Different Bearers: A Quest for Harmony

by AnoneMouseJr

Rating: everyone
Tags: Moondancer, Scootaloo, Adventure, Derpy Hooves, Alternate Universe, Marble Pie, Twilight Sparkle, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 10134

Twilight, Moondancer and four new friends - Derpy Hooves, Scootaloo, Marble Pie and Coco Pommel Apple - must find the Elements of Harmony and defeat Nightmare Moon.

The day of the Rainboom affected more ponies than just the canon Mane Six. Almost ten years later, Princess Celestia sends her personal student Twilight Sparkle and one such affected pony to Ponyville. Meeting four others, they must work together to achieve what Princess Celestia could not: defeat Nightmare Moon and save the long-lost Princess Luna from the monster she was trapped within.

It's also a shameless excuse for me to partner Twilight with five of my favorite ponies. Welcome to the Differentverse.

(Extra character tag: Coco Pommel.)

Author note: All five chapters were fully written prior to initial submission and final publication.
Featured the day of its completion... woohoo!
Tropes page is here.

Published 2017-03-30 00:50:01 UTC
Last updated 2017-04-06 00:10:42 UTC

Chapter One

It's said that sometimes, a single act can bring friends together, even if they don't know it at the time. Such is the case with the Sonic Rainboom, a brilliant flash of light and sound that changed the lives of six young fillies and enabled them to earn their Cutie Marks.

But what if it changed other lives in a more… roundabout manner?

Two young unicorns see the light, and one then sees the other…

Two young mothers each see the light in different ways…

A sister reacts with joy, and inspires a life of kindness…

And on the path home, one young mare saves another, earning life-long loyalty…

These are not the Mane Six as you know them.

These are a different Mane Six.

And this is their story.

Chapter 1

Two days before the Summer Sun Celebration…

"Spike! SPI-IIIKE!" A lavender unicorn burst into the room in a panic. "Quick, where's that copy of Predictions and Prophecies we were assigned?"

"Right here, Twilight," another unicorn told her, holding up the book in her aura. "Now remember what Cadance taught you, calm down, and tell us what's going on."

Twilight Sparkle, personal student of Princess Celestia, caught herself. Taking a couple of deep breaths, she put a hoof to her chest, and then pushed it out. She did this three times before nodding. "All right, I'm calm. And thanks, Moondancer. I needed that." Smiling at her roommate, she trotted over. "Um, where's Spike, anyway?"

"He had to use the little drake's room." Moondancer smiled back. "And I'm always glad to help you, Twilight. You know that."

"Absolutely. I don't know what I'd do without you, Moondancer."

"Have a lot more panic attacks and a lot less sociability?"

Twilight gave her the stinkeye, then turned her focus to the book. "Index… E… ah! Elements of Harmony!" Then she raised an eyebrow. "See 'Mare in the Moon'? They don't have an entry of their own? Huh."

Moondancer gave her a look as she flipped to the page. "Oh-kay… Twilight, why are you looking into an old foalhood story?"

Too focused on her book to respond, Twilight read the entry aloud. "The Mare in the Moon, myth from olden pony times. A powerful pony who wanted to rule Equestria, defeated by the Elements of Harmony and imprisoned in the moon. Legend has it that on the longest day of the thousandth year, the stars will aid in her escape, and she will bring about nighttime eternal." She looked up in horror. "That's the Summer Solstice, the day after tomorrow!"

"So I see. Look, Twilight, what is this all about?"

Twilight sighed. "I was outside reading…"

"Like you always are," Moondancer noted with a smirk.

"Hush. Anyway, I was reading about a lot of old legends, including the legend of Nightmare Moon, and there was a mention of how her elder sister used the Elements of Harmony to defeat her. I was trying to find out more about them, but now I know the date when she's supposed to come back… so we have to warn Princess Celestia!" Her eyes widened again, but before she could start shouting for Spike again, Moondancer put a hoof over her friend's mouth.

"Twilight. Calm. Down. Now, why don't I write the letter, and then Spike can send it once he gets back?"

Twilight's face flushed, and she nodded. "Right. Right."

Levitating a quill and paper over to herself, Moondancer began writing. After a few minutes, she handed the note back to Twilight. "Here. What do you think?"

Twilight took the paper and read it.

Dear Princess Celestia,

Twilight's studies of old myths and legends have indicated that the Mare in the Moon, also known as Nightmare Moon, is due to escape her prison the night before the coming Summer Sun Celebration. While I'm less inclined to believe in the older stories, I do trust her instincts, and she felt you should be alerted, so here we are.

Yours truly,
Moondancer

Twilight smiled. The letter was pure Moondancer: straight to the point, with minimal digressions. "Sounds good. Now all we need is Spike."

"And speak of the dragon…" Moondancer noted as their other roommate walked in. "Just in time."

"Yeah… sorry about that." Spike blushed. "Found out I had a chunk of garnet caught between my teeth from lunch, and I had to go digging through a bunch of cabinets to find a package of dragon-style toothpicks."

"Uh-huh. And here I thought I had a set right on your shelf, in the front."

"I used the last of those yesterday. This was a new package I had to find. And I'm pretty sure it's also the last new one we had." He looked at her, a more serious expression on his face. "So, what's up?"

Twilight rolled up the letter and tied a ribbon around it. "We need to send this to the Princess. Can you?"

"Sure thing." Accepting the letter, he let out a breath of flame, fire-porting the scroll away, then nodded. "So, what was that all about?"

"Ancient evil possibly returning tomorrow night," Moondancer said before Twilight could even open her mouth. "Twilight thought the Princess should be warned."

"Gotcha." Spike turned to go tidy up a few other things while they waited.

It wasn't long before the young dragon belched up a reply, which he quickly handed over to the two unicorns. Unfurling the scroll, they read it together.

Dear Twilight and Moondancer,

I appreciate your concern in the matter of Nightmare Moon. Let me reassure you, I have been preparing for the Nightmare's return for quite some time. In fact, I have set up something… special for her arrival. I expect her to be caught off-guard by my little surprise, which should help to counter the powers she has undoubtedly gained from a millennium of being sealed within her own moon.

Even so, it will not be an easy fight, which is why I have been subtly encouraging as many ponies as possible to spend their Summer Sun Celebration in other parts of the country, to keep them out of range of the battle, though I have not told them exactly why I am doing so. This is in a large part because I wish to avoid causing a panic.

However, since you know the true reason, I cannot hold back in this case.

Twilight, my faithful student… I am asking you and your companions to leave Canterlot for the duration of this event. The main Summer Sun Celebration is to be held in Ponyville this year, and while it may seem frivolous to prepare for such a celebration when such a threat is looming, I would appreciate it if you would travel there and make sure the festivities are prepared - I have enclosed three train tickets for yourself, Moondancer and Spike.

