upside-down triangles on the shoulder of his dark blue, almost black, police uniform. Zulu recognizing the ensigna for being the sergeant.

"He's one of the cops that took Twilight." Fluttershy whispered to Zulu as she recognized the mustached officer.

"Copy that." Zulu said sounding like a soldier on a battlefield. "Zulu, your warrior side is showing." Zulu thought as he stood up and walked over to the front desk of the police station.

"Are the man that has important information about the break-in of Canterlot High last night?" The mustached sergeant asked Zulu.

"Yes, and I assume that you know my conditions for revealing this information." Zulu said, getting an affirmative nod from the sergeant.

"Yes, follow me." Sergeant Broadsword said to Zulu as he led the changeling turned human to the interrogation room.

Twilight continued to wait inside of the interrogation room with boredom beginning to set in. Twilight's attention returned when the door to the interrogation

"Right this way, sir." She heard the mustached sergeant say as he entered. Twilight's purple eyes widening as she set eyes on her beloved Zulu.

"Thank you, officer. I hope that you will honor my wishes of being alone with Miss Sparkle. Before I will reveal my information that will say with certainty that Miss Sparkle was not responsible for the breaking in of Canterlot High." Zulu said to the mustached sergeant. Zulu's military training beginning to become helpful. Twilight being reminded of her brother as she continued to watch Zulu.

"Of course, follow me cadet. Let's give these two a few minutes alone." Broadsword said to the younger officer.

"Yes, sir." He said back to his commanding officer.

"You two have five minutes." Broadsword said as he quickly left the room with the younger cadet closely behind him and closed the door behind them. Zulu watching the two officers as they left.

"Twilight, are alr..." Zulu began to say, his words being cut off by a massive hug from Twilight. "Are you alright?" Zulu finished his question as he got a noseful of Twilight's eternal smell of old books.

"I'm fine, thank you for coming to help me." Twilight thanked Zulu as she planted a quick kiss on his lips.

"Of course, what kind of coltfriend would I be if I didn't help my marefriend in a time of need." Zulu said with a sly smile as the pair shared another kiss, this one being longer and more passionate.

"I can't decide if I either hate you or I love you right now." Twilight said as she wrapped her arms around Zulu's neck.

"Maybe you can decide after I get you out this mess." Zulu has begun to run his right hand through Twilight's hair.

"What are you going to do?" Twilight asked Zulu.

"I'm going to do the one thing that will get us out of this situation." Zulu said to Twilight, being intentionally vague.

"And what's that?" Twilight asked as she planted another kiss on Zulu's lips.

"Telling the truth." Zulu said breaking the kiss.

"Are you sure that you can do that? You have been lying for most of our time here." Twilight playfully asked Zulu.

"Hey, it might be my literal job to lie to people. But that doesn't mean that I can't tell the truth when it is needed. Besides, all of the best lies have a small amount of truth to them." Zulu said as he shared another short kiss with Twilight.

Twilight and Zulu finished their short kiss when the door to the room began to open and the two officers from earlier entered.

"Alright, you two lovebirds you've both had your five minutes, now can you both take a seat and tell us of this important information that you need to share with us." Broadsword said as he put a second metal chair on Twilight's side of the interrogation table.

"Of course, officer." Zulu said as he took a seat in the chair that was next to Twilight's. Twilight following her coltfriend and returning to seat with Twilight rest her head on Zulu's left shoulder. Zulu wrapping his arm around Twilight.

"So, what is it that you have to tell us?" Sergeant Broadsword asked Zulu.

"Right..." Zulu said as he returned his hands to a resting position on the metal desk. "I can prove that Twilight was not responsible for the break-in of Canterlot High last night." Zulu said the two officers sharing a look. Sergeant Broadsword sitting at the metal table across from Zulu and Twilight while the cadet was leaning up against the brick wall of the room behind Broadsword.

"And how can you prove that?" Broadsword asked Zulu. Twilight sent a cautious look Zulu's way.

"Because she was with me last night, and the both of us went to sleep last night by eleven last night. So unless she went through the trouble of waiting for me to fall asleep. Sneak out without waking me up or any of the people that lived in the house that we are staying at for the time being. And then walk over to the high school just to break-in and steal a crown. Then walk back and not wake me up and finally fall asleep in my embrace in the same place that I remember her being in when I fell asleep last night." Zulu said his words seeming to be effective on Broadsword. "Now Twilight may be an awesome young woman, but no one can do that, and I believe that the both of you will agree with me." Zulu said sending a loving look Twilight's way as he finished his defense of his marefriend.

