A Dream of Dawn

Chapters

The Longest Night
Daybreak
Family Lines
Between Here and There
Moonlight Shadow
Into Dusk
Touch and Go
The Festival of Fools
Interlude
Light through the Cracks
Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow
A Crack in the Door
A Little Hurt
A Shadow Follows
Taking the Reigns
The Lost Ones
Times A'Changling
Flicker
The Faraway Stars are Singing
Masks
Beneath Her
When Morning Comes
The Taste of Apples
First Victory
Kindness and Courage
Eclipsed
Nightmare
Broken
Whom the Stars Love
Dissonance
Her Country in Ruins
Lucent in Tenebris
A New Dawn
Coda
Prelude
Refuge for Wolves
Beyond the Pale
The Battle of Canterlot

The Longest Night

Twilight Sparkle

Twilight Sparkle could not remember the last time she had been allowed to leave the confines of Castle Canterlot. Nightmare Moon spent an extravagant amount of time and effort in recapturing the place in her colors. Where once hung tapestries of the sun now stood banners dyed with black berries and wines. Golden lines now hung as silver about windows and pillars, not radiant as the moon but pale as the dead.

Most of the guard had been imprisoned, for many refused to fall under the service of their new princess. The rest had been let go, their good behavior promised in return for the safety of their families.

Twilight was no different. Nightmare Moon had sounded so sweet when she granted the unicorn full run of the castle, informing her that her parents had been sequestered and cared for in the distant reaches of the realm. That was when Twilight learned to smile and say 'yes, your Grace,' when she felt nothing but the cold grip of terror inside her chest.

Once a prodigy, now she felt little more than a court fool. Nightmare Moon kept her at her side for no other reason than to display superiority over her sister. And there was little she could do for the Equestrians who had come to beg for mercy.

Today, ponies from all over Equestria came bearing offerings. Golden bits and heirlooms, harps and gems and the beginnings of a dragon hoard piled up behind the throne. It was no accident that the ponies of her kingdom offered tribute before asking small favors.

An orange earth pony, named Caramel by birth, pulled in a cart full of small treasures. Pools of bits propped up other glittering objects—a sapphire brooch, silver earrings, a moonstone with horseshoes engraved along the grip. Two of the night guards stepped forward, seized the harness from his back, and nearly knocked the colt over while pulling his offering before the throne. Caramel groveled as the princess sifted through his things.

“This is very generous for someone of your upbringing,” she said. An uncomfortable silence lingered before Caramel realized he was supposed to respond.

“It is all we can do to offer you, other than our service, princess,” he said, looking over his nose at the pair of stallions between him and the throne.

“Your gifts will not go unrewarded,” she said, about to send the treasures off to be piled with the rest. She jerked back, and pulled a red lump from the coins, holding it up and away from herself with her magic. “What is this?”

“The finest apple in our stocks,” said Caramel.

“It's positively wretched!” She hurled the apple and it split as it bounced off of his flank.

“It was from our last good crop. You see, it's just...”

Twilight could almost hear his heart pounding, as if it echoed in the chamber. The guards glanced at one another and Nightmare Moon sat up in her seat. Oh, no, thought Twilight.

“You should excuse him, your Grace,” cut in Twilight. “Look at his eyes. He appears to be moon brained.”

Both Caramel and Nightmare Moon looked upon her. The princess scowled.

“Do not speak out of turn, Twilight Sparkle. I wish to hear what this colt has to ask. It is the least I can do but to offer my ear to my people.”

Caramel drew a heavy breath and lifted his head. “Prospects for our harvests are bleak. The air is growing too cold for the orchards and gardens.”

“Then the Earth ponies are not doing their jobs,” said Nightmare Moon. “It is their job to provide sustenance for the realm. Even we cannot feed them all.”

“We are trying with all of our strength,” said Caramel. “It just cannot be done. The season will not last. Our crops will not survive.”

Nightmare Moon's generosity grew thinner. “Then find other crops. There are many great foods that grow in the dark and moonlight. There are mushrooms and ferns and moon flowers.”

“And how can we find them before the frost sets? How can we grow enough to feed your entire kingdom? I'm begging you, princess.” Caramel stood now, though perhaps he was not realizing it. It did not matter. He was already asking the impossible. “Help us. You must raise the sun--”

Black lightning flashed through the court as Nightmare Moon rose into the air and evoked the voice of the storm. “Raise the sun!? How dare you! The night is our gift to you, the essence of our world. You bring us great shame and dishonor, young foal.”

Caramel took a step forward and found his way instantly barred by the metal-clad wings of two pegasus stallions. “Your night will be the death of us all!”

“If you cannot learn to live in harmony with the night, then so be it.” Nightmare Moon turned away from the ponies and laid herself upon her throne. “Take him to the dungeon. Let him sit in the deep dark for a week and see if he does not love the Equestrian night then.”

Twilight Sparkle shrunk back but made herself watch as they bound Caramel with his own harness and dragged him, bucking and yelling, away into the torchlit corridors. She could do nothing. She had tried to intervene with the likes of this once before, and had gotten her own taste of the darkness. The deep dark was more than just a grim name for a cell. The stone chambers that Nightmare Moon had prepared contained nothing but darkness. No light, no sound, just the caress of dank stone and the enchanted veil of darkness that suppressed even magical light from within. Most ponies lost their sanity after a few days. Twilight was uncertain she'd kept hers.

“We will not see another pony tonight,” Nightmare Moon declared, and her guard listened. “Bar the inner sanctum and send them home.”

Four gray pegasi saluted and began to follow the orders that had become all too familiar to them. Nightmare Moon rose from her throne with a wilting sigh and drifted towards the courtyard like a shadow shrinking across dusk. She paused to glance at Twilight Sparkle, and she knew that meant a summons. The unicorn gulped and followed the princess out into the night air.

Some magic must have sustained the Canterlot Gardens, for they stood lush and full of flowers in spite of the first coat of frost that ran across them. The chill was taking hold, though, and not just there—all of Equestria had been cooling since it had last seen the sun. Trees and grasses wilted and some had already entered their slumber, and not one pony knew if they would ever awaken to see another Spring.

Twilight Sparkle's breath misted into the air as she followed at the Princess' flank. The princess looked from statue to statue, shrinking at some, scowling at others, all the while muttering. Then once they had reached an archway of the hedge maze, she turned without warning and loomed over Twilight.

“Do you think that we should raise the sun?” she asked.

Twilight Sparkle swallowed. It was a dangerous question, but the fact was, if day did not come to Equestria soon, trees would not be the only things to perish in the cold. “You want my honest opinion?”

Nightmare Moon leaned down and touched her nose against side of Twilight's face in a way that could have been motherly. “I would always have you speak your mind.”

Twilight shivered at the Princess' touch. She had to choose her words carefully, if there was a chance she could reach the Princess. “The ponies of Equestria have not been accustomed to the long nights for generations. Everything is changing so fast. But the can adapt, if they are given the time.”

“You are not answering my question, child.”

“Your sister once took control of your moon,” continued Twilight. “It is only fair that you demonstrate your power by claiming the sun as your own.”

“Ahh, but I already have,” said Nightmare Moon. “Even now I can feel it burning in the deepest reaches of the sky. Burning, and yet I hold it in place.”

“Show your people, and you can win them all. Show them that the sun is yours to command, and remind them as often as need be.”

“Perhaps you are right, child.” Nightmare Moon paused. She looked left, then right, then stared distantly at the stars over the hedge. Her lips moved and the wind changed. Twilight held her breath. Could she be willing to do it, to lift the sun and the moon, as Princess Celestia had? If nothing else, it would buy them time. Time to find Celestia and put things right again.

The princess whirled about and screamed, her eyes filled with blackness. Twilight's heart almost stopped as lightning ripped around her. But the magic went elsewhere, raking up the grass and lighting it with faerie fire before exploding on an open patch of flowers not a few feet away.

“You think you could trick me?” she hissed, but seemed to be speaking to someone else, someone far away. She flared her wings up, and Twilight knew that stance. Dominant. Large, but with legs stiff and shaking. A pegasus only took that stance when frightened.

The princess blasted the empty space again.

“I am sorry,” said Nightmare Moon, rubbing her head. “I did not mean to frighten you. Now is not a good time for this. I am going to my bedchambers.” She turned about and smiled a little at Twilight. “Please, enjoy the rest of the night.”

The soft tap of her hooves against the grass faded as she melted into shadow, and then the wisps of her magic carried her up to the tower.

Twilight threw herself back on her flanks and slammed her hoof against the ground. I was so close, she thought. But what is wrong with her? She's never seemed quite so... upset.

A stray thought suddenly entered her head. Oh, but people rarely show you what their real feelings are.

The hair on Twilight's neck stood on end at the sound of another voice inside of her. She looked around and found her gaze settled upon the statue of the draconequus, Discord. A small black crack slithered a few inches up the perfect marble, and then stopped.

“I must be hearing things.”

We hear things every day, Twilight, but we need each other. I want you to play a little game with me.

Twilight sparked her horn. Nightmare Moon had done many things to chain her but keeping her from the library was not one of them. As she began to prepare a spell to force the spectre from her mind, he spoke again.

Please, please, Twilight, wait. I get it. You're not in the mood for fun and games. And as loathe as I am to admit it, we need each other as we are.

Twilight continued to form the spell, but couldn't help but listen. “And why would that be?”

Because you can free me, and because I can dethrone that lump of gloom you call a Princess.

Rainbow Dash

Rainbow Dash glided over the streets of Canterlot without a sound. The night had brought chill and despair to Equestria, but it had also brought silence and shadows. The shadows muted even her vibrant colors.

Nightmare Moon's patrols must have been catching on to her, though. Every time she flew through the corridors of Canterlot, their numbers seemed to have doubled. She managed to move a few foals out of the castle town, here and there, but it was getting harder to accomplish anything without being caught. And she'd found no news about the whereabouts of the true princess.

Three pegasi followed her, not from behind, but from the sides. These ones hunted her differently than Nightmare Moon's lot. The guards usually relied upon the eye of the moon, the light that seemed to grasp her from within and whisper her secrets to them, but these were different. Their wings moved in sync with the wind, their movements swift. Rainbow could edge them out in speed but they were more agile, using the lowered roofs and twisting alleys to force her to turn one way or another. And they knew the layout of the city far better than any pony she'd ever met.

To take to the sky would have been suicide, for even if she could outrun the flights, the unicorns would spot her and bring her down before she reached the ramparts.

Only three of them... I'll have to take 'em on.

She envisioned the Canterlot sprawl in her mind and picked the closest stage. A cul-de-sac behind a few buildings, a hidden garden not likely to be tread upon by wayward ponies or guards. She ducked beneath a hanging banner and turned. Her pursuers closed behind her, but it did not matter. She was going to make it there first.

Only starlight reached the garden, the withered grasses cushioning Rainbow Dash as she landed. A trickle of water rolled down from the mouth of a seapony statue, into a pool below, and then filtered into the waterways. She steadied herself and exhaled as the shadows moved down the alley.

“Rainbow Dash?” A mare called out to her.

Rainbow snorted and flared her wings up to full size, prepared to fight. “Who wants to know?”

The mare laughed, and then stepped out of the shadows, flanked by two more pegasi her size. Even in the dark, she recognized the uniforms immediately. Blue suits, golden bolts, and white wings. The Wonderbolts.

“Spitfire?” She tilted her head, wings arcing downward. What is going on?

“You're getting quite a name for yourself in the country,” said Spitfire, “Stealing lost souls out from beneath our ruler's hooves. But you're acting on your own and too recklessly. Let me keep this brief. We need you.”

Rainbow Dash's heart skipped a beat. Only a little while ago, it would have been her lifelong dream come true. But something didn't add up. “Isn't it kind of a bad time to be worrying about flight shows? I mean, no offense. I totally want to join you guys, I just...”

Spitfire cut her off with a wave of the hoof. “This isn't about joining the Wonderbolts, or entertainment. Cloudsdale needs us. Cloudsdale needs you.”

“But what about the princess?”

“The princess will need Cloudsdale, and all ponies ready for her return. I will tell you more, but it's not safe here. For now, you just need to trust me.” The pegasus looked upwards at the sound of beating wings, held her breath, and then exhaled once two more shadows had passed.

“I do trust you,” said Rainbow Dash.

“Then we must hurry.” She said, turning back to the darkened passage. “Fly with us.”

A spark of excitement kindled inside of Rainbow Dash. She wasn't sure what to make of it. This isn't my dream. This is a nightmare. And yet something burned within her, tempered with fear of the Night Guard now closing in on them. She took to wing with her heroes, and together they flew like no other.

Rarity

Rarity walked with her head high between two armored stallions. She'd gotten used to hiding the fear, channeling it into her gut and out with her tongue, and now even the officers dared not cross her. The guards would obey her every whim, but she knew it was only on condition that she continued to do the bidding of the princess.

“Ember, your helmet is loose,” she tsked, and tugged it about with her magic, fastening the cord more tightly about him. He made a grunt of discomfort and then looked over like a dog caught with its nose in the trash.

“Apologies, Rarity,” he said.

“Well it isn't me you should be worried about,” she replied. “If the princess were to find out that her personal guards weren't in top form at all times, well... I could hardly imagine what she'd do to you!”

Both stallions shivered. The other guard, barely more than a colt, was a unicorn by the name of Shadowgloam. From her understanding, they were brothers, both woodworkers before they'd been 'recruited' by Nightmare Moon. Their service in turn assured their family kept coal on the fire and bread on the table, at least until that ran out.

“Maybe you should get into armor smithing,” mused Ember. “I'm surprised a lady of your station knows her way around a soldier's gear so well.”

Rarity raised an eyebrow, thus killing any insinuation the poor fellow might have made. But she could not blame him for his young impulses. No, that's a bit too much like Nightmare Moon. And while she wanted respect, she also needed favor if she was going to make a difference. “If the princess wishes it, then I would be delighted. But I'm afraid right now she prefers my talents with the needle. After all, a great many functions await her, and she deserves only the best for each and every one.”

“And you are the best,” agreed Shadowgloam.

“Indeed I am.” Rarity smiled. The guards bowed, then opened the twin doors that led into a tower workshop. Her workshop. Nightmare Moon, upon discovering her talents, had 'acquired' her and set her up with an entire spire in the castle. She had freedom to roam and coin to spend, or at least she would, if she did not spend most of her waking moments working on one project or another. She would have no assistants, no help, nothing more than a personal 'escort' to ensure her work continued at its finest.

And it was her finest. She'd been working with materials that she'd never even dreamed of before. Silk from the webs of jade butterfly cocoons, thread painstakingly harvested from ironwood spiders. Satins and cottons and even the most humble of felts that seemed to be threaded with pure starlight, setting the room to glow even with the windows shut and the torches quenched.

It would never be enough light for the kingdom, though. Just enough for the throne and the princess' bedchambers. Still, she set to work and began to carefully affix star sapphires along the collar of a cloak.

“So you're out of Trottingham?” she asked as she sewed. The stallions stirred restlessly. They'd never spoken with her at length before. This time, Ember answered.

“Closer to the coast, but yes. My parents--”

“Our parents, brother.”

“Yes, our parents set up there, mostly because of the driftwood. Local cut was alright, but the driftwood has a strange magic to it...”

“Oh, indeed,” crooned Rarity, needle and thread dancing before her. “Truth be told, my own family is out of Ponyville. Simple upbringing, to say the least.”

“And yet here we are, together,” laughed Shadowgloam. “Fate does funny things.”

“Yes it does.” Rarity kept working and looked out the window. Most times it pained her to look over the walls of Canterlot, down to the valley and into Ponyville. Years she'd yearned to escape the Podunk. And now sitting upon the seat of grace and power, she wanted nothing more to go back and to be with the others. Her clumsy sister, her family, even that slob of a farmer. They still continued to eke out their lives somewhere in the swirling shadows. Nightmare Moon promised they would have invitations to the Gala, all of them, upon completion of her ensemble.

Nightmare Moon had her exactly where she wanted. But there were still a few things that she knew, that even the princess of the Night did not.

“Why do you put gems on everything?” wondered Ember.

Rarity smiled to herself. “Aside from being the perfectly fashionable compliment to each piece, well, fabric is fickle. It does not take well to enchantment, and certainly not the type that the princess desires. The gems are, how you would say, where the real magic is.”

Her gaze flicked over to her collection of gems. It would have looked to be a mess to anyone who didn't know that they were intricately sorted by mineral and origin. The piles also contained pale fragments of the shattered Element of Generosity. Nightmare moon thought nothing of them, their power broken and destroyed. But Rarity knew better.

“That looks a little small for our princess, though,” puzzled Shadowgloam, who had come over to look at the cloak. It would have barely fit his brother let alone the princess. Rarity nudged him aside with a hoof and kept working.

“This is a surprise gift from the princess, to our esteemed Prince Blueblood. She's taken quite a liking to him ever since he swore his loyalty.” She leaned down and stared carefully at the silver thread that fixed the fire opal clasp to the cloak. The magic slept but burned, yearning to awaken, because she had put it there long ago. “And it would be such a shame if it were anything but exactly what he deserves.”

Applejack

Sweet Apple Acres was dying. The trees still produced apples and green leaves, but it didn't take an Earth pony's intuition to see the coat of frost on them. Applejack spent more and more of her time in the fields, coaxing them, trying to give them the strength to last. But the cold was winning, and there might not have been another harvest to follow.

She tried not to think of it as she hammered her hind legs onto a tree and bucked the whole lot of apples down. They couldn't afford to waste a single apple, no matter how green, or how shriveled or half-eaten by bugs. So she bucked again, and again, and again. She wouldn't cry, but she would sweat, always yearning for the touch of the sun again.

When she was hefting the next barrel into a cart, she heard a scurrying of little hooves and smiled.

Apple Bloom skidded to a stop and Applejack hugged her sister tight. Nightmare Moon had taken away a lot of things, but they hadn't managed to split their family. Not yet.

The filly squirmed and grunted until Applejack let her go, but didn't complain. “Applejack, Gran says it's time for supper... didn'tcha hear the bell?”

“I reckon I don't eat until Ponyville does,” she said, and began to load up another barrel. “It's only fair.”

“Y'know Granny doesn't like it when you talk like that...”

“We've got plenty of food for our own, but there are lots of ponies out there depending on us. We gotta get these fields harvested and put away before the cold can get them. I hate to admit it, but we might need to take on some extra hooves.”

“Yeah, if Nightmare Moon don't gettem first...” muttered Apple Bloom. Applejack promptly clomped a hoof over her mouth and looked up at the moon, full and bright and taking up half the sky.

“What did I tell you about sayin' that name?” she said. “She can hear you, you know. Hears everything out here but especially her name. And if she hears you, she might just take you away from me.”

“Like she took Caramel?”

Applejack tugged her hat down and bit her lip. “We'll get Caramel back, I promise.”

“How?” Apple Bloom pouted. “Diamond Tiara said he's a bad colt and that he'll be locked up forever and ever until he turns into a shadow and he'll be gone.”

“I don't want you listening to that.. that...” Applejack forced her tongue down. “That filly. Listen here. That dope has gotten himself into plenty of trouble over the years, but he ain't ever let us down. I don't know how, but I swear he'll be comin' back and he'll work on the farm like nothing ever happened.”

Apple Bloom's eyes were starting to water. “I wanna believe, sis, I really do. But it's just so hard...”

Applejack hugged her sister again and this time she clutched tight. They retreated to the shade of the freshly bucked tree and away from the night sky.

“Believin' is the most important thing,” she said. “I've seen magic, what comes from all of us and keeps us all together and strong. The same kind of magic that makes these very trees grow for us, no matter where we are.” She tapped her hoof against the trunk. Apple Bloom was starting to believe it. “We just gotta keep Caramel in our hearts, like everyone else we love, and it'll give us strength. Give them strength, too. We'll get through this.”

Apple Bloom replied with a gentle snooze. Applejack sighed. At least she managed to tuck off without crying this time. There'd been a time when she saw magic spring up just from ponies' love for one another. And then she saw it break and fall.

But if ya fall, you gotta get right back up and keep at it. And if that ain't enough... well, nothing fancy for it. We just gotta look after each other... even if it means standing up to the night itself.

Fluttershy

The worst time to be in the Everfree Forest was, of course, the night. And with nighttime eternal, the beasts that roamed within were becoming more bold. Fluttershy, having to swallow her fears and drive them back more often than not, was beginning to feel at home in the twisted branches. Nightmare Moon seemed to struggle to keep her influence there more than anywhere else, even if her old castle sat at the heart of it.

Angel shifted against her neck and gave her neck a little bump of a paw. The bunny was utterly terrified of the forest, yet even more reluctant to leave Fluttershy's side.

“Yes, we're being followed,” she said. “No. Not the timber wolves. They've been about us for some time now.”

She tiptoed around a patch of blue flowers and found her path again. An unusual crunch of foliage came from behind her. She paused at the edge of the path and watched as several armored stallions poured from the bushes, one after the other. They somehow managed not to trip over one another.

“Halt, Fluttershy!”

The yellow pegasus winced and lifted her hooves. “You really shouldn't be here, sirs. Keep your voice down and--”

“Stay right there,” the pony hissed, and looked back at his charge. “Circle her, and watch out for the Poison Joke. You don't want to end up like the last squad.”

“Steel Gull couldn't sit straight for a week.” One chuckled.

Fluttershy leaned forward a bit more. “Please, you really should leave right now. You're in great danger.”

“Oh, really. What are you going to do to us?”

Two of the ponies were now starting to make their way around the patch of blue flowers. Another rustling came from the woods. Then everything happened at once. Ponies screamed. Timberwolves howled and pounced out of the bushes, two to a soldier, with several more prowling around. The wolves pinned them to the ground in an instant.

Fluttershy sighed. I wish it didn't have to happen like this... “All of you sit down and be quiet!”

The wolves looked up at once. As if her command were not enough, they met her gaze. The strange stare that seemed to boil into their souls and compel obedience. Each of them rolled off of the ponies they had caught and sat with their wooden ears down. The soldiers stared in disbelief.

“No, they're not my friends. But you're going to get an awful bad tummy-ache if you eat them with all that armor on. Metal and wood just don't mix, you know?” she chided. One of the wolves let a pathetic whine, under the sound of leaves scraping together. “Now let them go home and they won't bother us any more.” She turned her smile at the pony who must have been in charge. “Will you?”

“No ma'am,” he muttered. The incident had shaken him to the core. More, perhaps, than the idea of the wrath of Nightmare Moon, because they tucked up and trotted off in a hurry.

Fluttershy sighed as the wolves vanished too, save for one, the one she'd stared down, who seemed intent to wander with her for a while. The pack stayed nearby as she plumbed farther into the woods.

“That's some strange company you've found. Where is it you are bound? I'm rarely troubled by these creatures, but have never met a pony with quite your features.”

Fluttershy's mouth hung open a little. She'd had her suspicions that someone was living in the woods, occasionally skulking around town and even crossing her tracks now and then. But she'd never seen them up close, or without their hood up. Yet now here she stood: a mare. A zebra.

“I'm, um, not bound anywhere,” said Fluttershy from beneath one of her wings. The zebra laughed. Fluttershy even knew that she made a queer sight, cowering before a friendly pony and yet standing contently with a timberwolf. But that's how things always were for her.

“You do not wander like one who is lost. Most ponies avoid this place at any cost. You seem to have a way with the fauna... but you don't have to explain if you don't wanna.”

Fluttershy put a hoof on the wolf and channeled its strength. It didn't seem to mind—in fact, it seemed busy trying to somehow point its nose away from the zebra. Something about the smell of the zebra bothered the wolf.

“It's okay,” she comforted the lupine, and then nudged her aside. “Go to your family. I can take care of myself.”

The timberwolf cocked its head, amber eyes gleaming in its skull. Then it gave Fluttershy's cheek a leafy lick and darted off into the underbrush.

“I'm Fluttershy,” she said in little more than a whisper. But the zebra seemed to hear her fine.

“Fluttershy, it is a pleasure. A friendly face is such a treasure. Zecora, you may call me. Would you join me for some tea?”

“That sounds quite lovely.” Fluttershy said, and then laughed at her own turn of words. “Sorry. It should be okay, now. The timber wolves were sniffing around town, but they should keep to themselves for a while.”

“Your way with beasts is quite a surprise.” The zebra turned and beckoned for her to follow. “I admit I still cannot believe my eyes. But they are still growing bolder, and the nights are growing colder. Perhaps with our friendship made, we can offer Ponyville some aid?”

Angel gave a nervous shift against her neck. The bunny didn't trust her. But then, Angel only seemed to trust Fluttershy. She coaxed him with a wing and hushed him before trotting after Zecora, deeper into the forest still. She could smell a hint of smoke further away. Not a forest fire, but chimney smoke. It took a lot to keep warm, and the Everfree was no exception. For all of her hospitality, Fluttershy felt that Zecora did seem to want something from her.

“I hope so,” she said, and tried to relax. She was growing too used to feral company, and found herself missing her pony friends more and more. But they were all gone, or too busy trying to survive, to meet like they used to. She hoped that would change soon.

Hope was what gave her the strength to tread into the forest at night. She dare not let it shrink away and die.

Pinkie Pie

Pinkie Pie shuffled after Mrs. and Mr. Cake. The oven provided enough light and heat for the whole building, and it seemed wasteful to light anything else, so they basked in its campfire-like glow and shied from the shadows around the display cases and tables. It was after hours and they were busy fixing sugar and fruit into jars.

“What are we making again?” She said, hooves covered in peach juice and sugar. She had licked them off, once, and Mrs. Cake gave her a lengthy explanation as to why she had to wait to eat anything.

“Fruit preserves,” explained Mrs. Cake. “There's a lot of food in Ponyville, but it won't last unless we preserve it. There's no telling how long it'll be until we see another harvest again.”

“That's pretty sad.” Pinkie sighed and looked across to the pantry. “We're going to run out of sugar, too, aren't we? This is... this is just terrible!”

Mr. Cake gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder and eased another batch of hard tack into the oven. “I know it's rough, Pinkie, but we have to stay strong. Ponyville is counting on us to make it through this.”

“It's all Nightmare Moon's fault, you know,” Pinkie muttered, and the Cakes winced, indicating for her to stop. “There've been no parties here ever since she took over. And she's making everything miserable! Ponies are going hungry, and cold, and sad, and you can't even have cute little foals because of her!”

Mr. Cake cleared his throat. “That's enough, Pinkie.”

“It's alright,” said Mrs. Cake as she set the jars into boiling water. “We're not important enough for the princess to bother.”

“Hon...”

“It's true! Besides, we're not the only ones going through this. We can't be selfish. Even if what we wanted most in the world...”

She trailed off at the distant clatter of bowls and pans. Pinkie cantered into the room and propped the mixing bowl on the table, then tugged a bag of flour out of the pantry, and set to work.

“Beg pardon, Pinkie,” said Mrs. Cake, “but what are you doing?”

“I'm making a cake,” she said, matter-of-factly.

The Cakes glanced at one another, and then the mister laughed. “We don't really have the resources to spare, Pinkie...”

“It's not like one cake will doom Ponyville,” said Pinkie, rolling her eyes. “You really need it. It's okay to be a little selfish, sometimes. It's important to be able to smile and enjoy yourself. Especially when it's all dark and gloomy like this.”

The Cakes looked at each other again, and then gave Pinkie a little hug. They pulled up eggs, sugar, and milk, and set to work helping. For three practiced bakers, making a simple cake batter took only a matter of minutes. And soon the smell of fluffy cake wafted over the intense sweetness of preserving fruit.

“We can't throw a big party without the queen meanie getting all up in our craw,” sulked Pinkie. “But we can have a little one. Just us. And maybe we can be all sneaky and teach other people to party, too. Ooh, like a secret party club!”

“That's a great idea,” laughed Mr. Cake. Pinkie didn't know if he was telling the truth, but the two of them seemed to be having a better time. And so she felt a little happy for the first time in a long time. Once they'd finished the last batches of provisions, they pinched a bit of fruit and frosted the cake.

It tasted simple, but delicious--fluffy and buttery and with just the right amount of strawberry and butter cream. They savored it and sat in the firelight together, laughing and talking as if the sun had never set. And once they'd stuffed their faces, they rested in the kitchen together. Pinkie, exhausted from a long day's work, was starting to drift off. But she still heard the Cake's talking as they tugged a warm quilt over her.

“I think that's exactly what we needed,” said Mr. Cake, smiling. “Everypony could use a little bit of that, I think.”

They shuffled a bit and Mrs. Cake giggled. “I know. I can't help but feel like everything is going to be alright, somehow. And I've been thinking about what she said. About being a little selfish...”

Pinkie didn't pick out much after that, but she did fall asleep with a big smile on her face.

Twilight Sparkle

Twilight Sparkle stood poised in the garden, opposite Spike. The guards watched from the towers and the doorways, bored and stoic as always. All she was doing was penning a letter to the princess. No, not 'princess.' Nightmare Moon. I'll never accept her as princess. Having Spike there made her ache just a little. After Princess Celestia's disappearance, she'd tried to send her several letters. As far as Spike knew, they ended up somewhere. But there was never a reply.

“I'm not sure if I can do this,” said Spike. “It's a different princess and I'm not entirely sure how it works.”

“I think I've got the magic figured out,” she said. “Just send it, okay?”

“Alright, but you'd better know what you're doing.”

Twilight Sparkle gave him a reassuring smile that was anything but. The magic itself was sound. The scroll would make it to Nightmare Moon, in her chambers. But then she'd have to hope that the princess answered her summons. And that Nightmare Moon didn't smite her on the spot.

Spike puffed a green flame and watched the scroll vanish into the ether. “What did you write to her, anyway?”

“Just a few nice suggestions on how she ought to rule.” Twilight laughed nervously. “And some less-than-flattering comparisons to her sister.”

A flash of black lightning slashed across the castle, from the highest tower, followed by a roar of thunder. Twilight gave Spike a quick nudge, and when he wouldn't move, she lit her horn and teleported him back to the common rooms.

It's for the best... she thought, though she was shaking with fear herself.

Another bolt struck and Nightmare Moon stood appeared, standing on the sizzling ground. “Do you take me for a fool, Twilight Sparkle? A plaything? Do you think you can mock me so openly?”

The bright black mare heaved with rage, stomping her hooves. It rattled the guards, but not nearly as much as Twilight who expected in moments to look just as cooked as the ground beneath Nightmare Moon.

“Well? Answer me.”

“I think you need to answer to me, Luna.” Twilight Sparkle braced herself, and saw that the princess flinched at her name. Nightmare Moon hesitated long enough for her to speak again. “You're not stupid. You know that none of the ponies love you. The only fear you.”

“How dare you?” Nightmare Moon's horn flashed and Twilight found herself floating in the air, held by a ring of magic around her neck.

“If you silence me you're just admitting it to yourself,” she spoke through rasping breaths. “If they loved you, would you raise the sun again? Would you be like your sister?”

“Shut up!” Nightmare Moon growled and threw Twilight aside in a fit of rage, the magic discharging with a violent snap. “Shut up, shut up... I'll never be like my sister. Don't you dare speak of her to me!”

Twilight groaned, panting for air as bruises bloomed in her legs and across her belly. Nightmare Moon's fury grew like a storm ready to unleash itself on the land. And the crack in the statue of Discord grew, splintering off bits of stone.

“All you had to do was accept her, and she would have loved you,” said Twilight, and now she felt the fury building in herself. She'd been holding it so deep and so long, but the wound still ached as if it were fresh, and it gave her the strength to stand. “We all would have! But you took her away and that is why we will never love you, Luna.”

“I will not be spoken to this way!” Princess Luna snorted and scraped the ground. “I have let you live on too long a leash, Twilight Sparkle. I will make you regret those words.”

“What makes me the most angry, is that I know that wherever you're hiding her, she's still willing to forgive you. She still loves you, Luna.” Twilight lowered her horn and gathered all of her power into herself. It would never add up against Nightmare Moon, but she couldn't stop herself.

“But I will never forgive you.”

The two ponies screamed and charged one another, as they had the night they met. Magic crackled around them so violently that it shredded the grass, and the very air smelled like ozone at its touch. As they were about to collide, the stone entrapping Discord exploded. The force of their magics fell off of them in strands of ribbon and dissipated harmlessly before flinging them onto their backs, away from one another.

Discord floated between them and leered at Nightmare Moon. “Oh, dear. 'Nightmare Moon.' What's it been, a thousand years or so? I think you're the one I missed the most."

Daybreak

Discord

Discord drank in the night air. Freedom riveted his body as each moment of time and space in flux bounced gloriously off of his being. Motion. Freedom. Chaos. The essence that fueled him geysered and sparked from the minds of all around Canterlot, but no greater disharmony welled than that in Nightmare Moon's mind.

And yet he was not satisfied. Equestria grew stagnant and the dark princess was nearing her breaking point.

“That's impossible,” Nightmare Moon rasped. She recovered from the knock back before Twilight, and stood before Discord with wide eyes. “You were sealed away forever. We saw it.”

“Right, the Elements of Harmony.” Discord examined one of his claws. “Because no one has ever escaped their eternal prison. Honestly, Lulu, what did you think was going to happen?”

“What did you call me?” Nightmare Moon snorted in anger, but Discord paid her no mind.

“What gets me is the fact that you managed it before I did. You stole all the fun. No one likes a show-stealer, princess.”

“That was different.” She snapped her head back and shot a bolt of dark magic at Discord. The draconequus hardly flinched as it struck against his red-scaled backside and then exploded into confetti paper. Then she began to back away.

“Oh, it was quite different,” said Discord, advancing. “And then you went and blew up the one thing that you could have stopped me with. Not even I could not see that one coming!” He sighed and produced a redwood cane from thin air, swung it in a wide arc, and then pointed it at her. “But you disappoint me. One streak of mayhem and you're all tuckered out? Leaving everything as it is.” He shook his head and sighed. “This night has gone on for far too long.”

He lifted a claw—his dragon claw, surely not the most convenient of the four, given its placement on his hindquarters, but it was the one that meant business—and reached into the ether. The moon eluded his grasp, but he felt its magic somewhere up there in the cool sea of the cosmos. He ripped way through its veil until he found the jewel of the night itself. Tug as he might, though, it refused to budge from the sky. In that moment, Nightmare Moon shifted into shadow and fled.

“And I had such high hopes for you!” he cried after her. He gave a passing look to Twilight, who was still groaning and squirming in the grass. “If you'll excuse me for a moment, I have to ruin somepony's day.”

Nightmare Moon would not get far, and never further than his reach. He twisted his own body into a shadow on the wall and raced after her.

Where could she flee that he could not find her? There was no such place. Panic led her back to her fury as she flew through Castle Canterlot. She ripped apart balconies and towers, whole walls and threw them down upon him crackling with magic. His laughter echoed as he chased her all the way to her throne room. Even in her shade form she flung spell after spell at him and each one denatured before it struck him, flowing uselessly into nothingness.

Her guards shook, too new and too frightened of the primal spirit to come to her aid. Discord and Nightmare Moon alike returned to their natural forms within Canterlot Tower. Nightmare Moon fought to steady her breath. Discord propped himself on his cane and soaked in the tension. The build-up that held just before the orchestra pit caught fire and the ushers poured cottage cheese on everyone. In a word, delicious.

“What do you want from me?” asked the mare, tears in her eyes and foam in her mouth. “What in Tartaros do you want, Discord?”

“To have fun, and you've clearly forgotten how.” He blinked as another black bolt stole past his head, leaving a sizzle of smoke on his spiraled horn which, of course, he meant to put there. “See? You've been acting like the same mare ever since you broke free.”

“This is my country, Discord.”

“Not any more.”

Again she attacked him, but the lightning she called bounced away from him, shearing into pillar and cloth as rubble began to collapse into the throne room. The dozen or so guards that had huddled in to witness their confrontation now fled for their lives, leaving the doors swinging open behind them. Their frenzy would spread through the castle and Discord could delight in nothing more.

Nightmare Moon threw everything she had at him. Magic strikes bounced harmlessly off of him. Barriers of force simply melted around his body She hurled stones the size of wagons at him and before they struck him they would turn to sand, or wind, or powdered sugar, though that one did trouble him some. He hurried through a brief coughing fit to avoid getting smacked in the face. Dark energy swirled about Nightmare Moon as she flung chunks of the castle at him. He could not help but throw a few back, and soon they exchanged missiles, Discord in wanton glee and Nightmare Moon in frantic desperation.

Moonlight lit the stained glass windows, echoing their battles in the past. Crystalline images of Discord, of Nightmare Moon, of Celestia and the ponies of Equestria stayed silent and still. Then a moment later they shattered without a scream, falling through their own color and shattering upon the stone below. Moonlight streaked in through tattered curtains and lit the halls.

The goddess of the night summoned light from the heavens and fire from the deepest mountains of Equestria and still she could not win. She had been spending her power wantonly while he had saved his. She fed him with her own wildness, a force she could not overcome, until at long last she had expended her strength.

When it became clear that she had no chance against him, he bound her to her own shadow and raised his cane in the air, now shining like hot cherry steel. “This is the end for you.”

In truth, he'd planned to give her quite the humiliating paddling and then send her on her way. But still he found himself taken aback when Twilight Sparkle snapped into existence, teleporting herself between Nightmare Moon and the cudgel. He was surprised, and as a result, quite happy with her.

“I thought you hated the princess,” he said.

“I don't,” said Twilight, bolstering herself. “You were messing with my head. Don't hurt her.”

Discord shrugged and tossed his cane up in frustration. “But she was about to let everypony die!”

“Even so, there has to be a better way to end this.”

He tapped his extended tooth and pondered. There had to be another reason. One that would put the young unicorn between her worst enemy and their doom. “She has something you want.”

From the little shudder that overtook Twilight, he knew he'd struck a nerve. Still, it didn't make any difference to him whether she got it or not. It also made Nightmare Moon squirm.

“Well, don't be shy! I doubt you'll have another chance to ask her like this.”

He felt Nightmare Moon thrashing in his magical grasp, trying to break his control, but he held on taut while Twilight circled her. When their eyes met, Nightmare Moon became rigid and held her breath. Twilight leaned until their noses almost touched and then whispered one question:

“Where is Princess Celestia?”

Nightmare Moon struggled again. She pulled her legs frantically from the ground but her shadow pulled back and she fell in a heap. With wide eyes she looked at Discord, and then Twilight, and then laughed. “Where you cannot set hoof nor eye nor magic upon her. If you do not release me, do not leave me to my subjects, you will never see her again.”

Twilight hung her head, crestfallen.

Discord snorted. “You're lying.”

Both ponies looked up at him, astonished.

“I will not be accused by the king of lies himself,” spat Nightmare Moon.

Discord chuckled. I think I like that one, actually. “I am quite a liar, yes, but I am not lying about this. I can tell when a pony withholds the truth. Even you, princess.” He smiled and chucked the cane over his shoulder as she shrunk back. “The only way to banish your sister would have been something like the Elements of Harmony, and as I recall, you smashed those to bits. Even if you had managed to find a way to entrap her, I could feel it.”

The news unsettled Twilight Sparkle, who searched the mare for another answer, and found none.

“But all it really takes is one look at you to tell that you haven't the faintest clue where your sister is,” he concluded.

Nightmare Moon screamed and struggled. She lost control. That's what Discord was waiting for—no, working her towards, and he knew the moment she'd released her hold on the night. He released the mare and instead took her moon, her precious moon, and lowered it without ceremony. He had to release Nightmare Moon to complete the act, but it didn't matter. The moment she felt her shadow loosen she joined herself with it and fled as fast and as far as she could from him.

With no more distractions from his task, he searched through to the other side of Equestria and found the sun burning patiently for a new master. He stroked it through the ether, coaxed it up like a puppet upon a string, and pulled.

For the first time in months, golden light began to creep above the horizon. It brought with it a flood of warmth and a fresh breeze—the smell of life and motion. Discord strode to one of the broken windows to watch his work. The sun crested into the sky, and rays of light struck the remaining glass. The splintered image of Celestia's glass body embraced the sunlight, and dawn rose once more.

Twilight Sparkle stumbled to the window, her jaw slightly open. Ponies who had sheltered themselves in the courtyard during the fight now slid from hiding to feel the warmth of day, and to gaze upon Discord. There was love in their eyes. Love and gratitude.

It was as if great polished stones, the best kind to lay upon in the best of summer days, sunk seamlessly into Discord's body and warmed him from within. But he did not understand. He never thought that a pony could ever look upon him with anything other than disdain and fear.

He pulled a tattered tablecloth from the wreckage and tied it about himself, shaping it as a cloak. In good times a pony would find it silly, a jester's fare. But now they fawned over it as if he wore regal attire unparalleled in the realms.

“What are you doing?” asked Twilight, who sounded far too tired to be asking pointless questions.

“I'm more or less in charge now. But you've been rather helpful, haven't you? What would make a proper reward? Ah, that's it!” He reached into the space between matter and produced none other than Princess Celestia's tiara, settling it upon her head.

“Discord is king now, but I don't see why you can't be my pony princess,” he said.

Twilight Sparkle felt the weight of the crown but perhaps did not recognize it at first, nor feel the weight that Equestria now offered the two of them. She bent her head and stared at him.

She's not taking me seriously. Not that I can blame her. Still, it seems like it could be quite entertaining to have her around. And speaking of...

“Today is a great day, is it not?” He called out to the courtyard. “It's at least a day, and I think that might be enough for you for now. I think you deserve a little something for your trouble.”

With but a little twist in the tail of the world, the trees grew to thrice their size and bore fruit--mostly fruit. Sometimes it was a gaggle of horseshoes, or apples shaped like horseshoes, or pineapples that tasted like cherries. But it was sustenance nonetheless.

The ponies in the courtyard, seeing this, dropped all sense of decorum and surrendered to their hunger. They leapt at the trees, or else they kicked, or those that had some of their wits about them tugged the over-sized apples down with magic. All around Equestria, there was a frenzy of motion and feeding and glee. For the moment, it filled Discord with a little glee.

Twilight Sparkle

Twilight Sparkle could not believe her eyes. She half expected end of the night to be a dream, some thread of hope set before her, only to be pulled away. She would awake at the last second in darkness, with Nightmare Moon continuing to punish her for her insubordination.

But the wake never came. No. Instead she just felt tired. All this time she thought Nightmare Moon had held the secrets to Celestia's whereabouts, but that threat was just a ruse to keep her well-behaved.

Now that Equestria was not on the brink of disaster, she allowed herself to feel weary. She shrunk back from the adulation of ponies and Discord's gleeful prancing. She looked at her reflection in a bit of fallen glass and spied the crown of Princess Celestia upon her head.

“Where did you get this?” she asked.

“Oh, that old thing?" Discord shrugged. "I just pulled it out of wherever it happened to be.”

“It's the wherever I'm interested in,” said Twilight Sparkle. “You didn't happen to make this one, did you?”

“No, I just grabbed it from wherever it was.” Discord wiggled his fingers. “Come to think of it, it wasn't that far from here.”

Twilight swallowed her pride and scuffed her hooves. "Could you show me?"

Discord seemed for just a moment to be caught between apathy and retaliation. Then he shrugged and popped over to the other side of her in a blink. “Oh, fine. I could stand to do a little redecoration anyway.”

Every step of the way he changed something. A pile of rubble became a bed of flowers. The silver banners became pink, or purple, or some horrible amalgams of plaid. Sometimes he reversed his change right away, and sometimes he just left things as they were, as if he had better things to think about.

They proceeded through the castle and found it abandoned. The guard that had been truly loyal to Nightmare Moon, few in their numbers, fled when they saw her so thoroughly trounced. The rest were probably regrouping somewhere, Twilight imagined.

Twilight would have to look after the other ponies later. She followed Discord without daring to interrupt his play. When they came to the library tower, it took all of Twilight's will not to scream out in horror as Discord turned row after row of books into useless piles of sod and riddles of madness. Many of the books had no remaining sisters, no copies.

It's okay, she told herself. It's more important to find Celestia. An Equestria without these books is better than these books without Equestria. This knowledge can be rediscovered.

Discord looked back at her, and smiled. She shuddered. He had been in her head before, and yet he seemed to be refraining from invading her again.

Their search led them back out of the stacks and towards a dead end in the tower. Discord fished about for a certain spell and then snapped his fingers. A section of the wall parted and led into a small chamber.

“There we are,” said Discord. “What do you think?”

The chamber was white, from floor to ceiling, covered in polished stone. A single golden curtain shielded a window to the outside. Twilight could feel the magic in the room like a childhood memory. Some pony had put touches of enchantment upon every surface, and used subtle glamors to keep it hidden and warm.

A volume of the Daring Do series sat closed, a ribbon bookmark holding some forgotten page. A number of letters sat in a neat stack sat beside it. Twilight immediately recognized the writing on them as her own.

More than anything, though, the whole room just felt like Celestia. She could smell faint traces of the princess, elegant like an iris, strong like an oak--eternal as the mountain that held Canterlot. All the light in the room came from above her, a single sliver of Princess Celestia's magic captured in a tiny spec of a sun that shed light and heat.

Being there was too much for her. She collapsed on a purple cushion and began to cry. Some part of Celestia had been so close to her for so long, reaching out for her, and she hadn't found it. Now that she had, she couldn't stop a single sobbing breath. All the grief poured out of her and her tears soaked the pillow beneath her.

Discord, for all his glibness and buffoonery, left her there and shut the door quietly behind him so that she could cry herself to sleep in peace.

Twilight slept in light for longer than she could remember. She dreamed of walking through fields of grass, blades as soft as sand licking her legs. Field mice scurried past through the brush. Something nibbled at her hooves but she paid it no mind. Beyond the sea of green rose a black sky and the sun peeking over the horizon. A bit of salt tickled the her nose, the smell of the sea, though she did not know why it seemed so familiar.

The landscape seemed to stretch on forever. Yet it all moved, and beyond the veil of blackness, colored shadows washed over the grass. Gold and red and blue twirled together, and along with the motion of the plants they created an ephemeral landscape reminiscent of a painting. Dozens of ponies flashed by, and if she blinked she missed seeing several faces. She saw ancient trees with roots the size of mountains, and rivers that ran between their roots, blue as the sky.

A hundred thousand places she walked before the wind stopped, and the grass stilled, and all became white again, save for the sky above. A few stars blinked through the void and Twilight could hear a mare singing softly.

Hush now, the night wind sings
of the smiles tomorrow brings.
Foals in bed and birds in nest,
brothers and sisters come to rest.

Oh, bright stars who shine above
please keep warm the ones I love.
Though leaves may fall and colors fade
a Mother's promise has been made

to keep them out of danger's sight
to keep them safe till morning's light
and bring sweet visions to their heads
as they sleep softly in their beds.

Fresh tears fell down Twilight's cheeks, though when she reached to touch them they seemed far away. She did not feel misery, but instead safe and comfortable, just as when her mother had sung to her as a filly. The grass faded and the voice went quiet, but even as she fell into dreamless sleep she could swear she slept as her ancestors did, close to one another in the fields, basking in each other's warmth.

Applejack

Sweet Apple Acres stood holding its most sizable crop ever, barring a certain incident with Granny Smith's sister some years ago. The return of the sun also brought certain changes to the soil, and a vast amount of primal magic worked through the roots of the field. Applejack could feel it tingling in the ground. A tickle of strange magic that surged through the apples and blew them up to the size of footballs. She tried her best to ignore it, as well as Apple Bloom's occasional burst of laughter.

“At least they're apples,” sighed Applejack. “Better get them off the tree before they decide to be something else.”

“Yeah, about that,” said Apple Bloom, raising an eyebrow. “Why don't you just buck 'em down?”

Applejack tugged her hat down to hide the cherry tint in her cheeks. “I tried that yesterday and the darn thing just bucked me back, roots and all.” She stared up at the tree in front of her, branches hanging low with fruit.

“Y'could try it again. Buckin's gotta work some of the time, it's your go-to move!”

The orange pony straightened her hat and grinned. “Heh, I like your thinking. Trees are meant to be bucked! Only one right way of doin' things around here.”

Applejack twisted about and dug her hooves in for support. The morning sun washed over her. Her muscles flexed and she could feel her earthy strength flow through her hooves, building in her flanks. She thrust, hind legs cutting through the wind towards the trunk of the apple tree.

But instead of a satisfying thump, she was met with a dull sound like sponges hitting the ground. The bark of the tree dimpled, and then sprung back. She flipped rump over head and landed flat on her back. The tree rustled a little as it settled back into place.

“You alright, sis?” Apple Bloom hurried over and nudged her side.

“Takes more than a toss to put me down,” said Applejack, ignoring the soreness blooming between her shoulders. She rolled to her hooves and sighed. “Whatever you want to say about Discord, I just don't like the way he's running things 'round here. Can't figure them out for the life of me.”

Apple Bloom held her breath for a moment. Applejack couldn't blame her. Nightmare Moon's rule had been far more strict, and any amount of slander could have brought down the Princess' full wrath. Discord almost seemed to revel in their disdain, but it was always hard to tell. She certainly wasn't going to encourage to Apple Bloom to mouth off, especially with how helpful she'd been since the sun came back.

“Would you get your sis the step-ladder?” she asked.

“Sure thing.”

“That's a good filly.” Applejack pecked her sister on the cheek and watched her canter off to the barn. The farm had taken a lot of shapes, but in the end it was still her home and her family. She'd tend it no matter what happened.

Applejack brought over the cart and rounded up all the barrels she could find. She sighted the trees that looked best for picking and made notes. Been buckin' since I was a foal. Always known this farm like the back of my hoof, and now I can't go five feet without a surprise. Ain't right. But at least we still have our home...

“What'cha humming, sis?”

Applejack looked up, startled out of her thoughts. “Huh?” She hadn't really thought about it, since it'd been the longest time since she'd had it in her to sing. Yet a trickle of a melody remained faint on her lips.

“You were singin' something. Granny Smith sings that song a lot too, when we're all in bed. What is it?”

Applejack couldn't quite remember the words, but she did know Granny's old ticks. “Oh, she's just singing some old lullabies,” she said. “'s an old tune they used to sing before you were even born... supposed to protect your fillies and colts. Just a silly mare's tale, really. Nothing to worry your head about.”

“Well, what if you didn't sing it?” wondered Apple Bloom. “What did all them ponies have to worry about back then?”

Applejack pulled the stepladder over and nudged it under the tree. “Nothing to worry yourself over.”

“It was the mare in the moon, wasn't it? Nightmare Moon?”

A shiver took Applejack in spite of the rising sun. “Now, you know I told you not to say that name.”

“It's no big deal, sis,” scoffed Apple Bloom. “She's gone now.”

Applejack shook her head and stepped up into the leaves overhead. “We just don't know where she is. Now shush and move that barrel over here.”

“I ain't scared of her, sis.” Apple Bloom half-muttered as she pushed the barrel underneath the branch. Applejack grabbed an apple with her hooves, tugged, and the enormous thing thumped into the barrel below.

“She couldn't keep the sun down even with the princess gone," continued Apple Bloom. "Besides, you'll keep singin' those songs and making sure we're safe, right?”

“I don't need a song to protect my little sister,” said Applejack. “I promise you'll be safe.”

Apple Bloom nodded, and scooted the slowly filling barrel around after Applejack. “Thanks, sis.”

Applejack smiled and dug her hooves through the leaves. “And speaking of safe ponies, I got word from the castle this morning. Caramel'll be coming home soon. I'm sure he'll be happy to see ya'll.”

That put a bit of a hop in Apple Bloom's step, and seeing her sister happy always made the work go a bit easier for Applejack. Things were strange, but they were turning around. The land was providing food again, even if it wasn't always what they expected. The demands for tribute ceased the day the sun rose. Life was tricky, but livable.

Rumors about disappearing ponies still spread, but Applejack knew that was a bunch of hooey. Every head in Ponyville was still accounted for and if that ever changed, Pinkie Pie would know right away. As long as Apple Bloom stayed on the farm, she could play and fritter the day away without worrying what might be waiting in the twisting shadows.

Family Lines

Rarity

On many occasion, Discord's absence could be felt in the palace like the hush after a wave had broken. Even so, Rarity could hardly keep her decorum as she strolled to the dining hall. What is that Blueblood thinking? The more of us there are, the more likely we are to get caught.

Yet it would do her no good to protest, at least in her chambers. She went through the twisted halls as she had through Celestia's, and Luna's, and now Discord's. Though alone, she was not without allies. Ember and Shadowgloam served as her silent sentinels, and occasional muscle. Her newest companion, the pegasus Snowflake, was already keeping her eyes on the prince.

No less than a hundred ponies met in the golden halls of Canterlot, standing amidst transformed tables and upended chairs. Vandalized statues stood in ruin, princesses with garish faces and extra appendages, paintings of the garden twisted to surreal landscapes that leaked from the canvas and melted across tile and stone. More remnants of Discord's wanton affection for design. But there was still room for all who came, and many answered the call. Rarity worried her way to the front, through guard and serving pony alike, until she had a clear view of the prince upon the dais.

Prince Blueblood stepped to the height of the platform and a hush came over the throng. “It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to our halls. As free ponies of Equestria.” His words evoked a rumble of stomping hooves on the ground. He lifted his own and bade them quiet again. “Ponies loyal to the crown that has protected them for generations.”

Rarity sucked in a breath. He was making his move for the throne, and what better time? He would have difficulty prying rule from another pony, but there were those who would choose him before the chaotic beast that controlled Equestria now.

“And now a stranger claims to usurp that crown from the royal family. This, we cannot abide!” He brought his hoof down upon the dais with force. “Discord has no right to rule us. I join you in lamenting the loss of our princesses, but we must press on for the sake of the kingdom.”

A great wave of whispers answered, and Blueblood did not hear it. Rarity was not alone in feeling the prince's intent, and he could not see what she could. The royal courtiers and soldiers had spent years wearing a straight face and obeying the crown. But she could catch it in glances, conspiratorial whispers between friends. What's more, she knew the ponies better. Many considered Discord's loose dominion over the sun and moon to be proof enough for his rule, and his arrival a saving grace. More still would settle for only the return of Celestia, and some simply could not bear the thought of returning to the old ways. But Blueblood did not see this.

“My line to the royal family is direct. As the sole inheritor of the crown, I intend to guide this kingdom on a path to glory and fruition, as it was beneath the unicorns of old.”

Amidst another round of applause and salutes, Rarity broke the line and climbed the dais with grace and purpose. “Your grace, I must protest,” she declared. “It is no mere pony you seek rebellion against, but a spirit whose power is on a level matched only by our true princesses. Would you endanger your kingdom just for a seat of power?”

Half a dozen of the royal guard turned their attention to Rarity, held back only by the stray hoof of Prince Blueblood. If he set them upon her without rebuttal, her silence would only bolster her objection. “I understand your fear, my lady,” he said, the conversation loud enough for the hall to hear. “But if we are to bend to the will of every beast who claims divine right, we will have no hope at all. The unicorns once raised the sun and the moon of their own volition, and I believe we have power enough to return Discord from whence he came. We must believe in our own strength.”

Rarity smiled, a cordial invitation to discourse, when in her heart all she could envision was Blueblood stepping aside to let the country fall into darkness. “The kingdom is in disrepair and our ruler missing. We must retain the throne until her return, not sunder it for the sake of pride.”

A hint of wrinkle formed over Blueblood's brow and his hoof lifted. “The last time Canterlot lost a princess, it was a thousand years until her return. Your loyalty is admirable, but we cannot sacrifice even one generation in hesitance.”

Were you fit to rule, you may have a point, thought Rarity. But it cannot be you. You would take your glory on the blood of every pony. Still, she tossed her mane and smiled. She did not have to win the entire crowd—only make them question the legitimacy of Blueblood's claims. The division alone would suffice. “Princess Celestia has never faltered. But if you wish to press the matter, I suggest we take it to council for a formal decision.”

“I think you'll find that the council will only affirm my divine right. An authority neither they, or you, can supercede."

The prince's words became short and laced with vitriol. Keeping up appearances would do Rarity good, but she could not resist her anger towards him. "And I think the council, and everypony, would be ill thought to give sovereignty to the prince who bends at the first sight of Nightmare Moon."

The prince's face turned red. For a moment he seemed to forget that he stood before an audience and stamped. His raised hoof slammed down. Two armored pegasi braced Rarity's shoulders with their wings and prepared to usher her away as Blueblood spoke. "You forget yourself. Only those of noble blood can undertake the burden of caring for the lesser ponies, let alone speak for them. Do well to remember that when Equestria is once again safe under my command. You are excused.”

The guards pushed her down off of the stage and walked her towards the back of the hall. It set the crowd murmuring again and this time even the voice of the prince did not soothe them entirely. He continued to speak and Rarity paid him little mind. Though he'd gotten the upper hoof, she knew that he would lack the support he needed to throw himself against Discord—and amusing as that would have been, she dreaded to ponder what would become of the ponies that followed him.

“Our time has grown short, but rest assured, we will be making preparations to deal with the usurper,” said Blueblood. “Continue your lives as you will and I will call for you when the time is ripe. For now, know in your hearts that the true and rightful ruler of Equestria is with you and will protect you from harm.”

For duty or true inspiration, everypony stomped. Blueblood was right about one thing: Discord would probably be back at any minute, and it would be too suspicious to meet in such a number. As ponies scattered this way or that, Ember, Shadowgloam, and Snowflake all joined Rarity as she walked into the garden.

“Does he really think he can just take the throne?” sighed Ember. “It was bad enough when the old guard fractured. Even a fully united force would probably be no match for Discord, but this will just tear the castle apart.”

Rarity pat him on the shoulder and smiled. “Of course he thinks so, and we aren't going to let that happen. I'm more concerned for your fellow guardsmen. I want you and your brother to speak to as many as you can in private. If you cannot sway them from Blueblood, at least try to remind them of their sworn duty to the princess and her kingdom. If they know we do not want to fight, then they will not answer Blueblood should he call for them.”

“Good in theory.” Shadowgloam scuffed the grass. “But anypony could be listening.”

“Then just be subtle about it,” she laughed. “I cannot take care of the entire castle myself.”

Snowflake twitched a wing. “Aren't we trotting on thin ice? Most of our commissions came from Nightmare Moon. There are some who consider that reason enough for our exile.”

"We all faced extenuating circumstances during her rule," said Rarity. "Most shared our fate. We will have their sympathy."

"At least until they forget." Snowflake sighed.

They circled the hedges to the quiet part of the garden. Conspiracies used to be born there, Rarity imagined, amidst the shadows of sculpted ponies and flowers. Now the courtyard was so pocketed with holes and peaks that it was more of a chore to travel than anything. While once it boasted exotic flowers of color and grace, now plants of every type and shade--including ones that had no business growing anywhere near equestria--sprung at random intervals from the ground. Thistle, dandelion, poison joke. She could probably find every specimen in that garden if she looked long enough, and by the time she had, the rest would have changed or vanished.

A patch of silver leafed clover caught her eye and she drew her company over to graze. As they lowered their heads, she used her magic to produce a parchment and began to script out a list of names. “Snowflake. I want you to find these ponies. Bring them safely to Canterlot and put them up in one of the eastern towers. Use the treasury for expenses.”

Snowflake frowned. “That's a tall order. What authority do you have to act for Canterlot?”

Again Rarity laughed and produced a small document, signed and sealed by Nightmare Moon. “Authority in the court and the treasury granted to me by royalty. True royalty. Whatever Nightmare Moon was, her authority was still legitimate. And I'd like to make use of that before Blueblood catches wind of what we're up to.”

The pegasus stretched her wings, and flitted them. The idea seemed to please her, and she was nowhere near as good at hiding it as Rarity. “Okay, boss, but how am I going to find all these ponies? I don't recognize any of these names. Heartstrings? Turner?”

Rarity rubbed her chin. The chaos of the last few months had sent many-a-pony scattered across the countryside, separated from friends and family and many sense of where they were.

There was, though, one pony who could untangle the whole mess of who's and where's and find anyone in a pinch.

“There is one pony who can. Start with her, and she will help you with the rest.” She delicately recovered the parchment and added one name to the list. “Admittedly she can be a bit strange, but she's a real gem. One of a kind. And she'll have everything you need. As a matter of fact, I'd be surprised if you didn't know her yourself.”

Snowflake looked at the document as it floated back in front of her and tilted her head. “You mean...”

“Yes,” said Rarity. “Pinkamina Dianne Pie.”

Pinkie Pie

The checkerboard-painted ground bent like rubber beneath Pinkie's hooves as she bounded towards Ponyville's market square with a yellow earth pony named Lemon Grass in tow.

“I think my favorite thing is the way the ground bounces when you walk,” said Pinkie, springing another step. “Or maybe it's the clouds that dispense lemonade. Oh! Sometimes the flowers sing. It's a little weird at first, but you get used to it.”

The yellow filly's ears laid back and she stumbled a step before catching her balance again. “Are you sure you know where my brother is?”

“Uh huh!” Pinkie Pie bobbed her head. “Mrs. Cake heard from Big Red that Cocoa Bean passed through Fillydelphia and ran into Clover, and since Clover runs with the sheep herders I knew that your brother wouldn't be too far. I sent a few letters and talked to a few ponies and bizzam!”

The two rounded a house that conspicuously resembled shortbread and Pinkie pointed out a larger brown colt standing next to the well. As soon as they came into sight, he bounded over and hugged the little filly tight.

“Lemon Grass!” he rubbed his snout on hers. “Thank goodness you're okay!”

“I missed you so much, brother,” sniffed the filly. “How are mom and dad? And the sheep? And everything must be so different...”

“We'll catch up on it later.” The colt nodded to Pinkie Pie. “Thank you so much for helping us. I can't pay you or anything. I mean, I would, but...”

“It's alright.” Pinkie wiped a tear from her eye. “Just seeing you two happy again... ahh...”

“I really can't.” The colt laughed and tossed a couple of bits on the ground. “Take a look.”

Pinkie squinted down at the bits which, upon closer inspection, were coins of chocolate wrapped in golden colored wrappers. She scooped them up and grinned. “Actually, that'll be just fine!”

“I can't make heads or tails of what's going on around here anymore,” said the colt, “but at least I've got Lemon back. I'll make sure she gets back to the fields alright. And if there's anything we can ever do for you...”

“Just keep me in the loop. I need to know where everypony is to straighten this whole mess out.” She unwrapped a chocolate and stuffed it into her mouth.

“Thank you again, miss Pie!” said the little filly.

Pinkie smiled and nodded, and bounded away. That's one more happy reunion down! Hundreds and hundreds of ponies to go... she sighed and made a mark on her mental checklist, which she would have to remember to actually mark once she got home. Nightmare Moon had seen so many families scattered across Equestria in her brief time in charge, and many still did not know where to find one another. Of course, then it occurred to her that she knew just about everypony there was to know, and that she had a solemn duty to bring them all back together!

If only I could throw a party and bring them all together at once, she thought, and sighed. It would take too long to get them all in one place, and then who knows what would happen? Still, maybe just for the Ponyville ponies...

Her world came spiraling back into place when she nearly bowled over Mrs. Cake in front of the store. The older mare raised a hoof and gently urged her to rest on the ground.

“You look like you're in a good mood,” she said.

“Of course!” Pinkie puffed up her chest like a balloon. “It's always good to see somepony smile. So... have you got the buns in the oven?”

Mrs. Cake blushed and looked about the storefront. “Excuse me?”

“The honey buns! For the sale today.” Pinkie puffed up a bit and giggled. “You told me to remind you that they got in this afternoon.”

“Ah,” the mare sighed in relief, brushing her hair back between her ears. “Of course, thank you dear. I'll get right on that...”

“Come to think of it, doesn't Mr. Cake keep calling you that? You're not a honey bun, or two, or even three! You're all sweet but you're not sticky, either...”

The blue mare cleared her throat. “Before I forget, somepony was looking for you inside. Maybe it's one of your friends? It sounded awful important, so you'd better not keep them waiting.” Mrs. Cake managed another laugh and pushed her way past the pink filly.

I wonder why she's seemed so nervous lately? Pinkie Pie wondered. Oh, maybe it's this strange pony...

Snowflake sat at one of the dining booths in the shop, hesitantly nursing a cup of hot cocoa. When she saw Pinkie, she dropped the straw from her mouth and waved a hoof.

“You're Pinkie Pie, right?” asked the pegasus, glancing down at her cutiemark and back up. “You must be. I'm--”

“Snowflake, right?” Pinkie laughed and bounded over. “We met at Rainbow Dash's party about... four years back. Remember? I remember it like it was yesterday! That's absurd because it was four years ago, but you were so hyper. And that thing you did with the punch bowl...”

The pegasus' wings began to creep slowly upward until she set her cup down with force. “Pinkie, yes. I'm sorry. A lot has happened since then...” she shook her head. “No, that's not important. I need you to find some ponies for me.”

“Oh, I would love to!” Pinkie nodded. “When I can, I mean. I have to find so many ponies that I barely have time to work the bakery anymore, and....” Pinkie stared in awe as the pegasus pushed a perfect parchment across the table. She recognized the writing immediately. “Rarity wrote this, didn't she?”

Snowflake nodded. “She said it was really important.”

The list contained a couple dozen ponies, well known to most, at least before the disaster. To the average eye it was just a scramble of Equestrian citizens. Performers, artists, magicians, the occasional pony of influence. But Pinkie had known most of them and they were nothing short of remarkable.

“Speed is of the essence,” Snowflake continued. “Speed and secrecy. I know that you probably aren't used to, erm, keeping quiet...”

Pinkie Pie shook her head. “I understand. This is an important secret between old, bestest friends! I swear I'll keep it.” She gestured across her chest and wiggled her hoof. “Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.”

The soft press of her pink hoof against her face made Snowfall smile a little. “Okay,” said the pegasus. “I believe in you. But we must find these ponies before anyone else does.”

“You can count on me.” Pinkie gave a little salute.

The pegasus nodded. Her business complete, she only stayed long enough to chug the rest of her cocoa. “Then I'll leave it to you. I have other responsibilities to attend to, Pinkie, but should you need anything at all, you can find us at Canterlot.”

Then the door chimed and before Pinkie knew it, she was gone into the blue of day. Pinkie scooped up the empty mug and studied the letter from Rarity. A few of the ponies she already knew, and could access easily. Rarity even included permission for her to bill the royal treasury. There was one name that stuck out to her, though.

Shining Armor. She'd chased the name after Nightmare Moon had taken over. It'd been her personal mission to make sure that her friends didn't lose their family. But this stallion proved especially difficult to keep track of. He moved frequently, further and further towards the frontier, and everypony around him seemed to be taking efforts to obscure his presence. Not him, but some secret so close she could taste it.

The taste was just the inside of the mug she licked clean of chocolate foam, but her curiosity remained insatiable. She would find the ponies of Ponyville first, and then she would discover what exactly Twilight's brother was hiding.

Between Here and There

Discord

It seemed as if all the ponies in Equestria slept safe in their beds, leaving the landscape rolling like a slow ocean while the hum of activity came to a slow burn. Discord needed none of it. He could not have it, for it was not in his being to rest and come to stillness. He did envy the ponies their dreams, though, the myriad of image and conflict crashing around in their heads all night.

And there slept Twilight, curled tight into the blankets of the royal chamber. A small golden orb hovered beside her and emitted sunlight that cut against the darkness and the shaded curtains, bringing warmth to the sprawl of violet bedsheets.

Discord let a sigh and tapped at it with a claw. A twist of ruby light, then orange, then blue pulsed from the little sun and twisted about in a swirl of color. He couldn't help but play with it. I don't think it's as harmless as it looks. I rather like that.

Still, it was a strange affection. He shook his head clear and turned his attention to the purple pony sleeping in front of him. I wonder what visions are whirling around in there now? Oh, if I could just have a little look...

Discord closed his eyes and unraveled, trying to thread his way into her mind. Just as before, he would reach her surface thoughts. And then he would dive in full force to see what kind of playground awaited him.

Except something was preventing him. An immense force pushed back against his will, so much that he reeled back at the sight of Twilight. There were no words, no deliberate charms, no work of any pony that he could imagine. Just a push that seemed to sear him with disdain the moment he touched her sleeping mind.

Not to be deterred, he sought out another pony who might merit less protection. He slipped to the lower chambers and tried to enter into the guards. He tried a sleeping cook and a courier and each time found himself ejected more fiercely.

“Fine then, be that way!” He swatted a poor colt on the flank, startling him awake. The poor pony gave him a confused look before he blinked away into thin air.

So it wasn't entirely a waste, he thought. But is it enough?

He wisped through room and corridor until he found himself amidst some of Canterlot's stained glass. The portrait of his first rule over ponykind somehow survived, and it delighted him to no end.

I think I'll take a walk.

Discord slipped sideways and inside the glass. His form contorted to the bent light and in spite of all rationale he became one with the glass. Then he stepped beyond, through the fibers of glass and everything that made it what it was. Away from Equestria, or inside of Equestria. Somehow both, but neither.

The realm pleased him. Shards of reality drifted around him like spires of glass against still stars and churning void. Each piece hummed with music and cast shadows forever, until they struck another shard—or anything else in the way. And each one he looked at chirped with the voice of a mountain or a bird, the taste of an hour. Senses blurred and faded there.

If any creature did not fear to tread there, then they did not show themselves before Discord. The draconequis strolled across the visions cast by the shards, and down them, as they turned to somepony or another's memory of rolling emerald hills and the sea.

Twists and turns forevermore, he thought. It's a wonder we ever leave this place. If only they could know the beauty...

“But they would go mad.”

Madness isn't such a terrible thing.

“Yes, but they cease to be amusing when they're naught but piles of mush. We're having a blast these days.”

I'm starting to think that you really like them. Are you going soft? You know you can't go native.

Discord paused between a tipped pillar of laughter and a sheer face of starlight. He frowned. Not since the old days did he have that voice nagging in his ear. Maybe it was the dragon side, but no, those sides were all him. And the other was probably him, too. That's what bothered him the most.

“Oh, please. You think those peace-loving nits got the idea for a coup all by themselves? They think they're being so clever... but ponies are terrible at keeping secrets.”

Admit it. They like you and you can't get enough. But they can't ever truly love you... not once they know you.

He bit his lip with vitriol and pushed the dark shape before him. It crashed down and splintered into wisps of smoke and a chorus of laughter that faded into nothingness. And in a moment he decided he was done, and it was time for it to be day in Canterlot again. Just a minute earlier, just like the time before that, and the time before that...

Plotting helped. Twilight might help, too. But more than anything every trip outward left him remembering the same thing.

More than anything, he hated being alone with himself.

Discord drew open the curtains of the royal bedchamber and raised the sun. Celestia always made such a show of it, but all it really took was a nudge and a push to get the thing going. Yet somehow, that one simple change brought waves of relief and contentedness from every pony. Little voices all across the land whispering thank goodness. And a few, thank Discord, and that always made him smile.

Those thoughts did not live in Twilight, who only seemed at ease when asleep. As she stirred he felt waves of anxiety and uncertainty wash over her, and while it tasted delightful, he couldn't help but feel like he still owed the poor filly a little solace.

“What are you doing in here?” Twilight muttered darkly. She did expect her privacy, but Discord couldn't help himself.

“I want to try that court thing that you talked about,” he declared.

“Good for you.” Twilight tugged a pillow down over her head, wanting nothing more than to go to sleep again. But she soon found that there was no bed and no pillow beneath her as Discord brought her into the air and thrust a brush upon her.

“Now I want this to go over well,” he said. “I don't know all your weird pony tricks, and it'll make me look good if you're standing there beside me. You ponies love your princesses.”

Twilight said nothing. She was somewhere between gathering her thoughts and forcing herself into lucidity when he dropped Celestia's crown on her head and set her on the floor. Oh, she wanted something, he could sense it, but it was so guarded that he would have a difficult time coaxing it out of her.

“The way I see it, everypony gets to ask for anything they want. And I'm sure you'll get a turn, too.”

“Just... get down there and I'll try to talk you through it.” Twilight sighed.

Discord tried not to smirk. It was adorable when she tried to boss him around. He wished she'd try a little harder, though, as she hung her head and remained in a haze all the way down to the throne room. Then she sat mute at his side. He waved his hands and the doors opened abruptly, catching the guards by surprise.

When the first petitioners came in, Twilight managed a smile. It might have been for show, but it's an expression no pony would have seen in Nightmare Moon's presence. The ponies bowed and said nothing. They waited. A scribe stood twenty steps away and scribbled on a scroll furiously. And the guards, as usual, were about as lively as statues.

“And I have to see them all one at a time?” Discord muttered, staring at the pair of unicorns in front of him.

“That way everyone gets a chance to be heard,” agreed Twilight.

Discord clapped his hands together. “Well, that's just tedious! We can make it a lot more interesting.” He snapped a couple claws and every pony waiting in the pavilion appeared in a crowd. At least fifty of every cut and cloth, forced to share the carpet together.

“I believe you all had something to ask of me?” He tipped his head up and cupped his lion's paw to his ear. “Don't be shy!”

At first they only whispered amongst one another. But soon they realized the nature of his instruction, and for better or worse, began to speak up.

“The bridge in Fillydelphia is in dire need of patching up...” piped in one demure pony.

And then another spoke up. “Begging your pardon, but the malt storm...”

Discord cleared his throat. “The proper term is 'maltnado.'”

“Y-yes, well, it happened to blow over a few of our homesteads. Deliciously! But we still need some help patching our homes up.”

Discord lifted an eyebrow. Ponies cowering was one thing, but they weren't cowering at him. They cowered at the memory of Nightmare Moon's madness. “Oh, I suppose so. Fixing things up isn't really my forte... but don't look so squeamish! I assure you, eating you is not on the list of terrible things I might do to you.” He laughed, and the crowd laughed with him. “A sight better than that dark old mare you had, I'm sure.”

A rousing agreement circled through everypony present. Then they began to call out their requests in unison. Their voices lost in the din, they began to shout over one another. Some even pushed at each other. Repeating. So many voices clashing together in perfect cacophony. He drank it right in.

Their desires parsed more easily to him through a sea of noise. Most of what they requested came for mundane fare. Local repairs he could fix in a snap, and a few he would. Others he pretended not to notice, and only later would his supposed favoritism, he hoped, take root. Matters of currency bothered him, so he dropped a bag of bits on an unfortunate garden growing filly and had done with it. She strained under the weight of it but gave him thanks nonetheless.

Twilight rubbed her temples. “You can't just keep throwing bits at them. You'll ruin the economy.”

Discord glanced up from the polite mob and quirked an eyebrow. “What are they spending it on, anyway? It's not like they're going to starve.” There was little point in investing, owning anything, when what you bought or even the money itself could be gone in the span of a moment. But ponies liked spending it, and he did have a fondness for shiny things, so he at least entertained keeping the market around.

“And you can't just give them everything they ask for,” she continued, voice low beneath the din. Even if anyone else was listening, only he could have made picked her out. “Otherwise you'll have thousands of ponies beating down the doors asking for favors.”

The draconequis frowned. “And what's so wrong with that?”

“Did you want my help or not, Discord?”

The draconequus deflated, though restored the fullness to his tail quickly enough. What was the point of asking her if he wouldn't listen? To waste her time. An added bonus, but he actually wanted to make use of her sense of 'etiquette,' at least long enough to make his reign stick. Playing by the rules didn't stick well with him, so he would have to leave it. The whole affair was starting to feel old, anyway, and so he lifted his hands and brought an end to their wave of demands.

“You have spoken and I have heard you,” he said, and then tapped a claw against his face. “I think. If you don't get what you want, well, you'll just have to come back next time. Who knows? It could go better. And one more thing....” he twisted and snapped his fingers. “Bonus round!”

Streamers and colorful bobbles showered from the ceiling with the ghostly fanfare of trumpets. Tiny cakes shaped like ponies and bits of gems showered the ponies. It never ceased to amaze him how much they loved to be beaten up with shiny things and food. But who was he to judge? As they scrambled to either get out of the way or pick up what caught their eye, he pulled Twilight away. Tired, as always, she nudged her crown to one side or the other and stared at the floor.

“Not bad for a first time pony king, huh?” Discord thumped himself on the chest. “They seemed to enjoy themselves.”

When the unicorn looked up at him, it should have made him happy to see the frustration on her face. Instead it just made him tired. Weary. Longing for something... else. Something he couldn't put a claw finger on, no matter how many he could muster.

“They were happy,” said Twilight, none of that joy in her words. “So you must have done something right.”

“I know, I know. What other rulerly things do we do around here? Preferably a little something with more fresh air.”

And he paid utmost attention as Twilight told him about the celebrations, the banquets, the galas, the political meetings... everything full of ceremony and a million little details he could turn on their head. Equestria had just gotten a taste of what he could bring to them. But he had to move slowly, to make them understand what their ancestors missed out on. He wouldn't make that mistake again.

Pinkie Pie

Blossoms of fire kept Ponyville lit throughout the night, no matter how brief or long. Glass lamps, torches, and the occasional enchanted stone hung from post and rooftop along every road and stretch of the city. Ponies put them up during Nightmare Moon's reign in an effort to bring some light back to the city. Now they'd either gotten used to them, or feared the onset of dark enough to take them down again.

The layers of heat and light made it almost impossible to sneak about, but the cover of night was not a reliable thing anyway, since dawn could spring up at any moment. So Pinkie bounded through Firefly Street, the closest thing Ponyville had to a seedier part of town. The ponies Rarity wanted found did not make it easy. But it was like playing hide and seek, so Pinkie was having a good time of it.

“Now, where are you hiding out?” She wondered to herself, glancing between curtained window and latched door. “I know it was around here somewhere...”

Then like the distant trickle of water through rock she heard music, faint notes singing through the cracks of somewhere. With ears upturned, she followed it between a pair of familiar cafes. A wooden fence stood in her way but she neatly wiggled beneath the frame and popped into the sparse garden behind the shops.

There the music was just a little louder and a faint rhythm reached her ears. She traced it to a cellar door which appeared to have no discernible lock or latch. She pressed against it and could hear the sound of ponies below, muffled music amidst a cheerful din.

“Hello, anybody home?” she tapped a hoof against the door and paused. No change. She knocked again, and when that failed, she tugged at it experimentally. She chewed at the wood and pondered.

