The New Friend (Part 1 of a 2 part story)

It was a week after they had met Rainbow Dawn Lightning. It was another beautiful day, and Twilight Sparkle was going for a walk. Suddenly, a voice started yelling to her urgently.

"Twilight! Twilight!!"

She turned in surprise. it was Lightning Strike! Her newest friend skidded to a halt in front of her, panting hard from running.

"Twilight...!" he gasped. "I just got a letter... from the Princess...... She wants to see us...."

"When?"

"Immediately!" the handsome alicorn cried urgently.

As Lightning Strike led her through Ponyville to round up her friends, he filled them all in. Princess Celestia had just received a mysterious letter that had a threatening riddle. As if that wasn't bad enough, Shining Armour and Princess Cadence have noticed that black crystals had popped up in the Arctic North. Princess Celestia needed their help to find out what was happening and to put a stop to it.

"A riddle? Black crystals?? Are we talking about an attack?"

"That's just it, Twilight. I don't know!"

Soon, they were in Celestia's castle. Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Princess Cadence, and Princess Rainbow Dawn Lightning were all waiting for them.

"Oh, thank goodness! Now we can begin." Celestia said, her face grim. "After I had raised the sun, I received this letter." she pointed with her hoof at a piece of paper on the table in front of her.

This is what it said:

Greetings, Celestia,

A swarm of ever changing ponies and the return of a crystal king are just the beginning of the troubles that my plan will surely bring. You may bring forth the dawn and the rising sun, but shadows are gathering and the night's just begun. A heart of crystal can still be turned as black as night. The sun will set, and the moon will rise with all its might. Your nightmare will spread it wings and take flight. The shadows are gathering to block out the sun. Come on, Celestia, come and join the fun! But beware, for the shadows will take all that you hold dear, for even a heart as pure as crystal can be shattered by fear.

"What does it mean?" Rainbow Dawn Lightning asked.

"'A swarm of ever changing ponies...'" Twilight muttered to herself.

Suddenly she gasped. It all made sense!

"The swarm of ever changing ponies would be the changelings!"

Everyone looked at Twilight Sparkle.

"The crystal king is King Sombra..."

"But how? He was completely destroyed by the crystal heart!" Princess Cadence said.

"Yes, but his horn remained whole!"

Celestia nodded slowly. "The vessel that contains and generates the magic in all unicorns and alicorns... if touched with the right spell....."

"The next thing it mentions is the sun, which means..."

Luna looked at Celestia in alarm. "A direct threat?"

"It appears so." Celestia replied, meeting her sister's gaze.

"So, then that little bit about a heart of crystal is talkin' about the crystal heart?" Applejack asked.

"Yes! And then it mentions something about shadows and..." Twilight faltered.

"What is it?" Princess Luna asked.

"I think it mentions Nightmare Moon."

The group of ponies were silent for a moment, processing what they had just learned.

"Well, if you ask me, it's not just a threat, it's a possible full out attack!" Lightning Strike said, clearly concerned.

"I couldn't agree with you less." Celestia sighed.

Twilight Sparkle was nervous. Princess Celestia looked like she was literally shaken.

"There's something that I should tell you all." Princess Celestia said. "Long ago... before Nightmare Moon, Luna and I had a... brother."

Twilight and her friends gasped.

"His name was Midnight Shadow." Celestia continued, closing her eyes as if she could see something only she could see. "He was loyal, brave... everything a prince should be. And he loved Luna and I dearly."

When Celestia opened her eyes, there were tears in them.

"It was with his assistance that we found the Elements of Harmony to defeat Discord. He was the one who found the seventh element."

"The seventh?" Twilight asked.

Celestia nodded solemnly. "Courage. But... something happened, when we had confronted Sombra for the first time. Midnight was the first to engage Sombra in combat. But... Sombra... h-he... taunted him. Afterwards, our brother was different. Darker. He had always specialized in shadow magic, but he started to get aggressive with it. And when I had to banish Luna to the moon... he snapped." Princess Celestia flinched, as if she was facing her brother again.

"I was forced to use the Elements, but, somehow... he managed to escape their magic. I haven't seen him since. I had two losses that day. Two utterly crushing, heartbreaking losses."

She took a shaky breath, and continued. "The Element of courage vanished with him."

The room was in a shocked silence for several heartbeats. Luna stared at her sister, stunned.

Twilight Sparkle's mind was racing. Seven Elements of Harmony? Princess Celestia's missing brother? Why hadn't she heard about any of this!?

"If it is Midnight... we need to be prepared."

"Princess! We can find the Element of courage for you!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed eagerly.

"Yeah, Princess! Ya'll can count on us!" Applejack said.

"Very well," Celestia sighed. "But be careful. Even I do not know what awaits you on this journey."

Twilight and her friends galloped off, making a slight detour so Lightning Strike could grab his royal guard armor. A black pegasus named Crimson Shield was with them. Crimson Shield was a good friend of Lightning Strike's, and was more than willing to come with them.

Princess Rainbow Dawn Lightning was looking after the Cutie Mark Crusaders back in Canterlot.

The group came to a halt, gasping for breath from how far they had ran. Twilight and her friends had grabbed the Elements of Harmony, and were standing by the border of the Everfree Forest.

"Um... Guys?" Fluttershy spoke up as they neared the dark trees.

Twilight stopped to look at the timid, yellow pegasus. "Yes, Fluttershy?"

"D-do we... have to go in... t-t-there?" Fluttershy whimpered.

"Oh, come on! We need to find the missing Element of Harmony!" Rainbow Dash complained.

"Rainbow Dash is right. Besides, maybe we'll find it at the Tree of Harmony!"

"O-okay... I guess....." Fluttershy whimpered.

Twilight Sparkle turned, took a deep breath, and led her friends into the Everfree Forest.