Disharmony's Parallel

Chapters

New World, New Purpose
Harmony's Last Hope
An Old Friend
The Journey North
Changes to 'Another Day'
The Journey Home
A History Lesson with Zecora
Death Do Us Part: Part 1
Death Do Us Part: Part 2
Death Do Us Part: Part 3
The Pillars of Disharmony
A Dead Mare's Wishes
The Crystal Empire

New World, New Purpose

Author's Note

Howdy! We're back on this, I'm very sorry for the wait, but I re-read the original story and thought I might as well try and show how I've grown with a sequel.
A small formality, as the disharmonized mane six were the main characters last time, they got the original name (i.e. Twilight or Applejack while the others got Magic and Honesty)
Well, this time, the harmonized mane six are the main characters, so they'll get the original names and the others will be based off of their pillar of disharmony, which will be revealed on the characters arrival into the story.
Spike and Discord are the same as the previous story, harmonized Spike is Spike and disharmonized Spike is the Dragon Lord, harmonized Discord is Discord and disharmonized Discord is Chaos.
Well, now I believe we can get started on this new adventure. Thank you for giving the story a try and it is hopefully much better written than the first

New World, New Purpose

Apple Blooms yellow fur was tainted with dirt as she snuck around the houses and buildings of her old town with her friends. She glanced back at them, seeing their stares on her as they nodded. She nodded back and looked out to the town, almost growling at the sight as she sneered.

Her long hair pulled into a lengthy ponytail draped down her back, her orange eyes shining as she looked at the dirtied town. It made her sick to look at it, only five years ago was it her playing grounds. Now, she turned away from her peaking as a guard stepped into view. She recognized those Cutie Marks she saw on the guards and bared her teeth. Snips and Snails, of course they were recruited for the small town's defenses.

As they walked past the building, she turned to her friends and nodded towards the woods. She mouthed a countdown before they all lunged into the woods, her hair held in place by a small pink bow. Her Cutie Mark burned with her purpose, her shield with an apple that was so similar to her friends had a different meaning than before. She no longer helped ponies gain their Cutie Marks, she helped them protect the virtue that came with them.

She skidded to a stop as an orange mare stopped in their tracks, her hatred for the mare seeping into her breathing as she stared at her. Orange coat with a golden mane, all topped off with a blue jacket with a white inside.

"Out of our way," Scootaloo's brutish voice snapped at the mare. She started her steps foreward, but stopped as Apple Bloom put a hoof in front of her.

"Cool it, she's our leader," Apple Bloom whispered to the two beside her, though she knew Trickery could hear what they were saying. Apple Bloom cleared her throat and took a hoofstep in front of her friends, her chest puffed out as she glanced at the bored mare. She bowed half-heartedly, "Princess Applejack." The words burned on her tongue as her eyes expressed her hatred towards the mare.

"Y'all don't need to call me that. I ain't no princess," Trickery stated, sighing as she stared down at the girl. Her heart ached, even this version of Apple Bloom hated her. She couldn't blame her, she was the one who took the foals big sister away. Well, she wasn't so much a foal anymore as she was a young mare.

"We're kinda needed somewhere else, so if you need something..." Sweetie Belle prompted, anxious to get back to the Everfree and away from this fake look-alike. Her stomach turned as the dirt beneath her hooves seemed to too. She hated running into Trickery, she always got sick to her stomach.

"Nah, just wanted a chat with y'all," Trickery started, staring down at Apple Bloom's hate filled stare. It intrigued her, it also terrified her and made her want to cry, but she had seen it so many times by now. "'S been awhile. Y'all sure do look different."

"You saw us two months ago," Apple Bloom close to hissed.

Trickery narrowed her eyes on her, as much as she understood the disrespect, she didn't like it. She was tempted to kick dirt at the foals hooves, to dirty her name and their mission. It almost made her smile in the prescence of her little sister, well, it wasn't hers. But they looked so, so similar. "Sweetie didn't have a short mane back then," Trickery stated, pointing at the unicorn with her usual gorgeous mane reduced to a bob and coat a dirty mess. "And Scootaloo didn't have that many scars," she said, pointing at the scar-ridden maiden.

Apple Bloom held her head high, "Anythin' different 'bout me?" She rolled her head back to it's normal position, hatred and fury seeping into her features. "What y'all want anyhow? If you didn't know, we're kinda busy," she seared with anger. Enough anger to terrify her friends as she stepped towards Trickery, the two now face to face.

Trickery didn't seem one bit bothered as she blinked at the mare slowly. "You foals sure grow up fast. I 'member when I was first here, y'all were scared out y'all's minds," she chuckled to herself as Apple Bloom narrowed her eyes.

"Yeah, well, we ain't scared of ya no more. We ain't scared of none of y'all!" She shouted, sitting her forehead against Trickery's less than gently, her eyes a pillar for revenge and absolute and utter hate.

"Apple Bloom!" Her friends yelled after her as rain started pouring down on them, dripping off the leaves and down on them, dampering their already ruined fur.

Trickery shoved Apple Bloom off of her. "Watch it, filly. I don't know who you think you are, but you couldn't even touch one of us," Trickery sneered at the look alike to her little sister. "I ain't said nothin' 'bout y'all little cult cause I know y'all can't do 'nothin'," she seethed with hate for this disobedience. And even more the defiant look in each of their eyes.

She huffed a laugh that turned into a cackle, the rain ruining her jacket and taking the gold out of her mane. Her eyes shined a murky green compared to their usual emerald. "Harmony ain't never comin' back. Those cowards are gone, they left y'all here, didn't even care."

Apple Bloom stood up next to her friends, hate flooding their veins and making their Cutie Marks burn with purpose.

Their new purpose, their new duty was to bring Harmony back to Equestria. To protect the Cutie Marks of those who lived her from the corrupt and hopeless world around them. They were Equestria's last hope, their cult, their rebellion was their last hope and reviving Harmony, reviving the Kindness and Laughter in their kingdom once again. No, not specifically in their kingdom. Apple Bloom's narrowed eyes sat on the mare, her confident, power filled glare staring them down. They were going to revive Harmony in their home.

"Go," Apple Bloom said quickly and quietly, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo jumping to the sides in some trees as Apple Bloom readied herself for an attack from Trickery, crouching onto the ground with sharp eyes on the mare who tried following Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo by sound.

While Trickery was focused on them, Apple Bloom dashed at her, faster than Scootaloo had seen Rainbow Dash fly. Trickery looked at her and jumped over her, pushing on her back to launch herself away. Apple Bloom looked back to see Trickery mid summersault, a smirk on her face before she landed on her hooves, her eyes darting up to the trees above them as the leaves rustled.

Apple Bloom smiled as she pushed her hooves to the ground, stopping herself as she took in her immediate surroundings, her hooves covered in mud. She saw plenty of rocks and grinned to herself as she went after them, looking back to see Trickery occupied.

An orange blur leaped out at Trickery, the mare quickly stepping out of the way, expecting to see orange hind legs sticking out of the ground. Instead, she saw the filly flying away. Cursing to herself, she looked around, waiting for Sweetie Belle's attack.

Her eyes widened when Scootaloo rammed into her side, pushing her into the ground and pinning her. It was all too familiar, so familiar it made her blood boil. She jabbed the mare off of her, just sitting up as she heard some noises behind her, seeing rocks being launched in her direction.

She crouched with a grin, watching them go the other way. With a whistle, she turned to Apple Bloom, who shouted, "Sweetie Belle!" Trickery raised an eyebrow when she heard magic. She whirled in the other direction and saw rocks coated in light green magic flying at her. She looked at Apple Bloom and saw her throwing rocks as well. Trickery smiled to herself and crouched once again, pieces of rock falling onto her as the two sets collided and broke overhead.