It's pretty deep... It would be kind of rude to show up unannounced, but I just can't let Rarity down!

Since Discord took over, she found that there were all sorts of fantastic new ways into places. Little slips between one stone and another that suddenly opened up into wide tunnels and spiraling walkways. A keen unicorn could detect them, and an earth pony could sense them. And if she was lucky...

“Aha! That'll do nicely.” She giggled as she pressed her hoof against a crack in the wall and it sunk into the wood as if moving through kneaded dough. It crackled and tickled at her like a little bit of static electricity, but she paid it no mind and hopped on in, hoping it wouldn't be a long journey to the other side.

More than magic, more than little twitches and shakes, and even a little more than the smell of a fresh baked pie (and only a little bit) Pinkie knew revelry. She felt it in the air as she weaved through the woods that was the wood, and stood within the hall beneath the saddle shop. And the place on its own probably wouldn't have been anything special. Just a salt 'n sugar setup with a few sarsaparilla taps. Rows and carved benches just enough to keep a pony's hooves of the floor. Tables for couples and tables for parties and tables for—well, anyone could duck into a corner and transform it. And oft they did.

But few ponies could stand to sit at the moment. They stood, tightly packed in the heat, stomping hooves and dancing on floor and table in time to the music. It came from up on the stage, from one minty green unicorn and her lyre. Well groomed, yet far from demure. The instrument was a lyre finest make, dark wood and strings glinting in the light from the lamps. It lilted but a little in the air, held by her magic and turned to emphasize each note, leaving her free to sway and twirl beneath it as she sung her heart out.

When I was but a filly

playing in the trees

we sung tales of victory

and dragons brought to their knees.

We loved a strong pony folk

heroes from long long ago

who ruled the sky and tamed the oak

and their deeds you all would know.

But a shadow fell from Canterlot

and swallowed all the land

from Ponyville to old Detrot.

We had to make our stand.

From shadow and shade, our hooves lift the flames

to drive the nightmare from our homes.

You can ties us all down and burn down the town

but you cannot take the fight from our bones.

Fair ponies, great ponies, now drink deep my friends

for evil shall fade and Equestria will rise again

At the end of the chorus she struck each note with passion. It seemed nothing could stop the ponies who abandoned their drink to surround the stage. The stomp of their hooves matched the step of Lyra's hooves--hers a quick clap and theirs a pounding beat that nearly shook the joint. They cheered and called about her as she swung herself about, the wispy white of her dress trailing flank and shoulder in each motion.

Now the nightmare did flee,

when what did she see

but a beast upon the throne

He chased her away,

and brought back the day

and made that wretched mare moan

But our land, she does ache

for her princess she waits

to save her ponies from war

Though taken away

she'll be back someday

to rule the land once more

Even her projected voice struggled to reach the corners of the hall. She lifted her hoof and a mass of voices followed in final chorus.

From shadow and shade, our hooves lift the flames

to drive the nightmare from our homes.

You can ties us all down and burn down the town

but you cannot take the fight from our bones.

Fair ponies, great ponies, now drink deep my friends

for evil shall fade and Equestria will rise again

A roar of applause drowned out the waning note of the song, and when the performance ended and the spell had dissolved, Lyra turned to face Pinkie.

“It's a mite rude to stare, y'know,” she said, crisp as day, then chuckled. “And tromping on a player's stage no less. What do you have to say for yourself?”

Pinkie looked around for a moment and realized that she had popped in just a few feet beside and behind Lyra, near the back of the stage. It only now occurred to her that she might have been interrupting.

“Oh, no! I'm just so sorry. I'll make it up to you, I swear, but you were so good that I just didn't realize where I was! You really are one of the best stringer slinger musicians in all of Equestria.”

Ponies hollered in agreement and smacked mugs of cider together. Lyra just smiled and tucked her lyre away in its case. “Kind of you, but be that as it may, you still gotta answer for your wrongdoing.”

“But I already answered you.” Pinkie shook her head. “Besides, I need to talk to you...”

The green pony paid her little heed though. She sifted through a mess of cloth bags and cases until she produced a golden viola. “Tell you what, filly. We have a little contest. If you can outplay me, you've got my ear.” She then gave the viola a toss. Pinkie caught it between her hooves and nearly fell over getting it upright. “And if y'lose, well... I figure the party will take right and proper care of you.”

Pinkie should have been worried, perhaps, of being thrown out on her flanks. But she didn't have time to be afraid. She had a mission. “I love games!”she said cheerfully, whipping out a bow. “Let's see you do this!”

And while she wondered what she would do with Lyra's ear, since it was a silly matter to give a pony just a part like that, she vigorously slew the bow across the strings. It produced a series of squeaks and trills and while nothing terribly offensive, it was a slurry of high pitched sound that one would be scarce willing to call a melody.

Lyra laughed until tears splashed her cheeks and delicately tugged the instrument away from the pink pony. “I was just tugging your rope, Pinkie. Good for a show, that one. Thing's not even real gold.” She tapped the base with a hoof and nodded. “So how did you... no, it's better I don't know. What do you want me for?”

The two left the stage and while they kept mild interest from Lyra's audience, most were content to reminisce in the ballad and banter amongst themselves. A gray mare wiped a pair of mugs and filled them with fresh spring water, setting them nearby.

“It's kind of a big super secret,” Pinkie said, looking around frantically, and leaned in close rattle out a mess of whispers. “Prince Blueblood is trying to take over Canterlot which is kind of silly because Discord would totally kick his flank but he's still going to raise a fuss and Rarity wants to prevent it and she needs you and a bunch of other amazing ponies to come to the castle and help her put him in place so that everything is ready when Celestia finally comes back to save us all.”

Lyra drummed her hoof against the bar and stared as Pinkie sucked in a breath, followed by an entire mug of water. “Rarity, huh... and the hayseed bucker to boot. Sounds a story worth in that, but what exactly am I supposed to be doing?”

Pinkie Pie shrugged. “You'd have to ask her. But I'm sure you'd have to play for all the fancy ponies and fit in.”

“A court musician gig... in simpler times I would have done some unseemly things for that. But now, I dunno.”

“But it's really important that you be there and everyone loves your music and the fate of Equestria could depend on you. I just can't take no for an answer!”

Lyra took a moment and drained her mug slowly. “I believe you.” She slid her mug back across the counter and turned. The cheer burned on without her, if not with quite as momentous volume. Old bucks and fillies scarce out of fillyhood sharing space and enjoying themselves. “We put this place up when Nightmare Moon took over,” she said without looking up. “Just some place we could speak our mind and have a bit of fun, forget about how miserable it was. Should have come down but I know we were all doing what we had to, to get by. Y'ever want to get in, just knock twice at the door, and say 'I'm looking for a friend.' Might do everypony that favor. Think you spooked them earlier just popping in.”

Pinkie bobbed her head, rapt at attention. “So...”

“I guess I don't have a choice.” Lyra laughed and threw her hooves up on the bar. “But on one condition. 'm not going anywhere without my better half.”

Pinkie followed her lifted hoof to a filly at the other side of the bar, chatting up patrons and laying down food. She knew Bonbon on sight, though hadn't seen much of her lately. And now she knew why.

“Sure,” said Pinkie. “Rarity is making sure everything is paid for, so take whatever you want!”

The unicorn minstrel looked about, as if considering relocating the whole venue to Canterlot. But when she leaned back, she just gestured to the mare behind the bar and sighed. “One more for the road, would you, Holly? Get us... hm, the Sweet Apple Special Dark.”

Soon, two mugs of fragrant cider, stacked with a thick foam sat in front of them. Lyra picked it up and tipped the mug towards Pinkie. “Well, you got me. Let's give old Prince Blueballs what for.”

Pinkie toasted and slurped down as much cider as she could manage. She couldn't believe that a barrel could even last that long out of season. But she knew she couldn't drink it all, and that she couldn't stay long. An all-night party would have sent her spirits soaring, but she had work to do, ponies to find, and friends to help. That always came first.

Moonlight Shadow

Rainbow Dash

Moving clouds came naturally to a pegasus. From the moment they were born, they tossed little bunches of cumulus beneath their hooves. The texture, the ethereal body of the cloud was like nothing else (and the taste somewhat startling, for being mostly moisture) and it seemed that one could move an immense amount of cloud matter without much trouble. A little push in the air and they drifted at a pony's whim.

But Cloudsdale was obviously more than a mere cluster of clouds. It was a metropolis of crafted homes and venues—tracks and schools and arenas. With a little fluff and flourish, they all looked like nothing more than a fleet of clouds moving across the sky. Rows after row of buildings drifted towards the Unicorn Mountains. The ponies of Cloudsdale moved it in one fell swoop. Anything short would have left a trail and some hint as to where they'd gone. To the rest of Equestria, it'd look as if they'd simply vanished.

A perfect tactic, Rainbow thought, although a cowardly one.

Rainbow Dash led a squad of pegasi in a wide V-formation, one of many made to cut the wind and create a wake for the rest of the fliers to push the clouds through. The wild spread beneath them, and though miles from Canterlot, the influence of chaos had spread even there. Some trees ceased to be trees at all, instead clumps of metal, or green gelatin, or else a myriad of colors that barely conformed to a sense of anything. Some clung with their roots to small islands of land that rose into the sky, almost high enough to meet their flight path.

The ground was the last thing on Rainbow's mind.

“Cloud Chaser,” she said, without looking to the pegasus on her right. “Break formation and circle the right flank. Get a tally.”

“Whistler already said no pony is missing,” said the purple pegasus. “And where would we have left them?”

“It's crucial we have every pegasus. And we're not leaving anypony behind. Ask again.”

Cloud Chaser grunted and then snapped her wings taut, letting the rest of the flock pass by as she rode the wind back towards the sea of clouds. Another half dozen pegasi closed on Rainbow's right, filling the formation.

Every group of pegasus had a leader, Rainbow knew, and they were responsible for knowing where all of their group was. And each of those groups reported to a larger group, all the way up to Spitfire, who lead from the front. It should not have taken long to check each of these groups. But minutes dragged on and Cloud Chaser had still not returned.

The wind changed and Rainbow tilted herself against it. It thrust her mane back and forced her to beat her wings harder to force her way through the wall of wind. And her wingponies were struggling to keep up.

“Only a few hundred more wingbeats,” she told them, letting the currents of air carry her voice back. “Come on! You're the best fliers in Equestria, and Cloudsdale is counting on you. Give it your all!”

They did. Not everypony had gotten used to the massive cross-country trips that Rainbow had. The journey battered them, wore them to the bone and then some. But in the end they eventually found respite and calm air behind the high rising cliffs of the mountains.

The lead groups landed upon plateaus and bits of cloud to catch their breath and drink what moisture they could find. They dotted the mountainside in the colors of their coats, and one by one the clouds shifted to a stop, safely hidden behind the rock. Satisfied that she had done her job, Rainbow Dash retreated to the turret to oversee the rest of the move.

“Your formation was uneven, Rainbow.”

Rainbow Dance glanced over as Spitfire landed beside her, a single beat of her wings steadying her on the ground. “We made it here, didn't we?”

“It put a lot more stress on everyone flying. Not just your wing. Every group behind you had to compensate. It could have broken the line.”

“But it didn't,” said Rainbow Dash. “And I'm just worried.”

“I'm worried too, Rainbow.”

Spitfire pulled back her goggles and rubbed her eyes. Even the captain was beginning to show signs of wear and tear from the weeks they'd spent in the air. “I'm worried about you,” she said.

Before she could reply, Cloud Chaser whipped across the top of the rock, panting. She gave a quick salute to Spitfire. “All pegasi have completed their count again.”

“And?” said Rainbow Dash. “Is everyone here? Is everyone okay?”

Cloud Chaser glanced at Spitfire, who gave her a nod. The purple filly hung her head. “It seems like everypony was taken out of Cloudsdale, but we're missing one.”

“What?” Rainbow's heart jumped in her chest. She was just being careful. She hated being right, if it meant that somepony was in trouble. Her wings flared up and she took a step. “Who?”

Spitfire cleared her throat. “Which group, Cloud Chaser? Which pony, and where did we lose them?”

“I don't know,” sputtered Cloud Chaser. “I mean, where they went. Where they could have gone. An orange pegasus, barely more than a filly. Under Cloudkicker's care... I believe her name was Scootaloo.”

Rainbow's wings traveled higher. “Her? She can't fly yet! You were supposed to... someone was supposed to be watching the children! And she's just... gone?”

“I'm afraid so,” said Cloud Chaser. “What do we do...?”

Rainbow knew what to do. Gather every pony and fan out, look for her, before something happened. One of her friends had fallen from the clouds, once, and she'd gotten lucky. With the ground the way it was, though, there was no time to waste.

But Spitfire spoke first. “Get some rest and some water,” she told Cloud Chaser. “You've done enough for now.”

“Thank you,” said Cloud Chaser, before diving back for the clouds below.

Rainbow followed after Spitfire. “We have to get everyone back in the air, and...”

“And what?” snapped Spitfire, as if ready to cut her off. “Most of these ponies are totally exhausted. You want them to scatter across the ground to look for one pony? We don't even know where we lost her. The count could have been mistaken.”

I can't believe this, thought Rainbow Dash. “A pegasus, a child is missing, and you don't want to do anything about it?”

“Of course I do!” Spitfire sighed and paced around the edge of the rocks. “But if we send a bunch of worn out ponies across the ground, we're going to be losing more than one. We have to hold together.”

Rainbow Dash shook her head. Her wings were sore, but not beaten. Her body had been hardened by her training and she knew she could handle it. “So let me look for her.”

“No.”

“No?” Dash snorted and dug her heels into the dirt. “Look. I agreed to help you, to listen to you, but that's because I thought you knew better. But if that's your answer? I don't know if I can.”

Spitfire closed her eyes. “I knew you would feel that way,” she said. “Look. These wings?” she said, indicating the Wonderbolt mark on her suit. “They mean more than fame and fortune. They mean more than brash heroics. It's our duty to protect Equestria, and to protect Cloudsdale. If something happens because we send out a search party, that's going to be on me. Once we've recovered from the move, I can set up a team to look for Scootaloo, but until then, we have to stay strong.”

She turned and pointed at Rainbow Dash. “That's what it means to be a Wonderbolt. To have to make the difficult decisions. To do what's best for the herd. If you really want these wings, Rainbow, you have to accept that.”

Even with her wings up and ready, Rainbow Dash felt like a ton of lead. She drew a breath and looked away. “I don't know. I don't know what it means to be in your horseshoes. But I'm not you. And if having that suit means that I can't help a pony when she's in trouble...”

Rainbow Dash shook her head. Her words felt like frostbite on her tongue, but she had to speak them. She turned away from Spitfire and looked down over the sprawl of clouds that made up Cloudsdale.

“I don't know if I want them after all.”

A couple of tears fell from her eyes, hitting the turret ground like raindrops, and then she dove off into flight, away from the pegasi.

Rarity

Rarity carried as much as she could in one load of magic, which was, naturally, quite a respectable cargo for a unicorn. Behind her floated a mass of fancy chairs, pots, pans, serving trays, table linings, and every little bit of décor that the palace kept aside for special occasions. The ghost of its weight strained along her back and in her horn but she kept her composure and walked calmly down the stair from her tower to the storage beneath the castle.

Pinkie performed marvelously, she'd thought, in finding the ponies that she'd asked for—and a few others that she hadn't, but there was little she could do about that. The trouble was that Blueblood had also been moving in a cadre of unicorns, and between his accumulation and Discord's disruptive redesigns of the castle, space was at a premium.

A brown stallion passing her up the stairs paused as their paths crossed. “Ah! There you are. I was meaning to inquire...”

Rarity smiled over at Turner but did not stop her descent, instead indicating for him to follow. “If it's about your room, I have it about clear. Mind you it's somewhat of a sparse affair. And I apologize for how cramped it is, I just...”

“Oh, that's quite alright for me,” the stallion laughed. “I think I can do wonders with it regardless. No, I wanted to get a chance to talk to you about my responsibilities.”

They paused their chatter for a moment as they descended a floor, passing a pair of guards. Not everyone in the castle shared her dislove of Blueblood, after all. But once they had gone beyond their sight and sound, Turner spoke again.

“You can't believe how impossible my job is becoming these days with the sun and the moon completely out of whack. To you it's eventide, but did you know it's actually just hours past the turning of midnight? My internal clock hasn't changed since... well, ever! But ponies don't want to hear it's time for breakfast when they're settling in for dessert. I've been running around Ponyville for weeks, setting the clocks by the whims of the sun rather than the one that ticks in my heart...” He trailed off, ears leaning to the side. “Is something funny?”

Rarity blushed and realize she'd been giggling in the smallest of bursts. She couldn't help it. “Oh, I'm sorry, it's just your accent. Trottingham?”

Turner puffed up a bit as if in pride. “No, but it runs in me. I'm Ponyville through and through.”

“All the better.” Rarity stopped at the first door at the bottom of the staircase. A row of doors, twisting corridors carried off towards the lower levels of Castle Canterlot. She needed only to make use of the vacant chambers to store all the junk in her tower. Turner opened the door before she could tug at it with another spell, and she smiled and dipped her head.

Inside sat the fruits of her day's labor. Neat stacks of plates and preserved flowers and pitchers and every utensil imaginable. She delicately sat her latest load on the floor and began sorting them item by item into appropriate groups.

She spoke as she sorted, plate by plate drifting by between them. “As for your responsibilities, the castle is in desperate need of a pony of your talents. You'll be responsible for making sure that every implement is exact, morning, noon, and eve. And any other time you deem appropriate.”

Turner nodded. “I'm grateful for the invitation, Rarity, but I can't help but wonder if a servant might have sufficed for this.”

“Perhaps, but no one will question your presence with your particular talents. And so much happens to depend upon time around here. Meetings, appointments, vast royal conspiracies...” she smiled over at him. “You understand.”

And that put a twinkle in the stallion's eyes. “Ah. And if I should just happen to perceive something while going about my duties, it would be only polite to fill in my dear neighbor on the affairs.”

“I'm not one for the rudeness of gossip,” she said, “but I'm afraid it is my duty. Besides...”

Rarity tapped the side of a mug against his chest. “I hope there comes a day when we will need the true time, again, and I want you there.”

As the stallion flustered and smoothed his tie, and she'd placed the last folded cloth upon its brethren, she heard a familiar set of hoofsteps. Alone, oddly, but unmistakable: the heavy thomp of a fetlocked stallion who could only pretend to know true grace. Rarity urged Turner behind a pile of end-tables and turned to face the opening door.

“Prince Blueblood,” she said, giving a proper courtesy as he came in. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

He brushed past her and took the room in quickly. “Ah, I'm beginning to see why Princess Luna kept you on. You make an excellent housekeeper.”

Rarity laughed acidly. “I cannot help it if maintaining the palace falls upon my humble hooves. Unless you'd prefer I distract the servants from kissing your fetlocks.”

The prince shook his mane but gave little reaction. He hadn't allowed himself to surrender an inch of victory to her after his explosion at the meeting. “And I can't help but notice that you brought on a court musician. It's unfortunate that I already have one...”

“Only a poor keep has but one entertainer,” Rarity retorted. “What do you want, Blueblood?”

Prince Blueblood turned and met her gaze. “I want you to reconsider, Rarity. You're sharp and in spite of your downfalls you still have that bit of regalness that makes a unicorn a unicorn. If you would support me, we could rally the castle in an instant.”

Shock worried over Rarity's face if but for an instant. An instant was enough to betray a weakness, but she swallowed it quick and hoped he would not notice. Of course he would beg for her help, alone, where none could see them. And no one would believe if she or Turner claimed such, but it meant that Blueblood considered her enough of a threat to parlay with. But she knew her response.

“Then it is only by virtue of my dissent that we are still alive and well within the castle walls,” she said. “I'm afraid the answer is still no.”

Blueblood scowled. “Fine. Remember this when I take back what is rightfully mine. Remember I offered you forgiveness and grace.”

Rarity did all she could to do nothing more than smile. “Of course,” she said. “Now tell me. You haven't been intercepting my mail, have you?”

This gave Blueblood pause. “No, I'm not prone to the same poisonous tacts you enjoy. Why, is someone tampering with it?”

She searched him, and he did not seem to be lying. This did not comfort her. “I don't know,” she said. “My sister isn't returning my letters. She normally writes every day... even when Nightmare Moon sat upon the throne, she wrote. And now it's been days. I fear something has happened to her.”

And then he lifted a hoof and with strange delicateness placed it upon her shoulder, and for but a moment she could see no pride or venom in his gaze. “I'm sorry,” he said. “I do not know what may have become of her, but I will send some of the guard to investigate immediately.”

Rarity's mouth hung open. She shifted uneasily and it was moments before she shook her head. “No, I... it's alright. Do not trouble yourself. I have friends who can look for me.”

The prince released her and took a step back. “I will send them anyway,” he said and offered a cordial smile. “Besides, if you're speaking of your bouncing pink friend, you may not be able to count on her any longer. There has been an accident on the Princess' Road, and we cannot send our troops far enough to investigate. I hope you understand.”

All of the bits of sympathy she'd gathered for him in those few moments were washed aside in a wave of dread and loathing.

He's lying, she told herself. To get me off guard. He couldn't pick her out on the road. But if he knows where she is bound, then he too has eyes beyond the castle walls. He must be lying...

If they were gone, she would know it in her heart. Yet doubt hung over her and she couldn't help but fear the loss of two ponies so dear to her.

Applejack

Shadows filled Apple Bloom's room, and nothing more. Even the memories of Applejack's sister seemed fuzzy and muted as she stared at the empty bed, perfectly made. The scattering of toys put away in their chest, drawings pinned on walls and resting on the desk. Apple Bloom had gone out to play and not come home that day.

She picked a pink ribbon off of her bed and held it against her face. “Gracious, I hope you're alright...” she said, trying to muster the beginnings of a lecture. But she didn't have it in her. She just wanted her sister back.

Her heart leapt as somepony came in downstairs and she raced to meet them. But they were too heavy to belong to Applebloom.

Big Macintosh stood in the doorway, covered in dust and muck.

“Did you check Sugarcube Corner?” asked Applejack.

The red stallion nodded, head low. “Eyup.”

“And the library. The carousel?”

Big Macintosh nodded after each question. He pushed his way inside and worked up a mug of water. “I asked everyone,” he said, breaking his usual monotone. “Not a pony seen or heard our little sister for days. And Granny knows every inch of this orchard. I don't want to think what might have...”

Applejack shook her head and cut him off. She worked her way outside, pink ribbon between her teeth. The first sprinklings of rain fell down from the night sky, struck her back, and tingled a bit before evaporating.

“Winona!” she called.

The dog barked and bolted out of the barn, sitting in front of Applejack. Then she let a little whine.

“You're worried too, huh.” She mussed Winona behind the ears and lowered the ribbon. “Please. I know it ain't much, but if you can catch her scent...”

Winona buried her nose in the soft fabric and took a good whiff. Then she turned to the air and began to search, not even flinching at each bit of rain that pelted down upon them. The dog followed a thread of trail, and Applejack followed her, hoping that there would be something.

Winona ran and Applejack was her shadow. They twisted through the orchard in figure-eights, and it seemed as if they picked on new trails and fell on old ones before they tapired out altogether. But Winona would not stop searching and Applejack would not give up on her so long as there was still some hope.

When their path twisted toward the Ponyville road she felt a little bit of hope. Whatever had been the cause of Apple Bloom's absence, she didn't care. She could forgive some slight of mischief, some accident or happening. As long as she got her sister back.

The storm continued to lash about the orchard and dark branches scraped behind them. They dashed through fizzing puddles and towards the light of the city.

Then Winona turned away and lead Applejack another way. To a different road that led to the Everfree.

Then Winona's nose twisted and she stopped, spun in a circle, yards from the forest or anywhere. She traced the trail back, and forward again, and cocked her head to the side. She let a little howl.

“It can't end there,” said Applejack, panting. She pushed Winona on the head. “Did she go in there? Oh, why in tarnation would she... but did she? C'mon, pup...”

Winona smelled the area carefully, tracing every inch of road and wet grass. The force of the wind blew the clouds, and Discord's fascimile of weather gave way to the the large, full moon resting close on the horizon. Pearl light lit the land and sent tendrils of shadow fading into the dark behind tree and post and towards Ponyville. Every which way the darkness went.

After minutes had passed, Winona slinked by Applejack and sat down, letting a low whine.

“It's not your fault,” she muttered, tugging her hat down over her face. “You're a good girl.”

Winona leaned up and licked her face. Her teeth remained clenched.

I'd sing a thousand songs and walk a thousand miles to have you back here with me, thought Applejack. This ain't over, sis. If you're lost, I'll find you. And if you were taken away by some nightmare I'll bring you back.

Once she had taken steps into the forest with her friends, to find the Elements of Harmony. That seemed so long ago, now. Now the forest seemed even darker. But if there was a chance Applebloom was inside, she wasn't going to wait. She straightened her hat and glanced back at Winona.

“Why don'cha go home to Big Mac and let'im know where I gone off to,” she said.

The dog persisted, but she eventually managed to coax her companion into returning home. One hoof after the other, she strayed into the Everfree Forest.

Into Dusk

Nightmare Moon

Darkness. Shade. The mare of the moon wrapped herself in these and took solace in their protection. What little comfort could it offer her, though, to have fled her throne and sought sanctuary in the forest?

Even the Everfree felt as if it shunned her. Whether she collected herself in the shadow of crooked branches or forgotten stone, it thrummed with a violent presence. If the wood had ever considered her master, it was no longer so.

We are too mighty to know fear, she told herself as she slipped from branch to root. Yet Discord sat upon the throne and she could not face him. Anything she could throw at him would simply result in her making a fool of herself. Her servants and followers abandoned her in her moment of need. No force in the world could give her what she needed to reclaim Equestria.

I am alone.

“No, you are never truly alone.”

Nightmare Moon's gaze snapped to a figure of blue, feathers and horn. Her own nattering voice manifest. “I beg to differ. Unless you mean to count our captives as viable company?”

She scoffed and stepped out of the shadow, slipping from two dimensions to three as her hooves took form and dug into the forest floor. Yet in her shadow remained a squirming mass of shapes. Three children, tethered to her through enchantment, trapped in a realm between realms. She had succeeded in muting them but still they struggled against her will, their shapes manifesting in shadow as if trying to break from water, only to be submerged again.

“You cannot bind them for long,” said Luna, “or they will fade into the realm of darkness.”

The princess stepped closer to her nightmarish counterpart. Nightmare Moon lowered her head and scraped the ground. No matter how many times she smote the manifestation of her weaker side, it always came back to bother her.

“And if I release them, they will flee from me,” said Nightmare Moon. “This was a foolish idea.”

Luna shook her head and mane and made a loose circle about Nightmare Moon. “Children are the first to learn to love the night. Sure there are stallions and mares who would use our domain for their deeds, but how purely the young shiver for the chill of night winds, how long they fill their eyes with stars... they would slip from their mothers and fathers to join us.”

“Which is why we had to steal them from their beds,” Nightmare Moon replied. She turned as Luna paced, her black wings slowly unfolding upwards. She would never turn her back to any pony, not even herself. “I suppose it will discourage some ponies from attempting to destroy us.”

The fragment of Luna sighed and rubbed her brows, sitting before her. “You will need them,” she said. “For this and for many other reasons. What will you do now? You cannot fight Discord.”

“I can defeat him.” Nightmare Moon snorted and lashed her tail. “If only I have the element of surprise.”

“We no longer have the element of anything, thanks to you,” said Luna. “It is futile.”

“You doubt me.”

Luna rolled her eyes. “And you doubt me. Is there a difference, in the end? We will always be running. But if we try, we can catch our sister.”

Nightmare Moon lowered her head and snarled, eyes glowing white with fury. “We can never.”

The fragment of herself froze for a moment. Then closed her eyes, and shook her head. “Until you accept that, you will only know restlessness and fear. It is the only way to restore balance. To restore...”

A bolt of darkness arced from Nightmare Moon's wings and struck the blue mare between the eyes. The magic struck not a pony, but the ground and foliage where Luna once sat. The charred ground smoked and blackened, moss and grass wilting.

“We can never go back to the way things were,” said Nightmare Moon. She wandered back onto the forest trail. She would find her old castle and from there she would return to full strength.

The way seemed to bend before her, though, and she failed to notice the frantic calls of birds as they rose from the branches and into the blue sky. Three fillies tugged at the back of her mind, wordless pleas for freedom as they struggled to break through the hold of her shadow.

Fluttershy

All that a pony could ever ask for grew in the valley of the Everfree. Good grass to graze on. Clean water. Sprawling hills and safe burrows. As far as Fluttershy knew she'd been the first to live there in a long time. Perhaps she would show Zecora—if the zebra didn't already know about it, which would have admittedly surprised her—after she'd prepared homes for her animals.

The timberwolf pack had already moved in, though they spent most of their time prowling in the forest or tending to their young. Only Birch Bite followed Fluttershy regularly, and even then she was prone to long sojourns into the wilderness. Angel refused to stray far from his freshly dug burrow, unless they returned to civilization, like he made her promise.

Day burned into dusk when a bright blue jay fluttered from the trees and perched a rock beside Fluttershy, prattling endlessly in birdsong. Big pony creature in the woods, roughly. Not a zebra. The birds had a different song for Zecora, when they paid attention to her at all. Someone new and strange was wandering the forest and she would have to meet them.

Even if it was Nightmare Moon.

“Where are they?”

The bird looked about wearily and hopped a couple steps, nearly taking flight before it communicated again. Towards the sun. Small water. The ironwood creek.

“That's a good bird. Now, could you be so kind as to call the arrowhawks? I might be needing a little help.”

The jay cocked its head, but chirruped agreeably once Fluttershy had produced a small hoof's worth of flower seed. It finished its reward in a flurry of pecks and then fanned its wings politely before taking to the air again.

Birch came before she could call, sliding silently down a rock face before hopping beside her. She sniffed the air and gave a low howl.

“It's not really a hunt,” said Fluttershy, brushing back one of Birch's ears. “But we are looking for somepony.”

The timber wolf nodded.

Fluttershy followed her up the rock face and to a narrow slip of a trail that most ponies would have not recognized even staring or standing on it. They followed the animal run, barely big enough for them to walk and a little too cramped for the span of their wings. Birch scented something strange and they pursued.

What if it's Nightmare Moon? She thought, wings curling tight against her sides. There's no way I can outfly her, even in here. My friends could get hurt... I guess I could hide.

The same shy pony in her refused to let the villain have her way, though, and she would have to find some way to stop her scheming. Whatever she was up to, it could not have been any good. It didn't stop Fluttershy's heart from pounding as they worked their way beneath heavy branches and towards the sound of running water.

Birch's ears turned first, but she heard it as well: the sound of hooves beating over rock and water through the darkness.

Her first instinct was to run, but she forced herself forward.

A little light peeled through where the ground gave way to water, through thousands of leaves that arched over the creek. The trees, gray and thick, stood sentinel to the nearly impassable ridges of the water. A hundred paces in either direction, the stream wove several corners and the path vanished from sight. Fluttershy squeezed between a pair of ironwood trunks and slid down until running water lapped over her hooves. The trickle of water and rock folded over the splashing upstream. Closer and closer it came and before Fluttershy could make out more than a shape, Birch surged towards them.

“Wait!” she called.

The timberwolf was already in mid-pounce, but she withdrew her snapping teeth and instead settled for bowling the orange pony into the stream. Fluttershy watched in horror as Applejack became entangled with Birch. She rushed over and put her wings between them, pushing hard.

“It's okay, she's a friend!” pleaded Fluttershy. Birch looked up, cocked her head in confusion, then removed her tremendous weight from Applejack, who sputtered and spat creek water as she jumped to her hooves.

“What in tarnation?” demanded Applejack, but the fight left her as soon as she laid eyes on Fluttershy. “What are you doin' here? I figured you ran off with your animals a while back, but...” Her gaze wandered to Birch. “Didn't take you for putting in with monsters.”

Birch whined a bit as Fluttershy coaxed her with a wing. “And I thought you were a dog pony.”

They laughed a little. Applejack stared expectantly.

“It's a long story,” said Fluttershy, scuffing a hoof in the water.

“I bet,” said Applejack, leaning a bit closer. “You look all different.”

Fluttershy glanced down at the water and picked up a bit of her reflection in the current. She'd taken care to groom at least twice a day, but could never keep up with the toll that the forest was taking on her mane. It grew long and wild and her creamy yellow fur had begun to stain in places and fray in others. Not dirty, but wild.

“So what are you doing here?” Fluttershy tilted her head to the side, mimicked by Birch. “It's a long way from Sweet Apple Acres. I hope you're not looking for me...”

Applejack tugged on the rim of her hat. “Really now. I wouldn't have known the first place to look, and the Everfree would certainly have been the last. I'm tryin' to track down Nightmare Moon. Thought I'd start with that dark old castle but apparently I can't even find my way there.”

“Why would you want to find her?” Fluttershy looked up, down, and behind her, as if speaking of the mare would be enough to summon her. “She's not... she's not a good pony.”

“I know, Fluttershy. She nabbed Apple Bloom right out of her bed. And I'm gonna bring her back home.”

The pegasus' eyes widened and her wings opened automatically as she remembered the sound of crying ponies and the shadow that carried them through the forest. “That's awful! We have to do something.”

“Have you seen her? Or my sister?”

Fluttershy shook her head. “I saw a great shadow moving through the forest, and I thought I heard some fillies, but I haven't been able to track it down...”

Another distant trill of birdsong caught Fluttershy's ear. But even Applejack heard the crack of thunder echo across the land. Dots of black smoke wisped through the sky, barely visible through slits of light in the canopy. Fluttershy and Applejack looked at one another once, then tore their way up the bank and back into the forest together.

Applejack

The Everfree brought all roads to one that gray dusk, for all turned towards the grounds of the ancient castle. Applejack and Fluttershy made their way out of brush and across half-buried cobble, out of the claustrophobic wood and into the prodding of rain. The shrinking day grew darker still, the creatures of the wood and the wood itself seeming to retreat from the clearing.

Heavy hoofsteps echoed in the air, a prelude to the rumble of thunder. The wind smelled like burning ozone and chill rolled over the ponies as Nightmare Moon emerged.

Her gaze met Applejack. They stared. Fluttershy's wings twitched. Nightmare Moon's jaw clenched. The memory of the last time that they had met hung between them. That meeting had ended with six friends unconscious on the castle floor and Equestria in perpetual night. Now only the cloud-filled sky witnessed their reunion.

“Where is my sister?” demanded Applejack. No fear in her voice, and no more than a little promise of retribution. She stood like an oak against the threat of Nightmare Moon.

The black mare tossed her mane and lifted the filly's shadow from her own. “With me. But you could not save her when she is in sleeping under your roof. You can't even save her when she is beside you.”

Nightmare Moon tossed Apple Bloom's silhouette across the yard and it splashed against the stone in front of Applejack. The shadow scrambled and hid within her own. For all the world she felt as if her sister stood beside her, seeking shelter. She knew without a doubt that it was her. But she could not touch her, lift her, help her any more than she could her own shadow.

“Wouldn't you like to hold her tight?” Nightmare Moon jeered. “If you love your sister you should join her in darkness.”

“You give her back,” demanded Applejack, lowering her stance. “I don't care what you do but you give back the fillies you stole.”

Nightmare Moon laughed. Her wings flared and the clouds above swirled, filtering out more of the sun. “You think you have the right to command me? Fool. It was bad fortune that led you here.”

Fluttershy unfolded her wings with a snap, a broad fan of glinting yellow and gold forming behind her. “If that's true, then why are you afraid?”

The opening of Nightmare Moon's wings came with a violent burst of wind that caught Fluttershy and Applejack and pushed them back upon their hooves. She howled with rage and charged blindly at them. They scattered at her strength, but Fluttershy was right. She moved with anger, unpredictable and wild as the forest.

But Fluttershy knew the forest. She answered Nightmare Moon's cries with a sharp whistle. A flock of birds broke from the trees, their wings like razors and each stroke of feather like a tiny burst of lightning. They shot through the air and rained talons upon Nightmare Moon in the midst of another charge. She screeched and twisted on her hind legs, wrenching the ground open beneath her as she lashed out at the surprise attack.

Then Applejack threw herself upon the black mare, and Birch followed. They collapsed in a heap and became a mass of bucking legs and violent cries. For all their strength and surprise, they could not hold down Nightmare Moon. She rose and threw off the wolf and the pony with one shake, and the air around her brewed with lightning and thunder as she drew the elements to her aid.

“We can help you!” said Fluttershy, holding her animals back with the wave of a hoof. “We shouldn't be fighting.”

“You should not have struck out at us, then,” spat Nightmare Moon. She circled the ponies wide, ever facing them, tracing the perimeter of the courtyard as a trickle of black flame followed her path. Old moss and twigs, though damp, began to smolder and smoke. “Always trying to 'help' us... one pony after another. And all betrayed us. Even your precious, innocent Twilight Sparkle. You speak sweet words and then you will lock us away!”

The fire grew and crackled, eating at wood and stone as Nightmare Moon completed her circle. Black flames roared higher and higher until they licked the tops of trees and towers alike and blocked out all but the gray sky above. Otherworldly heat ate into Fluttershy and Applejack. Birch moaned in pain and even the rain seemed to be unable to reach them from above.

“Let us see if you like a thousand years asleep in shadow,” said Nightmare Moon.

They scrambled to come upon her again but she took to the air before they got even close. Fluttershy took to wing and the hawks joined her. Nightmare Moon whipped them away with stroke after stroke of black magic until they fell prone to the ground.

Applejack's body seemed to stick there, as if the earth itself were a part of her weight. She pried as hard as she could but her own strength seemed to betray her. Nightmare Moon floated above them and prepared to finish her spell.

Nightmare Moon

For all her drive in battle, Nightmare Moon took little pleasure in putting ponies in their place. They should bend knee to me, she thought, in the moment of silence before she prepared to banish them. They should love me without having to learn.

She taught herself not to hesitate, not to linger, but one tiny break in incantation was enough. Light flashed above, seemingly from nowhere as the clouds broke open and a pegasus sheared through them. Nightmare Moon, trying to keep hold on her enchantment, could only turn and glimpse the streak of rainbow that struck her square in the side.

Rainbow Dash drove her straight into the ground and she lost her grip on the shadows. Applejack and Fluttershy rose. They spared not a moment to wipe their eyes or catch their breath. They assaulted her once, and again, and each time she would throw them off. Still they came at her, from the ground and from the sky, a flurry of feathers and hooves and magic bringing dust into the rain and stones from their piles. She crashed to the ground again and again beneath their weight and her body remembered the burning of pain she hadn't known since she was a filly.

“It took you a while to get flying down, didn't it?” asked the fragment of herself, a lilt of a laugh in her voice. Nightmare Moon glared at the space between her attackers where her other self stood and lashed out. The blue mare glided aside with a brush of her wings.

Applejack bucked her again, hard. And for a moment the hoof that struck her beneath the ribs, ripping the breath from her, was not a hoof at all but the hard unmoving ground. Castle Canterlot. Miles away and years and years ago. She wouldn't have fallen if she hadn't insisted on landing in trees, launching from parapets, springing off the castle walls. The movement alone was fun. Ducking the royal guards as they tried to keep her in line was even moreso. The notion of play felt so foreign to her now, and yet she could recall so clearly the joy she'd felt on simple summer days.

Dusk, the time that she shared with her sister, the time between night and day. The graceful, annoyingly perfect white princess leaned down into the mud and took her hoof . Let me help you, had she said, and pulled her up.

Nightmare Moon saw the forest again and stood as she had when her sister had taken her up. She shook her mane and shuddered. The flames around them swayed and flickered, confused as her mind was. Her attackers recovered again as well.

“You cannot overcome them through rage alone,” said her fragment. “Not three ponies. And not Discord.”

Shut up, she thought, drawing her wings to herself. Who she was, what she carried with her, would fuel her hatred enough to last until the end of time. Or so she thought.

Wolves howled from the forest and Birch answered. Timber wolf after Timber wolf piled from the trees to join the fight, leaping through the remnants of flame and sizzling in the rain. Creatures of wood and wind and flesh beat her down. All she could do was throw them off again and again. Her motions grew more panicked, more desperate.

And she was tired. She'd never thought it possible, but fighting and fighting with wild abandon filled her with a sense of emptiness. But they betrayed you. Your sister betrayed you. You can never forgive them.

The fragment of Luna sighed. “You do not need to forgive anyone to find what you need. The answers are with your sister. Stop fearing her. Face her.”

Anger boiled but did not break, for the fight had taken its toll on her. The memories of her sister were seeping through the cracks of her mind. It could have been manipulation. All a trick. And if it isn't, I can master myself again. And if it is...

Her eyes met Applejack's as the pony charged again. She lifted to smash her aside with a wing or a hoof. But she could see it, feel the pony's love for her sister like a wave of heat from her soul. That she would stop at nothing to bring the little one back. The same eyes that Celestia had...

“Enough!” Nightmare Moon cried, her voice alone sending the pony and wolf alike tumbling head over heels. The battlefield grew silent and she stood at the center. “Enough. No matter how you strike at me, it will not bring your fillies back.”

“You better hope they come back,” said Rainbow Dash, making a full threat display as she stalked forward. “Or else you're going to have a lot more to worry about than a beat down.”

Nightmare Moon refused to budge. Even then she worked her most primal magic, not with her body but with her shade. The ground crawled with shadows that billowed beneath her hooves. “We have been mistaken. We will find Celestia...” She grit her teeth. The fragment of herself nodded, and faded. She scoffed. “And when we return, not even Discord will stop us.”

All at once she gathered the shadows from the ponies, building a swirling cloak of night about herself. Applejack grasped her belly and screamed as the darkness peeled out from beneath her. Apple Bloom's shadow came back to her, though it scrambled and grasped at every inch of ground until she vanished into Nightmare Moon again. Applejack could only watch in horror as Nightmare Moon began to fade.

“Seek us if you dare, but you will lose yourself forever in the land between dawn and dusk. The same fate your beloved foals will share, should you meddle with us again.”

If they replied, she could not see nor hear them as she sunk into the shadow of Equestria. All became black against a white sky. All living things melted into the distance as she dove through unimaginable depths and into the place where darkness lived.

Silence met her there but it did not stay long as the three fillies fell from her thrall and onto the ground. They groaned and panted for breath, as if they had been deprived it for so long. Apple Bloom, the yellow filly with the red bow. Scootaloo the pegasus and Sweetie Belle. Someone cared deeply for them. And even though they were on the very edge of Equestria, they may as well have been a million miles away.

It only took them a moment to realize it themselves. The three fillies looked at one another. Then Nightmare Moon. They shared an understanding of their situation and made to bolt off into the forest together. Then they got a good look at it.

Trees that were almost trees, but weren't really, rose about them in a sprinkling of detail. Only the things that they fixed their eyes on stood absolutely still, and they could not be sure of that, for their forms shifted like water. Black and gray and dull earthen tones filled everything. The rock, the tree, the sky, and only occasional glints of brightness shone through before being washed out by the darkness.

Only Equestria's shadows lived there. The shadows, and them, and creatures that had become lost in shadow. It was as much a part of Nightmare Moon as she was of it.

“Where are we?” Apple Bloom asked.

“I don't know,” said Scootaloo.

Sweetie Belle said nothing, clung to Apple Bloom's side. The little yellow filly turned and glared at Nightmare Moon.

“Where have you taken us?” she demanded.

Nightmare Moon smiled a little. She admired the child's resilience. “To one of the many sides of Equestria, the land between dawn and dusk. This is where the night lives... and many things that a young pony like you should never have to hear word of.” She turned what should have been south, and was more likely to be, with only a shade of the Everfree's influence. “Stay with me, or your souls may be lost forever, one with the shadows.”

The black mare walked and the fillies remained, stubborn. But they knew it was the truth. If they had any hope of returning to their homes, they would have to stay with her. And before she left their sight, she heard their little hooves striking the ground behind her, echoes almost lost the empty realm.

Applejack

Her warning lingered in their ears as she disappeared from the face of Equestria. The ponies looked on in stunned silence as not a single shadow remained within the ruin, even as the clouds closed and the rain fell to wash away the evidence of their battle.

All that had kept Applejack standing left her in one breath and she collapsed into the mud, sobbing. Nightmare Moon was right. She'd taken Apple Bloom right from beneath her hooves not once, but twice, and no amount of cleverness nor force she could muster could save her.

“It's not over,” said Rainbow Dash. Two pairs of wings draped over her back, shielding her from the rain. The animals slipped away but Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash held her tight. As deep as her despair felt, she was not yet alone in Equestria.

“I reckon it might be,” she said. “Unless you know some way to walk through shadows. What do you suppose we can do against Nightmare Moon, anyway? We gave her all we had and then some.”

“I don't know,” admitted Rainbow Dash. “But as long as we're alive and kicking we've got to do something. She ran from us. There has to be something, even if we don't know it yet.” She folded her ears back and thumped her head against the ground. “Twilight. If anypony knows, it has to be her.”

Applejack nodded. “You're right.”

The three ponies slowly unfurled and tried in vain to brush the mud from themselves as they rose again.

“I missed you girls,” muttered Rainbow Dash.

Applejack smiled, even though she tried not to. “I missed ya'll too. How did you know where we were?”

"Hard to miss all the smoke and screaming," said Rainbow Dash.

“I missed everyone too,” said Fluttershy. “But um, we should go somewhere safe before we decide what to do next.”

Rainbow Dash raised her wings and looked around the forest, eyebrows raised. “You look like you've done good for yourself, 'shy, but I'm not sure I jive with your idea of 'safe' here.”

They were too tired and too happy to see each other to argue, though. Every moment they waited, they knew that Nightmare Moon slipped further from their grasp. But she had also stretched them to their limits, and they would be able to help no one in their current state. Applejack and Rainbow Dash followed Fluttershy, though reluctantly, back through the forest.

Touch and Go

Rainbow Dash

“You wish to follow the shadow? It wanders where you cannot go.”

Fluttershy's new friend did not rub Rainbow Dash the right way. On the other hoof, if somepony was friends with Fluttershy, they couldn't be that bad. So she gave a pass on the zebra in spite of the cramped hut, the creepy décor, and the weird smells coming from the cook pots.

She still hissed in pain and tossed open her wings when Zecora dabbed mud on her scratches and bruises. To make things worse, it reminded her of something Rarity would have put on herself.

“If Nightmare Moon can go there, then so can we,” said Rainbow Dash, casting an irritated glance at her mud-coated cutie mark. “She took the girls. We follow. End of story.”

Zecora wound a bandage around her hindleg, extra tight. “And if you get into another scrape? You might not come back this good a shape. You might not come back again. And who will you be helping then? The ruler of night will know her way, but that land will lead you astray.”

“I get your concern and all,” said Applejack, tugging at one of her own bandages, “but we can't just let her run off with our little ponies. It ain't right.”

Being patched up was unfortunately not unfamiliar to Dash. She knew that all the little burning sensations meant she wouldn't get sick. That the uncomfortable pressure around the roots of her wings would keep her from tearing her muscles. It just made the urge to complain about it even worse.

“Perhaps you can think of another way,” said Zecora, applying a little salve to Fluttershy, though she may have just suffered the treatment to make her friends feel better about it. “to save your kin. It may not come today, but that does not mean she will win.”

“You can't stop us from going, Zecora,” grunted Rainbow Dash, tugging a wing out of the zebra's grasp. “We have to try.”

The zebra answered with a sigh and stirred another pot. “It does not matter what I say. Even if I was willing to send you there, I do not know the way. Of that land I've heard many tales, but beyond that my knowledge fails.”

“What do we do, then?” Fluttershy spoke up. “We have to save them. We just have to.”

Applejack pried herself up. “If ya'll don't have any idea where to go to find them, suppose we ought to find someone who does.”

“And who do you figure that's going to be?” Rainbow's wings gave an annoyed flit, making a jolt of pain wander up her spine. “It's not like any of us know. And if the local mystic hasn't got a clue...”

The whole mess got Rainbow wound up inside. If you couldn't do something, you did it until you could. And if you couldn't, because it was actually impossible, then you did something else. But if you couldn't and you had to...

What am I doing? At least I know I can do something for Cloudsdale... but...giving up? No.

“Twilight,” said Applejack, suddenly. “Seems like she was always the expert on all things Nightmare Moon. I bet if there's a way to get to her, she'll know it.”

For all the good she's been. Dash's ears hung down with guilt. No. It's not her fault. She tried to warn us and we didn't listen. We weren't enough. Will it be that night all over again? We have to do it, though. We just have to.

Similar thoughts must have raced through her friends. They all contemplated their hooves and the floor. The sound of three hooftaps on the door cut the silence. Everypony looked at one another.

Applejack frowned. “Who comes knockin' in the middle of the Everfree anyway?”

“Someone who is polite,” said Zecora, rolling her eyes, though she moved in a friendly enough manner to the door and pushed it open. “Who is it that visits tonight?”

The firemaned mare on the other side of the door tilted back in surprise. “Uh?”

“Spitfire?” Rainbow Dash called out. She pushed her way to the door. It was the Wonderbolt. A quick glance to the trees and she found a few out of place shadows—no doubt a few more keeping guard on her. “What are you doing here?”

Spitfire pursed her lips into a smile and glanced at Zecora. “This is somewhat of a strange circumstance. I need to speak to Rainbow.”

Rainbow's ears flattened as the Zebra admitted Spitfire into her house. Great. what's she here to do. Yell at me again? Give me another lecture?

“We've been following you,” said Spitfire, wings completely folded down. “And watching you.”

“Why?” Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow. “I thought you were too busy.”

Spitfire shook her head. “The flock is in good hooves. I figured you needed to blow off some steam, but we didn't want to lose track of you.”

“So you can spare the time to spy on me,” said Rainbow Dash, dragging a hoof over the floor, “but you can't go to help some kids?”

Spitfire lowered her gaze on Rainbow Dash. “That's different and you know it. I'm not here to argue with you about my decision.”

“Then what are you here for?”

Everypony was watching them, Dash realized. I can't believe what I'm saying, she thought. But I can't take it anymore.

Spitfire sighed and slackened her stance. “I've thought about what you've said and what you've been doing. The way you handle yourself, while reckless, is impeccable. You work well with other ponies. What's more important is that you fight well with other ponies.” She scanned across Rainbow Dash's friends, briefly, and nodded. “What we need is scouts. Eyes in the sky and on the ground. And I want you to help me, Rainbow Dash.”

“I...” Rainbow Dash stared. That was not what she expected at all.

“You have good instincts,” Spitfire continued. “You can't train that into a pony. I'll give you free reign. All I ask is that you keep your head low and report back to me.”

Rainbow Dash's world was spinning and the noxious sensation from her healing woulds tilted it harder. I got through to her? She listened? This... this could work. But...

“We've started something here,” she sighed. “I can't just leave this alone.”

“Rainbow,” cut in Fluttershy, much to everyone's surprise, “you should go. It's always been your dream to be with the Wonderbolts, right?”

Used to be, thought Rainbow Dash, but she put on her best half-grin and tilted her head at Fluttershy. “There are more important things to worry about, right? Like getting back the kids.”

“I know,” said Fluttershy, “but it feels like there's nothing we can do, except ask Twilight. And I really don't want to leave my animals alone out here...”

The hut creaked as Applejack shifted her weight back onto her hooves. “I don't like what you're saying,” she said, “but you're probably right. The both of you have lots of your own to take care of. My family can handle themselves... 'ceptin' little Apple Bloom.” She tugged her hat down over here eyes. “What you're saying is that it only takes one pony to ask for help, right?”

Rainbow Dash pushed to Applejack and put a hoof on her shoulder. “Applejack, we can't be like that.”

“It's the way it is, partner. You two just make sure nopony else slips through the cracks, alright?”

Even in their state, Applejack proved able to push Dash aside and trot towards the door. The pegasus whipped around and stared at her friend's back for a while, but froze when her gaze caught Spitfire's.

What do I do... what's right? She needed to make a decision before Applejack slipped away. But her thoughts were grinding to a halt. The pegasi, or her friends. Her duty, or the kidnapped foals. It was too much to sort out at once.

“Don't go,” she said, lifting a hoof. “If you walk out that door, we may never see each other again. It's been too long since we were together like this.”

Applejack smiled back over her shoulder and tipped her hat up. “It sure has, but we don't have time to goof off the way we used to.”

“I know that!” Rainbow Dash grit her teeth. “But if you walk out that door, you're just going to disappear again. We can't let that happen. Not like this.”

It was enough to give Applejack pause. And as the silence seeped in, Zecora gently tapped the side of a pot.

“If it would be better for you, there is something you could do. Though you are be going separate ways, you can promise to return... in three days.”

The ponies trailed off in silence. Three days could mean little in terms of Discord's Equestria. A matter of hours, or minutes, or longer than a week. But they still felt the twist of time.

“Three nights of dreaming,” said Rainbow Dash. “Then we come back here.”

“Is that alright?” murmured Fluttershy. “I mean, I hate to impose. We've been using your house more and more...”

Zecora shook her head and doused the fire. “For friendly faces and companionship I cannot complain. I will look forward to seeing you all again...” She put bottles of herbs and pots away and took out more and placed them in a satchel. She put her cloak over her neck and nodded to Applejack. “It is easy to leave this place on wing, but going by hoof is another thing. Less danger with another pony at your side, so tonight I will be your guide.”

“I reckon I appreciate that, Zecora,” said Applejack. She paused long enough to turn back and look at her friends again. “Three days,” she repeated. The three of them cross their chests with a hoof, and dabbed it against their eye. A silly gesture, but they all knew what it meant. An unbreakable oath.

Applejack departed first, then Fluttershy disappeared into the wood as well. Rainbow Dash tested her wing against the bandage. It was sore, but it couldn't keep her from the air. She came up on Spitfire's tail and watched the hut vanish beneath them as they flew above the trees, and once high enough, the forest became one darkened blur of green.

Twilight Sparkle

In Twilight's dreams, Princess Celestia kept slipping away from her. Her touch once shielded her mind and spirit, but now left her with only wisps of warmth as if from the fading sun. In waking she felt finding the princess an impossible task, and now at rest she was losing her too.

Her melancholy drove her to sleep more often than she tended the castle. Discord, for some reason, left her alone while she rested. What little time she had to herself she spent pouring over the princess' books, hoping to make some sense of her disappearance. More than anything, though, she could not resist the lure of the golden dreams.

Many ponies gathered about her in the dream. Little flickers of white flame drifted with her in the golden fields, forming luminous outlines of colts and fillies. Every night, more gathered about her as she wandered towards the arc of the sun. No matter how long she traveled, though, she could not quite reach it.

The first stripes of blackness crossed the dream sky when she slept that day, a star or two sending chill into their sanctuary. The cold also brought lucidity to her dreamy haze. Her hooves stopped.

Across the motionless stalks of wheat she caught sight of a pony, almost invisible against the blue of the sky. The stranger turned and spoke, as if they were at once a million miles apart and yet close enough to feel each other's breath.

“Twilight Sparkle?”

A familiar voice. The blue pony's mouth moved, and then a bright light blinded Twilight to everything and the dream faded.

Twilight's eyes opened slowly. She stirred against Celestia's bedding and pushed herself up, scanning the room. The curtains had been opened though the doors remained closed. Rarity stood near the balcony, a small silver tray beside her. Twilight could smell tea and cakes.

“I know you've been requesting your privacy,” said Rarity. “I had to bend over backwards just to get the guard shift changed. So I could visit you.” She stared at Twilight a little too long and then averted her eyes. “If you need a moment?”

“It's alright,” said Twilight. She slipped out of bed and ran an old brush through her hair. “If I'd known you wanted to see me...”

“Well, I don't know how you could,” said Rarity. “I've looked everywhere for you. Sent messages. Sometimes you're in the tower and sometimes nopony knows where you've been off to. I suppose I can't blame you.”

Twilight turned about, mouth half-open to retort. So ready to drive her friend away. Yet hearing her voice brought her back weeks and months to the time they'd met. She wanted Rarity to stay.

“Nightmare Moon wouldn't let us within eyesight of one another,” said Twilight, her head hung low, “but I should have found you after she was gone. I should have...”

“We've both been up to our ears in staying afloat, these troubled times.” Rarity feigned a sigh. “If you even knew...”

The unicorn went quiet with a delicate 'oof' when Twilight threw her hooves around her shoulders and hugged on tight. The two ponies embraced in the sunbeam, nearly blind from the light on their faces. They stayed within it anyway.

Rarity lifted a cloth from the tray and dabbed tears from her eyes. “Twilight, darling, I should have thought more of you. I can't imagine what it must be like, having to answer to the whims of that tyrant, and now this brute! Always under his nose. Why I can't think of a more unfashionable creature.”

Twilight gave a nervous glance around. Discord could be anywhere. Any size, any dimension, any surface. She'd been holding her tongue for far too long, though. “At least he's not hurting anypony. Not really, anyway.”

“Not yet.” Rarity took her tea and pushed the other curtain open. “Not directly. But I fear it's only a matter of time before he takes it too far.”

Castle Canterlot was in shambles. Twilight knew that. But even as she'd slept the castle twisted and turned like a snake. The library tower looked nigh impassible, bending upwards in a spiral that could not have stood without a vast amount of magic.

The gardens had swollen to a patch of jungle. Desert sands streaked across the once polished stone. Portions of the ramparts interrupted the blue-orange sky, bits of debris dangling as they floated. A single pegasus guard stood on one, his stoic expression failing on occasion to wide, perplexed eyes.

Even the stair up to the tower was a mess, and only traversable with the help of some minor enchantments and hastily placed stones.

“You'll forgive me for being skeptical of new rulers, these days,” said Rarity, tossing her mane back.

A sentiment I hear more often than I'd like, thought Twilight. But at least I can get through to this one.

She glanced towards the door again. If Rarity had changed the shift, then she had no idea who was watching them then, or if they were listening, but she would have to trust her friend's judgment. “What about the others? Do you keep in touch?”

“I'm afraid not. I was confined to the castle almost as much as you were. Pinkie Pie was the only one I ever got to speak to. She is...” Rarity hesitated and stuffed a small cake into her mouth. “... mmp. She is traveling. But she seemed to think everyone is safe at least.”

Twilight tilted her head. Another feeling on top of the many that something was bothering Rarity. “We should all see each other again, sometime,” said Twilight, though she knew that day may be long in coming, if it ever came at all. “I'm sorry, I have to ask. Is something wrong? You've been fidgeting since you got in here. I hope I don't make you nervous.”

Rarity paused and then swallowed. She glanced out the window, and then started to pace. “You're right, and I'm sorry. To think I would only see you to ask you something...”

“It must be important if you went through all this trouble,” admitted Twilight. “Just tell me. I'm not mad.”

And she wasn't. She felt like she could maybe, just maybe do something.

“Well, alright,” said Rarity. “I'm up to my ears trying to keep this place from going to shambles. Not that you could help that, dear, keeping that one in line is a full time job. . . I'm worried for my sister Sweetie Belle and I don't know who else I can trust. She's stopped writing me and I'd like to know why. I can't go looking for her and I can't ask anypony else.”

Another disappearing pony. Twilight bit her tongue. She couldn't go sauntering off either, but how was she supposed to dismiss a request like that? “I understand, but how can I help? I figured you wouldn't want to involve Discord... knowing our luck he's already taken a special interest in your sister.”

Rarity blinked twice and raised an eyebrow. “You hadn't heard?”

Twilight stopped, the words falling heavy from her mouth. “Heard what?”

“Oh, dear...” Rarity tapped her horn. “I'd have thought you'd have known. Discord decided to throw a surprise banquet in Ponyville this afternoon... he made it sound like it was your idea.”

Oh, no, thought Twilight, immediately feeling sick. I told him all about Celestia's public events... I didn't think he'd actually do any of it. The castle can handle him. They're used to it! What if he gets out of control? What if he hurts someone? No, this isn't good... one snap of his claws and Ponyville is uninhabitable. I have to get there now.

“Twilight?” Rarity tilted her head. “Are you alright? Should I fetch a doctor?”

“No, it's alright. It's fine!” Twilight laughed and trotted back across the room. She had to keep a smile and a hop in her hooves to keep Rarity from worrying. “My things. Where are...? Oh, I don't even need them. I need to get to Ponyville before Discord turns the place upside down.” She sighed deeply. “He may actually do it if he gets it in his head, you know.”

Rarity backed up a bit to make way for Twilight's frantic pacing. “I'm familiar with his work,” she admitted. “But are you really going to be okay? Perhaps I should go with you after all.”

It tempted Twilight to take Rarity along, in spite of the risks. It'd been so long since she felt like there was anyone on her side. But she could tell just from looking at her that it troubled her to do so. She wouldn't have asked, after all, if she could have gone herself.

“I appreciate it, but you should stay and tend to your own affairs,” she said. “Besides, if Discord thinks something is too important, he has this habit of messing it up. I can distract him. And while he's distracted I can find out what happened to your sister. Piece of cake.”

“Thank you, Twilight,” said Rarity, hugging her again. “You're the only one I can trust right now.”

She wished she could stay longer. Catch up with Rarity, and start to return her life to a sense of normalcy. It was there in her grasp. Rarity lived in the castle. They had power there, and together they could bring their friends closer. Their family. Discord could be a problem, but she knew just how to point him where he wouldn't be any trouble to her.

Little more than a dream. Twilight smiled to herself. Oh, Celestia. What would you say if you knew what was going through my head? It's like I can still feel your disapproving gaze... I wish I could pretend things were alright. But your Equestria needs somepony to keep her safe.

Twilight shook the contentment of the moment off of herself and drew in a deep breath. She had to face the world that was: Celestia missing, Nightmare Moon on the loose, and chaos across Equestria.

The Festival of Fools

Discord

Discord drifted through Ponyville. He'd watched the citizens for the better part of an hour, drinking in the little bits of confusion and surprise they encountered throughout the day. Unseen, he could have spent the better part of the day dropping bits in bags or making the ponies cross paths with others of unfortunate familiarity.

Today had to be big, though. So he made a proper appearance, descending from the peaks of Canterlot with a flash of light and flair. Ponies never took long to gather—get a few of them excited and suddenly the whole herd was around for a gander. With his mere arrival, dozens of ponies abandoned whatever held their attention and stared at him expectantly.

A young pink filly, barely more than a foal, waved a hoof. “Hi, Mister Discord!” she managed to exclaim before her mother tucked her back into the crowd and gave an apologetic look.

It made him fuzzy on the inside, and about as sick as eating too much candy in one sitting. “Well hello, everypony! How nice to see you today. I thought I'd take a little trip from that stuffy old castle and see the real heart of this land. You.”

Amidst the sound of cheer and rumbling hooves he paused. The sound sucked him in like nothing else. “What day is today, by chance?”

One of the colts chimed in. “Tuesday?”

“Well, yes,” said Discord, resisting the urge to slap his eagle claw against his face. “No, my friends. Today is a special day. A holiday like none other. Though the Summer Sun Celebration belonged to Celestia and Nightmare Night belonged to that frumpy old filly...” He paused to listen. They still shuddered at the mention of Nightmare Moon. “This day, ponies, is yours.”

“Let the Festival of Fools begin!”

They'll cheer for practically anything, Discord thought. Perhaps, 'let's hear it for cheese!' next. But no. I have to pace myself.

Discord set his feet upon the ground so he could maintain a proper strut through the roads of Ponyville. No band had been prepared for his arrival—he made a mental note to hire musicians to attend him full time—so he improvised by making the gardens do it for him. Tulips into trumpets, sunflowers into cymbals, petals beating upon pods and sounding melody in impossible ways. The sound filled the streets and called more ponies to attention.

Soon he had a parade to lead, and lead them he did—in circles, for the most part, because it was easier to hit Ponyville in a spiral. And sometimes they would have to go back. But nothing was supposed to make sense. Except for the fact that he needed as much of the population present as possible.

“I don't think it will be on the same day next year,” he lamented to no one in particular. “Or perhaps there'll be another one later this year. Maybe tomorrow! Celebrating is such good fun, after all.”

These ponies love their revelry more than anything, he thought. How hard would it be to set up a ministry of parties? Oh, I know just the mare for the job, too... but that's too structured, isn't it? Too much effort in one place at one time.

They need to learn to live in the moment.

He'd done his handywork on Ponyville before, of course. Not as much as Canterlot, but it already enjoyed the flash storms of root beer and the spontaneous reorganization of the landscape. Houses sometimes just looked better on hills. And there was that cliffside that fit in just marvelously in the middle of the Princess' road.

But now the changes were cropping up everywhere. Discord was in too good of a mood to hold back. And once he'd reached the approach to town hall he paused and lifted his claws.

With one push he stretched the land, far and away from the central building. Then piece by piece he began to dismantle it, bits of structure and wood flying from the sides until nothing was left but the foundation and some very startled ponies falling onto their flanks.

And in its stead he began to stretch the foundation into booths and stages fresh for mysteries to vend and performers to give their all. But most of his attention went into the table, splinters flying out like a flight of gulls until they materialized into a table. He stood at the apex of the V and bid the earth to rise, and across it all piling cloths of every color and shape.

The mayor approached as he worked and tried her best to put on a stern face.

“Now, see here,” she said, while he casually dropped a daisy in her mane, “With all due respect, that is, you can't just go about tearing down our homes and offices. The town hall has been the center of order in Ponyville for generations!”

“All the more reason to change it, my dear,” crooned Discord. “Though I suppose we could compromise.”

Perhaps an obscene statue to cut through their memory of those stuffy Princesses? No, best exile them from the holiday altogether. Reeducating a herd is awful hard work...

The mayor flustered and dusted the flower from behind her ear. “I suppose... I suppose it would be alright, but could we put it back when we're through with all of this?”

Discord raised an eyebrow. “All of 'this'? This is not mere tomfoalery, dear mayor. It's a national holiday! And as Ponyville's Mayor it's your duty to see that the celebrations are carried out in full.”

He pulled a bit of metal from thin air, and then kept pulling until the entirety of the Canterlot throne emerged. He placed it at the head of the table and draped himself in it. “Are we understood?”

The mayor rubbed her forehead, as if trying to force herself to accept it. “Yes,” she said at last, a hint of barb still in her voice. “So long as I know my duties I can carry them out. What am I supposed to do?”

“Supposed to do?” Discord hummed and leaned back in his chair. “Whatever you want. As a matter of fact, I don't think you're in charge today.” He scanned about until he caught side of a scruffy looking colt with his mane over his eyes. “You there. You're in charge today. Have fun.”

The pony blinked, and then grinned. “Alright!” He seemed all too happy as he ran off, laughing.

Discord leaned over and stage-whispered to the elder mare. “No one is actually in charge... it just makes ponies feel better if they think they are.”

In a way, not even he was. That involved too much control, a certain mastery over things that made them far too predictable. He reveled in his element. He didn't think much of anything else even surrounded by ponies, except for the vague sense that someone would inevitably try to 'put him in his place.'

That'll be the day, he thought. And who would want to change all this? They're having such a good time...

Excitement barely won over restless worry for Ponyville as they surrendered to cheer. Anypony with an inch of talent found a place to perform. And the herd continued its delightfully unhealthy habit of snacking on the sweetest things around—which Discord made sure were there in abundance, where one would least expect them.

“Forget about what you're supposed to be doing,” he said, not only to the mayor but to everypony present. “Or what you think is right. Today is a day where you need not worry over why or what if. Simply seize the moment and do whatever it is that you always wished to do, that you thought you could not... who knows of tomorrow? But today you do not need to fear your freedom. Follow your wildest impulses, embrace the chaos!”

“Embrace the chaos!” The crowd echoed.

Discord smiled. Though he appeared outwardly to lounge and relish in his position, his claws were in everything, every minute twisting moment of energy in Ponyville. For most ponies letting loose meant little more than excessive snacking or some sort of romantic foray. They lacked the mean streak that a gryphon or a dragon might have, which meant that he could, largely, let them play to their hearts content.

“I suppose you have a point,” murmured the mayor, more to herself than anyone else, before slinking off into the crowd.

Many more ponies sat down at the table with him. Having starvation fresh in their mind tore down all senses of decorum, even when half of the food present wasn't especially edible. Discord sipped a straw straight out of its glass and watched. They gathered to him, but would not come too close.

“You know, Cloudchaser...” said a pegasus, to her friend who was incidentally neck-deep in raspberry pie. “I think I might like, love you.”

The other blue pegasus pulled her head out of the pastry and stared. “Mwha?”

“Yeah, um...” the first pegasus tapped her hooves together. “Even when you're all covered in crumbs and sauce I still feel crazy about you.”

Cloudchaser managed to turn herself a bit more red—with only a little intervention on Discord's part. There were lots of conversations playing out like this. Feelings burst into the open. Ponies confessing to one another. And love, innocuous, fuzzy love, was such a strange thing.

It always starts like this, he thought, watching as the two ponies' world changed in an instant. Surprise. Excitement. Confusion. She'll be doing things she's never dreamed of, and even I can't tell what will happen next.

Then of course it either exploded into flames (which was marvelous to behold) or ran the risk of becoming boring. Either way his attention span never quite kept him to the end, and he could only stomach so much pony romance before the sugar coating got the best of him.

Amongst the stirring of the town he detected a new force approaching. A whisk of bitterness descending from Canterlot to stifle his merrymaking and, to say the least, bring down the mood. He glanced over his shoulder and the back of his throne to spy a pegasi chariot pulling into the green behind him. Twilight Sparkle jumped out and began nakking before she even got near him.

“Discord!” she shouted, ears red with fury. “What do you think you're doing? Ponyville is a mess! And it's only getting worse. What... what could you possibly be trying to accomplish?”

Discord pretend to pout. “Oh, I'm just having some fun, Twilight. And so are they!” He gestured across the town of ponies in the midst of partying. “Don't you think they deserve to let loose after all they've been through?”

“They've been doing plenty of that with you around,” said Twilight, now dragging up a stool beside him. He promptly transformed it into jelly and she sat in it with a loud squish. Some of the ponies close by laughed at length.

“I think the truth is clear,” said Discord. “This is the way ponies want it. Every day and night could be like this, and I wouldn't even have to get involved.”

Twilight remained adamant even as she wiped the red goop off of her flank. “They may be having fun now, but what about tomorrow? Everypony will get tired. They'll want to get home. And some of their homes are floating in the sky!” She pointed a hoof up at one of the floating houses. “How is that supposed to work?”

Discord waved a paw dismissively. “Oh, they can just find one of those winged ponies to carry them. Teamwork and comradery and all that. Maybe have a floating sleepover. Wouldn't that be fun?” He paused and leaned towards her, whispering. “Or maybe all that time around Princess Gloom made you forget how to have fun?”

“It's not about fun,” growled Twilight. He'd obviously nailed a nerve. “You want this to last, right? Then you'd better clean up after yourself.”

Discord raised an eyebrow. Was the unicorn serious? Chances and ultimatums. It reminded him of a time long ago, one of the many times he'd been in Equestria. But Twilight didn't speak with conviction. The fire behind her words had been snuffed out by the chill of endless night.

He would have to help her learn again.

“I don't think I will,” said Discord, sticking his tongue out. “And what do you plan to do about it?”

Twilight stared at him. He thought he saw something building in her, some anger, some explosion of fury, but in the end she slumped and sighed.

That pony is far too used to giving up, he thought. And I might have let her win this one, too. I can tell she used to be so much fun. How do I bring that mare out?

A tough conundrum. There was enough energy bustling about to distract him from the need to start fires and at the same time for him to try to figure Twilight out. Trying to make sense of it caused a little pressure in his head though, one he always found extremely distasteful. But he supposed he would put up with it if it meant getting a reaction out of her.

While he thought of this, an orange pony pushed her way through the crowd. Applejack, one of Twilight's friend's, quite cautious to avoid drawing attention to herself. It stood out like a beacon of silence, but he wondered what would happen if he left them alone for a while.

“There you are, Twi'!”

Twilight looked up and a bit of light returned to her eyes. Applejack ran over and Twilight hugged her, which led to, Discord thought, an overly unnecessary display of affection. It was a bit too sweet, but it fit in with the mood well enough.

“Applejack? What are you doing here?” said Twilight. She moved as if to offer her a cushion, and then decided not to.

“I needed to find you, and since you seem to have this habit of following whoever is ruling these days, figured you'd show up at this.. err... little soiree.” Applejack looked around in obvious disapproval.

Twilight looked back at Discord, who pretended to be paying attention to something else. “Anything for an old friend,” she said. “I'm sorry I haven't been to visit. It's just that this whole...”

Applejack cut her off with a wave of the hoof. “I believe you, sugarcube. More than you might know. But I don't have time to beat around the hay bale. Nightmare Moon ran off with my little sister, and some of the other fillies...”

Twilight sat straight up, and even Discord raised an eyebrow. “No...” the unicorn stuttered. “First Celestia, and the night, and now this? Are you sure it was her?”

“Saw it with my very own eyes,” said Applejack. She touched the bandage on her side and winced. “And have the scars to prove it.”

Discord found this a good time to interject. “So you just let her go? With all your little foals in tow?”

“Weren't like that at all,” spat Applejack, before adding in a habitual “your grace. Found her with Rainbow and Fluttershy. Then she got all swirly and dark and went to some shadow place.”

Twilight was taking a while to absorb this, dazed and overwhelmed. Discord merely let a little shudder.

“Of course she would go there to lurk about,” he said.

Applejack blinked. “You know where she went off to?”

“I've had more brushes with it than I'd like,” he said, mocking a gag. “Dreariest place you can imagine. Take all of Equestria and then strip away everything that's basically not darkness or gloom or all of that broody icky stuff.”

“I think I've read about it,” said Twilight. “Though I've never heard it referred to anything other than 'the place between dawn and dusk.'”

“That's a fancy way to say 'nightland,'” said Discord. “If she's there, she'll be in control of everything from the sky to the roots. As much as she ever is of anything. But she doesn't strike me as the type to just disappear forever.”

Applejack shook her head. “Before she disappeared she said she was going to look for her sister.”

“Princess Celestia?” Twilight jumped up. Discord hadn't seen her that motivated in a long time. “Then if we find Nightmare Moon, we might be able to find the princess.”

Discord smiled. There it was: determination. That incessant need to set everything right. Twilight still had strength in her yet to fight. She made a perfect little mirror of Princess Celestia, or at least he was sure that was what the princess intended, with a little polish.

The whole thing seemed a trite ordeal to him, though, and if the two sisters wanted to come and fight him for the throne, they could do it on their own time. He was having fun like he hadn't had in years.

“Well the two of you are perfectly welcome to go off on your little pony chase,” he declared. “By all means, take whatever you need. I don't care. I'll be here, taking care of Equestria.”

Twilight's ears folded back and she stared at him. “If I leave you alone, there won't be anything left of Equestria for us to return to.”

“As if you could stop me anyway,” he said. “Face it, Twilight, you're just another pony caught in the tides of chaos. May as well go with the flow.”

“Uh, Twi...” Applejack muttered. She'd started to shake a little.

Discord raised his voice to the table, to the town. “What do you think? Do you like this side of Ponyville? Wouldn't you like to party all the time, and live carefree for the rest of your lives?”

Everypony cheered, and the volume vexed Twilight. Discord made flowers pop with streamers and ribbons of candy and they cheered again. He twisted the landscape into rolling hills colored like chalk and sherbert and ponies swayed to keep their balance. The very earth beneath them moved at his whim and he chuckled.

He followed Applejack's gaze to another colt, yellow fur and a brown mane. She looked away quick but Discord lifted from his throne and slithered over to him.

“And what's your name, hmm?”

“I, uh...” the yellow pony stammered. There was a bit of fear in his eyes. A bit more than he was used to seeing in a pony.

“Now you leave him alone,” said Applejack, putting herself between them. She glanced back. “You get yourself home Caramel, won't be no harm. I promise.”

“Of course there won't be any harm,” said Discord. “That's not my style. Caramel, is it? You look like you could use a leg up, as it were. Yes, I think I'll give you my blessing. Let it be known that I am quite a giving ruler.”

Applejack tried to push him away but he simply slipped over her and pressed a single talon against the colt's head. All it took was a little bit of chaos to twist somepony's personality around. A dash of magic, a hint of chaos, a little enchantment... Discord wasn't quite sure how it worked but put a little bit of it in them and the results were simply marvelous. It did have the effect of dulling their colors a bit, which struck him as odd, given his love of flash, but it worked.

“Ugh...” Caramel rubbed his head. “What the hay?”

“I just did you a big favor.” He clapped his hands together. “Who else? There have to be a few more ponies. Oh, allow me...”

He slipped through the crowd and sprinkled bits of chaos here and there. Not everypony, just a few. He hardly kept track of it, that way the outcome would be more of a surprise later.

“Are you alright?” Applejack reached up and took Caramel by the shoulders. “Did he do something to you? Say something!”

Caramel arched his eyebrows and laughed. “Not at all. I feel like I've been woken up. And I rather like where you're going with this.” He tilted his head one way. “Now what was this you said about getting' home, AJ? I think I could take you up on that.”

Applejack groaned and shoved him off. “You better be enchanted, else the only place your going is the ground with my hoof in your flank.” She turned away in time to miss a lewd gesture. “Twi? What's going on?”

“I don't know,” said Twilight, rubbing her head. “I've never seen him do this before! It might be magic but I'd need to do some research to find out. But Nightmare Moon...”

Applejack glared at Discord. “I think we got more than one problem right now. We've got to do something before he gets out of hand.”

Discord chuckled to himself. He'd already mixed with the crowd and done his work. The shy tensions of the gathering quickly flared up. Ponies he'd given the gift of chaos were becoming pushy, cruel, and in rare cases violent. Brawls began to pepper tables with ponies throwing whatever food they could find at one another. Pranks, torments, arguments were bubbling up in no time.

Just like old times, he thought fondly. That was a landscape of madness unending. Something so easily in his grasp. And this time, nopony would be there to stop him. No princess. No elements of harmony.

It was his world to do with as he pleased, and there were enough who would love him no matter what.