It is my hope that I will be able to handle Nightmare Moon before it is time to raise the sun on that day. But if I am unsuccessful, at least the three of you, and as many other ponies (including all of your parents and siblings) as possible, will be kept safely out of her reach during this time.

I care deeply for you, Twilight. And for all of my little ponies. Please, please keep yourselves out of the Nightmare's sight. For me, if nothing else.

Your teacher,
Princess Celestia

Rolling it back up, Twilight studied the tickets that had fallen out. "Well, I guess we leave tomorrow morning…" She shook her head. "And I guess I was worried for nothing, if she's already prepared for it."

"Hey." Moondancer laid a hoof on her shoulder. "You may be more panicky than most ponies at times…"

Twilight gave an indignant snort, which Moondancer ignored. "But you mean well, and you did get an honest answer from her. That's a good thing for all of us." She smiled. "Now, let's start packing."

Twilight smiled back at her. "Thanks, Moondancer. I appreciate that."

"No problem, Twilight. No problem at all."

Author's Note

A/N: Well, here we go. My first independently published fic on this site (outside of submissions to Saphronth's MLP Time Loops). Just a heads-up, all five chapters are already written and waiting for release.

Chapter Two

Chapter 2

The morning before the Summer Sun Celebration…

Vroo-vrooooooooooo!

Twilight winced as the train's whistle sounded right as she was boarding, Moondancer and Spike right behind her. Sighing, she led the two to a compartment, levitating their luggage into the overhead rack. "This shouldn't take too long," she muttered to herself. "No more than an hour or so down the mountain… and we've got books, just in case!" She grinned eagerly at the thought.

Moondancer just shook her head in an amused manner and took one of hers out, settling onto her seat, while Spike read over her shoulder.

Suddenly, the compartment door was flung open with a loud bang, startling all of them and making Twilight's mane frizz up in surprise. "Hey!" barked a gruff voice. "Got any room in here?"

Running a hoof over her mane to calm it, Twilight looked at the door to see a bluish-gray Earth Pony standing there with an… odd look on her face. "We might," she said.

"Good." The other pony disappeared, then came back with a smaller pony in tow. "This is my sister, Marble Pie. She needs a seat for the trip to Ponyville. Don't cause any trouble for her, and you won't get any trouble from me."

Moondancer just raised an eyebrow and held a hoof over Spike's face so he wouldn't say anything, while the blue-gray pony got Marble settled into a seat. Tossing a small suitcase into the compartment, she walked out, slamming the door behind her.

When the train was finally moving a few minutes later, Twilight could finally breathe easy. "Well. That was… something."

"'Something' is right," Moondancer agreed. "Is she always that cranky?" she wondered aloud.

"Mm-hmm."

The two unicorns turned to the smaller pony in surprise, and Marble ducked her head, blushing shyly. "Limestone means well, but…" She let out a tiny meep.

"I understand." Twilight smiled. "Moondancer and I have older siblings too." She rolled her eyes. "At least yours can't use her position as Captain of the Guard to have other ponies watching over you, like Shining Armor did… at least, until Princess Celestia made him stop."

Marble smiled faintly. "Mm-hmm." Then she looked startled for a moment, as what Twilight had said finally got through to her. "Princess… Celestia?"

Twilight nodded. "I'm her personal student. And you don't have to be afraid of me," she added as Marble let out another tiny meep. "I'm not going to hurt you, or anything like that. Promise."

Marble looked at her, still slightly nervous. "Pinkie Promise?"

"Um…"

Leaning over, Marble whispered in her ear, and Twilight tilted her head in response, but nodded. "Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye, I will not hurt you. At least, not on purpose," she added as she did the motions.

Moondancer rolled her eyes at the sight. "I hope you know what you're getting yourself into, Twilight."

"I do." Twilight nodded in satisfaction. "I made this promise, and I'm not going to break it. Because as the Princess once told me, breaking a promise is the best way to lose a friend-"

"FOREVER!" an Earth Pony with a pink, poofy mane yelled as she suddenly popped out of Marble's luggage. "Oh, hi, little sis. See you in Ponyville soon!"

Marble's smile grew a little wider at that. "Mm-hmm."

Two unicorns and a dragon stared as the pink pony disappeared again. "How…" they all said simultaneously.

Marble giggled a bit behind her hoof. "It's Pinkie Pie," she said. "She does that."

"Oh-kay…" Twilight shook her head. "I'm not even going to ask."

Marble just giggled again.

The rest of the train ride passed quietly, and very soon, three ponies and a dragon got off in Ponyville. Twilight blinked in surprise as she saw Marble being happily greeted by the pink pony from before, and the smaller pony looked back at them, a happy smile on her face, as she walked off with her sister. Shaking her head, she studied her checklist. "All right, first things first. Banquet preparations at Sweet Apple Acres… this way."

Heading for the farm on the outside of town, the trio quickly found a large gathering of Earth Ponies. Walking up to the nearest one, an orange mare in a Stetson hat, Twilight coughed. "Ahem… Excuse me, ma’am?"

The pony quickly turned around, revealing a freckled face. "Well howdy-doo, miss…"

"Twilight, Twilight Sparkle. And these are Moondancer and Spike."

"Pleasure to meet all of you then. Ah'm Applejack, and this here's Sweet Apple Acres, the best apple farm in all of Equestria! Heh." She leaned her head closer. "A few of my kinfolk might say the same about their own farms, but we just agree to disagree on that matter and let bygones be bygones."

"Right… actually, I'm here to supervise preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration. And you're in charge of the food?"

Applejack nodded proudly. "We sure as sugar are! Would you care to sample some?"

Twilight glanced at Moondancer and Spike, who both smiled eagerly, and turned back to the farmpony. "Well, why not."

"Good to hear it, Miss Twilight." Rushing over to where a metal triangle was hanging from a tree branch, she started ringing it. "SOUP'S ON, EVERYPONY!"

With a loud rush, the other ponies quickly found seats at the table, and Applejack led the visiting trio over to join them, pointing to each of her relatives as they passed. "This here's Apple Fritter. Apple Bumpkin. Red Gala. Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Caramel Apple, Apple Strudel, Apple Tart, Baked Apples, Apple Brioche, Apple Cinnamon Crisp…" She paused and took a deep breath. "Big McIntosh, Apple Bloom, Coco Pommel and Granny Smith. Up'n'attem, Granny Smith, we got guests."

Granny Smith, an elderly pony with a green coat and white mane and tail, blinked as she sat up. "Eh, whazzat? Guests?"