As she once again stood up in victory, she was pinned to the ground, except this time, Scootaloo held a knife at her throat, her teeth bared around the handle.

She swallowed as Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle walked over to them. "Couldn't even touch one of you, huh?" Sweetie Belle taunted.

Trickery shot Apple Bloom a plea of help with her eyes, they were now their normal emerald green, her uneven breathing furthering her honesty. Apple Bloom looked up at Scootaloo, "We can't kill her."

"What?" Sweetie Belle asked. "We could show them what we can do! We can go ahead and get rid of one of them!" She fought, going against her leader, something she didn't do often.

Scootaloo spat out the knife. "Yeah! Show 'em who's boss! Don't tell me you got feelings for her cause she's got the face of your sister. We agreed, AB." Her hooves were digging into Trickery's shoulders, ruining her fur with even more mud she'd have to clean off before returning to Canterlot. The rain reduced to a sprinkle, the pitter-patter against leaves the only noise past the arguing.

Apple Bloom shook her head. "I want to rip that grin off her face as much as you do, but they'll suspect something when she doesn't go back, then they'll search for us and figure out we're in Ponyville." She glared down at Trickery's thankful green eyes. She spat at the ground next to her. "Tell 'em 'bout us, and I'll deliver your end very, very slowly."

Apple Bloom looked up at her friends as Trickery nodded helplessly. Apple Bloom nodded towards the woods, and as she mouthed a countdown, they were gone on three.

Trickery sat up, panting as she put a hoof to her throat. She stared off into the woods, wondering where they went, and how they did that. All of it. She growled as tears stung at her eyes, the rain now thundering down once again. She laid back in the mud with a sad smile at the sky.

Her little sister disliked her in her world, even ran away cause she didn't want to be like her. She huffed a smile as she looked up at the sky. Look Apple Bloom, I'm independent now, I don't need Flim and Flam no more, she thought as tears fell out of her eyes. She let out a scream at the sky at the unfair world. Even with an entire country to herself, she couldn't have the one thing she wanted.

The love and acceptance of her brother and sister was all she wanted.

The Crusaders panted as the finally settled near a tree far away from where they left Trickery. "I can't believe it worked!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed, her multi-colored bob framing her smile. She was covered in mud from her previous encounter, her fur and mane was already ruined from the raid they were on, and she was out of breath from excitement and exhaustion, yet she still smiled and beamed brightly.

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom weren't nearly as lucky as they panted, staring at their optimistic friend with a chuckle and a smile. Apple Bloom's features hardened to serious as her friends talked. "We can take down one of the eight," she said in disbelief, the large number giving her chills, but she was still amazed. "We can defeat one of the eight all on our own, without our sisters or their friends or the princesses."

Scootaloo smiled softly, her spiky pixie cut an odd contrast, the new cyan streak in it glimmering in the wet despite the pouring rain around them. "Yeah, just as we were losing hope," she smiled at the rain around them. It all felt so gloomy, yet her heart floated. "That's how I know they aren't dead."

She lowered her head at their curious stares. "Just as we run out of hope, we get it. Harmony has to be alive for that to work," Scootaloo grinned happily. She was never one for optimism and profoundness in their group, so it warmed the two's hearts that she thought that truthfully.

Apple Bloom looked out around them at the pouring rain, even peaking out under the tree's weak cover to get a better idea of what to do next. She looked at Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, they hadn't slept in a few days, well, a complete sleep. They deserved some rest, but she didn't trust Trickery. Apple Bloom was ready to face some of her friends in combat as Trickery had blown their cover.

She sighed, facing her friends. "I'm sorry, y'all, but we need to keep movin', we can't wait for her to come after us." The two nodded regardless of their exhaustion. "One last stretch and we can rest all we want," Apple Bloom encouraged as she thought of the best way to get to their hideout.

She decided on a route and nodded, looking to her friends as she leaped right, starting forward on the path only to waver to throw off whoever may be following them.

The rain pelted them harshly as their bodies ran on nothing, hunger eating at their stomachs as their muscles and bones ached with a need to rest. They all sighed in relief at the sight of a familiar tree covered in vines.

They took a turn left and headed straight again, seeing more and more trees with more and more vines on them. Sweetie Belle even dropped from exhaustion and relief as she saw a familiar rock wall covered in leaves. She looked to the right and left, seeing the rock stretch.

Scootaloo crawled under her, picking her up on her back as Apple Bloom sneaked past a small opening in the leaves, big enough to fit any pony in their cult, but still very small. Scootaloo smiled as she followed, ready to report their extremely successful encounter instead of their very unsucessessful raid.

After a few more steps, she saw a different type of beauty as Apple Bloom and her fit past the opening, staring up at their home with happiness and relief they were okay.

A few ponies they knew as nurses approached them, Scootaloo dropping to the ground and rolling Sweetie Belle off of her back.

Vines covered the entire forest it seemed, a magic overhang saving the village from any rain. Vines wrapped around trees and decorated tree houses, made bridges, and supported make-shift buildings. The tree houses were very well-kept, established buildings that had been there since the start. The same with the bridges.

Though they were used solely for housing, more public areas were much less finished and were barely started. The clinic was probably the most far along building on the ground, a small house connected to the base of a tree with a tattered banner with a hospital symbol on the front.

Other places were simply sticks holding up huge pieces of fabric, the different colors of fabric distinguishing them. The red was the make-shift school used to teach Pound and Pumpkin Cake, Cheerilee was only ever happy if she was teaching those two anymore.

An orange was used to symbolize a kitchen, where Mrs. Cake and Berry Punch resided as the villages cooks, other mares and stallions helping them often. A slightly darker orange that doubled the sizes of the others, held a huge table, tree stumps and rocks decorated with pillows and fabric served as seats for the dining area.

A dirty green was used to symbolize a combat zone, a place the Crusaders visited almost daily. A table draped in flourishing vines sprouting from the ground decorated the table it held in the middle. Pebbles and many markers sat unused at the table.

"We're so thankful you're back!" A more familiar voice said. Scootaloo peaked her eyes open and saw the pink-maned nurse. she huffed a laugh and a smile as she shut her eyes, happy she was home again. "Sleep, we'll take care of you," the nurse reassured as some other nurses picked up the two. Nurse Redheart smiled as they were taken to the clinic before turning to Apple Bloom with a soft smile. "You should rest too, you know," the Nurse reassured.

As tempting as it sounded, Apple Bloom knew she couldn't rest. "Is Zecora here?" She asked, getting an amused smile and a shake of the Nurse's head.

"Apple Bloom, you're still young, you need rest, you need to recover-" The Nurse fought motherly, Apple Bloom's determined stare cutting her off. She sighed, "She's not here right now. She left yesterday." When Apple Bloom walked past her, she followed, determined. "S-She did tell me to tell you to rest, and to force you to rest at that," the Nurse threatened.

She followed Apple Bloom to the green tent, the mare looking around before down at the table, noticing the still crude drawing of Equestria on one sheet of large paper that covered the table, a smaller sheet of paper on top of it depicting Ponyville.

Apple Bloom didn't speak as she picked up a crayon, afraid any one of the markers was dried out, Thunderlane had a tendency of leaving the lids off. She marked more x's onto Ponyville's map before turning away, Nurse Redheart following worriedly. "There's more guards in Ponyville?" The Nurse asked, even more worry creeping into her voice.

Apple Bloom nodded as she looked over at the infirmary, stopping in her place to get her look over the village. "I noticed some different ponies than the ones we know of wearing armor. Snips and Snails," she said coldly, even as Nurse Redheart gasped. She knew the Nurse was going to cry and didn't exactly care for it.

She turned back at her and asked her a question to take her mind off of it, "Where's Thunderlane? Sweetie Drops? Lyra?"

Redheart sniffled and wiped her eyes, "Infirmary."

