My name is Loyal....Loyal Defender. I'm a 15 year old teenager, who had one of the best adventures in his life. I actually ended up in the world of Equestria, where I met my good friends Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight Sparkle. Not to mention the CMC, Diamond Tiara, Starlight Glimmer, and several others. I had such a good time being with them. I formed special bonds with them over time, stronger than any bond could have ever been.
What I didn't realize was that these bonds actually made me a lot stronger than I could have possibly imagined. The six bonds I made with The Mane 6 weren't enough, though....when I had to face a terrible villain named Ghaan, the only way to truly defeat him was with the bond with Starlight Glimmer. She and I formed the most powerful bond you could imagine. Together, we used our love, and managed to defeat Ghaan. Though, the sad thing was, I was sent away from Equestria, and back to what I thought would be home. But I was wrong. Where did I end up? Well....you're about to find out.
(And now for a song I tried my best to write. Bear with me.)
You don't need any fancy tools
You just need to speak out loud
Be yourself and you'll be cool
And you'll amaze the crowds
I know it seems tough,
But believe in me,
Despite it seeming rough
You're as cool as you could ever be!
Let me be your guide,
You could make a new friend
Just do what comes from inside...
And you'll become a legend!
(Yeah) Become a legend!
*epic guitar solo, the title of EQUESTRIA GIRLS: HERO OF LEGEND appears*
You're never alone,
Know this is true
If you're on your own,
You know what to do
Do everything right,
Make an amend
Your future's in sight...
And you'll become a legend!
(Yeah, become a legend!)
When the going gets to-o-o-ough (going gets tough)
Fighting is never eno-o-o-o-ough (never enough)
Do what you think is ri-i-i-i-ight
And your future is in si-i-i-i-i-ight
I know it seems tough,
But believe in me,
Despite it seeming rough
You're as cool as you could ever be!
Let me be your guide,
You could make a new friend
Just do what comes from inside...
And you'll become a legend!
(Yeah) Become a legend!
Do your best to make a friend...
And you'll become a legend!
(Yeah) Become a legend!
x2
Yeeeeaaaah...BECOME A LEGEND!
Several minutes (or hours) passed. I couldn't feel, see or hear anything....up until I DID hear something...a voice. It was muffled and kind of hard to make out..but it sounded feminine.
"Hey, are you alright?"
I forced myself to sit up, but I couldn't feel anything. I felt pains shoot up through my body. That was THE last time I would ever teleport. (Hah, I wish.) "I.....think so.." I said, even though I didn't know who to. My eyes were still stuck shut. "It looks like you could use a hand. Here, let me help you out." I reached out in front of me, not knowing where they were reaching down.
"Here, let me...." A hand grasped at Loyal's and hoisted him upwards. As the figure grabbed onto Loyal...memories flowed through her mind...memories of Loyal's recent past...incredible memories...
At the same time, Loyal finally managed to open his eyes. In front of him was a sunset-colored...person. She had sky-blue irises, and ketchup-and-mustard colored hair. It was kind of a nice touch.
"Wait a minute... You know Princess Twilight and her friends? But then... Wait, how did you get here?"
"How do you know how I know them?" I questioned.
"It's... tough to explain. Basically whenever I touch someone I can see their thoughts and memories."
"It's good you didn't see too deeply into them, then....because my past is kinda dark. VERY. Dark." I commented, before looking down at myself.
*record scratch*
My body...I was not me. My skin was navy blue..I was still wearing my shirt I wore before...my lovely orange one. Still smelled of the Carousel Boutique. Everything about me was the same....but different. "Okay, I've experieced magic and strange things happening to me before, but I am not supposed to look like this...."
As I regained focus, I knew I had to do this right. "You know, we can worry about this later....anyways, my name is Loyal Defender, but just Loyal is fine. And you all are...?"
"Well, my name is Sunset Shimmer. Just Sunset is fine. And these are my friends, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, and Twilight Sparkle."
"You all closely resemble the ones I know back in Equestria...that can't be coincidence, right?"
Sunset crossed her arms. "Well, it seems like everyone in Equestria has a counterpart over here. I can't say I've ever run into mine, though... it's a little odd...."
"Well, I get the feeling I don't have a counterpart, either. I am technically from two different universes. One I used to live in, the other Is Equestria. I'd be shocked if there was another of me here."
"Well, that's interesting... how did you wind up in Equestria to begin with, anyway?"
"I think Celestia is the one who sent me there. She knew I would be the one to save it from a villain from my own 'imaginary' past named Ghaan. I hope I never have to see him again. He's the one who gave me this." I pulled up my sleeve, and showed a scar that looked deep.. "Nasty and temporarily painful. But it stopped eventually. But it shows that Ghaan wasn't a fool to mess with."
"Yikes... That doesn't look too pleasant..."
"Celestia said she was sending me to another place that had a problem soon to come up. Apparently, this is that place."
"Another problem? Oh, boy..." Applejack moaned. "And just after we took care of helping Gloriosa to overcome her inner demons..."
"I get the feeling you've dealt with magic a lot before." I said. That's when Pinkie jumped in.
"Oh, you BET we have! In the past year alone, we've dealt with 3 magical sirens, one RIDICULOUSLY competitive rival school - which wasn't so much magic as it was obnoxious - a camp counselor with so much magical energy that it clouded her judgement, and TWO demon friends!" She turned towards Sunset and Twilight, giggling, and saying, "No offense."
"You must be absolutely strong if you survived all that..."
"Heh, next thing you know, we're facing poltergeists! Heh...heh....that is not a bet I would make."
"Oh, I don't know if you'd say we're incredibly strong... We only managed to defeat the first two problems because we had Princess Twilight. Sunset has done so much for us though and we didn't need her to save our Twilight or Gloriosa Daisy..." Fluttershy said, quietly.
"If you wanna see what I actually did to save Equestria, have a look. I'm not as weak as I look." I replied confidently. Sunset shrugged and placed one hand on Loyal's forehead.
An image of Loyal powerfully defeating Ghaan flashed through her mind...she could FEEL the powerful magic he once used. "If I hadn't made bonds with the girls in Equestria, they wouldn't have been able to give me the strength I needed to defeat Ghaan." I said.
"Woah... that's interesting... I don't think I've ever heard of magic like that..." Images of the powerful bonds forming flashed throug Sunset's mind next. It showed her how the bonds were formed. Loyal talking with AJ, making a cake with Pinkie, etc.
"Oh, you definitely are good friends with Princess Twilight and her friends, aren't you?"
"I most certainly am. The first pony I met, actually, was Diamond Tiara. She was one of the nicest ponies I'd met. And then there was Starlight Glimmer...I'll be honest, I was smitten when I saw her and got to know her..."
Sunset snickered. "Reminds me of when Twilight first met Flash Sentry..."
I saw the other Twilight, and realized what might have happened. "Uh....why do I get the feeling that both Twilights met Flash, then?" I replied. "....Uh, nevermind...that's not important..." I said. At that moment, my stomach growled. "I should have eaten before leaving Equestria.."
"Oh, if you're hungry, I know a good cafe we can go to."
"Great! Lead the way, then.....because I do not know this place..at all."
"Alright, follow me, then!" Sunset said, as she started heading into the city. I began to follow her, with the other girls following behind.
It didn't take long before I noticed all the people staring at me. It was weird. How ccould they stare at me if I was one of them? "They're all staring at me..." I said. "...weird.
"Yeah, they do that when new people show up out of nowhere, evidently."
A few minutes later, after some twists and turns, the group reached the cafe. "How often do you come here?" I asked.
"Oh, we come here at least once a week to hang out. It's a good place to catch up with one another after school and hang around other people without it being too in-your-face social so Fluttershy can be comfortable."
"Isn't that what I just said?" Sunset said, snickering.
"Not specifically." I replied, before heading in. The sweet smells of cinnamon and chocolate filled the air. Some people looked up and just waved. OThers paid no mind.
"Wow....it's like a normal cafe, only better." I said.
"Yep!" Sunset stepped up to the counter and ordered something for herself. "The everything here is really good, and the people and staff are super friendly. It's hard to find a better place to hang out."
I stepped up next, and ordered something as well. Moments later, he recieved a delicious-looking shake. "Considering what I normally used to eat isn't so bright and colorful, it's weird looking at it.."
"Well, that's just how Mr. and Mrs. Cake make things here. Bright and colorful is their thing."
As I sat down at a table, I sighed. "You know, you're all lucky. You're dealing with demons and sirens. What I deal with back homw is much, MUCH worse."
"You say that, but before that day at the Fall Formal, our lives were totally normal. I suppose it's for the best though, since without that day, Sunset would still be rather awful, and we never would've made friends with our dear friend Twilight here. Not to mention the Twilight from the other world," Rarity said, smiling. "Oh, um, no offense, Sunset." Sunset chuckled at that.
"Where I come from, my neighborhood is pracically abandoned. Only two or three people live there...but the rest of the neighborhood looks like it jus cane out of WWII. It looks like a hangout spot to find a mythical creature, or an urban myth monster. Looks like a place where the SLENDER MAN would hang."
"What?" Dash asked. "I have... like, no idea what you're talking about."
"You don't know of the Slender Man?" I sked, shocked.