“This is the way it should be!” He cried out to the crowd. His reached extended. Buildings shuddered as the very rules of reality bent around them. Bits of earth contorted and floated or flied about. Some ponies suddenly found themselves standing on the sides of the buildings instead of on the ground. Others struggled to get up altogether.

The sky churned with pink clouds and a rain of chocolate splattered the landscape. The droplets struck some ponies and their coats began to turn chocolate colored, or else polka dotted. The rabbits' legs grew immense and other pets transformed into other creatures altogether.

He laughed and laughed as he extended his reach unbridled and scarcely noticed as the herd turned from laughter and cheer to panic. Even most of the chaotic ponies fled from the blending mess that he was making of Ponyville.

“Get him out of here,” said Twilight. “Go! I'll deal with Discord, and then Nightmare Moon, and then...”

Applejack frowned. “I can't leave you to do that on your own, Twi'. I just can't.”

Twilight stamped her hoof. “You'll only encourage him! Now get your friend out of here. I promise I'll help you find your sister, so leave this to me!”

The poor mare had to practically drag Caramel by his tail, not because he wasn't willing to go, but because he wanted to make it difficult for her.

And Discord was left in the empty, contorted courtyard to gloat over Twilight while the ponies fled as far as they could, distrusting even their own homes for shelter.

“Well, well, what do you know? Looks like there's nothing you can do, is there? What do you think now?”

Twilight walked over crags and sparkling fissures to stand beneath him. He watched her, wondering what she would do. A shield? Pure magical assault? Or maybe she would start undoing his work—that would be fun. He hadn't had a satisfying magic duel since he last saw Princess Celestia.

But all she did was speak. “Do you hear that?” she asked.

Discord scoffed. “Hear what? There's nothing.”

“Exactly,” she said. “Just take a moment and listen. Look around you at what you're doing! Is this really what you've wanted, Discord?”

For a moment he stopped and let go of his grip on Ponyville. The world to him seemed to stop spinning, and everything stopped moving. Bits of rock and carts fell to the ground with a clatter. Ponyville was empty. Ponyville, previously filled with joy and laughter and a just a bit of tension was now completely void. Only the echoes of fear remained, and silence. Almost like the world beneath Nightmare Moon.

And only Twilight remained, staring with bright eyes. Not avenger's eyes, but the eyes of a mother scorning a child.

What is this feeling? This emptiness? I hate it. This isn't me. This isn't me at all!

He threw a burst of magic in a fit and one of the houses turned into a flat cutout, falling to the ground with an explosion of air. “What is wrong with me!?”

“Guilt,” Twilight ventured. “Maybe even you can feel it.”

“Even you,” Discord repeated, glaring at her. “Like I'm not here, like I'm not really complete.”

“Are you more than just a figment of insanity?” Twilight said, inching closer. “Because if you aren't you may as well be a slice of Nightmare Moon.”

Discord threw another burst, this one streaking a line of silver through Twilight's mane. It struck an apple cart and turned it into flour. “Stop looking at me like that. Stop talking to me like that!” You could never be Celestia, he thought.

Twilight's mouth hung a little. “What do you care?”

Why do I care? I shouldn't. Yet he did, and it made him angry. Angry the same way she was. The kind of pony Discord told himself he'd never be. It doesn't matter what I am, I shouldn't have to hurt ponies. Why should I care? Why do those words sound familiar?

He looked up at the sun. Any mortal creature would have gone blind. He dazzled a little at first but let the pure heat and light of it sear through him. It held his mind in place for just a little while to let out all of the chaotic emotions go in one wretched breath.

Then he settled to the ground and let it smooth out a little. “I don't know, Twilight,” he said.

The unicorn reached up and touched the back of his eagle claw. It scrambled him a little inside, but not in a way that pained him. “Everypony makes mistakes,” she said. “You don't have to be like this.”

“I am like this,” he said. But I can find other ways. Ways that don't end like this...

The silence bothered him more than anything else. And something else was missing, too. Butting heads with Twilight always reminded him of it and now he knew why.

She balanced him out. She kept Equestria standing beneath everything he could dish out. She kept the world from turning silent when he was at his most chaotic and free. She understood what he was more than anypony else, and even if she didn't like him, she accepted him in some strange way.

She was the reason it felt like something was missing all along.

Twilight Sparkle watched. Her gaze softened, just the way Celestia's would have. He wouldn't build Ponyville back to its pristine former self, but he let the chaos slip away from the land and back through himself, back through the ether. Grass started acting like grass again, and the ground slowly heaved back to its level shape. Pink clouds turned white and drizzled pure water to wash away some of the mess.

“I think I've got an idea to win them back,” he finally said.

Twilight couldn't help but laugh. “This should be good.”

“Imagine if you will,” he said, leaning over, draping his lion's paw around her neck while he gestured with the eagle one, “everypony from here to there lined up as we return from the farthest reaches of the world. Imagine the joy and the love on their face when we bring their dear Princess Celestia back to them.”

He felt Twilight shiver. For all her skepticism the thought put a little hope in her as well. “You're going to look for her?”

“With you, of course,” said Discord. “It's going to be a long trip and I'm going to need your help.”

“But I tried everything. Scrying spells, tracking spells, memory spells, I even sent her letters. It's as if she's no longer in the world.”

“Maybe she's hiding! Maybe she isn't.” Discord pat her firmly and jumped back. “What you lacked before is me. I can look farther, understand things that don't make sense. Between the two of us there's no better to look for a lost pony princess.”

Twilight pushed every bit of doubt to her forefront, everything she'd been holding on to for as long as she could remember, trying to dispel it. “What about Nightmare Moon? We can't just let her get away with the fillies.”

Discord laughed. “Didn't you hear your friend? Wherever Celestia goes, her sister will, too. Look for one and we're bound to find the other. And I don't know about you, but I'd rather keep myself out of the shadows if at all possible. It's a nasty place.”

Twilight nodded a bit. Then she stepped forward, away, towards nothing in particular. She held her head up to the rain and looked at the silhouette of the sun around the lining of the clouds. “Then she's really out there somewhere.”

“And we will find her,” Discord agreed.

Once she was back in their midst, things would be the way they should be.

Interlude

Lyra

Canterlot provided an abundance of venues for performance and most of them were so exclusive that even the most talented of ponies could wait a lifetime for a chance to perform within them. And though the formalities of her position troubled Lyra more often than not, being a court musician did open doors for her that she would never have dreamed of before.

And likely never would again. She'd taken the distraction of the Ponyville disaster to extract herself from the stuffiness of the castle and snatched up the first gig she could find. A similar crowd pervaded the club known as the Ivory Hoof, though. She preferred boisterous laughter, dancing, and a certain enthusiasm in the crowd that was utterly lacking here. She wanted to perform The Fiddlin' Filly but knew she couldn't get away with it.

Instead what she got was a hall of white and gold that was sterile of any sense of fun. Two stories of private tables and balconies and booths overlooked red carpet and a stage far too big for just one mare. Even the food for all of its delightful smells was too refined and miniscule to be indulgent. On top of it all, the polite claps and furtive glances were driving her mad. Still, a performance was a performance.

The Princesses of Canterlot

Once left her in the night

But their love will not be forgot

'neath the beast's endless might.

Though our magic will not yet rise

Great unicorns shall roam

And though our wings have left the skies

They'll someday bring us home.

She'd nearly walked out the door when she was informed her dress was not up to the high society standards, and Rarity for the life of her could not convince her to wear anything tight about the barrel. After hours of discussion they'd agreed upon a simple but elegant dress, dyed in umber and made of cotton silks. A traditional performers garb whose comfort only became accepted for its exotic origins. When all was said and done it fit her just as well as her lyre.

With her pupil in her shadow

now following the fool

six colors spread across the land

to bring back rightful rule.

The rivers run from blue to red

and flowers play out of tune.

Fair fillies hold their loves so near

for wrath may come too soon.

She searched the room to catch a glance, just a little look from some colt or filly in the crowd, and finding some impressionable brown youth, held it. Those whose spirits had not been entirely extinguished by the rigors of cosmopolitan life became lost in her when she turned in slow circles, swaying like a field beneath the wind. All together they would go to the place where there was only music and movement and all the walls of Canterlot came tumbling down to reveal endless green fields and cerulean skies.

To edges of Equestria

our dear friends now will go

so light a light for settings suns

and days we wish to know.

Though our magic will not yet rise

great unicorns shall roam

And though our wings have left the skies

they'll someday bring us home.

Two moments of silence held as she finished. Only when she swept a bow did the crowd politely tap their feet upon the ground; those she entranced stared, still lost. Her last round finish, she retired to her table where Bon Bon waited.

“You could have riled them up a lot more than that,” the filly chided, pushing a cup of water across to Lyra.

Lyra grabbed her drink and took a long swig. “Sure. And then they'd never let me out of the castle again. Would ruffle too many pegasus feathers, if you catch my drift.”

“I guess. I'm having a good time anyway. We never go to places like this.”

“We've been thrown out of plenty of places like this,” laughed Lyra.

Bon Bon's face tinted red but she held her tongue as a well-groomed mare approached them.

“You have a few fans,” she said. “I'm to bring you drinks on their behalf. Would you like to see a selection?”

Lyra drummed her hoof on the table. “Do you have any Sweet Apple Acres Reserve?”

The maitre de pursed her lips. She dared not comment aloud but the lift of her snout was enough. “I will check.”

“And a bottle of Red Rose for my filly here.”

The server smiled at Bon Bon and nodded. “Excellent choice. I will return expediently.”

“Why don't you grab a glass for yourself? Join us for a spell.” Lyra winked. “Help loosen you up a bit.”

The waitress pretended not to hear her and Bon Bon shot Lyra a brief glare before soaking back into the pleasant atmosphere of the room.

“I'm just enjoying myself too much to be mad at you,” said Bon Bon. “A whole bottle though? Don't you remember the last time?”

Lyra laughed and finished her water. “Of course. But you're probably too careful for a repeat performance.”

“Probably,” echoed Bon Bon, blushing.

The waitress returned again and set a pint of cider before Lyra with such delicacy the mug may well have never touched the tablecloth. She then set a bottle between them and uncorked it with a single sparkle of magic. The sent of lush roses and strawberry tinted the air as she lifted it and poured it into a tall glass before Bon Bon.

“Thank you,” said Bon Bon. The mare smiled, shot a glance at Lyra, and then trotted off towards another table.

“Well, here's to our fancy pants new life,” said Lyra. She lifted her mug and clanked it against the rim of Bon Bon's lifted glass.

They settled in. Lyra half-sunk her muzzle into her cider and tilted her ears out to the room. The elite didn't speak the same way the ponies she was familiar with did. Rather than making their opinions loud and clear (or whispering conspiratorily) they continued on in a conversational manner, loud enough to make themselves present, quiet enough so as to not draw attention to their manner of speech. It was difficult to feel the voices apart, but the sound naturally drew towards her and she picked it apart.

“I never expected him to stand up to the pressure of the crown,” said one monocled stallion to two of his companions. “But this is too much. The sooner the prince leads a revolution, the better, I say.”

“I say!” agreed another. “And what of the Princess' old pet? Cavorting about with his type...”

“Only asking to vanish,” the third interjected. “Alas, we cannot return to Celestia, it seems. She's far gone and this kingdom's summer days are over. Perhaps it is time to return to our more traditional ways.”

Lyra's ears twitched. Just because you're a unicorn doesn't give you a right to control everypony's lives. The conversation had become far too familiar. The Canterlot ponies wanted to regain complete control of their kingdom. With Celestia absent, their hubris was beginning to take shape.

And of all the ponies for them to hold up as their paragon, it had to be Blueblood. The same Blueblood who'd tried to throw her out of the castle, who tried to make Bon Bon a servant, who was already rallying ponies around him for the futile and suicidal task of trying to eliminate Discord. He had to have been dreaming of the throne for longer than any of them had known.

“Lyra?” asked Bon Bon, swirling her drink a bit. “What are you doing?”

Lyra swallowed her cider and looked up. She'd brought out her lyre without thinking much of it and plucked a couple of strings. “I think I feel a song coming on,” she said.

“Lyra,” she said again, flustered when the unicorn winked at her. She sighed and smiled and drew herself and her drink back.

There was nothing that could stop Lyra, anyway. She scrambled up onto the table and held her cider aloft with one spell and her lyre with the other. The act alone was enough to make everypony stare. So she stomped out a rhythm on the table, even if only Bon Bon would meekly join in.

Gather near and hear about

One colt this land could do without

With fuzzy hooves and balls of blue

The prince of mules and asses too.

Now he's got no taste for country folk

This one's too primp and proper

But when the Mistress Shadow spoke

He'd rather kiss the moons than stop her!

Cider splashed from Lyra's mug and she took a quick drink. She was dancing for herself now and even some of primped ponies were laughing and keeping up with her. Ponies that filed in the gilded doors were treated to a building ruckus of jeering and hollering and were she not in her performer's trance, Lyra may have noticed a white stallion making an entrance. But even if she had, she was beyond stopping now.

The Prince can play with toy soldiers now

as much as he might please

but his auntie dear would ne'er allow

the throne to foals like these!

So if on the street you pass him

sniffing up the market fair

give three cheers to the Prince of Asses

the hero of nowhere!

Lyra leapt down from the table and landed with a flourish near her seat. She looked over the stirred patrons with pride, their normal decorum broken with laughter and melody. And on the far side of the carpet, Prince Blueblood ground his hooves against the carpet, ears flat and cheeks red.

“What is the meaning of this?” He bellowed, which only encouraged the crowd. Those that could stop laughing did, but they were not many. “How dare you slander my name? Guards! To me, guards!”

“That would be our cue to go,” said Lyra, hastily magicking her instrument and the fresh bottle of wine into their bags. She grabbed the filly by the hoof and retreated towards the back of the establishment.

The same collection of ponies that made Blueblood and his company push through hoof and horn moved just slight to let them pass. Suddenly hooves were moving everywhere and Lyra found an earth-pony sized unicorn between her and the door. She recognized him as the owner with whom she'd briefly bargained for her performance.

“Ah, sir,” she uttered, glancing back over her shoulder, trying to find the prince amongst the crowd.

He lowered his head and gestured over his shoulder, to the door behind him. “Through the pantry. Blue door.”

Lyra glanced at Bon Bon and then slipped past, shoving the door open. “Aye, sir.”

The stallion chuckled and backed up, leaving the door only open a crack. “Keep the bar songs to a minimum, and you can come in anytime you like,” he said.

Lyra nodded and bounded away. There was no sense in risking a graceful exit, especially now that a dozen guards were combing the Ivory Hoof. The ponies began to settle but still she could hear the faint hum of her tune, and the incoherent screaming of one very upset stallion. The sound followed them all the way into the back alley. Before anyone knew what had happened, they would already be safe back in the castle.

Light through the Cracks

Twilight Sparkle

Twilight sat on the observatory balcony, surrounded by stacks and stacks of books. A number of them contained empty pages or scrambled script, thanks to Discord's occasional dalliances in the library, and only a select few could be returned to legibility with some enchantment. Yet for all her effort, finding exactly where Princess Celestia disappeared to remained a daunting task.

Still she studied like she hadn't in months, pouring over histories of minute relevance and brushing up on her divination magics. In all of this she had almost adjusted to the twisted nature of Castle Canterlot, its wispy parapets and broken landscape. It changed so frequently that she hardly bothered to keep track of it anymore.

Spike tromped up the stairs, panting a little from the climb, and dropped another stack of texts in front of her. “I'm not sure this is what you wanted, Twilight, but it's hard to find anything right now.”

Twilight turned a page and finished a paragraph about double-layering spells before smiling over at him. “Thanks, Spike.” She glanced quickly over the covers of the books. “Pretty old, but not a lot has been written about the frontier. And there's no better archive than Canterlot's. I think we're really reaching the end of our rope, here.”

Spike sat down beside her. “Celestia hasn't responded to any of the letters you sent. I'm not even sure if she's getting them. Do you really think she's out there somewhere?”

“I'm positive,” said Twilight. She sparked her horn and produced the small orb of sunlight. She'd kept it near ever since she found it in Celestia's study. “I think she left me clues as to her whereabouts, a couple adventure stories and a little light? What sense does that make?”

“Are you sure she just didn't have time to pack up?” Spike pressed, and his head-spikes drooped. Every day, it seemed, he'd found it harder to keep a positive attitude.

“I know it's hard to hold on, Spike,” said Twilight, nudging the orb towards him. “But she left this here on purpose. It feels like she never wanted to let the light leave this place entirely.”

The dragonling looked up at the light. He touched it with a claw and stared into it for several minutes. The heat of it warmed the balcony, and he eventually succumbed to laying against the heated, polished stone beneath them. Twilight turned back to her books.

After she'd finished another chapter, Spike spoke again. “You're going to be leaving too, aren't you?”

Twilight sighed silently. “I think I have to,” she said.

“I want to go with you, then.”

“Spike...”

“You and the Princess are the only ones I've ever really had,” he said. “Keeping me stuck in the castle is one thing. But leaving? I don't want to be here alone, Twilight.”

Twilight bit her lip. “You wouldn't be alone.”

Spike frowned. “I knew you were thinking of leaving me. But I'm not budging, this time.”

“Spike, this is...”

“Dangerous?” Spike rolled his eyes. “What isn't, these days?”

Twilight sunk a bit. She'd always taken Spike's attitude with a bit of grace, but the thought of having to leave him hurt her just as deeply. “I have a feeling that wherever Celestia is,” she said, “is so far and so dangerous... there's a good possibility that we might not come back.”

“Then there's no way I'm not going with you,” Spike snapped back without hesitation.

She dropped her books and hugged him tight. It didn't make her feel better, though. It felt too much like saying goodbye. “I need you here, though,” she mumbled. “If Celestia were to return, or something were to happen, you're the only one who can contact me instantly.”

“The answer is still no.”

“Spike...” Twilight pleaded. “I can't let you do this.”

Spike squirmed out of her hooves and pushed her away. “What am I supposed to say, Twilight?” he lifted his claws and puppeted them as he deepened his voice. “'Leave me alone and go. Sure, you don't know where you're going or if you'll come back, but I'm just so glad you're gone!'”

Twilight creased a bit of a smile. Spike always somehow could make light of anything. “I know, it's too much to ask,” she said. “We're all beyond our limit. I was going to ask Rarity to take care of you, though...”

The dragon's headcrest straightened, and then he flustered, turned away, and grumped at his sudden reaction. “Really.”

“Yes, really,” said Twilight, nudging his side. “I know you like her, and she'll take good care of you.”

Spike stared at the floor. “That might be alright,” he mumbled.

“I figured you might appreciate it.” Twilight moved to hug him again, but instead just gave him a pat. “I'll write to you every day, too. I practiced and practiced that spell until I got it exactly right.”

“I remember,” said Spike, rubbing his throat. “Never going through that again.”

“And if anything goes wrong, I'll turn around and come right back, okay?”

Spike looked her in the eyes. “You promise?”

“I promise,” said Twilight. Though I don't know if it's true. I would, I know I would. But I don't even know if we'll make it to tomorrow... but you can't know that, Spike.

“Okay then,” Spike gruffed. “But you are going to owe me when you get back. All of the rides and all of the ice cream we can eat and... and gems. Lots of gems. And then you're never going to do something this stupid again.”

“Alright, I promise,” laughed Twilight.

Have to remember that everything is going to be alright, she told herself. Once we find Celestia everything will go back to the way it was, and then Spike will be happier than he would ever be otherwise. And so will I. And everyone...

She turned back to another spellbook, but only got a few lines in before the words began dancing about on the page.

“Discord,” she grumbled, looking up. The beast floated just above the balcony, head propped in his claw.

“If you want to live in books I can just make you a bookworm,” said Discord. “Or put you in one of those storybooks.”

Twilight sighed. “You could help, you know. I thought you wanted to find Celestia, too.”

Discord rolled his eyes. “I've been waiting for you! I can only redecorate so much before I get distracted. So why don't you just cast a scrying spell on that thing and get on with it?”

“I've tried that,” said Twilight, glancing at the sun orb. “A hundred times. A hundred spells. All I get is frustrated. It's not giving me anything.”

Discord drummed his chin. “Yes, I've seen. It's because you're not asking properly. Conventional magic only works on conventional objects and conventional ponies. And Princess Cakeflank is anything but normal.”

A fit of flush filled Twilight from hooves to ears. She couldn't let him get to her, though, even when he didn't exactly mean to. “Are you saying that you can find her?”

The draconequis slithered through the air and settled on the balcony beside her. “Just cast your little spell. And I recommend the imp back off. Or not! It could be interesting to see him get scrambled.”

Twilight turned her head to Spike. “Spike...”

“I know,” mumbled Spike, taking some effort to pry himself from the heated tile. “I'll put on some tea.”

Discord let a disappointed little sigh but did not prevent the dragon from leaving them alone. Twilight made sure that he was well down the tower before she began the spell. In other circumstances she would have moved the books for safekeeping, but Discord was being cooperative. She didn't want to lose that.

“Please don't break my concentration,” she said, lowering her horn at the orb. He loved to screw up her arcane experiments, but for some reason, being polite sometimes dissuaded him.

He merely waved his claw and beckoned for her to continue. She gathered all the magic in her in one warm, tingling surge and brought it to her horn. All the elements that put together a simple scrying spell were one thing. It wasn't hard to bring Celestia's essence into it. Images and memories surged through her and she felt a pang of homesickness before pressing the spell into the orb.

Just like every other time, it pushed back against her, restricting her vision. A pain surged through her head but she kept the spell going, waiting for Discord to intervene.

And he made her wait an agonizing few moments before finally stretching up and tapping the orb with a claw. For a moment she perceived his strange magical nature, a scramble of elemental flare, what should have (but wasn't) a golden sparkle of illusory essence, a mathematical algorhythm bent in ways she'd thought impossible... all these things breaking at once and crashing into her spell.

The balcony melted away around her and her view of the castle grounds vanished into a sea of white. Her stomach lurched and she had to fight to stay steady. Although she held perfectly still it felt as if everything around her whirled like a tornado. She shivered and closed her eyes.

Please, oh please, let it stop... she thought, and at her most primal level she wanted just to be back with Celestia again.

The cold, sickening sensation passed and replaced with warmth. Twilight opened her eyes.

“It can't be...” she said, soft, green grass tickling her feet.

Even Discord seemed to be put at awe by the place. But she was familiar with it, for she had been dreaming of it night after night. The horizon, though, seemed clearer than ever. Behind her, rusty red landscape rose in steppes and mesas, speckled with black creases. And before her, the green grass slowly faded into gold, and then endless plains of wheat.

Somewhere amongst them, she saw a white, tall mare flash by her vision.

“Princess Celestia!” she cried, and raced forward. It had to be her. There was no other pony in the world that looked like that, or made her feel like that.

She thought she felt the princess' gaze up on her, and before she knew what she was doing, she was racing through the grass towards her. The Princess, though, seemed to be getting farther and farther away, until she was only a silver streak galloping and fading into the distance.

Twilight stopped. Before she could catch her breath, a surge of images flashed through her mind. Deep, ancient forests with trees that rose like mountains. Murky swamps. Endless sprawls of clouds and dew like crystals. And a place that looked like stained glass, broken into a thousand pieces.

All of the images locked into her head at once, and then she fell to the ground, on the balcony, breathless.

Discord waited until she recovered. Even after that he seemed to be focused somewhere else.

“I've seen this place in my dreams,” said Twilight, and this made Discord come to immediate attention. “Where is it?”

“Nowhere,” said Discord, for once entirely serious. “And everywhere. You've only seen one side of that place... and to think Celestia went there, of all places. Figures. She always had a thing for the dramatic.”

Twilight squinted and rubbed her aching head. She wouldn't let the pain distract her, though. “Are you getting nervous?” she goaded him, ever-carefully. “Thinking about changing your mind?”

Discord raised an eyebrow. “Perish the thought, dear Twilight. If she can go there, then so can I. This might be bigger than either of us... well, bigger than you at least.”

“I don't care,” said Twilight. “I'm going. Just tell me where.”

Discord slipped over and pointed her south and west, pointing along the horizon. “As far as you can see, and that length again. Beyond realms ever mapped by anypony, and further than a place roamed by any living creature. To the end of the world, and then a bit further. That's where we'll find her.”

The sheer distance, no, the impossibility of what Discord was saying sunk into her. But if there was a way, if Celestia was there, there would be no stopping her.

Nightmare Moon

In her dreams, Nightmare Moon felt smaller than a foal. She raced through the shadows of grass, the colossal blades offering shelter from the blazing sunlight. Yet everywhere she tried to find shelter, there was only more fear, more flight.

Gusts of wind knocked into her like iron hooves. Dirt caked her coat and her star-filled mane grew dim. A whinny of fear escaped her foaming lips. She raced towards what she thought was the shade of a tree but instead she burst through into the open.

Then she was in Canterlot, on the promenade. She stood behind her sister, who would not look at her. Every pony did though. They stared through her dress, her crest. She avoided their eyes but could still feel their spite. She was a darkness on the kingdom. All they wanted was for her to leave, and to let them be 'at peace' with their perfect princess.

“Is that really what it was like?”

Nightmare Moon looked up. She was back in the fields again, but this time it was calm and the sky was filled with stars. Twilight Sparkle stood in front of her, head tilted.

“Maybe you just needed time,” Twilight continued.

Nightmare Moon raised a hoof to strike, but she couldn't find the anger in her. She sighed and lowered her stance, sitting in the grass.

Just a dream, she thought. I can't even control them anymore.

“You should have looked up to us the way you looked up to our sister,” said Nightmare Moon. “None of this would have happened if you would have just listened to me.”

Twilight shifted and sat beside her, looking up at the stars. “Maybe it wouldn't have,” she said. “But we can't change that now.”

This is a distraction. Nightmare Moon scanned the empty field. This is my domain. Who could possibly do this?

“I think you want it to change.”

Nightmare Moon looked up to retort, but instead of Twilight, her sister now stood above her. Celestia gazed down, aurora-like mane moving without sound or wind. Nightmare Moon trembled. Her sister showed no emotion whatsoever, and seemed somehow larger than ever before. Just as it had felt when she was banished.

She awoke with a start. Princess Celestia was nowhere to be found. She was still in the sanctuary she'd crafted, a bower of ebon branches speckled with golden stars and silvered flowers, folded about into a solid nest. The shadow world barely visible outside.

The three fillies she'd brought slept against the edge of the bower. It kept them safe, but it also kept them prisoner. One, though, stirred as she did. As Apple Bloom awoke, she didn't move. She shook a little and just stared at Nightmare Moon.

“Stop staring at us,” muttered Nightmare Moon. She folded open one of the branches and looked out across the shadowed fields.

Apple Bloom shrugged and hunched back down. “Don't really care what you say. I ain't afraid of you.”

“Of course you aren't.” Nightmare Moon rolled her eyes.

“Why'd you bother kidnapping us anyway? If y'ain't gonna gobble us up or make us disappear.”

Nightmare Moon scoffed and glared back at the filly. “Is that what they have been telling you about us?” She sounded more hurt than she thought she did. “We are not a monster.”

“Could'a fooled me.” Apple Bloom nudged back and curled up close to her friends.

By all reason, Nightmare Moon should have woken up the fillies and moved on . But she could hardly will herself from sprawling across the root-framed window. When did I become the boogeymare? These ponies have never understood us. No matter how hard we try. But they must. Everypony must know us, otherwise we will never return.

“You are here to keep us safe,” said Nightmare Moon, “from those who would hunt us. They would not risk your safety to get at me.”

“So we're hostages,” said Applebloom, trying to shrink beneath her ribbon. “Then what happens?”

Nightmare Moon exhaled. “We... do not know. That may depend on what our sister thinks.”

“Ya mean Princess Celestia?” Apple Bloom's eyes shot open.

Why does that name fill them with such joy? Such hope? It is not fair... Nightmare Moon squeezed her eyes shut. “Yes,” she said, clenching her teeth. “We are going to find her.”

Apple Bloom nodded. She seemed to quiet off, almost falling asleep again. With her eyes shut and hooves beneath her, though, she spoke up. “You and your sister had a fight?”

Nightmare Moon sighed. “That is one way to put it.”

“Applejack and I fight sometimes,” Apple Bloom admitted. “An' sometimes she sends me to my room. I sure do miss her though...”

The black mare stared up at the sky. “How would you feel if she stuck you in the moon for a thousand years?”

“She wouldn't do that,” Apple Bloom said. She sounded so very sure of herself. “'cause she loves me and I love her and she just wouldn't, you know?”

“You think that,” said Nightmare Moon. “But you never really know, do you? You'd be angry, wouldn't you? If your sister did that to you.”

“'course I would. I mean, I get upset sometimes, but if she did something like that, I don't know...”

I don't want to remember how I felt, thought Nightmare Moon. The scars still itched at her, though, as if it had just happened so soon. Bottled up in the seal of the moon, when she finally emerged it exploded in a cry, a frothing rage. All the ponies had rejected her, that stung, but for her to turn her back... it was just too much for her to bear.

“Applejack and I always made up when we were done being upset,” said Apple Bloom. “Maybe you 'n your sister can make up too.”

Nightmare Moon turned and looked back at Apple Bloom. “We do not think so, child,” she said.

By now, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were becoming lucid as well. The three foals whispered to one another, though Nightmare Moon could hear their secrets loud and clear. They knew Apple Bloom suddenly seemed less miserable, and they quickly learned why.

“She's taking us to Princess Celestia,” explained Apple Bloom.

“Really?” asked Sweetie Belle.

“That is like, the dumbest thing I've ever heard,” whispered Scootaloo, looking up at Nightmare Moon. She looked away immediately when she was seen.

“Whatever,” said Apple Bloom. “I know that if we get to the princess we'll be okay. Till then we've gotta stick together, alright?”

“Right,” said Scootaloo. Sweetie Belle nodded, too.

Apple Bloom gave Nightmare Moon a peculiar look. At least they are not quivering in fear at the sight of us anymore, she thought. Though we may have to remind them when to be afraid, from time to time.

She stood at last and flicked her horn. The bower unraveled at the top and began to bloom outwards, letting in the pale yellow sky. Their shelter was soon no more. She took a few steps to see if the fillies would follow, and they did.

“Where do you suppose the princess is?” asked Apple Bloom.

Nightmare Moon showed a fang. “There is one princess before you,” she reminded her. “As for our sister, we can feel her. We must follow. But to find the way, we will have to consult with creatures... ones ancient and dangerous. You would do well to stay close to us when we meet them, for it is they, and not we, who would make a meal of you.”

Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow

Rarity

Rarity had become accustomed to working in the presence of her companions. Though the shift of rule from Nightmare Moon to Discord marked a sharp decline in work orders, she nonetheless busied herself in producing fine lines of clothing and dress for the court. It was in her nature to continue working no matter the circumstance, but it did give her time to pursue her other project unnoticed.

The door creaked open and both Ember and Shadowgloam turned to face it. Snowflake leaned her head in the doorway, and the three of them fell quickly at ease.

“You have visitors,” said the pegasus.

Rarity considered the pile of broken stones beneath her hooves that once belonged to the Element of Laughter. “I am in the middle of work I'm afraid,” she said. “Perhaps it can wait until another time?”

“They said it was important,” said Snowflake. “Your friend Twilight and her pet dragon.”

Rarity spun. “Twilight Sparkle and Spike? Why didn't you say so in the first place? Oh, of course, of course. Show them in if you will, dear. The hall is a bit of a wreck, after all. I'll just make the place a little more comfortable...”

Snowflake nodded her head and dipped out. Rarity quickly produced cushions and thought briefly on the merits of finding tea to steep, but decided against it. She did however brush the dimly sparkling jewels of the Element into a velvet pouch and place it within one of her sewing drawers.

No sense in making her worry about that, she thought. More important that she finds my sister, and the princess...

She had just enough time to hide her belongings and a little more to make it look as if she were not, but perhaps not so much to wipe feelings of guilt from herself. A secret was a secret, after all. When the doors parted again, this time Snowflake came accompanied by her friends. The unicorns shut the chamber shortly after them and checked the lock.

“Wow, you're under more guard than Twilight is,” said Spike, his attention wandering around the tower workshop—at least until his eyes met Rarity's, and then he fell into a bashful silence.

Twilight brisked past him and rolled her eyes. “That's because everypony is too anxious around Discord. Which isn't going to be a problem for very much longer.”

Rarity pursed her lips into a smile and nudged a pillow towards Twilight. “Yes, I'd heard about the... incident. Nopony was terribly hurt, I take it?”

Twilight planted herself on a cushion. “No, though there are still a few ponies who have taken Discord's 'philosophies' to heart. I'd try to undo the damage myself, but that only seems to get his attention.”

“You can't blame yourself for everything,” said Rarity. “Taking him away is perhaps the best thing you could do right now.”

Spike, having returned from plucking a handful of tiny cookies from one of Rarity's trays, spoke around a mouthful. “Maybe you could leave him when you're done.”

The ponies winced, though Rarity recovered with a laugh and pinched his cheek. “Goodness, you've gotten a mouth on you. For snacks and for glib conversation.” She sparked her horn and discretely moved the rest of her treats out of sight. “All in good fun, though it would do you well to practice some tact. Someponies around the castle can be rather unforgiving about such things.”

Twilight snuck a cookie away from Spike. “Actually, Rarity, I wanted to ask you a favor. Regarding Spike. I understand you're busy and all.”

This gave Rarity pause. She glanced between her friends. “After what you're doing for me, it's the least I can do to hear you out.” She had a sense of what Twilight was going to ask. It seemed better to let her do as much, though.

“Since I...” Twilight hestitated, looking away from Spike and back again. “Discord and I will be leaving very soon on our journey. And I was wondering if you would be willing to look after Spike until we returned.”

Rarity tapped her hooves against the floor. Yet another poor soul to look after. But I cannot refuse. She looked over at Spike who suddenly found something else to be interested in. He seems cooperative enough, though.

“Very well, Twilight,” said Rarity, holding her head up high. “I will tend to Spike's well being in your absence. Though I suppose for the sake of simplicity I should introduce the others now. We'll be spending a lot of time together and they're my most trusted companions.” She paused and smiled. “Including present company, of course.

“At any rate, the pegasus who showed you in is Snowflake. The brothers are Ember and Shadowgloam. You may also recognize a few of our fellows from Ponyville. We mostly keep to ourselves, but by no means are we antisocial.”

“Charmed,” murmured Snowflake. Shadowgloam and Ember grunted similar acknowledgements.

“A pleasure,” said Twilight, looking a bit nervous. “I admit I haven't had much room for a social life these days.”

Rarity touched her shoulder. “I understand. But soon we'll be able to get together again, just like old times.”

“I hope so,” said Twilight.

And Rarity did too, deeply. Discord tore Ponville apart in a day, but the truth was that it had began to fall to pieces the moment that Celestia disappeared. The heart of her shop moved with her into the castle and one by one she watched her friends become estranged. The nation of Equestria felt without its very soul and center.

They stayed a while, though spoke little and what they did discuss seemed rather insignificant. But Twilight seemed loathe to leave such a familiar space and Rarity would not drive her from it. When the time they'd had grew thin, though, Twilight managed to pull herself to her hooves and ruffle Spike's scales.

“Thank you again, Rarity,” she said. “I need to gather some things, but I'll return to say goodbye.”

“That's quite kind of you, Twilight,” said Rarity. “You and yours will be welcome here any time.” She tilted her head and smiled at Spike. “If it's alright, I could use an extra pair of hooves—er, claws, I suppose—with my latest project. Would you be a dear and help me while Twilight packs?”

The young dragon latched onto Twilight's leg. But after a moment he pried himself off and let a lilting sigh. “Alright, Rarity.”

Rarity smiled. The eagerness of boys to make themselves helpful never ceased to amuse her, but Spike had a certain innocent charm about him that warmed her heart. Twilight nudged him forward with her head and he stumbled a bit.

“You be good now and don't give Rarity too much trouble,” said Twilight.

“I won't,” said Spike, after gathering his senses.

Then the doors open and shut with a wooden sound and Rarity busied them all with idle chatter. Rarity could have managed much of her sewing materials at length, but Spike seemed to enjoy fetching a spool here and holding a bit of cloth there. She made a note to test the rigidity of the young dragon's scales at a later point, if he would consent.

They worked for hours and Spike, still lingering on thoughts of Twilight's departure and the decrepit castle, only darted from one shelf to another so long before he fell asleep in one of Rarity's baskets (much to the chagrin of Opalescence). All seemed, for the moment, to be settling into a peaceful routine.

And maybe it was the lingering spirit of Discord, or Rarity's typical luck when in a zone of pure productivity, a frantic knocking came from the door. She sighed and, upon its repetition, nodded to Ember. He tugged the door open and the brown colt, Turner, nearly spilled through.

“Goodness!” Exclaimed Rarity, steadying him upon a cushion. “What's got you all in a twist?”

Turner drew enough breath until he could speak regularly, and put a hoof on his chest. “It's Prince Blueblood. He's heard that Discord will be departing...”

Rarity stiffened as a chill ran down her. Still she held her level of calm. “Breathe. Take your time. Tell me everything.”

Turner heaved a heavy sigh and knitted his hooves. “I was tending the hourglasses in the western archives when I happened upon a conversation. It seems that Nightmare Moon had originally planned to hold her coronation at the turn of autumn...”

“Yes, I recall,” said Rarity, glancing over to the wardrobe that stored her earlier dresses made for the princess. “What else?”

“The nobility is fed up with Discord's reign and his latest stunt has put an ill taste in their mouths. Blueblood seized the opportunity to suggest that once Discord is out of the picture, he should assume the throne. On the date that Nightmare Moon selected, no less. Most of the preparations have already been made.”

“And in spite of his shortcomings he is the only one present with claim to the throne.” Rarity rubbed her horn. “The nobility cannot be swayed?”

“Not enough time, if they are in a better mood.” Turner sighed.

“Yet he saw fit to hide this from me,” said Rarity.

“Yes. Which means...”

“It means that he is afraid of something.” Rarity smiled and drew a sheet of paper from out of her desk. “Would there be nothing we could do, he would already be here rubbing it in my face.”

“Brilliant,” said Turner. He heaved one last sigh and brightened. “So what now?”

Rarity drew up a quill and smiled. “We will respond with utmost politeness. Congratulate him on his coronation and ensure the finest of gifts are given in reparation for our past squabbles.” She looked around the sheet to Turner. “And you shall see that our note makes it into his hooves post-haste. We can't have him thinking that we're out of the loop.”

This should keep him dancing, thought Rarity. But we need to do something, anything, to keep him from claiming rule.

Pinkie Pie

Never before in Pinkie's life had a road from pony to pony been remotely treacherous, so it was to her great surprise when her chariot managed to, in no particular order, crash, burst into flames, explode, and somehow hit the ground in one solid piece. By that point, though, her and the stallion accompanying her were well out of the way. It was merely a stroke of luck that they had happened upon a small tear in Equestria—or perhaps it was the very same tear that caused their vehicle's destruction—which ultimately allowed them to emerge from the bushes a few feet away, unharmed.

“Looks like we're going to have to walk back,” lamented Pinkie, bounding out onto the road. “Or do you think we'll be able to borrow a chariot?”

Her companion, however, took to the whole experience with far less enthusiasm. Though white in coat he managed to somehow look more pale, his pupils shrunk to pinpricks, and a great trembling took him through from wing to hoof. “Never do that again,” he uttered breathlessly.

"Come on, Arcus, you've been through worse." She smiled wide and bounded over to nudge him toward a patch of grass and clover. After eating a bit he seemed to push their harrowing escape from his mind.

"We're going to be late," he said, matter-of-factly, and the two of them trotted the rest of the way to their destination.

The burg in mention formed at a crossroads between Manehattan and the northern wastes and Pinkie knew immediately that the only sorts of ponies that remained in such a place put high value on their solitude. In lighter times she could crack their shell with a few kind words, but following Nightmare Moon's reign, a pony's trust became more difficult to earn.

“Desperate times call for desperate measures,” said Pinkie Pie. “We may have to improvise a stone oven. Do you think cakes will come out alright in the open like this? They might have different baking times here.”

Arcus sighed and shook his head. A drop of water hit his snout, and then a second. Soon the grass bent beneath a slow, steady rain. The sight of normal weather surprised Pinkie somewhat, but she refused to let it get her down.

Autumn brought with it a deeper chill to the air, and many ponies could not help but think back to the long night they once endured. Gray storm clouds gathered over a smattering of thatched houses, most hidden between the crests of hills and the occasional stand of pine. They crossed a pair of streams on their way in to the town, though between the weather and the hour of their arrival, they met only a solitary watchpony standing near a signpost.

“What business do you have here?” the old colt asked, though in much a lighter tone at recognizing the stallion's armor.

“We're looking for a friend!” chimed Pinkie. Her enthusiasm (and puffed mane) startled the elder.

“Under authority of Princess Celestia,” said her bodyguard. “Her authority is still worth something here, I would hope.”

“More hers than any other,” the old pony muttered. “I'll give her my respects before any of the others. Not certain who you're hoping to find here, but it shouldn't take you long to look.”

“We can't stay long,” said Pinkie, ears drooping as they scanned the town. “Though I wish I could meet everypony.”

“I bet they'd like that, lass,” said the watchpony, chasing his words with a sigh. “Though you could probably check off the lot of 'em in under an hour. There's a stable around the bend should you need accommodations, but there ain't much to stick around for.”

“Thanks!” said Pinkie, shaking his hoof. “I really want to stay and get to know everypony, but I made a promise I wouldn't get distracted. Oh! I promise we'll come back to visit sometime soon, when it's not up against another promise.”

The old pony made no effort to keep her there any longer, though he did have a little bit of a smile by the time they'd gone around the bend. Pinkie considered the wide sprawl of stone and wood that undoubtedly belonged to the inn. They were so far out that it was probably empty, and they could worry about where they would sleep later.

“I do hope your information is correct,” said the stallion, “because if not, we have come a long way and almost died for nothing.”

Pinkie shook her mane out to an alarming width (which quickly shrunk again beneath the rain) and shuddered. “Trust me, we're in the right place," she said, gesturing to locations and sites of old conversations by memory. "Twilight's brother followed a detachment that, well, detached after things got all nasty. But before they could build a resistance he was sighted by some ponies coming in from Fillydelphia. Nothing but rumors since he slipped off, but there seems to be a big pony shaped hole of information right here.”

The stallion cast another look around the muddy road, devoid of any ponies. “And did it ever occur to you that might be because there is nothing here?”

“A mare knows,” said Pinkie, puffing up. Explaining how every conversation and every bit of hearsay added up to this precise village, and for that matter, the precise house to which she was leading him, would have taken so long that it simply was better to show him. Plus if she explained, she wouldn't be able to make any sense of the fact that everything suggested two ponies moving about the countryside.

They went to a small house nested beneath a row of pine trees, whose needles only seemed to fan the water out to dampen them further. They made it within twenty paces of the house before noticing two more ponies leaning in the shadows on either flank of the door.

“Hold,” said one, unicorn horn lighting with magic. “By authority of her majesty Celestia, you must leave this place.”

“Now hold on a minute,” said Pinkie, bounding a step closer. She ignored the spark of magic that sizzled just an inch from her hoof. “We're here on royal business, too. And if you'll notice, we're not going about singing friendly ponies.” She shook her hoof at the charred earth and frowned.

The guards glanced at each other, but did not budge. “I'm not sure what you think is here,” said the other, “or whose authority you carry, but you cannot stay. We will speak no more.”

Pinkie stamped her hooves, splashing up more mud. “Oh, no. I did not come all this way just to be turned back by some muscle. I know Shining Armor is in there and I'm not leaving until I get to talk to him.” She reached back and pulled Arcus in front of her, presenting the white stallion. "This colt is from Shiny's old squad. Isn't that enough? You have to let us see him!"

Neither line of ponies would relent. The guards took a single step in advance before the door creaked open and a white stallion stepped out. Though he only wore a simple red tunic about his chest, there was no other pony it could be. Broad shoulders, blue mane, and a sparkling physique. His cutiemark remained covered with a dark red drape, but Pinkie knew it could be none other.

“Sir,” said Arcus, lowering his head.

“It's been a long time,” said Shining Armor. He gestured with a hoof. “It's alright. She's my sister's friend.”

His two guards flicked a salute and then returned to their places beside the door. Pinkie smiled. They were only doing their jobs, after all. Now she craved the warmth of the house and the companionship of one of the Sparkle family, who seemed to share Twilight's inexplicable affinity for friendship.

“It must have been really hard to get here,” said Shining Armor. “Good news or bad is few and far between. You have to catch me up on everything.”

“Uh huh!” Pinkie nodded, immediately closing the distance with one bounding stride. She tried to peek around Shining Armor. “So who is she?”

Shining Armor blinked. “Who is what?”

“The filly you're dragging around, silly,” said Pinkie Pie. “There's always a big filly shaped hole in whatever stories I kept hearing about you. So it must be someone special!”

Shining Armor stared for a moment until he realized that he was blocking the way inside. Pinkie could only make out the orange glow of a few candles casting their warmth and light across polished wooden floors. A couple of bookcases obscured the view of the rest of the lodge.

“You're too good at that,” said Shining Armor, “but come on. There's someone I'd like you to meet."

A Crack in the Door

Twilight Sparkle

The next evening came about, as always, on a whim. Though its timing seemed quite appropriate to Twilight who, in spite of spending hours arranging Celestia's chambers and preparing various effects, carried on her only a pair of small saddlebags and a single tiny sun. She could have left the castle carrying nothing and still have sensed the weight across her back and upon her heart.

“Are you sure this is going to be dangerous?” asked Spike, still at Twilight's side. “This looks like more of a vacation than an adventure.”

Twilight glanced back at him, and then wearily across the castle platforms, to the docks where their zeppelin waited—Prince Blueblood's Zeppelin, which Discord had commandeered largely without permission. And no expense had been spared in its inception, bringing the comforts of the finest Equestrian furnitures and amenities on board where they mostly sat unused for months at a time.

In fact, the entire dock had remained largely abandoned since Discord's rise to power, tucked against the mountainside both out of sight and out of mind. No new ships had been built and travel by royal vessel seemed an extravagant waste of time and energy. Walking across the planks was like walking through the palace of Celestia's time, its indigo banners largely untouched, the golden ones still glimmering, as if someone had dutifully and quietly returned to clean them every night. Marble steps ascended the rock until they widened to the shape of a grand platform on which the airship sat.

“It's where we're going that's dangerous,” said Twilight, patting Spike.

“More dangerous than being around that guy?” Spike indicated Discord, who at current was amusing himself at the ship's wheel. He seemed to have added an admiral's hat to his ridiculous ensemble, and Twilight could pick up just bits of his amblings on piracy.

“Yes,” said Twilight. “I know it sounds strange, but somehow, I know he won't hurt me.”

Rarity slipped out of one of the passages fused into the mountainside and tossed her mane. “Even so, he is hardly a gentleman and I would not envy you his company. I trust you will take care of yourself, Twilight.”

The unicorns hugged and then released. More ponies continued to slip from the seams of the palace to see them off as they retreated towards the upper platform and the plank leading on board.

“I'll be fine,” said Twilight. “As long as I know that you're safe.”

Rarity wiped her eyes with a cloth and put on a smile. Twilight gave Spike one last ruffle and left him at her side. She took a deep breath and moved a trembling hoof towards the airship. And then another. Each hoof moved a little easier than the last.

I'm coming to you, Princess, she thought, finally making her way onto the ship deck.

Discord clicked his fingers and the plank rolled up into the side of the ship like a stretched roll. He teleported next to Twilight and held her uncomfortably close while he spoke, booming voice echoing to the crowd of ponies that had arrived.

“Fear not, citizens of Equestria! You may have to suffer without me for a while, but before long I'll be back with your big white princess in tow!”

He broke a bottle of fine cordial against the rail and then tossed the emerald glass down his gullet. “Arrivederci, my fine ponies!”

And the small cheer of the ponies echoed in the valley as the ship twisted and drifted into open air. They did not cheer for their leaving, but for hope that Celestia would actually return to them. The smiles on their faces burned into Twilight's memory as they shrunk to pinpoints against the mountainside, until at last she turned and the whole of the countryside lay before them, from the emerald plains of Canterlot to the badlands and beyond.

Discord

Discord removed himself from the helm right away. While frequently changing their course provided some shifts in turbulence, it left them in the same open sky and getting no closer to their goal. The best thing to do would be to let the ship do the work for him (or Twilight, who may have led him to believe that the balloon would do fine on its own) and find another way to keep occupied.

He hung over the rail, now running with flowers, as he studied the ground below. There was a lot of space in Equestria that went unused, populated by only migrant animals and the occasional solitary creature. On occasion he would paint a swath of color across the landscape or twist it in on itself, but before long they had past it, and he was faced with more of the same.

How does anypony get anything done when it's this repetitive? He frowned and flicked a claw towards the sky, tugging the sun just up over the horizon. Even messing with the sun isn't any fun if Celestia doesn't get upset.

A tap of hooves came across the deck and soon Twilight was standing beside him. “You're being awfully quiet,” she said, then bit her tongue down. No doubt thinking of some coy accusation of his character.

“I'm used to being confused,” said Discord. “But having some idea of where I'm headed, it's unusual.”

Twilight sighed. “Are you always confused, or just confusing?”

“Well, yes.”

“I think everypony is out of sorts, most of the time,” said Twilight. “Never knowing what's going to happen next, or where their future lies. That's why they seek harmony and stability.”

Discord shook his mane and gagged. “Doesn't that make you miserable?”

“No,” Twilight said firmly. Then she regarded Discord with a curious tilt of her head. “Is it because you're a Draconequus? That you're just... different from ponies in that way?”

“I've never really thought about it,” admitted Discord. “There are ponies that seem to love their chaos.”

“And there's not a part of you that loves harmony?”

“Oh, there is a big one,” Discord laughed. “Mostly the part where I mess it up.”

This caused Twilight to frown, and the draconequis to chuckle. While she was still reeling in frustration, he slithered his way through the lower decks and into one of the main cabins. Red velvet lined the floors and the walls, and expensive, gaudy seats mixed around with collections of beverages and fine foods. As Discord cracked open a small pastry cake, Twilight descended behind him.

“This is going to be a long trip if you're avoiding me,” she said.

Discord tossed her half the pastry, which turned into a stick of peanut brittle before she caught it with her magic. “This is going to be a long trip if you think I'm going to stay in one place for very long,” he retorted.

Twilight chomped the peanut brittle with impunity, and felt a jolt of joy in spite of herself. “Why don't you just whip up a shortcut, then, if you're going to complain so much?”

Discord sighed. “I guess we could just teleport there.”

This made Twilight stop mid-chew, a moment that Discord relished. She lowered her head and sparked a bit. “You'd better be kidding me. You set me up for a trip across the world and you could just take us right there?”

“What? And miss seeing the look on your face?” Discord chewed a claw and grinned. “I would never.”

She spit the rest of her peanuts out. “Just do it, then, would you?”

Discord tossed the rest of his cookie away and coiled in a loose shape around Twilight. “Very well then. But this may be a bit bumpy. Don't say I didn't warn you.”

She opened her mouth to speak and then he clicked his fingers. The two of them vanished into thin air, leaving the zeppelin drifting by its lonesome.

And as soon as they'd vanished they reappeared in a busy city street. Crowds of urbanite ponies gasped and gawked, backing away to form a loose circle. A couple carriages stopped. Discord looked around and tried to place himself.

Twilight stamped a hoof. “The princess is in manehattan?” she droned.

“No, we seem to have gone a bit astray,” Discord said, rubbing his paws together. “Not used to big jumps. We'll get it eventually.”

Again he snapped his claws, and this time they appeared atop a snowy mountain peak. Twilight shivered and sneezed. Even Discord found the cold unpleasant and so he blinked them away again.

“Hold on a minute,” groaned Twilight, holding her head.

Discord lifted a pair of maracas and gave them a sandy shake. It milled in with the roll of ocean waves against the sands. The air was quite warm there and the day much deeper than he had left it. In his tail was a lime-scented, iced drink. Around them a few ponies looked on, then went back to their relaxing or playing in the water.

“You're right, Twilight,” he said, after chugging down his drink. “This would make an excellent place for a break.”

“No,” said Twilight, grabbing the sombrero off of his head. “All this jumping around is giving me a headache.”

“What you need is a pina colada,” said Discord, fishing one out of thin air. “That'll take the edge off.”

“A what?” asked Twilight, staring at the drink.

Discord tossed it over his shoulder where it made a sizable crater in the sand. “Nothing,” he said. “Give me a moment. This time I'll get it right.”

The look Twilight gave him while reeling made him all the more determined. It was fun to hop around at random, but there was somepony he wanted to see. A place he wanted to go. It required an amount of concentration and accuracy that he hadn't mustered in recent memory.

Celestia, Celestia... why do you plague me so?

Thinking of her smug, benevolent smile kept his mind in place. Even if it drove him a little batty. He remembered the light she'd left, and though hidden in Twilight's backpack amongst some runes and wards, he had no trouble feeling it out and tracing her essence to where it had last been in the world. Faint, and distant, almost further than he could reach...

But nothing was impossible, and no rule in the world could bind him. For a moment he caught a flicker of a distant, ancient place, and that flicker was enough. He took the seed of thought into his essence and gave it a quick roll between his fingers.

“Hold onto your flanks, Twilight Sparkle,” he uttered, then snapped again.

When they came into being again, they immediately knew they had arrived. The very air they breathed seemed to radiate with a sense of being that had lasted from before the beginning of time. They were in a forest, which could have been a field for how far apart the trees were. But they were giant, black towers of wood and bark that rose higher than any spire or mountain that either of them had imagined. Their branches, leafless, nonetheless formed a web of shade that let only slants of daylight through to the moss and rock beneath. Even that light seemed so, so far away.

And Discord found himself struck with a moment of nostalgia. The place was not unfamiliar to him, though his memories were more scattered than his other senses. A sense of Deja Vu struck him, and had the wind not come to bring a dull chill to his scales, they might have stood spellbound forever.

“What is this place?” asked Twilight. She flinched at the sound of her voice, loud and crisp in the emptiness. “I feel like I've seen it in...” she hestitated. “It's familiar.”

“You have your hooves firmly on one Edge of the World,” said Discord, looking around. Every direction met with similar sprawls, though he was beginning to see the little variations. Berry and flower, vines winding around roots larger than archways. “This was the first forest. It touches Equestria once, and goes on forever. We couldn't walk back if we tried.”

Twilight seemed utterly astounded one moment, and another she reached for a quill and parchment. She lifted it, but couldn't manage to form a word on the page. She sighed and put it back before wandering a few steps.

“Despite what you think, we are not alone here,” said Discord, “so we'd best be on her way.”

The solemn way he spoke surprised Twilight. It surprised Discord, too. The place put a bad feeling in his stomach. He could feel the trees moving, though their twisted pulp only moved a fraction of a breath for his own. That bothered him more than the distant flit and skitters of creatures who thought that they watched unseen.

Better not tell Twilight, thought Discord. Fear is not exactly my favorite feeling.

Fear he felt, though, in a cocktail of anger and indignation from the creatures in the trees. Occasionally a flower would move the wrong way or melt into the bark of a branch and he knew them well. Shapechangers. His mild amusement at their presence only made them angrier, and more scared.

Serves you right for feeling me out.

They knew he was big news. Something he forgot from time to time, when he got caught up in his antics. He wasn't one to dwell on the fact that he was one of the major forces in Equestria. But this journey was putting it right in his face.

“So...” Twilight seemed meek, suddenly. “Is Celestia here somewhere?”

Celestia. The very name evoked her image, and with it all of her power and her energy. The creatures that watched from the shadows trembled at their vision of her. But they also had a sense of familiarity. The princess had been here in their living memory.

“No, unfortunately,” said Discord. “I said I could take us to the end of the world, but that is the extent of my power. Once we have stepped through the doorway, our real journey will begin.”

“The doorway...” Twilight repeated, rubbing her horn. “I feel like I'm the only pony who's ever seen this place. Experienced all of this.”

“Oh, you're probably not the only young protege who's wandered mystical domains,” teased Discord, stroking his beard. “Though it has been a long time, yes. I don't really keep track.”

“I should be writing this down,” sputtered Twilight. “Taking drawings. What if I can't remember everything?”

“Have more faith in yourself,” Discord tsked. “And if you forget, who cares? We have more important things to worry about. Like moving along.”

The unicorn huffed and trotted ahead. Discord laughed.

Look at me, giving your little protege lessons... oh, I look forward to rubbing it in. Your castle, your sister... it's all mine now.

He didn't have to try to remember where they were headed. He could feel it in his center, like a waterfall pulling the still brook over the abyss. Each behemoth of a tree spread outwards until they found themselves walking into an empty space, a circle. Six roots extended from the perimeter and met in a single archway.

Something not rain, but more like the ghost of rain, a magical sense tingled on their skin as they came to the center of it.

“I'm not sure what we're going to find beyond here,” said Discord, “or if we'll be able to come back. If that isn't your idea of a good time...”

Twilight looked up at him. “Did Celestia pass through here?”

Discord nodded.

“Then there's nothing left to say,” she said. “Show me the way.”

Discord found himself some knuckles to crack and approached the place where the roots touched. He rubbed his hands up against the space in the center. There was no door, but there was. A crack and a hinge, put there when something powerful and forgotten broke into what was now the world they lived in. And beyond, the land where he might have been born.

Most things in Equestria reacted to his influence with some resistance, or else allowed itself to be reformed in its own elements. Reaching between the cracks here, though, was more like being the key to a door you never thought you'd have to see again. No rip or tear, no clever spell. All he had to do was reach and pull and the roots filled with light and emptiness.

Twilight looked on expectantly, and when she was certain he was done, she stepped through without hesitation. Then she was gone from the face of Equestria, as Celestia had gone before her.

And around them came a din not unlike the wind, but Discord knew it was the sound of a hundred fibrous wings flitting in anticipation. Soon came the sound of a hundred muted sighs as he followed Twilight to the other side, leaving the strange beasts to linger in the land forgotten.

What was on the other side only resembled Equestria, or what Equestria might have been if someone perfectly dreamed it. The warmest, freshest air. The sweetest smelling flowers. Plain upon plain of sandy colored grains swaying, offering sustenance and shelter for the critters that raced beneath it. Endless blue skies, and yet also the shadow of a single, colossal tree whose infinite branches spread through the sky like cracks in glass.

And Twilight had lain down beneath the weight of it all, eyes wide, mouth open, eyes full of tears. To her it must have been like heaven.

To Discord it was but one length of a court which he had no desire to return to or remember. And already the golden fields began to seep into him. He felt things that only a mortal should have felt, and fatigue set upon him for the first time. A muted yawn slipped his lips, and sleep now peered from the horizon of his mind like a hunter with ages of patience finally getting sight of its prey.

Nightmare Moon

Much to Nightmare Moon's surprise, it did not take the fillies more than a few hours to stop shrieking at every skittering shape that happened across their mane and instead filled every waking moment with chatter.

“This kind of makes us adventurers, doesn't it?” said Apple Bloom.

Sweetie Belle bobbed her head. “Yeah! Like in those old pony tales.”

“But hopefully without us getting eaten at the end,” said Scootaloo, who shot Nightmare Moon a meaningful look. The black mare forced a smile.

“We need a cool name,” the little pegasus continued. “But what?”

Nightmare Moon shook her head and pressed forward. Having the three of them around reminded her too much of her childhood, which she indulged, in spite of someponies' efforts to make sure she grew up all prim and proper. Even that, though, had been stolen from her eventually.

It is all a part of the plan, she thought. Our sister would do anything for the safety of these fillies. Even before me...

She shook her mane out and the motion startled the girls. Then she cleared her throat and offered, “Mayhaps you would enjoy pretending to be my Lunar Knights?”

The three fillies paused and stared in unison. Sweetie Belle was the first to pipe up.

“Uhm,” she said, “aren't you the bad guy?”

Both of her friends clamped their hooves over her mouth. Nightmare Moon's lip twitched. There in her own domain she felt the anger rising in her more crisp and swift. But she found the power to put it down and instead replied tartly, “We are not the bad guy.”

“If you're not,” said Scootaloo, in spite of muffling her friend, “then who is?”

“Discord,” said Luna, sticking her tongue out. “Probably.”

At least he ruined her world. Twice, even. The girls pondered over this, and didn't outright reject the notion at least. It made sense. He was more of a villain than she ever was. And if it meant they wouldn't think of her as some evil to be overcome, it didn't really matter who they were thought was against them.

Any distraction, too, would have been enough. They didn't even notice that they had stopped walking a line and instead had gone into one of the shadows. The ground upon which they walked was shadow, and the space around them not air but mere golden void. What might have been the shadow of one branch stretched on for a hundred paces, and then met the shadow of a mouse, or a castle, or else a flower in a vase. Wherever the light touched, it cast a shape and a way through the world that only those of her kind knew how to access.

They eventually came to a wooded land, and the trees stood out a grey shapes, sickly spires that twisted up beyond sight. Instead of leaves they cast darkness and an exuded feeling of dread. As they neared it, the princess stepped back and beckoned to the children.

“You should not be seen by these creatures,” she said. “They can read your feelings. They can take the shape of those you love and use it against you. If they get ahold of you, they will feast on your soul until there is nothing left but only a shell of what you used to be.”

Scootaloo shivered. “Now that sounds like a bad guy, if ever there was one.”

“Eyup,” muttered Apple Bloom.

“Can you hide us?” squeaked Sweetie Belle. “Like you did before. Just for a little while? Until we're safe.”

Nightmare Moon leaned back and lifted an eyebrow. “You wish to be held in shadow?”

“It wasn't that bad,” said Apple Bloom. “Scary at first, but when I was with Apple Jack, it wasn't like that at all. So maybe if you don't do it too hard...”

This gave her some pause. It would make it easier to veil them against the changelings, to be certain. She did not know how well they would be hidden, when they all already existed within shadow, but other creatures' perceptions would be different. And if she could not handle what was within her mastery, then she hardly deserved to be known as Princess of the Night.

“Are you sure that you want to do this?” she asked, just to be certain. Any amount of resistance could jeopardize all of them.

The three fillies nodded, though.

They know that we need them, thought Nightmare Moon. But maybe they realize that they need us, too.

The other voice in her head remained silent. She looked around as if expecting Luna to arrive to lecture her, but nothing appeared. She slowly let the shape of herself expand, forming on the ground and then growing like a pot boiling over. The three girls looked at one another, and then Apple Bloom led first, slipping a hoof into the shadow.

They sunk into it as if they had slipped into a pond and their shapes remained ever faintly inside of her mind and in her shade. They then huddled close and whispered to one another, or at least tried to, to keep each other comfortable.

Not long after they had gone, a strange creature faded into view. She began as wisps of smoke, roiling into the form of a pony, like Luna or her sister, but black and shining and full of holes. Her middle was wrapped in a transluscent green carapace and a pair of luminous blue wings snapped up from her back. Nightmare Moon thought her more insect than pony, and disdained the creature, but held a cautious respect. She dipped her head in greeting.

“Unkind words to say of my kind,” chattered the changeling queen, “and feelings to feel about me. But your pain runs deeper than that, doesn't it? Twisted up around yourself...”

“Apologies,” said Nightmare Moon. “We should not be rude when--”

“Save it,” said the changeling. “There is a place for formality. You and I know this. And it is not in the dreams and visions of one in their own home. You want something, Luna.”

Nightmare Moon flinched. Yes, she can read our every intention. Even this hesitation. I can see it in her eyes... but she could read us like a well-written scroll even if she did not have these perverse powers. We must be blunt, then.

“I am only here for directions,” she said. “The way to the golden lands has moved again. Few beings in the world would be in tune with it. And I believe you are one of them.”

The changeling queen laughed. Her children laughed, too. Luna could make them out like little locusts staining the gold. They gathered around her and looked on from all around them.

“So what if I am?” she asked. “You may think yourself a shadow, but I can feel you out. I can feel everything. How about I tell you the way for the three fillies you're carrying? They would make a fine tribute to us. Or maybe just one would be enough.”

Nightmare Moon bared her fangs. She felt shock and knew it, but made herself not to linger on it. Rage was an easy emotion to fall back upon. “They are not yours to touch, insect,” she said. “They belong to the night. I have a better proposition. You tell me where I want to go and I will leave your domain without raining down destruction heard of only in myth and legend.”

The changeling was shocked, this time, and recoiled back from her. Nightmare Moon had a feeling that, while superior in number, the changelings were in too weak of a state to stand up to her fury.

The queen forced a laugh. “Come, Luna, I was just teasing you. I feel now that you are not in the mood. Some of my children are in the first forest, and can feel the way in its center. Does that appease you?”

Nightmare Moon lowered her horn and scraped the ground. “If we find out that you are lying to us...”

“Having you gone would make my day,” said the changeling. “By all means. Please, continue your journey...”

Nightmare Moon did not acknowledge her, but she did lower her stance and back away. She hoped that the changelings would take it little more than a dream, but it was a fool hope. Now that she'd gotten what she wanted, though, she could slip just aside and veil herself completely from their awareness.

“It's interesting,” said the changeling, draping herself across one of the nearby mounds, “how such a great many ponies have passed us by.”

Celestia, echoed one of her children.

And Discord.

And now Luna.

The changeling chuckled. “Yes. I want you to keep a close eye on them. Find them. And make sure they do not return. Equestria has become dreadfully empty these days, and I would much prefer to keep it that way.”

A Little Hurt

Applejack

As much as Applejack trusted Twilight, leaving her to find Apple Bloom alone left a pit of guilt in her stomach. There shouldn't have been such a thing as a loved one beyond helping. She couldn't stop thinking of it, though, even as she dragged a rope-bound Caramel through the Everfree Forest.

It had already been several days since the last meeting with her pegasus friends and she wouldn't break her promise to return. Yet there was another motivation to her trip. Caramel never quite recovered from Discord's corruption, and there wasn't a pony around that knew what to do about it.

The gray-toned colt behind her alternated between hanging at the end of the rope like dead weight, and trotting beside her with a sneer. At the moment he was doing the latter, laughing at every odd thing they passed.

“Dragging a stallion off into the woods, lasso and all,” he said. “Ponies are going to talk, you know.”

“Go ahead and lettem,” deadpanned Applejack. “Just shut your yap and keep moving. Unless you want to be stuck all roped up with a bunch of timberwolves.”

The threat kept him from being too stubborn. Applejack was more worried about attracting predators than stringing the poor colt up, but the forest was, compared to her previous sojourns, eerily quiet. Caramel did not know that the forest should have been filled with moving shadows and a constant rustling just out of sight, nor did he notice the absence of bird song and buzzing insects. Only the occasional trickle of water or far-off warble caught Applejack's ear.

She walked soft and breathed softer, counting the steps until she reached Zecora's hut. Fresh ruts and trampled patches of greenery surrounded the home where Fluttershy's critter friends lived not too long ago. She must have moved them, but their fences and poles still remained, as well as the less-than-faint musky smell that came with a menagerie of critters.

The absence began to ebb, though, because she could hear her friends chattering behind the door of the hut. Through the window she caught their shapes and colors. It warmed her so quick that she gave only a brief rap on the front door before admitting herself.

“Hey, AJ!” called Rainbow Dash. “What took you so long?”

“Sorry,” muttered Applejack, cocking her head towards Caramel. “Got myself into some trouble.”

“Ah, Applejack, we were expecting you,” said Zecora, who had just sat down a tray of freshly cooked biscuits. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash tore in with gusto. She looked at Caramel and pursed her lips. “Though only one more pony, not two.”

Applejack tugged her hat down and pulled the colt inside. “Yeah, sorry to impose and all that, but Discord did something funny to him. Thought I'd see if you could set him right before he got himself hurt.” She glared over her shoulder at Caramel. “Or before I decide to do it myself.”

“That sounds like quite a problem,” said the zebra. Caramel's strange state and magical discoloration seemed to intrigue her, though, and she left her pot boiling to approach and study him. “Let's see what I can do for him.”

Applejack kept his hooves steady, practically pinning him down with the rope.

“You're one weird lady,” clicked Caramel, tilting his head. “But I totally dig the stripes. Hey, if you wanna just tie me up out front, that'd be fine by me.”

Zecora seemed not to hear him at all as she lifted his head, squeezed his cheeks, and looked deep into his eyes. She investigated his cutiemarks and plucked a gray strand of hair from his tail. He yelped and snorted.

“All these years and I never knew Ponyville mares were so rough,” he said. “I could get used to that...”

“Please tell me there's something you can do,” said Applejack. “He used to be a sweet old thing. Kind of thick in the head, but he never acted like he belonged out in the mud pens.”

Zecora took the plucked hair and dropped it into a small bottle. Then she poured in something clear and as soon as it hit the piece of Caramel's tail, it sparked like tiny purple fireworks and dissolved into a silvery goop.

“An enchantment most elementary,” she mused, “although the power is immense. A certain cure is necessary to give him back his sense.”

“And what would that be?” asked Applejack.

Rainbow Dash gulped down a pastry and flicked her wings back. “Hah, are you sure you have to change him back? He's kind of funny like this.”

Applejack glared at Rainbow Dash. “Oh yeah? If you like him so much why don't you keep him then?”

“Sounds like a plan,” said Caramel, who began to twist and tug at his bonds. Fortunately, Applejack's rope work was unparallelled. “Wild and free. That's the kind of mare for me, right there. C'mon, AJ, you're to dull for a colt like me anyway.”

“Zecora,” said Applejack, forcing herself away from the colt. “The cure?”

“A powerful cure for a powerful sick,” said Zecora. She removed one of her carved staves from the wall and offered it out to Applejack. “Hit him on the head with this stick.”

Applejack felt the heft of the wood in her hooves and glanced over at Caramel. “I, uh, don't know if I can do that...”

The colt laughed and waggled his roped flanks at her. “Oh, yeah, go ahead and give it a whack, Applejack! I've been a bad, bad colt.”

His words twisted in her like worms in an apple. Too dull for a colt like you, huh? She thought, and wasn't even sure why it bothered her so much. The Caramel she knew never acted like that. But he made her so mad she had to hold it in just to not knock his block clean off. Instead she lifted the stick up and brought it down swiftly between his ears, clunking him on the skull.

Caramel fell to the ground with a squeak and looked up with wide eyes. The startled pony looked like he'd just crawled back to the barn after losing half a field's worth of grass seeds. “What did you go and do that for?”

Applejack sighed and put the stick down. “Because you've been acting all rude and hurtful to all sorts of other ponies and I don't want to see you do that anymore. You say you want to be like this but I don't think you really do. I sure don't.”

With each word she spoke he seemed a little more lucid. “Did I hurt you?”

“Well, yes,” Applejack said, looking down. “You did.”

Bit by bit, from tail to snout, the creamy yellow and brown crept back into Caramel. Even his stance and tone seemed more familiar to Applejack now, as if some fog had finally begun to lift from his mind. “I didn't mean anything bad about what I said,” he said. “You're really dependable and...”

“Wasn't really you speaking,” said Applejack. She unwound the ropes from Caramel. “More like the opposite of you, 'cause of something Discord did.” Though she wasn't certain if Discord's spell had turned him bad, or simply brought out his worst thoughts and compulsions and allowed them to take over.

I don't really care as long as he's back to normal, she thought.

“Whoa,” said Rainbow Dash. “How did you know that would work?”

Zecora chuckled and put her staff away. “It is not the blow that knocks it out, but being hit by one you care about. A stern remark may have been enough, but I've had it up to here with that 'striped mare' stuff.”

Caramel shrunk back apologetically, but none of the mares seemed to hold it against him. Still he made himself rather small, in no small part, Applejack imagined, due to being suddenly aware of being in the Everfree Forest, in a strange zebra's home.

“That's what I've been up to,” said Applejack, grabbing up a biscuit. “Discord went a bit nuts...”

“And then decided to head off with Twilight,” finished Rainbow Dash. “After turning Ponyville upside down, anyway.”

Applejack stared. “How do you know all that?”

“Anypony with a pegasus' eye view could've figured it out,” said Rainbow Dash, puffing up with pride. “But now that we're scouting we've got an eye in every window and an ear on every door.”

“Sounds exciting,” said Applejack.

“More than I'd like,” said Rainbow Dash, laying her head across her hooves. “Spitfire has most of us on frontier duty. Mostly see a few ponies trying to escape the chaos... but there's been an odd number of disappearances. Out of Ponyville, Canterlot... we're even missing a couple pegasi.”

Applejack shuddered. “Nightmare Moon back to kidnapping folks?”

“I don't think so,” said Rainbow Dash. “Hasn't been a sign of her since her disappearance. Plus she doesn't snatch ponies in broad daylight. And it gets stranger. The ship that Twilight was supposed to be on just vanished into thin air, too. Hopefully because they're on the right track.”

Fluttershy unfolded a wing, which had been covering half her face and a snacking Angel. “I hope none of them come back,” she said, and then waved her hooves apologetically. “I mean Discord! And Nightmare Moon. Oh, I'm so worried about Twilight. But the rest... we'd be so better off without them.”

“I can agree with you there, Fluttershy,” said Applejack. “We've got our hooves full without those two tyrants breathing down our necks. Bad enough tryin' to put our lives back together without having to worry about vanishing into thin air. And Caramel there was just the tip of Discord's little rampage.”

The earth pony settled in between her two friends and tried to relax, but it felt like her head was spinning. Caramel wasn't the only one who'd seen the worst of Discord's magic, and it'd take more than running around Ponyville beaning ponies over the head to see them fixed. Still, Zecora had pointed her in the right direction, and she could share that knowledge. She could organize the ponies again and help them figure out what to do in case of threats. If she had her way, the Ponyville that Discord and Nightmare Moon returned to would be ready for them.

“Do you think you'll come back to town now that Discord's all gone?” Applejack leaned over to Fluttershy, who flinched at the question.

“It's still a magical mess,” she said. “I have to stay with the animals and keep them safe.”

Rainbow Dash's wings jutted up. “Is that why you're hiding in the woods? I thought you were just too scared to stand up for yourself. While real pegasi are running themselves ragged trying to protect Equestria, you're just sitting--”

“Rainbow, that's enough,” interrupted Applejack. “There's more to Equestria than just us ponies. And somepony's gotta look out for all the other critters. Can't think of a better one myself.”

Rainbow Dash's wings drooped down. “I know,” she said, looking over at Fluttershy. “I'm sorry, 'shy, I'm just so overwhelmed. I didn't mean it.”

Fluttershy smiled, although she looked like she was just a breath from crying. “It's okay,” she said.

The blue pegasus wouldn't let it go, though. “You're always welcome in Cloudsdale,” she said. “I'd love to see you come back home. You don't have to join in any of this crazy secret mission stuff.”

“And you'll always have a home in Ponyville,” added Applejack.

Fluttershy seemed a little more at ease and settled back against the cushions. The three of them soaked in the comfort and quiet of that space. Zecora seemed content to leave them alone while working on her own tinctures and concoctions.

We need each other, thought Applejack. I need this. Need to know there's a home to come back to. And for everypony, there's so much to fight for still... and it's time we stood up. No more tyrants. No more ponies disappearing.

A Shadow Follows

Nightmare Moon

When Nightmare Moon at last came to the doorway, she was not alone. The shadows there reached upwards to infinity, the forest cut black and white and at the center she could see a portal as clear as a still pond. Amongst the trees, on the mundane side of Equestria, dozens of changelings sat and waited patiently for her to emerge. She would not give them the satisfaction.

One by one she slipped the fillies out from her shade—first Apple Bloom, then Sweetie Belle, then Scootaloo, each slipping out into a snoozing pile at her feet. She roused them with the touch of a hoof, a little dash of end-to-dreams magic, and let them stretch and yawn while she regarded the pathway to the other world.

“Are we safe now?” mumbled Apple Bloom. She fussed with her mane, straightening it and pulling her ribbon back into place.

Nightmare Moon chewed her lip. “For the moment,” she said. “We cannot conceal you where we are bound. But it should be safer than here.”

Apple Bloom nodded. Then she started to straighten up Scootaloo, who fussed and turned but was too out of her head to put up too much of a protest to the grooming.

“I had a dream about my brother,” said the little earth pony, “an' sis and everyone else. I hope they're alright.”

Sweetie Belle nodded. “Of course they are.”

“They've gotta be better off than we are,” muttered Scootaloo. The pegasus filly finally fought away from Apple Bloom's hooves and flit over to the portal. “Is this where we're headed?”

“Indeed,” said Nightmare Moon. “Give us a moment.”

It has been scrambled... but our magic should be able to fix it.

She lowered her horn and poked the tip upon the nexus of the energy. It'd been twisted around with some primal magic to fix it in place, making the angle of entry for her impossible, especially through the shadow realm. If she tried, the best case scenario would be that she'd get spat right back out. The worst was that she would end up on the other side...

Do not think of it, she chided herself. Wisps of her magic seeped through the portal and washed over the wild energies, drawing them into darkness. Soon the portal was tinted not as a white emptiness but instead that of the sky on the deepest night, flecked with the light of long-dead stars. Once it had been done, she pressed her hoof against it and found it to be cool and calm.

“Hurry now,” she said, standing beside the portal and gesturing with a wing. “All together. We will not last if we are separated.”

The three shuffled their hooves, but eventually Apple Bloom leaned over and whispered into their ears. It won't be long now. The Princess can't be that far away.

Nightmare Moon sighed softly. She wished that she could inspire courage to go forth into the night as easily as her sister. But her anger had been bound and secured in the deeper part of her mind. It had not served her in the end, and so she imprisoned it until it would no longer stand in her way again.

Soon the three fillies were at her feet. And on her movement they stepped into the portal together, leaving behind them the sound of crackling wood and the beat of a hundred wings.

Nightmare Moon reached the other side and found the golden fields to be at the depths of twilight. Cosmic light lit the land as bright as any day, and brought out the warmer colors of the grass and the distant glades. The children had already fanned out across the field, keeping up a slow canter as they tried to comprehend their surroundings.