"Seriously!?" Apple Bloom whirled to face her. "And you expcted me to rest? Without Zecora here and our top forces in the clinic, you expect me to rest?" She couldn't believe the Nurse didn't understand the urgency of this, she couldn't understand it at all. What if there was an ambush? An unsuspecting pony that could join their forces? They had to have somepony in charge!

Redheart cowered slightly. "Zecora said not to worry! She really said not to worry! I trust her!" She fought, wanting desperately for Apple Bloom to listen to her. "A sick leader isn't a good leader."

"But it's better than no leader!" Apple Bloom fought, stomping away and towards the map again, she needed to mark her findings, which were none.

"No! It's worse!" Redheart fought. "A sick leader dies and leaves their ponies with no one!" Redheart's voice got louder, attracting the attention of some of the other members of their village. Apple Blooms orange eyes watched her with no emotion, only calm seriousness was found with their little leader.

However, Redheart was fuming. She stomped her hoof down, "Now listen to me, Apple Bloom. You're still young, too young to take on every leadership like task with everypony else out of condition. Especially after a mission!" She narrowed her eyes on Apple Bloom, not feeling the slightest bit defiant that others around her felt for her. "Now! Go rest," Redheart ended calmly, but harshly.

Apple Bloom stared for a while, holding the stare as an attempt to win this argument. She sighed and looked away, hearing Redheart's squeak of joy. "Only," she started coldly with an annoyed glare at Redheart. "If you wake me the second any of our main forces wake up or return. That includes Sweetie Belle and Scoots." The nurse nodded happily as Apple Bloom groaned, getting up and walking towards the clinic. Was this a good idea?

Apple Bloom woke up after an incredible sleep, stretching gladly as she saw the sun seep into the clinic through the cracks in the roof. She stared up happily before sitting up, quickly noticing how she was the only one in there. She growled to herself as she threw the blanket off of her, stomping out of the clinic, too angry to notice the copious amounts of bandages on her, or the herb-like smell she was covered in.

She peaked out of the clinic to another normal day in the village, Pound and Pumpkin Cake running around frantically as chatter filled the small area. There weren't many ponies in their group, but there were enough to make her worry of being too loud.

She put a hoof up as the sun shone down bright on them, telling her to expect either a completely good day, or a horrible twist.

No matter how homey and happy the village could be inside this world of torture, it still wasn't like it was before, because deeper in those woods and just behind that thick rock wall, was chaos and despair raining around them. She shook her head, it was already a good day, she should be enjoying it while it lasts.

She smiled as she walked past Pound and Pumpkin Cake, both with blank flanks at their young age. She huffed a laugh, they reminded her of herself. She knew exactly why as she walked towards the dining area, a lot of the chatter coming from the concentrated ponies that haven't gone outside in months, maybe years.

She shook the thoughts from her head again, she needed to find Nurse Redheart and chew her out for not keeping her end of the deal. "You're up!" Sweetie Belle's voice rang behind her. She turned to the mare, her fur a new sleek white that reminded her of the mare's older sister. Thankfully the rough-cut bob didn't remind her of Rarity.

"Yeah, how long it's been?" She asked, wanting answers and details about how things had gone in her slumber. She felt great, she might as well jump back to leading the camp again.

"Three days," Scootaloo pushed in beside Sweetie Belle, getting an annoyed glare from her. Scootaloo rocked a camouflage jacket, a red ball cap covering her mane and the new cyan blue in it. All of this was matched with her wide grin.

"Three days!?" Apple Bloom shouted worriedly, drawing everypony's attention to her. She didn't expect them to do anything, but they all cheered loudly for her. A grey hoof drew her attention as she looked to find the only stallion apart of their main forces.

"It's fine! Everything's fine!" Thunderlane smiled down at her widely. "And you weren't," he deadpanned before jumping back into emotion. "Redheart told us you wanted to actually work when you got back!"

She raised an eyebrow at him as Scootaloo sat next to him, intent on lecturing her. "Yeah! And do you see the state you're in?" Scootaloo asked rudely, prompting Apple Bloom to look down and see the bandages covered her hooves and her torso, she looked down and saw her hind legs and back covered as well.

She glanced up at them. "What's all this?" She asked. "I feel fine," she continued, very confused as to what gave her this much damage and why she didn't feel it.

"That's all the herb-medicine they have you jacked up on," Thunderlane explained. She once again raised an eyebrow, she didn't feel like she was on anything. Nothing felt numb and she could think perfectly straight. She ignored him and glanced back at the crowd.

She pointed at the continued cheering. "What's that all 'bout?" She asked, glancing at the three.

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo beamed proudly. "Well, our little encounter with the enemy may or may not have gone unheard," Sweetie Belle said confidently.

Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. "They shouldn't be this happy, they do understand we cant do anything to the rulers, right?"

Thunderlane nodded. "I told them we aren't going to act until we can find the Elements. According to Redheart, Zecora said she went out looking for more clues after I came back empty."

Apple Bloom nodded as she looked around for Sweetie Drops and Lyra Heartstrings. "Alright, we'll rethink things when she get's back. Hopefully she finds something," Apple Bloom stated. She mentally groaned as she saw a specific mare approach her.

A calm and composed mare with a bowtie walked up to her. "It's nice to see you've waken up, Apple Bloom," Mayor Mare had stated.

The end of Harmony changed many ponies to be strong, others it made weaker. And Mayor Mare was one of the weaker ones, she craved control similar to her mayor hood, and she had been bugging Apple Bloom over Zecora about it for years. "Yes, Mayor Mare?" Apple Bloom asked half-heartedly. She thought maybe the continued title would fix her issue, but it didn't and now the habit stuck as a horrible reminder of the mares failing sanity.

"Well, all our strongest have recovered, with your awakening and all, so I thought, maybe we could start planning for another mission?" Mayor Mare asked condescendingly. Apple Bloom looked behind her to see the three had backed up and gave her their smiles of encouragement. She groaned inwardly as the Mayor's voice took back her attention. "Then when Zecora gets back, she can just check it off and you all can go out."

Apple Bloom held so much dislike on the back of her tongue that she hid when she spoke as nice as she could. "Sorry Mayor, I was hoping to rethink the entire mission thing entirely. Lately we've all been coming back with nothing, so maybe a new set of priorities is needed," Apple Bloom said as she walked past the mare.

Of course, the desperate thing followed. "Oh, oh! I can help brainstorm ideas! So we can narrow down the list for when Zecora gets back," Mayor Mare continued clawing at anything she could grab to have even a sliver of power in how things were done.

"Uh, I think the ponies who actually go out would be much more useful for that," Apple Bloom continued as she started off deeper into the woods, staring up at the treehouses aimlessly.

"Well maybe some pony who stays inside the village could offer some ideas on what we need as ponies," the Mayor hung over her head.

She wanted to snap the Mayor's head off and ask who was boss now. She sighed. "I guess so," she replied, almost thinking it over. It wasn't bad, but she assumed most suggestions would be wants and not needs. And wants that only Mayor Mare would want.

She heard the Mayor squeal as she turned back to the village. And she was looking forward to breakfast, but the Mayor ruined her appetite, and wanted to start right away.

Half an hour later and Sweetie Belle was, for the umpteenth time, telling the Mayor 'no'. "Well why not?" Mayor Mare asked, a raised eyebrow and a puffed out chest in offensive.

Sweetie Belle held back a groan. "Because, this entire village is about getting the Elements back, so other than necessities, nothing's really gonna make the list."

"But you've never come back with anything for the Elements!" Mayor Mare replied as if she was in the right, the six ponies around her froze as she continued talking with shut eyes. "So maybe we should start getting things to make this place more like home."

Apple Bloom couldn't take it as Thunderlane and Scootaloo already went to stop her. They were too late as she shot up, standing on the table with bared teeth. "What was that?" Apple Bloom asked harshly.