"Ehh...if this is gonna be too much for you, Flutters, you can cover your ears if you like." I suggested. "So, you've never heard of the Slender Man. Well....they say that somewhere out there, lies a lonely being. A being who, at all costs, should be avoided. They call him....THE SLENDER MAN." Coincidentally, lightning and thunder crashed momentarily. "They say hes so skinny and slender, hence the name, because he doesn't eat....he doesn't eat, because..HE HAS NO FACE. Just a white, expressionless, terrifyingly blank face...he's known to kidnap children....never to be seen again....you'll know it's him, because he wears a black suit, and a tie. Even the name Slender Man can run a chill down your spine..."
Loyal chuckled. "Forget it. The only way it'd be scary is it it existed here. But despite all the magic, I get the feeling there's no Slender Man here." Loyal took a sip of his drink, and thought of something. "Come to think...why do you usually end up facing DEMONS, anyway? You've faced sirens once, but demons seem more common."
"....That's actually a pretty decent question..." Fluttershy mumbled.
"I have a holy cross I usually never use unless needed, if another one comes." I said, hoping that would be helpful.
"Well, they're really only demons physically speaking. They're not really unholy creatures of darkness."
"Oh....well, then it IS useless." I said, shrugging. "Isn't it a bit odd that you still defeat these kinds of demons with magic, though? In a way, it doesn't sound normal."
"Well, best not to question magic. It's magic. It's not like it's EASILY studied with the drop of a hat."
"Err.... actually...."
"Well, in Equestria, magic has been analyzed down to a science. It works differently here, but... Still...."
"You actually managed to turn the study of magic into science? Huh...well..is magic complicated?"
"Well, it's a little complicated. The magic here works... weird, really."
"How is it weird?"
"Well, it's like... for a while, we didn't really have control over it. It just kinda... happened when we were playing our music. Then, it started manifesting when we showed our true selves. But now, we have a kind of control over it, now that we've got these amulets."
"Magical amulets...I'm assuming that's how Sunset could...see my memories."
"Yeah, pretty much. That's my magic."
"So, what powers do the others have?"
"Well... I can talk to animals," Fluttershy said, smiling.
"I can create these... these diamond barrier thingies out of thin air. It's really quite amazing."
"I've got telekinesis. That's really all I've got going for me, but it's fun to play with and super useful."
"Funny. Princess Twilight can do the same."
"Oh, she's got a lot more powers than that. That's just how things are over on the other side of the portal," Sunset said.
"Wait....why do I get the feeling Pinkie's power is the least expected, but somewhat crazy?" I said. I never did like my hunches. They usually had bad vibes. "Oh, that's because whenever I take sugary things and throw them, they EXPLODE!" Pinkie replied.
"I don't know what to question: Why you'd get that kind a power, how it works, or why you'd throw sugary sweets." I added. "That's just...somewhat dangerous. Like, what happens if you're carrying a plate of cookies, and you trip?"
Pinkie shrugged. "I think I actually have to touch the thing for it to explode. But who knows?"
"So, basially your power is....sweet hand grenades."
"So...what's AJ's power? Hopefully, less dangerous."
"That depends. Do you consider super strength 'dangerous?'"
"No."
"So...considering you seven all have powers...if you haven't already , you could form your own crime-fighting team. With a creative name. Something like, the Dynamic Seven, or Super Squad. Or whatever you can come up with."
"Crime fighting? Oh, I don't know about that. We're still in high school. It's not exactly our fault we keep running into magical creatures with evil plans."
"Actually that's not entirely true. It's KIND OF your fault, Sunset," Dash said, playfully pointing a finger in Sunset's direction. That shut everybody up for about 6 seconds. "Let's just say misunderstandings and evil intentions were to blame, not the person." I commented. "It's usually what they think that leads them to become evil..."
Sunset cleared her throat. "No, actually, she's right, it is my fault. I did bring Twilight's magical crown into this world when I was still a big problem. That had some lasting effects. Which ultimately lead to the empowering of some crystals in a cave with magic energy."
"The crystals from that geode gave us all magic powers, and when Twilight helped us stop Gloriosa Daisy and calm her down, they transformed into our amulets."
"When you think about it, my own power is being able to bring everyone much closer than before." I said. "It might explain how I beat Ghaan. Because I knew that because I bonded to closely with the other girls, that gave me a feeling that I wasn't alone. That I had them to support me."
"You know....the other Universe I once lived in...there's a main reason I don't want to go back..."
"Hmm... Well, you've got friends here, too. Any friend of Twilight's is a friend of ours."
"When I mentioned I had a dark past in my other Universe, how many of you were curious to know just how bad it was?" I asked. I figured nobody would reply. But I waited to see. "....Eh.... a little bit?" Rainbow said.
"Well...I might as well tell you." I said, and sighed. "This might sound cliche, though..." And so, I told them everything, from the day my parents left, to living alone with remorse. "....and that's why I lived in my home all my life. Now, for those of you I have disturbed, I sincerely apologize."
"I know what that feels like," Sunset said, gesturing to her friends. "How long has Sunset ever been in this world?" I asked. It just..came to mind.
"Oh.... about... maybe 4, 5 years now?"
"Huh. Feels like it'd be longer.."
"The troubling thing is, I still haven't figured out what problem could arise for me to solve. And that's pretty ironic, considering all sorts of problems have come up in the past, but none at the moment."'
"Well, just give it some time. If the past has taught us anything, it's that when strange stuff happens, problems aren't too far behind."
"And how can we tell if something strange is happening...?"
Rainbow smiled. "Oddly enough, it has its ways of finding us."
"So, in a way...you're magical problem magnets when you least expect it."
"Basically," Applejack said, offhandedly.
"Well, I've ended up facing hijackers, evil storm clouds, zombie ponies who wanted me dead, and a giant evil demon. So, I'm pretty used to facing the unknown." I replied. "And yes, I said 'evil storm clouds'. More terrifying than you think."
"Sounds like someone encountered the Frozen North... More specifically, the Crystal Empire..."
"How did you even know about the Frozen North?"
Sunset reached into her backpack and pulled out a book. "Twilight told me about it. She said something about the Crystal Heart being destroyed by her niece and the city nearly being buried under tons and tons of ice and snow."
"That all happened. That niece was more dangerous than she looked. She's also the reason I still have an antigravity spell cast on me. I managed to nulify it by walking onto the ground. Using ramps, of course."
"For everything that happened, we decided to call her 'Flurry Heart.' Just wait until the kid asks how she got her name.."
Sunset sighed. "That probably won't go over well."
"I just realized, I need a place where I could stay...I could always try sleeping someplace outside. That usually works with most other newcomers."
Pinkie giggled. "I'm sure you can find someplace nice to stay! The weather's supposed to be super nice!"
Applejack chuckled. "Yeah, just don't go sleepin' in the school's library!" The entire rest of the company burst into a fit of giggles.
"I get the feeling one of you already has."
"Well, not one of US... Princess Twilight did," Sunset managed, as she finally stopped giggling.
"Wait, seriously?" I said, starting to laugh a bit. That was just too funny.
"Yeah, it's sort of become an inside joke between us."
"Ooh...that's too funny..."
"I mean, she did have nowhere else to go," Fluttershy started, "But still, she told us she piled up a bunch of books into a bed and slept there... It's... actually pretty funny to think about!"
"Well, I've heard of hitting the hay, and hitting the books, but I never figured she'd hit the books like that." I said.
Everyone started up another giggle fit at that. "Oh, that's a good one!"
"You know, I could always sleep by the statue, in the front. It looks like a good spot." I said, once I stopped laughing.
"Fair enough I suppose."
Just then, Sunset's book..vibrated?
"Okay, I know I just made a good joke..but in all seriousness, is that a PHONE BOOK? Because it's vibrating...just like a cell phone."
"Yeah, we've all made that connection. It must be Twilight." Sunset opened the book and flipped to a new page.
The page said:
"To Sunset and others,
How are you? I'm--sorry, WE'RE--doing fine. But we've been missing Loyal for the past few days. How is he? If he's there, is he fine? I just figured I'd ask, because Hearth's Warming is in a few weeks, and we wouldn't want him to miss it...write back soon.
--Twilight and the girls."
"Sounds like things are doing pretty good back in Equestria. Hearth's Warming Eve is coming up, and she says they miss you."
"How is she even able to write a letter that quickly reaches us?" I questioned.
"Ehh, who am I to question magical books?"
"Well, yeah, that's what this is. There's another book in Equestria that's linked to this one, so it's like we're instant messaging each other."
"Ha! I get it! It's like you're using special phones!"
"You could write:
Loyal is doing just fine. He's here in our company, and we're all just having a good time. He promises to get back as soon as he possibly can, so he can be with you all again. In the meantime, he's still adjusting to his world's...gimmicks."
"Well, okay, fair enough." Sunset fished around in her bag until she found a pen, and wrote just that down.
A few moments later...
"Heh, hopefully he didn't reat like the way I did when I first became human. In fact, I'm willing to have a bit of a visit, if that's okay."
"Hmm...she says she wants to visit? I wouldn't mind a visit from her." I said.
"I don't think any of us would, really."