It has been too long... Nightmare Moon closed her eyes and filled her lungs with cold night air. The purest sense of darkness slipped through her veins. For a moment nothing seemed to matter anymore. Then a shrill buzzing ate into her senses, growing from a point of faint sound until it became deafening.

A voice almost her own screamed over the cacophony. “Run!”

Her hooves were already off the ground before the first changeling broke through the cracks and into the fields. More poured out behind her, peppering the sky behind her black. She spared only a glance to the swarm before swerving. The single spark of fear that had spurred her vanished, but she had already initiated the chase. She would need to find a way to turn on them without taking a swarm to the face.

We could lead them off... no. They will know what we are doing.

She dashed towards the fillies who scattered in every direction, plucking little Apple Bloom up by the scruff of her neck and carrying her until they found Sweetie Belle. Scootaloo dashed in from the side and they formed a line, crushing the grass beneath them. The land itself seemed to grace their hooves with supernatural speed, but it was not quite enough to outrun the changelings.

“Why don't you just blast them with your magic?” asked Apple Bloom. “There's no way they can stand a chance against you.”

“Not here,” said Nightmare Moon, her hooves drumming the ground. “Using magic here has... unwanted side-effects. Just keep going.”

And they did, as fast as their bodies would carry them. The strain dug into their muscles, bit through their joints and they were aware of every breath feeding their will to keep moving. The wide fields and rolling hills provided little shelter from the pursuit and behind them the army of changelings claimed their view of even the sky beyond them. Every changeling in that forest must have flown behind them. The fear kept them running.

But they have the air, thought Nightmare Moon. She could nearly feel the spin of their wings around her ears. These children cannot endure. We cannot outrun them forever. But if they make the mistake of attacking, it will not end well for them.

Nightmare Moon urged the fillies on, and sent them some of her strength through the shadows. She let herself fall back, further and further, until the swarm was raging above and around her.

One dived at her, and then another, but she weaved away before they struck. Their charged, jagged horns dug into the ground beside her and burst into craters. What only should have been a pulse of magic ripped through the dirt and charred the grass in a green shock wave. The changelings that fell seemed to crackle with an unnatural energy as they struggled to stabilize themselves.

Their aim continued to improve as each one understood a little more of her movement. Just a little longer... she thought. A moment later she felt one strike her from a blind spot on her left, and the force sent her tumbling.

Nightmare Moon went down without a cry. She rolled away, trying to find her hooves, but another changeling dived into her. And then another. She cloaked herself in magic and shadow, burying their pointed horns into the nether, but they still seared through her. In their swarm it seemed impossible to learn their purpose—her destruction, or else some other nefarious scheme.

"You will not claim our form!"

She could wipe them out in an instant. But doing so would not only take out everything within a mile, but also attract an unspeakable cosmic punishment. So she thrashed and threw the changelings off by the dozen, but where one left three more replaced them.

“Hang in there, Luna!”

Nightmare Moon looked up to see the three fillies charging back towards her. The swarm did not know what to make of them, but they must have sensed their frantic courage dissolving their fear. Apple Bloom threw herself onto the pile and the other two followed shortly after.

The battle would still not turn in their favor. Each moment found the pressure of the changelings intensifying. Nightmare Moon had no other choice. She would have to find a way to use her magic with incredible precision, and accept the consequences later.

As soon as she began to cast a spell, though, a white light ripped through the air and a few changelings screeched as they dissolved into blackened particles. Those that remained on the ponies launched themselves away and reformed their swarm. There was a new threat. One they could not comprehend.

The Pale Mare stood between the ponies and the changelings, appearing in a single moment, her form billowing outwards with wild energy. Her eyes reflected the faintest gold but even the tiniest bit of color reflected the intensity of her fury. The changelings knew they could not take her, but they could not discern where to run to. They flew wildly.

She lowered her head and uttered one word : “begone.”

And if there was any doubt that this was her domain, none present doubted her any longer. The force of the words alone sucked the wind out of them, and then the changelings seemed to invert upon themselves. Their metallic cries faded to silence as they faded.

The Pale Mare then turned to face Nightmare Moon, and the fury was still in her.

“You bring great evil to these sacred lands, Luna,” she said, lifting a hoof. “Not only that, but you drag along those who are just barely new to life as well? I had hoped a thousand years would change you, but it is clear. You are not welcome here, and I will not tolerate your presence.”

Before Nightmare Moon could retort, Apple Bloom hopped forward and regarded the Pale Mare with innocent curiosity. “What did you do to all them nasty critters?”

The child's question caught the Pale Mare off guard, the faint features of her face scrunching up. “I have banished them from this place,” she explained. “This world is one that exists for ponies only.”

“But how does that explain all the field mice?” asked Sweetie Belle.

The Pale Mare laughed. “Are they field mice, or are they only thoughts of field mice, dreamed up by imaginative ponies? I wonder.”

Scootaloo flexed her wings out and tilted her head. “Uh... what?”

“You will understand someday,” said the Pale Mare, and her voice darkened as she turned back to Nightmare Moon. “Take them home. Forget your quest. Leave now and I will forgive this transgression, just this once. Not for what you are, but for who you used to be. If some shred of Luna still remains in that twisted mind of yours, then take these fillies back to their families and be done with it.”

Nightmare Moon turned her head ever-slightly and searched for Apple Bloom's. The young earth pony and her friends all had the same expression of intent and defiance. Even they, it seemed, had resolved to stay and see their journey to its conclusion.

Their love drives them this far... amusing. But it is enough.

“I hope that you will understand,” said Nightmare Moon, standing again, “why we defy you. Our sister is here, and we will not go.”

She did not give the Pale Mare time to rebuke her. She called upon the light of the moon and found the shape of it there more perfect than ever, and the full light of it engulfed them. In a wink they were gone from that place. Then she shut the eye of the moon so that none could follow them. Though only shapes of cold light, they kept walking through the vast emptiness.

“This just keeps getting weirder,” groaned Scootaloo. “Who was that?”

“Musta been some kind of pony angel,” said Apple Bloom.

“Like you'd know.”

“It is something like that,” said Nightmare Moon. “She is not our enemy. But she will not let us stay here, so we must hide.”

“It really sucks, having to hide all the time,” said Scootaloo. Nightmare Moon couldn't help but crack a smile.

“So where is your sister?” asked Sweetie Belle. “This place seems huge. She could be anywhere.”

“She is,” agreed Nightmare Moon. “Anywhere. Somewhere. But close your eyes and try to feel everything. Can you feel the far-off warmth of the sun?”

The three fillies closed their eyes. Apple Bloom piped up first.

“Uh, sort of,” she said.

Nightmare Moon nodded. Though they could only feel it faintly, she had known the touch of the sun for hundreds of years. Even the lightest touch of it filled her with warmth, whether she wanted it to or not. It was down on the horizon, sleeping for the time being, but she had a sense of where it was, and thus, where Celestia would be.

“We will find her with the sun,” she said. “Come. We've some distance to go yet.”

Each of them let a little groan in protest but did not falter when they stepped out of the moonlight. All of the stars had shifted, as if they had traveled halfway across the world, but the field remained so much the same. Amber lights weaved through the sky in the likeness of an Aurora and a few dashes of light streaked the horizon. For a moment, Nightmare Moon thought she saw towers and parapets not unalike Canterlot's. But when she blinked, they vanished.

“We did not forget that you foolishly came back for us,” said Nightmare Moon.

Apple Bloom squeaked in protest. “Yeah well you sort of stuck yourself out so it's only fair. What exactly do you think we'd do if you got yourself eaten by a bunch of bugs?”

Nightmare Moon laughed. “What, indeed?” She lifted her head, let her helmet melt away into darkness, and the full width of her indigo mane spilled out behind her. “You would have to learn to live in the world of the night. Awful and beautiful.”

Taking the Reigns

Rarity

Ponies came from all over, at least as short notice would allow, to join in the celebrations leading up to the coronation. Dignitaries and well-bred families of all sorts had been offered invitation to the event itself, and Rarity was not among them. She and her companions, Shadowgloam and Ember, traversed the outer walls of the palace. Bits of the celebration reached them in sight and sound, and the scent of fair foods, fried goods and otherwise streetworthy snacks warmed the air about the palace.

A part of Rarity longed to abandon her resistance in the castle and walk among the crowds, to stand next to the line of banner mares and marching bands as they passed. The event combined all of the fineries of Canterlot with the earthly enthusiasm of Ponyville, and the streets were packed with ponies of all ages. Even from the castle rampart, she could feel the boom of horns and drums thrumming through her chest.

“There will be many more celebrations to come,” she said, more to herself than the stallions that walked with her. “For now, we should focus on taking down Blueblood.”

Shadowgloam snorted. “Everyone seems desperate for a princess. Even if it means putting up that spoiled colt.”

“And there seems to be no moving the council,” Rarity agreed. “I'd hoped that the unicorns would show more reluctance, but Blueblood has more than enough support. There isn't enough time left for cleverness. We're just going to have to stop the ceremony and hope for the best.”

Ember rattled a wing in his armor and glanced over at Rarity. “Are you sure we have to do this? Discord and Nightmare Moon are one thing. Blueblood is just a pony. It might not be so bad.”

“I'm not so sure,” said Rarity. She paused a moment to lift some of the floating stones from the air, putting them back in place on the walkway. Discord may have been gone, but much of the mess he'd made still remained. After they'd all passed over the cracked rampart, Rarity continued.

“Unicorns don't exactly have the proudest history. As it is there are many who would rather keep 'Canterlot for unicorns,' if you get my meaning. Blueblood might not be particularly dangerous, but there are those around him that would have us return to the older ways. And I do not trust him to have the better judgment.”

She held her tongue as soon as she heard the faint beating of wings, and then let a sigh of relief when Snowflake set to hovering beside her.

“Good, you're back,” said Rarity. “The tower?”

“Spike's still fast asleep,” said the pegasus.

“Mm, good. If this goes badly, at least he won't end up in chains like the rest of us.” She laughed in spite of herself. “And my things?”

“Blueblood's people took out everything you'd prepared for Nightmare Moon's ceremony,” she said. “Lyra was asked to join the courtiers. Everything else is accounted for.”

“It would seem they took my invitation as well,” Rarity muttered. “But his pomp will be his undoing. Anything else?”

“The throne room is locked up.”

Rarity blinked. “What?”

“Take a look for yourself.”

They trailed around the towers and arrived at one of the side-entrances to the palace's main halls. Where normally stood a wooden door held by two guards was now a single door of stone, filled with a mosaic of colors and shapes. Only a single hole perforated the center, ending in a faint glow.

“How do you suppose we open this?” asked Snowflake.

Rarity frowned. “Of all the gall... an arcane lock? What about the other doors?”

The pegasus flapped her wings irritably. “The same. Unicorn door after unicorn door. And the windows have been shielded.”

“Princess Celestia only used these to protect the most dangerous of artifacts, the most invaluable of things... and now Prince Blueblood is using them to hide behind.” Rarity rubbed her temples. “But unless we know the exact spell they used, there's no way to get them open.”

“I figured you'd say that,” said Snowflake. She whipped around mid-air and then charged at the door, shoulder first.

“Now hold on a second, don't...!”

But before she could stop the pegasus, Snowflake smacked hard against the stone. It made a dull thud and then some magical force threw her backwards, sending her tumbling tail over hoof.

Rarity sighed and trotted over to help her up. “You already tried that, didn't you?”

“Uh huh,” said Snowflake, dusting herself off with her feathers. “And unless you have a better plan, me and the boys better be prepared to get a mighty headache. They've probably already started in there. That door has to come down.”

“That door won't budge,” said Rarity, gritting her teeth. “They've taken all precautions. But... but I hate to think that I've been bested by a door, of all things.”

A familiar voice caught them from the garden nearby. “Perhaps you could use another way in?”

Rarity turned about to see Time Turner sifting through the garden. “Really, you have some idea how?”

“It's a bit of a long shot,” he admitted, “But I might know a shortcut.”

“Oh, Mister Turner,” said Rarity, “I could hug you. We've no time to waste. Where is it?”

“In my bedroom,” said the brown colt, matter-of-factly.

Rarity's mouth hung open a little. The other ponies glanced at her, and she shrugged. “I... are you sure?” she asked.

“It's far fetched, but trust me. Come along.”

The unicorn sighed and tossed her mane. “You had better be right about this. We can't afford to be running about...”

“Have I let you down yet?”

Rarity shook her head. Soon the lot of them made a mad canter back to the tower. They went without interruption, for it seemed that every guard and staff had either been moved to the celebration or into the inner chambers of the castle. The rest of them, it seemed, would have to stay out of the way and take care of themselves until Blueblood had secured rule.

Not after I've come this far.

Rarity whipped the door to the tower open with her magic, slamming it against stone. They piled into the spiral staircase and worried their way upwards to the storage chambers that Time Turner had been using as his room. They paused as the brown colt led them inside.

The room itself he'd kept rather spartan—only a bed and a wardrobe, a pile of incoherent scribbles on his desk, and a single emerald hourglass sitting in the window. Turner himself ignored all of these things and threw the doors to his wooden wardrobe open.

“Aha! Still works.” He nodded and gestured. “In here, everyone. You'll see.”

Rarity exhaled. Maybe Discord has gotten his claws into the poor colt, she thought. But as she pushed passed him and looked into the wardrobe, she noticed something amiss. For one, it was completely devoid of clothing of any sort. But more importantly, she had to remind herself, the back panel of the furniture seemed to sparkle with an unnatural light. When she touched it, her hoof went right through it.

“What is this?” she said, turning to Turner.

“If you haven't noticed, Discord has been leaving little holes in the fabric of space,” explained Turner, tapping the wardrobe. “And rumor is some ponies have taken to using them for convenient locomotion. Never mind the unfathomable consequences of doing so...

“Anyway, I noticed quite quickly that all of my socks were going missing after I tossed them in here. At first I thought it might have been a practical joke, but on further investigation...”

The stallion then demonstrated by clamoring up into the wardrobe and walking through the back wall. He disappeared in a flicker of light. Rarity gestured for the others to follow, and then took a graceful hop up, careful not to bump a single part of her in the process. The static sensation caused her to shudder, but she held her breath and pushed her way through.

A wide chamber greeted her on the other side and she could not help but marvel at the untouched nature of it. A collection of shelves and a long desk graced the center of the room. A fireplace, though devoid of wood, made a constant crackle and emitted a familiar warmth in the corner. It even made light gleam off of the walls, color like the sky at dusk. Broad cushions lay spread about in a strangely orderly fashion and paintings of ponies older than any she could imagine rested on the walls and ceilings.

“Is this...” she murmured.

“Princess Celestia's drawing room, I'd guess,” said Turner. “Quite secret too. I haven't seen evidence of a single soul finding this place. It's probably magically concealed.”

Rarity strode forward to make room for the rest of the ponies to pour out after her, pausing as she stepped through a pile of socks—wool, woven, and in a multitude of colors.

“Why do you wear socks?” she asked, eyebrow raised.

“I like socks,” replied Turner, without missing a beat. “Socks are cool.”

For a moment Rarity lost herself in pondering the strange fashions of ponies. It never occurred to me to try putting these up in the shop... but I suppose it might be worth a try. Then she shook her head and cleared her throat. The chime of music seemed to be barely reaching them through the far wall. She hurried over and pressed her ear against it.

“That sounds like Lyra...” she said. “I... goodness. That's the Ballad of Princess Platinum.”

Turner made a face. “That ghastly song? It's about sixty minutes too long. Sixty two, to be precise. Of course they would let her play that self-aggrandizing racket.”

“She may have bought us time enough,” said Rarity. “We're close. Let's hurry and find a way out.”

It did not take them terribly long to find the grooves along the wall. As they pushed their hooves upon it, the false wall gave a click and opened outwards into an empty hallway. Rarity caught herself mid-fall and trotted forward a few spaced onto the familiar carpeted corridors of the palace.

“Do we have a plan?” asked Snowflake.

Rarity huffed. “We've tried plans. Forget plans. We're taking action.”

Lyra

At the height of the fifty-third chorus of the Ballad of Princess Platinum, one elderly unicorn cleared his throat, and again, but Lyra would not cease playing. Only when he pinched her strings tight in a spell and silenced her did she stop, and it took all of her restraint not to throw him across the room.

“With all due respect,” said the unicorn, adjusting his monocle, “we cannot delay any longer. The prince must be crowned and Canterlot must begin its reconstruction.”

“And with all due respect, you can shove that crown...”

Her mouth snapped shut as she found two lines of golden armored guards glaring her way, wings and horns raised. She tucked her instrument away and sat back against the provided stool, crossing her arms against her belly.

C'mon, Rarity, I'm at the end of my rope... she thought, glancing from door to door. It was almost a cruel joke to invite her to the coronation, as if to be witness to her and Rarity's failure. Five older unicorns, tinted gray in their fur, sat around the throne while another even elder lifted a jeweled platinum crown from its casing and levitated it in the air. A small court of nobles stood in obedient silence along the walls and waited for the moment to come, while their number was greatly outmatched by the force of the royal guard in attendance.

Blueblood chuckled with his compatriot and lifted a hoof to beckon the stallion over. He sat just inches from the throne, decked out in all sorts of strange regalia. On each of his hooves he wore several black and onyx bands, and around his neck a thickly woven chain of gold. Over his chest he wore a sash with the star crest of his family upon it, and over his back, he wore the cape that Rarity had made. The glimmers of dark beauty seemed utterly out of place upon him.

“Now then, my young lord,” said the councilpony, “there has not been a crowning like this for at least a millennium. There aren't a lot in the way of remembered traditions. However, I find it appropriate to say a few words. Start a tradition of our own, perhaps.”

“I can't agree more,” said Blueblood, holding his head high. “If you would do the honors?”

“Very well then,” said the unicorn. “Today, we are gathered to witness and bless the crowning of Prince Blueblood to the highest throne and office held in Equestria. You will join in history the ranks of our nation's finest, most benevolent, most noble leaders... Prince Blueblood, do you vow to uphold the highest of virtues and lead the unicorns into an age of prosperity and well-being?”

“I swear it,” said Blueblood, barely able to restrain his smile.

Lyra burst forward. “There's more to Equestria than you spoiled unicorns, you know! What about the rest of the ponies? Will you care about them?”

The councilpony sighed and flicked a hoof. “Silence her.”

A pair of guards broke off from their ranks. Before they even reached her, a powerful force of magic gripped her forehooves and lifted them into the air. Once the pegasi reached her and held her with steel-like wings on either side, the unicorns wrapped the magic about her mouth. She screamed and the sound simply vanished into nothingness. She twisted and kicked but couldn't break free. Even trying to use her magic, she found her concentration broken by a painful tingling in her horn.

“I think we've had enough of this debacle,” said the councilpony. “Equestria needs a ruler. Equestria needs you. And by the power granted to me by royal tradition, I crown you...”

Rarity

As the platinum circlet fell towards Blueblood's head, it suddenly stopped, jammed in place by a blue field. The guards turned as Rarity stormed down the stairs with half a dozen ponies in tow. She turned her horn to the air and yanked the crown out of the councilpony's grip. It flung across the room and she zapped it again. The metal bent and contorted, losing rigidity, and fell to the floor in a mangled heap.

“How dare you?” gasped the councilpony. “How could you be here?”

“I do apologize for my late arrival,” said Rarity, tossing her mane. Her companions formed a circle around her as she moved to the center of the carpet. The guards immediately surrounded them, but held their ground. “I cannot help it that the place has become difficult to traverse as of late. And besides, I'm afraid the coronation is canceled anyway.”

The sound of seven ponies bottling their anger filled the room with heated breath and the elder council pony stamped his hooves upon the carpet. Blueblood lifted his hoof and bid them calm, though.

“Dear Rarity, I am glad you were able to see this moment after all,” he said. “So what if we're missing a crown? Merely a formality. Even our ceremony matters not. Equestria will know that I came for the coronation and will now sit upon the throne as its ruling prince. The council will put it into record. All you have done is in vain. Now that you see this, maybe you'll come around to my way of thinking?”

Rarity growled and flared her horn. “You stupid colt. You have no idea what you're getting into, do you?” She set her eyes upon the cloak over his back and the gem fixed on his neck. She made it with one purpose in mind--to be the perfect focus for her spells, upon whoever was foolish enough to take it from her. She sent a spark of magic to the stone. It flared a bright red and he began to lift into the air, flailing helplessly.

The guards pushed forward but she lifted a hoof. “Not another step! Or he will regret it.”

“Listen to her!” choked Blueblood, trying desperately to unbutton the neck, but to no avail. “Please, put me down!”

The collar glowed brighter as she leaned forward. “No. You've proven far too willing to step on everypony it takes to get to the top, and endangered one of my friends in the process. I cannot imagine what you will do for Equestria. Renounce your claim to the throne, or I'll...”

“Or you'll what?” snapped the elder. “Choke him to death? What will that do for our fair country?”

Rarity shook the prince from side to side like a ragdoll as the room looked on in horror (save Lyra, who managed a mute chuckle beneath her guards). He let out a restrained sob and frantically scratched at his neck. Oh, as much as I loathe him, I could never kill him. she thought. But this should scare him enough to give up.

The councilpony persisted though, pushing his way through the crowd, closing on Rarity and her bunch. “You haven't thought about this at all, have you? If you do stop the coronation, what then? Who will rule in Blueblood's place?”

“We'll find someone,” said Rarity. “Anyone else.”

“There is no one else,” said the councilpony, snapping his hoof down. “Did you plan on taking the throne yourself?”

“Of course not!” Rarity huffed.

“Then tell me. Who will head Equestria? It has not been without a ruler for thousands of years. Even Discord played the part. One must rule. Only Blueblood has that claim. If you cannot answer my question, then please. One unicorn to another. End this madness. I am willing to chalk your betrayal off as the taint of chaos if you stop now.”

Rarity bit her lip. There was truth enough to that. Equestria would expect a ruler, if not to rule them, then to fill the void that Celestia left. Long enough for them to get on their hooves. To be left abandoned now would tear the country to pieces. Furthermore, she couldn't bear the guilt of tormenting the prince any longer. She thought seeing him writhe under her grasp would make up for all the times he slighted her, but it only made it worse. He was just a spoiled colt, and she was hurting him.

It's terrible... but it's not over. Rarity closed her eyes and slowly lowered Blueblood back to the floor, letting her spell fade. Accept it with grace, Rarity. There is nothing more we can do right now.

Blueblood busied himself with frantically tearing the cloak off of himself and then backing into a corner, staring at his hooves and whimpering.

The councilpony smiled and lifted a hoof. “Very good, very good. Now then.” Without losing an ounce of his congeniality he waved the raised hoof. “Bind them.”

Rarity stamped. “What!? But you promised--”

“I promised nothing,” said the councilpony. “I only did what I had to do to protect the noble Prince from traitors. Since you like lurking about the castle so much, why don't you see how you like the catacombs after the ceremony is complete?” He turned and waved at a guard. “Fetch me that mess of a crown, would you? It's an ugly thing, but a crown is a crown.”

The six of them fought and flailed but the guards outnumbered them greatly. The soldiers backed them up with Lyra and watched in silence as the councilpony lifted the ruined crown above Blueblood's head.

It can't end like this... And what about Spike? Oh, I promised to take care of you, you poor dear. I can't leave you alone in such a wretched castle.

All seemed dreadful and silent as the councilpony prepared to finish the ceremony. But before he reached Blueblood, a trembling quake took the hall. They all looked up to see a bright blue light shining through one of the stained glass windows. The image of Discord and three ponies trembled as the magic shield turned from a dull purple to a bright blue and soon shattered, spraying glass and magic everywhere.

A blue-maned stallion dressed in purple armor leapt through the open window. “Stop everything!”

The elder unicorns looked to the guards. The guards stared at the newly arrived stallion before they broke their stoic stations and yelled out as they flocked to him.

“Captain!” they called, and many other things, but now Rarity picked out his name. Shining Armor.

Behind him two more pink ponies made their entrance. One, Pinkie Pie, bounded over the new-released Rarity and helped her up.

“You won't believe what I've been through,” she giggled. “Where to start?”

Rarity rubbed her eyes, still staring at the other pony. Though not very much larger than the rest of the ponies, she bore the full body of an earth pony, the wings of a pegasus, the horn of a unicorn. It could not have been. And yet there before her eyes stood one who held the perfect image of a Princess, sherbert colored mane tucked elegantly around her neck even amidst the chaotic scene.

“Who in Equestria is that?” said Rarity.

Even the council stared, bewildered at her.

Cadence

Cadence never thought she would have to see Canterlot Castle in ruins, nor ponies turning against ponies in the very halls of their kind and loving princess. Her heart felt heavy, but she looked to Shining Armor, and in the support of him and his royal guard she found the courage to go forward.

None stood in her way as she stepped her way to the throne. “I am Princess Mi Amore Cadenza,” she declared, using a bit of magic to amplify her voice. “Though it is not my place, I come to Canterlot now to offer aid in her time of need.”

“It is not your place,” said the council elder, head low and eyes narrowed. “Not for a stranger to come in and take the throne when it is convenient to her. Blueblood is Prince now.”

Rarity, now unrestrained, went to Cadence's side. “Prince yes, but not prince of Equestria,” she said. “The ceremony is incomplete. And the same right you would invoke to put him on the throne also says that she has first claim. Unless you'd like to lay all your treachery out and be done with it?”

The two unicorns looked as if to come to blows, but Cadence put herself between them and shook her head. “Please,” she said. “This is not the time for us to be fighting amongst ourselves. We've survived an endless night and the rule of a crazed chaos beast. A fight for the throne would be the breaking point.”

The elder unicorn furrowed his brows. “Still, you cannot expect me... us.. Equestria to crown a stranger.”

“But she's not a stranger.” Prince Blueblood spoke this time, a bit meekly, and rose from his corner. He seemed remarkably well groomed for what had just transpired, and took to Cadence's side opposite Rarity. “I did miss you, cousin Cadence.”

Cadence smiled and accepted a little affectionate nudge from the colt. “I missed you, too. I know we've never been the best of friends, but I wish we could have met again under better circumstances.”

“I know,” said Blueblood. Then the prince turned to the councilpony and shook his head. “Equestria will not accept me if they know that one of her bloodline is present. It wouldn't suit ponies of our standing to try to force her anyway, don't you think?”

Rarity clicked her tongue and leered over Cadence's back at him. “Or are you just back to kissing Princess fl--”

“Rarity,” Cadence interrupted, sternly. And when the unicorn's eyes went wide with surprise, she shrugged a shoulder towards Pinkie Pie. “She told me all about you. All about everything. I knew I had to come back. This isn't just my right. It is my duty to lead Equestria.”

“I suppose you're right,” sighed the councilpony, lowering his head. “The citizens of Canterlot expect Blueblood to be crowned, though. If we go out there...”

“I will speak to them,” she said, “and I will not be alone. Prince Blueblood will sit beside me, as well as the captain of the guard. If the council would work with me as well, I would be most honored.”

The council elder sighed and buried his face briefly in a handkerchief. “You do indeed have your aunt's grace. Very well then.”

Cadence bowed her head. “Thank you. Now, please, free these ponies and come on. Our public is waiting. We should continue and put this whole mess behind us.”

“Of course.” The council elder glared at Rarity and her herd, but quickly let it go.

Lyra reclaimed her instrument case and continued to sneak in faces and hum a few bars of a lewd song at Blueblood--up until Cadence gave her a pleading look, and she agreed to behave. All stood still and watched as the council elder took up the crown for a third time. Clearly tired of the whole affair, he simply lowered it onto Cadence's head and gave it a little twist so that the contorted thing rested against her. “By the authority granted me by royal tradition, I hereby crown you rightful ruler and Princess of Equestria.”

And those words alone brought a great calm to the room. Something about the certainty of having a ruler seemed to put the ponies at ease. That left her to stand alone, with the full weight of Equestria's destiny bearing down upon her. She hung her head and closed her eyes.

Shining Armor pushed his head under her neck, and nuzzled a little, as if sensing her stress. A great warmth washed over her, and though she'd have liked it to take the pressure with it, it did not. Still, having him there, and the other ponies she knew supported her, made it possible to bear.

“Come on,” said Shining Armor, giving her a nudge. “I know you've been working on a speech.”

“It's a dumb speech,” muttered Cadence. But she let him move her anyway, and they formed a line-- the council, the guard, Rarity, Lyra, a small herd of ponies—out towards one of the doors. One of the guards opened it and it parted to reveal a balcony overlooking the whole of Canterlot.

Princess Cadence drew a deep breath and stepped out into the open. Hundreds of ponies beneath her chattered in surprise and then stared in silence.

Alright, filly, breathe... she told herself. She waited for Prince Blueblood and Shining Armor to stand behind her. Then she took a thread of magic and bore it through herself, almost on second nature, enhancing her voice so that she could be heard all the way to the walls of the city.

“Citizens of Equestria! Thank you for coming here today to witness the coronation of a new ruler of Equestria. My cousin had intended to receive the crown, but has instead decided to support me, and has seen that I have been crowned as Princess of Equestria.”

The rumble of a city of applause echoed up to her, but she could sense awkwardness and confusion in them still.

“It was by Celestia's wisdom that I evaded the touch of Nightmare Moon and Discord, and by her will that I come to you now. I have the blessings of the royal guard and of the royal council and its ministers. But I do not come because I desire the throne. I come because I heard Equestria's cry for order and have answered the call.

“Princess Celestia ruled not only with wisdom and fairness, but with kindness. Never before had the world seen a more wonderful time of happiness and prosperity. And though we have been met with troubled times, we are not without her love and guidance. It is in her name that I will carry out my duties as princess and rebuild the country that we knew and loved. Not one family, not one pony will be left wanting.

“I know that I can do this, but as Celestia has trusted me, she has also entrusted you with responsibility. Work together and help one another. Treat each other with kindness. Share with those that have less. Be true to yourselves and those around you. Give no quarter to those that would threaten us. Continue to live your days full of joy and meaning.

“Celestia has not abandoned us. She has given us the strength to continue on just as strong and wonderfully as we have ever before. As long as the light of her sun shines down upon us, we know that there will soon come a day when she will return. And when she does, she will return to find the country that she loved, the country that loves her, bright and prosperous and everlasting. Long live Celestia. Long live us all. Long live Equestria!”

“Long live Equestria!” The ponies echoed her this time, and without the doubt that had plagued them before. Their voices could be heard from mountains to plains, hundreds and thousands of voices in unison. They cheered and applauded for what must have been minutes, and she smiled to look over them: an Equestria that still had the strength to continue on.

Still, she was grateful when the band started up again and the celebration broke out en masse. She left the edge of the balcony and retreated to the quiet of the throne room, where several of the staff had already begun to clean up the mess of their entrance.

Shining Armor quickened to Rarity. “Is it true?” he asked. “My sister. She went with Discord?”

“To find Celestia,” said Rarity, an extra bit of sweetness in her voice. “Oh, you must be so worried. But we've seen her hold her own against Nightmare Moon, and against the beast. She's proven more than capable of handling him, or any danger like him.”

The stallion heaved a sigh and chuckled. “That's my Twily, alright. Never knew when to quit. Still, if there's anyone that can bring Celestia back, it's probably my sister.”

Cadence approached the throne and sat upon it when she was certain that no one was looking. Blueblood retreated to whisper with the council. Lyra settled in with the guard, joking and coaxing them into a round of crass songs. After all that had happened, all that was going to happen, the comfort of the cushions could not have possibly been enough. She sunk against them and closed her eyes for a moment. It was practically an invitation for Pinkie Pie to bounce up to her.

“You're a real princess, right?” she asked.

“Uh huh,” said Cadence, smiling quite wearily.

“Then do you know how to raise the sun and the moon?” she asked.

“No, that was always my aunt's duty,” she said. “From well before any of us were born. No one really had to learn how. Why?”

Pinkie Pie turned about and pointed to the sky outside, still tinted a familiar blue and orange. “Because Discord's gone. And Nightmare Moon. And Princess Celestia. And the sun has been rising for about three days now. If you can't do it, then I don't think there's a pony out there who can.”

Princess Cadence sunk further back into the throne and tucked her wings in. That's right. Discord's days and nights were always a little unpredictable... but how did we forget it wasn't changing at all?

“Well,” she said, unable to hide a nervous laugh, “time was, unicorns managed the day and night themselves. Celestia help us, we need to learn how to again...”

The Lost Ones

Discord

“You're not going to help us any if you keep asking pointless questions,” said Discord, glaring over his shoulder at Twilight. The filly stood in another streak of grass, except this had begun to turn gray and a dull mist wrapped about her.

“You obviously know something about her,” said Twilight, refusing to relent. “The Pale Mare... it's not like she could have always existed. All this must have come from somewhere.”

Discord rolled his eyes. “I suppose it came about whenever you silly mortals needed somewhere to go once you've done your thing.”

“Is that also when you started speaking in annoying riddles?”

The draconequus-turned-pony chuckled. “I can't even remember that far back if I try. But you really must occupy yourself with much less somber thoughts. It's beginning to have an effect on... well, everything.”

Twilight blinked and looked around herself, to find that she had been standing in the center of a gloom that radiated outwards over the golden plains. Plagued by thoughts of death and loss, the very air around her took a chill and skeletal outlines seemed to form in the place of the spirits. The sky above them even tinted black.

“This place is reading my thoughts?” she wondered, suddenly spooked. She watched as Discord paced and brushed the ground with his tail, dusting away the deathly landscape into nothingness.

“If you keep dwelling on them,” he said, flicking a little bit of grayness from the tip of his tail, “but then, if you get stuck on something long enough, it shapes the world around you. The only difference is that now everyone else can see it, too.”

Twilight turned, looking all around at the lilies that had sprung up. “Fascinating! It can't be permanent, otherwise this place would be a total jumbled mess. Or maybe everyone agrees on what the afterlife should look like. Or maybe this is how I see it...?”

Discord sighed softly. The filly thinks too much, and this little pony brain seems to be prone to headaches. And he didn't want to admit it, but she was getting dangerously close to certain conclusions about him she should very well not.

“Ah, yes,” he said, lifting a hoof upwards. “I wonder what this place would look like if you found yourself thinking about some pony you totally had the hots for? Oh, I bet it would be downright tropical.”

Every little rail of thought in Twilight's head bent into a cat's cradle of embarrassment and she let an exasperated groan. “Let's just find Celestia and get it over with,” she said, storming forward. The wind gusted after her and she looked away as quickly as possible. “I think my spell was pointing this way.”

He trotted after her and continued to chuckle to himself. She's so easy! I wonder what sort of pony an over-organized bookworm like her gets all twitterpated over... I bet she'd go completely out of control.

And if it had been her thoughts dominating the landscape, he would have to admire her force of will and its ability to affect her surroundings—whether she liked it or not. Golden grains gave way to shrubs. The ground, though eternally flat, began to lead them on a downward slope. The endless stretches of plains faded into a place far away, and they found themselves, as if they'd walked there at length, descending into thick forest.

A certain anxiousness accompanied the tranquility. Twilight seemed to move forward without noticing it, even when the path before them stretched only a few hooves wide. She bent branches as she went and Discord had to duck not to be bowled clean over as they whipped back at him.

“Watch it, would you?” Discord sighed and lifted a hoof to shield his face from another assaulting branch.

Twilight looked back over her shoulder. “Oh. I didn't think you felt pain or anything.”

“I most certainly do,” muttered Discord. This seemed to give Twilight pause, but again, he pushed her on. “At least when I'm pony shaped."

“I just sort of figured it would explode into confetti or something,” Twilight admitted, hanging her head a bit. “I'll be more careful.”

Silly filly, mused Discord. Although that isn't the worst idea.

They continued on, leaving a few trees erupting into party favors behind them. The undergrowth seemed to grow thick with hoof-grasping moss and vines, and roots all about. Twilight managed to step over them all without moving her eyes from the dim purple light on the horizon.

“If you're trying to lose me, there are better ways,” scoffed Discord. “Or are you just so strung up that you're making this difficult?”

“It's not me,” said Twilight, brushing her hoof over a root. “And if it's not you...”

The two of them stopped and looked around for the forest for the first time. The path that they followed seemed to blend entirely into the undergrowth, if there was, indeed, a path to begin with. Now that they looked, though, they thought they could see shadows of ponies at the edge of their vision.

Twilight circled a few trees and Discord followed, but they could never seem to quite catch up to the figures.

This is a total waste of time, thought Discord, sighing. Why do I even care? Why do I care about anything these stupid ponies care about, for that matter? It would be easier just to stay here and watch the cosmos pass me by...

Discord shook his head violently, though the malaise still clung to him. He hastened to Twilight, who has stopped at a depression in the roots of a tree. He gave her a fierce nudge.

“Wherever we've wandered, it's enchanted or something. And we'd best get out of it, one way or another.”

She made no reply, though. Her attention had been absorbed by two of the shadows that they had been chasing. The moment that Discord looked upon them, though, they came into focus. They were ponies all along, just ponies, a couple years out of school, curled up together in the hollow of the wood under a light dusting of snow.

What is this...?

Discord turned about. The woods existed no more, though a sparse amount of pines rose from the snow-covered hills. A haze still hung over his head in spite of the invading chill, and he scooted just a little bit closer to Twilight.

“What are you doing here?” Twilight asked the young ponies.

The two stirred and looked upon them with drooping eyelids. “We got sleepy,” said the younger. “We were looking for mom and dad... but they're not anywhere. I hope they find us soon.”

“Well they've got to be out there somewhere,” said Discord, waving a hoof, “being that you're all dead and all.”

“Discord!” snapped Twilight, glaring back.

Discord shrugged. “It's not the sort of thing you care about when it's true.”

The ponies did not seem stirred by the fact. For that matter, they seemed completely unable to comprehend the idea, too deep in their haze of depression to linger on that thought—or any, for that matter.

“It's cold,” muttered the filly, snuggling up to her sibling.

“Not for long.” Discord lifted a hoof and tried to snap his fingers. It perplexed him a moment, having only a hoof at his disposal. He sighed and tapped it on the ground. A plume of flame erupted between them all, and beneath that a stack of wood, the very essence of a homely campfire. The snow around them slipped back, revealing the shivering green edges of the buried grass.

The two ponies yawned and slipped out of the nook of the tree and curled up instead in front of the fire. Their weariness seemed to leave them, though, and though they laid down they looked with great curiosity upon Twilight and Discord. All of them moved in closer to the fire.

“So what are your names?” asked Twilight. The unicorn seemed overtly concerned about the pair, given that they were well and safe in the realm, regardless of its current state. Her urgent mission all but forgotten over the plight of two ponies. Discord, fortunately, was never one to complain of an unexpected distraction.

“Charm,” said one, finally.

“Chime,” the other filly said.

They might not have even been children, for all they knew. Bodies and minds were so malleable there. It could have been a matter of minutes or thousands of years that they waited there, finding no one. Discord shook his mane. Pondering the plight of mortals always left him feeling a little unclean.

“I'm looking for someone, too,” said Twilight. “You should come with us. We might be able to find your family.”

Tufts of snow fell almost like feathers around them, though most melted up when they neared the flame. The two ponies rubbed their eyes and shrugged their shoulders half-heartedly. Twilight turned to Discord.

“Well, we can't just leave them here,” she said.

“And why not?” said Discord. “They'll find their way eventually. It's not like they're in any real danger.”

“It doesn't bother you? Watching them lay here for what could be forever. Never seeing their loved ones again. Never changing.”

“Ponies always change,” said Discord. Just not quickly enough for my tastes, he thought, looking Twilight over. Let's see what we can't do about that.

He plucked a few of the chilled blades of grass up and stretched them out until they were no longer grass, but sticks, and blew a breath on the ends of them. Soon he held four marshmallows primed for roasting and handed them out. Chime and Charm took them with surprising interest and dipped the white rounds of sugar over the flame.

“You remind me of a couple ponies I once knew,” said Discord, leaning his head back. “A long time ago. There were a couple of fillies in a town called Trottingham. Now, this was back before Princess Celestia and her sister had to show up and ruin everything. So it was a bounteous landscape of color and sound. Sweets and treats as far as the eye can see.”

“That sounds really fun,” said Chime.

“I know,” chuckled Discord, ruffling the pony's mane, “but don't interrupt me. See, back then, no one had to worry about where their next meal was coming from or getting to work on time. It was all play. And if you wanted something to eat you just ate it.” He munched off the end of his stick, which tasted remarkably like cinnamon bark, as a matter of point.

“Of course their parents didn't want anything to do with it. Tried to keep them inside all the time, and well, you know how that goes! Even if they bolted up all the windows and locked the doors these ponies could find a way out. One night they snuck out to find that the hill they liked to play at was no longer a hill, but a giant cake.”

Discord produced a cake in miniature, several layers of buttery fluff frosted heavily in white buttercream, and sat it between the fillies. It did not survive long. “They couldn't decide whether to snarf down the cake or play on it, so they did both! For an entire day. They made such a mess, as you might imagine. And they were so full of sugar and joy that they forgot to clean themselves off when they went back into their rooms. So later, when their parents came to tuck them in for the night, do you know what they saw?”

“What?” asked both of the fillies around mouthfuls of marshmallow.

Discord smiled. He glanced over at Twilight, who stared at him. She too had been drawn into the silly tale, at least enough. The land around them seemed to blur, no longer hill and snow but a faint white, except for the fire and the tree and the little circle they carved out.

“Well they looked a little like this,” said Discord. He wiggled his hoof and lifted a copious amount of that snow, turning it just enough so it had the consistency of cake frosting, and then dropped it on Twilight.

“Agh!” yelled the pony-shaped pile of frosting, squirming beneath it.

"Well their parents were horrified, they thought I'd turned their kids to cake or something," chuckled Discord. "But as you can see, just plain fun."

Chime and Charm burst into giggles and pointed at Twilight, who was the only one there not amused by the spectacle. At the corner of Discord's vision he could see more of the shadowy figures they'd followed earlier, slipping from around trees and knolls and little bits outside their vision to form a small circle around the fire.

“That's it,” huffed Twilight. She flicked a tiny bit of magic from her horn and lifted half of the snow-frosting in the area. “Let's see how you like it.”

She flung it with all her might and it hit Discord with an icy-hot splat. The children laughed again and he couldn't help but laugh as well. He retaliated, and she retaliated, and soon they'd made a complete mess of themselves. They all broke into an easy laughter and groomed themselves a little, thought Twilight was the only one who took the time to clean herself completely.

Discord smiled. “You ponies are best when you're young. You enjoy all the chaos. You play and you fight and you don't do that thing grumpy adults do where they get all bent out of shape for days and weeks and years. You just get over it! And you're changing, always changing. There's at least a little chaos bubbling in every baby pony's head.”

“What?” said Chime, tilting her head. “I don't get it.”

“Oh, don't mind me,” said Discord, examining a hoof. “Just thinking aloud.”

“Tell us another story,” said Charm, and Chime nodded in agreement.

Discord looked at Twilight. “Well, we probably shouldn't stay too long...”

Both fillies immediately pouted. “Aww.”

Twilight bit her lip. “We are in a hurry, aren't we?” she said, then looked at the young ponies. They put on the strongest pleading looks they could. She didn't stand a chance. “But I guess it's alright. Just a little longer.”

Chime and Charm and the other shadow ponies cheered. The air continued to warm, and not just from the fire. Discord leaned back and recalled another story. He had thousands of them, if he could be bothered to remember any of them, and always found himself a little surprised at the things he had done.

They laughed and joked and feasted on sugary goods for time longer than any of them could know. A brighter moon lit the area and the shaded ponies became a little more visible, little outlines of each and every one of them filling out. And one by one they turned, looked around, and wandered off, looking no different than the spirits that they had met before.

When Discord could take no more, he laid his head on his hooves and sighed. “Well, we have an eternity to enjoy ourselves. I think it's time for something else.”

Chime and Charm looked like they could have partied forever, though. Chime stood up and shook her mane out, and her sister imitated her.

“Are there other ponies like you?” asked Charm.

“Like me?” Discord laughed. “Well, no. Not really. But there are a lot of ponies who are interesting enough. Just waiting for you to meet them.”

“Cool,” said Chime, leaning in to whisper something to Charm.

By now the hills, the forest faded into all but an echo of its former self. Only the one tree remained, and the golden plains now stretched out before them in all directions. The sun had settled in and dusk came upon them, but this did not seem to dampen the sisters at all.

“We had a lot of fun,” said Charm, nodding to Chime. “We want to go and see if we can't find other ponies.”

“You run along and do that,” said Discord, waving a hoof. “I'm sure we'll meet again sometime.”

“I hope so,” said Chime, licking a bit of frosting off of her face. “Thank you for hanging out with us.”

“Yeah, thanks.”

The two ponies trotted off as if suddenly seized by another purpose. Their bodies dwindled into moonlight and a pair of sparks that wandered out into the fields to join the rest of their kind. Soon Twilight and Discord sat alone in front of the fire, in a landscape now so familiar.

“How did you do that?” said Twilight, tilting her head. “How did you know what would...”

“It could have been anything,” said Discord. “They'd become so obsessed with finding their families that it was all they could think about. And when they couldn't find them, they started to feel hopeless. They felt tired. And this world changed to reflect that. All they needed was to be stirred up a little. To let go. Enjoy themselves for whatever reason.”

Twilight looked into his eyes, searching. Then she hung her head. “If you hadn't come along, they might have been stuck here forever,” she said.

Discord stuck his tongue out. “You're making too big of a deal out of this. They had time enough to get over it. And if not, well, I'm sure that stuffy white mare would probably show up sooner or later to shoo them along. Never can stay to her own business, that one.”

He felt quite pleased with himself, though, for shoving in where he didn't belong. With any luck, those two fillies would talk about him at length, and the ponies they told would tell other ponies. And the golden lands would know him, and there would be a little place for him there.

“That's why we ended up in the forest, isn't it?” murmured Twilight. “Because I was...”

“Don't think about it too much,” said Discord. “Seriously. I don't want to have to deal with it a second time.”

Twilight blinked, then laughed. “Right. Well. I guess we can carry on now. No telling how far we'll have to go before we get there. Not that I doubt we'll get there! Nope.”

Discord brushed a bit of falling snow off of his nose and sighed. And a great haziness seized him, and a weight took his eyes. He was tired. Tired of Twilight...? No. Well, maybe a little. Just the thinks-too-much part. It has to be this place. I feel so... heavy.

“Discord?”

Discord opened his eyes, though he could feel they did not want to stay that way for long. “Actually,” he said, “we should probably stay here for a spell. You still need to sleep now and then, and no one is going to bother us.”

“But we can't waste...” Twilight started, and then yawned. He didn't have to manipulate her, only remind her body that it was tired. Even with the invigorating nature of the plane she still had been pushing herself for what must have been days. She felt the warmth of the campfire washing over her and settled down against the grass. “Just a little sleep then,” she agreed.

But Discord was already well onto his way, hooves tucked up against his belly, head on a pillow made of grass and some fluff he'd conjured up. Between the eternal comforts of the afterlife and his own little flame, he couldn't be more ready to sleep. He barely had the consciousness to be excited by the idea of something he hadn't experienced in thousands and thousands of years. But he did manage a little smile before he fell asleep.

Times A'Changling

Applejack

Much of the damage that had been sustained during Discord's brief 'hullabaloo' in Ponyville had been reversed. Buildings that had been knocked over now stood rebuilt. The ground beneath Applejack's hooves even, once a twisted mess of black and white, seemed to return to its natural state. She could feel a tickle of the draconequus' magic lingering in the earth, but the longer Discord stayed away from Ponyville, the more his influence waned.

“Easier than puttin' up a barn, huh?” asked Caramel.

Applejack turned and laughed, about to remark upon the last time the colt had been involved in a construction project of any kind. He's taken enough licks lately, she thought. She just nodded and approached one of the construction mares.

“Ya'll put in the reinforcement beams, right?” she asked.

A yellow mare with orange curls sighed and adjusted her hardhat. “Just like the last five houses,” she said.

“Hey now, you're doing a good job,” Applejack assured her. “You just asked me to keep an eye on you. Next time a storm comes through, we want these homes to be able to stand up to anything.”

The construction worker kicked a hoof against the side of the house. “If that storm is Discord all the stone and wood in the world probably wouldn't make a bit of difference. We build it and he'll just knock it down again. Don't matter how sturdy it is.”

“Then we'll build it again, every time,” said Applejack. “Just because that beast can knock over our houses doesn't mean we shouldn't have homes. And if he wants to keep on doing that, then he's gonna find himself with a problem.”

The yellow mare scoffed. “Now you sound like those Canterlotians, ready to rise up under him.”

Applejack chuckled. “I reckon they had the right idea, 'till they got all caught up in the business of the throne.”

“You want to start something?” The mare dusted her hooves and adjusted the belt of tools over her saddle. “Or maybe you already have.”

“Met plenty of pony folks ready to buck a baddy or two if it means keeping our homes in one piece,” she said. “If you think you have it in you, you should meet up with everyone at Sweet Apple Acres. Next time Discord, or Nightmare Moon, or anyone else decides they can walk all over our home, they'll have another thing coming.”

“Isn't it the royal guard's job to keep us safe?”

“The guard can't be everywhere. They're mixed up as it is with princess after princess... and I don't even know if they'd stand up to Discord either. We want to keep our homes, we have to do something about it.”

The mare rubbed her head, obviously unconvinced. More than anything she looked tired. “I'll think about it,” she said, finally. “But I've got to finish this place up and move on. If I don't do my job, we won't have anything to defend in the first place.”

“Thinkin' about it is all I ask for,” said Applejack.

The construction mare nodded, then disappeared inside the house, where Applejack could hear her barking instructions at her apprentices. When it was clear there was nothing left for them to do, they turned and walked away. There'd be another house to check on, and more ponies to try to sway to her cause.

“I don't think I could go hoof to hoof with that guy,” said Caramel, looking at the ground in front of him. “After what he did to me last time.”

“You don't have to fight Discord,” she said, patting him between the ears. “No one would ever ask you to do that. There's other things you can do to make sure we're ready when the time comes. We need shelter and food and support.”

“I'm just not sure this is a good idea at all,” he said. “The princess... Discord... they're all way above us.”

Applejack shook her head. “They can do a lot of crazy things, but they're not untouchable. They just want us to think they are. Enough of us stand up and we'll manage to pull through. We just have to.”

“You're probably right,” said Caramel.

They paused in front of the Carousel Boutique. Applejack tilted her hat up and looked into the windows. It'd somehow managed to survive the chaos, though largely because it had been empty at the time. I wonder if Rarity will ever come back here... even if things do settle. I know she's always fancied herself a Canterlot Mare.

Caramel trotted a little closer, but before he could say anything, a young unicorn filly came crashing from across the street. “Applejack, Applejack, you gotta help me,” she cried.

Applejack settled the youngster with a hoof. “Hold on now. What's the trouble?”

The filly looked up with tear-filled eyes. “It's my mom... except she's not really my mom. Something's wrong with her. And ponies say you know how to fix ponies after they start acting weird.”

Applejack glanced at Caramel and nodded. The two followed after the filly. “What exactly happened?” she asked. “I'm sure we can help.”

“Well, I asked for a sandwich. And mom knows I love peanut butter. Except she just looked really confused.” The filly continued to explain as they approached one of the houses nearby. The filly's horn flashed with magic and the door swung open, inwards, as she continued to explain. “Then when I showed it to her she couldn't get the lid... didn't try to use magic or anything. When I asked her what was wrong she started yelling at me. It was so...” she shuddered. “I got scared and ran. But then I saw you, and...”

Applejack nodded. “We'll get your ma' back,” she said, “don't you fret.”

It wouldn't be the first time she'd done the task. Caramel was the first. And ever since she'd returned to Ponyville, other ponies would bring her to a grayed-out pony chock full of Discord's influence. And she'd have to help them snap out of it.

The unicorn in the kitchen wasn't gray at all though. She appeared healthy, a purple unicorn with blue gems for a cutiemark. Applejack had gotten to know Sparkler pretty well but she seemed to not even notice her entering. The unicorn trotted over and nuzzled her child.

“There you are, sweetie,” she crooned, then immediately glared at Applejack and Caramel. “What did I tell you about talking to strangers?”

She reared up and lowered her gaze on them. “And what are you doing in my house? Do I know you?”

Applejack lowered her head. “I've been selling your family apples for three years,” she said. “Every market.”

“Oh,” said Sparkler, tossing her mane. “And? That doesn't really give you the right to just barge in here, does it? You should go before I have to call the guard.”

There's something very wrong here, she thought. She doesn't show any of the signs of being Discorded... but that's definitely not my friend. I'm gonna have to do this the rough way.

Applejack stalked towards Sparkler, beckoning the other ponies back. “Close your eyes,” she said. “Just a minute. Everything will be okay soon.”

Sparkler back into a corner. “What are you doing? Help! Guards, hel--”

She had not managed to scream long before Applejack cuffed her upside the head with a hoof. What fell backwards in front of her was not Sparkler. The creature wasn't even a pony at all. It was more of a giant bug, black shelled, blue winged, cragged and full of holes. Applejack had never seen anything like it before.

The unicorn filly hadn't closed her eyes. She screamed.

“What is that?” Caramel gaped. “Applejack, what...”

Applejack whirled around and thrust with her back hooves, catching the creature as it tried to stand up. She bucked it into the wall hard and it made a pitiful chitter before she knocked it out cold.

“I don't know,” she said. She practically galloped over to get her hooves around the trembling filly and stared at Caramel. “Get the royal guard, now. We need to find out what this is, and what it did with Sparkler.”

Caramel practically bolted out the door to get help. The filly kept sobbing into Applejack's shoulder. Her eyes wandered around for something to restrain the creature with.. but as long as it was out, it was probably alright. She couldn't bare to let go of the child for even a second.

“It's going to be okay,” she murmured, stroking her mane. “We'll find you mom, I promise.”

She held the filly strong and without a single shake, but inside her heart was pounding. We're not even safe in our own homes anymore. We have to fight. We have to fight soon, or else.

Rainbow Dash

Rainbow Dash soared over the forests just west of Ponyville. Dawn made the perfect cover, just shaded enough to hide in the shapes of clouds, but light enough that she could spy on the land below. As she crouched on one cloud overlooking one of the deer runs, Soarin' landed beside her.

“You shouldn't be out here alone,” he said.

Rainbow Dash sighed. “Spitfire hasn't assigned me a new wing. But I'm doing my job. I have to, right? That's what it means to be a Wonderbolt.”

Soarin' shook his head and laughed. “You never play nice, do you? It's almost like hanging around with the captain...” The blue stallion trailed off and pointed to the trail below. A shadowy figure slipped into the open and then promptly ducked beneath the canopy again. “Did you see that?”

“Yeah,” said Rainbow Dash, leaning a bit closer. “Something moved. Could have been a deer. You think we should check it out?”

“Together,” said Soarin'.

Rainbow frowned. “But we could...”

“Cover more area?” Soarin' shook his head. “Yeah. That's why we're down to scout teams consisting of lone flighty fillies.”

Rainbow Dash twitched her wings. “Fine,” she said. “But keep up.”

She launched off the cloud, silently striking her wings open against the air. Soarin's shadow passed over her and they swooped down towards where the figure was. Judging from where it was moving, it was heading towards some of the heavier parts of the woods. The two of them dipped down through an opening in the branches and joined the trail.

There was no sign of the figure that they'd followed. The path looked like it had seen a fair amount of traffic, though, and the trees had branches snapped off in several places. Either someone was flying clumsy, or they'd gone through in quite a hurry.

The two pegasi maneuvered down the narrow corridor left by the run, tilting and swerving beneath branches and leaves. Only the sound of their wings stroking up and down filled the forest.

Where could all of these ponies be disappearing to? She thought. Just one answer, just one clue, then Spitfire can bring the whole team in. All I have to do is find something...

Another shadow darted in front of her. She flicked one hoof up in a quick motion to signal to Soarin', and then the two of them turned off the beaten path to the north. The branches were so tight that she had difficulty flying without taking leaves and twigs to the face.

Whoever they were chasing heard them as the branches cracked in front of them. But they weren't nearly as fast as a pair of pegasi with momentum on their side. They barreled their way through the forest, lowering their goggles so they could take as much lashing as the forest had to offer them.

They finally caught up to the figure at a small campsite, where they stopped and looked around frantically. Dash could see them more clearly now, though they wore a heavy hood and cloak, nearly concealing all of them. Still, it had to be a pony.

She landed on one side of the stranger and Soarin' took to the other.

“Alright,” said Rainbow Dash, scraping a hoof. “There's no way you can outrun us so maybe you should just talk. What are you hiding from? What do you know about the missing ponies? Spill it!”

Soarin' sighed and rolled his eyes. But the stranger made an odd noise. Like the sound of two stones scraping together. Then clicks, and chitters. The forest around them moved from all directions. The stranger pushed their hood back and revealed their insectoid face, screeching.

A dozen more of the creatures appeared as if from nowhere, some shifting from other creatures, more seeming to appear from thin air. Dash lowered her stance and flared her wings up, prepared to take off again.

“Get out of here!” she cried to Soarin'. “We have to warn the pegasi!” As she tried to take off, she felt him leap against her back, two hooves landing in the space between her wings. She let a pathetic scream and the wind blew out of her lungs as she fell beneath the weight of the stallion.

Soarin' turned her over and laughed in her face. “You really are gullible, you know that? See the face of someone you trust and you don't think for a second that something might be wrong. And your admiration, that just makes it all the easier...”

Rainbow Dash blinked back tears as she tried to kick out at Soarin'. But the changelings already surrounded her, grabbing her legs. They spun out a thin green slime and bound her wings first.

“What are you talking about? Why are you doing this...? What is going on!?”

Soarin' shushed her and pressed a hoof to her nose. She bit his hoof, hard, but did not pierce through the skin which seemed harder than usual. “Ah, I love this feeling the most. The hate. The fear. The confusion. Your pony heart is breaking...”

Then Soarin's body churned and his blue-colored body faded from vision. Another insectoid, though slightly larger, now stood upon Rainbow Dash. A chitinous helmet circled around its head which it adjusted as it loomed down over the filly. It laughed, and the other creatures seemed to pick up on its perverse joy.

“But I prefer the hate. You're not good for much else, anyway. It's not like you love anypony as much as you do yourself.”

“That's not true.” Rainbow Dash growled. “I don't know what you are, but you won't get away with this.”

They left her loose enough to struggle, but caught enough she could not kick out at any of them. She squirmed but doing so only seemed to make the goo around her hooves stick together even harder. Their leader stepped off of her and smiled.

“We're changelings,” it said, and every one of them echoed her voice. “And now you know. You should hate us. You should fear us.” And then it spoke on its own as the changelings lifted her and began to carry her deeper into the forest.

“I'd say, 'we'll treat you well if you just cooperate,' but I know just as well as you do that you're not going to do that. So enjoy the ride. You're ours, now, little filly, and our leader will be quite interested in meeting you.”

Rainbow Dash screamed and thrashed, but couldn't dislodge herself. I can't move... she thought, squeezing her eyes shut. They can look like ponies I know... they can read my feelings. A fear gripped her unlike any she had ever known. She felt helpless, for the first time in her life, and it was reducing her to tears.

They brought her anger, though, and she gripped onto it with all of her might. She stopped squirming. She stopped speaking. She shoved her mind into white-hot rage and growled.

They'll take me where the other ponies were taken, she thought, and we'll break loose. We'll kick their sorry flanks in half. I just have to be patient. I just have to wait for the right moment...

She repeated the plan in her head as the forest above began to block out all the sunlight. They were going lower, towards the mountains beneath Cloudsdale. A fierce shaking overtook her and her breath came quick, desperate, but she had to hold on. If she didn't, she knew she would be lost.

Once they had gone far enough in, the changeling that seemed to lead the group flashed with green flame and then re-assumed the form of Soarin'.

“I'll have to let Spitfire know that you're missing,” he said, grinning. “Don't worry. I'll make sure that the best pegasi in Cloudsdale are out looking for you.”

Flicker

Rarity

The library wing of Canterlot Castle lay in ruins. One of the walls to the tower had crumbled, and only now did several unicorns busy themselves levitating the old stones back into place. Shelves twisted in spirals, or else lay fallen or broken into pieces. More than once Discord pleasured in playing there in the pages of countless tomes and only a few volumes managed to escape being turned into gibberish, erased, or transmuted into some food-like facsimile of a text. Rarity and Spike sorted through the collection to see if anything salvageable remained.

The unicorn lifted one of the few surviving books from the mess and dusted off the cover. “Ten easy steps to super souffle...” she sighed, rubbing her head. “Why is this even in the magic archives?”

Spike tossed an empty book over his shoulder, and then another. “If you can even call them that anymore. At least when Twilight made me play librarian the books actually made sense.”

She leaned over ruffled his head. “I know it's hard, and you've been such a good sport. I promise I'll make it worth it.”

“At least I don't have to help you make frilly dresses or something,” muttered the dragonling. She caught him making a few wistful looks her way anyway. “Not that I wouldn't do anything for you. S-since you're taking care of me and all.”

Such a complicated little gentleman... Rarity shook her head. “Still. I'd say that this isn't a prudent use of our time. Even if we happen to find an intact manual, the odds of it being what we need are quite miniscule.”

“If only Princess Celestia had her own books,” gestured Spike, “all about raising the sun and tiaras and princessy stuff. That'd make things a lot easier.”

Rarity's eyes brightened. “Aha! You're a clever boy, aren't you?”

The dragon blushed. “I, uh, well of course, Rarity... but what--”

She whisked past him and pulled him along in a haze of blue light. “Celestia's private rooms. I swear I saw some books in there, and we've a much better chance of finding something useful there than we ever will here.”

Spike only fought a little at being hoisted about like a sack of gems as Rarity made her way, brisk but reserved, from the library tower. It was a strange sight to her to see the staff putting such energy into returning the castle to its former glory. Though in some cases Discord's magic still remained too strong, it did not stop them from putting walls and floors back into place or hanging new tapestries. A new energy took the place since Cadence was crowned, and though the unicorns grumbled (there had never been a time when they had not been fussed with some trifle or another) there seemed to be an agreement on the rulership of Equestria for the first time since Princess Celestia's disappearance.

Rarity sat Spike down delicately when they arrived at the hidden passage and took a moment to straighten and dust his scales. And when she'd finished making Spike squirm, she placed a hoof upon the wall—only to notice that it had been left slightly ajar. A few lilting voices reached her ear and she recognized them as belonging to Cadence and Turner.

I hate to interrupt, she thought, glancing back over her shoulder. But I can't just stand here. And a lady shouldn't be doing all this snooping about like a criminal.

So she urged the false panel further and slipped her way in. Two white armored wings crossed before her, though with little force to them. The guards merely held her present while Princess Cadence, her conversation ceased, looked up from her place at the table.

“Did you need something, Rarity?” she asked, smiling. “I'm a little busy at the moment, but if it's important...”

Rarity scanned the room. In addition to two guards that met her at the entrance, another four kept watch from the walls and three more, decorated as officers, sat on either side of Cadence. Shining Armor was absent, however Rarity did recognize both Snowdrop and turner in their midst.

“Ah, yes,” said Rarity, clearing her throat. “Please pardon my intrusion, but we're not making any progress in the library. I have a mind to look through Princess Celestia's collection, if you would permit me. I hope to find something to help us raise the sun.”

The pink pony princess pondered a moment and then nodded to the guards, who lowered their wings and permitted Rarity access to the room. “Of course. Your counsel is always welcomed. I will continue this meeting, however.”

“But of course,” said Rarity, bowing her head. She waved Spike over to one of the bookshelves and gestured for him to keep quiet. He opened his mouth, and then shut it again, understanding.

“As I was saying,” said Cadence, turning to Turner. “You have a rather unique talent. Most ponies tell the turning of time by the Sun and the Moon... there are very few who understand how it actually works. Most deeply embroiled in magic. There are spells that can achieve some idea, but...”

The stallion waved his hoof. “Not to cut you off, majesty, but yes. I can stay on long enough to ensure that our nights and days return precisely to their proper points. It would only be proper.”

“Yes, of course.” Cadence laughed. “I'll ensure that you're given proper accomodations...”

“My room here is suited to me,” said Turner, glancing briefly at the space where the wardrobe let out. “I've already adjusted.”

“If you say so,” said Cadence.

Rarity shook her head just a little, scanning over the assortment of titles on the bookshelves. A Brief History of Canterlot, Volume 3. The Gryphon Treatise. All of these history books. Forty Fantastic Fables for Foals...? Now that can't be right. Oh, if only Twilight were here. She could probably solve this whole magic thing top to bottom.

“Our biggest priority is getting control of the days again,” said Cadence. “But it's just as important that we get the weather working again. Discord kept the kingdom fed at a whim, but he left absolutely nothing in terms of getting our fields and orchards back together.” She nodded at Snowflake and the very slightest bit of magic sparked from the tip of her horn. A cloud that had been hovering near the ceiling, outside of Rarity's notice, now drifted down and settled against the table. “What can you tell me about this?”

Snowflake flapped her wings once and stared at the princess. A couple of the guards exchanged glances. “Well, your majesty,” said the pegasus. “It's a cloud.”

Cadence shook her head and laughed. “Of course it is. But pegasi know clouds better than anyone else. What makes this one special?”

The white pegasus leaned in and gave the cloud a push with her hoof. “Well, it's about two qubits too dense,” she said. “Whoever made this was probably an amateur.”

“But it was made,” said Cadence. She flicked her horn again and lifted the map of Equestria from one of the shelves, rolling it out. “Shining Armor has had patrols investigating reports of stray weather patterns and this was pulled out of a cloud formation just west of Ponyville. “ She swept a hoof over the map and leaned forward. “Can you tell where this was made?”

“Not exactly,” said Snowflake, biting her hoof. “But I can tell you that this came out of a factory. Hoofmade clouds wouldn't have this uniform of a fluff structure.”

“So this was probably made in Cloudsdale.”

Snowflake nodded. “Unless someone decided to import it from Las Pegasus or something. But that makes about as much sense. Why would Cloudsdale weather be floating around pointlessly?”

Cadence flicked her wings up. “Why, indeed. If I had to guess, I'd say that the missing pegasi are trying to continue their duties. But we need them back where they belong. There aren't many reservoirs that can support the city of Cloudsdale. They can't provide for us while they're still missing. If what you say is true, then the weather factories must still be intact and operating in some capacity. Is that fair to say?”

“Probably,” said Snowflake, looking away. “What are you getting at?”

“There are only so many places they could be,” said Cadence. “Cloudsdale broke contact with Canterlot after my... after Nightmare Moon took over. And that's probably the best thing they could have done.” She shook her head and looked down at the map again, shoulders heaving in a sigh. “The unicorns tried to revert to their old ways. We have to consider the possibility that Cloudsdale will try to go independent as well. We need Cloudsdale. I need Cloudsdale. They're a proud people. They're only going to listen to one of their own.”

Snowflake glanced around. “If you haven't noticed, I've been getting pretty chummy with the palace. You can practically smell the hoity toity on me.”

“But will you help me?”

The pegasus flustered and lowered her head. “Of course, Princess. There's no question in that. But I can't promise they'll listen...”

“I'm sure you'll do fine,” said Cadence.

The pegasus made herself smile and nod. Rarity had seen that face before. Snowflake had made it when she asked her to help keep Blueblood away from the throne. And now she was being asked to move mountains again—or at least a mountain of clouds.

I wonder where that waste of a prince got off to, anyway...?

“A-ha!”

Every pony looked up at Spike's outburst. The dragon blushed but tapped his claws against a particular page.

“Did you find something?” asked Rarity, practically bowling him over.

“Well, it's not a spell,” said Spike, regaining his footing. “But it might help.”

Cadence waved them over. “May I?”

“Of course,” said Rarity, lifting the book and pulling it towards the table. Cadence swept the cloud to the side and made room for the volume. Rarity raised an eyebrow at the book as she sat it down. “Spike, this is a book on Hearth's Warming Eve.”

“I know,” said Spike, “it's one of my favorite holidays.” He puffed up a bit and grinned. Then, noticing that everyone was looking at him, he waved his hands. “Just look at it, would you?”

Cadence and Rarity (and a number in the room) leaned over the text. Its cover had worn and faded with age, in spite of its excellent care in Celestia's library, and the pages were like wisps. Rarity read and reread the passage that Spike had pointed out.

Before Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, it was the unicorns who brought night and day to the lands of Equestria. Twice a day the most powerful magicians in the land would gather together and bind their wills in order to reach to the distant sun.

I had the luxury of speaking to one individual, eager to share her ecstatic experience with me. She spoke of the joy she felt when magically entwined with his kind, and of the sensation of the sun. I had thought it just to be a grand levitation spell, but it is more than that. She described the process as '… becoming one with the sun and the moon, feeling its energy within you... and your spirit within them. Moving them is like being in touch for just a moment with all things, connected, full of life. It's an experience only a unicorn will ever be able to understand.' She then proceeded to break down into tears, unable to restrain her joy and the size of her daily task.

“Well, it's not exactly a how-to guide,” muttered Snowflake.

“Some of this language makes sense though,” said Cadence. “Most levitation is accomplished by creating a magic field around the object or person and generating lift. What this mare is talking about sounds more like sympathetic magic.” She paused and laughed nervously, as everypony stared at her. “You don't think I could have been a Princess without tons of magic schooling, did you?”

Rarity tossed her mane back and smiled. “Of course not. But do you think it's possible? If it's as intricate as it sounds... well, I worry what would happen if we screwed it up.”

“It will be difficult,” agreed Cadence, “but there are no tales of unicorns immolating themselves trying to touch the sun. It will all depend upon our friends and how well they can perform. They should be practicing in the yard.” The princess then decisively rolled up the map, tucked the cloud into a corner, and otherwise returned the table to a blank state. “Perhaps we should pay them a visit and see how they are performing. I, too, should take part in the ritual as well...”

A clatter of hooves and dim hubbub filled the room as the ponies present rose to follow their princess. Spike scooped up the book and tucked it under his arm, then leaned over to Rarity.

“Did I do good?” he asked.

Rarity laughed and tilted her head at him. “Yes, Spike,” she said. “You did good.” She gave him a light peck on the cheek, from which he promptly swooned and stumbled. Then they joined the others on the way to the parade grounds.

Lyra

Lyra stood at the head of the parade grounds, freshly reclaimed from Discord's tyranny. Land once twisted and curved lay flat, filled with fresh patches of earth and grass grown in a hurry by unicorn and earth pony alike. And the grass bent beneath the hooves of scores of unicorns each awaiting the signal from her. She held her lyre still in front of her and stared at the one flickering candle sitting atop the balcony.

For the last few hours they'd struggled to get the candle to move. Any single one of them could grab the flame and lift it up, but whenever they tried to manipulate it in unison, they always snuffed it right out. Or flung the candle halfway across the grounds. Still, Lyra let them go through their drills and began again, time after time, in the hopes that they would be making some progress. Instead she seemed to be faced with a crowd of discontent and mildly sweaty dapper unicorns.

As she reached to pluck a string and begin again, Prince Blueblood stepped from the first line and scoffed. “This is an insult. Having the finest blooded ponies in Equestria practice on a mere candle's flame! What is this, magic kindergarten?”

A series of grumbles erupted through the lines. Many of the unicorns that stood with them now had been in support of Blueblood's claims for the throne and still harbored ill will against her. She laughed and gave her lyre a pluck. “No, my prince, if this were magic kindergarten I'd have you paddled something fierce.” The ponies laughed, in spite of their present decorum. “This isn't about a simple spell. This is about getting a hundred of you blockheads to be in perfect time with one another. Mind and heart. You have to understand the music. Let it flow through you. Only then--”

“Beg your pardon,” said Blueblood, tossing his mane and turning to face the crowd, “but our noble unicorn blood sings through our veins. We're more in synch than you and that stupid guitar ever will be.”

Lyra ground her teeth and forced a grin. Stupid. If you want to get burned so badly, go right ahead, Blueballs. She held her tongue though and issued a more appropriate challenge for the gentry. “Oh, yeah? Well why don'cha just lift the sun up right now? Show us how it's done?”

The prince gave an uneasy look to the crowd. “I do not know...” A spark of magic trickled over his horn. “Not until Princess Cadence instructs us to would it be appropriate.”

Lyra rolled her eyes. “Fine then. You've had some time to practice working together. Try to lift the flame from the candle.”

“We will do more than try,” said Prince Blueblood, returning to his place in line. “In three, good ponies. Three... two... one...”

Lyra leaned back and watched with bemusement as dozens of horns lit up at once. Two unicorns combining magic was usually a rather intimate process, and best achieved with actual contact... but there was no way that the ponies of old could have achieve that without a ludicrous pile, and as much as the idea entertained her, she knew that would not have been the case. Instead they would have to treat one another as focal points.

“It cannot be fifty spells on one candle,” said Lyra. “Every unicorn. One spell. Do it right.”

And for a brief moment they seemed to have it, a prismatic light encircling the candle's flame. Whatever synchronization they had did not last long, though. As the fire began to rise up from the wick, the field scrambled and scattered. Prince Blueblood squirmed about and threw his hoofs at the air.

“Augh! Too hot! It's burning up inside of me... do something, you peasant! Oh! Ow!”

Lyra laughed and watched him squirm for just a little longer. At this time a parade of hoofsteps came from the upper parapet. Princess Cadence surveyed the scene for a moment before blowing the candle out, leaving Blueblood released from its thrall, panting and wheezing.

“Cousin!” he gasped, galloping up to the balcony—though he stayed his enthusiasm once he caught sight of Rarity and her companions.

“I take it things are not going too well,” said Cadence, dusting a bit of grass from his shoulders.

Prince Blueblood glared at Lyra, who had taken to tuning her instrument. “They would be better if we did not have this mare leading us, cousin. She nearly burned me up trying to magic that damned candle of hers.”

Princess Cadence lowered her head and curled up her lip. “Mind who you are speaking to,” she said.

The unicorn swallowed. “Yes, Cou-- princess.”

“Now,” continued the princess, “did she deliberately harm you?”

“Well, no,” stammered Blueblood, “but I--”

“You haven't been causing trouble then, have you?”

“Of course not!”

Cadence gave him a deep, long look and then trotted forward. “I would expect not, Prince Blueblood. You must be an example to all of us. Can you rejoin the others? I wish to speak with them.”

“Yes, Princess Cadence,” muttered Prince Blueblood, his ears turned down. He trotted back to his place in line. Even Lyra felt a little sorry for him—just a little—though she couldn't help but imagine how many times Princess Celestia had coddled him in a similar manner.

Princess Cadence circled to the bottom of the stairs and stood before the unicorns. “There are little records remaining of the magics of old. But my dear friends have turned up some research that may have revealed the way to us. I trust that you are all learned in the ways of sympathetic magics?” There came a general rumble of agreement. She nodded and turned to face the candle upon the balcony, and lit it with a single spark of her horn. “That is the kind of magic we must use, and I think I understand why you failed to keep control just now. We cannot bind the flame and attempt to control it. Instead we must open ourselves to it and allow it to enter into us. We must share our existence with the flame.”

One of the elder unicorns piped in. “Beg pardon, but what makes you think that we can lift the sun, if we can lift the candlelight?”

Princess Cadence shook her head. “We have to believe we can. But if we cannot lift the candle, then how do you expect we will lift the sun?” The unicorn who spoke only nodded, tempered by the princess' answer. Cadence then turned to Lyra. “I would like to participate as well. Will you show me how you are practicing?”

It took Lyra a moment to realize she had been addressed, so drawn into Cadence's presence. She nodded and snapped a salute. “Aye aye, princess. Everyone understands that you need to be in sync, but not just how much.” she plucked a string of her lyre, and then another in a slightly higher note. “Think of each sound as a beat of your heart, and all of your hearts must beat as one. Your thoughts must be the same. Focus on the rhythm of my song... and then upon the fire. If all goes well, you'll be in synch.”

Cadence looked back at the now stoic crowd of unicorns, including her cousin, all eager to prove themselves and experience the magic again. She nodded. “Begin,” she said.

Lyra began a simple yet pleasant scale, four notes, then down, then up... each unicorn drew in a deep breath and shut their eyes. She continued to play, patient, as each of them sunk into the melody and the timing. Then as she shifted to a higher octave, they all seemed to understand one another. Their horns flared, and the center of the candle's flame flickered with a golden glow.

It lifted, only a little at first. Each unicorn watched in awe as the flame rose to the tip of the wick. Even Prince Blueblood seemed serene and pure as they performed the ritual. Lyra cast a basic enchantment to keep the scales playing and opened up her magic, just skimming the surface of the unicorns around her. And right away she found a warmth surging through her from the inside out, enough to make her cheeks flush. She withdrew quickly and stared up.

It's incredible, she thought. All of those minds in harmony. And the flame itself is so vibrant. I want to feel it again.

She knew better, though, than to force herself in and out of the spell on a whim. Instead she satisfied herself to watch and play the feelings, still fresh in her body, into her lyre. The flame rose above the wick, floating higher and higher into the air as her song unfolded. It seemed it lasted forever, and then ended in a moment as Cadence twitched her horn and snuffed the flame out. Silence held the grounds as each unicorn looked at one another in awe.

“You did wonderful,” said Cadence, turning about again. “It may be some time yet before we are ready to try something larger. In the meantime, I would like you to continue to practice, if that is okay with you?”

“It is our honor, I would think,” said Prince Blueblood, puffing up proudly. “We will not let you down, Princess Cadence.”

A healthy hurrrah followed his proclamation. The unicorns broke into small groups and chattered excitedly with one another as Cadence ascended the stairs again. Lyra lifted her instrument and hurried after her.

“Will I be able to participate as well?” she asked, once they had reached the top of the stairs.

Princess Cadence nodded. “I don't see why not. We will have to learn to work together without your music leading us, eventually. It would be only fair.”

“Thank you, Princess,” said Lyra, bowing her head. “And what about you, Rarity? You should join us. I know you're more magically gifted than you let on.”

“Goodness...” Rarity, who had been watching intently the entire time, flustered and swept a hoof to her chest. “I would love to be a part of such a thing. But the truth is, there's another duty that's plaguing me right now.”