Twilight stared at her. "Wait a minute, I know you… I read about you in one of my history classes! You were there at the founding of Ponyville!"

Granny's ears flicked at that and smiled. "Well I'll be… never thought I'd wind up in a history book in one of them fancy unicorn classes, no sir-ee!"

"Not just any class," Moondancer added as she took a seat. "Princess Celestia personally came in to tell us the story. She was so proud when she talked about it."

"Ya don't say." The older mare smiled. "You know, I still remember the day she gave us this land like it was yesterday..."

Twilight smiled as Moondancer listened to the eldest Apple in obvious fascination, then turned to Spike, who was chatting with one of the younger mares.

"So, I couldn't help but notice your name was the only one that wasn't related to apples," the dragon was saying to a cream-colored mare with a striped, light blue mane. "Any particular reason?"

"Spike!" Twilight looked at him, aghast. "Don't be rude!"

"It's okay," the other mare said shyly. "I get that a lot. But legally, my name is Coco Pommel Apple. Applejack's family adopted me after we met in Manehatten when we were fillies." She blushed. "I owe her a lot for that day."

"Ah." Twilight smiled. "I see."

Turning back to her place, she eyed the servings of food that were being set before her. They did look tasty, and she dug in with relish.

Nearly an hour later, two very full mares and one little dragon, who was rubbing his stomach contentedly, left the farm. "So where to now?" Moondancer asked.

"Weather, it looks like..." Twilight looked up into the rather cloudy skies. "And it looks like somepony isn't doing their-"

SPLASH!

"Job," she finished with a grumble.

Several minutes and one prismatic pegasus proving she really could clear the skies in ten seconds flat, the trio had made their way to Town Hall, where a white unicorn named Rarity was setting up the decorations, and doing quite the job of it, though Moondancer was slightly annoyed at some of the remarks the fashionista made about her sweater. Finally, they headed for the other end of town, where the music was being prepared. As they approached the edge of the woods, they could hear a chorus of happy birdsong. Then, suddenly, it stopped, and Twilight held up a hoof.

"Oh my," a voice almost as quiet as Marble's said. "Um, stop please, everyone, umm. Excuse me, Mr. Bluebird? I mean, no offense, but your rhythm is just a teeny-tiny bit off. Now, follow me, please. A-one, a-two, a-one two three-"

The music started up again, and Twilight nodded. "I think that's taken care of," she whispered to the others. "We'd better leave them in peace."

Turning around, the trio headed back into town, Fluttershy never knowing how close they had come to her.

As they walked down the main street, Moondancer's ears suddenly flicked. "Is that... buzzing?"

"INCOMING!" a panicked voice suddenly shouted, and the trio barely had time to dodge as a scooter and... something else shot past them, finally coming to a stop some distance down the road. As the dust settled, Twilight saw a small, orange pegasus in a helmet and a smaller gray unicorn, also in a helmet, stumbling away from the scooter and what looked like a pair of skis. Both were panting, but they also had big grins on their faces. "What did I tell ya?" the pegasus was saying as the unicorn grinned at her. "Was that cool or what?"

"SCOOTALOO MADELEINE DOO!" a voice shouted from above. Moments later, a gray pegasus with a blonde mane and tail swooped down to join them. "What have I told you about those stunts?"

"Aunt Derpy… not the full name! Not in public!" the little pegasus, whom Twilight guessed was Scootaloo, hissed in a nervous tone. "And you said to always wear a helmet and other protective gear when I do them. But we did..."

The older pegasus sighed. "Sorry, dear. And you mean the world to me... but sometimes, I wonder what I'm going to do about you," she muttered. Her ears then flicked as she turned around to look at Twilight, Moondancer and Spike. "Oh, I'm so sorry," she apologized. "I hope my niece didn't cause you too much trouble..."

Twilight stared. The mare's eyes were... not lined up right. Suddenly embarrassed, she shook her head. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stare..."

"It's all right," the other mare told her. "Ponies always stare at first. It doesn't bother me, it just means I'm a little more focused on something besides keeping my eyes straight. Side effect of lazy eye syndrome, you know." She smiled. "I'm Derpy Hooves. This little scamp is my niece, Scootaloo." She ruffled the younger pegasus's mane, now exposed as Scootaloo had removed her helmet. "And this is my little muffin, Dinky." Scooping up the unicorn filly, she nuzzled her and hugged her tight, prompting a giggle.

Two mares and a dragon smiled. "It's nice to meet you," Twilight told her. "All of you." She fixed Scootaloo with a look. "And I do appreciate the warning before you came barreling through."

"Yeah..." Scootaloo shuffled her hooves nervously. "I really am sorry for almost running you over, but I was entertaining my little cousin. She just loves riding along with me. And when we're going that fast, it's not easy to change direction without a lot more space to do it in."

"It's all right," Twilight told her. "Nopony, or dragon for that matter, was hurt. So everything's just fine."

"That's good."

"So," Moondancer put in as she adjusted her glasses. "I don't suppose you could point us somewhere..."

"Oh, absolutely!" Derpy smiled at them. "I'm the Ponyville mailmare. I know every address in town."

"Then could you take us to the Golden Oak Library?"

"Of course. That's actually where I was going, once I picked up these two. But I'd show you the way even if I wasn't going there." She paused for a moment. "Scootaloo, get your things, please."

"Sure thing, Aunt Derpy." Scootaloo went to gather up her scooter and the skis Dinky had been wearing, while Twilight, Moondancer and Spike officially introduced themselves. Once Scootaloo had her stuff, they started trotting off toward the library.

Finally, when they had reached the building, Derpy paused. "I have to warn you," she said hesitantly, "You might want to hold onto your fur. Or scales, in Spike's case."

"Um... okay." Twilight blinked. "But why?"

"This is why." Derpy opened the door, and Twilight peered in.

"SURPRISE!"

Once again, Twilight's mane frizzed up, and an instant later, two very pink forelegs pulled her inside, the others quickly following behind.

Inside, Twilight barely had time to react as a rush of words flew over her. "HI! I'm Pinkie Pie, but you already know that!" the poofy-maned pink pony exclaimed. "And this is your surprise Welcome-To-Ponyville party for three, because I always throw a surprise Welcome-To-Ponyville party for all the new ponies in town, and I really had to make this one extra-super-special for the ponies and dragon that kept my baby sister company on the train ride in - she even helped me set it up because of that, because she wanted to thank you! Wheeeee!" Dancing off through the crowd of other ponies, she headed straight for the buffet table, leaving Twilight to shake her head and calm her mane again.

"Well, that happened," Moondancer noted as she trotted up next to Twilight.