Another note from Twi: "If you agree, it'll take less than 5 minutes for me to get over there. I happen to be right next to the portal in Equestria."
"A bit eager, isn't she?" I said, chuckling.
"Well, it's been a while since her last visit. She dropped by right after some time travel shenanigans last time, and we haven't seen her since."
"Time travel, huh? Well, I know the one behind THAT. The same pony I happen to be crushing on." Realizing my mistake, I said, "I mean, not crushing on...just...bonding with. Yeah."
"Don't quote me on that!" I quickly added. "Doesn't matter if I said it before! I"m not crushing.."
The rest of the present company exchanged glances and smirks, before turning back to Loyal. "Whatever you say!"
"Okay, the only time you can tease me about it is if I meet a human Starlight Glimmer. But that'll never happen. Ever,"
"Ohhh, I don't know.... We didn't exactly expect to meet our world's Twilight..."
"If I've yet to see my own person, I've yet to meet my own Starlight. I mean, another Starlight.....NOTHING!" I added, bllushing heavily. Just then, a familiar blue-haired person approached the table. "I heard a certain someone's coming to visit again?" He asked, blushing a bit. "Oh, who might this be?" I asked.
"This is Flash Sentry. He has a bit of a, umm, thing for Twilight. A bit of a thing I thought we'd discussed at Camp Everfree."
"Which Twilight? There's two of 'em." I half-joked, half pointed out.
"Uh, the pony."
"Well, looks like I can't be teased, because there's two people with crushes on ponies!"
"Fair enough," Sunset said.
Loyal looked outside, and noticed it was starting to get a bit dark. "Well, I best be heading back to the statue before it gets too dark." I said, getting up and putting my drink in its proper place. I got up, and headed out the door. "I'll see you all tomorrow...unless by some chance, I'm turned into a demon because of unreasonable possession."I joked. Everyone waved goodbye to Loyal before settling into a conversation of their own.
"Well, he seems nice." Flash said, before turning to Sunset with a teasing smirk. “Is he your new boyfriend now?"
"What? No, of course not. I just met him."
"You sure? He sure seemed into you...though it didn't look it."
"I don't see it."
"You will eventually.." He teased. "A lot of people are into ketchup-and-mustard. I know he might be."
As Loyal walked down the street, he thought he heard a voice calling his name. He turned around, and swore he saw an evil, demonic version of Twilight. He blinked, but nothing was there. Loyal sighed. Maybe all that magic talk was getting to him...
He arrived at the statue, and sat down.
"Boy....those girls are really something..." He said. Just then, he heard an oddly familiar voice. "Oh, indeed they are....they seem soooo special...."
Loyal looked around, but saw no one.
"Heh...don't bother trying to find me. Though you can ask this: Am I in your head? Or am I really around?"
"Whoever this is, I'll--"
"You'll what? Destroy me? One of your friends already did. But part of me survived...and I met a few friends, but they'll arrive later...for now...why don't we have some fun?"
At that moment, I felt a surge in my body. I felt.....strange. But if there was another danger heading our way, I would have to do what I WOULD do before such a situation - I had to tell the others quickly, before it was too late. I rushed down the street, hoping I wasn’t too late, and back to the cafe, and quickly entered, shutting the door behind me.
"....Hmm? Did you forget something?"
"Yeah, about the demon possessing bit...ironic as it is...I think something happened to me. I'm not even kidding." I said.
"Well, I guess THAT'S a thing..."
"Oh, he's really not kidding. It was nice for him to allow me to possess him."
"I didn't do jack!" I commented. "Okay, I"m seriously freaked out. How do I kick a demon out of my body? This is a first for me! Out of everything magical to happen, it has to happen to ME, of all people!"
"Hah! Kick me out? You can't kick out a demon. It leaves when it wants to." The voice replied. "Which...I won't. Ever." Suddenly, it became very clear exactly who had possessed Loyal...and nobody liked the answer.
"Please tell me that's not..."
"Oh, great, a returning villain. Well...whoever it is can't be that bad...right?"
"No..it's going to be a lot worse. Especially for YOU, Twilight. I've met quite a few friends who were dying to get the best kind of revenge on you...and I hooked them up. I'm sure you know of the Sirens...a copy of Demon Shimmer, perhaps? And, as a finishing touch....a mirror image of Gloriosa Everfree."
Bringing the other three (6, considering the Sirens are three) villains back? That just didn't sound possible!
"Oh, and it's not just Twilight this revenge works for...it works for ALL OF YOU."
"Obviously, I'm not fighting any of you right now...for two reasons: One, because Twilight dissipated my form....and two, what's the use of leaving out the fun for the others? *evil laugh*"
"It... it can't be.... It can't be Midnight Sparkle...."
"Wait....isn't this the villain you mentioned appeared at...the Friendship Games?"
"Midnight Sparkle.... is what happened when Twilight tried to use magic she didn't know how to control. It got out of control and took over her mind, and she tried to cause this world to collapse into Equestria. After the Friendship Games, she tried to take over Twilight's mind again after she got magic power of her own. But now that she can control her magic, there's not really any danger of her overtaking Twilight..."
"I had no clue demons could do that...and here I thought possession couldn't get any creepier. It makes me wonder....how in the holy name of God did Midnight possess me?! This makes no sense!" I said. "I pray she's just using me to deliver a message."
"It can't be that she's gaining power, can it?!"
"Don't be ridiculous! I only gain power from my friends. And believe me...they're slowly feeding me plenty of it! soon, I'll destroy ALL OF YOU! Now...I must go....unfortunately. But soon...your days will be numbered!" I felt Midnight leave my body, and she blew a hole in the entrance of the cafe, despite having no physical form.
"We're screwed." I commented. "We're so ultimately screwed. How can we fight 6 VILLAINS?"
"Uh.... I don't know! But... but we'll find a way! Just.... maybe Twilight will know what to do...."
Sunset took her pen and began scribbling down a message in the book. "Twilight - Past enemies allegedly all coming back for revenge, unsure what to do, unable to verify - HELP!!!"
The book sent a message: "Already on it! I'll be there in less than 10."
"Well, did it say she's coming?"
"It did!"
"Well, that's good. I wonder how long it'll be before she---"
At that moment, someone who looked exactly like Twilight, except clothed differently came through--no, OUT OF-- a glass pane, directly onto Flash.
"Well. That's... different. Usually I come out of the statue over by CHS..."
Once Twi got up, I approached her. "It's good to see you, Twi. I bet you probably recognize me. Somewhat."
"Oh, it's you, Loyal!"
"Yup!"
"I'm guessing you heard about the demonic moment we just had."
"The freaky part is, apparently, I got possessed by Midnight, just so she could deliver a message, and blow a hole in the entrance."
"Hmm. I don't know for sure if I can help on my own....
With that much going on.... I might have to bring my friends over... but the thing is, that could be very dangerous...."
"Because there'd be two of each of the girls. Except Sunset and I. But to avoid confusion, we could wear nametags! 'CHS Fluttershy, Equestria Fluttershy!' It'd be simpler to tell them apart!"
"Well.... it's entirely possible if my friends came over, they'd look different from their counterparts...."
"I mean, this world's Twilight and I look different enough that you can tell us apart."
"True. Plus, your friends don't wear special amulets that came from elsewhere. You wear necklaces, I believe. And a crown."
"The only slight difficulty would be having the others chill about about them having counterparts."
"Actually... we don't wear necklaces anymo-"
Twilight turned to Loyal. "Wait a minute. Did one of us tell you about that...? We'd already given the Elements back to the Tree of Harmony when we met you..."
"I....think so. I'd learned a lot here, so it's not surprising if I learned about something that happened here. I actually can't remember if I was told that, but Ifeel like I was, considering how you only lean so muchbeore your brain forgets old acts to make room for new ones. But let's just say I did."'
"Anyway, I don't see much risk in bringing the other girls over here if we planned over it. Though to be sure, what could go wrong?"
"Well.... I guess it would be worth it to save the world.... plus they did want to come with me when we had to fight the sirens..."
Sunset chimed in, "Yeah, and besides, I think by now the school's gotten used to the whole 'magic from another dimension' thing."
"And if one of us gets captured and another escapes, they can find us and rescue us! There's just one issue, though..."
"If they come through the portal, where will they end up? Twilight ended up in the cafe, conveniently. But it might not mean the others will."
"I suppose we could hold hands when we go through the portal. As long as none of us let go, then we'll probably all come out the same portal."
"Perfect! Seems everything's in order! Now one other question is, is the window pane portal still there?"
"Well... I guess we find out...?"
Twilight reached a hand towards the window pane. Her hand went through, like it was nothing.
"I guess it's still there." I said.
"I can only imagine how the other girls would react seeing me. I can picture two things: A tacklehug from Pinkie. And all of them piling on me out of happiness."
"Most likely! Alright, I'll be back as soon as I can. I might bring some others too, just in case... But not anyone too much..."
"You're referring to Spike, right?" Flash said. At that moment, a purple dog with green ears came flying out. "Nope, he's already here." I guessed, assuming that was Spike. "Anyway, good luck, Twilight!"
Twilight nodded and stepped back through the portal.
"I wonder how they'll react seeing her return so quickly."
Sunset snickered. "Probably freak because they think she solved the problem so quickly."