“And what would that be?” Princess Cadence asked. “There are few things more important than restoring order to Equestria.”

“I'm not denying that,” said Rarity. “I've been gathering the remains of the Elements of Harmony, and have acquired most of them. Since it was partially my fault that they were lost... I feel some responsibility.” The mare stole a moment to sigh and steel herself. “I would like to use the castle's resources to see if I could not restore them.”

Princess Cadence suddenly looked far away, her gaze over the castle walls and to the horizon. “Princess Celestia and Luna once wielded them to banish Discord... if he returns, they may be the only way we can pacify him. Even if we restore them, we will have to find ponies worthy to bear them. Do you think this is possible?”

“I'm honestly not sure,” said Rarity.

“About as possible as raising the sun,” added Spike. Rarity gave him a little nudge, but Cadence laughed.

“Yes,” said Cadence, “we are becoming rather ambitious, aren't we? We will raise the sun, and we will restore the Elements of Harmony. My aunt would do nothing less. I am charging you with this duty, then.”

“Of course,” said Rarity, sweeping a curtsy. “I will do everything within my power.”

“And there is one more thing,” said Cadence. “I will understand if you do not have time to provide your services. But the Gala is coming up, and...”

“The Gala?” gasped Rarity. This was met by further surprise from a number of eavesdropping unicorns. “With all that's been going on...”

Princess Cadence nodded. “We've seen more troubles than we've ever known, it's true. And all the more reason to hold the celebration, as we have every year for many years past. It will give ponies a sense of normalcy and a chance to celebrate. This, too, is one of our duties as Equestria's keepers.”

“Then you'll have my full support,” said Rarity.

“And mine,” agreed Lyra.

A quick consensus came, although it burdened them all with another duty. Still, it made Princess Cadence smile to see that there were still so many eager to return to a happier state of being. She gave a proper flourish of her wings.

“Then I have some further arrangements to make,” she said. “Please continue to work hard. Not just for my sake, but for everypony's sake.”

Cadence

Princess Cadence allowed herself a sigh as she stumbled into the throne room, out of the sight of the guards and anypony else. The walls practically gleamed, polished and gilded, new tapestries hung and every stone fitted back where it should be.

As she slumped across the cushioned throne, Shining Armor slipped from behind it and nudged her up. “Hey now,” he said, “we can't have you getting all tuckered out already.”

“I thought I asked for privacy?” said Cadence, but she pressed herself against him, letting him carry some of the weight of her. And she laughed.

“You told me to report to you immediately,” he said, helping her to sit up. “And I think this is private enough.”

“Hold the report for now,” said Cadence, and she leaned herself against the stallion. Even without his armor on he was sturdy as a statue, except much warmer, and she could feel each breath of his rolling over the back of her neck. She closed her eyes and soaked him in, letting everything princessly about her roll away.

“You're a mess,” he said, sympathetically.

She pushed her face against him. “I don't know how my aunt does it,” she says. “I've been in and out of meetings all day. Dealing with ponies of every flock who need my help. Thousands of mouths to feed, homes to maintain... it's just too much.”

“Princess Celestia never had to put her country back together,” he gently reminded her, “at least not for a very, very long time. It will get easier. I promise.”

“Thank you,” she whispered, and nuzzled him.

The two shared a moment in solitude before the doors to the throne room burst open. They jumped apart and flustered, trying to look official. But neither the guards nor the orange earth pony marching up to the throne seemed to notice. Their attention was too fixed on what they carried.

“What is it?” said Cadence, trying to hide her frustration at being interrupted.

The earth pony doffed her hat. “To be completely honest,” she said, “I'd hoped someone here could tell us. This critter replaced Sparkler... one of the ponies in Ponyville. Raised a ruckus with her family. We're still looking for the real one, too.”

“Replaced?” asked Cadence, stepping a bit closer to investigate. “I don't understand.”

“They can turn into us,” said Applejack. “And I've got a feeling this isn't the only one.”

Princess Cadence leaned a bit closer. The creature seemed unconscious, bound up tightly in rope that held its wings and limbs tight against its carapace. Shining armor followed behind her uneasily as she leaned down and looked into the creature's face.

Its emerald eyes snapped open. It made a quick hiss, and then flashed with green flame. When the light cleared, it had transformed into the spitting image of Princess Cadence herself. Every detail, down to tiny frays starting in her mane and the colors on her cutiemark, were impossibly accurate. She recoiled back, filled with a sudden fear.

“Stop that,” said Cadence. “Change back!”

But it didn't change. It kept her form and stared at her with a vacant smile. It did not resist its bounds or try to escape, nor even protest when one of the guards lifted it and carried it from view.

“Terrible creature...” Cadence shuddered.

“What should we do?” asked the earth pony. “I can't feel 'em all out by myself. We need muscle and brains and a lot of both.”

“Canterlot's forces are stretched thin as it is,” said Cadence, rubbing her temples.

Shining Armor stood up and shook his head. “Whatever you need done,” he said, “we will have done. We only await your orders, Princess.”

Princess Cadence smiled a sad smile. The royal guard would do anything for her, and this stallion even moreso. But she couldn't help but feel the weight of all upon her press deep at her chest and into her lungs. She swallowed silently and spoke.

“Find out everything you can about them. If there are more, then we need to be able to defend our ponies from them. Any missing ponies need to be found. The ponies should be warned... without alarming them.” Cadence sagged. “As soon as possible.”

“It will be done,” said Shining Armor. He looked into her eyes and put on a brave smile. She couldn't help but mirror it.

The Faraway Stars are Singing

Nightmare Moon

Nightmare Moon's journey continued across the fields, and once in a while Apple Bloom and her friends would tire, and she would allow them to rest. The truth of the matter was, though, that she was also finding herself exhausted more easily and drawn deep into the realm of dreaming.

In most of her dreams she merely found herself among the stars, and played with the quiet shimmering things, setting them this way or that as delighted her at the time. Even these peaceful moments unsettled her though, for the endless silent glow of the cosmos reminded her too much of her imprisonment in the moon, her body trapped in the stasis of sleep and her mind dulled to contemplate herself (and her vengeance) without the certainty of returning to freedom.

It puzzled her, then, when she fell into her nightly visions and found herself standing upon cracked and arid ground. Wilted flowers created a spiral outwards towards the orange crease of the horizon. But all the world from there seemed to be nothing but a wasteland.

“Were our dreams ever not our own?” she wondered to herself as she followed the trail of flowers outwards. She was the lady of the night. Ruler of dreams and nightmares. Anything should have been within her grasp, there in the realm of her own mind.

She leaned down and touched one of the flowers with a hoof, bidding it to turn to crystal. But instead it withered into dust and fell to ground, absent of any wind. A jolt of panic shot through her as she realized that she was no longer in control of her mind. The barren landscape encircled her and and ran desperately, looking for an escape.

And then, in another moment, she found herself in front of a pool of water emitting a wintery chill, contrast to the wasteland climate. She bent and looked at her reflection and saw her own face there, iron helmet braced on her face. How war-like... she thought, sucking in her lip. She raised her hooves and pulled it off, setting it on the ground beside her. Her hair uncoiled and fell about her mane, flickering like the night.

Princess Luna put her hoof on the helmet from the other side. “If only it were that easy,” she said.

Nightmare Moon turned her head and leered at her phantasmal self. While her reflection would not appear in the water, she nonetheless sat there and persisted. “I suppose this is your doing,” she said.

“If you're going to complain about your free will, you have a lot of nerve,” said Luna. “We are bound by the same journey. We are merely traveling different paths.”

A twinge of dark magic flickered through Nightmare Moon but she let it slip along the water's edge and dissipate. “Fine. But why bring us here? There is nothing left.”

Princess Luna dug her hooves into the ground and flicked her wings back. “Bring you here? This is the world you helped create. This is just the first time you've ever seen it.”

“Another trick,” said Nightmare Moon, placing her head on top of her hooves, hoping that she would soon wake and the dream would end.

“Are you going to keep telling yourself that until you are absolutely alone?”

Nightmare Moon lifted her head to retaliate but was interrupted by the sound of the earth being churned, like a deep, rolling roar that nearly bowled them over. The ground shook and they both looked up. A great scaled coil of a beast fell from either side of the sky and scrapped the ground, wrenching and squeezing it, tearing up bits of dirt.

“And what is this?” Nightmare Moon demanded, but when she looked over, Luna was gone. She sighed and whisked her helmet up with her magic, donning it again. “Of course you run away again. You always do.”

The beast groaned and twisted, and its body crashed towards Nightmare Moon. She leapt out of the way, and flew through the rising cloud of dust. The beast continued to strangle the very land itself. She could not see beginning nor end to it. Running seemed useless. She closed her eyes and tried as hard as she could to awaken.

Please, please make it stop... She shuddered as the deafening roar filled her ears again.

The grinding filled her ears until they filled with a dull silence. For a moment she thought herself deaf. But she heard the soft singing voice of a mare. She realized that it was her lullaby. Her own promise, being sung by another mare. Her eyes snapped open and met with the white, harsh light of the sun.

Nightmare Moon flinched and covered her face. When she removed her hoof again, the singing had stopped and the sun hung in its place in the sky, just setting into night. The dream passed and left her lucid in the golden fields once more.

Apple Bloom and her friends peered at her from all around. She sighed and got up onto her hooves, dusting her sides gracefully with her wings.

“Don't you think we should be going already?” Scootaloo bumped past her.

Nightmare Moon flinched at the filly's sudden audacity. “Yes, of course,” she said, resisting a chuckle. “I feel we are close.”

Close to something, at least, thought Nightmare Moon. Her hooves moved automatically. The dream had gotten into her head and stuck there. It'd been forever since she'd been in what one could consider a nightmare. But what stuck with her more than anything was the glare of light seared onto her eyes and the familiarity of the voice she'd heard.

Could it have been her?

Her sister. Even if it was just a figment, she hadn't seen her sister in over a thousand years now. Always she felt just out of reach, like the last warmth of day dwindling into night. Some ponies said that the moon was forever chasing the sun across the sky, and while she knew it to be a silly notion, she could not help but feel as if that may have been her fate.

“Where are we now?” asked Apple Bloom.

Nightmare Moon shook her head clear and looked all around her, finding that the landscape had changed without her notice. The plains rolled away and in their place sprung up old cobbled streets and hedges. They wove through a sprawling garden. Overhead, she could see ancient castle walls stretching towards the heavens, rivaling the beauty of the stars with their platinum and amethyst designs. She followed a path with intimate familiarity, her muscles following a memory somewhere she had almost forgotten.

“In lands of old,” she said, and paused to soak it in. "In memories of a kingdom that once was, a land of ponies great and terrible, but most of all the unicorns. But... this cannot be that place. We are still within the world between worlds."

This place exists no longer. So why have we been brought here...?

The sound of laughter caught her off guard. Apple Bloom and her friends stared as she tried to find the source of the sound. She wound through another hedge and found herself at the scene of a most strange gathering. Tucked away in the winding garden roads of the castle town was a cafe of modest size, practically hidden amidst the taller buildings there. Five ponies sat alone around a table, each pouring one another steaming coffee (which a single waitpony occasionally returned to replace, before glancing wistfully between the party and the outer gate, and then stumbling back inside).

“... and then she just laid the poor colt flat on his back! Can you imagine?” A young filly laughed.

“Your sister?” another chimed in. “I don't believe you.”

“Oh, you wouldn't believe half the things I could tell you about her. It certainly keeps it from being too boring in the castle.” The dark mare levitated a bit of cake to her mouth. “Really! Enough about that. How are your studies going?”

Nightmare Moon crept in a bit closer as the ponies chatted, staring at the dark winged pony before her. This is... me...

“Who are these ponies?” asked Apple Bloom. “More dead folks?”

“No,” said Nightmare Moon, then she sighed. “Well. I suppose they are now. But this is a memory of mine from so very, very long ago.”

The three fillies' eyes widened. One of them muttered, “no way,” though she couldn't pick out which one. She was too focused trying to get closer. The ponies didn't seem to notice her approach, so she stole into a place at the table to test the theory. As she did, one of the young fillies spoke to her.

“I keep messing up teleportation,” she said. “And my mentor is grilling me on it tomorrow! I'm totally out of my league here.”

A colt, sitting to Nightmare Moon's right, shook his head. “It's because you keep overthinking it,” he said. “You mess up because you get nervous. Just do it without thinking about it.”

“That's easy for you to say,” muttered the filly. “Mister prodigy in here. You haven't set your mane on fire yet.”

“I have so.”

“It doesn't count when you do it on purpose!” she protested.

The colt flustered and shook his head. “You're still never going to get it with an attitude like that. Moving with magic is just like moving with your muscles. The more you do it the more natural it is. Watch!”

Then a blue field of magic engulfed him and he blinked out of sight for just a moment, before thumping down on his hooves on a table nearby. Everyone jumped at the rattle of silverware. The colt laughed, and then so did the rest of them. A plate of cookies slammed down on the table between them, and the waitpony stormed off into the cafe once more.

“I'd forgotten just how reckless you were,” said Nightmare Moon. “You're quite good. Now get down from there before you cause a scene.”

The colt promptly teleported back into his place at the table and snatched a cookie from beneath the fillies. “I've still got a ton left to learn,” he said. “It's not hard to shine in magic school. But you're in a whole other league, Luna.”

Nightmare Moon's cheeks tinted red. “I've simply had a lot of time to practice,” she said. “You'll be catching up in no time.”

“Horseapples,” said the colt, swiping another cookie. “There's modesty and then there's belittling. You're special. Your magic is beyond that of what even the most powerful unicorns may ever come to know.”

She shrunk into herself a bit. “Even so...”

“If you wanted to, could you bring down a star?” asked the colt. “I'd like to see that.”

Nightmare Moon laughed. “Goodness, no! Could you imagine the damage it would cause?”

“Well, show us something. Even Berry here did a little conjuration with that sugar trick.”

The filly turned her nose up. “The coffee was too bitter,” she said, then after a pause, smiled at Nightmare Moon. “But yes, please show us! I'm sure it will help us understand magic better.”

Nightmare Moon looked up through the lamp light of the cafe and at the stars hanging in the sky above. “Well, alright,” she said. "But just a little." She closed her eyes and exhaled, letting her magic reach out into the cool expanse. It was like dipping into a moonlit spring, chilling and exhilarating all at once. She felt out a cluster of stars and gave them a gentle nudge.

The ponies gasped and stared upwards as the stars swayed across the sky, leaving little silver dust in their wake. She twisted them about until they made the rough shape of a pony and let them settle there.

“Awesome!” said the colt. “Do more!”

Nightmare Moon shook her head. “I can't,” she said. “I'm not supposed to. I'll get in trouble if they catch me messing with the night like that.”

“Oh, well,” said the colt, sighing.

“There's always the Winter Solstice,” said Nightmare Moon. “I can get away with all sorts of things then. And you need to worry about passing your exams. Then we can spend every night like this.”

“Yeah, without having to worry about the stuffy saddles getting onto us,” said the colt.

As if called, two armored guards trotted into the cafe. They nodded back and Celestia followed in between them, her wings up, her eyes filled with cold fury. The waitstaff made a frantic bow. She gave them one look, and then looked away, and then they were gone. Trinity squeaked and vanished in a sudden burst of magic.

Nightmare Moon stared, wide-eyed. Celestia's mane had just taken on its aurora quality, faint streaks of pink still lining beneath it. And she seemed almost small beside the guards, then. But she still commanded a presence that put the fear and reverence into anypony she stood before.

“Sister,” she said. “I am so dissapointed, I don't even...”

“For what?” Nightmare Moon growled. “Spending time with my friends?”

“You are neglecting your duties,” said Celestia. “Again. When you run off like this, I always fear the worst.”

Nightmare Moon stamped her hooves. “I just had a cup of tea and moved a few stars around! I've been to your meetings and I've pleased the ponies you asked me to please. What more do you want?”

“We have more responsibilities than that,” said Celestia. “We are expected to maintain a presence and remain vigilant. Not gallop about partying all night. And certainly not disrupt the cosmos for our own entertainment.”

“Well, you're doing a job keeping me locked up,” Nightmare Moon shot back. “I'm sure you can handle the rest.”

Princess Celestia trembled, her eyes heavy with a day full of trials and now half a night searching for her sister. She had held this argument with her several times before and this time simply turned about. “Come home,” she said, “Please. Before you make a mistake you cannot undo. ”

“I... We...” Nightmare Moon scowled. “Fine.”

She stood up, and hurled a bag of bits at the feet of the waitpony before storming towards the garden. As she went, Celestia turned about and frowned at the remaining colt.

“I expect more of you as well,” she said, leaving him to devour the last cookie in a fit of guilt.

Nightmare Moon willed herself to stop walking. It only occurred to her then that she had been going through the motions, living the moment that her reflection had in the memory. When she came to her senses, all that remained was the empty cafe. The scene had played and only the set remained.

“What was that?” asked Apple Bloom.

“Were those your friends?” added Sweetie Belle.

“You should not have seen that,” said Nightmare Moon, turning away. She walked a few paces before lowering her head. “Yes,” she finally answered, “but that was a long, long time ago.”

The shape of the road changed a little as they wandered up towards the platinum castle. Nightmare Moon stared at each stone beneath her as it passed. Were those the days when I had everything, or just the days when I began to lose them?

Little by little the land changed beneath her. Her lingering thoughts brought her through the gates, past the blank-faced guards and the crowds of staff and nobility. The little fillies followed her and seemed to be caught for once in complete silence. At the one time that she would have preferred otherwise.

The next thing she knew, she was up in one of the towers, sitting before a fireplace. Her eyes blurred as she read scroll after scroll, edict and order and manifesto all churning into one mess of meaningless bureaucratic language. The night held little joy for her then. Her friends had dared to go out less and less as time went on and the pressures of their lives drew them away from her. It seemed at times as if she had only the stars for company.

Her two guards did not flinch as a young stallion blinked into existence in the middle of the room, his presence announced with the shaking of bells. Nightmare Moon dropped her quill in surprise and turned about to face him.

“You can't be in here,” she said, more pleading than scornful.

“Who's to say I can't visit my old mentor?” the stallion smiled wryly. “Besides. I got a letter from Daisy, and I thought you'd want to see it right away.”

The moon itself seemed to brighten in the window as she dropped her work and swept the parchment up from him. “Why didn't you say so in the first place? Oh, let us see!”

She scanned down the page quickly, remembering the skittish mare they'd shared the castle with for several months during her education.

Dear Starswirl,

How have you been? I apologize that it has been months since my last writing. The house of platinum has me working my horn off during the day and my hooves off at night. It turns out that there's a lot of work just waiting for a magic school graduate and some days it feels like I'm the only one willing to do it. But the ponies here are very nice, if a bit more guarded than ones I am used to. I've even met a nice filly named Peach Pie. I hope you have time to visit when your assignments allow you to. Please give my regards to Luna.

Sincerely Yours,

Daisy Blossom

P.S. Please tell me you came to your senses about that abomination you call a beard.

Nightmare Moon turned the letter over and frowned. “Her regards, hm?”

The stallion laughed. “She's just busy,” he said. “Try to imagine what it's like, being constantly bugged to do things by every royal family at each other's necks.”

The pile of untouched parchments loomed from her desk. She folded the letter up and levitated it back to him. “That's not the point. She used to prattle on for pages. Now she sounds so terse and polite. We can just tell that she is growing distant. Forgetting us. Moving on.” She paced in front of the fire and shook her mane. “Berry got assigned to a venture in the north. And I haven't heard from the others in months. Not ever since they went back home.”

The stallion swallowed. “It might seem like that now,” he said, “but we'll always be friends. All of us. I'm sure of it.”

“And what of thou? When were you planning on telling us that you were leaving?”

He flinched so hard he nearly reared back. “Whoa. Going all royal on me are you?”

Nightmare Moon pressured him with her gaze.

“Well,” he said, rubbing the back of his head with a hoof. “I've exhausted the archives and my teachers are starting to get more than a little jealous. And I wouldn't think to ask you or your sister for the time needed to guide me.”

“So your answer is just to leave?” said Nightmare Moon.

“I have to get out in the world,” he said, putting his hooves up. “Please understand. I'm not going away forever. I'll write to you every day. I'll share with you everything I see, everything I learn.”

Nightmare Moon shut her eyes. “It must be nice, having the freedom to come and go as you wish.”

He trotted closer and put a hoof on her shoulder. “There may come a day when you can travel as far as your dreams can take you,” he said. “But until then, let me be your eyes and ears. If you cannot go to the world, let me bring it to you.” When she looked up at him with the hints of tears in her eyes, he laughed and jingled his bells. “May as well do something while I'm learning to be the best unicorn that ever lived.”

Nightmare Moon nodded. “Every day?” she asked.

“Every day,” he said. “Even if for three days I am caught in a perilous battle with a beast of many tentacles, fighting for my life and glory, I will write to you. Even if I wander into realms beyond I will still be beside you. I will, Luna.”

She snorted and laughed. “You have spent too much time in the children's library.”

“Well, it's not my fault you can't stock the archives fast enough to stay fresh.”

They laughed together a while. Then at the sound of another pony approaching the door, he drew back and drew his cape up around himself. “I'd best be off,” he said. “Good luck slaying the mighty scroll.”

She wanted to beg him to stay, but before she could, he blinked away in a poof of magic.

Before she could wrap herself fully around the memory, she was walking again, this time up a mountain slope in the Springtime. It was daylight, an unusual time for her to be awake. But the fatigue in her mind could not beat back the pain in her chest. Celestia walked beside her and offered a little nuzzle.

“I was trying to protect you,” she said. “I've always just wanted the best for you. To make sure you do not get hurt. That's why...”

“I know,” said Nightmare Moon, squeezing her eyes shut. “And yet... it feels like there is nothing you could have done.”

“Do you regret knowing them?”

“No!” said Nightmare Moon. “I could never...”

“As long as you hold them in your heart,” said Celestia, “they will always be with you.”

Nightmare Moon turned away. She'd heard it all before, and yet somehow it irritated her even more hearing it then.

“Ponies grow,” her sister continued as they rose towards the summit. “They change and they wander away from each other, from us. Even if they live as long as they can, it can still feel like a blink of an eye for us.” She trailed off and hung her head. “I'm sorry, sister. It does not get any easier.”

“Then I will always be alone, in the end,” said Nightmare Moon.

“You will always have me,” said Princess Celestia, draping a wing over her shoulder. “And I will never abandon you. No matter what. Nor will those who have loved you. A small part of them will always be with you, and you with them...”

Nightmare Moon pulled away from her sister and galloped ahead. “If this is the way it is always going to be...” she choked back a sob. “I hate what we are. I hate it! I hate... hate...”

She tore off up the hill and Celestia let her go. Applebloom and her friends scrambled to keep up. Nightmare Moon froze when she heard them and they nearly bumped into her from behind.

“What are ya'll talking about?” asked Apple Bloom. “Are you... crying?”

Nightmare Moon squeezed back her tears and shook her head. She could not imagine what to tell the young filly. And the memories were coming back too quickly, too vividly for her to get herself together. “I don't want you to see this,” she said. “Please...”

“But where else are we supposed to go?” asked Apple Bloom. “We can't leave ya'll alone.”

Anywhere else, thought Nightmare Moon. But she would have rather have seen her witness so many of her more embarrassing, more tragic moments than to experience this one again. The realm brought it out of her against her every wish.

She sat at the top of a mountainside overlooking the pony lands. A few orange leaves blew from the nearby trees and drifted towards the castle. In front of her sat a circle of stones and monuments. The place where her old friends had been laid to rest. But all that remained of their smiles, their laughter, their stupid jokes and their weird tastes, now sat in front of her, already struggling against the onslaught of grass and weeds.

The taste of flower stems filled her mouth. She dropped a flower from the bouquet in front of each stone and then curled up between them, her head between her hooves.

“Why are you doing this to me?” she sobbed. The sound startled her, but she could not stop the tears from flowing. She closed her eyes and tightened herself, unfolding her wings to create a canopy. Why...? Is this my punishment? I should not be able to feel a thing. And yet this cloak of darkness does not keep it out.

Apple Bloom and her friends pressed themselves against her sympathetically. But there was nothing she could do to stop it. She was not herself, but herself as she once was, when she fell to tears at the monument to her friends. Unlike the others, the memory would not fade quickly enough.

The tears would not seem to end, but they stilled for a moment as she heard the faint sound of bells.

“I'm sorry. It has been a long time, hasn't it?”

Nightmare Moon opened her eyes. The hill, the monuments, the memories were no more. Instead she lay in a circle of flowers amongst rolling hills. A stallion, dressed in robes and a drooping blue hat, adorned with bells and swirls of all kinds, stood above her. After a moment she recognized him.

“Starswirl...?”

“You have to admit that being dead makes it a little difficult to say hello,” he chuckled. “I hope you understand.”

“Is it really you?” she asked.

“I think so,” he said, stroking his beard. “Well, to be honest, I'm not really sure. Are you really you? Am I really me? Is this my disembodied spirit, or am I merely your memory brought to life? Am I somehow reaching across the cosmos to come to you now? Troublesome, really. Might take me a few minutes to get to the bottom of it.” He chuckled again.

It really was him. It could have been no other. The joy she should have felt, though, was tempered with another sadness. She covered her face with her wings.

“Don't look at us,” she whimpered. “We are horrible. We are a monster.”

Starswirl shook his head and lifted her chin with a ghostly hoof. “You're not a monster, Luna,” he said. “You're my best mentor. Not to mention one of my greatest friends.”

“You do not know what all I have done...”

“I knew the mare you once were,” said Starswirl, giving his beard another stroke. “And there is great darkness in you now. But that is not all there is, hm? You were burdened with a life that no pony should ever have to face. And if Equestria is in one piece, well... I don't suppose you've done too badly.” He sighed and wiped the tears from her face. “A monster would not be moved by this. A monster would not miss her friends so much it was killing her inside.”

Nightmare Moon stood on shaking legs and regarded the apparition of her friend with great longing. “Will you stay with me?”

Starswirl stood next to her and looked up at the sky. “Always. Though it may not be like this. All the stars are yours, and that includes yours truly. So I suppose if you commanded me, I would have to find a way.”

“You're still insufferable.” Nightmare Moon chuckled, though she hated herself a little for doing so.

“I think I am only here because you were calling out to me,” he said, putting a hoof to her chest. “The strength is always within you. And though my time has passed, our friendship has not. As long as that is alive, we still have power. Such is the nature of magic, is it not?”

He then blushed and tugged upon his beard, seeming to bite something down. Nightmare Moon sighed and rolled her eyes. “Say it,” she said.

Starswirl let out a great bellyful of a laugh. “Working great magics from beyond the grave. Am I or am I not the most talented unicorn to ever live?”

“There is one who may give you a run for your bits, in time,” admitted Nightmare Moon, biting her lip. “Oh, don't look at me like I took your last cookie. I'm sure the two of you would get along.”

“I probably would,” agreed Starswirl. The wind came and chimed his bells again and he looked outwards, towards the edge of the garden. “It seems it is time for me to leave you again. You'd best be off before the pale one catches up to you.”

The hair on nightmare moon's neck stood on end and her tail whipped. She looked about, as if expecting the Pale Mare to be watching. “I... yes.” She made as if to depart, and then paused. Pale Mare be damned, she thought. She hefted his ghostly body and gave him a tight squeeze of a hug. “Thank you, my friend,” he said.

She thought he smiled, but it was hard to tell, because he didn't so much fade as simply cease to be there. Then she was on her way again, the grass tickling her heels.

The three fillies stopped and seemed to speak in unison. “Are you going to be okay?”

Nightmare Moon beckoned them onward. “I think so, children.”

Masks

Fluttershy

Neither Applejack nor Rainbow Dash had come back when they had promised. All Fluttershy understood of their absence was half a day spent cooped up in Zecora's hut and the rest pacing the forest, setting the timber wolves out for their scent, hoping for any trace or sign of them. But all of their trails were cold. Only she or Zecora had set hoof in the Everfree forest for days.

Exhausted from her search, she slumped back to her valley and fell into a patch of clover. Birch Bite nosed over her wings and whined. Angel came up to investigate the patch and sighed to find Fluttershy obstructing most of it.

“Oh, Angel,” she said. “It looks like it's just you and me now.”

The bunny cocked his head and chattered.

“They're probably just busy, that's all. Things are always so dangerous. But they promised to come back... do you think something is wrong?”

Angel crossed his arms and nodded up to the sky, chattering again.

“I should go looking for them? But I have no idea where to start!” She paused and considered as both bunny and wolf gave their advice. “Well, if one of them is in trouble, it's probably Rainbow Dash. And she did tell me the way to Cloudsdale in case anything happened... I should check on her first.”

Angel hopped a bit closer and flicked a quick salute. She smiled and shook her head, nudging him into the clovers. “It's probably best you stay here. I'll have to fly, and this is the safest place for you. The wolves can make sure you stay safe and well fed.”

The rabbit's mouth hung open and he made a gesture at Birch, who gave him a thorough snuffle. Fluttershy kissed him on the forehead.

“Don't be silly. None of the animals here will try to eat you, I promise. Now be a good boy for me, Angel, and keep an eye on things for me while I'm gone, will you?”

Angel gave another weary look at the timber wolf, but sighed and relented to Fluttershy's request. He crossed a paw over his chest and then tapped it against a closed eyelid.

“Wish me luck,” she said.

Angel glanced around the patch, and then plucked a four-leaf clover, tucking it behind her ear. She smiled, and then flexed her wings wide. The forest had not given her many opportunities to fly and the sky loomed with its open void and only a speckle of clouds drifting overhead.

You can do this, Fluttershy, she told herself. For Rainbow Dash. And Applejack.

Her wings swept downwards and back up again, like a butterfly's, and she took to the air.

Being outside of the Everfree Forest made Fluttershy squirm inside. Part of her missed her cottage, and Ponyville, and the rest of Equestria. The other part felt naked and alone in the breeze, without the woods around her and her animal friends close by.

An autumn chill filled the air though the forests maintained a stalwart green. The sun's failure to rise continued to impact Equestria, though it did not abandon them as it had when Nightmare Moon ruled. And it gave Fluttershy enough light to travel by, making her way towards the mountains to the north.

It was strange for her to think of Cloudsdale in another place. It'd been close to Canterlot and Ponyville as long as she could remember. By the time she even caught sight of it, her wings were throbbing. The teeth of the mountain behind her, she found the first cloud she could and slumped upon it, panting for breath. Updrafts were few and far between, and the wind seemed to push against her every movement. A pony might think that it was a terrible place to put a cloud city, but she knew better. They made it hard to get to on purpose.

“Who's this now?”

Fluttershy looked up as two pegasi landed on either side of her. She hid her face beneath her wings, but she caught a glimpse of their flight suits and her heart leapt.

I just have to be brave long enough to find Rainbow.

“You're Wonderbolts?” she said. “Oh, I'm so glad I found you. My name is... um...” she swallowed and forced her anxiety back. “Fluttershy. I'm looking for Rainbow Dash.”

The two Wonderbolts exchanged glances and then lifted Fluttershy up into the air by her hooves. “Sorry, miss, but you're going to have to come with us. Can you fly?”

She gave an experimental wiggle of her wings. They were still sore, but she knew she could fly for a little longer. “It's alright,” she said. “I hope you know where she is. She was supposed to see me today.”

“Is that where she's been disappearing off to?” One whispered to the other. They both looked back at her and then flew higher, letting Fluttershy ride their lift.

The Wonderbolts wouldn't answer any of her questions, which she supposed was alright. It was a bit odd for her to be showing up out of the blue asking, anyway. Even if she WAS technically still a resident of Cloudsdale. She didn't feel like it anymore, though. All of the cloud houses floated behind cliff faces and under the protection of other, larger structures. The skies were also devoid of many ponies. Occasionally one would peek out a window or glide between circles of cloud.

They passed by the weather factory, which looked odd while stretched along the rim of the Unicorn Mountains. Still, it continued to pump out cloud after cloud, working as tirelessly as it ever had.

They continued up and up until finally they approached the mountain again. The peak had been obscured by a large cloud, the interior of which had been quickly furnished. More blue-suited pegasi wandered in and out--mostly out, she noticed, as they entered into the cloud structure. Spitfire's ears twitched at the sound of their wings, their hooves settling in, and she turned about from the fore.

“Who do we have this time?” she asked, eying Fluttershy. “Ah. I remember you. One of Rainbow Dash's friends, no doubt.”

“Yes,” said Fluttershy, folding her wings against herself. “I haven't seen her for days and I'm worried something has happened.”

Spitfire raised an eyebrow. “You do know that she wasn't supposed to be running around... socializing with you in the first place?”

Fluttershy wilted back. “Oh. No. I mean, I'm sorry.” She shook her head firmly. “But is she okay? That's all I want to know.”

The firemaned mare nodded to the two Wonderbolts and they seized her up by her hooves. Fluttershy squeaked in surprise and gave an indignant flap.

“There have been an awful lot of ponies asking after Rainbow Dash,” she said, trotting forward. “The changelings don't think we know about them. But we do.”

“Change...what?” Fluttershy gave a flail of her wings, whimpering. “Maybe you could put me down now, please.”

The two Wonderbolts looked especially guilty, but Spitfire's hardened stare made them hold her nonetheless. “Shape changing creatures that can take the form of anypony you know. They've taken Rainbow Dash, and good ponies of mine. And they're quite eager for me to send more valuable pegasi after them. Is that what you were going to ask of me?”

“Well...” Fluttershy looked down at the cloud beneath her. “Yes. If she's in trouble, I just have to help her. We all do.”

Spitfire turned away and lashed her tail. “Well, we can't.”

“What?!” Fluttershy's wings flared and the two pegasi suddenly struggled to keep her in place. She growled and laid her ears back. “How can you say that? Rainbow Dash is my best friend! You can't just leave her in danger like this.”

“She knew the risks,” said Spitfire, rubbing her forehead. “I've had this discussion too many times. They've taken many of mine. Irreplaceable ponies. But I can't risk sending more after them. Cloudsdale comes first.”

“Then you're just going to abandon them?”

Spitfire's wings flared up. “You don't even know what it's like, do you?" She found herself inches from Fluttershy's face, staring into her watering eyes. She sagged and turned away, shaking her head. "No, of course you don't. What am I saying? You're just a filly. Look... whatever I do, I can't discuss it with you. I know they've already infiltrated Cloudsdale. A problem I intend to rectify. And that means I can't go after Rainbow Dash and the others.”

“It's okay,” said Fluttershy, trembling. “Where are they keeping her?”

Spitfire tapped her hoof against the cloud. “What, you don't already know?”

“No!” Fluttershy flapped her wings. “If I did, why would I be here, getting roughed up by you ponies?”

One of the Wonderbolts tugged her back a bit. “Should we check her?”

Spitfire glided up and squinted at Fluttershy, staring in her eyes. She sniffed her mane and glanced at the clover tucked behind her ear. Then she stepped back and sighed. “No,” she said. “They're not that good yet. I know this pony enough to know she's real.”

“Are you sure?” asked the other guard.

Spitfire glared at him. “Do you really want to hit her?”

Fluttershy squeaked and squirmed between the two ponies. They looked at one another, then down, then sighed and let her go. “Sorry,” one muttered. “We just don't want any more ponies kidnapped.”

“You don't have to justify yourself to anyone,” snapped Spitfire. She glanced over Fluttershy, her tone softening. “If I tell you where Rainbow Dash is, you're going to try to find her, aren't you?”

“I have to,” said Fluttershy, her heart pounding in her chest.

“I beg you to reconsider. If you go alone, then you will only share her fate. But if that's what you want to do, don't let me stop you.”

“Captain--” one of the Wonderbolts cut in.

“Let her go,” said Spitfire. “She's a free pony of Cloudsdale and she's not under our command. She gets to make her own decisions.” She watched Fluttershy wince at every word and then waved a hoof. “Give her some time rest her wings. Then take her to the woods.” The two wonderbolts saluted, wearily. Spitfire lifted Fluttershy's head. “If you're smart, you'll change your mind and stay with us until this whole crisis has blown over. I'm not going to turn my back on a mare who needs my help.”

Fluttershy gulped. “I-I have to do this,” she said, though she had a hard time convincing herself.

Spitfire sighed and sunk into the clouds a little. “Suit yourself,” she said. “These two will escort you to where you need to go. But they will go no further. Even we have no idea what's within the changelings' lair, and that's all that I can offer you.”

She looked at Spitfire for any trace of consideration, as if she might sympathize and send a few pegasi to aid her. The captain looked at her at length, studying her with intensity, seeming to wrestle with something inside. And then without a word she bade the guards to unhoof her.

Fluttershy turned away. “I understand."

The pegasi gave Fluttershy a chance to rest her wings, a drink from the spring and some of the mountain flowers to eat. She couldn't find anypony she knew—most of the pegasi stayed well out of sight. And after she felt strong enough to continue, the Wonderbolts led her back down the mountain. It was much easier leaving than flying up, and it did not take them long at all to come to the dense thickets in the crook of the mountain.

They landed at the edge of the forest, where a small deer run cut through the trees, and the Wonderbolts snapped their wings shut.

“This is where we part ways,” one said. “Unless you change your mind.”

Fluttershy shook her head. If only my animal friends were here. I'd feel a lot less unsure about this. But Rainbow Dash is in there... and who knows what's happened to her?

The thought was the only thing that made her steady her shaking legs and step beneath the low-hanging branches, into the woods. It felt so much different from the Everfree—more like a forest that had been planted and then allowed to run rampant on its own course than one that always knew its wildness. Old, sickly pines rose around in poles and blotted out the sun above.

She strained her ears but only heard the distant cawing of birds. All cautious signals. Even if she hadn't known about the changelings, she would have known that something awful lurked in the woods. All the creatures of the forest and mountains, from the bear to the wolves to the cougar and all the magical beasts in between... she couldn't hear signs of any of them. And what little sound she did pick up told her one thing: there was danger here.

Her head filled with the sound of her heart pounding and blood rushing through her as she stepped further into the forest. Come on, she thought. She needs us...

And before long, the light from behind her had all but vanished. Something snapped in the branches nearby and she screamed.

“No!” she cried, and turned about, and ran as hard as her hooves could take her. She didn't realize how far in the woods she had gone. She didn't know if something was chasing her or not. She didn't care. She closed her eyes and barreled through the branches until she felt the woods fall away around her.

The sprawl of grass outside was empty. The Wonderbolts had already departed. She looked about for them frantically but could find no trace of life. The forest, behind her, remained still and silent. But she could not bring herself to go back in. Not alone. Not there.

She began to flap her way back towards the Everfree with tears streaming down her cheeks.

I'm sorry, Rainbow Dash... I just can't. Not alone. I'm sorry.

Rainbow Dash

Rainbow Dash scanned the enclave in which she had been imprisoned. A viscous green goop held her hooves taut to the rock of a mountain cave, her body stretched between the craggy floor and ceiling. There were other prisoners, but she knew little more of them than their occasional moan of desperation. All she could see coming in was the darkness of the caverns and now all she could see was the edge of the forest outside of her own prison and the occasional changeling buzzing by.

A trickle of water dropped from the ceiling every few seconds, matting her mane with grime. The first time she'd gone to drink she spat it out, her mouth filled with grit. Once she got thirsty enough though, she made herself drink it and snuck a drop whenever she was sure that no one was looking. She pulled her hooves and strained her wings, tugging and stretching the green goo. The further it stretched, the tighter it got, squeezing her hooves and legs until it hurt. She squirmed and shuddered at the sensation, and became still again when the sound of buzzing wings echoed into the cavern.

The changeling that visited her then was unalike any she had seen before. This creature was massive, dwarfing the other changelings and even herself, rising to a stature that may have rivaled Princess Celestia—were the changeling not full of holes and carrying an insectoid musk. But even Rainbow Dash could not help but find a mesmerizing quality in her translucent blue wings, the sprigs of a crown upon her head, her burning emerald eyes...

Rainbow Dash shook her head and squeezed her eyes, gathering her ferocity. “So are you the big bad of this dump?”

The changeling laughed and skittered closer. “You could say that,” she said. She lifted a cold hoof and raised the pegasus' head, forcing her to make eye contact. “But I'm afraid I still have the advantage here, Rainbow Dash.”

Rainbow's mane frizzed and she growled. “Don't pretend like you know anything about me.”

“Oh, but I know so much more about you than you may realize. From your utter failure during the rise of Nightmare Moon to how you abandoned your friends to Discord's terrors. Ponies talk, Rainbow Dash, and I have ears everywhere.”

She cleared her throat and lifted her head, taking a more regal stance. She ignored Rainbow Dash's gnashing and thrashing and paced a bit in the narrow confines of the tunnel. “Ah, but there is something you can do for me. We have yet to figure out what your plans are, up in Cloudsdale. Tell me anything you know. I'll make it worth your while.”

“I don't know anything,” said Rainbow Dash, “and even if I did, I wouldn't tell some over-sized stink bug.”

The changeling tossed her mane as if to deflect the insult. “That's a pity,” she said. “Are you absolutely certain?”

Rainbow Dash closed her mouth and refused to say anything. The changeling laughed and took a step closer, lowering her horn until the craggy point pinched against her forehead.

“So angry. So afraid. You don't have to be, you know. There's a place in my hive for ponies who are cooperative.”

Rainbow Dash couldn't help herself. “Would that happen to be hung up in caves as food?”

“Well, in a manner of speaking,” laughed the changeling. “But it doesn't have to be unpleasant. Let me give you a taste.”

Her horn flared and her eyes glowed with green fire as her magic worked its way into Rainbow Dash. She tried to close her eyes but found that she couldn't tear herself away, and her mind slipped into a warm numbness.

Get out of my head... she thought, though even her voice seemed to fade within her. Stop it. Stop... Please...

“That's not so bad, is it?” She brushed Rainbow Dash's mane as her head sagged. “Let's start over. You can begin by calling me something a little more appropriate. Perhaps 'my queen' for starters.”

Rainbow Dash felt her lips moving on their own, though she tried to stifle them. “... Queen...” she muttered.

“Close enough,” said the changeling queen, her tone more tender by the moment. “You look awfully uncomfortable. I could get you a nice soft bed to rest on, food and drink...”

The pegasus stared vacantly, the part of her screaming in protest shrunk to a tiny speck in the back of her thoughts.

“Are you sure that there's nothing you can tell me? Nothing about your mission, nothing about Cloudsdale?”

“Spitfire won't tell me anything...” murmured Rainbow Dash, looking down at the cave floor. “No one knows what she's planning. She doesn't trust us.”

The changeling queen snarled. “Filthy mare.” Then in another moment she smiled and shook her head. “But clever. I suppose the only way to find out what she's thinking is to pry it out of her head myself. What about your friends, then? The unicorn seeking the princess... and that yellow filly? I have the feeling she'll be joining us very soon.”

Rainbow Dash snapped her wings open, her fury coming back in a flash. “If you so much as touch Fluttershy I will end you.”

The changeling queen laughed. “My, you're a strong willed one, aren't you? Breaking you will be a true pleasure.” Her eyes flashed again and she suppressed Rainbow Dash, a dim green glow taking her eyes. “When time allows. I have a whole land of ponies to conquer, after all. If you will not be useful to me in this endeavor, then there is another way you can serve me.”

The changeling queen then clicked her wings and turned her head. “Servant.”

Within moments a lanky looking changeling emerged from without the cave and stood at attention. “Yes, my queen?” Rainbow Dash knew right away, somehow, that this was the one who had tricked her. Who had worn the skin of her friend and led her into a trap.

The changeling queen nodded to the pegasus. “Change,” she commanded.

The changeling gave only a glance at Rainbow Dash and smirked. Her whole body twisted and churned beneath a green fire. Chitin faded into skin, fur, and feathers. Blue wings sprouted where her insectoid ones once rested. Fountains of rainbow hair flowed and spilled down her mane. Rainbow Dash felt a dim sense of panic as the changeling stole her appearance down to the last twisted feather.

The changeling queen looked between them and smiled. “I can hardly tell the difference. Can you?” She laughed. “My children are so very talented. It's almost a shame that they have difficulty understanding how your mushy pony minds work.” She shocked Rainbow Dash's mind again and turned to her doppelganger. “The doorway is still open. Find Twilight Sparkle and make sure that she does not find the princess.”

The Dash-clone nodded and saluted. “Yes, my queen,” she said. “But what of Discord, and the princess' sister?”

“Leave them be,” said the changeling queen. “Discord will never win Celestia's ear, and her sister is too far gone to darkness to make a difference. Do this one task and you will please me greatly.”

The changeling in disguise bowed again. Rainbow Dash might have felt anger, terror, any feeling to drive her to react, but for having her mind sapped by the queen again and again. Little by little the magics in Rainbow Dash's head were fading, though more slowly than the first time, and the reprieve left her aching and exhausted. She only watched, half-conscious of herself, as the queen departed.

Left alone to its own devices, the changeling stood in front of her. “I want you to know that I am going to enjoy disposing of your friend,” said the changeling, sneering, her face almost touching Rainbow's. “She trusts you. She loves you. And that's why she'll fall. Isn't that just wonderful?”

Rainbow Dash's expression didn't change. But it did not stop her from rearing back her head and ramming it into the changeling's. The creature screamed and stumbled back, halfway turning back into her insect form before gaining control again. She stomped to the edge of the cave and glanced back.

“I want you to remember this,” she said, “when your kind has fallen and I have taken all that you love.”

Beneath Her

Discord

In one moment Discord lay near to Twilight with his eyes shut, and in the next he found himself sitting beneath a great coil of scales, grinding against the grass and across the plains. The beast was him as he had always been, before the pony, before anything else, though towering in a size and power he couldn't comprehend. The monster turned his head and looked down with serpentine eyes at his pony-shaped counterpart, inspiring a perverse fear that he'd never quite known before. The pony and the draconequus stared at one another, motionless.

“I never thought I'd see the day when I took on a form as pathetic as that,” rumbled the beast.

Pony Discord rolled his eyes. “If you would rather be annihilated by some pony spirit of death, be my guest.”

“Rather than being a pony? I think I might choose the other option.” The draconequus groaned and turned, the ground trembling beneath him as he did. “All that time you've spent around these ponies has turned you into a scaredy lionbat. Wouldn't it be interesting to see just what would happen if I introduced chaos to death? I'm a lot more powerful than you're giving me credit for.”

“No.” The pony stuck his tongue out. “You might get zombies. If you're lucky. Odds are you'll end up erased from existence. And that's not fun for either of us.”

“It's not like you to dwell on mortality so much, seeing as you don't have it to begin with.”

“Then you should be grateful I'm saving your gargantuan behind.” The pony walked away from his other self, through a patch of decayed flowers. “What's the deal with your giantness anyway?”

The draconequus shrugged, causing a minor quake. “Don't ask me. This is your screwy pony dream.”

“Is it really?” Pony Discord sighed and looked around himself. “If this is what I was missing this whole time, I am sorely disappointed.” He kicked a patch of flowers. “From my understanding it was supposed to be the most deliciously random, nonsensical part of pony existence. Not that that's saying much.”

His lumbering colossus of a self did not return a quip. He tried to play with the flowers, batting them between his hooves, but found that they soon turned into dust. He sighed and sprawled out amongst them, hoping for something to happen. At first he did not notice the light hitting his hooves. But it grew brighter, the sun curling up from around the distant plain, until he had to cover his eyes and turn away.

When he could see again, he beheld the most magnificent white pony that he had ever seen. Princess Celestia stood, one hoof lifted, a sliver of a break in her grace as she stared at him in surprise. And her attention turned to the draconequus, who had slithered himself off toward some other distraction.

“I really must be dreaming,” muttered Celestia, rubbing her forehead. The moment she felt the realization, all tension left her hooves and her wings loosened from her sides. She beheld the pony before her. “I never thought I would see you like this.”

Discord drew himself up and filled his lungs with air, scraping a hoof. Even if it was a dream, there was no other pony he wanted to see more than her. He grinned from ear to ear, baring a fang as he sprung into the speech he'd dreamed of ever since he'd been imprisoned in stone. “At long last, we meet again!” His lungs certainly did not lack for volume, but he did not sound nearly as threatening as he would have liked. “It's been a thousand years since we last faced one another, and now you are without your precious Elements...”

He could not speak much more, though, before Celestia burst out laughing. His cheeks turned red and he stomped his hooves. “What's so funny?”

“Nothing,” said Celestia, wiping a tear from her eye with her wing. “If you really were a pony, things might have been different.” The words seemed too casual to her and yet they ripped right through Discord. “But this isn't you. There is only one thing that you are. You cannot escape your destiny any more than I can my own.”

Princess Celestia nodded meaningfully to the draconequus.

“I can change,” sputtered Discord, putting his hooves up. “Of course I can change. I'm always changing, Princess.”

Why won't you look at me? Why won't you recognize me?

“It's ironic, then, that you're always the same.” She drew close to him and brushed a wing over his face. Her feathers were softer than any cloud, warmer than any sunshine. “A part of me wishes that you were not merely a fragment of my imagination. If you could only understand us, just a little.”

“But...” Discord protested. She nudged him aside with her wing. His nemesis, his obsession, the thing he wanted to tear down more than anything else and she was brushing him aside like he was nothing more than a doll.

“Shh,” she said. “I've had so many dreams broken. I do not need another.”

She turned towards the scales on the draconequus and gestured with a hoof. Her horn did not seem to so much as sparkle, but there was some powerful magic in the air. A terrifying howl split the sky and everything shook as the beast's body twisted, all of its myriad colors fading to gray. A crackling sound followed as the beast began to turn to stone.

“What are you doing?” Discord dashed against her, trying to take her down. He didn't so much as budge her before he fell back on his rump, and he thought her wing might have moved to put him there.

“I'm putting things right,” said Celestia. The sun rose above her as she turned and walked away without so much as looking back. “Once I find it, this madness can finally end.”

Discord tried to chase after her but his hooves wouldn't move. He looked down and cried out. His hooves had turned to stone, and the petrification crept up his legs. It felt as real as the first time he had experienced it, when she had taken up the Elements of Harmony and used their power on him. He struggled with all of his might but could not shed the magic that threatened to consume him again.

“What is it?” he called after Celestia. “What are you looking for?”

“The seat of harmony,” she said, as if reminding herself.

Then she was gone, no more than a zephyr against the sinking sun. He felt her absence flooding through him, her celestial majesty, her kind presence burned into his mind like the greatest insult and the sweetest kiss all at once. Come back. I need you here with me. I don't know why, and I hate it, but I need you. The draconequus fell with a mighty crash behind him. And the pony, alone, watched the stagnant world turn as the stone ate him from the inside out. He threw his head back and screamed.

Discord awoken to a frantic shaking from Twilight Sparkle. His eyes flashed open and he panted, looking around himself frantically. She took a step back and tilted her head.

“Are you alright?” she asked. “You were calling out in your sleep. It was... kind of weird.”

He sat up. He stood and turned around, testing his hooves, his tail, wiggling his ears, making sure every part of him worked. He studied his surroundings and found them nigh identical to the way they had been before they had slept, except for a few changes, like the line of trees that seemed to move across the hills as if they were water. Flickering lights brighter than the stars rose in the west. He blinked them away and laid down again, when he found his body still heavy with fatigue and the shock of being suddenly roused.

“Yes, everything is fine,” he said, folding his hooves under his head. “Go back to sleep, Twilight.”

She laid down again and stared at him. “It sounded like you were having a nightmare or something.”

“Did it?” Discord muttered and looked away. “I'm sure you'd find that just fascinating.”

Twilight bit her lip as if to say well, yes, but she didn't, bless her heart. Instead she just shut her eyes and let the thrall of sleep coax over her again. He thought she had drifted off when she spoke again.

“I just wonder what it is that you could be so afraid of.”

Discord snorted and thumped himself against the grass. “Nothing,” he said. “I'm afraid of nothing.”

She murmured some sarcastic reply before her wit sunk with her into slumber. He didn't even know if she understood him, or his defiance. Yet, the idea of returning to that realm of sleep where he might have been rendered helpless—worse, helpless to the twisted designs of his own mind—kept his heavy eyes wide open. He stared at Twilight, how easily she slept. How easily all ponies slept! When they alone could take themselves to unfathomable terror.

It's a wonder they manage to do it at all, he thought.

For all he fought it, sleep began to overtake him again. He stirred, but could not fight himself. Again he looked at Twilight, and how at peace she seemed to be, body repeating a soft swell and fall and the sound of her breath making chorus with the wind. He looked about, and then inched a little closer. And closer more, until he could feel the little heat radiating off of her body. It was a weakness he would never accept in himself. But being even a little bit closer helped put him at ease, and finally fall into dreamless sleep.

Twilight Sparkle

Twilight felt herself stirring awake to the sound of feathered wings batting the air.

“Whoa, Twilight, I never thought I'd see you all cozy with a stallion. Heh.”

“...wha?”

Twilight Sparkle's eyes fluttered open and she saw none other than Rainbow Dash casually hovering in the sky in front of her. As she became more awake, she became more confused. Her friend being there was a most peculiar, unlikely thing. The strangeness of the situation was underscored by the words of her friend. She felt Discord before she looked at him, sleeping soundly beside her as if it were the most natural thing. And she had a vague memory of feeling some pony close, some comforting warmth warding off the night chill.

The unicorn practically jumped out of her skin, leaping away from him and twisting about. “Discord? What are you doing?” She flustered and this only made Rainbow laugh more. And as much as she hated to admit it, the presence of the pegasus was the more pressing issue at present.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, then felt her stomach twist. “You're not dead, are you? Please tell me you didn't die.”

Rainbow Dash shook her head. “Nope, no more dead than you or your 'very special somepony' there,” she said. Twilight twitched but made no response. The pegasus set down and pressed a hoof on her foreleg. “See?” she said. “I'm still kickin'.”

By this point, Discord was beginning to wake up. He raised an eyebrow at Rainbow Dash. When their eyes met, there was an uneasy silence. Discord seemed to look clear through the mare, until he understood her presence precisely and then shook his head. He continued to put on the most languished display of waking up, complete with stretching and grooming and nibbling at grass. Twilight sighed and tapped the base of her horn.

“That still doesn't explain what you're doing here.”

Rainbow Dash ducked down and scraped her hoof against the ground. “Why else? To find the princess!”

Twilight blinked. “Well, that's well and good, but...”

“Everything is squared away with the pegasi,” she said, and zipped a quick line past Twilight. She circled back and stopped again. “Spitfire has things under control. Have you met Spitfire?” Rainbow Dash tilted her head the other way. “Whatever. I heard you were looking for the princess and I couldn't stand the thought of you out here, alone, with him...” She gestured at Discord. “I figured out where you were going and flew as fast as I could. That crazy door was still open, so... here I am. On the mission.”

Twilight sat and stared at Rainbow Dash. Her being there seemed against all odds. Not impossible, but the whole situation just seemed off somehow. For all she knew it could have been another manifestation of her heart, brought about by some strange magic. She looked to Discord helplessly.

“Is it alright?” she said. “Not a crazy trick?”

Discord looked at Rainbow Dash and rolled his eyes. “Her body is too 'here.' She's too straightforward for an illusion,” he said. “I can see her for exactly what she is. But it makes no difference to me. It's up to you whether you want to let her come along or not.”

I don't think he understands what this means to me, thought Twilight, looking up at her smiling friend. To have an old friend close by. It's not like we know each other that well, and yet having her here comforts me.

She'd felt such a sense of relief and happiness when she saw her friend there with them, no matter the circumstances. And she had felt the touch of her friend, the heat in her hooves and the slight of her feathers. It had to be her. I'm overthinking this.

“I'm sorry for acting funny,” she said, throwing her hooves around Rainbow Dash. The pegasus flinched and laughed nervously before returning the gesture. “It's just that this place has been messing with my head,” she said. “I'm really glad you're here, Rainbow.”

“Hey, I'm just glad to help,” said Rainbow Dash, wriggling her wings as Twilight released her. “I missed you, Twilight.”

Twilight smiled. Rainbow Dash seemed to positively glow. Though that might have had something to do with the sudden brightening of the sun.

“So what's the drill?” asked Rainbow Dash. “Where we headed?”

Discord flicked his tail and paced back. “Chasing some purple light Twilight magicked up,” he said. “Unless you have any better ideas.”

“Nah, Twi seems to have things under control.”

Twilight fished through her bags and pulled out the little orb of sunlight. She held it in her hooves, always marveling how it seemed simultaneously solid and yet to have no substance whatsoever. Every time she took it out she feared that it would be gone, or grow dim. She primed her horn, feeling the magics of the place feeding into her.

This time, just a light touch... she thought.

Discord sat beside her and watched her work blithely. “Have you heard of the 'seat of harmony?'”

Twilight looked up, a single dot of purple on her horn. “No,” she said. “It sounds like it could be related to the Elements of Harmony, though. Why are you asking all of a sudden?”

“No reason,” said Discord. “It just sounds like the kind of place the princess might be.”

“Even if it is,” said Twilight, “we have no idea how to get there if we don't know if it exists. Now if I can just get this tracing spell to work again...”

She touched her horn to the orb and let just a whisper of magic escape. It flashed violet and another tether of light streaked up into the air before vanishing somewhere in the distant sky.

Rainbow Dash's wings fluttered. “Looks like it's a good thing I'm here,” she said. “Might take some wing power to get us there.” The pegasus looked down and lifted into the air. Or so Twilight thought.

"Um, is that normal for the ground here?" she asked.

Twilight felt her hoof slip through the grass and jumped back. The ground seemed to fade from beneath them, patches of blue sky replacing the gold and green. As more and more of it disappeared, she searched frantically for somewhere solid to stand. The very earth she was standing on was vanishing faster than any of them could react. Her whole body seemed to wrench, vertigo ceizing her as she became very aware of just how far she would fall. She saw a cloud bloom nearby and jumped at it from a remaining patch of green, just before it vanished.

Oh Celestia, please let me remember this spell..

She was falling and spraying purple sparks as she tried to concentrate. She squeezed her eyes shut as she rushed downwards. Then with a soft sound, she found herself still and standing on something cool and fluffy. She opened her eyes.

A tuft of cloud supported her glowing hooves. Beneath her the open air expanded in every direction, and far, far below spread the golden fields of the land. A dizziness overtook her and she clutched the cloud.

“I think you thought too many sky thoughts,” she squeaked at Rainbow Dash. "Why were you just watching?"

"Sometimes a little fall is good for you," remarked Discord, who had no trouble standing in spite of the lack of anything to support him.

"I was going to grab you," said Rainbow Dash, glaring at Discord. "But it all just kind of happened at once. You okay?"

The pegasus flapped her wings casually and drifted over to help support her. For once Twilight begrudged Discord's convenient ability to disregard the laws of physics. She slumped against Rainbow Dash and tried to ignore that both of them had almost let her fall. Even if they weren't going to let her land.

Discord suddenly wiggled his ears, and his tail, and then groaned in effort as he squeezed and a pair of golden wings popped out of his back. “Is this too unnatural?”

Rainbow Dash tilted her head. “Jeez,” she said, sticking her tongue out. “That's not creepy at all. Though I might be starting to see what you saw in him, heh.”

Twilight was not amused. She lashed her tail and leered at Discord. “A little help, here?”

“You're not worried he'll turn you into a duck, or something?” said Rainbow Dash.

Discord shook his head. “Another time, perhaps,” he said. “But that doesn't mean I can't whip something up. Let me see...”

He clapped his hooves together and a pair of purple wings poofed into existence on Twilight. She looked back in surprise, and her wings shot out to communicate her distress. Discord laughed and rolled onto his back on a cloud.

“I have to say, that look suits you,” he said. “Now let's get a move on. You've already made a bit of a scene this morning, and it looks like Celestia is on the move. We need to push hard if we're to keep up with her.”

Twilight sighed and gave an irritated flap. The three of them formed a small, clumsy formation and flew towards where the light had vanished. She tried not to think too much about her appearance. She might have looked like Celestia or Cadence at a glance, but in her heart and in her capability she was still little more than a unicorn. A talented unicorn, but a unicorn nonetheless.

As they soared ever onward, Rainbow Dash turned to Discord. “Twilight I can understand,” she said, “but why did you leave Equestria? You had pretty much everything you could want.”

Discord chuckled. “It was a lot of fun, for a while,” he said. “But I realized that they would be even more fun if I gave them a little time to recuperate.”

Twilight made herself look away, where the light had vanished. I can't let myself forget that he's still Discord. If he's right... well, it won't matter once the princess comes back. She'll fix everything. Discord, and Nightmare Moon, and everything will be back to normal. It was getting harder to hate Discord, though. He had saved them, saved her, and for all of his one-sided purpose, there was still something about him. Something more than the sum of his parts, than his role.

At least, I really hope so.

When Morning Comes

Rarity

With the Gala looming, Rarity found herself faced with several dozen orders to be filled. After having played the role of instigator for so long, she welcomed the stress of sewing though all hours of the day. She pressed and measured an emerald cotton between her hooves and lifted a few pins to her side with magic.

One thing she had not become accustomed to was working with such an audience. In her first days, Nightmare Moon's guards had put her on edge by observing her every motion. Her own companions did little more than occasionally glance her way, or idly amuse themselves by the doorway, but her workshop tower had become more and more crowded of late. Spike had also taken up a permanent residence there, but he behaved himself well enough.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” he wondered, leaned over the edge of his bed. Rarity sighed and smiled.

“There simply isn't enough room for an extra set of claws,” she said. “Besides, Opalescence has got me covered.” She pulled a bit of thread away from where the feline sat, eliciting a nonplussed meow. “Still no word from Twilight?”

“Nothing,” said Spike, fidgeting with his claws. “I'm not even sure my letters are reaching her. You don't think she forgot about us, do you?”

Rarity shook her head and threaded a needle with one fluid motion. “Absolutely not. I imagine that she's simply somewhere strange and magical. And safe.” She lowered her head. “I hope.”

“Twilight is the smartest unicorn around,” said Spike, earning himself a curious glance from Rarity and the guard. “Well, she is. I'm sure she'll be fine. We just have to make sure everything is in good shape when she comes back.”

Rarity sent the different patches of fabric about on her worktable and set to work. The dress was slowly, surely, coming alive. It was not for her nor for any of her friends, but she still felt a love of her craft that drove her to inspiration regardless. “I've still not managed to find anything useful. I mean, there's so much written about Harmony, but the gems themselves are barely mentioned... and I may as well have pasted them back together for all I know.”

“Well, if you're not going to do anything with them...”

“Spike!” Rarity flustered and nearly threw down her needle. “You're not insinuating you're going to eat the Elements of Harmony, are you?”

“What?” Spike laughed. “Of course not! Even if I did have that dream, that one time. I just know that there's one way of treating gems we haven't tried yet.”

“And that is?”

Spike puffed a little green plume of smoke out.

“Ah!” Rarity clapped her hooves. She would never admit it, but she sometimes forgot that Spike was a dragon. To her she was just another friend, their little Spike. But he did have a point. “I suppose there could be no harm,” she said. “Celestia knows I've tried everything else.”

She paused a moment to unlock the compartment with one of her drawers and lift a handful of velvet bags, each possessing one of the six elements in varying states of wholeness. Spike opened one and produced a mess of gray shards loosely affixed to one another by some magical force.

“I think they've spent more time in pieces than whole,” he lamented, arranging them. He blew a flame over the element and it glowed briefly before returning to its cold, gray state. “This might take a while.”

“However long it takes,” said Rarity, returning to her work. “I need to get back to work. Princess Cadence will want to see sketches before I begin. Oh, a dress for a princess... who would have thought it?” She felt a little guilt at her almost-squeal of delight. Every day that Cadence and Shining Armor held the castle made it feel just a little closer to the way things used to be, before Discord, before the night.

Pinkie Pie

Sugar Cube Corner filled Pinkie's head with scents of vanilla and cinnamon and browning harvest vegetables. Business there had recovered steadily—several ponies studied the daily offerings of ready-made breads and cakes while pondering their orders. Mrs. Cake practically jumped out from behind the counter when the bell announced Pinkie's arrival into the shop.

“Pinkie Pie!” she started forward, and then leaned her head back. “It is you, right?”

Pinkie Pie puzzled. “Of course it's me! I mean no one else would remember that time we all made cakes and marmalade together and...” she trailed off and giggled. Having seen Mrs. Cake out from behind the counter she was without a doubt with foal. “Looks like you'd have a hard time forgetting, too.”

The blue mare's cheeks turned red and she tugged Pinkie away from the crowd. “Yes, well. I'm glad it is you. I know you told us that you were going on a trip but I didn't think that you would be gone for so long. There's been a lot of work, and to have you back...”

Pinkie Pie paused halfway into the kitchen, letting the door panels push her tail the rest of the way in. “I'm sorry, Mrs. Cake,” she said, tapping her hooves on the floor. “I can't stay for long. Princess Cadence has me running a lot of errands for the Gala.”

“Oh,” said Mrs. Cake, crestfallen. She shook off her disappointment and pat Pinkie on the back. “The Gala, though! I'm happy for you. I can't think of a bigger party in Equestria.”

Pinkie grinned. “Uh huh. It's like, the biggest bestest event ever. That's why I recommended Sugar Cube Corner to handle some of the catering!”

Mrs. Cake's eyes widened. “Are you serious?”

“Sugar plum, are you alright?” called Mr. Cake from the pantry. He trotted in with a bulk bag of flour over his back, which slid to the floor the moment he saw Pinkie. “Oh! It's good to see you, Pinkie Pie.”

“It's good to see you too,” said Pinkie.

“She was just telling us about a job offer,” said Mrs. Cake, fanning her face. “Catering for the Grand Galloping Gala.”

Mr. Cake's neck stiffened. “Are you serious?”

“Why does everypony keep asking me that?” Pinkie laughed. “Of course I'm serious! Everypony is still getting back on their feet, but I know the two of you always come through in a pinch. There's going to be a big order... we want to make sure this is the most memorable gala for years and years.”

“If you're helping plan it, I'm sure it will be.” Mr. Cake laughed and nuzzled his wife. “What do you think, honeybun? You up to it?”

She gave him an affectionate push and nearly lifted him off of his feet. “I haven't been slowing down any, if you haven't noticed,” she said. “I can't think of a safer place for us to be than Canterlot, anyway. We'll have to find someone to tend the shop...”

“We've always wanted this,” said Mr. Cake, and the pair of ponies gave Pinkie a hug. “Thank you. I'd heard you were back in town and hoped you were stopping by. But this...”

Pinkie wriggled her way to the other side of the kitchen and stole a pinch of cake batter from a lone bowl. “I just picked the perfect ponies for the job,” she sing-songed. “I have to talk to a lot of other ponies today, but I promise I'll stop by again soon.”

She inched to the back door and paused a moment to smile at the pair. “It's a big adventure, but you two mean a lot to me. I hope someday I'll be able to come home for good.”

Fluttershy

Fluttershy dried her tears in the valley gardens, hiding her face from the great host of animals that came before her. Birds and squirrels and even badgers and bears sought to comfort her there in their little sanctuary, and it only made her feel more ashamed of running away.

Angel gave a little tug at her hoof and peered under her mane. She shrunk back and whimpered.

“I just can't face all of you,” she said. “I'm scared, and I left Rainbow Dash all alone. But I can't do this by myself...”

The bunny folded his arms and thumped his foot on the ground. The wolves, the bear, the wildcats rumbled in protest. Even the birds took issue with that statement and flitted their wings all the faster.

“I couldn't ask you to fight for me,” she said. “You might get hurt. And...”

Birch opened her mouth and gave Fluttershy a gentle but meaningful nip with her wooden teeth. The whole lot of them chattered. Their support helped Fluttershy push aside her doubts. All of her pony friends were spread far and wide, some of them in grave danger. But she was not alone. She never would be. And she understood what had to be done.

Ponies are already getting hurt, she thought. I need to make sure that no more do. Even if it means doing this.

“Thank you, everyone,” she said. The animals stood at attention as she straightened. “I know you all came here seeking shelter. But a friend of mine is in danger, and I need your help. We will have to leave our forest and face these creatures in their own nests. If you have little ones, or if you're afraid, then I ask you to stay here. Otherwise, come with me and help me save my friend.”

Fluttershy took her first steps towards the edge of the Everfree and towards the changeling's domain. The forest seemed to open up in front of her and creatures of all shapes and sizes trailed silently around her. The very wood seemed to be alive with movement, and she pressed on with purpose.

This time I will find you, Rainbow Dash, and I will bring you back.

Applejack

More ponies than Applejack had imagined had answered her call to action. It seemed that the sudden infiltration of the changelings popping up in Ponyville had riled them to her cause. And now she stood in front of line after line of Ponyville ponies of each shape and color, wings and horns on some, standing in an empty plot. She'd spent the last few days clearing out old structures and in their place putting up a crude training grounds.

“Now I understand that you ain't fightin' ponies,” she said, pacing in front of a black-cloth covered shape. “It's been a mare's age since even the royal guard's seen much of a fight. But the fightin's come to us and we've got to put our hooves down. This is our home and we ain't giving it up to no one. No changeling, no Discord, no ponies of the night.”

They answered her with a rousing cheer. These ponies had had enough. There was a nervous energy to them, to be certain, but if you got enough of them in one place, they fed off of one another's confidence.

“Our big concern right now is those bug critters that can turn into any of us,” said Applejack. “They ain't half bad at pretending. But they don't like being investigated, and they slip up easily. Watch your loved ones, your friends, your neighbors. You'll be able to tell if something is wrong. Our best defense is vigilance.”

Caramel piped up from the front of the line. “What if they're not disguised as anyone we know? What if they're just some random pony?”

Applejack tipped her hat and smiled. She'd told the colt to save his questions for the meeting, that way it'd save her a whole heap of trouble. “They're bound to be around. We're working on better detection methods. Meanwhile it's best to just use your smarts, and be patient if others get suspicious. Stick together. Never go out alone. Travel in pairs at least, more if you can.”

Another pony shouted out, “what if they're here, right now? Any one of us could be a changeling!”

And another agreed, “they could be hearing all of our plans right now.”

Applejack raised a hoof and stilled the growing clamor. “If they are, then let them. Let them know we are watching. Let them know we are ready for them. We aren't the ones that need to be afraid.”

She turned and whipped a dark cloth off of a stump. Arranged beneath it stood several sacks and sticks crudely painted on to evoke some ridiculous image of the fanged insects. She stood beside it and huffed a breath.

“If all else fails, one thing always returns a changeling to its natural form.”

The mare reared back and bucked the dummy as hard as she could, cracking the sticks and sending the sack of its head flying. She stomped and tightened her hat between her ears. “One good buck.”

“You said it yourself, though,” said another filly. “We're not fighters.”

“Maybe not,” said Applejack, sticking a sprig of wheat in her mouth. “But you're mothers and sisters, brothers and sons, and you'll do what it takes to keep Ponyville ours. I've seen the scrawniest ponies buck the biggest apple trees you've ever seen. We're built for buckin'. And if we need to we'll buck some changelings as well.”

The ponies drummed their hooves on the ground in agreement. Applejack smiled, but inside she was breathing a heavy sigh of relief. She wasn't sure she could win them. But it seemed as if all the damage Ponyville had suffered through had only made them stronger, more determined to keep one another well. She trotted over to retrieve one of the displaced sacks and place it back on the dummy.

“I'll show you the ropes,” she said. “By the end of this day you'll know exactly what you can do.”

And I'll know what kinda fightin' chance we got.

Lyra

Lyra sat in her tower bedroom, Bon Bon close by, eating as many candies as she wrapped. And Lyra played a slow stream of notes, a ballad of whimsy that she conjured as she went. Pensive but happy was her song and the two of them looked on at the lingering sun outside.

“It's about that time,” said Lyra, rubbing her eyes. “I still find it hard to believe that this is our Equestria.”

“Well, it seems alright to me,” said Bon Bon, trying to put one of her confections in Lyra's mouth. She eventually gave in. “You're here, after all. And all our friends. What's a little coup if we've still got that?”

Lyra chuckled and swallowed the chocolate treat. She kept playing. Sometimes all she knew to say was in her notes, and the mare with her didn't seem to mind.

“I wish I could help you,” said Bon Bon, rubbing her forehead. “We all do.”

Lyra gave her a little nudge. “You are helping,” she said. “And you will. Watch me. I'll be moving the heavens for you. And everypony else, I suppose.” She laughed and tucked her lyre back into its case. “But I need to know that you're watching.”

“I will,” said Bon Bon. “Now don't be late on my account. This is more important than your usual gigs.”

“I know, I know.”

Lyra kept laughing as Bon Bon practically pushed her out the door. They cantered down to the parade grounds. Most of the ponies were busy creating a hubub preparing the great halls of Canterlot for the Gala. The towers, the suites, and the other stretches were eerily quiet. And the yard itself, full of ponies, was just as silent. Not one spoke or looked as she took her position in the front row and waited.

All this practice... she thought. I hope it's not for nothing. I hope I can do it without my music. I know Cadence said we have to do it without a crutch, but it almost feels wrong somehow. She eyed the edge of morning, yearning for it to turn to day. We won't know until we try.

Each of the other unicorns seemed to be thinking similar thoughts. After a few sessions, the nobles stopped eyeing the waitstaff and the townsfolk. They started as a cocktail of different castes and colors and now they were one group with one unifying purpose. Even Blueblood had stayed his feeble war of wits with her when they were on the field. All together they could lift a candle and a campfire. But they had never been able to touch the sun. Not until now.

They all looked up as Princess Cadence stepped out onto the balcony and nodded. They all bowed their heads and rose to attention.

“Thank you, all of you, for being here,” she said. “There are so many things to say, but they are but whispers compared to your actions. I know you are ready. Join with me and raise the sun, ponies.”

Lyra thought that she looked more than tired, and no amount of regalia and poise could keep her from noticing how heavily the weight of the rule wore her down. But as her horn lit up, all that seemed to wash away. Her wings took her into the air and signaled with a blue light to join her.

They faced the sun and channeled their magic in unison. Lyra felt a hundred voices joining with hers and reach out towards the blazing ball of flame in the sky. They worked the incantation they had been practicing over and over again.

At first Lyra felt nothing. Then a gentle warmth crept through her as they made contact. The heat rapidly expanded and she felt the sun filling her. Every unicorn gasped at once and fought to keep still as they took the great flame into them. Lyra had to fight from laughing, from dancing, the energy in her was so immense. It sweltered and she thought that she could burst at any minute.

The sensation was... indescribable. All life seemed to flow through her for those brief moments and the cosmos twirled as the sun finally hefted from the horizon. She swelled with pride and pleasure and the great light soared, bringing day to all of Equestria. They rose to their hindlegs and Cadence crested against the sky, barely a silhouette in the now blinding light.

The sun rose.

And it seemed to Lyra to end all too quickly. Cadence landed without a sound before them and they tried their best to contain themselves in her presence.

“I couldn't be prouder of you,” she said, breathlessly. “This is... we've made history. We've brought day and night back to the world.” She settled her wings down and cleared her throats. “And it is now our duty to meet each morning and each night so that Equestria is kept in order.”

“I don't think that'll be a problem, Princess,” said Lyra, still a little giddy. There would be talk of honor and duty and the well-being of Equestria, but the truth of the matter was that they would do it just to feel that way again. When Cadence left them to tend to her royal duties, the rest of the unicorns exploded into excited chatter. She smiled at Bon Bon and the filly smiled back. She craved more. She needed to find her lyre, to hear the song still resonating inside of her.

Rainbow Dash

As the sun tilted in the sky, it cast a beam of light through the cave that reached up to Rainbow Dash's belly. She soaked in the warmth of it and shut her eyes for just a moment.

Is Celestia back? Or is it Discord? I don't know. I hope...

She silenced her thoughts at the sound of flapping wings. She'd noticed that the changelings had a certain way to, if not read her mind outright, then at least get a sense of how she was feeling. She buried herself in enjoying little fantasies of revenge as a pony that looked like Spitfire approached.

“I'm so glad you're alright,” said the mare, hastening to her side. She reefed her hooves from the green goo and pulled her onto the ground. “We have to go. Now.”

Rainbow Dash stumbled and shook her feathers out. “Do you really think that I believe you this time?”

The Spitfire-clone laughed and rolled her eyes, before turning back into Chrysalis. “No, but you've still got just a little hope left in you. Making your heart jump is like my morning tea.”

“I'll know when she's come for me,” said Rainbow Dash, walking past the queen and out of the cave, “because I'll get to enjoy hearing her beat the crap out of you before she does.”

The changeling queen stalked after Rainbow Dash, guiding her with her movements, with purpose. “They're not coming for you,” she said, “and that's a matter of fact. I guess one too many stupid ponies took the bait.”

Rainbow Dash willed her wings to stay shut, but it wouldn't matter. The changeling could tell she was getting angry. And she was a little tired of getting angry, too. There wasn't much to say. She looked around the forest for a minute or two.

“It wouldn't matter anyway,” said Chrysalis, her wings flittering her forward. “It does look like somepony managed to get the sun working again. I suppose that makes some of you undisposable. But as for the rest...”

“You sure talk a lot of game,” said Rainbow Dash, “for hiding in the forest and sneaking around like a coward.”

Chrysalis laughed darkly. “You understand nothing,” she said. “This is war. This is me taking what should be mine. You see us and you still do not understand. For all your preparations, for all your friendship, I am already in control.”

The changeling queen made some arcane gesture, and Rainbow Dash saw with new sight. Every shadow swept back like a cloak and she saw the hordes of changelings. On the ground, swarming the trees and peppering the sky above. Their lurking chatter reached her like a rolling tide. She looked upon them and if only for just a moment, she let her heart fall.

Hundreds. Thousands of changelings there, and many more beyond where she could see or tell. Their numbers were massive. Their power blunt but effective. She saw why Chrysalis let her walk freely. Even if she flew with all of her strength, she would not be able to penetrate the swarm.

“When the time comes,” said Chrysalis, “there will be no fight. Canterlot will see my power, they will see my armies and they will bow to us, and you will be glad that you were among the first to fall.”

Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes and made herself stand. “We will never bow to you.”