"Hmm... is there anything else that you would like to say?" Broadsword asked as he stroked his brown mustache.

"I also may knew who broke into Canterlot High last night, and I don't think she did it alone." Zulu said, the two officers sharing another look.

"She?" Broadsword said, noticing Zulu's intentional choice of words.

"Yes she, I am sure that you are aware of the girl known as Sunset Shimmer." Zulu said, Twilight's eyes widening as Zulu continued. Her tapping him on the shoulder to get his attention.

"Zulu, are you sure about this?" Twilight whispered to Zulu.

"Don't worry, I got this." Zulu whispered back as he returned his attention back to the two officers.

"Anyway, like I was saying. I hope that the both of you are aware of the teenager by the name of Sunset Shimmer?" Zulu repeated his question to the two officers.

"Yes, we are, and if you are insinuating what I think you are then you are wrong. We have already check out this Sunset Shimmer and she has a confirmed alibi for the time of the robbery." Broadsword said to Zulu.

"Hmm... are sure that she wasn't just having someone else break into the school so that she could have a solid alibi?" Zulu asked, Broadsword shaking his head no as Zulu spoke.

"No, we are certain that Miss Shimmer is clear of any wrongdoing." Broadsword said to Zulu, putting him into deep thought. "Is that everything that you needed to say?" Broadsword asked after Zulu nor Twilight responded for several seconds.

"Hmm... Oh yes, I believe so." Zulu said returning to full attention.

"Excellent, I believe that this information will greatly help in this investigation." Broadsword said raising up from his seat. "Miss Sparkle, you are free to go." Broadsword said down to Twilight, her purple eyes widening in glee.

"I can go?" Twilight said, her barely able contain her excitement.

"Yes, you are free to go." Broadsword said as Twilight and Zulu rose from their seats.

"Thank you, officer."

"Don't mention it, kid, just make sure that you don't leave town until this investigation is over." Broadsword said as Twilight and Zulu walked over to where the door of the room was.

"Of course, sir." Twilight said as she and Zulu left the room.

"Do you think that she did it, Sergeant?" The cadet asked Broadsword as the door to the room closed.

"No, I don't. There are too many 'what ifs' for her to pull off a robbery effectively." Broadsword said back to the cadet. "But we still have to check out every lead that we have." Broadsword said as he picked the last pieces of paperwork.

"What about that Sunset Shimmer girl, you already said that she wasn't responsible for the break into the school, but what else do you know about her?" The cadet asked Broadsword.

"Sunset might be a troubled kid, I believe that she still has some good deep inside of her. She just needs that push to find it." Broadsword said back to the cadet.

"I see." The cadet said as the two officers rounded up the rest of their paperwork.

Outside the interrogation room, Twilight and Zulu were back to making out with each other. Them both letting out a muffled moan as they continued to kiss.

"You know a simple, you're welcome would've sufficed." Zulu said to Twilight breaking the kiss.

"I love you, Zulu." Twilight said as she moved in for another kiss.

"I know." Zulu said as the couple's lips interlocked. They continued to kiss until the sound of someone awkwardly clearing their throat, the unmistakable sound breaking the kiss.

Twilight and Zulu moving their heads to their left to see Fluttershy standing awkwardly a couple of yards away with Theta sitting next to her. The white husky sending a bored looking glare the couple's way.

"Oh, hi Fluttershy." Twilight said her face flushing pink in a blush.

"Um... hi Twilight." Fluttershy mumbled as she cleared her throat again. "How was being treated like a criminal?" Fluttershy asked Twilight, she wasn't the best when it came to talking about tough topics.

Twilight covered her mouth with her left hand as she giggled at Fluttershy's question. Twilight cleared her throat before answering Fluttershy's question. "It wasn't that bad. They treated me with respect and I can't really blame them for taking me in for questions. They have to follow every lead and I was a likely suspect given me completing in the Fall Formal." Twilight said, her logical brain trying to understand the logic of this world's police officer.

"I see, so what now?" Fluttershy asked Twilight.

"I agree with Fluttershy, we have lost a lot of time already." Zulu added to Fluttershy's statement.

"Don't worry, I have a plan." Twilight said, Zulu raising on of his eyebrows at his marefriend's words. Twilight ignored Zulu and continued speaking. "Fluttershy, where does Rainbow Dash?" Twilight asked Fluttershy, her surprised by Twilight sudden question.

"She lives not that far from the school, why?" Fluttershy said.