"Knowing her, she WOULD. I'm also guessing when she explains the situation, Applejack would probably be the first to point out what Twi said about them NOT coming here. I get the feeling she would."
*meanwhile, in Equestria, Twilight explained the situation*
"Didn't you say last time that we shouldn't go with you 'cuz it'd get all confusing if Canterlot High all of a sudden had two of all of us?"
*back in CHS*
"Yup. Calling it now."
Moments later, the other girls and Twilight came back through the portal
"What the HECK just happened?!" Rainbow Dash cried, as she looked at her new form. "What ARE we?!"
Twilight giggled. "I had the same reaction the first time I came here."
"Hey, girls!" I said cheerfully.
Eventually, Pinkie was the first to notice me. I knew exactly what was coming next once she managed to stand up.
"Oh my GOSH it's YOU!"
"Hey, Pinks." I replied.
"I MISSED YOU SO MUCH!!!!"
As she tackledhugged me tightly to the ground I weakly said, "C-called it.."
Twilight and Sunset both started chuckling.
"Afte Twi left, I called that AJ would be the first to mention what Twi said about not coming here. She did, didn't she?"
"She....She did."
"Called that, too! Man, and I thought PINKIE'S hunches were good."
"So, before we all freak out again, Equestria Girls (ROLL CREDITS!), meet CHS girls!"
"I know, it's kind of weird. But, two heads are better than one, and 13 girls are better than 6. Plus one boy." After I got up, I chuckled. "Anyone else up for tacklehugs and 'I missed you's, I'm open." I said. I knew the other girls would end up doing it too. If I was lucky, all at once.
Everyone chuckled and threw themselves into a pile of hugs, centered on Loyal.
"Called that, too!" I commented with a muffled voice.
"How long have I been gone from Equestria, anyway?" I asked. "Have I only been gone about a day or so?"
"Actually, you've been gone for a while... maybe you traveled through time and dimensions...?"
"Possibly."
"It's so good to see you girls again!"
"It really is good to see you again, too!"
"I hope nothing evil has happened....be a shame for me to miss out."
"Well, nothing really that bad. Just a few problems with ourselves not getting along. And there was this one time Rarity needed our help preparing to open a boutique in Manehattan."
"I always knew she'd make it into bigger business. The girl's got TALENT."
"Oh, why... why thank you, darling!"
"You'll be thrilled.." I added sarcastically, "to hear that I got possessed by a magic demon temporarily."
Pinkie blinked. "That doesn't sound exciting. Did you mean to say disappointed?"
I chuckled. "It was sarcasm, Pinkie. They used me as a way to deliver a message about getting revenge. And then blew a hole in the cafe entrance."
"That's actually a really stupid reason to possess someone, now that I think of it. That's like using an intercom to read a private letter."
"We'll need all the help we can get, because now we're facing 6 villains. 3 Sirens, 2 demons, possibly including Midnight Sparkle herself."
"And... who's Midnight Sparkle?"
"Ehhhhh......they know the details. I just know she tried to take over Twilgiht, and there wa a big incident at something called the Friendship Games. But if I recall....
"Midnight Sparkle.... is what happened when Twilight tried to use magic she didn't know how to control. It got out of control and took over her mind, and she tried to cause this world to collapse into Equestria. After the Friendship Games, she tried to take over Twilight's mind again after she got magic power of her own. But now that she can control her magic, there's not really any danger of her overtaking Twilight..."
"That's what I was told."
"And by Twilight, I mean this world's Twilight."
"Which reminds me, I commented we'd need nametags to avoid confusion over which person we're talking about."
"You know, at any rate, I'd end up becoming a demon myself. I pray that doesn't happen. Even if it does....I'd use my powers to kick villain tail. Who wouldn't?"
"Right!"
Twilight nodded. "So, we're going to need to differentiate between us, you said?"
"Right!"
"Well, we could easily tell the difference between Twilight and Twilight if we just call this world's Twilight 'Twilight' and Equestria's Twilight 'Princess Twilight.'"
"We could try nicknaming the CHS girls based on their powers."
"That reminds me... what kind of powers did you girls get?"
"They have levitation, that's Twilight, Rainbow's si superspeed, AJs is super strength, Rarity's is diamond shields, Fluttershy's is talking to animals AND understanding them, Sunset's is looking into memories, and Pinkie's is sugary hand-grnades."
"Which still make little sense."
"That'd be copyright."
"How so? It's not like we're naming a blue hedgehog!"
".....I don't even know how you know of that."
"Let alone hat specific animal. How do you know all this?"
"Just a hunch!"
The Human World's Pinkie pointed towards Equestria's Pinkie with a big grin on her face.
"Uh..okay....well...
Rainbow could be Flashy, because the Flash is also copyright, AJ could be.....Buffy, because super strength, Fluttershy could be Mother Nature, Twilight could be..Levy, Rarity is Crystal, and Pinkie could be....Party Bomb. It's not really a good set of nicknames, but it's all I got."
"Buffy? Really?"
"I can't say 'The Hulk, because copyright. Seriously, if Marvel didn't exist, it would be so much easier. What did you WANT me to nickname you, Strong John?'"
"On second thought, Hulk sounds a lot better...meh, I'm sure one copywritten name won't hurt."
"So, what should we do now?"
"Well... I guess we should keep an eye out for strange things happening..."
"Other than demonic possessions and blowing holes in cafes? Yeah."
Spike eventually got up. "I'm....g-getting tired of that p-portal...it's s-so disorenting.."
Twilight smiled and pet Spike gently on the head. "Well, it's good to have you around. Thanks for coming with us, Spike. Make sure to keep your eyes peeled."
"I will, once I get them focused..."
"Should we look around to see if anything's....out of place?" I suggested.
Twilight nodded. "That wouldn't be a bad idea."
Loyal nodded, and headed out. "I got a good idea. Sunset, you go ahead and take this world's Mane 6. I'll take my girls, and we can split up and look for anything out of the ordinary."
Loyal nodded, and headed out. "I got a good idea. Sunset, you go ahead and take this world's Mane 6. I'll take my girls, and we can split up and look for anything out of the ordinary."
Sunset nodded. "Alright, girls, let's get moving, okay?"
So, we set out, looking for something unusual. Sunset and the girls split up, and we did, too. We went out searching for the next 47 minutes, looking for someting weird. Eventually, Spike directed himself towards an alley, and growled.
"What's up, Spike?"
A familiar voice rang out. "Well, well...if it isn't Princess Twilight. We've been waiting for you...."
"Actually, no we haven't, Adagio. We just got here."
"Will you just shut up?! We went over this!"
"Oh boy. Sounds like you three are angry about something..."
"Oh, really? Well, it might not be the fact you ruined us last year! But with Midnight's help....we'll finally get the perfect revenge....you're lucky we're not at full power, or siren magic would be the LAST thing to worry about...."
Twilight crossed her arms. "Maybe so... but don't underestimate me just because you have a new leader. I've had plenty more experiences outside of you."
Adagio and her cronies approached from within the darkness. "That's big talk for a Princess who didn't know how to handle an instrument. And before you say anything, I wouldn't think a microphone counts as one. You might think just because you have your friends with you, you're big and tough. But we've got more demons on our side? What do you have to counter that?"
"Okay, first of all, singing is just as tough as playing an instrument! You of all people should know that! And second, I'd tell you, but I'm not falling for that old trick."
"Hm. Still the sharpest knife in the drawer, I see. Well, no matter. Soon, it'll all be over for you and your friends....see you never....Rainbrooms." Adagio and her companions backed up through a wall, disappearing through it.
"....Rainbrooms?" I questioned.
"Yeah I don't know." Twilight shrugged.
"That sounds like an outdated insult. A bad one."
Loyal approached the wall, and reached his arm through it.
"It's some kind of magical...portal-like wall. Should we tell the others about this?"
"Well... I guess we could."
We went back, and regrouped, and I told Sunset about our meeting with the Sirens, and the Mystical Wall.
"...and so, that may be where they're hiding, but I'm just guessing." I said. "Do you think we should head through said wall to see what's on the other side, or should we wait until morning?"
"Maybe we should wait until morning..."
"Sounds good...besides, can't fight if we're exhausted." I said, nodding in agreement. "I'm gonna head back to the statue...or should I just come with you, to avoid further....possessions? It's up to you."
"Well, I don't really know where my friends and I will be sleeping. We can't all cram into the library... I mean, we could, but..."
"Joke's already been made about that speaking of which." I said, snickering.
"If ya need to...I know a place you could stay." The blue person standing behind the counter said.
"Wha-?" Twilight turned to her. "Mrs. Cake... were you listening in on us?"
"Only on the 'not knowing where to stay' bit. I tend to zone in and out at times."
"Follow me." She said, leading the group to a trapdoor. "I sometimes have guests which need a place to stay if they don't know where to go, so I designed this room just for that very purpose." She opened the trapdoor to reveal a room with several beds, more than 13, conveniently, a small TV, crates of food and water, and a bookshelf.
"I know it's completely out of place for a cafe, but you never know when rooms like this can come in handy. You can stay here for as long as ya need to."
"Oooh, that's very kind of you, Mrs. Cake!"