"Mm-hmm." Twilight's head turned quickly to see Marble already standing next to her, and the smaller pony smiled shyly. "It's Pinkie Pie. She does that."

Shrugging, Spike grinned. "Well, there's a party here... let's have some fun!" Waddling off, he went to join Pinkie at the buffet.

Sighing and smiling, Twilight followed him, and Moondancer and Marble exchanged glances before joining them as well.

It was a Pinkie Party, after all. And nobody missed out on a Pinkie Party.

Author's Note

Next chapter will be up after the weekend.

Chapter Three

Chapter 3

The time of the Summer Sun Celebration…

Some hours later, an entire town's worth of ponies stood in the square in front of Town Hall.

"Isn't this exciting?" one of them asked. "It's time to watch the sunrise!"

Twilight barely heard Pinkie's babbled response to them, focused as she was on the stage. "Please be there," she whispered.

Moondancer laid a hoof on her shoulder. "She'll be there," she said reassuringly. "She's the Princess. She can handle this."

Twilight nodded, and watched as Mayor Ivory Scroll stepped out onto the podium. "Fillies and gentlecolts, as mayor of Ponyville, it is my great pleasure to announce the beginning of the Summer Sun Celebration!"

Cheers filled the town square.

"In just a few moments, our town will witness the magic of the sunrise, and celebrate this, the longest day of the year!" the mayor continued. "And now, it is my great honor to introduce to you the ruler of our land, the very pony who gives us the sun and the moon each and every day, the good, the wise, the bringer of harmony to all of Equestria... Princess Celestia!"

The curtains rose, to reveal...

Nothing.

Twilight's eyes widened. "Oh no..."

Moondancer's own eyes widened. "It can't be..."

Coughing, Ivory looked around the crowd of startled ponies. "Remain calm, everypony, there must be a reasonable explanation!"

"Oh, there is," a deep, feminine voice said from behind her. "And that reason is ME!"

Gasps and shouts filled the area as a swirling black cloud appeared on the stage, forming into a tall alicorn mare. But unlike Princess Celestia, whose white coat and almost ethereal multi-colored mane were well known, this one was a blue so dark it was almost black, with an ethereal blue mane, and wore a lighter blue armor around her torso, with the same color hoofshoes and helmet.

"No..." Twilight whispered.

The dark mare let out an evil laugh. "Oh, my beloved subjects. It's been so long since I've seen your precious, little sun-loving faces."

"What did you do with our Princess?!" one of the other ponies yelled.

"Why, am I not royal enough for you?" Nightmare Moon chuckled. "Don't you know who I am? Does my crown no longer count now that I have been imprisoned for a thousand years? Did you not recall the legend? Did you not see the signs?"

Twilight started to speak, but Moondancer held up a hoof. "Remember what the Princess said..." she whispered.

"Oh, let her talk." The dark mare suddenly appeared in front of her. "You know me, I presume."

Twilight swallowed nervously. "I do... you're the Mare in the Moon. Nightmare Moon!"

Everypony gasped as Nightmare Moon nodded in satisfaction. "So you do remember me. Then you also know why I'm here."

"I do. You're here to... to..."

The larger mare let out an evil chuckle. "Remember this day, little ponies, for it was your last. From this moment forth, the night will last FOREVER!"

Her evil laughter surrounded all of them as she faded into mist.

Ignoring the cries of "After her!", Twilight levitated Spike into her back. "Moondancer! Come on!"

"Where are we going?" Moondancer panted as she ran alongside Twilight.

"Back to the library! We've got to find more information!" Twilight told her.

"Wait up!" a voice called behind them. Derpy flew up. "I'm coming with you."

"So am I," added another pony. Turning around, Twilight saw a panting Coco Pommel following them. "That... being wants to get rid of the sun," she gasped out. "But if she does, it'll hurt my family... we need the sun to grow our apples! I can't let her get away with this!"

Twilight nodded. "Then come on!" Very soon, she and the others were back at the library. Pacing back and forth, she sighed. "I just wish I knew what to do... Princess Celestia's trap obviously didn't work. That means the only thing that can stop Nightmare Moon again is the Elements of Harmony, and I have no idea where to even start looking for them!"

"Um, you could check here," a small voice said.

Turning towards it, Twilight saw Scootaloo tapping a book that was sitting on the couch, next to a sleepy-looking Dinky. "I think this might be what you're looking for."

Taking the book, Twilight studied it. "The Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide," she read. "Scootaloo, where did you find this?"

"I didn't. She did." Scootaloo pointed to Marble, who was sitting next to a bookcase and pointing to an empty space. "I guess that's where it was, anyway."

"Mm-hmm." Marble smiled. "My Marble Sense told me you'd need it." She ducked her head. "We all have a sixth sense in my family... they do different things, but they really do work."

"Iiiiiiiii'll take your word for it." Twilight opened the book, and began studying it. "Okay. Spike and Moondancer already know this, and at least some of you saw her... a thousand years ago, Nightmare Moon tried to make it night forever, but her sister defeated her with the Elements of Harmony and sealed her away in the moon. Princess Celestia knew she was coming back, and set a trap for her in Canterlot, but it obviously didn't work. Now she's loose, and the only things that can stop her again are the Elements of Harmony. Got that, everypony?"

A round of agreements filled the room, and Twilight smiled. "According to this book, there are six Elements of Harmony, but only five are known: Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, Honesty and Loyalty. The sixth is a complete mystery. It is said, the last known location of the five elements was in the ancient castle of the royal pony sisters. It is located in what is now..." Her eyes widened. "The Everfree Forest!"

"Then that's where we're going," Moondancer said firmly. "All of us."

"Not all of us." Derpy put her hoof down, her soft tone contrasting with her firm words. "Dinky and Scootaloo are staying here."

"Aww..." Scootaloo groaned.

"Don't you 'aww' me, young lady. I work very hard to support you and Dinky, and you know how much I love you both. And racing down the streets of Ponyville is one thing, but your mother would never forgive me if I let you go somewhere that dangerous, after I agreed to take care of you for her." She looked wistful. "I could never forgive myself if you got hurt."

"Aunt Derpy..." Throwing her forelegs around her aunt, Scootaloo nuzzled her. "I love you too."

Derpy nuzzled her back, then looked up at the others. "So, we're going."

"Right." Twilight took a deep breath. "Let's go, everypony."

The others nodded, and Derpy suddenly stopped short. "Oh, Spike! Could you watch Dinky and Scootaloo for me while we're gone?" She looked embarrassed. "I hate to bother you, but I really don't want to leave them alone, and with Amy out of town..."

"Sure thing." Spike saluted her, then paused. "Um, who's Amy?"