Mayor Mare put her hooves up in defense. "I-I apologize, Apple Bloom," she said honestly before looking down, lowering her hooves. She sniffled, "I sometimes forget you were closer to them than I was. I'm truly sorry, you-you're right. We need to focus on getting the Elements of Harmony back."

Apple Bloom nodded as she slowly sat back down, eyes pinned on the mare. "Right. I suppose since we're cutting looking for new allies on our list, we can add one thing the village as a whole would want," she said cautiously, seeing the mare light up. "As a side mission. If we see it, we get it. We're not going to search for it deliberately," Apple Bloom warned.

Mayor Mare sat in thought as they all waited. They knew it was going to her head, them waiting on her for a decision like she was the expert. "Hmm. Maybe sugar? As nice as Mrs. Cake and Berry Punch's food is, it isn't very sweet," she suggested.

"We ever gonna see sugar that isn't inside someone's house?" Sweetie Drops asked the others.

"Doubt it, want anything else, Mayor?" Scootaloo asked before she saw the Mayor's furrowed eyebrows. "Mayor?"

"How come you all hate my ideas!?" Mayor Mare asked, standing to her hooves and slamming them on the table. "It's like you're all... against me or something!"

Before Sweetie Belle could comfort her, Apple Bloom put a hoof in front of her. She was their leader, she'd deal with the problems. "Mayor Mare, I apologize if you first, didn't understand priority, and second, didn't think of something we could easily obtain without stealing," Apple Bloom spoke surprisingly calmly.

Lyra looked at the Mayor. "I'm sorry, but this kinda comes with making decisions for a society, a weak one at that. You can't always appeal to ponies, we'd thought you'd know all about this and be a great help," Lyra tried to flatter and comfort her, but it didn't work as Mayor Mare blew air out her nose, her eyes pinned on Apple Bloom.

"Yet all of your ideas are final," she hissed at Apple Bloom's calm stare quickly becoming less calm. "You're what, fifteen? I'm a lot older than you, and a lot more capable and knowledgeable of this kind of thing. Even Thunderlane and Sweetie Drops are more capable than you!" The mare fought, taking out her anger on Zecora's right hoof mare.

The rest stayed out of it, understanding Apple Bloom would either snap or handle it. All of them put their money on snapping. Apple Bloom sighed before standing up, putting her hooves on the table as well.

"I apologize if someone who goes outside is more capable of making decisions for this inside based on the outside's conditions," Apple Bloom started calmly and everypony around knew she was finally going to snap. "I apologize if I do have experience as a leader, I apologize if I am capable of doing this job, I apologize for trusting the zebra who saved our lives!" Apple Bloom's voice got louder and louder, sopped with more and more hate as she spoke. Less hate and more irritation and offense, they all learned that with horrible leaders, hate really was a strong word.

"I apologize if I'm young, I have a drive! I want to find my sister and bring her back home!" Apple Bloom shouted, tears springing to her eyes the others didn't expect. "I'm sorry if I want to see my friend's sisters come home, I'm sorry I wanna see my friends come home, I'm sorry I wanna save Equestria!"

Tears spilled down her cheeks, filled with hate as she climbed onto the table, but she didn't stop there. She continued forward until she was back on the ground, backing the terrified Mayor into a corner. "I'm sorry I wanted to learn how to fight, I asked Zecora to take us under her wing so I could find my sister."

The Mayor crouched onto the ground, completely underneath their young leader. "I'm sorry I know I'm fifteen and don't need to be doing this. But now I'm a monster just so I can see my sister again! You know what it's like to have something ripped from you and you have to change into something you hate just to get it back?"

She noticed the silence around her and the shivering Mayor beneath her. "You probably do. Your title was tough to lose," Apple Bloom tried to comfort her. "But those days are over and they'll be back soon, so let Zecora and us take care of things. I promise, Apple Jack and the others'll be back real soon," she smiled.

She was a leader, she couldn't worry her village. She didn't focus on anything as she walked into the woods, wanting to get so deep she didn't know if she'd come back.

Harmony's Last Hope

Apple Bloom sat in the woods with her thoughts most of the time ever since she lashed out at Mayor Mare. She groaned and hung her head as she walked. It was stupid to show weakness in front of the ponies she was leading, she sighed as she stilled to a stop to look up at the sun creeping through the trees. It was even stupider to show such a personal weakness.

She dropped to the ground, staring numbly and the grass blowing in the small breeze, feeling her long mane, free from its bow binds, run free across her back and shoulders, following the wind. She remembered the Apple farm's grass, it was so lush, so nice, so... great and happy.

The day they all left, was the day it seemed to dull.

"Girls," Apple Jack said coldly and rudely. "Come here for a second," she stated gently to ease our fear.

We all looked to each other, in fear we were in trouble. We slowly made our way to the porch, each of us bumping on one of the others before us so we didn't have to be in front. No matter what, I was in the front again. We all looked to Apple Jack with wide, nervous smiles.

Before Apple Jack's sad eyes could even look at us, Princess Celestia's voice cut in. "Hello girls."

We looked behind us, along with our sisters, seeing two princesses and an orange stallion staring at the ground. The smiles on their faces took away from the sad and heavy atmosphere Apple Jack was putting up. I was thankful they were there.

"I thought we already said goodbye," Apple Jack said rudely to the two princesses, confusing the likes out of me and my friends. "What'chy'all doin' here?" She stood up from her seat on the porch.

"Applejack," Twilight hissed through her teeth.

"Don't worry, Twilight. We completely understand," Princess Celestia stated tenderly.

"Then what'chy'all doin' here?!" Apple Jack shouted at them, scaring us out of our confusion. I was worried about my sister, I wanted to know what was happening. "These girls ain't need the princesses to tell 'em nothin'! We know how to talk to our sisters and we know how to say the right things you don't know how to!"

Twilight was mortified by how Apple Jack was lashing out. "Where did this come from?"

Apple Jack's head whipped to her. "Celestia's been furious at those mares ever since we got back. She ain't in the right mindset to tell our girls what we up to."

"AJ... what's goin' on?" I asked cautiously, trying to fight through my apprehension. I wanted to cry, I wanted to cry my eyes out and run to my family so they could make it better. "Is everything okay?"

And in response to my question. Granny Smith who was sitting at the end of the porch ran in crying. Big Mac looked at the group of ponies and sighed, walking inside after her to console her. Now, I was really terrified.

Celestia's judemental eyes stared down at Apple Jack as her emerald ones stared back. "I just wanted to ensure you girls are safe. And that Discord would actually show. Which he doesn't seem to be," Princess Celestia stated. And of course, her condescending tone stepped in, angering another one of the six.

"He will!" Fluttershy said loudly. Discord? What was he needed for? "He wouldn't have been so insistent for him not too. He's good now." Princess Celestia just ignored her.

"Princesses," Apple Jack said kindly. "Please leave. We're safe and we will be."

"Yes, because having to battle mares made from evil is going to leave you 'safe'," she stated. We looked at their sisters with terrified expressions.

"Don't worry!" Pinkie Pie bounced in front of us as Apple Jack was close to strangling Princess Celestia for some reason. "We're just going to Canterlot to fight another danger to Equestria! No big deal! Except that this enemy comes from a different dimension with a big scary dragon and an electrified alicorn!"

Her happy smile and bouncy voice didn't change the effect her words had on us, now I really wanted to know what was happening. By the time she stopped speaking we were huddled together as tight as could be. The princesses and the Elements couldn't have said it any worse than Pinkie Pie could've.

Rainbow Dash threw Pinkie Pie to the side. "It's not a bad as it sounds! Trust me! We'll have Discord to take care of the dragon!" She smiled at Scootaloo, who slightly smiled back.