"I explain later." Twilight said quickly as she continued to speak. "Do you think that you could pick her up and tell her to meet up at the diner."

"Um... sure. It has been a long time since I had lunch with Rainbow. I'll see you guys there." Fluttershy said.

"Good, don't worry if we are a few minutes late." Twilight said.

"Ok, I'll see you two there, I think you'll like Rainbow Dash." Fluttershy said as they began to walk toward the front of the police station, Twilight and Zulu fingers being interlocked.

"I think will Fluttershy, I think I will. We'll see you in about an hour." Twilight said as she waved her free hand at Fluttershy as she opened the front door of the police station.

"Ok Twi, I'll see the both of you in about an hour." Fluttershy said as she

"See you later, Shy." Twilight said as she watched Fluttershy get into her car.

"Twilight, what are you planning?" Zulu asked Twilight.

"I'll explain on the way. Do you know where Applejack lives?" Twilight said to Zulu.

"No, but it shouldn't be that hard to find out."

"You're looking for Applejack?" Twilight and Zulu heard from behind them. Them both turning around to see the detective that had taken Twilight had talked to earlier that day.

"Yes, you know her?" Twilight said to the detective.

"You can say that... I more know of her." The detective said as he continued to speak. "Anyway, she lives at the farm that at the edge of town. I could give the both of you a ride if you would like." The detective said to Twilight and Zulu, them both sharing a look.

"You would really do that?" Twilight asked.

"Of course, the department and I have taken enough out your day madame, and it is the least the I could do for you." He said back, a happy smile appearing on Twilight's face.

"Thank you, can you even do that?" Twilight asked the detective.

"Of course, I can, just watch me." He said as he turned his head toward the front desk of the police station. "Hey, Sugarlily!" He called out to one of the female officers, catching her attention. "I'm going on my lunch break for the day." He said to the female officer, her nodding her head at his statement.

"Ok, I'll see you in about an hour Lightspeed." She said back as she returned to whatever she was doing beforehand.

"Alright, I'll just get out of my work clothes and I can drive over to Sweet Apple Acres." Lightspeed said to Twilight and Zulu as he retreated to the locker room of the police station.

"At least it's good to know that not all things change." Twilight thought as the couple, with Theta lying down in front of them looking bored, waited for Lightspeed for a few minutes as he changed back into his street clothes.

"Ok, let's go." Lightspeed said to Twilight and Zulu as he returned from the locker room. Lightspeed now wearing a blank gray t-shirt and blue sweat pants.

"Are sure that this isn't too much of a trouble for you? I don't you to waste your lunch break for us." Twilight asked the off-duty cop.

"Don't worry Miss Sparkle, my lunch break is usually pretty boring. So I'm happy to help out on beautiful l" Lightspeed laughed off Twilight's question, the purple-skinned teenager's face flushing pink with a blush.

"I think, I'm getting some competition." Zulu teased Twilight, him getting a playful hit on the shoulder. Twilight's face only grower ever redder with a blush.

"Calm yourself, Zulu." Twilight said to Zulu as she walked past her coltfriend.

"I didn't say that I didn't like it. " Zulu continued teased Twilight. Twilight's face being almost completely red with a blush.

"I hate you, Zulu." Twilight said to Zulu, her barely able to not just laugh at Zulu's teasing.

"Aw, I thought you loved me." Zulu continued to tease Twilight.

"I'm ignoring you!" Twilight called back to Zulu as she got into the passenger seat of Lightspeed's car. It being a red four-door sedan with a front end that made it look like a bull. The car's engine roaring to life as Lightspeed started his car.

"You're having fun with this, aren't you?" Theta asked Zulu, him making sure that no one could hear him talk to Zulu.

"Oh Theta, I'm having a blast right now." Zulu said as got into the backseat of the red sedan.

"We might as well get this over with." Theta said as he climbed into the backseat of the off-duty detective city car. Lightspeed pulling his out of the parking lot of the police station and going to the edge of town where this world's version of Sweet Apple Arches existed.

Sunset arrived at the abandoned house that she used as her home base during her self-induced exile in the human world. Sunset pulled into the driveway of her home and turned off her car, but she didn't step out immediately. Her still a little shaken from her painful memory if what had happened her and her mother.

Sunset sat in her car for a few seconds as he gathered her composure, her still a little shaken from remembering the troubled past that she had with her mother. Sunset took one last look at the picture of her and her mother and said to the picture."I'm sorry mom, but I have to do this." Sunset said to herself as she got out of her car and started walking down the concrete walkway to her house.