Chrysalis scowled. “Then you will fall beneath us. I think the sunlight has been clearing your head a little too much, pony.” She waved at two changelings and they piled on Rainbow Dash before she could resist. “You can cool off in your cave until you come to your senses.”

The Taste of Apples

Nightmare Moon

The thoughts of the old world lingered in Nightmare Moon's mind, but the faces of her friends and lands she once traveled remained as ghosts. She ignored her memories as best she could and took curious interest in the lands that they traveled, and heaved a sigh of relief that they were not born from her own thoughts. The hills turned into gentle steppes, and on each row rose tilled earth and lush greenery. A host of faint pony silhouettes worked among them, seeding plots, tending patches, and harvesting dozens of different plants. Watermelon, squash, lettuce... even the wilder berries ran in neat rows one after the other. And at the bottom of the basin began a sprawl of fruit and nut trees that continued to the limits of their vision.

“Why the hay do ponies need to grow things when there's food all around?” asked Scootaloo, shouldering her way down the steppes.

“Everything's just better when an earth pony is behind it,” said Sweetie Belle. The specters didn't seem to mind when she shoved several strawberries in her mouth and made a happy sound. They seemed pleased with her response, though they largely poured themselves into their work.

Apple Bloom's eyes locked upon the orchard as she wandered down, weaving between plant and spirit with practiced care. “I don't think an earth pony is happy unless she can bury herself in her talent,” she said. “They're probably just doing what makes 'em happy.”

“It's about more than a few crops,” agreed Nightmare Moon. She glided down the slope and tried not to mind as the pony-spirits shied away from her. “It's about creation. Earth ponies imbue themselves in whatever they do. They can bring life where there should be none. And they find great joy in doing so.”

Apple Bloom paused for a moment and turned, regarding her blank flank. “Must be nice,” she said. “To have something special...”

But what does it mean if no one appreciates it? Nightmare Moon followed after the fillies, wandering through the orchard. She drew in a breath of air perfumed with the ripest of apples and it roused her hunger. But even the urge to eat felt numb to her. How lucky they are, so far from home, to still have one another. They do not even realize it.

The young earth pony stopped at an apple tree and looked up into its branches, as if spellbound by the shape of the apples there. She sat between the roots and struggled against some emotion.

“Is there something the matter?” asked Nightmare Moon, finding herself checking her tone. “It is just a tree, child.”

“I know,” said Apple Bloom, looking back up at her. “It just reminds me of home.” She paused and put a hoof on the tree. “D'you think that's why we ended up here? 'cos I can't stop thinking about my sister. If something happened to her... I'm worried about my whole family.”

Nightmare Moon shook her head. “If something had happened to them, then no doubt we would have met them here,” she said, though she was not sure she believed it. “Unless that happens, they are probably fine. It is our own fate we should be worried about.”

Her words did not seem to affect the filly. “I keep expectin' to see her,” she said. “Or Big Macintosh or Granny Smith... just turn a corner and there they'll be. And I don't think I could take that.” She bit her lip. “And the rest of my family, those that were gone before I was born. Maybe they're here. I wonder if I could see them. Or if they'd know me, or if I'd even want to see them. I'm just scared.”

“Yeah, well, so are we.” Scootaloo came back and sat beside her. “I'm trying not to think about it. We just need to get through this.”

Sweetie Belle followed next. “I can't stop myself, either. We're not supposed to be here or see any of this. It's not fair.”

“We just have to stick together,” said Scootaloo.

The three of them sat in front of the apple tree with their backs turned to Nightmare Moon. She stood beside them and curled her wing around to shade them, as if trying to stand between them and the rest of the world.

One moment you are a child, playing and living completely within the fields of your youth, she thought, and then you find yourself within something so much bigger than yourself. It's terrifying. It's so big and strange and makes no sense and in the end it changes you completely. And the little one is right. It isn't fair. They should not have to bear this burden. We should never have...

Apple Bloom laughed a little and the two fillies, and Nightmare Moon, looked at her.

“What is it?” asked Nightmare Moon.

The young filly turned and planted herself against the crook of the tree. “I was just thinkin' about my sister,” she said. “When I was younger I liked to play in the orchard. And she didn't mind so long as I didn't get in the way. One day though I was trying to get her attention and accidentally knocked over some of the barrels she'd been working with, and they go rolling down this hill, into a trench... oh, the sound was awful.” She laughed again. “Three broken barrels and a whole pile of ruined apples. She must have been in a bad mood because she threw her hat down and just started hollering at me. I don't remember what we said all that well, but I got scared and ran off and hid in one of the barns.

“I get in one of these nooks and lay perfectly still, and all the while I can hear her yelling and getting madder and madder and telling me to come out. 'course I don't budge an inch. I'm so worried about what's gonna happen. I stayed in there till the sun was going down. I thought my sister got tired of yelling.”

Apple Bloom scuffed the grass beneath her with a hoof. “Then I hear something. I creep a bit closer and I can hear Applejack. She's crying and saying she didn't mean any of what she said and that she just was yelling because she was worried and wanted me to come home." The little filly sighed. "I felt so terrible I came out of my hiding place and she hugged me up tight. We spent the whole night talkin' and I promised never to hide or run away again.”

Nightmare Moon chewed her lip. Sometimes it felt like she'd had spent more days fighting with Celestia than getting along with her. Somehow, though, she just understood what Applebloom meant. And the fillies did as well.

“Now that I think of it,” said Apple Bloom, looking her way, “it's kinda like that with you, isn't it?”

Nightmare Moon frowned and chewed her lip, fighting down a boil of rage. “Are you suggesting we are hiding from our sister?”

The filly shook her head. “No,” she said. “I think that you act so angry because you're actually really scared. And that maybe you don't mean to do anything bad, and you just want your sister back, and...”

Scootaloo rolled her eyes. “It's not like she broke a few barrels,” she muttered. “Take a look around you, Apple Bloom. This is way different.”

“Is it though?” asked the little filly.

Nightmare Moon found herself staring at the grass beneath them. She had found herself within a deep rage for a millennium, so long that it had practically become her. She did not know if she could exist without it. Perhaps she is right. Would we tell anypony? No. We are angry. But we are also afraid.

“It is different,” she said at last, sitting down as well. “You spent a few hours hiding in a barn. Celestia... my sister imprisoned me in the moon for a thousand years.” She looked upon the children she had taken from their homes, from their loved ones, and her stomach felt like ice. And we... I'm not so sure she made the wrong decision.

“It's not like we can just hug and make up and forget about it all,” said Nightmare Moon.

Apple Bloom frowned. “Well why not?”

Nightmare Moon shook her head. “It's too much to forgive,” she said. “Too much to forget, and too much time has passed.”

“It doesn't matter,” said Apple Bloom, “if ya'll still love each other, it is that simple. Don't you think she wants you back?”

She was not certain. When she had come back after a thousand years, all she wanted to see was her sister. For revenge, for anger, or for whatever reason. But Celestia wasn't there. Celestia abandoned her. And yet... the Elements of Harmony did not return her to the moon. They offered her a way to return to Equestria, and she refused it.

No. I can't dwell on that... she squeezed her eyes shut and forced her sadness back into the void of herself.

“I don't know,” she said. “We will see when we find her, I imagine.”

Apple Bloom nodded. She turned and gave the tree a fierce kick, and the other ponies jumped. Though it seemed like she should not have been strong enough to shake it, a single apple fell from above. She plucked it up, the stem in her teeth, and offered it out to Nightmare Moon.

“What are you doing?” whispered Scootaloo.

Nightmare Moon took the apple between her hooves and considered it. Her stomach rumbled and she ignored it, as if it were some distant sound. Apple Bloom moved back and watched her.

“I think I understand a little bit,” she said. “She took us away but she's also been taking care of us. We need her and she needs us. We should try to become friends.”

“Are you forgetting all that we went through?” Scootaloo's little wings flicked. “Because of her?”

“I understand where you're coming from,” said Sweetie Belle, promptly hiding behind Scootaloo. “But she's got a point.”

“If it were me, would'ya still say that?” said Apple Bloom.

Scootaloo stamped her hooves. “That's not at all--”

“It could have been.” Apple Bloom shrugged. “Look around you. Seems to me we don't have anything to count on but each other. Might be the only thing we've got is love. If there's a reason for us to be here, then maybe that's it.” Her cheeks turned red. “I kinda mangled the words, but that's something Applejack would say... I figure she's right.”

Is she serious? thought Nightmare Moon. But at the same time she felt a little embarrassed, and a little grateful to hear the filly speaking out for her. She remained silent and watched them converse.

“I admit I feel sorry for her,” said Scootaloo. She pushed her way by Apple Bloom and looked up at Nightmare Moon. “But if Apple Bloom is right, she can't just speak for you. You have to say it yourself.”

The dark mare dropped the apple and leaned back instinctively. “Ah...” she swallowed. She felt her feelings more ancient, more complicated than the children could have ever known. But they were trying to understand her. Scootaloo was not cowering before her, not falling into subservience, but trying to connect. The little pegasus was breaking every notion of manners, and yet she was not offended.

Still, they would not understand. They may not even accept me... She looked across the three of them and made up her mind. “Yes. I want you to stay with me.”

“As more than just your hostages?” insisted Scootaloo.

Nightmare Moon flinched, and gave a nod. “Yes,” she said. The words may have sounded insufficient to them, but for her, it was a monumental effort. Every nerve in her fought to keep her silent, to keep her from letting another pony into her life. But it was either that or remain alone.

“Then that's good enough for me,” said Scootaloo, shutting her wings in a snap. “We're all in this together. And that means finding your sister as soon as possible.” The pegasus' own stomach growled and she flustered.

Apple Bloom laughed. “That also means staying fed.”

The filly bucked a few more apples from the tree and the two of them went about gathering a small smorgasbord of fruits and vegetables taken from the nearby gardens. Sweetie Belle sat quite still and kept looking up at Nightmare Moon, who worked her way through the apple as if eating were a new and delicate experience. Each burst of juice in her mouth filled her with a certain nostalgia for life, and the sweet cider-like pulp that pleased her senses.

“What is it?” she asked, once she'd polished it down to the core. Sweetie Belle squeaked and looked away. For a while she thought the filly wouldn't answer her at all.

“I'm just nervous,” she mumbled. “Sorry.”

Nightmare Moon sighed and lowered her head. “I promised I would never hurt you,” she said, “and I meant it.”

The unicorn shook her head. “I'm just sorry that you're out here all alone and we can't find your sister and I still feel so scared I kind of want to throw up.” She seemed to get a little courage from prattling off her condition and chewed an apple. “I think we all want you and Princess Celestia to make up. We're all just trying to get back to our families.”

“I'm sure we will,” said Nightmare Moon, plucking another apple from the tree with her magic. But she wasn't so sure. More than anything I want your place, sister, thought Nightmare Moon. I want to be loved by all your subjects and belong in this world. But I'm not sure anymore. I want my old life back. But I can never have that. Not even if you forgave me.

She laid down in the shade of the orchard and sated her hunger alongside the three fillies. Their companionship brought to her a certain warmth that she would not have remembered at all, but for the saving grace of Starswirl. She let herself bask in the idea of friendship, and push away all the greater things that threatened her existence. She tried to forget about mortality and broken promises and while she enjoyed herself the darkness still lingered in her.

And the moon, now nearly dominating the sky, coated them all in its light and reminded her of all that had come to pass, and all that would come, and its presence felt so much bigger than the three little ponies beside her.

First Victory

Lyra

With the setting of the sun, the celebrations launched. A team of unicorns replaced the previous and set off a display of light and color that exploded over Canterlot. All day long, ponies of note and repute filed through the castle gates and populated its halls. Though the troubled times had driven many ponies away, and the citizens of Cloudsdale remained absent, there still came crowds and crowds from all trots of life.

Lyra watched them file in from the orchestral line as she absently followed the melody and harmony of some concerto. Each of the ponies she'd met before in some fashion, whether attending or sharing in some musical foray. The same tidings that had drawn them so violently apart now wove them together on the Canterlot stage. She searched the gray mare, the ratty haired colt, all of the other ponies for some fleeting glance, some sense of kinship, but each of them were so deeply engrossed in their playing that they did not notice.

Such an honor it is, she thought, sighing, to be so far removed from the clubs and inns of Ponyville. And she still felt the lingering burn of the sun, the soothing lull of the moon, always calling her back towards the heavens. But more than anything she felt as if something were amiss.

I'm imagining things, she thought, burying herself into her music. The melancholy of each pluck on her instrument wove around the strokes of the strings, imbuing their performance with a sense of longing. It seemed to permeate the whole chamber, and the ponies dancing with light and practiced step looked into one another. The Gala was not serving as a distraction, but rather as a reminder that they all suffered together. Just as well as they felt joy and prosperity and better times.

When the set finished and the polite rumble of a thousand hooves on the tiled floor dwindled, she gave a wave to her fellow players and hopped into the crowd before any of them could protest. She'd never seen quite so many ponies packed in one place, certainly not in Canterlot, at least. Still she walked through them with ease, finding that they yielded to even the threat of shouldering a common pony with a small huff and a shuffle aside. She glanced at their marks and their regalia, counting the houses... countless family lines that had become little more than clan titles. They had grown complacent during Celestia's rule, and did not seem to know what to do with themselves now that times had grown grim.

Few gave her more than a greeting and even those she resisted mingling with. More than anything she craved a familiar face. She hurried her way across the hall and towards the main chamber, stopping for a moment when she caught a flash of a pink-maned pony bobbing above the crowd.

“Oy, Pinkie!” She called, her voice drowning beneath a hundred empty conversations. She doubled her pace through the walls of well-dressed ponies, ignoring the queer looks that fell upon her back as she entered the audience chamber.

Rarity

Come now, Rarity, enjoy yourself. You're at the Gala, the most important ponies in the land are wearing your dresses... her eyes shifted about her. And you're dancing with a prince! You should be ecstatic.

Prince Blueblood, for all his faults, made for an elegant dancer. He had no trouble leading as they occasionally touched hooves and circled through the lines and loops of ponies that would, to an untrained eye, look an utter mess. The second band moved in and picked up where the first had left off, and while Rarity wanted to chase after her friends, she found herself locked in contest with the white stallion before her.

“You look quite lovely for a rabble rouser.” Blueblood laughed. “Like a flower, really. One of those violet ones from auntie's garden...”

“And you move so gracefully,” mused Rarity, “that I'm surprised you've never laid hoof on a mare before.”

The prince blew a piece of mane from his face, flustered. “I'll have you know that I've st--”

“What do you really want, Blueblood?” said Rarity, looking him in the eyes. They seemed to hold still as the room spun around them and their hooves turned beneath them. And though she did relish in their little verbal spars, she hated when he would string her along for one reason or another.

“The nobles want to pretend everything is okay,” said Prince Blueblood. “And that means showing off the prettier mares. Even if I have to snip your thorns first.”

Rarity rolled her eyes. Normally his backhanded compliments weren't so complimentary. “I don't know about you, but as long as Cadence is in charge, I have no reason to quarrel.”

“The rule is hers by right,” agreed Blueblood, sweeping Rarity downward. “Just as it is my right in her absence. I'm willing to let your little folly slide. For all I know it was that foul serpent that made you do it. He did seem to have a way with getting into ponies' heads...”

Rarity found herself suddenly wanting to be somewhere else, anywhere but balanced in the prince's hooves. She waited for the orchestra to reach its crescendo and then drew a step away. “Speaking of, she may be done with the royal greetings by now,” she said just as the music faded, leaving the room to a hush. “We should go pay our respects as well.”

“As we should,” agreed Prince Blueblood, dusting his tuxedo, as if wiping himself of her hoofprints. “If you'll join me.”

The other dancers parted about them and murmured some speculations of courtship. They headed for the grand open doors on the edge of the wing. Rarity glanced about the perimeter and frowned.

“Aren't there an awful lot of soldiers for an event?” she wondered.

“The captain ordered double stations,” said Blueblood, waving a hoof. “In case something went wrong.”

“Still, I never knew Canterlot had such immense ranks.” Gold-armored stallions dotted every other step of the perimeter, and held on either side of the doors, all watching without a budge as the celebration continued. Almost the entire army had to be in those quarters.

I can't help but wonder if they shouldn't be watching after our homes, like Ponyville...

Pinkie Pie

Pinkie bounced on the balcony overlooking the gala. She'd already danced for hours, learned the name of every pony she could find, even bumping into some of them twice, gorged herself on the variety of free candies and pastries, and visited the kitchens to make sure the Cakes and the other bakers were doing okay. They were filling out small orders as the night went on, as much of the prep work had been done the night before. Pinkie's services were hardly needed.

“I wonder where everypony is?” she wondered, draping herself on the rail. Cadence was still greeting a shrinking line of ponies. Shining Armor was making rounds and inspecting the castle guard, and her friends were somewhere in the sea of faces. She was happy to be there, but at the same time, she wished that all of her other friends were there with her.

Here I am at a party and Twilight is off saving Equestria somewhere... Pinkie Pie shook her mane out. No. Gotta keep everything good and happy for when she gets back! What if she came back now? What would she think if I were all gloomy? There's still plenty of fun to be had! She caught a glimpse of Lyra coming into the room and waved frantically.

“Hey, Lyra!” she called. “Stay right there! I'm coming down!”

She wasn't sure the green mare heard her, but she hurried down the stairs nonetheless. She wound from the right stair just as Rarity and Blueblood descended from the left. And from below, meeting on the center platform where Cadence stood, came Lyra.

And just then another Pinkie Pie bounded up the steps and waved a hoof. “Hey, everypony!” she said. “Having a good time?”

Pinkie Pie stared at her doppelganger. As did everypony else. It only took them one moment to realize that one, if not both of them, was a fake. Silence descended the staircase and the line of guests began to inch away as every guard in the area left their post and closed on the landing.

“She's a changeling!” cried both Pinkie Pies, pointing at one another. A pair of guards grabbed them and held them back, standing on their hind hooves.

Princess Cadence rose to full height and cried out. “Guests of the Grand Galloping Gala! Remain where you are. The royal guard will see to your safety.” She then turned between the two Pinkies and frowned. “We'll have to check them.”

Before the guards could so much as raise a hoof, though, Rarity pushed her way between them. “Wait. I have an easier way to tell.” She glanced between them and smiled. “You have a good memory for silly little details, don't you? What was the color of the hat I wore to your last Winter Wrap Up wrap-up party?”

“Yellow?” chimed one of the Pinkies.

The other snorted. “You never wear a hat to those parties,” she said. “You said they clash with your Spring premiere ensemble.”

Rarity nodded and gestured to the real Pinkie. “That one's real.”

“Because there's no way an imposter could have tracked your obsessive fashion habits,” gruffed Blueblood, scuffing his hoof on the floor. “Just give them both a solid wallop and we'll have this whole thing sorted out.”

Rarity placed herself between Pinkie Pie and Blueblood. “I will not permit you to rough up one of my friends just because you have a grudge.”

“That is not--”

Cadence drew up and spoke in the booming royal voice. “Silence!” she declared, glaring at them both. “This is not the time for arguing. One of them must be a changeling. Check the other one first.”

Before the guards could give the other Pinkie a solid wallop, though, her body contorted and slipped through their hooves. Then with a flash of green she transformed, revealing her nature. The changeling stood before them and laughed.

“You ponies trust too easily. Maybe things would have been different if that Blueballs one was in charge.” The changeling smirked at the prince and trotted before Cadence. The princess didn't move, but she shook a little as she stared down at the smaller creature.

“Detain this thing at once!” she ordered. The soldiers set upon the changeling and dragged it back. It laughed.

“It doesn't matter what happens to me,” it said. “We are already here.”

Then the changeling let out a piercing wail. The waves of its cry echoed out through the castle and the guards that held the creatures dropped it to cover their ears.

Pony after pony began to change. Ponies began to panic as changelings emerged among them, transforming from friends and friendly strangers to nightmarish beasts before their eyes. Soon the halls were littered with changelings. Even the royal guard fell into stunned chaos as a third of their ranks fell before their eyes, leaving the enemy in their place.

Pinkie Pie wasted no time in bounding beside the changeling that had impersonated her and hip-checking it off the platform. It let a pathetic screech as it crashed into the punch bowl below. “We have to do something!” she said.

Princess Cadence shook off her panic and nodded to the guards. “You four. We need to secure this landing.” She turned to the rest of them. “Protect the guests at all costs. Gather them into the west wing, it's the most secure. Detain any changelings that you can, but your biggest priority is protecting our subjects. Go!”

They wasted little time with formality or salutes before exploding into the fray. The halls of Canterlot soon resembled an angry hive as every pony willing to put hoof to shell took up the fight, sending changelings flying before them. Spells flew from the horns of unicorns and the changelings fought back with tooth and nail. They spit thick globs of green slime that grabbed the hooves of ponies and glued them wherever they stood. But the changelings still struggled to overcome the combined strength of the royal guard and the surprising number of folks ready to stand and fight. The chambers once filled with the sweetness of music and idle chatter now raged with battle cries and the sound of hooves and chitin clashing.

Princess Cadence threw off the white train of her dress and led them up the stairs as the guards thrust aside changeling after changeling. “Shining Armor must know we're under attack,” she said. “He'll rally the rest of the guard. We have to hold until he gets here.”

The white stallion emerged from the northern door as they crested the final staircase, as if called by name, scores of royal guards and a line of unicorns holding behind him. He flicked his horn and the door slammed shut. Two unicorns stood at either side of it and channeled a spell, engulfing it in a white aura. The door boomed and banged as changelings crashed into the other side of it, but the wood did not so much as splinter. The unicorns flinched, but held steady.

“Shining!” Cadence practically threw herself at the stallion. “They're overwhelming us. What do we do?”

Shining Armor put one hoof on her side and waved a troop of guards forward. They formed a wall at the stairs just as the changelings surged up to them. A flurry of hooves and spells bounced back and forth and the insects seemed to fall in droves.

“They've already played their advantage,” said Shining Armor. “The changelings may have numbers, but they do not fight well. As long as we stand our ground, we can beat them.”

Cadence nodded. Lyra, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and even Blueblood formed a small circle around her. The chaos continued unchecked but no matter how hard the changelings pushed, they could not put the ponies down. If one would become encased in slime, another would break it away with magic. The changelings knew how to swarm, but they did not care for one another's well-being beyond that.

A dull roar began to build and the halls seemed to grow darker. The windows shattered and more of the changelings swarmed in from every direction, filling the air.

“How many more of them can there be?” cried Cadence.

“Not enough to take this castle.” Shining Armor pushed her back and stood before his guards. “Volleys!”

The line of unicorns behind them lifted their heads and began to cast in tandem. Even Lyra and Rarity joined in the assault. A kaleidoscope of color exploded across the changelings as the unicorns unleashed magics of pure force and brought them down in droves.

Every pony gathered close to one another and made a final push. Dust and grime fogged the air and their ears rang with the sounds of violence and the smell of sweat and war. They unleashed every kick, every spell, every flung object they could upon the masses of changelings.

For a time it seemed unending. But dazed changelings began to pile up and the others grew weary of battering themselves on line after line of standing ponies. Once everypony was clear of the hall except for the changelings, the unicorns released another blaze of magic.

The changelings cried again, and this time they retreated. As quickly as they had come, they took to the sky and flew into the dark of night as quickly as their translucent wings would take them. Several groups of the guards pursued them, chasing them until they vanished beyond the walls of Canterlot.

When it became too quiet, Pinkie Pie fell against the floor and covered her eyes. She quaked a little as she soaked in what had just happened. Canterlot had been attacked. She had been in the middle of it, and survived.

“Are you alright, dear?” asked Rarity, moving one of her hooves.

Pinkie Pie's lower lip quivered. “This was the worst party ever.”

Cadence

It had taken the ponies of Canterlot weeks to restore the castle to a shade of its former glory. It took the changelings a matter of minutes to tear it back down again. Instead of missing stones and silly contortions of reality, though, there was rubble and broken glass everywhere. Unconscious changelings and ponies alike littered the halls. The medical staff tended to the wounded while the guard tried to sort out what to do with the prisoners. Two of the council members followed Cadence and hung on her every word.

“We're going to have to imprison them,” said Cadence, decisively, “at least until this conflict is resolved.”

“It may never be resolved,” said one of the councilors. “And where do you propose we put them in the meanwhile?”

Shining Armor stood tall beside her and leered at the bureaucrat. “Anywhere that has a lock,” he said. “Unless you plan on disposing of them?”

“I... certainly not...” sputtered the councilpony.

“Then there are no other options,” he said. “The wounded are being treated. We are giving refuge to anypony who needs it. The Princess and I have this situation under control.” He tossed his mane. “Why don't you go write that down and sit on it?”

The pair of unicorns stammered again, but could not bring themselves to rage before a captain of the guard. They merely bowed their heads and retreated into the recesses of the castle.

Princess Cadence sighed and nuzzled Shining Armor. “Thank you,” she said. “I don't know how my aunt manages to deal with them every day. Let alone a time like this...”

“Years of practice.” Shining Armor shrugged. “You'll get the hang of it in time.”

The princess nodded. Her wings drooped low. At least we haven't lost anypony, she thought. The others are getting a much needed rest. And I... what should I be doing? What are my words when all the orders have been given and there are no speeches that can comfort them?

Shining Armor led her to the sanctuary of the throne room. Only a couple guards followed them in and barred the door behind them. Cadence stopped in the middle of the room and looked up at the broken glass. Every evil, every force that had come before Equestria had fallen. And their stories met light and stone in those halls. But now they lay shattered and only the moonlight crept across the blackened floors.

“At least we beat them,” she said. “What do you think they will do next?”

Shining Armor sat beside her and looked out the window, towards the darkened expanse of Equestria. “That was not a victory,” he said.

Cadence felt her every muscle tighten. “What? What do you mean?”

The stallion glanced at the guards present and back at her, and whispered. “I did not want to bring down morale,” he said, “but that was merely a feint. They were testing our numbers. Our strength. They know what we are capable of.” He paused and looked at her. “Next time they attack, they will do so with full knowledge of that.”

Princess Cadence sagged towards the floor and her voice cracked. “I can't do this.”

The stallion laughed a little. “Of course you can't.”

His words chilled her and she looked back. “What?”

“You were a product of happier times,” he said. “Only the guard is capable of defending this realm, and even then, the wages of war haven't touched our kind in generations. More than that. It's unfair to ask you to pick up the crown and fight the world on your own.”

Princess Cadence nodded. “That's why I'm glad you're here,” she said. “With you, and Twilight's friends, and everyone... I think we can pull through. If the pegasi--”

“The pegasi have abandoned us,” said Shining Armor. “We are alone.” He nodded towards the window. “The rest of the guard is returning. That is what we have left.”

She stood and walked slowly towards the window, looking down upon the grounds below as a weary and beaten group pushed their way through the gates. Her eyes widened as she spotted a white stallion clad in purple armor slipping inside.

“Shin--”

Her voice croaked out as two spears of pain lanced through her chest and she crumpled to the floor. A bit of green light flickered and she felt the floor beneath her become wet, warm, sticky. Pain and numbness raced to consume her and her eyes felt heavy. She turned to see Shining Armor's eyes flickered green and his horn dripping with blood.

“I'm afraid your beloved was too busy chasing your ghost through Canterlot,” he mused. “But don't worry. He'll return home to find you safe and sound.”

“You'll never...” Cadence started, but sobbed out. She had barely the strength to speak, or conjure, or even move. Whatever wound the changeling had inflicted upon her was both physical and magical in nature.

“Get away with it?” Shining Armor laughed. He flashed and turned into a changeling of immense size. Her shell glistened with a green scarab back, large wings, a cragged horn... a crown-like growth of stamens bobbed over her head. She leaned down and kissed Cadence upon the forehead.

“I already have,” she whispered. “Worry not. Canterlot may have fallen under your rule, but the new Princess Mi Amore Cadenza has years of experience providing for and defending her people.”

The changeling queen transformed again, this time assuming the form of Cadence. The princess groaned and cried and shut her eyes. The pain, the darkness, and her failure drove her into despair.

The imposter princess cocked her head at the guards, who dropped their transformations as well. “Ponies are almost too easy to play,” she mused. “But they're not stupid.” She turned and waved to the guards. “Make sure that no one finds her. Be creative. And don't let anyone see you.” She strolled her way to the throne and stretched her wings. “Now the fun part begins. Enjoy your sleep, princess. You deserve it.”

No... please, no... Cadence's thoughts seemed to be drowning inside her head. Her magic twisted inside of her, fighting against the spell that the changeling queen had cast, racing to at least seal her wounds. Her mind verged on blacking out. She could feel the wounds were not deep enough to kill her, but that did not account for what the changelings would do to her.

Her vision faded and she could only hear the sound of hoofsteps upon stone. She felt the walls closing in around her and a distinct coldness. They dragged her for minutes and soon the sound of rolling water filled her ears.

“This'll do,” muttered one of the changelings.

They made some gesture to each other and then swung her up. Her wings kissed the air for a moment before she crashed into the water. She struggled and flapped and flailed, coughing up water and struggling to keep above it. But she could not fight the channel. The flow pulled her down, away from the laughing changelings, and into darkness.

Kindness and Courage

Fluttershy

Fluttershy's host of woodland creatures parted from the Everfree and together they marched towards the mountains. It seemed that the air itself had changed, the wind bringing with it silence and a hollowness where once flew an impenetrable darkness. Her fear of capture, of torment, of awful things sat deep in her belly, crushed beneath the desire to free her friend from the very same fate. Always, her friends were her strength, and with the forest's might behind her and her friend laying in wait, there was nothing in the face of Equestria that could stop her from completing her task.

“I want you all to stay together,” she said, a motherly tenderness in her voice completely unbefitting its words. “Run away if you get hurt or scared, the vale is always safe. Don't hurt anypony or creature you don't have to. But if they try to stop us...” she drew a breath and paused at the edge of the changeling's forest. “Make sure they don't.”

The timber wolves threaded out into the trees, save for Birch, who walked beside her on the road, her nose to the air and ears rigid with focus. Though the rest of the wolves and many of the other animals chose the foliage over the open run, she could sense them in a broad circle around them. The lumbering bear and the manticore tread with steps so heavy that they made the earth shiver and so deliberate that they broke not even a single root or fern. The leaves shook a little at the movement of hawks and owls. A lone wolverine paced across the path before them now and again, vanishing just as quickly as it emerged. Only the most fierce and terrifying of beasts still slept in the Everfree, undisturbed. Fluttershy knew that even a flash of their wrath could immolate the mountainside and cause irreparable damage to the wild, and possibly her friends.

Besides, I would rather come here alone than go into a dragon cave...

Angel gave her mane a tug, seeming to sense her trepidation. She shook herself a little and assured him with a touch of her wing. “Don't worry, I'm not afraid,” she whispered. “I mean, not too afraid.”

The rabbit sighed against her and watched the forest move between her ears. She knew his frustration was just his way of channeling his fear. They were all a little afraid, but it was not enough to stop them.

But the forest was different this time. A stillness rolled through the branches and in the echoless sprawl of greenery. The wildlife was cautious but seemed bewildered and absent. It's less haunted and more... abandoned, thought Fluttershy. Maybe the changelings left? Oh, but if they did, what happened to Dash...?

Her heart began to race again as her thoughts took her to her worst fears. A sudden crack in the trees broke her focus, and she heard a flutter of wings and the cry of a falcon pierce the forest. The sound of something heavy crashing into the branches below followed soon after. Fluttershy stopped and turned to the fight that she could not see.

Moments later, the falcon and a great horned owl swept across the path, meeting her gaze for only a moment before they swept back across the way.

“I guess we're not alone after all,” murmured Fluttershy.

The pegasus hurried onwards, her progress counted by each sudden burst of violence in the forest and subsequent silence. She didn't want to think about what the beasts were doing to the changelings. Even if they are bad and mean and did horrible things to my friends...

“What are you doing here?”

A familiar voice drew her attention. She looked up to a small clearing where Spitfire stood, her head cocked. A handful of Wonderbolts paced the area and stopped when she stood on its perimeter.

“I said I was going to rescue Rainbow Dash,” said Fluttershy, lilting her wings up to try to show confidence. “And so I am. What are you doing here? I thought you said you weren't going to help her?”

Spitfire tossed her mane. “Well, things have changed. You'd have known that if you belonged with us. But you don't. So maybe you should just go back home with your pets and let the real pegasi handle this.”

“Oh.” Fluttershy's ears drooped and she hesitated. It'd be better if Spitfire performed the rescue, after all. They're better at fighting than I ever will be.

Even then though Fluttershy felt something amiss, and would not be deterred. She stood defiant as Birch Bite sniffed the air and stalked towards Spitfire. The mare took a nervous step backwards and the timber wolf moved closer. A brambly growl grew from the beast as Spitfire bumped back against a couple of her followers.

“Get this thing away from me,” she demanded.

Fluttershy stepped a little closer as she began to understand. “It's alright,” she said. “The old girl knows not to bite ponies.”

Spitfire looked up in panic. Birch dug her wooden fangs into the mare's flank. She screamed and the creature shed its disguise, the image of Spitfire dissolving into a changeling.

Every creature moved at once. Two changelings, still disguised, leapt at Fluttershy. The manticore crashed from the trees behind her and knocked them aside with one powerful swipe of its tail. Changelings poured from the trees and timber wolves raced after them, taking them to the ground. Fluttershy galloped towards Birch.

“Be careful, all of you!” she called, ducking and scrambling beneath another changeling. Angel smacked another away with a quick jab of his hind legs.

Their assault seem to catch the changelings off guard and their numbers rang only in the dozens. Many fell before they even saw the center of the skirmish and those that did found themselves quickly incapacitated by claw and fang, talon and tail. The once stoic wolverine hurled like a tempest between them, a flurry of strikes and muscle that would leave no enemy standing in its path.

Fluttershy worked her way towards the mountains and the beasts of the forest pushed with her. The changelings that had managed to evade their attackers took high to the air and zipped through the branches in a panic.

“You have made a grave mistake,” said one changeling, hovering before her and nursing a wounded leg. “When you meet the swarm, you will not be so lucky.”

For all of its bravado, the changeling seemed even more terrified than she was as it raced away from harm. It cried out in its own insect voice and struck its wings, and whatever changeling could find the freedom to reach the air took it. She could hear the forest empty of their presence as they retreated.

“Come on, we still have to find Rainbow Dash,” she said. Birch rejoined her and they navigated their way towards the mountains. The closer they got, the more the forest and the rock lay twisted by the changelings. They'd bent branches and burrowed trenches, shaping the foot of the mountain into a crude hive.

More than once Fluttershy had to use her wings to avoid falling into a sudden gap in the moss and stone beneath her. A dull green glow resonated from some of the slime as they grew closer to the caves.

Birch knew Rainbow's scent well enough and it seemed to be all over the place. They met the foot of the mountain and saw the scores of tunnels dotted along it. The holes were not too deep, though, and most were formed in already naturally occurring gaps.

The timber wolf led her into one and she flinched at the foulness of it. After a dip and turn she found herself with the light of day completely at her back. In front of her, strung between the crags of rocks, Rainbow Dash hung suspended, her hooves spread to each corner. Her eyes pried open, blackened with abuse and fatigue, pupils dimmed with the despair.

Fluttershy flung herself forward and wrapped her hooves around her friend, and her wings, encasing her in warmth. For all that she had gone through, all of the blue pegasus' doubt washed away in that gesture.

“Fluttershy?” muttered Rainbow Dash, looking at the trembling yellow pegasus with her muzzle buried against her shoulder. “It's really you...”

“Of course it is.” Fluttershy sniffed. “I'm sorry it took me so long to find you.”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and laughed weakly. “Darn it, Fluttershy, don't cry. Because if you cry then I'll cry and...”

Her friend's warnings did little to stay the tears from her, flooded by her own emotions. Joy to see her alive and well. Guilt that she had let her suffer for so long. And to be together again, they couldn't help but cry and laugh and smile at each other long enough for Rainbow to remember her restraints. Birch and a couple timber wolves made quick work of them, gnashing through even the petrified goop with ease. In a matter of seconds, Rainbow Dash fell onto Fluttershy's waiting back. The pegasus didn't stay there long, though, eager to find her hooves on the ground and stretch her wings.

“We've got to get out of here,” said Fluttershy. “I think they're going to come back.”

Rainbow Dash shook her mane vigorously. “We have to get the others out, first. It won't take long.”

“Are you okay?” asked Fluttershy, trying to groom and coddle her friend. “Can you fly?”

“I'm alright,” said Rainbow Dash, flapping herself off the ground once just to show she could. “They thought they were starving me out, but I made do. Once I tried to eat my way out and I found out that gross stuff is actually kind of sweet...”

Fluttershy squicked and shivered. Rainbow Dash laughed, but kindly did not elaborate. With the aid of her animal friends, it did not take them long to liberate the remaining pegasi from the hive. Each was held in their own cell, some merely glued in place, others completely encased in a chrysalis, but none of these could stand under the jaw strength of mystic beasts. There were about twenty in number, mostly grown stallions and mares, with only a couple younger ponies among them.

Once they were certain that there were no more ponies held captive, they made haste from the forest. Finding the clearing empty and the skies vacant of any changelings, they took a moment to rest and soak in the sunlight, gorging themselves on grass and water from a nearby brook.

“I already feel brand new,” said Rainbow Dash, splashing her face with water. “It was pretty bleak, but I knew it would be okay.” She smiled up at Fluttershy. “You were very brave, you know. And not nearly as dumb as I was.” The pegasus paused and looked back at the water. “Try not to rub it in too much.”

Fluttershy laughed and shook her head. “I won't,” she said. She would probably be too shy to retell the tale, though the experience would probably give her nightmares for the rest of her life. Still, it was worth it. The freed pegasi were happy as could be, if a little nervous around all of the dangerous creatures.

“You could come back with me to the Everfree where it's safer,” said Fluttershy.

“I know,” said Rainbow Dash. “But I have to take these ponies back home. We should be able to make the flight with a good formation. They're tired, but most of them have flown with the Wonderbolts.” She stood back and turned her gaze eastward, towards the mountain over Canterlot. “Most of the changelings were gone when you got here, huh?”

“Yeah,” said Fluttershy. “It's really strange...”

“Then I can't waste any time here,” said Rainbow Dash, pointing her wings at the sky. “Their leader said they were going to attack Canterlot. They're going to need our help.”

Fluttershy squeaked. “Oh, no! We have to...”

Rainbow Dash put a hoof on her shoulder. “You took care of me,” she said. “Now I can take care of everypony else. You did a brave thing, Fluttershy, but I'm not going to ask you to go to war. Not you of all ponies. It's not right.”

“But...” said Fluttershy, protesting even though the very words made her shake.

“You've done enough,” said Rainbow Dash. “More than enough. And if nothing else, if something goes wrong, I need you in the forest as a second line of defense. I need you to back me up, even if it means letting me fly ahead. Can you do that for me?”

“I...” Fluttershy nodded. “Yes, if you want me to. I just don't want to leave you alone again.”

“I won't be alone,” said Rainbow Dash, looking around. “And apparently neither will you. When all this is over, I won't ever go away again. But for now... I think I'm starting to understand what needs to be done.”

Fluttershy hugged her again and Rainbow Dash hugged back, in spite of all their audience. “You better come back safely,” she said.

“You too,” said Rainbow Dash. “Pinkie Pie swear.”

They performed the series of gestures and then parted before their reluctance could conquer them. The pegasi formed a broad formation and turned against the mountain winds. Though their imprisonment had weakened them, they had the strength of hope and the lash of duty behind them. The weakest were held up by the strongest and together they cut their way to Cloudsdale, disappearing over the mountain beyond.

Fluttershy nudged Angel onto her back with a wing and started towards the Everfree Forest. “They might need us again,” she explained, “and if that happens again, we're going to be ready.”

Rainbow Dash

Cloudsdale received the missing pegasi with some reluctance, leading them under full guard to the headquarters at the apex of the mountain. Spitfire scanned the whole group before stepping forward and cuffing Rainbow Dash hard enough to knock her to the cloud floor.

“Ow, what the hay!?” The pegasus pried herself up. “I'm not a changeling, okay?”

“I just had to make sure,” she said. Then Spitfire hit her again, scowling. “That's for being stupid and getting yourself captured. I almost lost my best fliers because of their flights of bravado.”

Rainbow Dash rose to her feet again and hung her head. “I know,” she said. The bruise on her cheek stung, but not as badly as her mistakes. Still, there was a strange affection in the way Spitfire had struck her, the way she lectured her. The changelings would have never understood the fierce way that pegasi looked after one another and held each other accountable. The second punch was as much a forgiveness as it was a punishment.

“I don't want you to hit me again,” said Rainbow Dash, rubbing her cheek. “But where exactly was the rescue team? I had to wait around until Fluttershy of all ponies came in for the save.”

Spitfire tucked her hooves together and sighed. “Fluttershy was supposed to be the diversion,” she said. “But the situation shifted. Acting openly would have meant the plan failing before it started.”

“You were going to use Fluttershy?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“We had eyes on her the whole time,” explained Spitfire. “There was no chance of her getting hurt or captured. And I think she did a fine job.”

How could you...? thought Rainbow Dash. She looked around her at all of the freed pegasi. The results of Spitfire's actions were undeniable. Fluttershy was safe and the pegasi were free. The changelings no longer held the mountainside, at least for the time being. I could never make the decisions you have to make, she thought.

“I have a report to make,” said Rainbow Dash. Spitfire lifted a hoof and cut her off.

“Before we get into that,” she said, “I'm seeing a few familiar faces. I think it's time to put this whole changeling thing in the bag.”

The scouring of Cloudsdale was swift. The twenty or so pegasi that had been replaced were outed instantly and detained. The ranks of the Wonderbolts were put back in order and they searched every house and pony until they had every last one of the shapechangers in custody. With all this done, Spitfire led Rainbow Dash alone to the edge of the mountain that overlooked the valley.

“How much did they tell you?” asked Spitfire, her eyes unmoving from Canterlot.

Rainbow Dash tucked her wings against her sides. The time she'd spent with the changelings blurred as a whole, but she remembered the details that stuck out to her. “Their force is immense. Tens of thousands strong, but they're mostly brainless brutes. They have a few hives like this sprawled around Canterlot, but I couldn't find out where their main holdout was. They... they sent a changeling after Twilight.”

“One changeling going after Discord and a gifted unicorn?” Spitfire scoffed. “That's hardly worth worrying about.”

“She took my form.”

“Your friend will be fine,” Spitfire insisted, looking over. “Just as you are. What else? What do they have to say of Cloudsdale?”

Rainbow Dash shook her head. “They have their eyes on the Canterlot throne,” she said. “And they think that Cloudsdale has gone into isolation. That we've abandoned Equestria.”

She turned and looked at Spitfire. She couldn't bring herself to ask the obvious. When the captain looked back, there was a strange mischief in her eyes. A break in the stoicism that she'd seen from Spitfire ever since Nightmare Moon had taken the throne. Rainbow Dash was beginning to understand.

“Then the time has come show these ponies that we have not abandoned them,” she said. “Cloudsdale is secure and the changelings are set on taking the throne in one fell swoop.”

Rainbow Dash's wings sprung out and she shivered in excitement. “Then we're going to help them?”

Spitfire smiled and gave Rainbow a playful smack on the back with her tail. “They won't know what hit them. Come on. We've got a lot of work to do.”

A strange giddiness took Dash as she flew after Spitfire. The idea of war was a terrible thing. Yet something in her blood ignited with a sense of duty. For every minute she spent locked in that cave, every pony that they had laid their filthy hooves on, for every threat made against her home... she would return it tenfold. The ponies of Cloudsdale would mobilize, and the changeling queen would regret ever setting herself in Equestria.

Fluttershy

If by chance or fate, Fluttershy found herself passing by the Everfree waterways. She paused at the rolling river and stared into it. One of the trials her friends had overcome in their search for the Elements of Harmony had taken place there.

“I wonder if that lovely serpent is still around?” she asked. Angel sighed and Birch yawned.

Then the waters foamed and churned and roared as the purple serpent rose from the waters and looked at Fluttershy.

“Oh, thank goodness somepony is here!” he cried, almost covering his eyes as he threw himself back. “It's just awful!”

“What is it?” asked Fluttershy, once she'd finished having a small panic and settled back onto her hooves.

“You just have to help her.” The serpent lifted its scales and revealed what he had been protecting in his coils. He pushed a winged pink pony to the shore. Fluttershy rushed to her side and stared in bewilderment.

Is she... a princess? Fluttershy carefully put a hoof on the mare. She was barely breathing, somehow, her body empty of all but a little warmth. With each breath she still coughed up bits of water. Her fur was stained crimson and two punctures marred her back, beneath her wings.

“I tried to take care of her,” said the serpent. “Poor thing wasn't even breathing! But there's only so much I can do, you know? I don't even know what's wrong with her.”

“Thank you,” said Fluttershy. She wished she could stay and dole more kindness upon the creature, but the stranger's life was hanging in the balance. Birch helped her drape the pink mare over her back and secure her before she flew over the river. She could barely fly with the weight of another pony upon her, but she had no other choice. Even though her muscles burned and strained she raced through the forest, letting her body remember the way.

I have to save her, whoever she is... we need help. We need Zecora.

Eclipsed

Nightmare Moon

Equestria withered beneath the chill of the moon. The first tongues of frost licked up the stones of the dark castle in the Everfree Forest. Though the night blazed with light, an overwhelming shadow cloaked the bodies of any pony that dared walk the woods that night. All of the creatures, even those most monstrous and vile, hid within their lairs from the force that drove the land into eternal night.

Apple Bloom and her friends trailed behind Nightmare Moon, threatening to trip her gait as they crossed a chasm and scaled the stone steps to the abandoned fortress. She shoved the doors open with a hoof and shivered at the silence that came from within.

“Where are we?” asked Apple Bloom, looking around. “This looks like... I thought I could see Canterlot over the trees. But everything feels all wrong.”

“I feel like we shouldn't be here,” said Sweetie Belle.

“It is just another memory, children,” said Nightmare Moon. She stepped into the hollow belly of the castle and brushed them in, away from the chill. “It shall pass, just as the others have. You have nothing to fear.”

Scootaloo buzzed her wings. “That's easy for you to say,” she said. “What's up with all these strolls down memory lane, anyway? Aren't we supposed to be looking for the princess?”

“We come closer to her with every step. It is only a matter of time.”

While before she could sense her sister only like a distant star, now she could feel her presence like a warm wind in winter. Celestia moved closer, and yet their inevitable reunion troubled her in ways she could not comprehend. Though she could allay the fillies' fear, her own heart quickened and would not calm.

The castle could have been the twin of the Canterlot palace were it not cast against the blackened sky and coated in symbols of the night. Lavender tapestries draped the walls and fought the weather as it encroached on the castle chambers. The moonlight added a pale glow to the stained glass windows, chronicles of battles her and her sister had fought over the ages.

This memory...

Where once her hooves fell with dark determination, they now hesitated like a filly returning to her unlit home. Silhouettes and shadows swayed on the walls like trees in the wind as she approached the throne room. The cracked seat held only the faint imprint of a cushion and the same steel helmet that she wore. She reached out and touched it. As she did, a voice exploded in the chamber.

“Sister, stop!”

Nightmare Moon whirled around. Princess Celestia stood before her, her body radiating a light that seared even the furthest corners of the room an alabaster white. Nightmare Moon picked up the helmet and placed it over her head, memory and reality fusing around her.

“It is too late,” said Nightmare Moon. “It will not stop until the ponies of Equestria finally understand.”

These are not my words! Nightmare Moon felt herself screaming and making no sound. Her mind sat paralyzed within the memory. Let me speak to you, sister! I must make you understand.

Princess Celestia approached the throne, her mane rippling with an invisible current. Apple Bloom pulled the other fillies aside, into the shelter of some of the ruined stone and whispered to them.

"We don't know how dangerous it is," said Apple Bloom. The other two nodded and they huddled together, spellbound by the sisters' confrontation.

“There is no one to punish you," called Celestia. "End this madness and come back with me. Restore Equestria before it is too late!”

“What is there for me to come back to?” Nightmare Moon's eyes vanished beneath the magic aura that crackled through her. Lightning and fire twisted from the ether and thunder clapped as she pounded her hooves against the throne room floor. “I am a prisoner within that world. Every night they flee from my work and hide in their homes and in their beds. I have to see into their dreams.” She scraped her hoof and a furious storm crackled beneath it. “Do you know what they dream of, Tia?”

Princess Celestia hesitated. “Sister, I'm--”

“They dream of me!” Nightmare Moon's roar of anguish shook the very foundations of the castle. “Every night I have to see myself as a monster. I see myself tearing apart their flesh, cursing their families... I see the most hideous, vile creature in Equestria, and that creature is me.”

“Sister...” Princess Celestia shrunk back, her posture tightening. “I did not mean...”

Nightmare Moon snorted. “Even you saw me this way. My own sister...”

“I was fearing what you would become!” Princess Celestia's wings flared open with another surge of light. “And now you are on the brink of becoming the very thing you despise, and I am on the brink of losing you. Come back with me, please.”

“This is what you and your subjects have done to me.” Nightmare Moon shut her eyes. “And now you wish to lock me in a cage once more? If I am nothing more than a monster to you, then I will be a monster!”

Princess Celestia screamed in frustration and kicked back a chunk of stone from the floor. “No, I will not let you do this. I will bring you back even if I have to break you to do it!”

The sisters set upon one another with fury. Princess Celestia channeled the light of the sun into a single burst and fired it upon Nightmare Moon. The dark mare struck back with slithering shadow and where the two forces met, a great tear ripped through Equestria. The two fell back as light and dark clashed and cancelled one another out.

Nightmare Moon crouched down. “And I will make you see my world, no matter what it takes.”

I was hurt, thought Nightmare Moon, watching herself from the inside. More than any pony can comprehend. But it still did not seem to excuse the evil boiling inside of her. She helplessly relived the experience, only barely aware of Apple Bloom and the others witnessing her fall.

Sister lashed out at sister. They struck one another with hoof and wing, conjuration and enchantment. Nightmare Moon threw up her wings and the shadows beneath them contorted into living beings. Two whipped at Celestia and she ducked out of the way, or so she had thought. Though they had missed her body, they struck upon her own shadow and she crumpled to the ground with a cry of pain. Two more of Nightmare Moon's shades smashed at the nearby pillars, grasping two monoliths of stone before hurling them at Celestia.

Princess Celestia slammed the ground and a shield of white fire rose around her. The flying stone burned to ashes and when Nightmare Moon's shadows touched it, they too vaporized. Nightmare Mon reeled back beneath the blaze and howled.

I do not understand why you are showing me this. If there is one moment I never wish to live through again...

Celestia's love drove her to fight, but every time she put Nightmare Moon down, it only powered the dark mare's fury. But the outcome of the fight had already been sealed in history. The sisters charged and met with all of their strength. Though the princess of the sun was more resolved, more deliberate, she underestimated the power of the night. Princess Luna surrendered herself entirely to the madness and the darkness that lurked upon the edge of her realm, her magics, and let it consume her. And she smote Princess Celestia upon her throne room floor, battered and beaten.

Or so she had thought.

“Fear not, sister.” Nightmare Moon laughed. “Soon you and all of your subjects will learn to love me again.”

And then Princess Celestia did something that Nightmare Moon had not seen before in her life. She sobbed into her hooves, tears streaming down her face. Never once had she shown such an outburst of emotion in front of anypony, not even her own sister. As she did, she rose, not by her own strength but by another light, another power that swirled about her. Every color flickered around her as she met Nightmare Moon's eyes.

No, not this. Anything but this. Nightmare Moon screamed and thrashed within the memory, trying with all of her might and magic to shatter its hold over her. The moments played back in perfect detail. Everything happened as it had a thousand years ago.

“I'm so sorry.” Princess Celestia whispered and looked into her sister's eyes. “You have given me no other choice.”

Nightmare Moon scowled and reared back. “The Elements of Harmony. You have stolen even my bond with the most sacred of powers... you have betrayed me in every possible way.”

Princess Celestia shook her head. “It was you who severed the bonds of Harmony,” she said. “The burden of bearing the Elements now falls upon me alone. I wish there was another way. Luna, I...”

The dark princess drew up all of her magics and prepared for her sister's onslaught. “I am Princess Luna no longer. I am Nightmare Moon, and I am not your sister. I am the darkness that will embrace this land everlasting.”

Prismatic flickers tore past Nightmare Moon and even the lightest brush of them seemed to render her dark magics inert. A full rainbow of light grew around Celestia as she stepped forward, still crying, closing the distance between them. In her head, Nightmare Moon could only but watch as her sister prepared to banish her from the very face of the world.

“I'm so sorry,” sobbed Princess Celestia. “I love you.”

Nightmare Moon froze within the grasp of the Elements of Harmony, unable to break herself free. Celestia closed her wings and her hooves around Luna as the ancient and unfathomable magics consumed her. Her nightmarish body weakened and warmed. Her hooves glimmered as she began to dissolve into moonlight.

No, no... no! Nightmare Moon tried to bury herself within her own mind. But even the light of the memory pierced straight through her and lit up every corner of her soul.

The light of Harmony touched her through the memory, and for once she looked upon herself with utter calmness and clarity. I deserved this, she thought. I was so angry that I was hurting everypony that I loved. No matter what they did to me, I broke every promise that I made. I betrayed everything that I believed in and everypony that believed in me. And that's why I've been living in this moment for over a thousand years, never truly leaving it. Sister...

She looked through her own eyes, from present to past, and searched her sister as her own worldly form unraveled. You were trying to save me. Perhaps, in the grand scheme of things, you did...

The memory seemed to loosen its grip on her, yet she did not return to her body. The ceiling, torn open in their fight, widened to display the moon as large as it had ever been from the face of Equestria. She felt its hypnotic presence drawing her in and away. And she realized that that was the moment in which their memories split. Her own memory began, splintered from that of her sister. It was not her memory, but Celestia's that consumed her. As she fell away from her sister's visions, her mind became more lucid.

“I'm sorry,” she said. Princess Celestia's eyes widened for just a moment as she recognized the change. Nightmare Moon looked upon the three fillies, still sheltered in the rubble, and laughed gently. “I am so sorry. It seems this is as far as I can go. This is the fate I deserve, for all that I have done...”

“No, you can't be serious!” Apple Bloom burst from beneath the arch and the others tried to stop her. They soon stood beneath the specter of Nightmare Moon as she began to vanish into the moon.

There were no more words for Nightmare Moon to speak, her own thoughts falling into stillness. Instead of anger, now only sadness and regret encircled her in a hazy sleep. As her awareness drifted, she could still make out a spot of the golden lands beneath her. Apple Bloom grabbed Princess Celestia by the wing as she turned and began to walk away.

“It's not fair!” she cried. “What the hay was that? Where did Princess Luna go? What is going on...? She's not gone, is she? She can't be gone! What did you do? Say something!”

Princess Celestia wiped her eyes with the back of a wing and exhaled. “Just a memory,” she said. “A memory that has lived within me for a thousand years. I couldn't save her. Not with my own hooves. Not with harmony. Not with a thousand years of toil and preparation. Now I understand what I must do.”

“You can't just leave us!” Apple Bloom protested. “Where will we go? We're lost here without Princess Luna!”

But Celestia did not hear her. She passed from the throne room as if she were passing through a dream. The sun lifted above the horizon and flooded the broken castle with morning. Celestia vanished into the brightest point of it. Nightmare Moon became enveloped in the now invisible moon.

And in the deepest darkness, Princess Luna appeared before her darker self, who now lay with her head in her hooves in an endless ripple of moonlit shadow.

“You seem to have come to a decision,” she said.

Nightmare Moon lifted her head, her eyes half-open. “I have done great evil,” she said. “Even after being touched by Harmony twice. I accept my punishment.”

Princess Luna laughed and shook her head. “Three times have you been touched by the light of Harmony,” she said. “And now you are ready for the next step. But you must hurry. Our time to act is nearing an end.”

When she looked again, the image of Princess Luna had vanished. A haze of fog held her mind as the moon encased her within its shadow. She could hear the stars whisper and chime and sing across the cosmos. Equestria glowed beneath her, somewhere so close and yet so far beyond her. It could have been at the tips of her hooves, but it would not matter as long as the moon held her in its thrall.

Nightmare

Discord

String after string lodged itself within Discord's hooves. Tiny threads of fate connected to every living thing in every time twined through his body, pony or not, and into his core. The cosmos was his to play with, the creatures living within it his puppets, and he the puppet master. But the strings were many, and with each one that came into being their grip on him grew tighter.

“What in pony Tartaros is this?” he gasped. The thousands of lines glinted and then twisted, coiling his body within them. They tightened until he could feel his heart pounding in every inch of himself and they bit at his flesh, lifting him into the air.

“Now this just isn't fair!” he huffed. “Is this another one of those stupid pony dreams? Because it isn't funny. Now let me down this instant!”

There was no one to hear his protests. He hung suspended from nothingness over the grassy plains, only a stripe of purple light on the horizon. He tried to reach into the chaos and break his cage, but doing so only caused the strings to bite harder. Blood trickled onto the grass and hung on the bent blades. The strings tugged again.

Why can't I just wake up already? He closed his eyes and started to count. One... five... pi... e-negative... confound it. It's just a dream. Just a dream!

It did not make the pull of the threads of fate feel any less real. He groaned out as they constricted his throat. It seemed as if they intended to very slowly pull him apart, his muscles tightening a little with each passing moment, each new string whipping around his body.

He turned his gaze to the moon, the bright eye of the sky watching him in silence. He found the one thread that lead to that place and pulled. The wires around him weaved red lines into his coat, but still he managed to get her attention. The silhouette of Princess Luna appeared as fluid shadow upon the side of the moon.

“Are you the one responsible for this?” Discord growled. “Release me at once!”

Princess Luna laughed and tapped the face of the moon, causing the air between them to ripple. “I couldn't if I wanted to,” she said. “My power has passed into its darkest phase and I could not interfere if I wanted to. This dream is of your own making." She tilted her head. "Though now that you can dream, I am quite curious what it is that the embodiment of disharmony fears.”

“You ponies sure love to talk about me like I'm just a thing,” grumbled Discord, squeaking suddenly at a tightness around his throat. “If you're so smart then, what is this supposed to be?”

“You fancy yourself a master of puppets, but there are many strings that you pull,” she said. “Take too many and you find their combined strength is enough to overpower you. The very chaos you think you control twists about you, threatening to destroy you. It traps you.”

Discord stuck out his tongue, though not entirely voluntarily, as another string gripped his skull. “Really? I was expecting something a little more cryptic.”

Princess Luna sighed and tossed her mane. “I do not have time to play games,” she said. “My will is fading. Even in dreams my vision grows dark, but I will give you this warning: think about what it is you truly fear. And for pony's sake, own up to it.” She began to fade and she looked up at Discord one last time. “Go and save her before it is too late.”

“Save who?” said Discord. “Your stupid sister? Because I plan on it. I plan on doing it and rubbing it in her smug little face when I show her my Equestria.”

The princess of the night vanished, though, before she could reply. Discord twisted and tugged at his bonds. He did not wake. He only grew more restless and more familiar with the pony concept of physical pain. The cutting strands did not yield.

“At least ponies don't die in their dreams...” he groaned. The shining wire seemed to bite into his fur as he said so and he yelped out. The dream seemed like it would never end.

Then a there came a flicker of purple magic and one by one the threads began to snap. The rest slackened and let his wounded body slump, though they did not release him. Twilight Sparkle reached towards him with a hoof but could not seem to quite close the distance.

“Now what are you doing here?” he asked, unaware that he was crying a little. “Don't you have any sense of privacy?”

“I thought this was my dream,” explained Twilight Sparkle. “I'm not so sure anymore. Something strange is going on.” She worked to free him, but the threads seemed to be countless. No matter how many she cut, there were always more. But she did not give up.

“That's the understatement of the eon.” Discord groaned and popped his shoulders, rolling them. “All of this is supposed to get me in touch with my inner feelings? Blech.”

The unicorn tilted her head. “Discord?”

“Yes, Twilight?”

“You keep having nightmares,” she said. “Every night. What's scaring you so much?”

Discord laughed dryly. He shook his head at the filly and tried to think of a clever retort. Seeing her there though, her young amethyst eyes filled with innocence and curiosity, wildness and power, made him realize something. For all of her inane pony mannerisms and thoughts, her dedication to Celestia and Harmony, he liked having her there. Maybe because she was an imperfect, impulsive, insatiable little creature. Maybe he wanted to see her for the same reasons he wanted to see Celestia again. No matter what it was, he knew he didn't want to lose her.

“Twilight!” he said, and his heart skipped a beat.

“What is it?” she asked.

He swallowed and stared at her. I should have told her sooner. I shouldn't have been so stupid! What did I think was going to happen? If only she can understand me...

“Don't trust Rainbow Dash!” he yelled. “She's a changeling! I should have told you sooner, but I...”

He glanced around at the empty field around him.

“Twilight Sparkle?”

The strings snapped taut around him again, making him cry out in pain. When he tried to force himself awake again, a flash of green filled his vision and a dark, chitinous face smiled at him from somewhere in the void. His body was paralyzed in sleep, and every time he stripped off a layer of the dream he found another one waiting above it. The waking world seemed to be a million miles away.

Twilight Sparkle

Dawn greeted Twilight Sparkle along with the tickle of clouds beneath her. She stirred and rubbed her eyes. Waking up in the golden lands was always a soothing experience, so much so that it could be difficult to coax herself into full consciousness. The strangeness of her dream, though, brought her to her hooves, and then her wings, and then the cloud that held Discord.

Rainbow Dash stood above Discord, so intent on studying his face that she hardly notice when Twilight set down on the clouds beside her.

"What are you doing?" asked Twilight, raising an eyebrow. "It's not like you to be the first pony up."

"I still don't trust him," said Rainbow Dash, frowning. She rubbed something out of her eyes and stepped back. "He's talking in his sleep."

"He does that," explained Twilight, leaning down to listen to Discord. "It's just nonsense. Which is completely normal for him. I wouldn't worry about it."

"I just want to make sure you're safe," said Rainbow Dash, turning away with a flick of her tail.

That's strange thought Twilight. She gave Discord a gentle nudge, but he continued to sleep soundly. He didn't seem to be having the fits that he normally did while sleeping. Must have finally calmed down.

The first hungers of the day greeted her next, her stomach churning up an angry growl. She glanced at the sky around her and frowned.

Rainbow Dash laughed. “Let's go to the ground,” she said. "We can't exactly eat the clouds. I mean, we could, but it wouldn't be very filling."

Twilight Sparkle looked down at the vast fields beneath them and sighed. “Should we wait for Discord?”

"He's not going to get lost," said Rainbow Dash. "Come on. He'll join us when he's ready."

Twilight nodded. She slipped from the cloud and felt the air rushing by her as she fell into freefall. As a unicorn, the vertigo of falling even a small distance filled her with panic and a little bit of nausea. The little bit of pegasus that Discord had instilled in her reveled in it, though, and she sped towards the ground, waiting seconds before impact before flapping her wings and drifting to the side. The sudden friction of the air grappled her and sent her into a spin, but she managed to at least slow her descent before tumbling across the grass. Rainbow Dash landed without so much as a thump nearby and helped her to her hooves, but not without her fair share of laughter.

“I'd like to see you get a spell right on your first try,” she muttered and chomped indignantly on a mouthful of grass. Every nibble still filled her mouth with flavor and sustenance. Once they'd grazed their fill, the two of them went to the nearest brook together and drank.

The rainbow pegasus dunked her head in the icy water and then pulled up, letting out a sharp breath. “Ah, much better.” She shivered from her head all the way down to her wingtips. “It could be hours before Discord wakes up. Why don't we just move on without him?”

“We can't do that!” Twilight's wings shot up, giving away her emotions completely. “It wouldn't be right.”

“Why not?” said Rainbow Dash. “It's Discord. He's like, the baddest guy on the planet. Besides. Super powerful being? Probably can take care of himself. It's more important that we find the princess, don't you think?”

Twilight looked at her reflection in the water. The wings, the horn, the bent crown seemed all out of place on her. A purple princess in all but name. And power. “It just doesn't feel right,” she said. “We left together. Maybe if you've come to know him the way I have, you'd understand.”

Rainbow Dash chuckled. “I think I understand,” she said. “You really do like him.”

“Well, yes,” said Twilight, blushing. “But not in that way. I don't think so, anyway. I mean... he's not a bad guy. Not completely. He's... a draconequus. He's complicated.”

Rainbow Dash preened at one of her wings. “I guess if you think he's okay, then that's that.” she paused. “You think you're a pretty good judge of character, huh?”

Twilight Sparkle blinked. “I know who I can trust,” she said. “Celestia... you and our friends. And I know I can trust him.”

“Maybe you should take a good look at yourself.” Rainbow Dash shook her head and pointed to the stream. “Do you even see what he's turning you into?”

“What's that supposed to mean?” Twilight flapped her wings.

“Just look,” said Rainbow Dash, "and try to see what I see."

Twilight Sparkle sighed and sagged over the water. “Fine,” she said.

She took another drink of water and studied her reflection more intently. She couldn't remember the last time she'd let herself fall completely into the solace of her thoughts, and how long it'd been since her thoughts strayed back to Equestria. My friends have never really let me down, she thought. Maybe I am making a mistake with Discord. But he's trying so hard to be more than just a devil. I want to help him, if I can... it's the right thing to do.

Rainbow Dash laughed and she heard the sound of the pegasus' wings beating. Twilight Sparkle looked up from the water as she felt a rush of motion. She caught an eyeful of clear blue sky as something cold and sick shot clean through her and out the other side. One moment her light was bright and alive, and the next it had been snuffed out. Twilight Sparkle's body fell in a heap on the shore.

Discord

Discord changed. One wing snapped from pegasus to bat and his muzzle grew long and fanged as the beast within him won out. He bit his way through the threads and the emerald enchantment forcing him into sleep. He awoke with a snap and sniffed the air. It was distant, but he could smell it. Ponies. Chaos. Blood. And death.

He cut through the air and slipped through a crack in the fabric of space, leaving ripples and tears to ache in his wake. The endless fields of the golden lands met him on the other side of the gap. Twilight lay crumpled in a heap and the changeling, still wearing Rainbow Dash's colors, save for a wicked crag of a horn upon her head, stood laughing over her.

“Twilight?” Discord knelt over her and put his hooves around her. Her body had not grown to chill but her weight fell completely against him. “I can't feel her heart.”

“Well, what did you expect?” The changeling flicked her wings and shed her pony-like form. But Discord could not hear the creature. It was insignificant, impossibly small, a mere thing. And Twilight wasn't breathing.

“She's not laughing or making those lovely little irritated grunts when I do something amusing," he said. "Come on. This can't be right.”

“Are you really that daft?” The changeling sighed and trudged past. “She's done. Gone. Went off to...” she paused and looked around. “Well, somewhere around here, I imagine.”

Discord gave Twilight a shake, as if doing so might rouse her from her state. It has to be wrong. This can't be... he squeezed back a tear and groaned at the feeling of a sob clenching in his throat. This isn't what I wanted at all.

The changeling turned her back and made to leave them there. He broke from Twilight and in a sudden sprint he tackled the changeling, pinning her to the ground. His red pupils widened with fury as he pinned the creature's neck beneath him.

“You did this.”

The changeling croaked and laughed again. “Of course I did! And what about you? You knew what I was from the very start. What did you expect me to do?”

“Fun and games,” said Discord, tightening his pressure on her windpipe. “That's all it was! She was going to find out eventually, and you would break her heart, or trick her, and it was supposed to be an exciting diversion. But you... you took her away!”

“I did,” said the changeling, the shell around her throat doubling up and hardening against Discord's hooves. Her body rose and fell with a quickening breath. “And I loved it. She cared so deeply for her friends and I felt that pure, innocent emotion snuff out beneath me. I wish I could have felt her shock and her pain, but I needed to get the job done.” She smiled and bared her fangs. “Your hatred, on the other hand... there's nothing more delicious.”

Discord's eyes widened with fury. His body trembled and contorted. His hoof twisted and his eagle claw formed. He grasped the creature by the neck and lifted her into the air. He no longer cared to conceal himself and swelled to full height as a draconequus once more. The changeling kicked her legs and dangled from his claws.

“You wouldn't do anything to hurt me, would you?” it said, and in a flash assumed the form of Twilight.

And just as quickly as it had changed, Discord ripped into the body and spirit of the creature and forced her back into her original state as she squealed in pain. “Don't you dare wear her face. I am going to make you regret ever having hurt my friend.”

The changeling laughed maniacally and threw her head back. “Your friend? Really! The mighty Discord in love with a mere pony.” She shook like a ragdoll before him. “My work for my hive is done. You can kill me, but the only regret I will ever feel is yours. It's delicious.”

Discord narrowed his eyes and bent her wings back. “No,” he said. “Death is too good for you. I will not give you the pleasure of watching me inflict the pain you did...”

“So you're just going to forgive and forget? Turn the other fat pony cheek?” The changeling stuck her tongue out.

The raw power of chaos and the thickness of the magic in the realm crackled through Discord's being. He felt the spark and crackle of energy all around him, and the spin of light and life that made up the foul creature he held in his claws.

“No,” he whispered. “Your fate will be far worse.”

The changeling continued to laugh and lash about in his grip. The fear did not overtake her until the feeling left her hooves and a sudden weight overtook her. She looked down to find her own form petrifying.

She screamed in a metallic, wild screech and cried while he did it. He forced the very nature of her body to change, her transformative magic turning on itself, forcing her cells to harden into stone. He stared into her eyes as the transformation neared its completion. He made himself watch as he punished the creature who he had let destroy Twilight Sparkle.

“There will be no release for you,” he said, once her tongue had hardened to stone and she could scream no more. “You will be forgotten, separated from your hive, and lost forever in a land that does not belong to you. You will be an icon of your own wickedness to be witnessed by the spirits of this land. And you will know no rest forever more.”

She could not reply, for she was nothing more than a statue of a changeling. He threw her upon the ground and left her there by the brook.

“Twilight...” he uttered as he picked up her body and held her in his arms. “I'm sorry. It wasn't supposed to come to this.”

A light that felt as if it belonged to the coldest winter's day shone upon Discord. The Pale Mare stood before him, as if she had stood there the entire time, her eyes empty but somehow sad at the same time. She shook her head.

“You knew at the beginning of your journey that something like this may have come to pass,” she said. “And so it has. Twilight Sparkle lives no more.”

Discord looked down and brushed the purple mane from Twilight's face. Were she breathing she may well have appeared to be sleeping. “It's not fair.”

“It is not a question of fairness,” said the Pale Mare. “It was simply her time. You have seen only a glimpse of what awaits her here, and beyond. Will you lament her finding peace? Would you deny her the journey that she and all of her kind must take?”

I don't care, thought Discord. It was my fault. And I know this wasn't supposed to happen. She wants to meet Celestia again. And so do I. And I want her to be here, with me... then there's only one thing I can do.

“I'm going to bring her back.”

The Pale Mare frowned and her mane twisted as if caught up in a sudden furious gale. She lifted a hoof. “It is impossible,” she said. “Even for you. Even for me. Your power might be able to put the energy of life back into her body, but her soul has already departed. It is against every law of the universe. It cannot be done.”

Discord chuckled and laid Twilight Sparkle's body against the ground. He cracked his knuckles and spread his palms to the sky. “Then it falls to me. I am the master of the impossible. There is no rule that I cannot break. And I will tear this world apart before I let you stop me.”

But the Pale Mare did not move to stop him. She simply watched and shook her head as the cosmos twisted furiously about him. “It is futile,” she whispered.

Broken

Twilight Sparkle

Twilight's vision ceased to blur. Sleep no longer veiled the golden plains from her. She rose as a ghostly shape amidst a sea of light and waving grain. She had no sense of limb, nor breath, nor the rigid efforts of a body struggling to preserve itself against the passage of time. All that remained of her was her mind, a shining brilliant entity, and a gentle pulse like a heartbeat.

All of her experience of that place before then had been a lie, muddled and twisted by her senses to some facsimile of paradise. A complete understanding washed over her as she stepped among the silvered spirits of her pony kin. A tiny thought, like the most distant star in the sky of her mind, wept at the failure of her quest and the lost hope of Equestria. But it nearly silenced at the light of the sun, and she knew that they would all meet again once she'd reached that light. All that she'd known and all those ponies she loved, she would find at the end of her journey—the true journey—and knowing that put her at peace.

Cadence

When Twilight's life ended, each of her friends felt a sudden pang of emptiness in their hearts. They gave pause and turned their gaze to the skies, beyond their toils, and longed for nothing more than to see her and embrace her again. No pony felt this more strongly than Cadence.

The point that had pierced Twilight's heart seared a pain into her, though her screams were muffled by warm towels and an unconscious delirium. Ever since she'd been left for dead, her mind floated in an endless sea of gray. Twilight's presence shattered that dream, a burst of light showing her the way through the changeling queen's enchantment. Two lights in the distance drew to her and when they opened up she found herself looking through them and into the waking world where unknown voices greeted her.

“... giving her... find another... or else ... will not recover.”

“But she's getting better, isn't she?”

“This pony's spirit is very strong of will to have lasted through the night. Although the poison tries to make her still, she does not give up her fight.”

Princess Cadence moaned and twisted in the makeshift bed. Her vision did not return in its entirety. Instead she saw the world in swimming colors, only able to piece together a detail at a time. She was inside a foreign looking hut filled with the bittersweet fragrances of medicine and tea. There were two others with her: a yellow pegasus at her bedside, changing the towels on her forehead, and a zebra tirelessly grinding dark leaves with a mortar and pestle.

The pegasus caught glimpse of her stirring and her opened eyes and her wings sprung up in joy. “She's awake!” said the yellow pony. “Thank Celestia, you're going to be alright, aren't you?” She turned and looked towards the zebra. “She is, right?”

The zebra nodded once and lifted a ladle of dark liquid, tipping it up against Cadence's lips. She swallowed the bitter liquid and coughed, the heat just a bit too much for her. But each foul drop brought her a little more lucidity.

“Try not to move, my friend,” said the zebra, drawing back to give her some space. “Your struggle is not yet at an end. This venom, it seems to have magical properties. Tell me what bit you and I will try put your pain at ease.”

When she tried to remember what happened, it all came back in a series of painful flashes. Shining Armor. The invasion of Canterlot. The changeling queen. And Twilight's soul was wandering. She groaned and grasped at her chest, twisting in place until the zebra forced her to hold still.

Princess Cadence did not need to move much. She turned her head towards the pegasus and managed a weak smile. “You're one of Twilight's friends, aren't you? I can feel it.”

The yellow pony blinked and stammered, lifting one hoof as if to back away. “Yes. I'm Fluttershy. I'm... I'm worried that something's happened to her.”

“Her spirit is wandering,” said Cadence. “Separated from her body, and yet her body lives. I felt it in my dreams. Her heart still beats, waiting for her to return to it. But she will never find her way without guidance. I must go to her.”

“What are you saying?” the pony squeaked.

The zebra frowned and grasped another pile of medicine. “Delusions from your fever,” she said. “Princess Cadence, you must endure.”

Before Fluttershy could express her surprise to the zebra's reveal, Cadence lifted a hoof and touched the pegasus' face. “Thank you so much for saving me,” she said, “but it is not me who needs to be saved. I've failed everypony so many times. But I cannot fail her. You must listen closely."

She looked between her two saviors and drew a labored breath, feeling the stickiness still coating her lungs. “The changelings are still within Canterlot, and their queen has taken my place. You must warn Shining Armor before it is too late.”

Fluttershy scraped her hooves. “The changelings... I can't do it. Not again. Why would this Shining Armor even believe me?”

Princess Cadence closed her eyes and coughed up a gob of something black. “My body will be the proof,” she whispered. Tears rolled from beneath her eyelids as she laid back against her bed. “Twilight needs me.”

“You can't!” cried Fluttershy. “Don't give up, not now. Not after making it this far.”

“Sweet pony,” said Cadence, “you will see Twilight Sparkle again. I promise.”

Then she stopped fighting. She left behind her beloved and her kingdom, leaving its fate in the hooves of Twilight's friends. She left behind her sorrow and her hope and let the poison and the wounds consume her. She left the sound of crying behind her and instead of darkness she saw golden fields and a million sparkling lights.

Discord

The sky darkened and twisted with the color of magic as Discord wrought all the energies of that realm into his own purpose. Black came to mean white, cold came to mean heat. Death became life. The very polarities of the fabrics that held the universe together undid themselves at his whims. He seemed impossibly large and yet impossibly small at the height of his power, his frantic determination all that kept him concentrating long enough to maintain the effort.

Twilight Sparkle's body grew warm. Her heart beat. But still she hung limp in his arms, Her eyes would not open. Her body would not respond.

“Wake up, please wake up... Twilight Sparkle, wake up!” Discord howled. He expected the Pale Mare to stop him, to rebuke his actions, but she did nothing to intervene. To her, the very idea was impossible. There was no reason for her to act.

"You give her life," she said, "or what you would call life. But that is not what makes a pony, is it?"

But the impossible, the unknowable, that was his to define. He strained his mind and his magic until he felt the very edge of reality tugging at his body. He did not know which would tear apart first. He did not care.

And yet it seems that there is one rule I cannot defy, he thought, digging a fang into his lip. But I must. I must do this.

Cadence

Nothing hurt. Not even the ache of departing Equestria. Cadence knew that there was something more important for her to do.

If this is what awaits us at the end, then we have nothing to fear...

If fear did not move her, then it was wonder that drew her onwards. A brilliant openness lit up the distance and souls of all sorts wandered towards it. She soon found her hooves moving as well. The moment she felt the presence of the beyond, she knew that it was where she was meant to go. She broke into a gallop and went towards the light with urgency and desperation.

Only the music of Twilight's heartbeat in her head caused her to hesitate.

Twilight Sparkle

Twilight moved through the light until it almost consumed her. A sun more radiant than she could ever imagine rose from all directions, not searing her vision but flooding her with a calm she'd never known before. Just another step and she would have reached it and gotten a glimpse of what lay beyond it.

But somepony grabbed her first.