"Our usual foalsitter, Amethyst Star," Dinky explained from where she was laying. "She's visiting family in Fillydelphia this week."

"Okay. Don't worry, Ms. Hooves, you can count on me!"

Derpy nodded happily, then flew out the door, the other four mares trotting after her.

None of them noticed that a small orange pegasus was already sneaking out the back.

Chapter Four

Chapter 4

"Okay," Twilight said as the five mares headed into the forest. "The castle of the Royal Pony Sisters is... somewhere in here." She looked around. "Any idea where?"

"Probably right in the middle." Moondancer adjusted her glasses. "At least, that's my guess."

"Then that's where we're going. And we need to be ready for anything." Taking the lead, Twilight marched ahead.

As the other mares followed, Derpy moved up next to Twilight. "Can I ask you something?"

“Of course.” Twilight gazed at her. “What is it?”

"You said these Elements are the only things that can stop Nightmare Moon. But how are we going to do it?"

Twilight sighed unhappily. "I really, really don't know, Derpy. But we have to try. For everypony… for everyone else." She looked down. "There's no telling how many beings might get hurt under her rule, and I can't let that happen."

"Everyone else?" Derpy raised an eyebrow, then her eyes widened. "Oh… you were thinking of Spike, weren't you? And he's not a pony…"

"Exactly." Twilight smiled. "Spike's been a part of my life since the day I hatched him and got my Cutie Mark… come to think of it, so has Moondancer." She smiled as the other unicorn came up to join them. "It's been almost ten years… I can't imagine life without either of you around me."

"Neither can I," Moondancer admitted. "That day, the flash of light… the sonic boom… and then a few hours later, I saw you and your parents walking along with this little dragon on your back, and I started following you." She chuckled. "I thought I was being sneaky. Then Princess Celestia turned and looked straight at me, and asked if I wanted to get to know you. I said yes, and she immediately put us together for classes. And after a few months, she gave us all an apartment to share."

Twilight smiled at the memory. "And once I set Spike's bed up, we immediately started arguing over who got the most space for all their books…"

"You did love your Daring Do collection," Moondancer said with a laugh. "Gave it a place of honor over everything else, even your assigned reading for class."

Derpy's ear twitched, and she smiled. "Sounds like you three have quite the history together."

"Oh, we do," Twilight reassured her. "Moondancer and Spike have been my closest friends ever since the day we met."

"Even if you weren't willing to admit it at first," Moondancer added. "Took me almost a year to get you to stop acting like you were better than me and to start calling me a friend in public."

The others looked at them. "You were… a snob?" Coco asked in astonishment.

Twilight ducked her head in embarrassment. "I was," she confessed. "I never saw the point of friendship until one day in class. I was kind of… more closed off than usual, and Moondancer finally blurted out that she… what was it you said? 'I like you, despite the fact that you're a snooty, stuck-up little plothead'".

Derpy gasped. "She really called you that? In public?"

"I did," Moondancer affirmed. "Shocked the living daylights out of me when I said it. Then again, I've always been kind of… blunt."

"No kidding," Twilight confirmed. "Then again, that's a big part of what I like about you. You tell me when I'm being a pain, or when I'm offending others and don't realize it… you help keep me on the straight and narrow."

Moondancer nodded. "And speaking of straight and narrow, you're about to walk right off a cliff."

Twilight stopped short, just in time to avoid stepping over a ledge, and sighed. "Thanks, Moondancer."

"No problem."

Working their way down the small mountain (and Twilight wondering how one had turned up in the middle of a forest path anyway), Twilight looked at the others. "So, I know what brings Moondancer and I here, and Marble too. But how did you and your family come to be in Ponyville?"

"Oh, I moved here a long time ago," Derpy told her. "My husband was in construction in Cloudsdale, but one day, he had a heart attack on the job site, and the doctors… they said he was gone in an instant." She had tears in her eyes, but quickly shook them off. "I was so heartbroken, I just had to get away, so I came down here. And it's a good thing I did too, because a few months later, Dinky was born." She smiled fondly at the thought. "I'll never forget what happened. I was in the hospital, looking out the window as the doctor told me to push… and there was this loud explosion and a flash of color. It surprised me so much, she came out right then and there."

"A flash of color… Derpy, what day was that?" Moondancer asked, interested.

"Mid-August, almost… ten years ago…" Her eyes widened. "You don't think…"

"August twelfth?"

"Yes, exactly!" Twilight suddenly looked excited. "That was the day I took the entrance exam for Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns… the day I hatched Spike!" She blushed. "Trying to hatch a dragon's egg was part of the exam… the key to passing the test was not giving up, even if you failed to actually hatch the egg. Then that loud noise startled me, I had a magic surge and it all happened so fast… next thing I knew, my parents were potted plants - they got better," she reassured Derpy. "And the room was full of dragon, until Princess Celestia reversed the age spell I'd accidentally used and turned him back into a baby like he was supposed to be."

"That means he and Dinky were born at almost the exact same moment!" another voice suddenly cheered. "Awesome!"

Five sets of eyes widened, and then Derpy's narrowed as she turned around and stared at a nearby bush. "Young lady…"

"Oops." The voice sounded embarrassed, and a moment later, Scootaloo crawled out from under the bush. "Uh… hi, Aunt Derpy."

"You," Derpy told her, "are in so much trouble! What would your mother say if she knew you'd come out here like this?"

"She'd say I was taking after her by exploring someplace that's both dangerous and normally off-limits?"

Derpy was taken aback for a moment, then sighed. "You're right, she would, though she wouldn't be happy that her underage daughter was doing such a thing." Her voice turned stern again. "And it doesn't excuse you for coming out here, when I explicitly said that you were going to stay in the library!"

"I know…" Scootaloo's ears drooped. "But I couldn't leave you alone, Aunt Derpy. Dinky's safe with Spike, but I just… had this feeling you needed me."

Derpy smiled and pulled her into a hug. "Well. I suppose I can't fault you for that."

Seeing the two of them, Twilight smiled, then looked around. "Sorry to interrupt the family reunion, but we need to get going."

"Right," Derpy set Scootaloo down. "Now, stay with me, Scootaloo…"

The little pegasus grumbled a bit, but acquiesced.

As the six started moving again, Twilight continued her story. "After Princess Celestia calmed me down and fixed everything I'd done, she asked my parents if I could take care of Spike, since I did hatch him. Dad was a little hesitant, but then he saw how attached Mom already was to him… I think it was when she said 'Come to Grandmare' that did it."

Marble let out an amused whinny at that, then looked abashed until Coco gave her a friendly nuzzle.

Smiling at the two, Twilight turned back to Derpy. "Anyway, he's lived with me ever since. A few months later, he and Moondancer and I moved into our tower together, and the rest is history."