As Mrs Cake went from behind the counter, and out of the shop, exiting the door, and ignoring the hole, because humor, she waved. "You all have a good night!" She said.
"You too!" Twilight waved after her.
"Well, shall we descend?" I said, gesturing to the room.
Loyal was the first to climb down. Everyone else soon climbed down. After a few minutes, everyone was changed into their pajamas. As the girls looked over to Loyal for him to say something, he was already in a bed, fast asleep.
"Wow. I've never seen Loyal fall asleep that fast before. Except on the train from the Crystal Empire. I bet your presence helps him fall asleep, Twilight. However that works." Spike commented.
"Oh, I don't know about that. Maybe he's just tired from everything that's happened."
"Maybe...then again, he DID get possessed..." The other Spike said. "Being possessed could possibly lead to having a lot of energy drained from you..."
Equestrian Spike curled up, and closed his eyes. "Goodnight, Twilight...." He said, before yawning and falling asleep."
The other Spike curled up next to what would supposdly be Levy's bed.
Twilight smiled and scratched her Spike behind the ears before climbing into bed herself. The others soon followed.
Loyal didn't dream about many things. He did dream that he was fighting Midnight, and in his mind, he kept repeating words..."We can win....we can win....we can win.." They were quite inspirational words, too. He felt confident, like he knew he would win.
Loyal eventually woke up. He looked around, and saw that nobody else was awake yet. Loyal quietly got out of bed and climbed up the ladder quietly. He climbed out the trapdoor, and sat up against the wall. He took out a pencil and notebad and wrote something he'd been meaning to write.
To a dear friend,
I know I've been gone a long time...I know I'd been gone a while. But I just want you to know, I'm going to be returning very soon. I know you've missed me. I miss you sincerely, too. I look forward to spending a Hearth's Warming Evening with you and the others. After all, it's the kind of day that families get together, and I consider all of you as my own family. I'm getting emotional just thinking about our special reunion we could/might have. There's a special gift I've been meaning to give you for a while, and Hearth's Warming would be the perfect time. But don't worry, I wouldn't miss it for the world. Just know, I sincerely love and care about you, and I promise I'll be home soon. I promise....I'll return the moment I finish my quest.
Hope to see you soon.
Sincerely, and missing you a lot,
Loyal Defender
When I finished writing the letter, I rolled it up, and approached the window pane. I reached my hand through it, and sure enough, it worked. I placed the letter through the portal. I hoped that the letter would go to her soon.
After staring at the pane for about three minutes, I felt something touch my shoulder. I turned around, to see another person standing behind me. I took a good look at her....and she looked so much like Starlight Glimmer. She was her human counterpart. I blushed a bit.
"H-Hi, there.." I said sheepishly.
(No, this Starlight is not from Equestria. And no, she didn't see Loyal put a piece of paper through a window.)
"Umm, hi. Am I... interrupting something?"
"No, not at all....who might you be?"
"Oh, umm... My name is Starlight Glimmer... I just... saw the light on, and the door was open... I thought maybe someone was up to something in here. Seems I was mistaken."
"Well, funny using the door worked for you, considering there's a giant hole in the cafe."
Starlight giggled. "Yeah... that's kind of what I meant..."
"Kinda hard to have the door CLOSED if there isn't a door, y'know?"
"Yeah...it's like building a house without support beams, if you think it'll just stand up with no problem. I don't believe I've seen you around much."
"Well, I try not to let people see me. I'm kind of shy, after my best friend moved away when I was a kid."
"It's kinda funny though, I used to have nightmares that I'd become some kind of evil dictator when I was older."
"Heh, well, that's just ridiculous! I don't know anyone who would do that!"
"It's not really the kind of thing a kid would think about, y'know? Besides, it's not like there's anything I could put the blame on anyway. He just... moved. It wasn't in his control, and it was beyond mine to stop him."
"All my other friends moved out due to military situations. I was on my own for a while. Three years, to be exact."
"Wow... That's... umm... Wow..."
"Yeah. I know. Shocking."
"But until I met 6 special girls not too long ago, I felt at home. They're like...family to me. It's kind of sweet."
"You kind of remind me of someone I know back at home. She's sweet and considerate, and is a good friend."
"Oh, is that so?"
"I wouldn't be surprised if you were her twin."
"So, who was this best friend of yours?"
"Oh, his name was Sunburst."
"Was he good at anything?"
"No better at typical kid things than I or anyone else we knew were. He was pretty smart, though."
"Bookworm, or nerd?" I asked.
"A little of both really." Starlight chuckled lightly.
"Hmm. How long have you known him?"
"Humm... About.... 8 years or so now? Maybe longer?"
"Wow. Your bond must have been stronger than nylon."
"You'd think so, but we never really got in touch after we went our separate ways. It wasn't for lack of trying, but... well... We didn't get our cell phones until afterwards, and writing to each other never really took off, so we couldn't get in touch over the internet... I'm not even entirely sure where he is these days."
"I'm sure you'll find him eventually."
"So, was there a reason you came here?"
"I already told you, I saw the light on and I thought someone was up to something."
"As shy as I am, I can't just sit there and let a crime - or what might BE a crime - go on without doing something. Even if that something is just seeing if I can manage to get a picture of the criminal to show the police."
"And, well, I'd hardly call writing a letter and looking in a mirror a crime."
"I'm guessing you haven't already heard of all the magicky stuff that's happened around here."
"Magic? Is that a thing?"
"Yup."
"Wow. You're right, I didn't know that."
"It's why there's a hole in the wall."
"Magic happens around here more often than you think.
Moments later, Loyal heard a sound coming from the trapdoor. He looked to see just Sunset climb up. "Oh, goodmorning, Sunset. More like SunRISE right now."
Sunset chuckled. "Yeah... Good one. So uh... Who's this?"
"This is Starlight Glimmer."
"Starlight Glimmer? Like the girl Twilight was writing about?"
"Who? I don't know any Twilight..."
"You might end up meeting two of them." I commented. "It's a long story."
"Two? What, is this mirror a portal to another world?" Starlight asked, in a mocking tone of voice, as she waved her fingers.
"Hah! That'd be ridiculous if it was." I said. 'If she figures this out...my God.' I thought.
"Y'know, we're usually not shy about this kind of thing, Loyal. Not that anyone's ever asked before."
"Shy about what? You don't expect me to believe that any kind of magic comes from another world, do you?"
"No." I added. "It could just come from anywhere here."
"Well, technically OUR magic comes from the amulets we're wearing..."
"Wait, seriously? Wow, that's.... actually super cool! ...And... INTERESTING.... I bet if Sunburst knew about this, he'd be geeking out so hard over it and wanting to come meet you guys!"
"Well, that'd be one way to attract him."
"If only I knew how to reach him maybe we could reconnect...."
Then, I got an idea.
"Well..there could be one way. But we'd have to be lucky."
"...How?"
"Did Sunburst happein to have a journal?"
"I... don't actually know... If he did, he didn't tell me..."
"I got an idea. Sunset, do you still have your journal?"
"Well, yes, but... where are you going with this?"
"If we can test if he has a book that can transfer the same magic to his own journal, he might get a message! It's worth a shot with all this magic around."
"It's not like we have other ideas...do we?"
"Well... no... But I'm not positive that'd work... This book is specially linked to one in Equestria... I don't think it works that way."
"Oh....well, then finding him would be the other and harder option. Sorry, Starlight."
"Are the others up yet, or are you the only one?" I asked.
"I think they're still asleep. I know Pinkie is."
"To be honest, I actually thought she'd be awake early, too. She's rather....energetic, so it would kind of make sense."
"As energetic as she is, she needs plenty of sleep. She stays up late and usually burns a lot of that energy off. Frankly I'm surprised she gets up as early as she does."
"What makes her so hyper, anyway?" I questioned.
"Mind sugar."
"....mind....sugar? Is that even a thing?""
"Oh, believe me, it is. What goes on inside Pinkie's head is rather... erm... different."
"So, basically, Pinkie's energy and hyperactivity come from her brain..."
"It's what keeps her going through the day, but when she goes to bed, it dies down. I assume."
"I wouldn't be surprised if it becomes night in that part of her mind, too..."
Moments later, Mrs Cup Cake came into the shop, again, using the door.
"Oh! Well, good morning to you all!"
Sunset smiled. "Good morning, Mrs. Cake. Thank you again for letting us stay here."
"Oh, it's no big deal! Besides, I also allowed you to stay, because your friend there (referring to Loyal) didn't have a real place to stay. So I figured you could all spend the night."
"Well, yes, that was very kind of you!"
"You know....I've got an odd feeling about Midnight..." I said. "Midnight has to be messing with us.."
"Though I don't completely know her, what I do know is that she'd have to be a lot more powerful than she is now to create all of this chaos. Bringing back villains? Even SHE can't do that..can she?"
"I don't know. All I've seen her do is rip holes in reality."
"So, she acted like a Portal Gun, then, creating...portals to different dimensions.."
"Well, not different dimensions. Just the one. She was trying to get to Equestria."
"Wouldn't she have just...wait....when I met Twilight in Equestria, she was a pony...and when she...came here...she was human. What would happen to Midnight if she entered Equestria?"