Rarity bounced in next to her. "Yes! We'll be fine. The electrified alicorn is a wimp! She'll be an easy foe!" Her sparkling eyes and extravagant motions allowed Sweetie Belle to giggle in comfort, just for Rarity to giggle back.

"They ain't that tough, we got this. Besides when have we ever lost?" Apple Jack stepped in beside them, smiling at their reassuring words. She smirked at me, I had full confidence in her. The worry melted away. "I'll take ya to Canterlot soon after we get back. Promise, kiddo."

Apple Bloom gritted her teeth as her tears dripped down her face and onto the lovely grass beneath her. She didn't get to go to Canterlot, and she was haunted with those trusting words ever since that day five years ago.

Now, she was capable of murder, she could hurt ponies, seriously hurt ponies. And she was only fifteen! She grew up, she was mare now, she didn't have such a large bow.

Apple Bloom cried up at the sky, hugging herself as she sat up on her hind legs. Those words haunted her for years as she worked for Zecora, trying to ignore Apple Jack and focus on Zecora. Things only got worse when Granny died, and Big Mac being gone for so long...

She didn't think she could cry any louder, she kept all these tears bottled up for five years, she didn't let anyone see her cry, even at Granny's funeral. Now tears streamed down her face and only the trees around her could hear as she sang her tortured song.

She wanted home, she wanted the farm, she wanted Apple Jack.

She woke up to somepony shaking her, she jumped as she stared down at her bed, the grassy field she had let all her emotions out in. She looked up lazily at her two friends, both smiling down at her. She smiled back, standing up and ignoring the residue in her system from crying. "What y'all need?"

"Zecora's back," Scootaloo said sheepishly. Apple Bloom didn't need to hear anymore as she raced past the two. The two sighed, knowing this was how she'd respond.

They chased after her, yelling at ears that weren't listening. Apple Bloom didn't care about the nicks she'd gotten from branches or bushes, she needed something to do, something to plan, something to fill her mind. And what better way than discussing important matters with their real leader?

She was shocked she wasn't that far in the woods as she approached the camp, then again she could've just been running fast at the idea of getting new ideas for finding her sister.

The zebra smiled as she almost failed to come to a stop in front of her. Wide yellow eyes sat on the zebra now with a long, grown out mane to match a horses, vines replaced her usual jewelry and she looked like a goddess of nature with those calm, motherly eyes.

Apple Bloom panted with a smile. "Sorry," she huffed, looking behind her to see Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo falling into the main clearing, their breaths as heavy as hers.

"Come, I must share with you some important news, you'll surely have the same views," Zecora told Apple Bloom who was still an excited mess. She didn't understand the serious look in Zecora's eyes until she noticed she hadn't moved. She shot up and stood with her chest puffed out and a still look on her face. Zecora smiled at her. "We'll go to my abode, to which, a visit from you is owed," Zecora continued her strange speech in rhymes as Apple Bloom followed, falling into the serious façade she had put up. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo followed the act, but were still giddy Zecora of all ponies had 'important' news. It had to be serious.

Once they climbed the tallest tree in their area they walked inside Zecora's home, her door being a bunch of beads hanging together on one string. At their questioning a while ago, Zecora had told them the reason she didn't need a door, she had said, "A leader need not keep him or his belongings away, a leader needs the ability to put all on display."

Apple Bloom looked inside and agreed, she needed to see inside Zecora's tree house. It wasn't any different, it was even similar to her hut in the Everfree, as she had taken all her belongings as she fled. But Zecora was a mare that held the closest thing Apple Bloom had to a parent figure left, and Zecora's home, felt like her home at times.

She would've had more time to reminisce had she not realized Thunderlane's, Sweetie Drop's, and Lrya's prescence. This was serious, Zecora actually found something. Apple Bloom dispersed the fire that had erupted inside her, she needed to be serious, this was serious time.

And it would've been had Zecora not pulled her into a tight hug. "How have you been? I hope it was not danger you were trapped within," the zebra said as she pulled away, a smile on her face as she saw Apple Bloom's confused expression.

"We're fine, had a run-in with the enemy few day's 'go, but it's all good," Apple Bloom stated casually, shocked to see Zecora's wide eyes.

"You faced our foe? How did it go?" Zecora asked worriedly. Apple Bloom smiled and rolled her eyes as Sweetie Belle explained the situation. Three on one with one of their weakest members wasn't much of an accomplishment, but everyone treated it as such. Even Zecora.

"I applaud you for your feat, but I have information we must not mistreat," Zecora stated, sitting near the other members of their main forces. The Crusaders followed, anxiously hoping they were right, their sisters were alive and had a plan.

Zecora looked at them warily. "I do know the Elements are not dead," Zecora started. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo felt tears of joy file into their eyes as they hugged each other and shouted in success, when they went to hug Apple Bloom, they saw the serious look on her face.

"But?" Apple Bloom asked, knowing the rhyme hadn't ended.

"But they're in a position which I dread," Zecora finished. She turned to Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo with a soft smile, "You can still cheer, it is just more work, I fear." The girls continued their happiness silently, hugging the other and crying softly, nuzzling each other as if they couldn't be happier their sisters were alive.

"So, where are they?" Sweetie Drops asked expectantly, Lyra by her side ready to decipher whatever the zebra said.

"I had hoped they were in the castle," Zecora stated, staring at the ground. "But I overheard they are in a place that is much more of a hassle."

"Well, where is it?" Thunderlane asked.

"They have taken refuge in the kingdom north, difficulty is with us henceforth," she finally explained. Every one of the main forces, the strongest members of their cult, the strongest members of the rebellion against disharmony, gasped, disbelief and sorrow filling them.

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo shot to their hooves, anger etched in their faces. "A little difficulty? Are you kidding me! We can't leave Equestria!" Scootaloo fought. Thunderlane, Sweetie Drops, and Lyra all felt horrible for them while Apple Bloom sat staring the ground, she was shaking.

Zecora grinned. "I have a plan, do not worry. Though we must perfect it, as to not be in a flurry," she stated all this with a calmness that resonated with Apple Bloom. She smiled at her mentor and nodded, looking to her girls and nodding at them.

With Zecora's idea or even just Zecora as a cheerleader, they could do anything.

"Of us you need not worry, to return you are in no hurry," Zecora explained as ponies brought coats to the Crusaders. "We will have it under control here, you need not fear."

"We really gotta wear these up there?" Scootaloo asked as she pulled on her coat, glaring up at the sun beaming down on them. The rain clouds had passed, and she didn't know if there were any cloud cities on their route to hide the sun. "I'm already sweating," she groaned as somepony dropped her satchel on her back, the satchel barely holding together at the seams with weak patches holding it together. Sweetie Belle had always offered to fix it, but Scootaloo declined.

"It's easier to keep track of 'em. They ain't gonna fit in a satchel and they'll fall off if they ain't on all the way," Apple Bloom said, though she quickly wished her logic was wrong as she stared up at the sun as well. The military leader of their corrupt rulers, Controlling, looked exactly like Rainbow Dash. She took control of Cloudsdale and started creating other cloud cities along with expanding it. None of those created cloud cities were on their route to the border.

Another satchel was thrown onto Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, Sweetie Belle's holding one gemstone on the latch as a sign it was hers. Apple Bloom didn't see a point to designate a satchel as her own, so she just took whichever ones were available.

She looked over at Zecora, the zebra smiling at her with confidence. "We'll be back," she assured her. "With a plan at the very least."

Zecora shook her head. "There is no 'very least', there is only our chances at harmony being increased," she smiled as she reached to hug Apple Bloom. "You will return with your loved ones, hope will shine down on us in the form of suns."

"Yeah, yer right," Apple Bloom said as she started after Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle to the opening of their little piece of paradise. "We'll be right back with 'em," she cheered as she left, a smile on her face and hope in her heart.