The sun streaked back and the space remained still as Twilight turned to see who had stopped her, finding herself face to face with Cadence. The princess smiled and threw her hooves around Twilight and squeezed, body or none.

“Cadence?” said Twilight, her eyes widening. “If you're here, then that means you're...”

“I'm afraid so,” said Cadence. “But it's alright.”

“I know,” said Twilight, looking back over her shoulder at the sea of souls and the infinite fields. “I didn't think it would be, but when I got here, I understood. This is the way it's supposed to be.” She hugged Cadence in return and laughed. “We can go together, and then we'll meet everypony again.”

But her childhood friend shook her head and gave her a gentle tug. “It's not supposed to be this way,” she said. “Can't you feel the beating of your own heart? Your body lives. So many are waiting for your return.”

When Cadence said it, she felt it again: the distant thrumming of sound and heat that seemed somehow innate to her senses. But again her gaze turned towards the infinite sun. “The realm of the living is no longer for me,” she said. “Maybe things didn't turn out for the best. But Equestria will continue on.”

“I'm not so sure about that,” said Cadence. “You and Discord set out on a journey to restore balance to our land, but things are spiraling out of control. If you cannot complete your journey, there might not be an Equestria for much longer.”

Twilight stamped her hoof. “But I'm so close. So close to the truth of our entire existence! Past, present, and future. So close to what lays beyond, and I can already feel how wonderful it is.”

“That will be waiting for you,” said Cadence, stroking her mane. “Waiting for us both. It will never go away. It's a promise between you and all that is. Please, Twilight. We need you.”

I was almost there. A place of pure love and happiness... Twilight stared for what seemed forever at the sun. Then she turned away, even as the veil of eternity fell back upon her soul.

“I can feel it,” she said, “but I don't know where to go.”

Cadence brushed a wing over her and took the first step. “I will show you the way.”

Discord

In the end there was no great music, no magical explosion, no sudden gasp of breath. One moment Twilight hung lifelessly, and in the next moment the spark returned to her, her amethyst set to glow again. She stirred to life within Discord's arms. The Pale Mare opened her mouth but said nothing, only staring as Discord defied the most primal laws of the universe.

Their eyes met, Twilight looking as if she'd just awoken from a long sleep and Discord's tears now falling uncontrollably. They said nothing. They did not need to. He hugged her tight and only thought to leave that moment when he noticed another pony beside them.

The shade of Cadence shimmered into being. Discord set Twilight on the ground and watched as she ran to the princess. Twilight tried to embrace her but her hooves sunk right through Cadence's figure, leaving ripples of light and warmth in their wake. Twilight sat and hung her head, on the verge of tears herself. But Cadence encircled her with a wing.

“I will be with you,” she said, just above a whisper, “until the very end.”

They were so drawn in by Twilight's return that only the Pale Mare could see the sky above them shiver, and somewhere beyond the blue, the first stars went out.

Author's Note

This is probably the one and only time I'll admit to having a song in the back of my mind when I wrote this. Well, maybe one other song, but that one is more of a sprawling one than this particular chapter. (I haven't viewed the music videos for these ; I just have the songs.)

Mind, I'm not allowed to write with music in mind. The result is usually terrible. This is because of reasons. I already had to retool this chapter a lot because of this.

Whom the Stars Love

Nightmare Moon

Wake up, Luna.

Don't you think it's time to go home?

Nightmare Moon did not know the source of the voices, whether they be from her splintered personality or from the endless cosmos around her. She felt as if she were awake while sleeping—her body cloaked in darkness, unmoving, yet fully aware of her surroundings. Through her own eyes she could see nothing. But through the eyes of the moon she could see across the whole of the golden lands and she knew that she was not in the true moon.

Even there she could see the death of the stars. Distant planets and suns all dying, not in violence and decay, but simply flickering out without so much as a whimper. No power in or beyond Equestria should have been great enough to make the cosmos fall.

And yet it was falling.

What is happening to you? she thought. In waking she could reach the stars and glean their secrets. In banishment all she could do was listen, and watch.

The princess stirred restlessly within herself. A constellation tipped its pointed arrow down, as if beckoning her attention back to the fields of the otherworld. She looked. She focused. In doing so she felt as if she were falling into an endless ocean, chill and depth pulling her sight through the moonbeams and to the place where the three fillies cried against the darkness.

“It ain't fair!” Apple Bloom shouted, stomping her hooves against the ground. Once they had been left alone, the land had reverted to its lush pastoral state, but their anger cast dark and golden shades across the fields. “She didn't come all the way just to end up like this. We didn't...”

Scootaloo's wings buzzed as she railed against the almighty unknown. “What's your problem!? Just come back down here already.”

“We miss you, princess,” said Sweetie Bell.

Nightmare Moon felt a thread of warmth weave through her, head to tail. They call for me... she thought. How could they? I am responsible for their plight...

Her other voice echoed in her mind, but this time her vision of Luna was stronger--no longer the simpering and pathetic filly, but a princess of power and intent. She knew that Nightmare Moon was ready to listen.

“Our past is full of evil,” she said, “but great good as well. The time has come for you to stop running away. Return to who you once were. and take back the night.” Her mirror image leaned down and pressed her horn to her sleeping body. “You must forgive yourself.”

It wasn't Celestia who needed forgiveness. It was never Celestia who made her turn her hate inwards. Seeing what she had made her sister do only made Nightmare Moon hate herself more. And in all of her madness she searched for a way back. The way was inside of her from the beginning, but she could not see it. Not without time. Not without harmony. Not without the children to open her heart again. But there, beyond the edge of the world, she knew that she had to accept her fate, unfair as it was, and live on. For her own sake. For her sister's. For every pony in Equestria.

There would always be darkness within her. But the moment she realized that it was okay to let go, her other self vanished. She accepted herself and the fragments joined her. Nightmare Moon was whole again.

Apple Bloom waved her hooves towards the heavens and fell backwards onto her rump. “Dang it! I know you're out there. All you crazy pony spirits. I know you're listenin'!”

Scootaloo jostled her a bit. “What are you on about?”

“Where are you, you stupid beardy bell-wearing fuddy duddy!” Apple Bloom hollered. “Yer supposed to be her friend! Do something! Anything...”

The stars trembled, and then there came the sound of tinkling bells. One moment their world sank into emptiness and the next it brimmed with life and love. When the three fillies looked up, the field was full of ponies. Not mere spirits but bright and vibrant souls, fully realized into the shapes of their truest selves. Starswirl leaned down and gave Apple Bloom a push to her feet.

“I'm here, I'm here, keep your hooves on,” he chuckled. “Of course, unless you're a unicorn, it's a terrible trial to get them off in the first place.”

“A little late, ain'cha?” Apple Bloom tossed her mane back. “Nevermind. You can get her back, right? You're some super powerful unicorn wizard.”

“Either that or a total doofus,” muttered Scootaloo, while Sweetie Belle whispered something about liking his robes.

The ancient unicorn colt lifted his enormous hat and the bells shook. “How right you are,” he said, without clarifying to which filly he spoke. “The princess is not truly banished. Her imprisonment is a result of her worst nightmare... and it is something she needs to face.” He turned his head and smiled. “'The stars will aid in her escape.' That is the way it has always been, and how it will always be. Though my strength has faded some... the stars will do enough.”

Starswirl turned his horn upwards and it glowed brightly. The stars answered in quick, luminous pulses. Every pony around the fillies turned their attention to the sky. And even as cosmos shrunk, four points of light moved from their eternal cradles and gathered about the moon. Their light met it and for a moment there was nothing but white.

Then the moon's glow faded, and a shadow floated down to the ground. Nightmare Moon rose from it and looked around, bleary eyed as if she'd just awoken from a long nap. The fillies could tell right away that something had changed in her. They grabbed at her hooves and cried.

“I thought you'd gone and left us forever,” said Apple Bloom.

“We're so glad to have you back,” said Sweetie Belle.

Scootaloo let go of the dark mare first and looked the other way. “Don't ever do that again.”

“It's alright, children,” said Nightmare Moon, bringing her wings down over them. “I'm here now. As I should have always been.” She turned her gaze to Starswirl. “As so many have been there for me, even when I was lost to them.”

“A promise is a promise,” said Starswirl, bringing his hat to his chest. “All the love of the stars belongs to you, Luna.”

The princess flustered, and then frowned. “I know. But the stars are vanishing one by one. My sky is becoming empty. What on Equestria is happening?”

“They are leaving us,” said Starswirl. “And all the universe with them. I do not know what great and awful power is responsible for such a thing, but I feel the answer may be found at the end of your journey.”

Nightmare Moon nodded, hesitantly. “And my sister is there?”

“She must be,” said Starswirl.

The two looked into each other's eyes. Nightmare Moon's knew what was going to happen next. There stood the stallion that had loved her, and loved life and all the world so freely. Death had only seemed to make him love more so all the things in the universe. And she knew what would come next.

“You are sure you cannot come with me?” asked Nightmare Moon.

Starswirl put his hat back on and laughed. “I'm little more than a memory, now. A shroud... a relic, a thing of another day. My time has passed,” he said, waving a hoof at the fillies. “And now the time is theirs. Make sure that they have that opportunity.”

“I will,” said Nightmare Moon, stamping a hoof. “I swear it.”

The unicorn laughed and shook his bells. “So dramatic. I suppose I'm not much better.” He turned and looked through the crowd of pony spirits. “I have waited so long, knowing that you would eventually come here. I am so glad to have gotten to meet you again.” He exhaled sharply. “My promise is fulfilled. Now a greater truth awaits me. The greatest adventure. And I've yearned so long to take it...”

Nightmare Moon touched a wing over his shoulder. “I understand,” she said. “It was good to see you again.” She made herself step back. “Farewell, my friend.”

Before she could get too far, he swept up and brushed his snout across her face. “May we meet again there, but not too soon,” he laughed. Then he tapped her chest. “But don't forget that you can always call on me from here.”

“You foal,” she muttered, looking away for a moment. She couldn't stop herself from smiling at him, though. “Go on. I know you have some poor fillies to harass, somewhere.”

“Then the best of fortunes to you all,” said the unicorn, making one final bow.

Then he turned and the chime of his bells marked each step he took. All of the spirits turned with him, and the further away they got, the more ethereal they looked. They seemed to be moving towards some great light that neither Nightmare Moon nor Apple Bloom and her friends could see.

One blonde mare stopped in front of Apple Bloom. The other fillies looked on in awe as the spirit leaned down and embraced her, whispering something. Apple Bloom's eyes widened, and then the mare was gone. They were alone again.

“What was that?” demanded Scootaloo. “What did she say?”

“She said...” Apple Bloom rubbed her eyes. “She said, 'I'm so proud of you.' And that she loved me. I don't know who she was, but... I think she's... my family.”

“And she should be proud,” said Nightmare Moon. She felt compelled to let the fillies contemplate their loved ones for a while. And she sat amongst the emptiness that each of those ponies had left when they crossed over the threshold, leaving only memories in their wake.

“So what now?” said Apple Bloom, after some time. “Where do we find your sister?”

Nightmare Moon rose and her mane flickered with the brightness of all the stars left in the sky. “We're not far behind,” she said. “I do not know the place she is in. But I know how to get there. When I was in the moon, I could see the way clearly.”

She indicated the direction with a hoof. The girls seemed confused, because it at once seemed to be simply above them and at the same time in another space altogether. The sort of space that a pony always felt with wonder and fear, not unable to look but unwilling to acknowledge it. They looked there and found a great hole in the sky, and though it was night, it brimmed with sun as if it were a summer's day.

“My dear sister's light burns brightly,” said Nightmare Moon, “and so she casts a long shadow. Through that shadow we will go, to find her.” She paused and glanced over at them. “But I cannot ask you to...”

“Oh, we're going,” said Scootaloo, thumping her hooves. “Don't think you can leave us behind again.”

“We're with ya all the way,” said Apple Bloom.

“Thank you,” said Nightmare Moon.

Then she was the night, and they the night with her. They were the shadows and could move anywhere that the light could reach—even in in that impossible place. Nightmare Moon's head grew heavy with the death of each star, each bit of shrinking heavens shooting through her like the prick of a needle. Something horrible was transpiring, and she did not know if it was something that any pony could ever have the power to stop.

Dissonance

Discord

“Well?” demanded Discord, folding his arms. The Pale Mare craned her neck and turned her attention away from the heavens. “What are you going to do now that I've broken your little system of mortality? Punish me? Go ahead and try. I'm ready.”

An uneasy stillness took the ponies. Discord placed himself between Twilight and the ancient guardian, and waited. She stared at him at length.

It's like she knows I can't stand waiting... he thought. Still, there's no telling what she'll do or how powerful she really is. I can't give her a chance to undo everything.

“I wonder,” said the Pale Mare, “if you understand what exactly you accomplished. And what you didn't. While it's true that Twilight now lives again, another soul has taken her place in this world. The balance has not changed.”

“You brought me back?” said Twilight. She rubbed a hoof on her chest and looked off into space. “That's right. The changeling, and then...” The unicorn quickly began to piece together what happened. She pushed her head at Cadence. “You died so that I could live?”

“I had to,” said Cadence. “It's going to be alright.”

Twilight shook her head and stomped her hoof at Discord. “No! How could you? This isn't right at all. I should be gone. And Cadence should be alive. And now she'll never see Equestria again, and I... I...”

Discord felt the wretched pang of guilt return again. The same pain as when he knew he'd let Twilight die at the whims of the changeling. No, it's different this time. I was trying to fix my mistake! I was trying to make things better. I'm so happy you're still here, so why does it seem so wrong to you? I can't accept that you feel that way, Twilight.

Then Twilight closed her eyes. “Take it back,” she said. “I don't care which one of you does it. Just take me and give Cadence her life back.”

“Twilight, no!” Discord circled the space around her with his coils. “I won't let you go again.”

Twilight wiped her eyes and glared up at him. “Discord, you arrogant, selfish creature. Do you ever think of anyone but yourself?”

“I brought you back! Against all odds. Against the very laws of nature. I did it for you.”

“You did it for your own amusement!” Twilight snapped. “And you ended up getting one of my dearest friends killed in the process. It was just another game to you, wasn't it?”

“No, it wasn't,” said Discord, digging his claws into the earth. “I let you die. So I had to do something about it.” He squeezed his claws together. “I didn't expect anything to happen to her. I just did what I had to.”

Twilight bit her lip and looked away, silent. Cadence nuzzled at her and brought her to sit.

“Please don't be angry,” said Cadence. “He only made it possible for me to save you.”

“Maybe I shouldn't have been saved,” said Twilight, kicking the grass.

“You know that's not true,” said Cadence. “I died because I know in my heart that there's something you need to do.”

“Indeed,” interrupted the Pale Mare. “A great conflict stirs in the mortal realm, but I fear an even greater catastrophe may be in its wake. Have you not seen the skies? If something is not done, there may be no future for any pony, let alone you two.”

They all looked up. Every moment the stars seem to blink out faster, and though their numbers seemed infinite, entire patches of the sky were black and lifeless. Discord could feel a horrible emptiness spreading out across space. No chaos. No order. Simply nothingness. He shivered a little, then trembled.

“What's causing this?” Twilight jumped to her hooves, her wings sprung open. She immediately looked at Discord. “Could you have...”

“No one is that powerful,” muttered Discord. “Not even me. Besides, I would never get rid of the stars. Beautiful furnaces of collision and combination, a myriad of possible outcomes on a galactic scale. But, maybe I would change the colors.”

Before he could continue to elaborate on his different designs for the universe, the Pale Mare interrupted again. “Maybe no pony has the power to do this,” she said, “but the right pony in the right place can wreak havoc. This realm stretches to the edge of the universe and perhaps beyond. There's no telling what a powerful enough creature could have done.” She turned her head to Twilight. “I have a feeling that your quest will be over soon, but I do not know what to expect.”

“Nightmare Moon,” guessed Twilight Sparkle. “I hope Celestia is alright.” The very mention of her mentor made her straighten and look around frantically. “Ah! Where is it?” She reached for her bags, now torn and stained with blood. Her horn sparked as she pulled out supplies and books, little bits of food rations and samples she'd taken on the journey. She searched and searched and eventually levitated a small orb that resembled blackened glass.

“It couldn't be. Celestia's light is gone?” she reached out and touched it with a hoof. It cracked and collapsed into twinkling dust, piling on the grass below her.

Discord frowned. “If the stars are going out, then I don't see why that one would be an exception.”

Twilight sagged, her wings drooping. “But, if that's true... then we have no way of finding her now. All of this was for nothing. Our journey, our sacrifices... all wasted.”

“No,” said the Pale Mare. She turned and indicated the sky again with her wing. “Princess Celestia has finally reached the apex of this land.”

“You knew where she was?” demanded Twilight.

The Pale Mare shook her head. “She had kept herself hidden. And I did not know if I could trust you. You had to be tested.”

Discord coiled his hindquarters up into the air. “You're not going to keep me from going,” he said. “This is my journey.”

The Pale Mare took a step towards him. He reeled backwards, and teleported across the field to the right. Yet she was still next to him, as if he had gone nowhere at all. No matter how he bent space, or where he went, he always seemed to be in the exact same place: with Twilight and with the Pale Mare.

“You know that this place exists only for ponies,” she said, raising a hoof.

“Don't you dare,” Discord hissed.

She almost smiled. “You are many things,” she said, “but among everything that you are, you are in part a pony. You bury it because you hate to admit it, but I can see right through you. I wonder if you've figured it out yet, yourself.”

Then she left him shaking there, turning about with a flick of her tail. She opened her wings up towards the sky and leaned back. A small disc of light opened up above them and expanded, illuminating the ground all about the Pale Mare.

Twilight glanced sideways at Discord. “Part pony? What part of you could possibly be like us?”

Discord stuck his forked tongue out and let a little hiss. “Oh, I'll show you a pony part.”

Twilight looked away and her cheeks turned bright red. Then Cadence leaned down and whispered something into her ear. Discord lifted an eyebrow. Cadence giggled and Twilight looked back at him, eyes wide.

“What?” he said. “What's so funny?”

“Nothing,” said Twilight.

Quit holding back on me, Twilight... thought Discord, ruefully She wouldn't look at him, or smile his way, or laugh. Her dreariness was starting to eat at him. You can't stay angry. You can't hate me now, not after all we've been through.

The Pale Mare finished her incantation and stood back. Above them, the sky opened up into a great hole. What lay beyond it, not even Discord could sense. Everything in Equestria and that afterlife simply terminated there.

Twilight flexed her wings and walked beneath the light, pausing beside the Pale Mare. “Are you coming?”

The great white mare shook her head. “I cannot leave this realm,” she said, “or it would come undone. You may think me its master, but I am in fact its eternal servant. Nothing more.” She nodded to Discord. “Something else I hope that you someday understand.”

“Please,” said Discord, waving his claws. “I have no master.”

But maybe my way of thinking isn't exactly right. He drummed his claws on his jaw and shrugged. Do I control chaos, or am I a part of it? I've all eternity to figure it out, I suppose. Right now there's a princess to rescue. And then the face-rubbing begins.

Twilight swallowed and took to the air. She hovered and looked back at the Pale Mare. “Thank you,” she said, “for, um, everything that you do. I'll see you again.”

“Someday,” agreed the Pale Mare. They both knew it was inevitable.

Cadence took to wing beside Twilight, and Discord followed after. The Pale Mare watched as the three of them flew towards the openness above. As they neared the threshold, the light only seemed more intense. Discord covered his eyes and glided towards it. Anything could have lain beyond its threshold--even oblivion.

Her Country in Ruins

Twilight Sparkle

When Twilight and the others reached the other side, they stood amidst a mound of alabaster rubble and broken glass. It seemed as if they had left behind all of the metaphysical space, entering instead a place so alike Equestria that they had difficulty believing otherwise. Were Cadence not still with them, it may have been more difficult to discern.

Twilight flew to the top of the pile and looked out across the ruins. All around them the castle walls fell in on their torn foundations, forming a labyrinth of pits and broken arches. Discord and Cadence rose up beside her as she turned and tried to find an end to the desolation. The golden sun stripped the land naked, and down the mountainside and each terrace, all the way to the valley below, all that remained was scorched earth and wreckage. Plumes of smoke continued to darken the sky with globs of ash.

“This can't be Canterlot.” Twilight took a step and stopped when she heard the crunch of glass under her feet. She lifted the shard with her magic and held it up to the sun. The stained glass visage of Princess Celestia, cracked, looked back at her through ancient eyes.

“It's as if we were in a nightmare,” said Cadence, brushing the broken window out of their path. “I've had a few like this, but none this clear.”

Discord picked up a stone and dug his teeth into it. It cracked and crumbled and he spat the gravel out. “We are in no dream. This place is real.”

Twilight shook her head. “No. You can't be telling the truth. Canterlot can't be...”

“I said it was real,” Discord cut her off, “not that it was Equestria.”

Twilight glided to the top of another rise. "A reality that cannot be real. A dream that isn't a dream. It's like the time I was lost and confused, and the fields became the forest."

"Interesting," said Discord, looking her in the eyes. "But who is 'dreaming,' then?"

Twilight caught herself about to collude with him, then turned away and glided again. I can't let him into my head anymore... but it doesn't matter. Princess Celestia must be somewhere here. But where would she be?

Her gaze wandered over toppled towers and the remnants of fountain waters spilling aimlessly down the mountain. Even the gardens had not been spared. Every shrub was reduced to a line of ashes. Statues of old heroes and mystical beasts lay in pieces, strewn about the remains of the yard. Their ascent took them through the memories of the old halls and up towards the highest rise that would have nested the throne room.

The dream cracked where the throne should have sat. In its place rose a monolith of obsidian and grayed stone, and whatever shape it may have once held was indiscernible, lost in a sea of fragments. The markings, however, were unmistakeable: although they varied and repeated in an infinite number of shapes, there were always six. Six signs. Six elements.

Beyond the ruined crag, Princess Celestia stood motionless, her wings open, her gaze fixed upon the distant sky. And then as they crossed the throne room, she spoke.

“I see that this place still taunts me with visions and illusions. There is nothing more to be done. Why do you torment me now?”

Discord coiled upon himself and chuckled. “Why not? It's always such fun.” He waited for her retort, but she did not reply. They heard only the sound of the dry wind swirling the dust, saw only her mane twist in it, her breathing slow but uneasy. “Don't ignore me, Celestia. Have you seen what your country has become? How your loyal subjects bowed so happily to me?”

“I have seen it...” Princess Celestia lowered her head, her voice wavering. “Through the eyes of the sun, and through golden vestiges I have remained sentinel. But even these now fade away.” She stamped the stone with a hoof. “One by one, I have seen my loved ones fall. My sister. My niece. My student. All of Equestria is falling into ruin.”

Twilight Sparkle shook her head. “No, it isn't too late!”

“Equestria still stands,” said Cadence. “Your subjects still await your return. And Twilight Sparkle still lives.”

I live... Twilight repeated to herself. That's right. For whatever reason, I'm still here. I can't imagine the pain of what she's lost, but I am still here. And I have to reach her.

“Princess Celestia, please listen to me,” said Twilight. She began to canter towards the princess. As she did, Celestia lifted her head and tucked down her wings. When she looked back there was nothing in her eyes but white light.

“Twilight, wait!” said Discord. “Don't get near her!”

I will never listen to you again... thought Twilight. She galloped harder. Away from Discord, towards her teacher, her princess, her mentor... the pony she'd yearned to return to for so long. Her heart quickened and her face flushed with heat. The air about her crackled and the scent of ozone filled her nostrils. Then Celestia moved and a bright wall of fire rose like a wave before her. Twilight cried out as the burning heat crashed down at her.

And then she was back behind Discord again. The fire still raged where she had once stood, before he had blinked her out of the way.

“What are you doing?” Twilight cowered against the ground. Celestia's mane glimmered with the golds and oranges of a flaring sun, her body filled not with the grace of the aurora but with the rage of a churning furnace.

“You must be mocking me,” hissed Celestia. “Don't think you've made me suffer enough, Discord? Now you bring my dead student before me, trussed up in some mockery of my kind.”

Princess Celestia flared and another wave of flame rushed towards them. This time Discord snapped and it crashed to either side of them as a milky foam that smelled peculiarly of nutmeg and cinnamon.

“Oh, please, do fight me,” said Discord, chuckling. “Your sister was a better scrapper and I kicked her sorry flank six ways to Sunday.”

Celestia glowered at him. “It would not be the first time I've put you down.”

Discord laughed. “But that was because you were cheating with your stupid Elements of Hobnobbery or whatever. Just the two of us? This should be entertaining.”

“It won't matter,” said Celestia, ducking her stance. “Soon we'll all be gone. But before that, I'll make you hurt...”

“What do you mean, sister?”

Every pony looked up as the shape of another rose from the shadows like fog, coalescing into the black form of Nightmare Moon. Apple Bloom and her friends materialized beside her, looking dizzy but otherwise unharmed.

“What do you mean 'we will all be gone?'” demanded Nightmare Moon. “The dying stars. Was it you? What have you done?”

Discord tore his eyes away from Nightmare Moon long enough to gesture at Celestia. “I'll admit even I'm stumped,” he said. “Which you should be very proud of, I might add. Care to shed some light on the situation?”

But Celestia did not respond. The heat of her anger shifted from Discord and Twilight and now burned brightly at her sister. The sibling princesses stared at one another.

“My sister was lost long ago,” said Celestia.

Nightmare Moon recoiled at her words. “I fought to convince you of that,” she said, “but it has merely taken time for me to return. Please, sister, I wish to speak with you...”

Discord snorted. “Good luck with that,” he said. “She's completely off her rocking horse.”

Nightmare Moon glared at him. “Silence, foul beast. We will deal with you when the time is right.”

Princess Celestia shook her head. “There is nothing more to say between us,” she said. “Especially not to conjurations.”

She doesn't think we're real... thought Twilight. How can I convince her that we're more than just a vision brought up by the afterlife? Why won't you listen to me, Princess? Why can't you see me?

She wanted to raise a hoof to help. No words came. No spells to intervene between the three titans facing off against one another. Princess Celestia stood against the sun and Nightmare Moon met in her shadow, and between them stood Discord. The three stood more still, more silent than they had ever been, their only movements made to look at one another intently, daring another to make the first move.

“This is foolish!” cried Cadence. “Equestria is in danger, and its fate is guaranteed if we do not act soon. Can't you drop your squabbles until this is over?”

The three were beyond reproach. Each waited for the other to move. Each wondered who hated the other more, who would strike out at who. The one who moved first would determine the entire conflict. Celestia scuffed her hoof against the ground. Nightmare Moon pushed the children back with her wing. Discord tightened his coils.

I don't want any of them to get hurt... Twilight slowly crept her way back towards the fillies. And these three... here? I can't believe they're alright. They don't look afraid of Nightmare Moon at all. What in Equestria has happened?

The longer they waited, the less she knew. She fell into a knot of frustration and flapped her wings. She sparked her horn once, hoping that it would somehow set things in motion.

Celestia's maddened rage took her first. She hefted one of the obsidian shards and imbued it with magical force, hurling it towards Discord. He swept his hand and it bounced to the side of the throne room before exploding into a miniature mushroom cloud. Then he twisted to retaliate, uncoiling and surging towards Celestia.

Nightmare Moon shot forward and tackled him from the side. They tumbled together through the air for a few moments before Discord vanished and reappeared a few feet away, upside down but steady. He turned and prepared to parry another spell from Celestia, but her attention was no longer on him.

Instead, she charged her fallen sister and sent her rolling across the floor. Her mane blazed white as she chased after her. Nightmare Moon rolled to her hooves and rose but Celestia knocked her down again. The princess of the night began to gather the shadows and the princess of the day stoked the fires within her heart. But before either could strike, Apple Bloom and the others dived into the way.

And even in the depths of her fury, Celestia stayed her wrath from the children. She looked down, confused. They showed no fear. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Bell, and Scootaloo postured themselves as Nightmare Moon did. Small as they were, they still protected her as best they could.

“Don't lay a hoof on her,” said Scootaloo.

“Your sister loves you,” said Sweetie Belle. “You shouldn't be fighting like this.”

“And I know you love her,” intoned Apple Bloom, “and that's why I can't let you hurt her. Not a bit.”

Celestia was at a loss for words. Both of her hooves went lax on the ground and her eyes met her sister's. Even Discord hung back at that moment as they studied one another anew. Twilight knew that she would not have another chance to intervene.

She stared at Celestia and crept closer. Any moment the princess could have turned and engulf her in flames. But she did not. Twilight walked until she could feel the heat pouring off of the princess' fire. Twilight raised a hoof up in front of her.

Then she brought it down across Princess Celestia's cheek.

The sound echoed in the ruined throne room and Celestia's cheek bruised, turning cherry red. Celestia stumbled back and stared dumbfounded at Twilight. The unicorn turned alicorn began to sob.

“I'm real,” she said, tears streaming down her face. “Don't deny it.”

“Twilight...?” The glow in Celestia's eyes began to flicker.

“I believed in you so much,” said Twilight. “But you keep hurting me, keep hurting us. Where were you when we needed you the most? What were you looking for? What was so important that you were willing to let us suffer and die!?”

“I was looking.” stuttered Celestia, touching her cheek. “Looking for a way to save...”

“To save us?” Twilight stepped towards her. “You could have stayed with us. You could have saved Equestria."

“To save my sister.” Celestia sat before the throne, her eyes shut. “For over a thousand years, I've done everything I could to bring her back. I failed. None of that matters, now, though.”

Twilight scraped her hoof. “Why do you keep saying that? What did you do, Princess Celestia?”

“You don't know what it's like,” said Celestia, “to have lost everything.”

Nightmare Moon pulled herself to her hooves. “I do,” she said. “For there was such a long time when I thought I had nothing left.” She walked closer and lowered her head before her sister. “I thought that there would never be another happy day in my life. And it has taken me a thousand years to learn that wasn't true. That I always had somepony to come home to.”

“Luna...?” Princess Celestia's eyes widened.

Nightmare Moon smiled a little. “No matter how horrible your transgressions, I will forgive you, sister. Because I know that you would do the same.”

Princess Celestia squeezed Nightmare Moon into a hug. “I do,” she said. “I always have forgiven you.” What should have been such a joy to her only seemed to punctuated her sorrow. “I wish... I wish I hadn't done so many things.”

Discord gagged from his latest insertion of a claw into his mouth in disgust. “Enough of the sappy sod,” he said. “Tell us why the cosmos is dying, or I'm going to go crazy over here.”

The sisters leered at him but did not raise themselves in anger. Instead Nightmare Moon ignored him and turned back to her sister. “Please,” she said. “We must know.”

Princess Celestia heaved a sigh. She looked slowly over all of them, each and every one. She even looked at Discord with a sense of pity and guilt. “I had lost everything. My family... my closest friends. Equestria has been stained by war and treachery, and if it should survive, it will change forever.” She turned her gaze upon the shattered obelisk. “This is the place where all things are connected... we see it as the Seat of Harmony. But Harmony was broken...” She shook her head. “There was enough power here to begin a spell. The last spell. To make things right. To end this Equestria and bring about a new one."

Lucent in Tenebris

Applejack

Applejack stood her ground in the fog, and no changeling dared to advance on her or her companions. The ponies stuck together in the streets, hugging the dim light of the lamps nearby. The billowing mist seemed to come from nowhere, and though they could not see, the sounds of battle still continued all around them.

A silhouette swept down in front of Applejack. She couldn't tell if it was pony or changeling, and she wasn't going to take the risk. She swung out with a hoof. The shadow reached up and caught it before planting it firmly back on the ground. The figure's wings swept and the fog around them churned, dissipating just a bit. Soon Applejack could see her brother and Caramel, and the bunch that fought with them. The pegasus cleared away a bit more of the fog.

“I should've figured you'd be in the middle of this, AJ,” said Rainbow Dash, shaking her head.

Applejack wanted to spring out and hug Rainbow Dash. She would have, were it not for the war that continued to rage around them. Instead she brushed away some of the fading mist with her hoof.

“Just where the hay have you been?” she demanded. “What's going on with all this fog? This some pegasus thing?”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Why don't you try saying something like, 'thank Celestia you showed up, Rainbow Dash. We were tied up tighter than a rattler in a rope factory!'”

Applejack hit her head against her hoof.

“I'll tell you the whole story later,” Rainbow continued, extending her wings. “The skies are ours. Spread the word, and drive the changelings out.”

The two mares paused a moment and bumped hooves. They had already made their silent vow: to stand victorious and share their trials in the days to follow. Rainbow Dash took to the sky, leaving crescents of fog to drift in her wake.

“Well, you heard her,” said Applejack, stomping her hooves. “Let's take back Canterlot!”

A group of changelings noticed the thinning fog in their area and advanced. Applejack quickly knocked aside the first and the other ponies crushed the rest beneath their hooves. As the air continued to clear, she could see the shapes of the pegasi flying above. The ponies broke from their formations, each pony striking like lightning at the swarms they passed, and then reformed their flights a moment after. Thousands of whirling bodies swarmed above them, and every now and then one would plummet and crash to the ground below.

I hope we don't lose any like that... she thought. She forced the image away and waved at more of her group. The ponies of Ponyville began to reassemble.

“They won't be comin' at us from above,” said Applejack. “That gives us a chance to push them where we wan'tem.” She waved her hoof. “To the main square, now!”

The ponies surged through the streets of Canterlot. Without the advantage of flight, the changelings could only face them in small groups. Though scraped and bitten, the ponies pushed onwards and the battle began to turn.

Fluttershy

Fluttershy's body ached all over. Days without respite bore their toll on her. But fatigue and fear were only another burden that she had learned to carry. She followed Rarity through the castle, finding empty hallway after empty hallway. It seemed that the changelings did not care to hold the keep itself—every last one had gone to join their queen in battle, and those that did cross the path of the army of beasts did not stand for long.

“I do wish I could have shown you the castle in a less violent manner,” Rarity admitted, rounding another spiral staircase.

“I wouldn't mind seeing the gardens,” Fluttershy replied, making herself smile. She tried so hard to remember what it was like to live a normal, peaceful life. Pretending for even a moment that it was the way it used to be made it easier to move on.

The descent to the dungeons forced them to leave some of the larger beasts behind, but Fluttershy had little qualms about allowing a manticore or a grizzly to guard the hallways. The further down they reached, the darker the stone seemed to be, until they eventually came to a narrow doorway leading into the castle underground.

“There's no telling what's beyond this door,” said Rarity, leaning in to eye through the keyhole. “We don't have time to dally around, though. Be prepared for whatever may be on the other side.”

“I'll be okay,” Fluttershy reassured her. She found herself doing that repeatedly, as if Rarity couldn't believe that she was able to walk on her own four hooves. I guess I can't blame her. She doesn't know what I've been through since we last met...

Rarity lowered her horn and a blue glow covered the lock. There was a series of clicks and Rarity shook her head a little. Then the latch clicked and the door shuddered. Fluttershy blinked.

I guess she's been through a lot, too.

Rarity nodded to her, and then opened the door a crack. They leaned in and looked through the single line lit by torches. Light bounced off of the walls, making the stone seem to shake and shimmer with shadows. A hard green substance covered parts of the corridor leading down to the cells. They could not see any ponies within, but they could see the cages and smell the awful musk of the changeling's slime. A trio of pegasus guards watched the passages with vacant interest.

Birch stuck her nose to the door and sniffed. Then she growled. Fluttershy tried to silence her with a brush of a wing, but the changelings already noticed the rumbling disturbance. Each of the guards changed into their original form and screeched.

They did not wait to be ambushed. Rarity swung the door open and the pack of timberwolves poured ahead of them into the narrow corridor. The ponies followed after, worrying their way between the wolves and the changelings and the rock-hard substance they left.

More changelings came up from the basement but Birch and her pack dealt with them swiftly. Rarity and Fluttershy soon found themselves staring at the cells, each packed with changeling pods stuffed with captive ponies.

“There are so many of them... we have to do something!” Rarity looked around frantically for a key.

“Why don't you just use your magic?” wondered Fluttershy.

Rarity shook her head. “These cells were made to hold unicorns as well as any other pony. The metal is going to be resistant...” She frowned and turned over another unconscious changeling. “I don't think that they planned on letting these ponies out, though.”

Fluttershy flapped her wings. “Well, we're not just going to leave them there! Come on, any creature with strong enough teeth... help me take down these bars.”

Equestria was not known for having a breadth of criminal activity. Fluttershy couldn't even have imagined the dungeons coming to any use, at least until Nightmare Moon had taken power. But even then the cells were not made to hold up underneath a siege. The timberwolves, the rats, the swarms of creatures ate away at the metal and spat aside sections of the bars.

“That's enough,” said Fluttershy, once they'd made a hole big enough for them to crawl through. “Now the other ones...”

They squeezed into the first cell while the animals labored at opening the other cells. Rarity almost couldn't will herself to drag her belly across the slime, but the moment that she saw Ember encased in a chrysalis, she practically scrambled through Fluttershy to get to the other side.

“They're weakest right here,” said Fluttershy, reaching up to tap her hooves against part of the sac. “Just a little damage and the whole thing will come apart. You can use your magic if you need to.”

Rarity's horn flickered and she tilted her head. “You sound like you've had to open these before,” she said.

“It's been a long year.” Fluttershy sighed and shook her head. “Let's save these ponies, Rarity.”

The unicorn smiled. “You are truly amazing, Fluttershy,” she said.

“Um, thanks...”

“Well, I already thought that before this whole mess happened. But that doesn't change the fact that you're really impressive. I'm glad that you're here with me.”

Fluttershy nodded. Rarity sparked her magic and sheared a bit of the face away from the chrysalis. Fluttershy grabbed the exposed corner with her teeth and tugged. The pod split open and green goo poured out onto the floor. Once it'd widened enough, Ember slid out onto the floor. A moment later he began coughing up green fluid and rasping for air.

“Are you alright?” Rarity asked, leaning down to prop him up. He gave her a weary look, but allowed her to support his weight. He didn't even complain when she flicked the slime off of his armor and straightened its fastenings.

“I'm still alive,” he said, squeezing and opening his eyes a few times. “The changelings! They're--”

“Fighting in the city,” said Rarity, striking her magic across another chrysalis. “It's all out war, but right now our worry is the ponies in this castle. Who all got taken?”

“They were slowly gathering the guard,” said Ember, rubbing a sore spot on his shoulder. “I don't know how many they managed to retrieve. They took my brother. Turner is missing, too.”

“We'll find them,” she said. “The others are accounted for, except for... Spike! Oh, goodness. I can't believe I forgot about him in all this. He's still up in my tower.” She looked around frantically. “But I can't just leave you alone here.”

Fluttershy shook her head and dragged her hooves across another pod, freeing the pony within. “I can handle it,” she said. “And each pony we free can help me.”

Rarity drew a breath and made to protest, but then she saw her friends and how they helped the others without worry or hesitation. Fluttershy put a slightly sticky wing on her back and gave her a nudge.

“We all have something important to do,” she said. “If you're worried, I can send a timber wolf to protect you...”

Rarity glanced over at Birch and bit her lip. “No, that's quite alright,” she said. “I'm used to getting around Canterlot by myself. Plus I know a shortcut...”

Fluttershy tore open another sac. Rarity squeezed back beneath the cell and paused for a moment. Then she engulfed herself in magic and caused every drop of the changeling slime to slide off of her and onto the floor, before galloping off and away up the stairs.

Ember paused a moment and looked back at the huge crowd of animals around them. “You know, it occurs to me that Rarity and all of her friends are crazy,” he said.

“Um, I'm sorry...” muttered Fluttershy, helping another earth pony to her feet.

Ember laughed and waded through a pool of slime. “No,” he said. “I think that's brilliant. And might be the only thing that will save us in the end.” His attention turned to another pod hanging near the back of the room and his eyes widened. “Shadow! I'm coming, brother.”

Rainbow Dash

Rainbow Dash's flight opened up to her as she ascended and she took her place at the front. They banked to the north and sliced through a pocket of changelings. Each encounter was ferocious but brief. Each pegasus broke off into a seemingly chaotic spiral pattern, drawing one or two changelings from the pack. Then they moved into position and sent the changeling to the ground through whatever force necessary—hoof or head or whatever they could use. Most changelings were poor fliers, or at least were so unused to facing their enemy in the air that all of their tactics crumbled in the face of fully trained pegasi. They couldn't manage to swarm a single team of flying ponies.

Rainbow sprung off of the back of a particularly chunky changeling and her flight rejoined her shortly after.

“What are our orders?” asked Snowflake as they swept back over the streets of Canterlot.

“Maintain air superiority,” said Rainbow Dash, allowing the airstream to carry her voice back to the others. “They've got a heck of a fight on the ground, but we can't let them have all the fun, can we?”

“No, ma'am!” answered back her flight. Rainbow Dash flustered a little and faced forward. It was a bit odd, having ponies answer to her. But rather than fill her with a strange glee, it made her choose every word and movement with deliberation. Leading a flight meant taking the safety of each and every pony into consideration—those in her charge and those who were not.

Pegasi and changeling alike filled the skies over Canterlot. When they weren't engaged, it was only because another wing nearby busied themselves in tearing through the changeling ranks. Skirmishes broke out in a moment's notice. The fighting ended almost as quickly as it began, and it was not always a changeling who fell. The pegasi that did fall always had another wingpony to dive and help them recover, or at least make sure they landed without too many broken bones.

The changelings had nothing of the sort. They fought on instinct and with the mind that they would have their entire hive behind them. In the sky, they did not. But the more the changelings realized that, the more descended. The pressure on the ground forces grew to a boiling point.

Rainbow Dash saw Spitfire's wing move in. The two v-shapes split and merged together, seamlessly working into a single solid formation. The ember-maned pony gestured at Rainbow Dash.

“We've got to take more of the heat off of them down there,” said Rainbow Dash.

Spitfire nodded. “You got a plan?”

Rainbow Dash grinned. “The market district has been cleared,” she said. “Let's lure them over there and give them a taste of real pegasus power.”

“That the crazy weather pony talking?” Spitfire laughed. “That's just dangerous enough to work. Let's do it.”

The wings broke apart again. This time they soared further up, towards where the changelings were regrouping. But instead of drawing them into combat, they tilted and bowled straight through the enemy ranks. The changelings gave chase and soon scores of the creatures pursued the two wings over Canterlot.

They met up again in over the market district. Rainbow Dash lamented the stalls below, fresh produce and beautiful crafts now doomed to destruction. And then she laughed at the thought of a thousand tomatoes smeared across the city walls.

Spitfire gave her the signal. Rainbow Dash signaled back, just a small gesture of hoof and wing.

“Hurricane formation!” she declared, and then the flight shifted. Every pegasus in the area spun into a circle, forming a perimeter around the changelings. A couple managed to escape the funnel before it formed, but the prevailing winds grabbed them and dragged them back into it.

The flights accelerated and a full-blown twister formed in Canterlot. Carts and boxes thrashed about on the ground below before being drawn up into the hurricane. The changelings whipped around in the winds helplessly. The pegasi dodged debris and the enemy as they brought their hurricane to higher speeds.

“Release!” shouted Spitfire.

Only a couple of the pegasi actually heard her, but the signal traveled quickly. The first pegasi broke upwards, and the ones beneath them followed. They let the currents launch them into the sky and the hurricane dissolved beneath them. As it did, the changelings crashed into one another and plummeted to the ground, piling into the wreckage of the market.

“Let's clean this up,” said Spitfire, “and then join the earth ponies.”

Rainbow Dash saluted. “Consider it done.”

They parted again. The skies were beginning to clear of changelings, but Dash knew that that was only the beginning. She turned her ponies towards the castle and flew.

Snowflake flapped up to Rainbow Dash. “My friend is by herself in the palace,” she said. “We have the skies now. I need to return to her.”

What, does she think she's not one of us? Rainbow Dash thought, considering the white pegasus. No. She has friends down there. And so do I. We were with them before we were with Cloudsdale. Maybe... maybe that's where we need to be. I can't abandon my flight, but... we can fly without her.

“I don't care where you're going,” said Rainbow Dash, “as long as you're taking down changelings. Get moving.”

Snowflake smiled. “Yes'm,” she said, and then swooped away towards the ramparts. More changelings noticed her departure and turned to follow after.

Oh, no you don't...

Rainbow Dash snapped her wings shut and dived after the changelings. She would fight and scrap until there was nothing left of her rather than let the changelings harm her or another pony.

Pinkie Pie

The fighting never seemed to end. The long night was making the children restless, and the calm was beginning to wane again. Pinkie had spent the better part of the evening singing and making sure that everyone was comfortable and well-sugared. But even she was beginning to wonder if things would ever look up.

One of the young fillies stood up and trotted towards the pile of furniture at the cellar door. Everypony looked after as she scrambled up towards it.

“No no no no,” said Pinkie, bounding over. “You can't go out there!”

“I miss my mom!” the filly cried, tugging at a barrel.

“I know, but you have to wait for her,” pleaded Pinkie, trying to tug the filly away. It proved to be a mistake. The filly had latched onto a barrel and when she pulled, the barrel moved with the filly. Just a couple of inches.

The door rattled violently. The filly pounded her hooves at the back of it and then bucked Pinkie away with surprising ferocity. A black substance began to creep beneath the door. Something between a flattened snake and a line of tar wiggled its way inside. It pooled at the filly's feet and the children looked on in horror as the fluid form slowly shaped into a changeling. The filly who had opened the way changed her form, as well. The two changelings flickered their wings and rose up, hissing.

Much to Pinkie and the changeling's surprise, the children laughed. They pointed and laughed and giggled and chortled at the changelings, some even rolling around on the floor.

“Well, they are kind of ridiculous, when you think about it...” giggled Pinkie.

The changelings looked at one another and cocked their heads in confusion. Rather than disappearing, they let a metallic screech and the children stopped laughing immediately.

Pinkie sighed. “Well, it was worth a try,” she said.

The changelings opened their wings and jumped at the crowd of children. They managed to soar a couple feet before Pinkie brought out an obscenely large standing cannon from behind a box (or as she knew, in a sliver of one of Discord's gaps behind the box) and fired. The cellar shook as a massive glob of pink gooey confection smacked into the changelings midair, plastering them to the door. Taffy and frosting splattered across the furniture and the entrance, leaving it completely sealed and the changelings trapped beneath it.

Mr. Cake peered over from behind a bag of flour where he and Mrs. Cake had hidden. “What... what?!”

Pinkie pat the smoking weapon on the barrel and smiled. “Party Mortar Mark 2,” she said. “I thought it might have come in handy.” She bounced the curls of her mane with a hoof and squinted. “Though I think we're stuck down here, now. I guess it could be worse.”

The children all turned to face Pinkie at once. And then a few of them started giggling. The tension dissolved as soon as the changelings became fixtures in a sugary prison. Pinkie slid down the canon and landed amongst the younger ponies.

Mrs. Cake sighed and put her hooves across a sac of powdered sugar, letting it cushion her upper body. “You're an odd cookie, Pinkie, but I know you're working really hard to protect us,” she said. “Thank you... truly.”

Pinkie leaned back and beamed. “No problem, Mrs. Cake!” She clapped her hooves and turned about again. “You wanna sing another song?”

This time the children cheered at the thought of a song. She smiled and tapped her chin, trying to conjure up the appropriate one.

Things are really bad... she thought. But we have to smile. Our happiness is what they want to take away... but we won't give them the satisfaction!

Lyra

The palace unicorns crowded into one of the gated archways in the upper terrace. They huddled together and wrapped their wounds in improvised bandages, tearing away at their fancy shirts and dresses. Most of their clothing had already been marred by the combat, anyway. A few of them held the line, raising shields and sending out volleys to keep the creatures at bay.

“Where do all these damn changelings keep coming from?” groused one of the unicorns.

Lyra tugged at the wrap of silk around her barrel, winced, and then slumped back again. “I'm thinking of writing a song about it,” she said. “It involves the queen and a whole lot of nasty--”

“Please don't spoil it for us,” said a unicorn beside her, frowning. She laughed.

“Alright, fine,” she said. “But you're going to listen to it later, you hear me? When all this is over you're going to listen to every word and note.”

Her brash optimism could only light the fire under them for so long. Somehow, she expected the castle guards to show up eventually and bail them out. No such help came. Many of the changelings seemed determined to bring them down, and with most of the ponies fighting outside of the castle, they were on their own.

“They probably don't even know we're in here,” one unicorn said to another. “Why don't we send up another signal?”

“That'll just bring more changelings,” said the other. “Besides, the pegasi are too busy being noble warriors to come and rescue us.”

Lyra grit her teeth and pulled her instrument across her legs. “Quit whining. You can't always expect other ponies to rescue you and pull your weight.” She glanced towards the back of the archway where a heavy gate and more ponies sat. “Any luck?”

A unicorn mare at the other end shook her head. “This door is the only thing between us and another swarm,” she said. “And the waterway is too narrow.”

“Well, we'll just have to be patient then.” Lyra struck a string and frowned when it sung back a sour note. Her horn glowed and she adjusted the tuning. “We're too brilliant, too strong. They won't be able to break through.”

For the moment that proved true. She had to keep reminding them, though. Every time a changeling battered itself on the shield that they were maintaining, the unicorns flinched and shuddered. The magic flickered with their resolve. If they began to lose faith, then they would lose the shield. And then the changelings would be on them. Most of them would survive, but they were already battered and wounded. She knew they wouldn't all make it, and the moment one of them went down, panic would ensue.

I can't let it come to that. She ran her hooves over her cracked instrument, replacing strings and tuning it a bit. Looks like you took a beating, too... but we're both still kicking. Even if I'm down like this, I can still play...

The sound of music filled the archway beneath the garden. Unicorns turned and looked as she strummed out an aria, letting her emotions pour into the music. She vented. She gave her hope and her determination to the sound and let it carry them. The shield grew stronger as the unicorns found their focus. She leaned her head back and sang.

In a land of riches and beauty old,
the changelings come to take us all
but all our mares are bold
and our stallions stand tall

The unicorns' unleashed another volley and the changelings seemed to relent for a moment. Then a dull pounding began to sound at the door behind them. Lyra exhaled and continued to sing.

The devils batter the door
they stain the heavens black
and Canterlot wages its war
to win our country back

The wood splintered behind them and the changelings swept in to batter the shield again. For a moment it faltered. Several changelings dove through the gap, only to meet another volley of spells from the unicorns behind it.

So let loose your might
and stand together now
to end this endless fight
victory will be ours somehow

The door rocked on its hinges. Lyra gripped her instrument tighter, and drew up the chorus of an old song. A favorite song, one she imagined to be played when she faced her end.

From shadow and shade
our hooves lift the flames
to drive the nightmare away
You can ties us all down
and burn down the town
but you cannot take the fight from our bones.
Fight hard my friends, for come dawn
Equestria will rise again

The door behind them cracked and heaved, finally splitting down the middle. It swung uselessly open, but rather than a swarm of changelings, they saw line after line of armored guards. Prince Blueblood stood at the front wearing a ridiculous suit of blue and purple armor.

Lyra swung up her lyre between her hooves. “What are you doing here?”

“Saving your sorry flank,” said Prince Blueblood, tossing his mane back. “My cousin is such a dear, but she couldn't think for a second that I'd be willing to spend the entire battle hiding in the forest. Where's the glory in that?”

Lyra shook her head. “It was too muddy for you, wasn't it?”

The prince coughed and waved his hoof. “My second officer thought that the palace needed help. Turns out she was right. We also happened to bump into a few friends along the way. They should be here very soon...”

Moments later the sky filled with color as pegasi swept down. Between the guards below and the fliers above, the changelings swarming the castle stood little chance. They pushed the fight away from the wounded unicorns, and some of the guards rushed in to examine the injured. Prince Blueblood trotted over to Lyra, standing tall and gallant. She tried not to gag.

“Perhaps you'll consider changing that foul ditty of yours, now?” ventured Blueblood, helping Lyra to her feet. She allowed him in turn to support her weight completely.

“Absolutely not,” she said, sticking her tongue out. “But, I may be convinced to add a verse or two.”

“If you'd just act a little bit a lady, you might be able to get by here.” Prince Blueblood shook his mane. “Where is my cousin?”

“The throne room, before the fighting broke out,” said Lyra. She hooked her lyre over her back and began to follow Blueblood out into the open. “The changeling queen is up there. Shining Armor... they're fighting on the rise. We should probably do something.”

Prince Blueblood deposited her near a couple of unicorn guards. “I will do something,” he said. “You need to stay and let us take care of you.”

“You won't last five seconds around the queen,” spat Lyra. “And I'm not staying here. I can still walk.”

“You're just going to be in the way,” declared Blueblood, before flicking his tail and pacing away. A small squad of soldiers followed at his gesture. “They will keep you and the others safe until the fighting is over.”

Lyra watched him disappear into the palace and reached for her instrument again, instinctively. That arrogant son of a mule... does he think he'd actually be able to fight? I'm surprised he didn't piss himself halfway into Canterlot.

One of the unicorns removed her bandage and the other dabbed something wet into her wound. She yelped at the stinging sensation, which slowly evolved into a burning, and then a mere uncomfortable pressure. The other soldier brought out a new bandage and quickly wrapped it around her, sealing the medicine to the wound.

“Give it to me straight,” she said. “Am I going to be alright?”

The soldier nodded. “A few days to heal, if you take it easy. This kind of magic can do a lot worse... I'd say you got off lucky.”

Lyra laughed. “Sure. Lucky limping unicorn.” She shook her mane out. “You realize that the prince is going to just get in the way, right?” She waited a beat to allow them their dignified silence. “I'm going after him. You make sure nothing happens to these ponies, alright?”

“Miss, that's hardly--”

“I'm a free pony,” declared Lyra, stumbling away from their reaching hooves. “You can stop me, or you can let me go help your spoiled prince.”

She half expected to feel the medic tug her back with a spell. But no one nor any force stopped her from slipping away into the castle grounds. Looking back, she found that the soldiers had already moved on to other ponies and other patients. The fighting continued far above them, peppered with the occasional volley of unicorn magic from below.

I guess they've got their hooves too full to worry about a stubborn mare, she mused, swaying as she went. Hopefully Bon Bon had the sense to duck into a wardrobe or something. Her gaze wandered upwards to the terrace where blue and emerald lights flickered and flashed. Then she pushed on, in spite of the nagging numbness making her hindleg lag behind the others. She was determined to be there to the end. For the fight, for Equestria, and so that someone would be there to sing the songs of the end—whatever end happened to come.

Rarity

When Rarity reached the tower, she found Spike fending off two changelings by wielding a yardstick in one claw and a crochet hook in the other. In spite of their aggressive nature, the two seemed to have difficulty approaching the strikes of his implements—though it may have been the occasional wash of dragonfire that discouraged them from getting too close.

“Rarity!” Spike proclaimed as she entered the room, turning the changelings' attention to her.

She knocked one out with a spinning buck and sent the other through the window with a burst of magic. Then she hugged up Spike tight between her hooves.

“Oh, I can't believe I was so thoughtless as to leave you up here all by yourself!” She squashed his cheeks. “I mean who would have thought there would be an invasion today? But that's no excuse for my behaving irresponsibly.”

Spike was torn somewhere between squirming away from the attention and swooning over her. In the end neither feeling could last, given the gravity of the situation. He tossed the yardstick and the needle aside, and Rarity only flinched a little.

“Let's get you out of here,” she said. “We can cut across to the western keep and meet up with Fluttershy. Oh, I hope she's alright. This is just a total mess! We can't be sprawled out like this...”

She'd gotten halfway out of the room before Spike dug his claws into the floor and screeched to a halt.

“What about the elements?” he asked.

Rarity tapped a hoof on the ground. “Of course! I'd completely forgotten about them in all this racket. I was more worried about you...” She smiled sideways. “But you are right. We can't leave them here.”

“I've managed to get them back together,” said Spike. He ran over and pulled one—the Element of Generosity—out of one of the bags. It looked just as it had when she and the rest of her friends had found it, so long ago. Gray, inert stone. But at least it was whole again.

“You've done a wonderful job, Spike,” said Rarity. “But let us hurry.”

She would reward him in due time. Probably with a jewel painstakingly selected from her collection. For now, though, she needed to get him out of there. They put the stones into two bags, one for Spike to carry and one for Rarity to drape across her back. Then they hastened from the tower and to the castle below.

When they exited onto the ramparts, a white pegasus swooped down from above. Snowflake flitted her wings frantically.

“Rarity! I've been looking all over for you.”

Rarity paused and lifted back a hoof. “Snowflake? I... wait. How do I know it's really you?”

Snowflake rolled her eyes. “Crack me over the head if we have to, if it saves us the time.”

“That's quite alright.” Rarity shook her head. “No other creature has quite the attitude of a pegasus, let me tell you.”

“Naturally,” said Snowflake, beating her wings once. “Canterlot is a disaster zone. Ponies are fighting in the streets and in the sky. I don't know when it'll stop...”

Rarity turned her gaze towards the throne room. “It may stop,” she said, “if we take down the queen.”

“They're still fighting in the upper gardens,” said Snowflake. “A bunch of guards just went that way to help, I think. But we should join them and make sure it's enough.” She leaned forward and met Rarity's gaze. “The more the better. Let's end this here and now.”

End it... with a fight? Rarity looked back at Spike. How could I lead him into such danger? But he's no better off anywhere else here. No. The only way to ensure our safety is to do as she says. And we are not alone... we can do this.

“With so many ponies against her, there's no way she can win,” said Spike. “C'mon.”

Rarity picked him up with magic and deposited him on her back, buckling briefly under the weight of the dragon and the additional elements. Still, it wasn't enough to dampen her spirits. “Such a noble attitude. I think you may be very well be our courage, Spike.”

“Awesome,” chimed the dragon.

“Hold on tight,” she said, and winced as his claws grasped about her shoulders. She broke into a gallop and Snowflake soared above her as she made her way upwards.

Ponies of all kinds gathered where the changeling queen fought hoof and horn with Shining Armor. On the highest terrace of Canterlot, overlooking the mountains and valleys of Equestria, the knight and the queen exchanged blows and magic with a ferocity unmatched even in the rages of war. Shields and barrages lit up the statues and the grass on the fan-shaped balcony.

The ponies thought they had come to help. But not the guard, not Blueblood, nor Rarity or any of them dared to get caught up in the rampage. Stone cracked and grass withered beneath their magics. Shock waves rushed across the balcony and nearly knocked the ponies over every time one of the combatants hit the ground.

For all of this they may have intervened. But they would not go near Shining Armor. He fought like an animal, a monster unchained. He fought with no thought to his surroundings or his own body, not seeming to feel or understand the gashes and burns already spread across him. Any damage he'd done on Chrysalis was more difficult to register, but she seemed just as desperate and tired.

They met in the middle and clashed again. Their horns crackled with magic and then burst, sending the two flying away from each other. They came back again, drawn by the sheer determination to destroy one another.

Rarity tugged Spike down against her. Each pony looked on silently as the fight continued. But an enormous rumbling, as if the very foundations of the mountains shook, drew their attention upwards. In the battle, in the war they had failed to pay mind to the emptying heavens. The blackness now flooded across the sky as every single star and light was snuffed by some unseen force.

“What's going on?” Spike said, hugging onto Rarity's back. “Rarity, I'm scared.”

“I don't know,” she said, rubbing at his scales.

None among them knew. They all looked to one another for comfort and answers, but found neither. Even Shining Armor and Chrysalis had to stop and take notice at the sudden void in the heavens, their attention torn to the empty horizon.

An explosion echoed through the sky, growing louder and louder. The sound of the destruction would have caused their ears to burst had they not had the sense to cover them right away. Then there was a blinding flash of light somewhere far away.

A darkness came. A darkness more true and empty than any they had ever seen, more complete than any Nightmare Moon had ever brought upon them—that darkness blanketed the land in an instant.

As Rarity's eyes adjusted, she realized that she was still alive. Cold and almost unable to see, but alive. And she began to hear every other pony stir around her as well. When her vision became clearer, she could see the outline of a purple dome encompassing all of Canterlot.

Shining Armor stood still at the center of the balcony, straining under the energies that surged out from his horn. The shield that he produced was the only thing protecting Canterlot from what lay in the void beyond.

Chrysalis took a step back and smiled, showing a single fang.

A New Dawn

Twilight Sparkle

“What do you mean, Equestria is going to end?” Twilight Sparkle twisted about in a panic. “That doesn't make any sense. Why would you do such a thing?”

She looked to Celestia, hoping for an answer, some justification, some grand plan that would return things to the way they were. Some way to make everything okay. You were the one that we all were waiting for. And yet you say you have doomed us all. Say something, Princess! Please...

Princess Celestia hung her head and met Twilight's gaze. “I made a terrible mistake,” she whispered. “I thought it was the best course of action. Now a great evil falling over the ponies of Canterlot, unchecked. The changelings come for them in unfathomable numbers. And no hope remains...”

A mistake, thought Twilight, studying her mentor. We thought that you would save us. We thought that you were infallible. But for all of your power and wisdom... maybe you're more like us than we thought. Maybe I was wrong, Celestia. She squeezed her eyes shut. Maybe I believed in you just a little too much.

“Ah, but you are wrong, Princess,” Discord chimed in at last. “They still fight.”

The princesses looked up and glared. “As if your words ever bore any truth,” said Celestia. “How would you know this?”

“Because I am connected to all strife and conflict in this world,” said Discord. He spun in the air and laughed. “The fires of war glow in the minds of peaceful ponies, and they do not easily lift their hooves to do harm. But they do what they must. Even the most trained fighter struggles with themselves. And they all struggle with the forces of the changeling queen.” He tapped his finger against a nearby stone. “I can show you.”

Every pony looked on as the draconequus stretched his arms wide and drew an ebony line across where the wall once stood. He filled in the shape of a window with a space of emptiness. And then he tapped it a few times with his claws, swishing them, as if threading something through the magical void. Little lights lit up the panel. And then the shapes of castle parapets and buildings in the city of Canterlot. The portal opened up a window and allowed them to look upon the war as it unfolded.

The changelings fought with all of their ferocity and their desire to conquer, all in greater number. The ponies fought with determination to protect their loved ones and their home. Time after time the ponies prevailed, though it left them battered and scarred.

Princess Cadence's wings shivered. “They can win,” she said. “But what about this spell? Is there any way to stop it?”

Princess Celestia shook her head. “It took all of the power in this place to begin it,” she said. “Stopping it would require a power even greater. If we could harness the magic of Harmony, perhaps... but it lies broken. There is no hope.”

Twilight paced over to the broken obelisk and kicked one of the darkened shards across the floor. “There has to be more to it than that,” she said. “I've seen the elements shattered before. It doesn't mean that they're lost!”

“There is no harmony in Equestria today,” said Nightmare Moon, gesturing a wing towards the portal.

“I don't care!” Twilight's wings shot open. “Stop moping around and think of something, or we're going to lose it all. Think. What can we do to stall the process? What about you?” Twilight paced over and put a hoof on Discord's chest. “You brought me back to life. Surely there's something you can do to undo Celestia's spell.”

Discord wrenched a claw and strained. “There's nothing to undo,” he said. “Nothing to grasp. I reach out and I only see emptiness. Every star, every body in space slips away before I can reach it.” He shook his head and looked at Twilight.

Twilight turned away. “I shouldn't have expected much from you, of everypony here...”

“I want to help!” Discord waved his claws. “Tell me what to do! Use that stupid over-thinking brain of yours and point me at something.”

Nightmare Moon grit her teeth. “You want to help? I have a hard time believing that. Isn't this exactly what you wanted?”

Discord stopped and glared at her. “You simmering foal,” he growled. “This? Everything around you? Look at it! It's nothing but waste!” He swept a circle over the throne room and waved frantically over the rubble. “There's no life here. Nothing! It's empty. It's boring. It's terrifying!”

Terrifying? Twilight stopped and looked back at him. Discord... is that what you fear? Yes, I think that's it...

“So tell me. Any of you.” Discord landed and spread his arms wide. “Anything from the two-ton moon? The brats? No?”

Princess Celestia rose and touched a wingtip to the broken obelisk. “Harmony must be restored,” she said. “That is the only way. But I fear it is too late. It's happening even as we speak.”

They all turned back to the portal. The vision of the fight had shifted again, to the palace's upper terraces, in a place mirroring the ruined balcony beyond.

The Battle of Canterlot ceased the moment the stars went out. Everypony gathered on the balcony squirmed in darkness as Shining Armor threw up his shield and protected them from the destruction coming at all sides.

The changeling queen gathered her strength and smiled, her one good fang showing. She fired another signal into the air. And then she sprung forward and struck her horn against Shining Armor's. The shield flickered.

“What are you doing?” he raised his hoof against her, but could muster no other defense. His attention was fully focused on the shield. “This is the only thing keeping us alive right now.”

The other ponies began to advance on Chrysalis, but she waved a holey hoof and sighed. “Yes,” she said, “and you're not going to be able to keep it up on your own.”

Shining Armor kicked the ground. “I'd rather die than let you help me.”

Chrysalis rolled her eyes. “And would you let every last pony in Canterlot die to settle your grudge? I think not. Now let me help you before we all end up obliterated.”

The unicorn said nothing. All watched uneasily as she stood beside Shining Armor and lifted her horn to his. A little emerald magic flickered over it, and then their magic merged. The shield shimmered and strengthened. All around Canterlot, the changelings ceased their assault. An uneasy truce rose between the races as they all waited and watched the shield shimmer and tremble.

Princess Cadence folded her wings down and muttered. “I can't believe that witch is helping him. I can't believe any of this is happening. It's just... too much.”

Twilight galloped toward the portal and stopped just before her snout touched it. “Wait, look.”

On the other side of the vision, Rarity produced the recovered Elements of Harmony. She and Spike rolled them out onto the ground and everypony looked at them in confusion. Spike poked at the Element of Generosity with a claw and puffed it with a bit of dragonfire. Nothing happened.

Twilight turned to Discord. “She must have gathered them while we were out here,” she said.

“So?” Discord sighed. “They're a world away.”

“But you said you're connected to everything,” said Twilight. “Connect me to them. Let me in. Send me to my friends. Please.”

Discord chewed on his fingertip. “If I do... maybe you'll believe me,” he said. “Whether that's a good idea or not, we'll see. But just for now... well, this will be fun, anyway. You may feel a slight tingling sensation behind your horn.”

Twilight squeaked. Tingling was a gross understatement. The moment his influence reached into her, the floor seemed to reel. The world whisked around at gale forces and the sky became a blur. Then it didn't seem like the sky at all, but the ocean. And then dark taffy. And then she felt her soul stretched painfully, her existence running in thin lines through the corners of that realm and beyond. Then she was in five places at once, and in each one she could see clearly. Even from beyond the edge of the world, she could feel each of her friends like a flickering flame, and they could feel her, even if they could not see her.

As the fighting came to a stop, so did the singing of Pinkie Pie and the children. They huddled together In the dim light of the cellar. But even in the midst of war they still found happiness in each other's company. Pinkie Pie thumped her hooves and laughed.

“I don't know why, but somehow I know you're watching, Twilight,” she said. “We'll make sure that Equestria is a happy place when you return! I'll make sure there's a big party and everything. So don't be long, okay?”

And in another part of Canterlot, Applejack gathered together ponies and gave weary space to the changelings nearby. The fighting had ceased. She waved the attention of the other ponies back from the shield and the blackness beyond.

“To tell you the truth, we might not make it,” she said. “But we have to try until the very last. If it does come to this... I'm happy to have lived and fought with each and every one of you. I'm happy to have been a part of your family and a part of Ponyville.”

The ponies hurrahed and embraced. They were shaken but not broken. Applejack looked up to the sky and tugged her hat from her head.

“Twilight... whatever's happening here must be awful worse out there. If I can help in any way... you just say the word, alright, sugarcube?”

Fluttershy pulled herself ahead of her pack of beasts, many of which helped carry the ponies that they had pulled out of the dungeons. They gathered in the safety of the castle halls and the guards that were not too addled to move brought the others water and spoke to them softly. Any changelings that they had met in the hall had quickly surrendered and let themselves be held in the corners rather than face their end by tooth and claw.

Fluttershy looked up from tending a wounded pony. “It seems like everypony is struggling so much. I'm trying my best... you are too, aren't you, Twilight? It's not easy, but if we all help each other, I think we can make it through this.”

The pegasi soared near the top of the dome. Each wing circled the perimeter, searching for some danger, some opportunity to give aid to the ponies below. As they dropped off towards the streets, Rainbow Dash paused and looked back, somehow meeting Twilight's eyes.

“It's so weird... it's like you're right here with me. And I know you would if you could be. I used to think that not being there and fighting meant you were running away. But now I understand that there's more to taking care of your loved ones than that. You've been fighting for us this entire time, too... and I'll keep fighting for you. So hang in there, Twilight. I just know you're going to save the day.”

On the upper terrace, Rarity strained her magic trying to connect to the Elements. As soon as Twilight's presence locked into her head, she looked up and towards her.

“Is that you? Oh, thank goodness! I was so worried. So much has happened... and I won't lie, it's been an amazing adventure. But the fact of the matter is, I would give it all up in an instant if it meant just having you back with us in Ponyville. I would give anything...”

Spike glanced between Rarity and the hazy visage of Twilight. “What are you doing? Twilight's not here. But if she were, she'd probably have some brainy solution. She always does.”

The pain of being extended ebbed away. Instead Twilight couldn't help but smile. Even in the worst possible of situations, she was still with all of her friends. They were connected. That brought little shades and colors of them through the darkness and to the very edge of Equestria. The Elements of Harmony, inert for so long, began to sparkle.

It's not just the six of us, Twilight realized. Every pony is connected, even if just by one little thread. All through Harmony. I can feel them reaching out. And if it's enough...

The Elements of Harmony sprung to life, exploding from their stone form and into radiant light. Each traveled to its respective bearer, no matter how distant or impossible to reach. Her five friends looked down in surprise as the necklaces formed about their neck.

The broken tiara fell from Twilight's head, replaced by the Element of Magic. She felt it lifting her into the air, the magic working through her and through her feelings alone. No matter how brief, she'd become lifelong friends with the other bearers of Harmony. And they in turn made their own friends, and touched the lives of countless ponies. Alone they had only a little power to give. But each and every one of them reached out from within. Twilight took every last drop and became its conduit. Her body glowed white as the prismatic magic shot from all corners of the realm into her, and she focused them on the broken obelisk.

“Twilight Sparkle...” Princess Celestia stared. “It can't be.”

Everypony watched in awe as the black stone turned white and formed into a single spire. The lights that hit Twilight split into a rainbow and then swirled about the stone, seating itself just above the tip. The magic was not merely a rainbow. It was every magic. It was every color at once, brilliant and beautiful and inconceivable.

Twilight shuddered beneath the weight of the power. “I want nothing more than to see our Equestria again,” she said. “To be in a world where we can all know each other, and learn and grow together. And I'll do anything it takes to make that happen.”

Discord

It didn't seem possible for all of the fighting and all of the anger and betrayal to come to a sudden stop. Yet it had. The ponies still shone within the darkness, and even with the changelings on their doorstep, they all united to a single purpose.

How utterly droll, he thought. All of that chaos and this is where it ends?

But as he wound Twilight through the threads of reality and into the hearts of other ponies, he began to feel it too. A single thread of warmth that bound him to her. And then the others, like threads of spider silk—so small, almost invisible. He had turned so many ponies' lives on their head. But he had also brought some of them joy and comfort. He'd given Twilight hope.

I've been a fool... I mean, I am a fool. But not the kind I'd prefer to be.

The magic around Twilight settled and she slumped to the floor in a heap. The three princesses and the children all gathered around her, offering her support. She accepted their wings and rose again.

“I didn't know if that would work,” she said, “but it did. What now?”

Princess Celestia closed her eyes tight. “I don't know,” she said. “We can try to stop the spell. I do not think that we can undo the damage that has been done.”

Discord chuckled and pushed his way through them. “That's because you're too used to playing by the rules,” he said. “Leave it to a professional. I'll unscramble every little error you made, princess.”

Nightmare Moon and Celestia put themselves between him and the light of Harmony.

“That's ridiculous,” said Nightmare Moon. “To think that we would allow you anywhere near this power.”

Princess Celestia shook her head. “It's useless. You're the very antithesis of Harmony, Discord. Even if we let you near it, it would be useless to you.”

“Do you have so little faith in me?” Discord scoffed. “Then have some faith in your stupid Harmony. And unless you have some other plan to bring back your precious Equestria, I suggest moving out of the way.”

Twilight Sparkle reached up and almost touched the light with a hoof. “He's right,” she said. “It will just turn him to stone, anyway. So why not let him?”

Discord flinched. He turned away so that she could not see his face. You stupid filly. I'm trying to save you. I've always tried to save you. Maybe if I do this, then you'll finally believe me.

The princesses turned to Twilight. “Are you sure?” said Celestia. “It was you who brought it back. If you think we should take this risk...”

“Do it,” said Twilight.

Discord creased a smile. “As you wish, your highness.”

There were no words of encouragement for him. No hopes except maybe those that he would turn to stone when he came into contact with the light. It might happen, he thought. I might be turned to stone. And they might leave me here forever. But I can't let that get me down.

Nightmare Moon and Celestia parted as he drifted between them. He raised his claws towards the light and braced himself.

If I am truly 'part pony,' then maybe there's a chance...

The magic of Harmony snapped at his claw like dragon's fangs. He yowled in pain and jerked back, but it seemed to be holding him in place. As he reached to exert his will on the power, it transformed his clawtips into stone.

“You can't steal that power,” said Twilight. “You can't twist it. But how could you use it? Is there anyone at all you would call a friend?”

Discord stopped struggling against the petrification, which crept up the scales of his eagle's claw, and smiled at her. “Just one, Twilight. You.”

The unicorn's eyes widened. She tried to speak but couldn't. He'd hurt her, he knew. But he did consider her to be a friend. And if just a little, if for just a moment she placed even a shred of trust, even a drop of love in him...

There.

Harmony opened up to him. And all at once he could comprehend harmony and unity. Even if it was not a part of him, he still had a deep connection to it. The stone continued to eat away at his arms, but now he could feel everything. All of Equestria, even the parts buried beneath darkness and cold. Every creature frozen in darkness and every last one struggling to stay on that planet just a little longer.

“You were wrong, Celestia,” said Discord. “Chaos isn't about destruction. It's just as important as order. From the day they are born, a pony meets chaos in all of its forms... from simple curiosity to all-out war. And when they meet that chaos, they change and they grow. Ponies need both of these to truly resonate. To truly connect with one another.”

His feet petrified next, and then his tail, trapping him in place. It occurred to him that he could try to escape, try to burst away, but then he would lose his connection to Harmony. Possibly for good.

And why would he back away? He felt bigger than he ever had before. He possessed the strings to every aspect of the universe. Whatever he wanted it to be, he could make it so. The power there was so great.

There could be a new world, he thought. My Equestria. Rebuilt so that these ponies would love and live under me. A never ending realm of chaos, and no one to take me from my throne. His attention turned to Twilight. Would she like it? For that matter... how do I know that I would love it?

The potential lay within the ultimate power of Harmony. Once it had offered Nightmare Moon a choice, and she chose to continue her path of madness. Discord faced his own choice: a new world of his own designs, or Equestria as it was.

There really isn't a choice, is there? he thought. There is only the way that things are, and the way that things will be. Tricky little thing, aren't you...?

He sought out the furthest reaches of the cosmos and began to make them churn and crackle with chaos. The celestial bodies that once slipped into the void returned, the time and the energy of the final spell twisting in on itself. Harmony bent through him and he began to shape the heavens again.

“You must know how it all began,” he said. “Countless particles smashing and crashing into one another. Numerous elements fusing and breaking a part. The whole of space and time lit up with a beautiful symphony of chaos.”

“Chaos becoming order,” Celestia muttered.

“But chaos nonetheless!” Discord laughed. “And if we follow this spell of yours backwards... time and space coalesce all the same. It's mere foal's play.”

The task itself tore his mind to the point of breaking, in truth. But he wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of knowing that. And all of his concentration was still threatened by the stone that now eclipsed his legs and worked its way up his lower trunk. He pushed the part of his mind screaming in fear away and filled his head with stars.

Explosions of light tore across the sky. As his body became more still, his mind became more wild, racing about the cosmos. The very nature of time and existence unwound and reformed at his bidding. Every pony could see as he once more filled the sky with stars and nebulas and distant worlds.

The sun returned to Equestria in a wave of light. Its mirror flashed beyond the horizon in the far realm, and lavender and pink lights surged onto the skyline.

Now the stone had reached to his chest and it made him grunt and strain within it. Twilight leapt up and grabbed onto his tail, tugging.

“That's enough,” she said. “Let go! Stop! I'm sorry for doubting you. You've done enough, so... stop...”

Discord laughed. “Thank you for saying that,” he said. “But there's still something else.”

She probably didn't let herself realize it, he thought, but we all knew. The shield was only around Canterlot. The rest of Equestria... is filled with such emptiness. No. My Equestria will not be this empty.

Alone, he was powerless to overcome death. But every soul was connected to Harmony. And he could lead them all back, just as Cadence had led Twilight back to life.

Light came back to Equestria and the world over. In one brilliant rush he brought back every blade of grass, every flower, every tadpole and tiny speck of a germ. He brought back every pony and brought time back—all the way back to the beginning of the spell that Celestia had begun.

And that was the trick. He could undo all that the magic had caused. But those that had fallen in the war, and anything else lost in the world... Harmony would not allow it.

Very well, then, he thought. It's a little bittersweet. But it's my Equestria.

Twilight cried and tried to pull him away with her magic, her hooves, anything she could muster. It was too late. He was almost entirely encased in stone, and his work was done.

“You can't go,” she sobbed. “Please, stay with us...”

“I'm not going anywhere.” Discord chuckled and tried to flex his stony muscles. “As long as Equestria exists, then so will I. And there will come a time when I rise to power again.” He turned his attention to Celestia and showed a fangy grin. “Maybe things will be different now that I've saved your little world.”

“Discord...”