"Something's just not right....it's like someone else is pulling the strings....but who?"
"....one thing I could do is ask Twilight what it felt like being Midnight....how powerful she felt. If she says she wasn't intensely powerful, then I'm right; Midnight isn't behind this."
"Wait....Sunset, you were there to see the entire event, right? Who defeated Midnight?"
"That would be me."
"...Y-you're kidding me....." I replied. Now, I was shocked. "YOU defeated Midnight? How is that even possible...?"
"To be honest? I'm not sure."
"Twilight's dog reached out to her. I think he got through enough for me to overpower Midnight."
"Spike actually...distracted her? Isn't that a bit awkward for a demon to be distracted when they're trying to kill someone?"
"Incredibly. But, it worked!"
"Wait....the one thing I don't get is....how did you become powerful enough to defeat her....did you.....wait.....did you....turn into a demon yourself? That's really all I can think happened."
"A demon? I wouldn't call it a demon. I don't know WHAT I'd call it honestly. But I gathered magic my friends were giving off and used it to power myself up for the greater good."
"A holy angel. Let's say it was a holy angel."
"Fair enough!"
"Still, I have never been more mind blown. All this time, I was friends with someone who's used insanely powerful magic. That's so awesome!"
"Well, I was one of the most promising students at Celestia's school. Y'know, before I, umm, abandoned my studies to pursue my own nefarious ambitions before being defeated by Twilight and friends just before getting everything I thought I wanted and realizing I was wrong the whole time."
"You were a villain, too? So, you were a villain, and now you're a protagonist. Seems like you've been through a lot."
"That's about the size of it. I've been through a lot more than my appearance would suggest."
Moments after, Levy was next to climb up.
"Oh, hey, Levy." I greeted.
"Good morning, everyone. Did you all sleep well?" Twilight noticed Starlight standing in the shop. "Oh, who's this?"'
"This is Starlight Glimmer." I introduced.
"Starlight, this is my good friend, Twilight. Nicknamed Levy for simplicity."
Spike was next to come up the ladder.
"I dunno what's harder....going into the room, or going out of it.." He said, sighing.
"Did that dog just talk?" Starlight asked.
"Yup. Another one of the...magic-related things. Who knows? You might end up seeing stuff like that every so often." I replied.
A few moments later, Mrs Cake came back from a back room, carrying a tray of some of those fruit-shake drinks. "I figured you'd all need a good amount of strength for today, so I made each of you a special shake. Oh, but don't worry about paying. It's on me." There were 14 drinks, so supposedly, they were for the girls (CHs and Equestria) and myself.
Sunset smiled at Mrs. Cake. "Thank you, Mrs. Cake. That's very kind of you."
"Oh, it's no big deal. After all, strength is everything when it comes to doing activities."
It wasn't long before the other girls woke up. Actually, it was about 10-15 minutes. But pretty soon, we were all sitting at a table, enjoying our shakes. It wasn't long before I noticed Starlight hadn't gotten one. I hadn't started drinking mine yet, so I got an idea.
I got up, approached Starlight, and offered her my drink. "I noticed you never got one." I said.
"No, no, it's alright. I'm fine."
"I insist, though. I'd hate for you to be left out. Besides, I don't really eat much."
"Well, if you insist..."
"Have you ever made any other friends before?"
"...No..."
"Why not? More friends never hurts."
"I'm guessing you cared a lot about Sunburst to the point where you didn't think you needed more friends."
"...Yeah, kinda...."
"You know....the girls and I could become your friends, too.."
"Oh, I wouldn't want to burden you guys with my emotional baggage...."
"I've had a more emotional life than you that they know of. So it wouldn't slow them down."
"Besides, I know what it's like being alone. I've known for too long....but I moved past it. And so can you. Having friends can make you realize that being almost antisocial isn't such a bad thing."
"But how can I be sure they won't leave me, too?"
"From what I've experienced with them, they never leave someone they care about."
"Besides, why do you think I approached you, other than to offer a drink? Because I can relate to what happened in your past, and I care about you, wanting to ensure you don't end up like I did. That, and they're more than happy to make a new friend."
"My suggestion? Go talk to them. I promise you, they'd be happy to befriend you. Especially Pinkie."
"Well.... I guess I could try..."
"That's what I like to hear." I said, making way for her so she could speak to them.
"Just don't be nervous. That's the first step in conversation."
"Do you want me to accompany you, just in case?" I asked Star.
"It would certainly help..."
I nodded, and led Star to the others.
"Hey, girls. A certain someone would like to speak with you. I'd like you to meet Starlight Glimmer.
Twilight gasped. "Oh, this world has a Starlight, too? Well, it's very nice to meet you."
"I had a bit of a discussion with her, and I figured....you'd all like to become her good friends. You see, since she met Sunburst, she...didn't really make other friends. Since Sun moved away, she's been on her own. So I thought it'd be nice if we became her friends. It never hurts to try, I said."
"So....what do you all think?" I asked. I hoped they'd agree to befriend her. Twilight nodded. "I already know a Starlight Glimmer, and if you're anything like her, then I'm sure we'll be good friends."
"Another one of the magicky things." I pointed out. I was trying to be subtle about this, but...well...I couldn't blame Twilight. How could you mention magic without revealing anything?
Twilight smiled. "I'm assuming he means Sunburst? Don't worry, Starlight. If you believe, I'm sure you can meet him again someday."
I noticed Starlight said nothing about another Sunburst. "Are you actually okay with this? Mentions of another Sunburst and...you just accept it. I felt like directly mentioning magic relating to you would....set off some alarms, if you get me. So, to be safe, I hint at things."
We all chatted and discussed things and drank our drinks. until.....it was time.
"Okay....is everyone good and set? This might be the biggest event we've encountered."
"What? I don't understand. What's happening?" Starlight asked.
"It's kind of long story. Let's just say we're gonna face evil magic."
"Evil magic...? There's EVIL magic?"
"Starlight, it's probably best if you stay here. I don't want to see you get hurt. Alright. Is everyone prepared? We'll need to bring our all for this."
Twilight looked at the others, who nodded. "I guess so."
I nodded, and began heading out the door. "We'll be back when we can, okay? Just don't worry."
I headed out the door, and the others followed. I walked the trail all the way to the portal alley. "You girls ready for this?"
They all nodded. "We're ready for anything."
I took a deep breath, exhaled, then dashed through the portal. For a moment, everything was swirling..it was nauseating. On the other side of the portal...was what I could only describe as absolute chaos. The sky was a lime green, the grass was blue, and everywhere we looked, there were pillars and stairs that led nowhere. There was purple water, and brown fire in some places.
"What IS this place...?" I questioned.
"I don't know. It reminds me of Discord's dimension, but it's somehow... different...." Twilight replied. I didn't know who Discord was..but he sounded just as bad. I motioned for the girls to follow my lead, and we began searching for Midnight and the others. Eventually, after Celestia knows long of walking, we arrived at a distorted, corrupted-looking fort or castle. "Do you think they're in here?" I asked.
"My intuition tells me yes," Sunset said.
I opened the doors, and we all headed inside. It was dark inside the castle, so I couldn't see. I DID hear the sound of the doors closing and locking. Moments after...the room was lit up by bright fire, which was normal orange. It lit up the room, eventually revealing Midnight Sparkle. "Well, well...looks like you actually came. I figured you'd be too afraid to try and confront me." She said. She seemed to have attained a form quite similar to Twilight. Only scarier.
"We've faced you before, Midnight Sparkle. We'll do it again if we have to."
"Oh, but it won't be like last time...I've made some new friends..."
At that moment, there was a beam of light. As it faded, it revealed Demon Shimmer, Gloriosa Everfree, and the Sirens. "I'm sure you remember these foes." She said.
"Hmm. Looks like you weren't joking about making some new friends."
"Finally....I can destroy you all, and not even teaming up can stop me!"
Midnight laughed maniacally, and shot a powerful beam towards the group.
"Watch out!"
The group ducked or dodged out of the way of the beam. It collided with the door, but didn't break it.
At that moment, Demon Shimmer took her turn to fire. She shot several energy spheres at the group.
"How are we supposed to fight these villains like this?!" I said. Crystal placed herself in the middle of the group of friends and swung her arms out to create a magical barrier.
Demon Shimmer kept thrusting spheres at the barrier, trying to bring it down.
"How are we supposed to fight back now?! We're being BOMBARDED!"
Twilight thought for a moment. "Maybe... my friends and I can find some way to make our powers work?"
"Combining levitation, hand grenades, super strength, super speed, and magic barriers.....hmmm.....wait! I got an idea!"
"Okay....so if Flash creates a diversion by running back and forth around the room, they might try firing at her, but can't hit a speeding target. Meanwhile, Pinkie could create party-bombs, which Crystal could encase in a shield to prevent it from exploding too early, and AJ could thrust said shield at Midnight or someone!" I said.
"Crystal would release the shield at the right moment, so they go off."
Twilight looked at the others. "Sounds good, but anyone have a better plan? 'cuz I think this could work."
The girls just shrugged, which mos likely meant no. "Oh, I almost forgot. Levy'll have to hold the bombs in place so they can't go off the moment they're thrown."
"Well, should we try it?"
Twilight nodded. "It's worth a shot."