Once they had all fit past the opening, they stared up at the gloomy trees that weren't saved from the corrupt world their leaders had created. "It's so weird," Sweetie Belle said aimlessly. "It's almost like the tree's in the forest live off of how those feel around it."

"No way!" Scootaloo instantly debunked, causing Sweetie Belle to stomp her hooves and sneer at her. Scootaloo ignored the obvious dislike. "So, we head to the edge of the forest?" She asked Apple Bloom.

"Then, we wait for a train to Tall Tail," Apple Bloom smiled at the two who were absolutely beaming at the idea that Zecora trusted them with bringing back their sisters and friends. "We can talk on the train, first, we should head there."

The two nodded as Apple Bloom started running deeper into the woods, farther away from Ponyville. She tried to keep the overwhelming excitement in her under control, and her disbelief that this would go well was a great distraction.

After going various tracks in the previously thought to be haunted woods, they met up at the same bush by the train tracks. Sweetie Belle sneered, they shined in a new purple finish.

Scootaloo sighed as she sat down against the bush, putting her hooves behind her head and looking into the forest. Silence hung over them as Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle watched for the train, they needed to be ready to jump on when it rocketed past them. "You girls remember when we snuck in here?" Scootaloo asked.

Before Sweetie Belle could answer, they heard the far away whistle of the train. Scootaloo shot to her hooves as Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle jumped over the bush, watching the distance for the train.

"Scoots, you fly on with Apple Bloom, I'll teleport on," Sweetie Belle stated as she watched for the train, her hooves dug into the ground as her body tensed.

"You can teleport?!" Apple Bloom asked, whirling her head to her friend. Green eyes met hers and a smile.

Sweetie Belle nodded at the train's noises roared as it approached. "We can talk on the train," she said as light green ran over her horn. The train just appeared in the distance as Sweetie Belle's body was washing over with the same light green.

Scootaloo broke Apple Bloom out of her amazed stare as she picked her up, flying above where the train would be to avoid suspicion. They both watched Sweetie Belle with worry before the train started rushing underneath them, a bright green flash in front and next to them and they saw Sweetie Belle salute with a smile as she dropped onto the train's roof.

Apple Bloom smiled widely before Scootaloo dropped her, landing next to her and crouching down to the train as the wind threatened to pull them off. Apple Bloom glanced over at Sweetie Belle, watching her running towards them, her body washed over with green in what she assumed to be keeping her steady.

"Apple Bloom!" Scootaloo yelled as she started backing towards the end of the train, a wary look forward. "Let's go! A cave's up soon!" Apple Bloom's eyes widened at the memory of this train's route, they'd either have to jump off as the train wrapped around to Ponyville, or they'd pass under a cave. She slowly started following Scootaloo, worried their new leaders made their trains faster.

She watched as Scootaloo dipped down onto the last carts platform, seeing the train speed past the entirety of the Everfree, her eyes locking onto the forest. Her family was there, her new family she'd spent the last five years growing with. She shook her head as she moved forward, this wasn't the time for reminsing. Her safety mattered more at the moment.

She dropped down onto the carts platform, Scootaloo helping her down. She glanced up at Sweetie Belle, seeing gray fill the backdrop. Her heart stopped as her eyes widened. "Sweetie Belle!" She screamed, ripping the noise out of her throat, Scootaloo dropping her onto the platform. She whirled to her friend. "Sweetie Belle's too far away!" Apple Bloom said.

Scootaloo furrowed her eyebrows as she flew upwards, holding onto the roof of the car. Apple Bloom heard her yell her friends name too as she saw the ends of Ponyville. Apple Bloom put her hooves over her mouth, hearing Scootaloo curse as she dropped down, stomping down onto the platform.

"Guys!" Sweetie Belle's voice rang as they looked up, seeing the face of their friend as her horn glowed green. The train passed under the cave, the noise ringing in their ears.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo opened their eyes at the end of the tunnel, seeing Sweetie Belle wipe the sweat off of her forehead. The two stretched their faces in a smile as they hugged their friend, their voices unable to express how thankful they were. Sweetie Belle chuckled, "I can teleport, remember?"

"Then why didn't you teleport here in the first place?" Scootaloo accused. Sweetie Belle cowered into herself with a nervous giggle that drowned in the roaring wind around them. They passed under a few more dark caves, the train scrapping across the tracks much more audible as it echoed.

But when the set of caves were over, they opened their eyes and saw lush forests on either side of them. The sun beaming down overhead made everything glimmer as Scootaloo slipped off her coat with a smile. Bright blue skies stretched above them, a few beautiful and fluffy white clouds mixing in.

Sweetie Belle smiled widely as tears pricked at her eyes. It was gorgeous, as mountains were light blue in the distance over the tall, healthy trees. It had been so long since any of them had seen an untouched part of Equestria, especially from the luxury of a train. But the land beneath them was a bright green, the area clear of corruption.

This was the parts of Equestria they fought for. This image they wanted to restore the rest of Equestria to be. And they were on their way to do it.

Apple Bloom grinned up at the sky. "We're comin' y'all," she said, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle staring at her. "We're gonna get'chy'all back and we're gonna take back our home."

"Promise," she said as the sun filled them all with hope.

An Old Friend

The Crusaders had less than a relaxed trip. They hadn't expected many ponies to even be travelling north-west, the place was desolate and supposedly full of crazy-ponies. Yet the train was packed, forcing the three to stay cooped up in the last few carts in cargo.

Scootaloo's groaning didn't help. "These coats aren't even good pillows!" She complained as she shoved Apple Blooms coat on top of hers, shoving her head onto them. Her conclusion on if adding the second coat was a good idea was a groan.

"Hush, we'll get caught," Sweetie Belle said as she peaked over the wall of crates that they were using for cover, her tail flicking over Apple Bloom's waist and in Scootaloo's face due to the cramped space.

Scootaloo shot up, spitting out Sweetie Belle's tail as she growled. "Keep your tail between your legs if you're gonna spend your whole time watching," she complained. "Who cuts their mane off and not their tail?"

Before Sweetie Belle could retaliate, Apple Bloom shoved a hoof at either of them, her stare moving between the two. "We don't need to argue, the louder we are, the more they wanna check back here. Sides, what happens when they just check for some reason and you two are pulling out each other's mane?" The two tried fighting her stare, before falling away with a sigh.

"Sorry," Sweetie Belle mumbled as she pulled her tail next to her. Scootaloo repeated it as she crossed her hooves, using the coats as a backrest instead off a pillow. "With all that pounding we did getting on the roof, I thought they would've checked back here for stowaways," she continued as she put a hoof over her eyes, trying to see clearly in the dark without having to activate her magic.

Scootaloo got as comfortable as she could before she put her hooves behind her head, crossing her hind legs that reminded the others so much of Rainbow Dash. "Probably didn't expect anypony to jump on a moving train. Isn't teleportation kinda a difficult spell?"

"Yeah, where'd you learn that?" Apple Bloom asked Sweetie Belle whose stare didn't move away from the door. Sweetie Belle gasped before putting a hoof on the two's heads, not giving them time to question as she shoved them down, looking over her shoulder as she crouched down herself.

The two didn't fight as they heard hoofsteps, pushing themselves as close to the floor as they could get when light flooded the wall behind them.

"Listen, sir, I assure you no pony without registration is on the train. Besides, we usually aren't allowed to let civilians back here," a shaky voice spoke as the hoofsteps towards them got louder. Each of them put their hooves over their mouth, watching the shadows on the wall behind them.

"My precious daughter is on this train, I'm not going to let some stowaway take off with my little girl," a voice fought, all of their eyes widened as they recognized the voice, and realized who his daughter must be. "The things pony will do these days, it's horrible. And my little filly is a prime target to some freak with no money."