"Aww…" Coco smiled.

"So, tell her how I came to live with you!" Scootaloo suddenly spoke up. "It's a lot like the sound of an owl."

"Oh?" Moondancer looked at her. "How so?"

"It's a real hoot!"

Groans went up, and then Derpy nickered softly. "Well, Scootaloo's just over a year older than Dinky. Her mother is… a workaholic, to say the least. She tried to stay out of it for a while, for Scootaloo's sake, but eventually the offers got to her. The day Dinky was born, my sister looked out the window and saw that same flash of light and sound, and she decided that, as much as she loved her daughter, she had to get back to doing the fieldwork that she also loved. So a week later, she came to Ponyville to visit us, and asked if I could take Scootaloo." The blonde pegasus sighed. "I could have said no. I had a child of my own by then, and no husband anymore, so I knew it would be even harder on all of us… but I also knew I couldn’t just let my niece have a life without a mother there to give her the love and support she needed. So I took her in, and ever since, I’ve raised she and Dinky together. And I’ve always done the best I can for both of them.” She looked at Twilight. “My sister visits every now and then, and Scootaloo knows her and loves her, but still... she’s like a second daughter to me.”

Twilight smiled. “That was a good thing you did for her then.”

“Thank you.” Derpy smiled back, then looked down and nuzzled her niece. "Of course, sometimes she can get a little goofy, but that's part of her charm."

"Ah, you know you love it," Scootaloo told her. "And you know Dinky loves it, just as much as she loves Pinkie's parties."

"Everyone loves Pinkie's parties," Marble added softly. "The day she had her first one and got her Cutie Mark was the happiest day of my life."

"Oh? How so?" Twilight asked, suddenly stopping. "Wait - tell me after we get across."

She had stopped because of a massive river that had suddenly appeared in their path, and the rapids that were churning it up. "This doesn't look good…"

"No, it looks like a river," Scootaloo said with an amused tone.

Derpy gave her a look, then lunged, prompting a loud "EEK!" from Scootaloo. Once she had calmed her mane again, she gave her aunt a look. "Must you?"

"Yes," Derpy told her. "It's part of my contract. You start acting silly, I act silly right back at you. And in this case, that means sticking a cold nose in your ear."

"Rassafrassin’…" Scootaloo gave her a dirty look, then sighed. “Well, at least I’m keeping you happy.” She smirked.

"If we could turn back to the problem at hand," Moondancer said dryly. "I'm pretty sure I see what's causing this."

"What?" asked Twilight.

"That." Moondancer pointed.

Looking out into the river, the six saw a massive shape thrashing about in the middle of the river. It appeared to be caught in some kind of net, and its struggles were causing the river's churning. At the sight, Marble gasped quietly, then began looking in her saddlebags. "I know they're in here," she said to herself. "Ah!"

Pulling out a set of scissors, she then crouched down… and leapt as hard as she could, landing on the struggling shape. The others couldn't hear what she was saying, but very soon the thing's struggles had stopped, and Marble went to work. Slowly, she cut the creature's bindings, and soon it was free, and had carried her back to shore. It was also looking quite happy.

"Oh me, oh my," the thing - A sea serpent? Twilight thought to herself - said as it carefully deposited her on the ground. "Oh, a thousand thanks, miss Pie. I have no idea how long I'd have been trapped there if you hadn't come along and freed me."

"It was nothing," Marble whispered as she looked at him. "I was just doing what any decent pony would do."

"Nonsense," the sea serpent declared. "You, my dear miss, have saved my life. I would surely have starved there, trapped in that horrid net, were it not for your actions. Oh, allow me to introduce myself," he added, seeing the others. "I am Stephen Magnet. Adventurer, composer and tenor extraordinaire, and at the moment temporarily separated from my dear companion Cranky… he needed to make a trip to a desert settlement for a time, and needless to say, such an environment is not one I am suited to. And so I have waited here these last few months, waiting and watching for his return… when suddenly, that ghastly net came along and trapped me! I do so thank you again for freeing me, dear miss." He picked her up and cuddled her. "Now, is there anything I may do to thank you ladies for your much-needed aid?"

Marble blushed again. "We… need to get across the river," she admitted. "Could you..."

"It would be my honor to carry all of you across," the sea serpent said grandly. "All aboard, my ladies! Your chariot awaits!"

Twilight shook her head in amusement, and joined the others on his back. Very soon, they had made it across, and Stephen bid them all a fond farewell before swimming off.

"He was nice," Coco remarked.

"Eccentric too," Moondancer added. "But yes, he was nice."

Marble nodded. "I'm just glad I had my scissors," she said. "I knew I'd need them on this trip, but I didn't know exactly who for…"

Twilight gave her a curious look. "That's the second time you've had something we needed. Is this your 'sixth sense' in action?"

"Mm-hmm." Marble nodded. "Somehow, ever since Pinkie’s first party, I always know what to do for others… before we left, I suddenly knew I'd need to cut something on our trip. And I did."

"That's amazing," Scootaloo told her, eyes wide.

“It certainly is,” Twilight added. Then she quirked her head. “Did this… Marble Sense of yours tell you to be where you’d meet us?” she suddenly asked.

"No," Marble said. "But when my sister had to go to Canterlot for her meeting, I knew I had to be there too, just to keep her company. Even if she didn’t act like she appreciated it. She never acts like she appreciates me… but I know she does. She just shows it differently."

“Hmm.” Moondancer adjusted her glasses. “Well, that’s a mystery for another time, I suppose.”

“Right.” Twilight looked ahead as they continued on. “I don’t think we have much farther to go.”

“Good,” Coco said firmly. “The sooner we can get the sun back, the better. My family’s trees depend on it.”

Twilight looked at her curiously. “How’d you come to live with them, by the way? I know what you told Spike and I earlier, but…”

“Oh.” Coco closed her eyes for a moment. “It’s… kind of a long story. But it ties into yours, actually.”

“How so?”

“Well… about ten years ago, Applejack was living in Manehatten with her Aunt and Uncle Orange. But then one day, she saw that same burst of light you described,” Coco told them. “It was apparently headed for Ponyville, and she realized she belonged on the family farm. On her way out of town, she found me.” She looked down. “I’d lost my own parents recently, and a couple of my classmates started bullying me for it. Applejack found me crying behind the school, and when I told her… well, she told me that she knew how I felt, and that if I ever needed a family, the Apples of Ponyville would always welcome me. Then we went back to the children’s home I was staying at, and told her how she could reach me. She promised to come back as soon as possible.”

“And she did?”