"Don't I always?"
"I don't know, that's why I asked, heh."
"Alright, on my mark..." I said, getting ready to time the plan.
I waited a few moments.
"Okay..........now!"
Crystal opened a hole in the barrier for Flash to get out. Flash began running around. "Hey! Over here!" "Wh--Oh!" Midnight and Demon Shimmer both started trying to blast Rainbow.
"That's our cue!" I said.
Party Bomb reached into her curly, poofy hair and pulled out a bag of marshmallows. She reached in, tossing a number of them up into the air, while Levy began levitating them there and Crystal formed a barrier around them.
"Alright, Buffy and AJ, both of you try throwing the bombs! Twice the people means twice the damage to Midnight!"
Both girls nodded, and threw the bombs as hard and as fast as they could.
When they got close enough to Midnight, I exlclaimed, "Levy, Crystal, release!"
Levy and Crystal nodded, releasing their powers.
As I predicted, the bombs exploded the moment they were released, knocking Midnight into a wall, and slamming Demon Shimmer into the ground. "Yes!" I exclaimed. "It worked! That's two demons down!"
"But how do we defeat the others?"
At that moment, it was Gloriosa's turn.
"Don't worry, girls...I'VE GOT THIS!" She shot a bunch of thick vines at Levy and Crystal, pinning them against a wall.
Levy struggled against them. "Help!"
"I wouldn't bother! Those vines are immovable!"
Next up, the Dazzlings had their turn to attack. They released their siren forms, and blasted the group with loud notes, sending them slamming into the wall.
"Th-this isn't fair.." I said.
"There has to be something we can do..."
At that moment, Midnight got up. She laughed evilly when she saw the group taken down. "You see? You can't win. You can never win! And now the last thing you'll ever see is the light of death, obliterating you!" She began to charge up a powerful beam.
"What can we do now...there's got to be hope somewhere..." I said.
I thought of my past....my friends had been there for me..and now it was gonna end like this...
...
...
...
...wait. No. It wasn't. My friends protected and helped me ever since I came to Equestria. I wasn't about to back down now. I thought of enjoying my time with the others during Hearth's Warming...sitting by the fireplace. I thought of Starlight, and how happy she'd be to see me.
No....it's not ending like this...
"It's not ending like this..!" I said.
"You girls were there to help me...to protect me....to keep me company....to ensure nothing went wrong! I was grateful that you were there for me, to keep me going....you're all my best friends....and I"m not about to let one villain change that!" As I spoke, I managed, with great difficulty to stand up.
"Loyal.... what are you doing....?"
"You all protected me..." I began. Midnight shot her powerful beam, and I ran towards it. "Now it's my job....TO PROTECT ALL OF YOU!"
The blast collided with me, and smoke flew everywhere.
"LOYAL!"
Everypony stared at where the blast occurred. The Sirens, Gloriosa, Demon Shimmer, Midnight....
...eventually, the smoke cleared....revealing myself, completely unscathed.
Midnight was shocked. "Wh--B-but..that's...THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!"
"What... What's going on...?"
I turned to face Midnight and the others. I took a deep breath. They weren't about to win. Not on my watch. "All of you have caused us so much trouble!" I said. "And you know what? I'm SICK of it! All these years, I'd hoped that I'd be able to live a more peaceful life! But I was wrong! I'd ended up facing Timberwolves, zombies, and an old foe bent on destroying me! But facing 6 villains? That crosses the line! When I'm through with you, you'll wish you'd never messed with me OR my girls! My name is Loyal Defender.....and I will protect this world, and all who inhabit it! And you won't stop me!"
At that moment, I began to mysteriously emit a navy blue aura. My body began lifting off of the ground, and a light began to fill my body, eventually encasing me in a cocoon of light. I could feel myself changing. I looked down at my body, and saw something incredible. My garments had changed. Instead of an orange shirt, I had a cyan colored jacket on. Gray finger-holed gloves materialized onto my hands and arms. My shoes turned a dark blue. Blue wings protruded from my back, and a navy blue horn extended from my forehead; it didn't even hurt, surprisingly. It was interesting how most of me was mostly blue. It must have been to fit in with the style.
I felt so powerful...so strong. Eventually, the cocoon of light vanished with a burst, revealing my new form to the girls. They were either shocked or surprised.
"I understand how it feels now, Sunset." I said. "Being a holy angel feels amazing."
"I... I have no idea what to say..."
"I don't know what happened. I just felt like I had to protect you all...so I sacrificed myself. But I lived. It's what being a defender is about."
"Remember what I said? If I ever became a demon myself, I'd use it to kick some villain butt!"
I cracked my knuckles loudly, to show Midnight that I wasn't joking around.
(And now for two out of three songs in this story I’m not too proud of still. Feel free to skip over it.)
You really think we've lost,
But cockiness comes with a cost
Because we won't ever prevail
We're gonna kick your tail
As I began to sing (which was kind of a first), I charged up a beam, and began firing it at Demon Shimmer. She dodged it for several moments, until she tried firing a beam back at me, to try and destroy mine. But she was no match for it. She was slammed into a distorted wall, and left disoriented.
You really think you've won,
But the battle has just begun
If we bring out the power within
I just know....we can win
You might think you're strong
But we will show you're wrong
Your reign will come to an end
By the power of me and my friends
Next up was Gloriosa. She tried using large vines to trap me, but I easily destroyed them with energy balls. Eventually, I got an idea, and grabbed a vine, and quickly circled around her, making her dizzy. I wrapped the vine around her, trapping her. She tried breaking it to get free, but couldn't focus from the dizziness. That was two down, three to go.
The Sirens flew up, and released their true forms from their amulets. Guess they didn't need any singing to power up. They tried using high-pitched notes against me, but I managed to fight back just by singing a bit louder.
You really think we've lost,
But cockiness comes with a cost
Because we won't ever prevail
We're gonna kick your tail
You really think you've won,
But the battle has just begun
If we bring out the power within
I just know....we can win
My singing was actually working. My music actually blasted the Sirens out of the sky, but I wasn't finished yet.
With my friends at my side
I'm going along for the ride
My friends are just enough
We'll show we got the stuff
You might think you're strong
But we will show you're wrong
Your reign will come to an end
By the power of me and my friends
Nothing can stop us, nothing will
Pretty soon you'll be over the hill
You gotta know, my patience is growing thin
By bringing out our best....we can win
You'll never win, not at all
You'll lose and you'll fall
We'll show you our power within
Because I know
Because I know
Because I know....we can win!
I actually did it. I actually beat 5 out of 6 villains. Now the only one let was Midnight Sparkle.
Midnight was about to fire a beam at me, but....
"That's enough, Midnight. You've done enough for now."
Another voice rang through the hall. It sounded similar to Midnight's, but more feminine...Then, someone approached from within one of the darkened parts of the room. She had completely black skin, with some holes in it, all over her body. Her eyes were lime green, with dark blue, thin irises. Twilight immediately recognized who it was. It couldn't have been...
"No... No, it can't be...."
"Well, well. We meet again......Princess Twilight."
"Queen Chrysalis?! How did you...?!"
"Oh, it was easy. While you all slept, thinking you were safe, I slipped into this world and lived here for weeks now.. a while ago, I met Midnight Sparkle. She told me she could help me if I gave her her form. She's not the mastermind.....no..it's yours truly."
"Ever since you destroyed my throne, my queendom, and my army, I'd been plotting revenge on you ever since. And destroying the world you care oh-so much about was the best way to do it. And none of you can stop me! Especially not since there's one thing Midnight never showed you."
"She's been giving me power all this time. But now....I have all the power I need. I'm strong enough to eliminate all of you. I've no further use for her."
"Wait, what?!"
"You are relieved of duty, Midnight."
Midnight just sighed, and flew to the back of the room. The others did, too. If she went, they all went.
"Twilight....who is this?" I asked.
"This is Queen Chrysalis. She's the former queen of the Changeling Swarm, furious at having everything taken from her. Though I'm not sure what she wants from ME, considering it was Starlight and Thorax who ultimately ruined her plans."
"Because she CARED about YOU, and wanted to get you back, by stopping me! IF she hadn't met you, I'd have succeeded! In a way, THIS IS YOUR FAULT!"
"Hey, don't pin this on me! I was just doing my job!"
"...Literally! I was literally doing what I'm supposed to do!"
"Oh, sure, tearing down queendoms is your job!"
"Or having your lackeys do it!"
Twilight turned to the others. "No, seriously. I was doing what I'm supposed to do. I'm the Princess of Friendship. I'm supposed to help people make friends and turn to the light. I did that with Starlight. It's not my fault it wound up leading to her making friends with a Changeling and tearing down everything Chrysalis had built up for herself."
"Well, anyways, nevermind all that. It's partially in the past. But I must admit, you've impressed me by turning yourself into a holy angel, as you call it. But it was a mistake. Because it just means more power for me!" Chrysalis suddenly blasted a lime beam at me, painfully stripping me of my strength and power.
Rainbow cringed and pointed a finger at the scene unfolding before them. "That's going to be bad for us, isn't it?"
Chrysalis laughed evilly, as she absorbed my strength, and blasted a beam, tearing a hole through the roof, causing a piece of ceiling to come down. Not even AJ or Rarity could save us.