Scootaloo looked at the shadow, recognizing that silhouette and that voice belonged to Filthy Rich. She gasped as her heart ached at a familiar voice. Apple Bloom's hoof shoved against her mouth, she looked to her two friends and saw angry stares.

"What was that?" Filthy Rick asked, his shadow telling them he was looking in their direction. Apple Bloom's mind ran with ideas, they would surely be caught, but where would they go? They couldn't ride on top of the train for the rest of the ride, even with Sweetie's magic, there was a mountain they'd have to pass under. She inwardly sighed as the best idea was to hop off and wait for another train.

Just as she was about to explain the plan briefly, she heard the carts end door open, she looked up and saw it was flung open, drawing the attention of Filthy Rich and the other stallion. As the two investigated, Sweetie Belle's magic covered their coats as she crawled closer to them, draping the coats over all of them.

"G-Guess it just fell open..." the stallion with a shaky voice said as the back door of the cart was shut.

"So now the train's not safe?" Filthy Rich asked as the three waited anxiously for the two to leave, holding their breaths as they felt eyes on them. "And who needs coats? It's summer."

"W-we don't know what's in the cargo, we just transport it! Maybe some of the soldiers at the north front need them," the other stallion suggested. They heard Filthy Rich huff as the hoofsteps slowly got quieter.

Once the door shut, they sat up and took a deep breath of relief before smiling at each other and laughing. "Great thinkin', Sweetie!" Apple Bloom said as she pushed the coat off of her. "I was fixin' to jump out and wait for another train."

"Yeah! You've gotten pretty good at magic," Scootaloo said, leaning back against the boxes around them.

Silence hung over them before Scootaloo spoke, "So Diamond Tiara's on this train, huh?"

"You think she's still got Silver Spoon?" Sweetie Belle asked, pushing her coat off of her and throwing it at Scootaloo who used it to make the hard floors the tiniest bit comfier.

"Doubt it," Apple Bloom said as she looked over the dark room, the only light coming in from the windows on the doors as the boxes stacked high and their contents rattling sometimes. "Spoon's family probably booked it for Los Pegasus, 'least then they got the Flim and Flam business to keep the town alive."

The two nodded as they all laid down, too afraid to talk as the back cargo was checked quite often. They didn't sleep as Scootaloo continued to hog all the satchels and coats in an attempt to make an impossibly uncomfortable surface comfortable. It didn't work.

Just as Scootaloo started to drift into a sleep, she was pushed awake before the coats and satchels were torn away from her. "Hey! What's going on?!" She sat up, watching her friends slip on their coats and satchels as they stood up and climbed over the boxes.

Scootaloo followed suit when she noticed the train slowing down slightly. Apple Bloom stared at the others, "The second the train stops, we run for it." The two nodded as the train quickly got slower and slower.

It was almost at a stop as Apple Bloom threw open the cart's back door. She looked around, seeing a sign that said, 'Thank you, come again!' with a painted unicorn waving.

She smiled as the train finally stopped, the three hopping off as they heard the other door slide open. They heard some yelling as they sped past the train station, ponies filing out of the train as it whistled.

They smiled in success as they ran into town, a small town on the western coast of Equestria. As hopeful as they were for the conditions, their hopes were crushed. The town was as dull as every other town they'd been too, including Ponyville. The sun didn't shine as bright, the ground didn't absorb the sun and shoot it right back, the colors of the buildings were dull and dark, murky and dirty with a lack of care.

All the ponies moped, their heads hung as they walked, some of them with mud in their fur that was already drenched. Sweetie Belle put her hoof to her nose at the smell of the town. Everything smelt like fish, and it was gross for a mare who came from a town that smelled like apples and cake. Even a forest that smelt like a forest!

"We hang here tonight," Apple Bloom piped up as they followed her lead in where they were going. She started towards the center of the town as she looked up at the signs.

"Really? It reeks," Sweetie Belle whined as she looked at the dirty signs. "I thought a coastal city was supposed to be pretty." She peaked down an alley and saw a pony in a hood shoot her a smile, a shiver ran down her spine as she turned away and followed the others.

"We should've jumped off earlier, then I wouldn't be so worried, but it still doesn't hurt to wait. I ain't sittin' at that train station all night just for it to get here in the mornin'," Apple Bloom explained as she smiled up at a sign with a bed on it. She skipped inside with a high head.

The mare behind the counter popped her gum at the sight of them. "We only got two bed rooms. Sorry," she said with a sarcastic tone as she used her horn to flip the page of her magazine, popping her gum again.

"Two beds is plenty fine," Apple Bloom said, already wanting to punch this mare's teeth in as she glared up at her. "How much?"

The mare sighed as she sat up in her seat, pushing her magazine aside. She sighed loudly again before she spoke, "Twenty bits a night." She stared at them as she used her magic to drop a key into Apple Bloom's hooves. "We don't do breakfast and the bathroom's at the end of the hall. Enjoy you're stay at the best hotel in town, The Red Salmon like our most profitable fish. Stay again if you ever visit our fishy, fishy town," she said all in a sarcastic tone. She dropped back into a slouch in her seat as she pulled her magazine back in front of her. "Oh yeah, you're the only guests we got right now."

Apple Bloom raised an eyebrow with an amused look as the other two snickered behind her. "Got it, thanks," she said as she dropped a bag of bits in front of the mare.

As they climbed the stairs, they heard a much more enthusiastic voice yell. "A little more emotion next time, darling!" A stallion yelled. The three snickered as they found their room and opened the door, seeing the cramped room and sighing.

"We ever gonna get a break?" Scootaloo asked as she fell onto a bed, Sweetie Belle falling onto it with her. She groaned. "And why can't I get my own bed?"

"You hogged our coats and satchels the entire ride here!" Sweetie Belle fought as she sat up, slipping her coat and satchel off of her and onto the bed. She started digging through her satchel as she continued talking, glancing up at the strange décor on the walls. "It's not like I wanna share a bed with you anyways."

"Then go sleep with Apple Bloom!"

"You don't deserve a bed to yourself so I'm making sure you aren't getting it," Sweetie Belle said with a wide smirk as Scootaloo pouted. She pulled a few apples out of her satchel and tossed them to the others before eating one herself.

Apple Bloom looked out the window over the weary town as she bit into her apple, her mouth flooding with nostalgia. "Get a good sleep tonight, I doubt we'll be able to sleep on the train north," she said as she watched ponies carry bags of fish with sneers.

"It's a long walk to the Unicorn Range, aren't we gonna sleep while we're out there?" Scootaloo asked, thinking back to what little geography she had actually taken in from her job and Cherrilee's lessons.

"It's cold here, isn't it super cold over there?" Sweetie Belle asked, reminding herself she rarely ever travelled this way North with her sister.

"We got the breeze from the coast mixed in here," Scootaloo said, trying to figure it out for herself.

"We make it there in one trip," Apple Bloom finalized, pulling the girls away from their theorizing. "We'll get too nervous and mess it up if we wait longer while we're up there," she said, the girls sighing as they fell onto the bed, Sweetie Belle using her magic to throw away all their apple cores.

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle settled into bed, their satchels and coats sitting at their hind hooves as they tried to sleep. They had left late their village in the morning, and that ride took hours out of their day, the sun already turning the room orange as it set.

It took them awhile to sleep, Apple Bloom was right, they were nervous and excited. Emotions turned in their stomachs as happiness filled their minds, they were halfway to the Crystal Empire, they were halfway to seeing their sisters.

Apple Bloom didn't even lay down until the others were asleep, not from any protective motherly instinct, but mostly from thought. Diamond Tiara was a common thought, mostly because she made it a common thought, she didn't want to think about how close they were to the Empire. Or how perfect their plan seemed in thought.

She laid back on her bed, staring up at the moon through the window. She remembered the simpler days, when she was scared of Nightmare Moon. She smiled as she curled up in the blanket and looked up at the moon. Now the moon reminded her of Zecora, a watchful eye keeping her safe on her journey.