Celestia encircled Twilight in a wing and they all watched solemnly as Discord drew back from the pillar of light. He drew all of his power into twisting his petrified form, spiraling the white stone upward, his hand raised and his head held high. If he had to make an exit, there was really only one way to do it: in song.

To this fool there is one beauty,
A horned lass with a heart of gold
And ah, for this very filly
there's not one thing I wouldn't do
And though you find it rather silly
I've loved her greater--

And before he could sing another note, he completely turned to stone.

Nightmare Moon

Nightmare Moon blinked her eyes. She did not know why she felt sad at the imprisonment of the beast. Yet wasn't I once as awful as he? Perhaps in the middle of that madness there is someone lost within themselves, just waiting to be brought out into the light.

“What just happened?” said Apple Bloom, scratching her head. “Is it over?”

Nightmare Moon looked at her sister and smiled. “It is over,” she said. “At long last.”

Scootaloo flitted about and sighed. “Great,” she said. “Can we go home now?”

Nightmare Moon nodded. She reached up and pulled the helmet from her head, letting her mane flow freely. She threw off her armor with a spell and let her form change. Her coat lightened from black to the blue of night and her eyes softened.

I am the nightmare no longer.

She took a deep breath and walked over to her sister.

“Yes,” she said. “I think we can.”

Though it may be a bit of a trip, she thought. As she did, though, the Seat of Harmony began to change. The ruins dissolved before their eyes leaving behind a pure white light. And then some echo, some slip of chaos surrounded them all. The golden lands went away in a rush of light.

When next they knew, they were standing amidst a crowd of ponies and changelings on the top tier of Canterlot Castle. Everypony gasped and took a step back as they materialized out of nowhere. Princess Celestia and Nightmare Moon, reformed again as Princess Luna, the children, Twilight, the statue of Discord, and Princess Cadence all stumbled as they fell into the gravity of the natural world.

“Twilight?” Rarity looked up from the crowd and trotted forward. Then she set eyes on Sweetie Belle. “Sister! You're alright!”

“Rarity!” squeaked Sweetie Belle. They forgot all else and leapt into each other's embrace.

Shining Armor turned towards Cadence and rubbed his eyes. Then he raced towards her. For just a moment he looked about to strike, but there was something in her eyes that he knew. They were real. They were all real, and the sun in the sky was proof of that.

Princess Luna blinked twice when they embraced, and Cadence herself seemed shocked. Shining Armor tilted his head in confusion, and then pulled a small slip of parchment from her back.

“What is it?” said Cadence.

“It's a note.” Shining Armor turned it over. “It says, 'Balance schmalance. You're welcome.' What do you think that--”

He didn't finished his sentence before Cadence pounced him to the ground and snuggled into his hooves with wild abandon. Each and everyone one of them was so relieved to be alive and to see Equestria again. Even Luna couldn't help but smile. She slipped her way over to Twilight, who was still kneeling before the statue of Discord.

“I cannot help but feel responsible for what happened,” she said, lowering a wing onto Twilight's shoulder. “So if there's anything I can do...”

Twilight Sparkle shook her head. “It was all of us,” she said. “We were all just caught up in the tides of our own lives. If anything, you could say it was his fault. For what he is. For what he does. But I don't think that's true.” She reached up and touched the statue. “I didn't think it was possible, but... I think in the end, he was my friend.”

“He still is,” said Luna, looking upwards. “And you will meet again, I am sure of it. As long as you both wish it.”

The time of fighting and struggle had ended. All of their troubles ended in a moment of stillness and sureness that held over all of Equestria. The ponies that had journeyed far and wide had returned. In time they would reflect on all that had come to pass, but for the moment they were satisfied with being home.

All turned to watch as Celestia took to the sky and every unicorn could feel her touch as she reunited with the sun. As she rose higher, so did the light, and a new dawn rose upon Canterlot.

Coda

Lyra

Lyra paced across the stage in the saddle shop basement, lighting each of the lamps in turn. The watering hole was empty of all activity. No revelers, no rebels, no souls looking for a place to hide from the world above. Still, she primed her instrument and sat on the edge of the stage, stroking its strings.

Bon Bon trotted over and sat a mug of cider down beside her. “How's your side?” she asked before fussing through Lyra's dress. The green unicorn grimaced and nudged her away.

“Better,” said Lyra. “Doesn't hurt anymore. I got a neat scar out of the deal, too. You can take a look at it later.”

Bon Bon rubbed her forehead and sat down. “You could have let the doctors take care of it.”

“And lose this awesome mark?” She sighed and plucked a low note. “Besides. The changelings might have stood with us in the end, but it was just to save their sorry hides. I don't want anypony to forget that.”

Her friend nodded, and listened to her play for a while. The bartender wiped down mugs and wandered behind the bar, counting casks and arranging bottles.

“What are you going to do?” asked Bon Bon. “Now that things are starting to settle down again.”

Lyra shifted and tuned her lyre a bit, laughing. “This place won't be quiet for long,” she said. “Right now ponies want to be with their families and bask in the calm. But soon they'll long for a story, and a little excitement. And that's what I'm going to be working on.”

“I should have known,” mused Bon Bon.

“I want to get a chance to talk to everypony first,” she said. “It's not just my story.”

The trapdoor in the ceiling jingled and natural light drifted into the back of the bar. Time Turner descended, and seeing Lyra, lifted his hoof and waved.

“Hey, you old stud,” said Lyra, waving back at him. “Where did you get off to this whole time?”

Turner just laughed and tapped the bar. “Cider, cold, please,” he said. Then he turned back to Lyra and shrugged. “You know... big invasion. Lots of bugs. I was busy. You had a pretty wild time yourself, if the rumors I hear are true.”

“There might be some truth to 'em,” Lyra said, swinging her lyre back against her chest. “But if it's rumors you're after, I have plenty of those for you. Let's see...”

She played a playful melody on her lyre and stood up. Bon Bon and Turner took to a table and watched half-amused. Behind them, another stallion slipped quietly into the bar. The ponies began to gather there again, for drink, for comradery, and for the strange magic of her songs.

Applejack

“Your room is just the way you left it,” said Applejack, opening the door to Apple Bloom's room. “Truth be told, I haven't been in here for a while myself, heh.” She broke down and hugged her younger sister again for the twelfth time that day, shaking a bit. “I can't tell you just how glad I am to have you back.”

“I know,” said Apple Bloom, trying her best not to squirm. After she found her hooves on the floor, she paced around her room, soaking everything in. There was a strangeness to her that Applejack hoped would go away after she'd had some time to adjust to being home.

Reckon I'm kidding myself, though, she thought. I don't think things'll ever be quite the same again. I wanted more than anything for things just to go back... funny how that works out.

“Do you think I could have a couple'a friends over?” asked Apple Bloom.

Applejack smiled. “I think that could be arranged. I admit I'm mighty tickled you 'n Rarity's sister became such fast friends. And that pegasus filly... Scoots?”

“Scootaloo.”

“They can come over any time you'd like,” said Applejack, ruffling her sister's mane. “Might wanna wait till later, though. Pinkie's putting on a big soiree and I'm sure that your friends will be there anyway.”

Apple Bloom bounced in her sister's hooves. “I love Pinkie's parties! That sounds like a great time.”

“Sure does,” said Applejack. “Me 'n your brother got some work to do on the farm before we can go, though. It's a ripe old mess we came back to.”

Apple Bloom perked right up. “I'll help, too,” she said.

“Thanks, sis.”

They spent the better part of the afternoon clearing out overgrowth and taking stock of what had become of Sweet Apple Acres. Applejack didn't speak much of the old training equipment left around. Training dummies, trenches and courses of gates and old hay bales littered the lots. She and her brother broke them down and hauled everything back to the barns where they belonged, grateful that Applebloom didn't inquire as to their purpose.

When they'd gotten around to doing some bucking, Apple Bloom suddenly stopped and wiped her brow.

“Do you think someday I could join the royal guard?” she asked.

Applejack's breath caught in her throat. She stumbled midbuck and turned around. “Isn't it a little early for you to be thinking about stuff like that? What put that idea in your head?”

Apple Bloom shrugged and knocked a few apples out of the tree. “No reason, I guess,” she said. After a moment she sighed and shook her head. “Figure there are lots of ponies that need protectin', and there's a great place to start. There's someone...” she swallowed and looked back at Applejack. “Well there's someone I'd like to look after.”

Applejack almost hugged her again but restrained herself. “Lil sis, you can be anything you want when you grow up,” she said. “Anything you imagine. Right now though I think you should let everypony worry about protecting you for a while. Just settle in and enjoy yourself. You're only a filly once, after all.”

Apple Bloom considered her hoof for a long time before nodding. “You're probably right,” she said. “Thanks, Applejack.”

“'Course,” said Applejack. She took a quick survey of the apples in the barrels and nodded. “Looks like this plot's clear. Let's haul these in and get ready for tonight.”

“Aye aye, sis,” said Apple Bloom.

They hauled a cartload of apples back to the barn. Applejack continued to watch her sister move and work. She had such an air of purpose and intent, a deliberation in even moving a barrel of apples that she hadn't had even months ago.

She's changed so much... but she's still our little Apple Bloom. I'll make sure she still gets to enjoy the rest of her younger years, whatever it takes.

Rarity

Sweetie Belle sat on a vacant box and occasionally kicked a gem or a fold of cloth into Rarity's bags as she drifted by. The Carousel Boutique was brimmed to bursting with fancy fabrics and more gems and jewelry than it could really hold.

“I still can't believe you're giving it all away,” said Sweetie Belle. “You could do so much with this stuff!”

Rarity paused and touched a hoof to her forehead. “It does pain me to see it all go, but most of it was taken during Nightmare Moon's reign. It's only polite to give it all back...”

“And all the dresses you made for the gala?” Sweetie Belle pouted. “Some of those were really beautiful.”

Rarity brushed her mane back and smiled. “I promise I'll make you something even better, when you're older. Maybe when you've got your eye on some special somepony...”

The younger unicorn promptly dropped her protests and flustered, sticking her tongue out. “There isn't anypony like that! Plus, I mean, gross...”

Rarity laughed and loaded a few more bolts into an open crate. Isn't she just the spitting image of us, at that age? Well, aside from that troll's nest she calls a mane. She punctuated each thought by lifting a brush and tugging the tangles out of her sister's hair, each stroke echoed by squeaks and protests. If she had her eye on some colt, though... oh, she's just not ready for that.

“But you're already a strong little mare, aren't you?” she said, moving back to pick up a set of silvered rods.

“What?” Sweetie Belle blinked.

“Nothing, nothing,” said Rarity. She stopped her inventory and stared into one of the open crates before extracting several folds of silky black and white materials. “I suppose I could just hold onto a little bit of this. I never properly thanked my friends... and they would just look dashing in something a bit more refined. Some svelte suits.. Yes, I can see it now... what would go perfect... ah! Rubies. That's right.” She tore across the room and popped the lid off another box. “Sister, be a dear and help me find my sewing equipment, would you?”

Sweetie Belle looked at the mountains of materials and crates stacked in the boutique, filling every shelf and surface and leaving little room to walk in. “O-okay...” she squeaked. “But we don't want to be late.”

“Late!” Rarity repeated as she lifted and flew measuring tape and thread over to her crowded work table. “Of course, Pinkie Pie's gathering. Oh, why does inspiration have to strike at the most inopportune moments?” She yanked a few sheets of parchment from beneath a pile of cloth and Sweetie Belle had to rush over to keep it from toppling. “I'll just have to sketch this down. You know, Sweetie Belle, you should always embrace your passion. Even if it means going the extra mile, now and then.”

Pinkie Pie

“I still can't believe you had twins!” gushed Pinkie Pie as she squeezed a tube of icing between her hooves, applying the first layer of bright pink sugar to the six-layer cake in front of her.

“I still can't believe I gave birth in a basement full of children,” said Mrs. Cake, shaking her mane furiously. “It's going to take me years just to get over that.”

Although they had not reopened for business yet, the ovens of Sugar Cube Corner were still running full fire. The owners ran themselves ragged between marking down all the inventory still present, items to replace, upcoming events, and on top of all that they had two energetic roaming children to look after. Fortunately, Mr. Cake had them fully engaged at the swinging doors to the kitchen.

“Well, it's something interesting to tell Pound and Pumpkin when they're older,” said Mr. Cake, popping his head out. The twins laughed. “Much, much older.”

Pinkie Pie giggled. She didn't really understand what the big deal was. But then, she was just so happy to have two more little ponies in her life. Things had calmed down a lot once they moved back into Ponyville. Sugar Cube Corner was still a little noisy with two newborns around all the time, but it still felt big and calm. It felt like home.

“I wish I could play with them today,” she said, beginning her second tier of frosting. “Like, all the time! But maybe I could babysit for you sometime...”

Mrs. Cake flustered. “And where would we go? I just can't imagine leaving my babies alone for even a minute.” She paused and leaned down to nuzzle at Pound.

“She is pretty good with kids,” noted Mr. Cake.

“But alone, for how long...?” Mrs. Cake lamented. “No, I don't know when I'm going to be ready for that.”

“You worry too much,” said Pinkie Pie. She brought down a hoof full of sprinkles and dashed them across one of the middle layers.

“I don't think there's such a thing where children are involved, Pinkie,” mused Mr. Cake.

“Well... I guess.” Pinkie drummed her hoof against her chin and stared at the cake. Six layers for six ponies. But how can I make Dashie's part more awesome? Hot sauce? That would definitely suit her personality! Maybe...

Mrs. Cake trotted back and handed her a tin of rock candy. “Still... it is that attitude of yours that helped us here in the first place. I want you to know that you'll always have a place with us, Pinkie Pie. Part of the family.”

Pinkie choked back a little sob and smiled, hugging Mrs. Cake. “Thank you! You have no idea how happy that makes me. Maybe we can throw an official welcome-to-the-family party?”

The older mare pat her on the withers and laughed. “One party at a time, Pinkie. One party at a time.”

Fluttershy

Fluttershy and Zecora reached the edge of the Everfree Forest and glanced back. Fluttershy couldn't help but feel a little pang of longing, imagining the sprawling wild that lay just beyond her door. The time had come for her to return to Ponyville, and leave it behind. Unfortunately, that meant leaving behind some of her dear friends as well.

Birch inched back beneath the trees and whined. Fluttershy's ears wilted and she reached out to pet the wooden creature between the ears.

“I wish you could come with me,” she said, “but I know you wouldn't really be happy here. Besides! I'll be just over there.” She pointed at her cottage with a hoof. The wolf cocked her head to the side and clicked her barky fangs. “And I promise I'll come to visit. I'm sure I could use some looking after when I am going to Zecora's anyway...”

The zebra laughed. “You must come every now and then,” she said. “And your friends as well. Such a long time it's been... perhaps now I can properly visit Ponyville.”

Birch sneezed, nuzzled Fluttershy's hoof, and turned. She was wild. A monster, really. But she was also Fluttershy's friend, and their parting would never change that. The timber wolf howled and vanished into the foliage with the rest of her pack, along with the other beasts. Those under Fluttershy's care returned to her cottage. And Angel seemed quite relieved to have the more dangerous of their kin gone, slipping from Fluttershy's mane and onto the grass. He stretched his paws wide and sighed, smiling and basking in the brightness of the day.

“Why don't you come with us to the party?” suggested Fluttershy. “If you don't mind, that is. There are some of my friends you haven't met yet.”

“If you're sure it is alright,” said Zecora. “I do not want to intrude. I'd love to meet your friends tonight...” She scratched at her mane and puzzled. “But I fear I may ruin the mood.”

“Nonsense,” said Fluttershy, patting her with a wing. “Any friend of mine is a friend of theirs.”

They started a calm canter towards her cottage. It would be some time before the gathering, and they would have to make sure that the animals were all cozy in their homes and well-fed. Fluttershy had the feeling that it wouldn't be much of a trouble to provide for them, now that Discord's influence had all but left Ponyville.

Rainbow Dash

Rainbow Dash zipped back and forth across the sky, helping move cloud structures into place and aiding everypony she could. Moving Cloudsdale back to its original location was just as much of an ordeal as taking it to the mountains in the first place. Still, with the threat of Nightmare Moon and Discord gone, and the changeling threat still looming somewhere in the world, it made more sense to bring their home back to where it belonged.

“It just feels right,” said Spitfire, directing their efforts from a nearby cloud. “Even though it was always Cloudsdale, it never quite felt like home. I know we did what we had to. But... I think we're closer to the rest of the ponies than we may have thought we were.”

“That's really deep of you to say all of a sudden,” remarked Rainbow Dash, pausing to hover mid-flight. “But I think you're right. I miss my old friends. I miss just being a weather pony, you know?”

Spitfire laughed and dug her hooves into the cloud. “Really? That's a shame. I was thinking that once things settled down a bit, you might consider applying for the academy. I've heard down the grapevine that you just might be candidate material.”

The rainbow pegasus' wings and ears perked visibly. “Oh, I'm definitely applying,” she said. “But maybe when doing so won't keep me from a big party with my friends and then sleeping for an entire week.”

“I guess this is it, then,” said Spitfire, looking down towards the ground. “The war is over, so there's no reason for you to stay with us any longer. I guess I'd forgotten that you'd never actually signed into service or anything...”

Rainbow Dash lifted her hoof and offered it. “Hey, it doesn't matter where I am or what's going on. Anytime you ponies need me, I'll be there in a heartbeat.” Spitfire stared at her, and then rolled her eyes, bumping her hoof against Rainbow's.

“You're one of a kind,” said Spitfire. “And I'll hold you to that.” She turned and waved a wing, gesturing for someone to bring in a particularly large cloud turbine before facing Dash again. “We can handle it from here. Go and get some R&R, Rainbow Dash.”

“Aye, ma'am,” said Rainbow, flicking off a quick salute before diving towards the ground. The flight to Ponyville was even shorter from there, for her. Still, any time to wait to see her friends' faces again would be too long.

Princess Luna

Princess Luna paced the top of her tower in spite of the afternoon sun burning on her bleary eyes. She draped herself across a pile of cushions and looked up at her sister who looked absently out the window and across the city of Canterlot.

“Are you sure you won't come with me?” said Luna. “With the unicorns raising the sun, you're free to do as you wish.”

Princess Celestia shook her head and smiled. “Perhaps sometime,” she said. “It's just Canterlot and Ponyville anyway, isn't it?”

“Please do not make light of my decision,” said Luna, considering her hooves. “I do not think that they are ready for me to return as the true princess of the night. Not after what I have done. I still need to walk among them and learn to understand them. And they may never forgive me...”

Her sister lay a wing over her. “They will someday,” she said. “They are a very forgiving kind. But they will not forgive me. They must never know what I have done. I cannot imagine what it would do to them...”

“I understand,” said Luna

“There will come a time when I will walk by your side, sister,” continued Celestia. “My niece is still technically ruler of Equestria. If she is willing... I will offer my council to her over the years to come.”

Princess Luna sat up. “You do not think you deserve the throne?”

“I do not trust myself with it,” said Celestia. “But I can offer my wisdom to someone with a heart more pure than mine. Besides, I think it would do our subjects well to see a prince and princess together in Canterlot.”

“Ah, the wedding. The white stallion... Twilight's brother?” Luna hesitated. “Your student... how has she been holding up, anyway?”

Princess Celestia stopped and shut her eyes. For a moment she seemed very far away. “She's been distant to me,” she said. “Everything she's been through is just too much, and she needs time to understand it all. I don't think I can be a part of that process...” Then the princess laughed and wiped her eyes with a wing, smiling. “But she is still my student. And she's a rather brilliant young filly, isn't she?”

“Indeed,” said Luna. “She surprised me just as well. They both did.”

Celestia exhaled. Then she lifted her horn and closed the windows, and then the curtain. “I believe that her fate may be tied to the future of Equestria. But only time will tell.” She turned and nuzzled her sister. “You should get some rest for now. Will you stay with me in the castle? At least until the wedding is over.”

Princess Luna nodded. “There are some ponies that I hope to see there, anyway,” she said.

I do not know that they will appreciate my presence after all that I have done. But my niece insisted, and now my sister... she buried herself into the pile of cushions and blankets and let her eyes slip shut. I cannot hide just because some of them do not like me. There are others that do, and others that love me, and that's what really matters.

She heard her sister open the door and reached out with a hoof.

“Wait,” she said. “Please... call me Luna. I want to hear you say it...”

Celestia paused and glanced back. “Of course. Sweet dreams, Luna.”

Cadence

Princess Mi Amore Cadenza sat back in her throne and tried to pay the utmost attention to the ponies addressing her. She would not allow herself to be a poor princess for them. Not again. Yet she couldn't stop thinking about the last few days.

I've been given another chance... not just as princess, but another chance at life. Everything seems so much bigger than ever before.

“... and that's why we need Canterlot's approval to call in Cloudsdale for the irrigation project.” The mare paused. “Your highness?”

Cadence blinked herself back into focus. “Yes, of course! There aren't any conflicts with that. Don't worry about the paperwork in the meantime. The council may fuss about it, but it's more important to bring Equestria to its best and brightest as soon as possible.”

“I couldn't agree more,” said the petitioner. “Thank you, your grace.”

She smiled and bowed her head. And then proceeded to go through the next few meetings. After the invasion, the council had finally come to face with its ineptitude--and with Celestia's return, their ambitions had all but disappeared.

When Cadence caught respite from her duties that afternoon, she raced to the garden to meet Shining Armor. He hadn't even taken his uniform completely off before she jumped on him, sending them both twirling in each other's hooves before falling into the grass in a laughing heap. The two soldiers guarding the grounds smiled sideways at each other. It wasn't uncommon after the return of the princesses for the stoic facade of the royal guard to break.

“I can't believe the rest of my life is going to be like this,” said Cadence, pushing her snout against Shining Armor's. “There's no way I could do this without you by my side.”

“Oh, ponyfeathers,” he replied. “I know you're strong enough do anything.” Then he licked her cheek and sighed. “But there's nowhere else I'd rather be. No question. Even if it does mean getting married a little young...”

She threw his wings around him and pulled tight. “There's no way I'm risking losing you again. I love you too much, Shining Armor. When I was gone the only thing that kept me going was knowing that no matter what, I'd see you again.”

He smiled up at her from the grass and wiggled his hooves. “That's the same thing I told myself, Cadence. And I could never love you too much.”

Cadence grabbed his face and kissed him. The two laughed and rolled about in the grass of the garden. The two guards sighed, rolled their eyes, made faces at one another and ultimately looked back at the topiaries which had already been restored to their full glory.

Twilight Sparkle

Twilight Sparkle lay deep within the garden, her back against the statue of Discord. Every now and then she felt a sensation like an itch at her back, where her wings used to be. She tried not to miss them, the possibility of flight, but she couldn't help it. Discord had put Equestria right, and that meant making her live as a unicorn again.

She traced her quill over parchment, trying to find the words to write. She looked upwards and heaved a heavy sigh as she looked upon the draconequus' cocky pose, his mouth open in the midst of the song he'd almost sung to her. She flustered a little and battered her quill tip into the ink.

Just how long is it going to be until you wake up again? Oh, you'd probably be annoyed anyway. Things look almost the same as they did before Nightmare Moon came back. Everyone is getting along again. It's all peaceful and... so many ponies want to act like nothing ever happened. That the last year didn't exist. Doesn't that drive you insane?

She couldn't help but laugh at herself. Talking to myself in front of Discord... maybe I have been hanging around him too long.

Twilight decided not to think about the letter too much. She just began writing and let the words flow.

Dear Princess Celestia,

I am happy that your return to Equestria has went so well, and I apologize that I've been so distant to you. The truth is that I'm honestly not sure who I can trust anymore. I'm not sure if I can trust myself. Since your sister's return... I traveled to places I'd never even imagined possible. I saw things that no pony alive should probably have ever seen. I almost lost everything. There are still times when I think that maybe I did.

Before it all began, you told me that I needed to go out into the world and make some friends. Maybe if I'd listened to you sooner, none of us would have had to go through what we did. But

Twilight scowled and scrawled heavy lines through the next few lines. “No. I'm not going to whine at her. I just need to tell her how I feel.”

I have no intention of ceasing my studies, but I'm going to accept your offer and take up residence in Ponyville. I will stay around long enough for my brother's wedding. My studies, though, are something that I wish to discuss with you. I've learned that there are more forces responsible for the power of magic and the balance of the universe than harmony. In order to better understand our world and my own self, I desire to expand my learning to other subjects regarding the nature of Equestria. I understand if you do not approve, but this will be a personal project and I promise that it won't hamper my studies in any way.

I know that you wish that you could take back everything that you have done. If I were in your situation, I'm not sure that I would have done any differently. I'm just happy that everything has worked out for the best. I'm happy that your sister has returned to you, and that we are all able to continue living happily in Equestria. I want you to know that I forgive you. We've always asked you and your sister to take care of us all without consideration to your own feelings or lives. By comparison ours are brief, and I do not think that in my own I will have mastered myself so thoroughly that I never falter. I only hope that when I do fail that you are there to show me the proper path, and I will try to do the same.

Your student,

Twilight Sparkle

She read the words again and again. It wasn't exactly right. It never was. But it was enough for the moment. She rolled the parchment up and stuffed it into her bag for Spike to send later. Then she stood and lifted a hoof to wave at Discord.

“I promise I'll come back and tell you all about what's going on in Equestria,” she said. “Though knowing you, you probably already have an idea.”

Dusk settled over Ponyville and the first street lights were lit by the time Twilight Sparkle made the train ride down from Canterlot. Sugar Cube Corner was already bouncing when she arrived. The sound of the music inside made the windows thrum in their panes and she could see silhouettes of her friends beyond. She smiled and sighed, lifting a hoof to push the door in. The bell jingled and every pony looked up as she made her way inside.

“Twilight!” they said in unison.

Twilight Sparkle smiled at each and every one of her friends. “I'm home, everypony.”

The End

Prelude

Nightmare Moon

A thousand years of banishment served merely as herald to Princess Luna's return to power. For a millennium she'd dreamed of a rematch with her sister, of putting that meddling mare in her place and claiming the hearts of her subjects once and for all. What she got instead was Princess Celestia's pawns, foolish fillies whose plan consisted of little more than a scavenger hunt and wishful thinking.

It was almost too easy.

Now, she stood upon the broken throne of her dark castle tower. Moss and vines wrapped each pillar and stone. The moonlight shone through every crack and broken pane, casting aglow her midnight fur and starlit mane. Once her prison, now the light fueled her power and bid the ghoulish palace to awaken. She stood in the height of her glory, the Elements of Harmony and Celestia's pawn broken at her feet.

“The night will last forever!”

Each moment in the growing night filled her with power and pride. She laughed to the heavens, but still caught the sound of five more ponies ascending to her chambers.

Twilight Sparkle's new-found 'friends' managed to foil each of her obstacles. Each of the five ponies embodied their elements. Applejack, the earth pony who had entrusted her friend's fate to another. Fluttershy, the quiet master of beasts. Pinkie Pie, who dismissed the faces of danger. Rarity, who pacified the serpent with her flattery. And Rainbow Dash, who knew her own ambitions and refused to be swayed.

Her sister had brought them all together so that they could turn the Elements of Harmony against her again--so that her protege could finish what she had started.

The sixth Element manifested before Twilight Sparkle. The unicorn pushed herself to her feet and stood defiant. “You see, Nightmare Moon... when those Elements are ignited by the spark that resides in the heart of us all, it creates the sixth Element: the Element of Magic!”

Another light engulfed the ponies as the Elements of Harmony began their work. She had seen this only once before, when she and her sister had been accepted element bearers. The broken shards reformed and the magic became whole once more. The six ponies stood before her and from the will of harmony came waves of prismatic light.

The rainbow spiraled upwards and then crashed down on Nightmare Moon in a deluge. She screamed out in pain and fear as the magic twisted about her, the colors forming a blinding torrent that pushed deeper and deeper into the core of her being. She would not go back. She would not let her sister win again. Yet she could not fight back.

She thought it was over. But the Elements of Harmony did not seal her away as they had before. Instead, she found herself in the darkness of her mind, each aspect of herself split and laid out before her. A timeless space in which the will of Harmony was granting her a choice.

Down one path lay peace, forgiveness, and transformation. The love of her sister and all of her friends promised to her. A future of prosperity and happiness awaited her, should she seize it. A vision of the same future that'd been promised before her fall. Before the nightmare began.

There was another path, though: a path that led to night everlasting, pain and suffering, revenge and madness.

Love is all you've ever wanted, she told herself. All you've truly wanted.

And then another voice, also her own. You've been fooled before. Celestia's kindness can never mend the past.

For all she would become, the thought of even a moment of surrender, of being powerless beneath Celestia, twisted her guts like a bellyful of fouled grass. Her heart ached to become the mare she once was—no, the mare she'd always desired to be.

Help me, she begged herself. Help us. It's not too late.

Who would she forgive? The guards who had failed her, the friends who had forgotten her, the loved ones who'd fallen from the mortal coil? Her sister, perhaps? Nightmare Moon was strong and stubborn enough to overcome herself, in most cases.

But twisted in the depths of her psyche there was no other pony she hated more than herself--for her weakness, for allowing herself to be hurt and manipulated.

The light was patient. The light was infinite. It would hold her still in time until she'd made her decision. And all she could do would be to accept their offer with grace, and return to Equestria.

No, her other self thought.

“No!”

Two destinies unwound from a single thread. A fork split in the crossroads of time, and as if succumbing to some itch, some primal drive, she railed against Harmony. The time for love and forgiveness was long past, and she chose vengeance. She called upon all the power of the moon and all of the magic within her, and unleashed it upon Harmony.

Harmony, gentle Harmony, with its olive branch extended, with its sureness of love and forgiveness, for just that moment became the most fragile thing in the universe. And she shattered it.

The explosion of magic rocked the castle. The Elements of Harmony, so soon after being reformed, crumbled about their bearer's necks. Shock waves of magic threw them to the ground and the light dissipated, leaving only that of the moon above. Nightmare Moon pushed herself upright and flared her wings.

“I admire your spirit, Twilight Sparkle,” she said. “But there is nothing in the world that can stop me now. You have failed, and so my sister has failed." A maddened smile appeared on the dark mare's face. "Do not fret, though. There is a place in my Equestria for everypony.”

Tears fell from Twilight's eyes, vanishing into the cracks in the stone floor. She mouthed Celestia's name, and then joined her friends in unconsciousness.

So began what all of Equestria would remember as the Longest Night. Nightmare Moon broke the will of Harmony in order to reclaim her throne.

And deep in the gardens of Castle Canterlot, upon a statue most forgotten and ancient, the first crack formed.

Refuge for Wolves

Rainbow Dash

Rainbow Dash laid back upon a broad oak branch and stared up through the leaves. Sun and shadow weaved through the clouds, bringing warmth to even the high altitude of the Unicorn Mountains. She closed her eyes for a moment and exhaled, barely noticing the swoop of wings as a pegasus landed nearby.

“Not sleeping on the job, are you?” asked Spitfire.

“I wouldn't dream of it,” said Rainbow Dash, although she certainly felt the temptation. She righted herself and smiled at the mare. “Feeling the sun again just reminds me of the way things used to be.”

“I know,” Spitfire admitted. “We still have no idea where the princess is, though. Or Nightmare Moon. And this Discord...”

“I don't trust him.”

“Not a bit.” Spitfire smiled and glided up to a nearby branch. “I take it from your little break that your patrol went well?”

“It's perfectly safe up here,” said Rainbow Dash. “Only a few birds and squirrels, that sort of thing. No ponies. No dragons. The turret is clear, too.”

“Let's take a look, then,” said Spitfire.

Rainbow Dash stretched and felt a wave of sore heat creep up her wings. She never would pass up a chance to fly with the Wonderbolts, and they flew a lot. Day and night, every waking moment, for what had to have been days. She couldn't tell anymore. Before Nightmare Moon took over, day and night proceeded with such precision. With Discord, time seemed to change on a whim. A 'day' could last a few minutes or well beyond its normal span. The night was no different.

Even so, Equestria endured. Mops of foliage, yellowed and decayed, now ran with veins of emerald. When the night came it brought chill, not frost. Birds and creatures that had left, anticipating a long winter, now settled back into the trees and hills.

And all of this could be seen from the turret, a ring of carved stone left tucked in the mountain for hundreds of years. Spitfire and Rainbow Dash peered over the edge of the summit and saw the valley sprawl beneath them. Verdant fields and orchards gave way in places to new hills, or dips, or inexplicable checkerboard roads. The descent of chaos had been slow, but it continued to spread outwards from the distant castle. Clouds of every color dotted the skyline, and the occasional downpour of what could not have been water lilted towards the ground—or up towards the sky, depending where you looked.

Cloudsdale had somehow gone unscathed, though Rainbow Dash hardly recognized it against a landscape so twisted from its original form.

Spitfire turned around and beckoned her away from the edge. “Be careful not to draw attention from anypony, even from here. This place will do for a time. If Discord does not know we are here, he will not bother us. Out of sight, out of mind.”

The rainbow-maned pegasus scanned the horizon. “We should be out there. Helping ponies.”

“We are helping, Rainbow.” Spitfire sighed. “But all that will be for nothing if one of us gets caught.”

Rainbow Dash stomped her hooves. “Then why are we skulking around in the background, hiding in the shadows? Princess Celestia must need help, or she would be back right now to make things right.”

“Rainbow.” Spitfire spoke with such intensity that the fiery filly wilted a little. “I won't tell you again. The princess can take care of herself. And if she couldn't, where would you look for her? The ponies of Cloudsdale need a safe harbor and we are going to give it to them. You can either help, or go on your wild gull chase.”

Rainbow Dash sighed. For all her loathing of being lectured, she knew Spitfire was right. Maybe I am being too rash, but... I just hate the thought of Celestia in peril.

Silence brought her some calm. She scanned the ever-shifting horizon again and then dropped back down beside Spitfire. “It's going to get worse, isn't it?”

“I do not know how far this will spread, but we need to move as many pegasi away from Canterlot as we can,” said Spitfire. “The long-term well being of Equestria may depend on it. If Discord should ever bore of playing king, everypony will need us to take over again. Nightmare Moon may have tied our hooves before, but we were unprepared for her arrival. This time will be different.”

“What are we going to do?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“What nopony has done in hundreds of years,” said Spitfire, tugging her goggles down. “We're going to move Cloudsdale.”

Fluttershy

Fluttershy took tea with Zecora, as had become a daily ritual. This time they worked in a bit of mint that she had found on one of her treks into the forest. The first time being in the zebra's hut had frightened her—she had wards and charms, and beyond that masks of beasts and of ponies alike, hallmarks of her homeland. Now they made her feel at home.

“It's not as crazy as you might think,” said the Zebra as she drew the aromatic beverage from the pot. “Would you like some sugar in your drink?”

“Oh, yes, please,” said Fluttershy. The heat of the fire and the leafy smell of the tea calmed her with each breath. She tipped her cup up and took a silent, deliberate sip. “It's lovely, Zecora. But do you think it will do the trick? My poor babies just haven't been the same ever since, well... you know.”

Zecora nodded and glanced out the window. New fences and pens filled the narrow forest yard, clipping around trees and the remains of some trees they'd unfortunately had to move. They'd worked quickly to move the animals in Fluttershy's care over, but many did not escape the worst of the burgeoning chaos.

Rabbits stood on legs like stilts. Her chickens had been turned every color of the rainbow, and their feathers turned to glass, or springs. She had to quarantine poor Elizabeak, whose feathers had gotten a permanent glaze reminiscent of kettle corn. The ferrets looked like hedgehogs and the hedgehogs looked like ferrets. Most of the birds couldn't fly, but the snakes could, so she had to keep a careful eye on them all.

“Have faith in this old Zebra, friend. All their troubles are at an end... no matter what ails you, I always have a special brew.”

Fluttershy drank her tea. It did make her feel a lot better. Even being in Ponyville made her feel strange, wrong, starting with the hooves. Then it got into her ears. She was beginning to fear something horrible was going to change in her.

Satisfied that the tea was safe (and delicious), the pegasus poured some of the brew onto a saucer and offered it to an unfortunately tall Angel. “Drink up, now. You'll be all better soon.”

The long-legged bunny gave her a look, and Fluttershy smiled and looked back. Their exchanged went rapidly and with no more gesture than their locked eyes, bits like I'm not going to drink that, and yes you are, boy, and fine, but only because I look ridiculous. In the end, the bunny lapped up the tea and after a few good mouthfuls, a few sparks of magic discharged around him. His legs shortened, his ears perked up, and he returned to normal.

Satisfied, Angel reclaimed his throne on Fluttershy's back and stole a carrot from the table.

“Will we have enough for all of them? I just feel so bad... if I had not abandoned them there...”

Zecora poured her own cup and then poured a bucket of water into her pot. “There was nothing you could do, and they would be in trouble if not for you. With this tea, you need only drink a drop to make the crazy magic stop.”

Fluttershy nodded. It calmed her knowing that her animal friends would be fine, but something about the Everfree still bothered her. “Why is it safe here, anyway? I mean, it's not safe safe, but it's different. The forest is always changing, but it doesn't effect anyone living here. The magic isn't spreading from Ponyville or anything...”

That gave Zecora pause. She threw a few more leaves into the pot and gave it a stir. “Some say it is old and some say it is cursed, but nopony knows which is true or which is first. Ancient magic crawls 'round earth and sky, although I cannot tell you why. Though this forest always changes faces, things are always in their places. The way may change but the path will remain. What you have seen, you can see again.”

“Which is why you built your home in one of these places?” Fluttershy paced to the edge of the hut. Come to think of it, neither of us ever seemed to have any trouble getting to Ponyville and back.

The zebra chuckled and murmured something over the tea. Fluttershy was never sure if it was just for habit, or if there was magic in her words, but she was not about to question the mare who brought her Angel back to normal.

“That is why I live here, yes, and do not mind a friendly guest. The wild wood has much to give you, there are just a few quirks to get used to.”

“Oh, yes,” said Fluttershy. “The beasts are big and tough but most of them haven't been so bad. The timber wolves have been nice enough to keep an eye on the chickens for me. It's not like they eat birds. They're just wood! That'd be just silly.”

Zecora shook her head and sampled the tea from her spoon, and then added a fine, earthy smelling dust. “That may be so, but there are still things to fear. Not long ago there lurked a shadow here.”

The tips of Fluttershy's wings straightened and she had to squirm to keep them wings from lifting. The last time she'd seen a shadow in the forest, it'd done everything it could to kill her and her friends. And then it took over Equestria, and... “A shadow? Was it purple and smokey with a bad attitude? Where was it?”

“This morning... on the road from Ponyville.” Zecora thought, and itched her forehead as if trying to dig up the memory. “Past the fox trees and golem hill... at the stream we parted ways.” She shuddered and jammed her spoon deep into the cauldron. “To the north... wherever it goes, I hope it stays.”

As Fluttershy imagined the shape of the shadow worming through the forest, her wings flared up. It had sheared cliffs beneath her friends and set monsters upon them. And now it was doing something terrible again. For a moment she fell out of her body, into that mind of darkness, and she heard the crying of fillies and the crackle of distant laughter.

The chill tore her in two, one part of her mind scattered to the past and the other in the future. Nightmare Moon stood between them, wings raised, laughing. Darkness eclipsed the land in Fluttershy's mind and it felt as if night had settled upon Equestria once more. The vision burrowed into her head until it felt like bursting and she let a cry of fury. A future that she refuted unfolded before her, and she lay helpless before it.

No, I will not fall again.

And as if possessed, she burst from the table and threw open the door. Had she not seen her chickens there, she would have left without a word. Instead, she spared Zecora a few through gritted teeth. “Take care of my babies. I need to go.”

Zecora looked up and cried out. “Fluttershy, wait! You cannot...”

But she was out of earshot in seconds. Angel clung to the back of her neck as she dived through the trees. When the path was good she galloped and when it gave way to roots and moss and creeks, she took to wing.

Not far from the hut she caught sight of a timber wolf skulking about. She tagged the wolf on the shoulder in passing and it turned to follow her, racing through the underbrush as if it were open plains.

“We are looking for a shadow, Birch Bite,” she said.

The timber wolf howled for the hunt. Though the sun shone bright, less and less of it filtered through the high trees. Shadows lurked everywhere, but the true shadow, the nightmare, could lurk anywhere. Birch lifted her nose and must have picked up some sort of scent, because she tore off ahead.

Fluttershy's rage drove her fast enough to keep up with the sylvan beast. Faster and faster they went. She ducked a branch, bobbed over a tree, and flapped her wings, with Angel still clinging tightly to her.

Then she saw it and grew cold, as if she had fallen into a high cloud of snow. A slip of smoke and shade, dark as night, wove through the trees. She darted, and it seemed to sense her because it moved faster.

In the back of her mind she could hear crying, feel a deep sorrow that she did not understand. The sympathy tugged at her anger and twisted it into confusion. The trees grew thicker and thicker together until her beating wings brushed at bark on every flap, until she finally broke into open air.

The ground dropped steeply, moss into grass. A sudden wind knocked her back as she darted into blue sky. Birch Bite jumped neatly from the top of the ledge and onto a branch overlooking a forest valley.

She only let her attention on the shadow falter for a moment, but it was enough time for it to skitter away. She landed near the bottom of the slope and panted to catch her breath.

At first her gaze roamed in an attempt to find the shadow again, but at every turn she only found serenity. Blue skies and scattered clouds drifted overhead. Sprawling fields teemed with life, green and white and wild rainbows sprawling about streams and waterfalls. Hills rolled up from hills until they met the cliffs at either side, or faded into the trees on either end of the valley.

Then Angel hopped from her back and gave a sniff. He jumped into a patch of honey clover and nibbled at the buds.

“Did you know about this place?” Fluttershy asked, looking to the timber wolf. Birch let a yawn and a whine and sat beside her.

Yes, she thought, maybe all of the creatures here know of it.

How such place filled with serenity and splendour could exist so close to a cursed castle ruin remained beyond her. Just being there, though, she knew that it was a good place. A safe place. It came to her in the smell of flowers and each lung-filling breath. A refuge in the Everfree, not just for her, but for the animals of the forest, and the animals of Equestria, and any creature in need of sanctuary.

The shadow moved beyond her grasp, and now she had not the heart to follow it. Her fury and desperation faded into memory, though haunted her even as she lay amongst the dandelions. If I had caught Nightmare Moon, what would I do? Hurt her? What would that solve?

As if sensing her thoughts, Angel abandoned the clover and returned to her side. The two burrowed down into a nest of dandelion down. She let her muscles go slack and closed her eyes. Evil passed through the valley and she knew, somehow, she would not see it again. The tension left her hooves as she scraped at the ground, banishing thoughts of raising them to strike another pony.

Oh, Fluttershy... maybe you need this sanctuary too.

Beyond the Pale

Twilight Sparkle

While Twilight stood in that golden land, time seemed endless. All of existence seemed to balance on the point of a single moment, her mane brushed by the subtle movements of the wind. She drew breath when she thought there was no air to breathe and thought for the longest time that she would awaken and find herself alone in Canterlot once more.

The serenity of the scene shattered at a gurgling that erupted from Twilight's stomach. The sweets she had on the zeppelin were all she'd eaten for the better part of a day. She hid herself beneath the grass and groaned.

Discord chuckled. “You mortals and your constant need for munching. Just eat something and let's get a move on.”

As much as Twilight resented his attitude, he had a point. Her resolve and purpose already slipped her mind the moment she came to this place. She set to nibble a few tufts of the green when, most peculiarly, a beastly rumble sounded from Discord's belly.

“What was that about mortals?” she laughed.

The draconequus sighed and plucked up a flower, twirling it between his claws. “Don't think that just because I hunger that we're on the same food chain now. I am like a pony and you are a mere mouse in the field. This place is bigger than me, but far bigger than you, young Twilight.”

Twilight paused again while lowering to graze and eyed Discord, who seemed preoccupied in plucking the flower and discarding the petals into shimmering dust. That's strange, she thought. It's almost like he's telling me to be careful.

He paid little attention to her after that, though, and busied himself in twisting the nature of the grass and spinning it into little pink fibers of sugar. He coaxed them out into a dancing maypole of colors and flavors and finally when little shelled candies bloomed from them he set to eating. Twilight's stomach took great interest and she finally leaned down to sate it.

The first bite of crisp green soaked into her mouth, full of richness and flavor. This is... unreal. It was as if she had experienced grass for the first time. As if what grew around her was the very idea and essence of grass, and every blade in Equestria was only an imitation, a pale thing inspired by what it meant to be green and fulfilling.

They feasted at length, their only company the sweeps of shadows from misty clouds soaring at an impossible height. And when they were near to bursting they settled into the flattened patch they'd made and considered one another again.

“So if you know so much about this place,” asked Twilight, “do you have any idea where Celestia might be?”

Discord rubbed his belly, then looked up as if she were distracting him. “Not a clue. This place goes on forever. It's definitely a great place to hide out an aeon or two if you manage not to get yourself totally lost.”

“I don't think the princess is hiding,” said Twilight. “But what could she be doing, then? Looking for something?”

“Who knows?” said Discord. “But we're not going to find her by sitting around here and complaining about it.”

“You're right.”

Twilight opened one of her saddlebags and pulled out the orb of light. It seemed all the more lustrous there, its radiance thrumming like the slow beating of a heart. She touched it with a hoof and exhaled.

Maybe a tracing spell will work a lot better if we're in the right place, she thought.

When she cast the spell, she could see threads of gold unwinding from thin air and coalescing into her, where they became shaded in her purple and took form. The power made her shiver. It seemed like she could tap into an infinite amount of arcane energies and channeling the spell was so easy, yet it set her blood to pumping. All she had to do was think of Celestia and the enchantment came to life.

“What are you doing?” Discord leapt at her and pushed her to the ground, but far too late to stop her.

The orb coursed with purple and pearl light, twisting about it in a crescent. Then it whistled and screamed through the sky, vanishing somewhere on the horizon. As soon as the spell took off, a hundred shapes around them, all vaguely-pony like, scattered in every direction. A swarm of little firefly glows passed them, too, tickling Twilight's nose and tail.

“Getting a better idea of where she is,” said Twilight, tugging herself out from beneath Discord's coil. “Since when did you care about a bit of a ruckus?”

“Oh, no, that was a delectable moment of cacophony,” Discord said, then shook his head. “There's no way nopony saw that. And there are some ponies I particularly don't want to meet. Me being here is very, very bad. I have to think of something fast.”

Twilight tilted her head. “I thought this was kind of the place for... things like you.”

“Well, yes. And no. This place is a pony paradise, don't you think? Utterly perfect and positioned between Equestria and the rest of the cosmos. Where do you think we are?”

I've never really thought about it. Ever since I dreamed of this place I just knew it was somewhere I was meant to be. What it is... on the edge of Equestria...

The color drained from Twilight's face. “This is the afterlife?”

Discord snapped his fingers. “Sort of. It's kind of in between here and there. And sometimes the occasional lost soul winds up here. But it's the pony afterlife. Not anything else. Not anyone else. And there are powerful beings who want to keep it that way.” He sighed heavily. “And as you might have noticed by now, I am not a pony.”

Twilight looked him over. “Aren't you like, part pony?”

This made Discord look at himself, and after a moment's consideration, sigh in disgust. “In a sense you're right. Fine. Turn around, and make sure no one sees. I just know I'm going to regret this later.”

Twilight had no idea what the draconequus intended to do, but did as she was told and turned to look where the light of her spell had vanished. In Equestria she could tell the distance based on the curvature and a few mental tugs on the magic, but it didn't seem to add up anymore. The very nature of the place was different. At least they had a direction, though.

After several uncomfortable moments of silence, Discord spoke again. “Alright. How bad is it?”

His voice sounded a bit odd—less booming but more baritone. She turned around, expecting to see him in the air but saw nothing but a tuft of hair somewhere at the bottom of her vision. And when she looked upon Discord she nearly fell over from the sight of him.

Discord had transformed into a pony, a broad-shouldered and full-barreled stallion with thick chestnut hair. His cutiemark was an incomprehensible mess of six colors in infinite shapes, drifting off into the blankness of his fur. Little ghosts of his old form remained—red markings of scales on his arms, several braids in his tail, bits and pieces that were just shaped like him. But all in all, he was a pony. With a long white flowing mane and lush beard flowing from his chin.

“Oh, I just knew I wouldn't do it right,” said Discord.

“Huh?”

“Your face is red. Spit it out, Twilight Sparkle. What did I mess up? Is it the tail? I can never keep track of the thing.”

He twisted to look back over his shoulders in a display of limberness that made Twilight shiver.

“Well?” Discord nickered.

Twilight glared at him. “Nothing. It's perfect. You're fine.”

“Oh, good,” said Discord, dusting his beard as if nothing had ever been wrong.

In the name of Celestia... stop looking at him. Twilight clenched her teeth and turned around again. So he's a LITTLE BIT cute. He's still Discord.

“Just in time,” muttered Discord.

Their attention drew immediately to a white figure upon the horizon. Twilight's heart skipped a beat and she galloped through the field without a second thought. By the size and the sheer presence of the pony it had to be Celestia, walking slowly towards them. The unicorn heard Discord calling out for her, soon racing in her wake but she wouldn't turn around for anything.

And as soon as she reached the pony she thought was Celestia, Discord grabbed her tail in her teeth, making her fall onto her front hooves just inches from the white pony.

“A troublemaker and an impulsive filly,” said a mare who was most definitely not Celestia. “Alive, no less. I'd assume you were lost, but there is no way you could have come here without a great deal of effort.”

Twilight Sparkle looked up, though felt compelled to remain bowed before the mare. Her size and presence rivaled that of Celestia, though she possessed no horn nor wings. Instead of auroras and shades of lively colors, this mare was entirely cast in a snow white, like the purest glow of winter moon. Her long mane, hooves, even her eyes remained bright and blank.

The mare took a step back and put her under a stern gaze, though Twilight could sense no malice in her. “Throughout my time a few ponies have come here, led either by their greed for life or knowledge. Why do you come here, child? And be truthful. I will know if you are not.”

“Someone dear to me came this way,” said Twilight. “I intend to find her and bring her home.”

“You have come a great way to do so,” said the mare, shaking her head. “But that is impossible. Those that come here must move on, or else rest under the eternal shade. You must forget her and leave this place before you are taken by it.”

Discord grunted. “She's not dead, or anything,” he said. “By that reason alone we should be dragging her back to Equestria. And how could the Pale Mare miss something like the Sun herself slipping through her domain?”

The Pale Mare quirked an eyebrow. “It seems you have enough knowledge to tie your own tongue,” she said. “But the sun has right to passage in these lands. You are but trespassers. I may not be able to evict you, but one touch and you will be bound here.”

And suddenly Twilight understood why Discord had tried to stop her. Why he felt fear in such a place. The Pale Mare, as he so called her, must have been a pony that presided over the land of the spirits. Bits and pieces of her dreams, like memories forgotten, suddenly crystallized in her mind. She knew the Pale Mare, and had felt her watchful gaze for many nights.

“I must find her, even if it means losing my life,” said Twilight. With a flick of her horn she brought Celestia's ball of light to her side and presented it. “I believe Celestia meant for us to find her. This is all she left in Equestria, and the only thing that lead us here. Please...”

The guardian looked down upon them, her frown fading. She stood considering for a time. “I can not help you,” she said, more softly than before, “but if you are in the sun's charge, I will overlook you for now. Be warned, however. This place will test you. This place will eat at you. You are still as mortal here as in any other land, and the nature of this place can evoke dangers beyond your imagining.”

She scraped her hooves into the ground and a faint tremor ran beneath them. Twilight saw her attention shift to Discord, who was practically trying to hide behind her now. “And if you disturb the peace of the ponies here, I will destroy you myself.”

Twilight Sparkle swallowed and nodded. “I understand,” she said. “And thank you.”

The Pale Mare only nodded and turned away. Her body began to sift into mist and Twilight would have thought her departure peaceful if not for a faint moment when her figure shuddered dark and her eyes lit up with golden flame. Twilight felt a single word sear through her mind.

Invaders.

And then the Pale Mare was gone. Twilight and Discord stood in the empty field. Spirits shyly crept back from the distance to mix in the fields and return to their ephemeral play.

“It's kind of funny, seeing you scared,” said Twilight, smiling back at him.

“If anything, you should be all the more terrified,” muttered Discord. He razzberried and then trotted off towards where the light of Twilight's spell had lead. “Let's get out of here while she's distracted. If we're lucky, we'll never have to speak to her again.”

At least until I'm at the end of my mortal coil. Twilight shuddered at the morbidity of her own thoughts. But it was impossible not to consider her fate, the inevitable fate of all living things, while walking through one of their worlds. He's right. I should be afraid.

And her mind drifted to the pale mare's sudden fury, her attention to somewhere else in the plane. They were not alone. They were not the only ones who had entered the golden lands. Nightmare Moon? And if not Nightmare Moon, then who else...?

The Battle of Canterlot

Fluttershy

Fluttershy wept over the passing of Cadence. Though they'd only had a brief time to know one another, she knew the kindness that dwelt within her. Twilight considered the princess dear, and so would she.

The first seeds of hardness sprouted in her heart, sewn by the evils that threatened Equestria, wintered in the long nights, and finally brought to blossom as the pony she had worked to save slipped away from her. Equestria had changed, and in doing so it changed her. While Zecora cleaned the princess' wound, she wiped her tears and buried her sorrow where it would have to remain until a day when the sun shone bright once more.

Zecora wrapped Cadence's body, now in calm repose, within a long white cloth. Fluttershy went to the forests and called out in a long and somber tone. The beasts gathered. The wolves, the birds, the monsters and any creature willing to follow her met her there. Angel tried to settle on her neck but she removed him with a wing.

“Sorry, Angel bunny,” she whispered. “I have to carry somepony else.”

“I fear it may be too dangerous for the little one,” said Zecora. “He should remain here until our work is done.”

Fluttershy shook her head as Angel did. “I'm not leaving him alone,” she said, “and I don't think he'd let me.” The bunny folded his paws and nodded. “It'll be okay. I won't let anypony else get hurt.”

Zecora nodded. The pegasus knelt in front of her and offered her back. Zecora brought Cadence's body and laid it against, then bound it loosely behind her wings. The weight bore down on her back, but she forced herself to carry it, for she could not stop blaming herself for what had happened. As she steadied herself, Zecora strapped her own saddlebags on and donned her cloak.

And they and all the creatures in their host began the long march to Canterlot.

Ponyville was deserted. All of the villas and farms lay abandoned, the most crucial items taken and all else left behind.

But I was the first to leave, she thought, recalling how they passed her cottage.

They met the tail of another caravan making its way to the Canterlot city gates but did not stop to speak to them. Most ponies froze in terror at the strange sight, and she could not blame them. They would spook at just the sight of a pegasus with a strange cargo and the hooded zebra accompanying her. The parade of silent, staring beasts was enough to send them fleeing to the shelter of their wagons. But it also guaranteed their safety when Fluttershy's burden became too much, and they were forced to rest.

The weight of Cadence burned at her withers but she did not yield. The sky dimmed as she climbed into the lamp-lit streets of the city. Clusters of ponies, mostly families, filled the main streets while clamoring for space and shelter. Some simply sat on the curbs and in shops, worn ragged from the sudden uprooting from their hometowns. There would certainly be more to come.

All parted and quieted before her until she reached the palace gates where the two guards, mortified, raised their wings to stop her.

“Castle Canterlot is closed to the public,” said one mare, looking over the line of creatures that extended down the stairs. “As well as the wild.”

“I want to speak to your captain,” said Fluttershy. “He's... a friend.”

The other guard snorted. “Captain Shining Armor is in a meeting concerning the well-being of this city. “Friend or not, this is far from the time.”

The timberwolves took the guards' scent and growled lowly. Fluttershy shook her head and bid them to heel. They did so, but not without a grumble of bark on pulp. “I come with gifts,” she said, meeting the eyes of the guards. “For the princess. These animals I tamed and this treasure is sure to make a fitting tribute. For showing such kindness in opening her city to Equestria, it's the least I could do.”

The guards looked at one another, their ears perked high at the mention of gifts and treasure. “We will show you in,” said one.

“Wait,” said the other, looking at the wrapped shape on Fluttershy's back. “What's in the cloth?”

“It is for the princess' eyes only,” she said. “Royal etiquette and all.”

They studied the concealed body of Cadence closely, and then her. She kept her mind calm and steeled. There was something she intended to show the princess, and Shining Armor should have been somewhere close by. Finally, the guards nodded. Above them, a gatesman's horn lit and the gate groaned open.

Fluttershy and her company entered the palace as the gates sealed shut again. She ascended the great flights of stairs. Her hooves strained. She kept climbing and traversing the corridors, always under the watchful eye of the guard, until they had reached the entrance to the throne room. Another changeling-as-pegasus leered at her.

“Her highness is busy,” said the guard there, eying the guard escorting them. “Whatever business you have will have to wait.”

“I will see her now,” she said, lifting the tips of her wings up. A threatening growl chorused over the beasts and then silenced. She would give one warning. “Neither your princess nor I have the patience to be meddled with.”

She stared into the guard's eye. Even a changeling in disguise knew to shiver in front of her, for her will was absolute. They would enter. She hoped it would not come to a fight, but she knew if it did, there was no way that a half a dozen guards could take on her entire pack. The guard must have realized this, because in spite of an indignant snort, he turned and made to open the final door.

Rarity

“You made your cousin an officer? What were you thinking?”

Shining Armor rubbed his temples, voicing his latest exasperation before the throne. Rarity sat with several of the advisers, watching and wondering what the princess intended with their presence as she handed down orders from the throne.

What is she thinking? Rarity glanced around, silent as she had been for days. I understand she's been under some stress because of the attack, but there's no way she would trust Blueblood with command.

Princess Cadence leaned back against the throne and sighed. “I thought I gave command of the third battalion to someone suited to the station." Then she turned from side to side, addressing the handful of well-armored guards on either side of the throne. "Was I not clear enough the first time?” They murmured in agreement.

“Clear as crystal,” said Shining Armor, standing. “It's also obvious that you did so without consulting me, or anypony else.”

“Need I remind you that I am princess?” said Cadence. “It is my duty to run the guard as I see fit.”

“You may be the princess,” said Shining Armor, “but you know nothing of war. Let me be your sword and your shield. Call your cousin back from the front. There's nothing to be gained for him in the north.”

“The changeling party was seen retreating that way,” said Cadence. “If he should catch them, he will have the glory he so craves, and if he does not find them, he will be safe from harm.”

Shining Armor slammed his hooves against the floor. “That's not a good enough reason! Canterlot is packed to the walls with refugees and more come by the day. By opening our gates so freely, we may as well have invited the entire changeling hive into our homes!”

Cadence raised an eyebrow. “And you would have me leave our subjects without shelter against this threat?”

“No, I...” Shining Armor sighed. “All I ask for is the strength to protect them. To protect you.”

“And you have it,” said Cadence. “Scores of strong ponies under your command.”

“It's not enough,” said Shining Armor. “Cadence, please listen to me. The changelings have the perfect opportunity to sack Canterlot. If they have not already, they must be waiting for something.”

The princess folded her hooves beneath her. “And what do you think that is, my dear?”

“I don't...”

Before Shining Armor could respond, the doors to the throne room swung open. Everypony looked up in stunned silence as Fluttershy staggered into the room with a large white object upon her back. She fell onto the floor and every animal that could fit inside the doorway formed a half-circle behind her.

“Fluttershy!” exclaimed Rarity. She left the clamoring council and dashed to her friend's side, propping her up.

“What is the meaning of this?” Cadence rose to her full stature and glared at Fluttershy, then at the guards beside her. “I ordered that there be no interruptions.”

“This pony came to offer tribute,” said the guard. They yanked the cloth containing Cadence's body and tossed it onto the floor before her.

Cadence grit her teeth. “I don't care if you brought me the jewels off of Celestia's crown,” she said, waving her hoof. “You will all be punished for disobeying my orders.” She exhaled sharply. “Show me.”

Fluttershy leaned upon Rarity and whispered into her ear. She's not the princess...

Rarity's eyes widened. The guards threw open the cloth and it unfurled to reveal Cadence's lifeless body. The council gasped and shrunk back into the chamber. Shining Armor froze one moment, and then in another he rushed over to the body. He pressed a hoof against her unmoving chest. Tears rolled down his face. “Oh, no... Cadence. Cadence...!”

“I'm right here, dear,” said the princess, flapping her wings. She looked around each pony with paranoid attention. “Fools. This is just the trickery of changelings.”

Zecora threw back her hood and standing between the ponies around Cadence and the rest of the throne room. “The princess bears scars left by the horn of the changeling queen. End this charade, and let your true nature be seen!”

The princess laughed and tilted her horn at Shining Armor, as if to trigger some spell she'd laid upon him. But whatever magics she used could not overcome the fury and the hate that burned in his eyes. Shining Armor screamed and turned, firing a lance of magic at her. The spell sheared her cheek and caused her to cry out in pain. Shining Armor broke from the group and charged at the imposter. As he got close, she turned and her wing stiffened like forged metal before smashing him aside. Blood dripped from her face and her body began to melt away into a shiny black substance. Green flame encircled her, and magical energies shivered through the air. Chrysalis shed her pony skin in a violent burst and revealed her true form.

“I suppose you've finally seen through my ruse,” she said. “But it's too late. Canterlot is already mine.”

Shining Armor rolled to his hooves and charged her again. As she reached to strike him again, his horn flickered and a bright blue wall of magic appeared in front of him. He rammed into her and the kinetic force released, sending her sprawling back across the room. Once she was down, he did not relent, launching volley after volley of attacks at her.

“You killed her,” he growled. “Killed Cadence!”

Chrysalis laughed and flittered her wings, pulling herself up. “And I suppose you're going to kill me?”

Shining Armor narrowed his eyes, nearly red with rage. “I am.”

“And you used to be so gentle,” said Chrysalis. “You even fought against the execution of my children. Now look at you. Dear Cadence would hate to see you like this.”

He loosed another surge of magic at her. This time she retaliated with a flash of emerald light, causing his spell to shatter as it struck her own. She cackled. “You loved one another so deeply. How ironic that your pure, selfless love is what gave me the power to destroy you.”

Then she pointed her horn at the ceiling and fired. A beacon of green light screeched upwards and tore through the ceiling. It traveled to the top of the sky and then a web of light and sound burst over Canterlot.

“Is that supposed to scare me?” said Shining Armor, lowering himself for another charge.

“You should fear,” said Chrysalis. “My children will take the city, and Canterlot will be mine. All while their fearless leader is too blind with rage to help them.”

Shining Armor threw himself at her again. She took to the air and easily evaded his strike. He began to pursue her, unleashing spell after spell. Chrysalis burst out one of the stained glass windows and Shining Armor leapt through into the courtyard beyond.

The changeling queen's signal caused the guards to stand straight with attention. They shed their disguises, turning to Fluttershy and her friends. Before they could move again, Zecora whipped her staff out from beneath her cloak and dispatched two with swift, successive strikes. The council continued to seek shelter as each of the guards in the room flashed and transformed into changelings, only to be torn down by Fluttershy's wolves and Zecora's staff. Sounds of battle rose from outside the throne room where the beasts engaged the enemy in the halls.

The zebra looked over at Rarity. “They could not have moved the guards where anypony could see. Do you have any idea where they might be?”

Rarity looked up. The death of Cadence, the infiltration of the changelings, and Fluttershy's worn body still railed at her brain. She forced herself to breathe and compose herself. Come now Rarity, this isn't your first taste of battle. You must be strong.

“They are probably in the dungeons, where the changelings were supposed to be held,” she said. Then she lifted Fluttershy's head in her hooves and frowned. “This is no place for you, dear.”

Fluttershy smiled and shook her head, coughing as she rose. “It's okay, Rarity. I've got my animal friends to protect me.”

Rarity cast a glance over her shoulder to see a timberwolf tearing into a changeling and winced. “I see your point. There's probably not a single safe place in in the city now.” She forced a smile. “Will you join me in a little tour of the Canterlot dungeons?”

“Of course,” said Fluttershy.

“I know a few passages that will make our trip easier,” said Rarity. “Come, we must be quick.”

Fluttershy turned and the rest of the beasts followed. Together they hurried through the doorways and to the passages that would lead them to the basements of Canterlot.

Lyra

The unicorns of Canterlot bid the moon to rise, and then lingered in the castle grounds at length. Though at first only their duty bound them together, the shared experience soon became a spiritual one. They stayed long after completing the and shared in one another's company. It was difficult for them to mingle with other ponies immediately afterwards.

“Other ponies don't understand what it feels like,” one of them said. “I feel sorry for them.”

Just what those snobs would say, thought Lyra, propping herself against the outer wall. She stroked the body of her lyre and sighed. Maybe they're right. We have a connection to the cosmos that they can't ever feel or understand. She looked towards the castle towers and thought of Bon Bon. Or maybe that's the way the pegasi feel about the sky. The way the earth ponies feel about the earth. Maybe we're all connected to Equestria like this...

She went to pluck another note but could not hear it. The bright green light burst from the palace and a shrill squeal filled her ears. Every unicorn swung to attention and stared up as the net of light arced to every corner of Canterlot. After a moment, the sound stopped.

And then the buzzing began.

“Changelings!” someone in the crowd shrieked. They began to pace and chatter. A stampede could have broken out at any minute. Lyra amplified her instrument and played a single chord to gather their attention.

“Calm your stockings, lacebottoms.” She smacked her side and grinned. “The last time this lot tried to take us on we sent them home packing. And that was before we had any idea what the heck we were up against.”

“But they could be among us right now!”

Lyra rubbed her forehead and watched as the collection of pampered unicorns tried to descend into distress again. “It's impossible for a changeling to raise the sun or the moon. They must not have infiltrated us.” The group began to calm. Lyra had to seize the opportunity. “We can't separate. We don't know who is and isn't a changeling outside of these walls.”

“What do we do, then?”

The buzzing above Canterlot grew louder. Even above the castle walls they could see a sky filled with a swarm of black bodies. Lyra drummed her hooves against the ground and chuckled to herself.

“We fight back.” She waved a hoof. “Everyone up onto the castle walls! We've moved the sun and the moon. Taking down a few hundred changelings should be foal's play.”

“We're not trained soldiers. Most of us only know a few basic defense spells...”

“That should be enough,” said Lyra. “Changelings rely on their numbers more than anything. Come on!”

Inside she knew it wasn't that simple. And they probably knew that, too. But their time spent linked through magic gave them strength. They felt safer together, and they felt stronger. Together they climbed to the castle walls and formed their lines across the stones. Below, they could see that fighting had exploded in the streets. It was impossible to tell who was who—royal guards, civilians, and changelings all blended together in the Canterlot sprawl.

“Keep your eyes on the sky,” said Lyra, positioning herself at the fore. She conjured a beam of light and swung it towards the north. “Not gonna be any ponies up there, so just hittem with what you've got. Even just a bit of force should be enough. Let's do it like the spellslingers of old.”

The unicorns followed her direction. The changelings also noticed her bright flare from upon the wall. Hundreds broke from the swarm and began to dive towards their position.

“Ready...” she called, hoping that they could ever possibly be. She didn't bother to look. There wouldn't be enough time. She tucked her lyre against her side, swung her charged horn to the air, and bellowed.

“Volleys!”

She fired the first burst of magic towards the changelings and began charging another. A few of the unicorns lagged behind, for misunderstanding or for nerves, but soon dozens of their bolts lit up the skies. Several bursts of magic sheared through the swarm and brought changeling after changeling hurtling towards the ground. Wherever they fell, many more still came.

“Good!” she called. “All together now. Keep going!”

With each volley the unicorns grew more confident in their abilities. Their familiarity with one another and their magics lent them to aid one another and unleash a glittering shower of colors on their attackers. Only a few changelings managed to get close, but a few seemed to be enough. They swept down when the unicorns paused to gather their strength between shots. They flickered with green fire as they aimed their horns downward and began to drop.

“Shields!” Lyra cried out.

Fifty unicorns brought up a shield at once. The white shining dome formed a solid wall of light between them and the skies above. Changeling after changeling crashed into it horn-first, then tumbled off the side of the dome. Each blow made the unicorns stagger. The shield soon flickered and Lyra waved her hoof.

When it dispelled, another swarm of changelings fell to the ground between them, the shock waves sending some unicorns sprawling across the ground. Lyra stepped to the side and swung her lyre in wide ark, clubbing a changeling over the head with its base. It fell over, unconscious.

“We've got this,” she declared, whirling her instrument around for another strike. “Keep together and give no quarter. For Canterlot!”

“For Canterlot!” The unicorns cried, and dived into the fray.

Their battle continued frantically. None of them had the discipline of a soldier, only the wild determination to survive and protect their home. Lyra's instrument cracked and dented as she swung it around her with her magic. She bucked a changeling off of the wall. They were many, but they were even more clumsy and wild than the unicorns.

The sound of shattering glass arrested their attention briefly. On the upper terrace, the changeling queen flew out of the throne room. Seconds later, Shining Armor followed in close pursuit and dived at her. They scraped and fought on the upper levels of the palace, a chorus of battle cries and flurries of hoof and magic.

Even a moment's distraction proved enough time for one changeling to land a lucky hit. A tiny green bolt struck Lyra between the ribs and she tumbled mane over hoof, groaning as she fell onto the stone wall. The changeling that struck her charged. She rolled onto her back and threw her hooves up, sending it careening upwards and tumbling over the wall's edge.

“I'm okay!” she declared, trying to rise. The pain was too intense. She slumped back against the wall with a gasp, grasping at her side. Her coat had been singed and a dark red sore spread where she'd been struck. She propped herself up against the wall and fired several bursts at changelings who thought to take advantage of her prone state. All three met the floor before they got anywhere near her.

“Keep it up, colts...” she laughed and coughed, holding her lyre close. The enemy fell before them in droves but not before they managed to knock one of the unicorns down. And then another. Their standing numbers shrunk and the changelings seemed infinite. The battle was not one they could win on their own.

Pinkie Pie

A line of dim lanterns lit the cellar. All the youngest and anypony unwilling or unable to fight took shelter there, and hundreds of faces sat crammed together. Pinkie Pie sat on top of a crate amidst a circle of small children. Mr. and Mrs. Cake sat quietly and anxiously beside her, holding hooves. The foals were almost ready to come, and that terrified them more than the war raging on the streets above. The rumble and clatter sounded constantly. The ceiling above them shook and the cellar door battered against its hinges. It bumped forward now and again and met resistance from the shelves and boxes that had been piled against it.

“At least we're in the basement of the donut shop, right?” said Pinkie, clapping her hooves together. “When this is over we can all go up and stuff our faces! Won't that be great?”

“I'm scared,” said one of the fillies.

“I miss my mom and dad.”

Pinkie Pie's ears drooped, but she smiled. She had to. That was the only way she knew to keep their spirits up. “Your parents are doing their best,” she said. “They're probably safe like us. We just need to wait.”

Mrs. Cake tugged on Pinkie's withers. “Are you sure that we're safe?” she sniffed. “They're right outside the door, and if one of them should get in here, I don't know what we would do!”

Pinkie Pie shook her head. “They can't get in,” she said. “Don't worry! There are a lot of strong ponies fighting to protect us right now. And the meanies can't get in as long as we keep the door shut, right?”

“I suppose you're right,” said Mrs. Cake. Mister Cake hugged her from behind, his hooves around her swollen belly.

“I promise I won't let anything happen to you,” said Pinkie Pie. Then she leaned down in front of Mrs. Cake's stomach and giggled. “Or you. Or you.” And then to the rest of the room. “Or you, or you, or you...”

The door rumbled again and the lamps flickered. Pinkie Pie hopped off of the crate and looked around the room.

“Well, I haven't met so many of you! This is a great time to get to know one another. Maybe we should do introductions?”

The children blinked. One flickered her little wings. “That would take all night,” she said.

“It takes a lot of time to make a lot of good friends,” said Pinkie Pie, patting the little pegasus. “But it's worth it. Don't you think?”

The cellar shook. Something slammed against the door violently, causing the pile of boxes to shudder. The group of children whimpered and huddled together. She sighed and soothed over them.

“There's nothing to be afraid of,” she said. “If anything comes in, we can just make it go away.”

“You mean it?”

“Yup!” Pinkie beamed. “This actually seems like a great time for one of granny pie's songs. Perfect time, actually! This time you just listen in.”

Everypony stared, either spellbound or dumbstruck as the pink pony jumped onto an over-sized bag of flour and put her hooves in the air.

When I was a little filly,
and the sun was going down...

Rainbow Dash

The moonlight barely silvered the wings of the pegasi as their flock moved through the night. A glaze of frost coated their wings and made every flap, every breath sting a little. They remained silent. A pegasus' coat was built for such weather; their blood ran quick to keep them warm. Anyone looking up may have seen the stars flicker as thousands of dim shapes soared through the night sky.

Rainbow Dash flew at the head of a wing, five ponies at her either flank. She did not have to look to know that they all followed her. She could feel their flight in her wings, in the very air around them. Only the whisper of the wind and the stroke of pegasus wings met her ears. At least until one young flier moved up the formation to meet her.

“You're breaking formation,” said Rainbow Dash, glancing over at the white-coated filly. When she refused to get back in line, she sighed. “Snowflake, right? Make it quick or Spitfire will have my flanks.”

“Do we have to fligh so high?” she said, shivering. Rainbow thought it was a little odd, given her namesake.

“We don't want to be seen,” said Rainbow Dash, adding pointedly, “or heard.”

Snowflake nodded. Her gaze wandered to the east. “We're not going to make it, are we?” she said.

Rainbow Dash shook her head. “Canterlot will hold,” she said. “Do you understand the plan?”

“Of course. I'm just worried about a friend of mine.”

“Me, too,” admitted Rainbow Dash. “She's probably in hysterics right now. Man, this is totally not her thing. Really froofy mare, but I think you'd like her.” She sighed. “Anyway, there'll be time to worry and rescue later. Right now you need to get back in line.”

“Yes, ma'am,” said Snowflake. She hesitated a moment, and then drifted back through the flight of pegasi.

Rainbow Dash exhaled and look ahead on the horizon. She could see Canterlot set against the distant mountain, aglow with its street lamps and palace lights. Before her and behind her flew a hundred flights of pegasi. Though they were mere shades against the night, the very winds of Equestria seemed to flow through them, towards Canterlot. The stars continued to dim and blink out, one by one, so slow and so little in the billions of lights that Rainbow barely noticed. She couldn't help but feel something hanging above their heads, waiting to fall on even the ceiling of the sky.

Applejack

Applejack watched ponies scramble to and fro beneath the rim of her hat. When the order had come to evacuate Ponyville, she'd resisted vehemently. Even when she sent the others to the safety of Equestria's capital city, she could only be convinced to leave Sweet Apple Acres when one thing became clear: this was where their last stand would take place. Either the Changelings would be forced to relent, or they would meet their end.

The changelings expected to swoop in and take Canterlot. They expected that with the guard spread thin and otherwise incapacitated--that there would be no one left to fight. They were wrong. Applejack's band was not the only one to stand up, although they may have been the most organized. The instant the creatures descended on Canterlot, the ponies abandoned their belongings on the street and sent their children into shelter. They hurried those who were unwilling to fight away and then stood to meet the assault.

“You knew this day'd come,” said Applejack, addressing the hundred or so ponies packed into the streets. “You're ready. They ain't. They come lookin' for a conquering and they got a fight on their hooves. Everypony is depending on us. Stay together. Stay strong. And send those bleedin' monsters back where they came from!”

Their hooves rumbled and the ponies cheered. They cried for the oncoming battle and braced themselves, forming into lines with their hooves dug in tight for support. They stretched across the width of the Canterlot byways and prepared to meet every changeling that came at them, whether by ground or air. Caramel and Big Macintosh joined her as she gathered a dozen other ponies to follow her.

At first, their signs of resistance were met with focused assault. The changelings swept from above and battered the streets, pushing the lines back. Then the ponies retaliated. Hoof met skull and the changelings smashed face first into stone and wall.

A changeling in disguise turned and lashed at a stallion in the line. He fell to the ground, and then the two beside him struck at the changeling. They ejected it from their ranks and helped the fallen stallion to his feet.

Applejack whirled and bowled over a pile of changelings. She maneuvered with her group under an archway overhanging a street and held them there. After they dispatched a few more of the changelings, Caramel shrunk back and rubbed one of his hooves.

“I'm already achin' all over,” he said. “I'm not cut out for this.”

“Just keep thinkin' of them as apple trees,” said Applejack. She reeled around and swung her legs at a changeling, sweeping it aside. “Might not be no end in sight but that doesn't mean there ain't an end... we'll beat'em eventually.

Another colt laughed. “Don't make it sound like work,” he said, “or Caramel might slip off to nap on the bales again.”

“Eeyup,” agreed Big Macintosh. He chuckled and pat Caramel on the back. When his hoof came back to the ground it caused a little tremor that made pony and changeling alike to stumble.

“Now that's not fair and you know it,” huffed Caramel. “At least it's not harvest season. Don't know if I'd have the strength to stand after a night of that.”

Applejack tipped her hat up and scraped the ground. “Enough gabberin'. I think they haven't taken kindly to our lack of consideration.”

Another swarm descended upon them. Every block of the street was filled with brawling ponies and changelings. The fallen sprawled to the side, forgotten in the fray, left to scramble for a safe place to recover in the rising clouds of dirt. But it seemed that more than dirt was beginning to obscure the streets of ponyville. A rich fog filled in from above the rooftops and through the outer gateways. Soon the lights of even the brightest lamps and magics only cut a few feet through the mist. All they could see were shadows lashing about in the darkness. Everypony squeezed tight together.

“This ain't good,” muttered Applejack. She craned her neck and leaned back towards where the other squads should have been. “Stick together! Whatever you do, don't break off into the fog!”

No way we can keep up the fight in this weather. We're sittin' ducks out here...

She found herself somewhere between Caramel and her brother and dug her hooves tight into the ground, silently daring one of the changeling shapes to come out of the fog and face them. Anytime one flew close she bucked at their shade and sent them flying. Fog or not, the battle raged on, and every pony in Canterlot stood.