"I'm sorry mom, but I have to do this." Sunset said to herself as she got out of her car and started walking down the concrete walkway to her house.

Sunset stopped midstep when she saw that her door to her house was opened, her vividly remembering that she had closed it before heading over to the police station to get Snips and Snails out of trouble with the local police. Given she didn't lock the door, her finding it unnecessary as she had chosen the abandoned house because it was away from everything. Not that many people even knew that she lived there, with only Snips and Snails having access to that kind of important information.

"What in Tartarus?" Sunset thought as she pulled out a small pocket knife that she had in the left pocket of her jeans. Sunset wasn't for using physical means to get her way, her relying more on her intelligence to get her way in life. Plus the mindset of teenagers definitely helped her. But she still needed a means of defending herself without her powerful magic from Equestria and a knife was the easiest and safest way of doing it.

Sunset cautious walked into the house with her knife drawn and held so that she could easily use it if she was attacked. Her ears perked up when she heard the sounds of what sounded like chewing coming from her kitchen.

"Really someone broke into my home and is now stealing my food. Oh, this person messed with the wrong mare." Sunset thought as she quickly sprinted up the stairs. Sunset stopping when she saw who or what had broken into her home and was currently eating her cereal.

"Sigma!?!" Sunset exclaimed as she set eyes on the black husky that was currently eating her cereal. Sigma having his head stuck inside the cardboard box and his ears perking up at the sound of someone calling his name.

Sigma brought his head out of the box of cereal and looked at Sunset with a smug look on his face. "Hey, Sunset, about time you got back. I was started to get worried."

Sunset was still in a state of confusion as she walked the black husky continuing to search through Sunset's fridge.

"Sig-Sigma..." Sunset stammered catching the dog's attention.

"Yes, Sunset." Sigma said as he continued to search through Sunset's fridge.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Sunset asked as she continued to stare Sigma in a state of confusion.

"I'm filling up for my journey, this place might suck to be if you're a dragon, but this place's food is awesome." Sigma said as he took a place that had a half-eaten piece of steak on it. Sigma taking a big bite out of the meat.

"You're going somewhere?" Sunset asked Sigma as she watched him eat her piece of steak. She had planned on that being her dinner for the night, well it was too late now.

"Yep." Sigma said as he threw the steak on the wood floor of Sunset's kitchen and began to tear it apart with his teeth and claws. "You're a good cook by the way." Sigma said as he took

"Thank you..." Sunset said as she began to rub her elbow awkwardly. "What is wrong with me. This is a bucking dog, why am I afraid of a mut. He can't hurt me." Sunset thought as she continued to stare at the black dog in front of her, her confusion beginning to turn fear as Sigma's teeth began to redden from the blood from the rare steak.

"Um... where are you going?" Sunset asked Sigma.

"Equestria, I have just learned of something that will help me finally defeat my brother. But need to return to Equestria in order to get it.

"Isn't there only one way to get to this world, the mirror portal. How did you get access to the portal and even further how are you going to get back without fighting your way through the rest of the Elements of Harmony and that gigantic dragon?" Sunset asked Sigma.

Sigma let out a small giggle as he answered. "There are many ways to get to this world, the mirror portal is just one of the many."

"Are you telling me that I didn't have to go through all this trouble to schedule the Fall Formal the same time that the portal was opened was for nothing. UGH!" Sunset raged internally at Sigma's words.

"Can you show me this way you are returning to Equestria?" Sunset asked, her finding it extremely beneficial to her if she could return to Equestria without having to go against three alicorns and a dragon the size of a mountain right after she gets the power of the Element of Magic.

"No, it's too risky." Sigma said as he ate the last of Sunset's steak.

"How would it be too risky?" Sunset asked Sigma with a look of confusion on her face.

"Because where I'm going is beneficial to me, not you." Sigma said to Sunset as he began to walk down the stairs.

"That doesn't help, Sigma!" Sunset called out to the black husky. Sigma movements coming to a stop mid-step. Sigma snorting angrily at Sunset's curiosity. Curiosity that would likely get her killed if she was a dragon.

Sigma slowly "Because I'm going to Tartarus, that's way." Sigma said bluntly, Sunset's teal eyes widening at Sigma's words.

"W-why?" Sunset asked.

"I'm afraid that I can't tell you that..." Sigma said as he began to walk toward the opened door. Sigma's movements "But just know that if you succeed if your takeover of Equestria. You will have my support." Sigma said to Sunset at the base of the front door of Sunset's house. Sigma wouldn't admit it out loud but he did like Sunset. Even though she did some things that irritated him. The fire burned within her was more than worth it. He could sense that she had something against Princess Celestia, he didn't know what it was. But he could tell that whatever happened between them in the past, it was more than enough for her to hate the white alicorn.