Coco nodded. “She and Granny came by just a week later, and talked to the people running the home. A few days later, we all went back to Ponyville, and I’ve been with them ever since. And I am not going to let them lose their orchards because of this,” she added more forcefully. “I owe them everything.”

“You’ll get your chance very soon,” Twilight told her. “There’s the ruins.”

The six mares looked up… and up… and up… to see an enormous castle.

“Well,” Derpy managed. “Let’s go in.”

Carefully making their way through the halls of the castle, the group finally found their way to a large room, where two thrones sat at the far end. And in front of them were five stone orbs.

“The Elements!” Twilight gasped. “There they are!” Her face fell. “But… there’s only five. Where’s the other?”

“Nowhere!" boomed a loud voice suddenly. “Just as you all shall soon be.” A cloud of black smoke suddenly appeared, reforming into Nightmare Moon. “My other half’s dear sister failed, and you shall fare no better!”

“Other half…” Moondancer gasped. “You mean… of course!” She smacked a hoof against her face. “It all makes sense now! Princess Celestia is the elder sister from the legend! And you’re the younger sister!”

“Exactly!” Nightmare Moon crowed. “But that knowledge will do you no good. None of your precious princesses were a match for me… and you are nothing compared to them. Not even that pink upstart who tried to help her dear auntie.” She gave an evil grin, showing her fangs.

Twilight gasped in horror. “Cadance…”

“Yes,” Nightmare Moon confirmed. “Oh, she’s alive… but she should have known better than to try and stop me. You see, I am more than just an Alicorn… I am the Ruler of Shadows, the Queen of the Night! I am the darkness made flesh, through the pain and bitterness that dear, sweet, precious Princess Luna felt when ponies rejected her night… I came into her dreams, told her what I could do for her. She resisted me as much as she could, but in the end, I won. Just like I always do. Just like I do… NOW!” Rearing up, she slammed her hooves down on the orbs, shattering them.

Gasps of horror filled the room as the wicked Alicorn in front of them laughed maniacally. “Now, oh fools, you shall deal with me and all the powers of Erebus, the everlasting Darkness!”

But as she prepared to unleash a powerful attack, a voice spoke up, with a single word.

“No.”

Nightmare Moon’s eyes widened. “You dare…”

“Yeah, I dare,” Scootaloo shot back as she stepped forward. “Elements or no Elements, we can still win!”

Derpy’s eyes widened, then she smiled. “I’m with you.”

“Same here,” Moondancer added.

“And me too,” Coco joined in.

“Mm-hmm.”

“We’re all in this together,” Twilight added as she walked up to join them, a twinkle in her eye. “No matter what!”

“Little fools…” Nightmare Moon hissed. “Then die!”

The attack was released.

There was a flash of light…

And then Nightmare Moon actually stepped back in shock. “What… is happening!?”

Twilight grinned as shards of the stone orbs began orbiting the others. “The power of the Elements couldn’t be broken,” she said happily. “Because the power… was within us the whole time!”

“No…” Nightmare Moon gasped.

Twilight continued. "Moondancer, who is always straightforward and truthful, even when it comes to admitting the hard truths to herself and to others, represents the spirit of... Honesty!"

As the shards around Moondancer glowed, Twilight next pointed to Derpy. "Derpy Hooves, who took in her niece when she already had a child of her own to take care of. Who works hard to support both of them, gives them everything they need, in time and in love, and freely gives help to others as well, represents the spirit of... Generosity!"

Scootaloo grinned as the glow around her aunt brightened, and Twilight gazed at her next. "Scootaloo, who always acts to keep others happy and keeps them going, even when it looks like things are at their worst, represents the spirit of... Laughter!"

Then she turned to the shy Earth Pony mare. "Marble Pie, whose compassion and love for her family drives her to help out in any way she can, even if it's not obvious to them, represents the spirit of... Kindness!"

Marble’s own smile brightened, and Twilight looked at the last of her companions. "Coco Pommel Apple, who has dedicated herself to her new family, and willingly risked her own life to save their livelihood, represents the spirit of... Loyalty!"

“But that’s just five!” Nightmare Moon cried. “The sixth-”

“The sixth Element is mine.” Twilight fixed a gaze on her. “The sixth element, summoned by a spark… but not just any spark. The spark of friendship that lies within all of us... the greatest Magic of all!”

With a flash, the shards reformed into five golden necklaces, each around the necks of their wearers. And a sixth, in the form of a tiara, appeared on Twilight’s own head.

“Now, Nightmare Moon… it’s time to end this, and free the princesses. All of them. Celestia, Cadance… and Luna!”

“No… Nooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!” Nightmare Moon shrieked as a rainbow of magic encircled her, enveloping her in its power.

Then there was a tremendous explosion of light that swept outward, carrying shadows of dark magic with it.

And as the light faded, six mares looked forward to see a single, shorter mare in the center of the room. A mare with a horn and wings. Moaning, she looked up to see them, her eyes wide.

Stepping forward, Twilight smiled at her. “Welcome back, Princess Luna.”

Author's Note

Edit, 04/05/17: Added a couple of words to one sentence to address reader concerns.

Chapter Five

Chapter 5

The mare gazed up at them. “You… you saved me…”

“We did,” Twilight confirmed.

“Thank you… thank you so much!” The mare’s eyes filled with tears of joy. “How can I ever repay you?”

“There’s no need,” Twilight told her gently. “It’s what friends do.”

“You… you would call me your friend, even after all I did under the control of that… monster?” Luna looked up at them in astonishment.

“We would,” Derpy said as she walked up to join Twilight.

“Mm-hmm,” Marble added as she joined them.

The others added their own confirmations, and Luna blinked happily. “Thank you…”

“I will second that,” a regal voice said behind them.

Twilight gasped and turned around. “Princess Celestia! You’re here!”

“Indeed.” The eldest Alicorn smiled. “And I see that you didn’t exactly do as I said…” She winked at Twilight. “However, I can forgive you, since you have achieved what I could not.” Turning to Luna, she approached the smaller Alicorn and held out a hoof to help her up. “Welcome back, sister.”

Carefully, Luna stood up, wincing as her legs shook a bit. “It is good to be back, Celly. All those years, trapped inside that… thing… it was truly a nightmare.”

“Of that, I have no doubt,” Celestia replied. “But I know she was not you…” Pulling Luna into a hug, she smiled. “I missed you, Luna. So very much.”

“And I you,” Luna said. Suddenly, her eyes widened. “There was another Alicorn with you… is she...?”

“She’s just fine,” Celestia replied as she let Luna go. “You can come in now!” she called.

Smiling, a pink Alicorn walked into the room. “Hello, Auntie,” she said to Luna. “I’m so happy to finally meet you… the real you.”