When all seemed lost...I braced myself. But....nothing happened. I opened one eye, to see......Midnight Sparkle?!
She had held up the chunk of ceiling, and hurled it at a wall. Everypony was shocked....she....saved us?!
"What?!" Levy seemed especially shocked.
"You've made a fatal mistake, Chrysalis......never, EVER double cross a demon!" She charged a beam at her, and shot it. It hit Chryssi, knocking her back.
"Wh-WHAT?! You dare betray me?!"
"Says the one who dismissed us!" Adagio said, flying by her side.
"You used us!" Aria said.
"I dunno if that's bad or whatever, but if it is, I'M NOT FORGIVING YOU!" Sonata said.
Next was Gloriosa. "You lied to us! You said you'd help us! All you did was use us for bringing misery upon others!"
"You know, you also never should have trusted us, because there's a trick we all learned from you. STEALING MAGIC!"
"Wh...no....No! You wouldn't! I'm your master!"
"NOT ANYMORE!" The 6 said in unison, before firing a golden beam at Chryssi.
"NO! NO! STOP IT! STOP IT NOW! MY MAGIC!" Chryssi was panicked. She couldn't move, she couldn't use magic...she was helpless. Within a few moments, the beam faded. Chryssi fell, unconscious.
Midnight turned to the group. "I.....I...I'm so sorry for all I've done to all of you...it wasn't my fault, you see. Chrysalis tricked all of us into doing her dirty work for her. I just wanted to be me again...but not the evil me....
"Seeing Loyal sacrifice himself like that...it made us realize that protecting others seemed like a good thing."
"I know what you're trying to say girls, and I got this......can you ever forgive us...?"
Demon Shimmer got up, and nodded in agreement.
Everyone looked at one another before turning to them. "Of course we can find it in our hearts to forgive you."
"Oh....that's a relief...now, let's--"
Moments after, the ground and fort began to shake violently.
"Oh, great, WHAT NOW?!" Dash threw her arms up in frustration.
"This is Chryssi's dimension! WIthout her magic, it's going to fall apart!"
"Oh gosh, we need to get out! NOW!"
I booked it towards Chryssi, and hoisted her over my shoulder.
"I DON'T CARE IF SHE JUST TRIED TO KILL ME, SHE DESERVES TO LIVE!" I commented, running back.
Midnight blasted the door open, and it tore out. I was the first one out, and I booked it as fast as possible. As everyone ran, pillars and stairs began falling around us. The portal exit seemed like it was about to be blocked. "WE'RE NOT GONNA MAKE IT!" I said.
Midnight quickly held up a chunk of debris, preventing it from blocking the portal. "EVERYONE, GO!" She said.
Lucky for us, we all made it out alive. Every one of us. "Whoo! Is there anything you girls have done that's as intense as that?" I said.
It was a while before things settled down. Midnight and the others went off to fix anything they messed up, and Chrysalis was about to come back into the portal with us. It was one of those goodbye scenes.
"Are you sure you don't wanna come with us for a little bit, Sunset? Hearth's Warming is just around the corner. You could celebrate it with us." I said.
Sunset shook her head. "My place is here with the girls. I wouldn't want to impose."
"...well...okay. But at least try to visit when you can. Besides....I get the feeling it wouldn't hurt to amend with the others. But I guess that can wait."
I turned to Starlight. "I'm gonna miss ya, too, Star. I hope you eventually find Sunburst."
I turned to the superpowered girls. "I'm also gonna miss all of you. I'd group hug, but I have someone over my shoulder."
"We'll miss you too, Loyal. We may not have known you for long, but you're a good friend."
"The same can be said about you. I'm glad I was able to protect and befriend you all."
I turned to my girls. "Well...shall we head back?"
Everyone nodded.
"Do you think everyone'll freak out seeing Chryssi? Or will they think I kicked her butt?"
"Probably think you kicked her butt."
I nodded, and headed into the portal, and the others followed. Not much happened after that. I arrived in the castle, and placed Chryssi in an empty room. As I closed the door, a familiar light pink pony tacklehugged me.
"It's you! I didn't actually know if I'd ever see you again!"
"Of course you would! After all, why else do you think I sent the note?"
Starlight giggled sheepishly. "Oh yeah..."
I hugged her back. "I can't wait to tell you all about the craziest journey I had!"
"I can't wait to hear all about it!"
As I hugged her, I noticed something on my arm. "Hey....what is that...?"
It was a shield, with 3 colors, yellow, orange, and magenta, with a heart on the front.
"Hmm, it kinda looks like a Cutie Mark... Almost like Apple Bloom and Rarity's little sisters' Cutie Marks..."
(I......oh, my God...thats....tht's so.....oh, man! That's so amazing! I didn't think I"D earn one. But I did!"
"It must have happened during my....living sacrifice. Long story."
"Well, if it was anything like what you did for us, then I sure believe it!"
"We should go tell the others about this!"
The rest of the night was memorable. I showed Twilight and the others my Cutie Mark. Twilight was so proud of me. "I knew you had it in you!", She told me. My mark was also a reminder of my greatest journey in my life. I would never forget it....and I knew they would never forget me.
End Credits: At Home
At first I didn't understand
At first I didn't know
Where I had to stand
Where I had to go
But when I saw the light
I just knew that deep down
I could make things right
I could spread joy all around
My job can be pretty tough
And hard to straighten out
But I've got the stuff
I can do it without a doubt
And now I truly know
That I'm not on my own
I have some true true friends
That make me feel at home
At first I didn't think
I would need any friends
But as my life began to sink
I thought it was gonna end
But something pulled it in
Something saved its life
That's when my friendships began
Because they ended my strife
And now I feel so strong
Nothing can take me down
And since we all get along
We could help protect the town
I got this feeling which
I thought I would never own
And it came without a hitch
The feeling that I'm at home
I have my friends
To be there by my side
The adventure never ends
As long as they go for the ride
I guess I could thank
The lord of the skies above
Because my life never sank
Because it was saved by love!
At first I didn't understand
At first I didn't know
Where I had to stand
Where I had to go
But when I saw the light
I just knew that deep down
I could make things right
I could spread joy all around
My job can be pretty tough
And hard to straighten out
But I've got the stuff
I can do it without a doubt
And now I truly know
That I'm not on my own
I have some true true friends
That make me feel at home
Epilogue: Hearth's Warming
Several ponies were gathered in the Castle of Friendship to celebrate Equestria's version of Christmas. We were all opening gifts. I had gotten some pretty nice gifts from the girls. Twilight got me a journal to mark my adventures, Pinkie got me a giant box of Twinkies (don't ask how, she just did). I asked her how she knew they were my favorite. Guess what her reply was. Applejack got me a nice, warm, soft blanket. I didn't let go of it for the rest of the night. Fluttershy got me a book on how to speak different animal languages (Not that I could, but I still liked it). Rarity got me a new special pair of pants. "They're made of TLC, delicacy, and denim", she told me.
Rainbow's gift was a special lightning cloud inside a jar. I was always into weather. But Starlight's gift was the most incredibly. She told me she had found something in the Everfree, called a "Wishing Star". I had to make a wish the moment I looked at it, then put it somewhere well hidden. When the star was missing or gone, the wish would come true. I gave her my locket. I got a tight hug and several nuzzles from that. Most other ponies in the crowd gave me special gifts, too. To be honest, most of them hugged me. They said it was their gratitude of me saving their lives.
I'm guessing you're probably wondering about Chrysalis. Well, I got her a special gift. I got her a special bracelet that I considered a good luck charm. She asked why I was being nice to her. I said everypony deserved a second chance. She apologized for all she did, but I easily forgave her. I told her even she couldn't be completely heartless. No matter what happened, villains were just misunderstood. They just needed some help with realizing what's right and wrong. She seemed to really understand. Then we hugged it out. Hugging made it all good.
Everypony panicked when Chrysalis showed up, but I reassured them that she was....well....reformed. I know what you're thinking: 'Reformed? That easily?' Well...yes. Chrysalis finally realized there was more to friendship than power or leadership. And she liked that I didn't fear her, that I respected her. What could I say? She needed a friend.
Later that night, Chrysalis and Starlight eventually made up, and became friends. And as I slept, Chrysalis slept on the end of my bed, and Starlight slept snuggled up to me. I guess I knew one thing for sure:
Whether it was Equestria or CHS, I was quite the hero of legend.
THE END
Author's Note
(WARNING – My mind was not exactly straight when I wrote this story, so some parts of the story might.....be nonsensical. But bear with me, I tried my hardest. And I’m not exactly too proud of this story, either, so you wouldn’t be alone. And yes, there will be singing. First time writing musical numbers, and again, I tried hard. If you prefer to skip over this story, you can just wait until I wind up posting the next one. I will admittedly be shocked if you somehow wind up LIKING this story...I have SO MANY regrets writing it in my amateur levels of storywriting...so I’m not gonna be surprised if it’s hated or disliked. But it’s canon to the timeline of stories I wrote, so it has to be put up. And I put it all as one story so that I wouldn’t feel so terrible uploading several cringy chapters per-day or two.) BUT! The next story after this, we thought out a bit more, so please bear with me.