"What are you planning Sigma?" Sunset thought out loud as she watched the black husky walk away. Sunset taking the crown that contained the famed Element of Magic out the pockets of her leather jack. The magenta-colored gemstone staring back at her.

"It's time." Sunset said as she quickly cleaned up the mess that Sigma had created and got back in her car and began to drive back to the high school. Her acting skills about to be tested to what they were worth in the next few hours.

It didn't take long for Lightspeed to drive to the front gate of Sweet Apple Acres. Him putting his car is park once he reached the gate.

"This is as far as I can go." Lightspeed said to Twilight as he put his car in park.

"Thank you, we can take it from here." Twilight said as she unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the door to Lightspeed's car to get out. Twilight carrying Spike in her right arm like a running back would carry a football.

"Applejack shouldn't be that hard to find, she is probably almost done with the fall harvest." Lightspeed said as Twilight got out of the car.

"Ok, thank you." Twilight said to Lightspeed as Zulu followed her out of the car, him closing his door behind him. Theta hopping out onto the gravel road that led up to the farm.

"Don't mention it, Miss Sparkle." Lightspeed said as he took his car his car out of park. The red sedan beginning to slowly rolling backward on the gravel road.

"Thank you, and please Twilight is just fine."

"Ok, Twilight, I hope to see again." Lightspeed as he put the car into reverse and

"I feel the same way." Twilight said as she watched the red car backup and then do a quick one-eighty and drive away from the farm. The car picking up a pile of dust as it drove away.

"I like him, he's nice." Zulu said as he walked around the wooden gate of the farm.

"Really, you're not even a little jealous that he was coming on to me?" Twilight asked, her putting Spike on the ground and him following after Theta. The white husky beind at Zulu's side.

"No, not really." Zulu said as he continued to walk down the gravel road to the ranch.

"I see." Twilight said as she followed after coltfriend.

A few minutes passed as the couple continued to walk down the gravel path that led up to the ranch, Spike having hopped on the back of Theta only after a few seconds of walking. The breeze of the early autumn breeze sending a small shiver through the white fur of Theta. They continued to walk in silent until Twilight and Zulu started talking to each other again.

"Twilight, why are we even here?" Zulu asked Twilight as they continued to walk toward the large red barn that was at the top of the hill.

"We're getting the gang back together." Twilight said as the brown roof of the red barn came into view.

"Why would we need to do that, aren't they all friends here?" Zulu asked Twilight.

"Sort of, Fluttershy and Rainbow seem to be friends. Everyone else, not so much." Twilight said to Zulu.

"What do you mean?"

"It's... complicated." Twilight said to Zulu, her words making Zulu raising an eyebrow at his marefriend.

"Twi, you're talking to a changeling that has fallen in love with a gorgeous purple alicorn." Zulu said to Twilight, her face beginning to flush pink with a blush. "Trust me, I'm used to 'complicated'." Zulu said to Twilight, her covering her mouth with her left hand to suppress a laugh.

"In short, something in the last few years happened between all this world's version of my friends. Something that had made them drift apart." Twilight said as the full red barn came into view. A girl wearing a brown cowboy hat picking red apples off of a tall apple tree.

"Do you know what happened?" Zulu asked Twilight.

"I don't know what happened between everyone, but I have a good feeling that had something to do with Sunset Shimmer." Twilight said catching Zulu's attention even more.

"Why do you say that?" Zulu asked Twilight.

"It's just a feeling that I got." Twilight said as she walked a little faster.

"Hmm..." Zulu mussed as he watched his marefriend walk up to the girl that was picking apples and they began to start talking. He couldn't hear what they were saying but based on the girl's appearance he was able to work out that the girl was this world's version of Applejack.

"Whatcha thinking about?" Theta asked Zulu, Spike sitting up on the white husky's back.

"I don't know Theta, I just know that these next few hours are going to be hectic." Zulu said down to Theta.

"Zulu!" Twilight called out to him, catching his attention. "I'd like you to meet Applejack!" Twilight called out to Zulu, pointing her finger at the cowgirl. Zulu sending the two teenagers a pleasant smile.

"Come on Theta, let's get this over with." Zulu whispered down to Theta as he began to walk over to the cowgirl.

"This is about to get a little bit more interesting." Theta thought as he followed after Zulu.