“Under the circumstances, most definitely so am I," Luna replied. “I’m so sorry for what I - what she did to you.”

“All is forgiven, Auntie,” the pink Alicorn replied. Then she turned to Twilight and beamed. “Ladybug! It’s so good to see you again!”

“Ca-dance…” Twilight groaned as her former foalsitter began ruffling her mane. Then she smiled. “I’m so happy you’re all right.”

“So am I,” Moondancer added as she walked over to join them. “Long time no see, Princess. Diplomatic visit to Zebrica run a little long?”

“Oh, you have no idea,” Cadance told her. “It’s all over and done with for now though.” She then turned to the others. “Twilight, aren’t you going to introduce me to the rest of your friends?”

Twilight smiled. “Sorry about that… girls, this is Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, but you can just call her Cadance. She was my foal-sitter before I started going to Princess Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns, though I didn’t realize she was a Princess until much later.”

“You’d think having both a horn and wings would have tipped you off,” Moondancer commented.

Twilight looked embarrassed. “Back then, I didn’t know there could be more than one Princess. She explained it to me eventually though.” Clearing her throat, she continued. “Cadance, Princess Celestia, you already know Moondancer. These are Derpy Hooves, Scootaloo, Marble Pie and Coco Pommel Apple. They’re the ones who helped me free Princess Luna.”

“In that case, I am very pleased to meet all of you,” Celestia said as she approached the group.

“So am I,” Luna added as she walked up next to her sister.

“And me too,” Cadance said. She peered down at Scootaloo. “Although I wasn’t expecting one of your friends to be so young. Especially for a trip through the Everfree.”

“I... kind of snuck out and followed them,” Scootaloo told her. “Good thing too.”

Celestia nodded. “Well, what’s done is done.” She regarded all of them with a smile. “And now, I believe we should all return to Ponyville… it’s long past time that I raised the sun.”

A round of nods followed.

Some hours later, Twilight was relaxing in the library, while ponies partied all around her. Suddenly, she felt a presence and looked up to see Moondancer settling in beside her. “Some party, huh?”

“It certainly is,” Twilight agreed. “Pinkie must have gone all out for this one.”

“Nah, according to Marble, this isn’t anywhere close to her wildest party,” Moondancer replied. “But it’s still fun.”

“That it is.” Twilight was silent for a moment. “Moondancer?”

“Yes, Twilight?”

“I… I’m going to miss this place when we leave.”

“So am I, Twilight.” Moondancer suddenly perked up. “But what if we didn’t have to leave?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, there’s plenty of space here… and with Spike, we can easily keep in touch with Princess Celestia. Why not stay in Ponyville, so we can stay closer to our new friends?”

Twilight thought for a moment. “Well… what would Princess Celestia say?”

“I think she’d be happy. We do need to get out and socialize more, and this would be the perfect chance to widen our horizons.”

“With Pinkie Pie in this town, we’d probably be widening our waistlines too.”

“Point. But still… I kind of like this place. It’d be a change of pace. What do you say?”

Twilight smiled. “Let’s go for it.”

Soon after, they had rounded up Spike and the other girls, and asked Celestia their question. She looked surprised for a moment, then smiled. “I think that’s a wonderful idea, Twilight. I’ll miss seeing you every day, but I know you’ll be happy here.”

“So do I, Princess.” Twilight smiled.

“Woohoo!” Scootaloo cheered, then ran to the door. “Pinkie! Break out another round of streamers - we’ve got a ‘New long-term residents of Ponyville’ party to throw!”

Twilight shook her head and smiled. “Well, now we have to stay in Ponyville.”

Marble smiled. “Mm-hmm. Me too."

When Pinkie heard her sister’s words, the resulting party lasted well into the next night, and was even wilder than the one before it. Years later, when asked about the experience, Twilight would admit that of everything that happened, the sight of Cadance and Derpy doing a Quickstep across the ceiling was one that she’d never forget.

Although Princess Celestia’s own dance, one that Twilight still wasn’t sure how to describe, came close.

Two days later, a bluish-gray pony marched into Sugarcube Corner. "HEY SIS! YOU HERE?"

Twilight's mane frizzed, and she groaned. "Not again..."

Ignoring her, Limestone looked around and finally spotted Marble. "Hey, sis. I'm all done up in Canterlot, so it's time for us to go home."

"G-go home?" Marble's eyes widened. "I... no. I'm not going."

Limestone paused. "What... did you just say?" Her eyes narrowed as she stared at her youngest sister.

"I said..." Her voice suddenly got louder. "I'm staying here. My friends need me."

Limestone's eyes grew even narrower. "You. Have friends. Here." She whirled around to look at Twilight, the other girls and Spike. "Them?"

"Mm-hmm."

Limestone began to growl. "And because of them, you're staying in this town, rather than coming back to the farm with me?"

"Mm-" She cut herself off. "Yes. I am."

Limestone stared at her, then threw her head back and started laughing. "Well, I'll be! My shy little hermit crab has finally come out of her shell!" She ruffled her sister's mane. "Good on you, sis. You know how long I've been waiting to hear you say something like that?"

"I... uh... what?"

Limestone just chuckled. "I still love ya, sis. But you were too shy for your own good. Now you're standing up for yourself, and that's just what I'm glad to see." Ruffling Marble's mane again, she gave one of her odd grins. "You and Pinkie take care of one another, sis. You hear me? But don't forget to come home and visit once in awhile too!"

"Mm-hmm." Marble gave her an amused look.

Still chuckling, Limestone left the building, heading for the train station. "Ah, I knew those three would be good for her... Limestone Sense never fails when it comes to finding somepony who's good or bad for something," she muttered to herself.

Then she paused. "Of course, now I'll have to explain it all to Ma and Pa. Ah, it'll work out. It always does for us Pies."

Back in Sugarcube Corner, Twilight gave Marble a strange look. "'Hermit Crab'?"

"It's her private nickname for me," Marble explained. "Because I was so... shy." She blushed.

"Don't worry." Twilight smiled at her and pulled her into a hug. "I'll just stick with calling you Marble."

The others nodded, and Marble smiled gratefully.

"Cupcakes for everyone!" Pinkie suddenly exclaimed as she popped up out of nowhere, a tray in her hooves.

That triggered a round of laughing, one that would last for several minutes. And even after it was done, Twilight smiled.

It was good to be home.

The End… For Now

Author's Note

So here we are, the final part... of the first story. I do have plans for sequels, I just need to write them.

The Bearers will return in...

Different Bearers: A Case of Family

Starring Scootaloo, her aunt and cousin... and her mother.

And while you're waiting for that, I have a TV Tropes page set up, at The Differentverse.

Until next time!