She shut her eyes and fell asleep just as she heard carnival music outside followed by quiet screams.

Apple Bloom groaned as somepony shook her lightly. She swat the hoof away and snuggled into the blanket, "Quit it, Scoots."

The hoof left her shoulder and she smiled. "Apple Bloom?" A stallions voice asked. Her eyes shot open at the name on an unfamiliar voice, she sat up in her bed and saw lilac eyes staring back at her. The stallion sported a grey coat with deep black man slicked back and short. He smiled as he leaned towards her. "Apple Bloom!"

"Rumble?" She asked, not recognizing the deep voice. "You're Rumble?" He nodded with a smile. Thunderlane was at the front of her mind as his smile was in front of her eyes. She pushed him away slightly. "What are you doing 'ere?"

He shook his head in disbelief, going back and forth between staring at her and the surroundings. "I can't believe this! I didn't think I'd see you ever again!"

"What are you doing 'ere?" She asked again as if she shouldn't be a question directed at her as well. He backed away sheepishly as his gaze fell more on the surroundings other than her.

"I-I got a job here, the family's real nice and they kinda took me in ever since I left Ponyville," he said with a smile, his deep voice a complete opposite of his nervous attitude as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Wha-what about you?" He asked, pointing at her.

"Uh," she started when she remembered where she was. "Actually, what are you doing here in this room, specifically?"

He tilted his head and raised an eyebrow at her before standing up straight with wide eyes. "Oh! Since I was out at the coast all day yesterday, my boss told me to wake up the ponies that stayed here last night."

She groaned as she looked past him to see Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo sleeping peacefully. She rolled her eyes before hopping out of the bed, looking at the floor for their belongings. "So... uh... what brings you to Tall Tale?" He asked, keen on making small talk with an old friend.

She looked back at him as she slipped on her coat, only seeing Thunderlane. She sighed and went to respond when they both heard a voice climbing the stairs. "Uh.. Hello? Anyone here?" The voice rang, posh and uptight as if she deserved it all, all that mixed in with a certain softness.

She turned to Rumble frantically. "You have to distract her," she said quickly. She started pushing him out of the room, "Please! She can't see us, she might know who we are."

"What?" He asked as she pushed him towards the doorway, getting him face-to-face with one of their leaders. He backed away with a nervous smile and a laugh. "Y-Yes, how may I help you?"

"Escort me to the coast," the mare stated simply. Apple Bloom overheard their conversation as she woke up Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, throwing their coats and satchels at them when they understood the voice at the front of the room. They frantically and quietly put them on as they wondered if Trickery had kept her promise.

"I'm sorry, I-I'm the only one available right now, so I kind-kinda need to be here," he said nervously, trying to glance into the room over and over again.

She raised an eyebrow at him, "Fine. Do you know anypony else that actually lives here that can take me to the shore?" Apple Bloom scribbled something onto a piece of paper and hid it under the pillow.

He started to think as the Crusaders shoved past them. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle successfully made it to the stairs, Apple Bloom yelling something he didn't hear. The mare had stomped a hoof on Scootaloo's tail, making her turn back and look up at one of their corrupt leaders standing over her. And she was known to be terrifying. She heard Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle yell her name as the mare investigated her.

Light yellow fur matched with light pink hair pulled back into an intricate hairstyle that Scootaloo didn't know how to describe. Some was pulled back at the front but the back of it still fell down her shoulders. She wore a sleek red dress, form fitting as a light pink amulet sat on a black collar, something swishing inside the gem.

"Sorry, you scared me. I must've caught your tail when I went to put my hoof back down," Merciless explained as she raised her hoof. Scootaloo nodded as she stood back up, running after her friends with adrenaline and fear filling her veins.

They all ran out of the shop when they knew Scootaloo was alright, only to be stopped by a regal carriage. Bright, soft pink stretched up the sides, only leading to hems of jewels of blues and pinks, all with something swishing inside. The front was just as beautiful with chocolate brown wood, golden ropes with crimson red cushions. They all didn't know where the driver was, or the ponies who were supposed to be pulling it.

"Excuse me," they heard that feminine voice ring and they looked behind them to see Merciless staring at them calmly. They nodded and stepped aside, trying to smile through the confusion and hatred towards this mare that looked so much like their sweet Fluttershy. The door of the carriage opened on it's own when the mare went to step inside. They all watched in amazement as she sat down, and stared at them. "Are you heading to Van Hoover?"

Before the others could say something, Apple Bloom stepped in front with a nod, "Yep!"

A pink fan appeared in front of the mare's face, they didn't understand, she wasn't a unicorn, and there was no unicorn around that she told to do that. "Be careful," she said as the door shut. A goose with large teeth dressed in a suit appeared in the driver's seat. Breezies, a small species of fairy, appeared under the reins for ponies, picking them up and shooting off with incredible speed.

"Let's go," Sweetie Belle said, shaking her head to clear the attempt to try and understand what just happened from her mind. The others nodded and running off after her.

"Wait! Apple Bloom!" Rumble yelled after them as he peaked outside the door, holding a note in his hoof. He stared down at it, the contents shaking him to his core.

He just met three old friends on an extremely random occasion, wasn't able to talk to them, and one of them left a note for him. Thunderlane, his big brother was alive and well, apart of a rebellion against disharmony deep in the Everfree Forest. She even drew a map, he looked up in the direction they ran off in, tears falling down his face.

"Thank you," he said as he hugged the note. She trusted him with this information, he was absolutely marveled.

"What are you doing?" The mare the Crusaders encountered last night spoke from behind him. He smiled up at her and wiped his eyes.

"Nothing! What are you doing, grumpy?"

"Ew, were you crying?" She asked and recoiled away from him with a smile.

"No, it's the sand," he joked and grinned as he pulled a smile out of her, standing up next to her.

She noticed the note in his hooves and punched his shoulder playfully. "What's that? A note from a girl?" She asked, emotion seeping into her voice. He laughed as he walked inside with her.

The Journey North

The train ride to Van Hoover was much more relaxing than the ride to Tall Tale, having actually paid for tickets this time and enjoyed a peaceful ride to the cold city.

Sweetie Belle was amazed at the changing environments from the train window. Van Hoover was a city that spent half the year buried in snow, so she watched as lush, green grass, turned to plush snow and frozen lakes in a matter of minutes. Sadly, it still all had a dull overlay, it wasn't as nice as a harmonized Equestria seemed to be.

Scootaloo had tried her hardest to sleep, even using Apple Blooms hind legs as makeshift pillows, thinking being close to her friend would help. It didn't as she stirred again, wrinkling her nose in distaste as she sat up, looking at an amazed Sweetie Belle with her muzzle pressed against the window.

"Uh, Sweetie, you know you're gonna hate the snow when we have to walk through it," Scootaloo pointed out, looking next to her to see Apple Bloom's calm smile as she looked at the snow as well.

"Yeah, yeah," Sweetie Belle said with a wave of her hoof, wide green eyes staring at the white paradise through the window. Scootaloo rolled her eyes and rested her head on her hoof as she slouched over the table.

"How much longer? We've already been on for half an hour. Van Hoover ain't that far from Tall Tale!" Scootaloo asked, reaching into Apple Bloom's satchel for a map. Apple Bloom rolled her eyes and shoved her satchel shut, making Scootaloo withdraw her hoof.

"Another hour, maybe half an hour, 'sides, a map can't tell ya how long a train ride takes," Apple Bloom explained, leaning back into the soft, purple cushions of the train, red carpet underneath her hooves with a polished table in front of her. She sighed in relief, it had been awhile since she actually rode on the train and not on the back platform or the cargo cart.

"Take the distance it took from Ponyville to Tall Tale and compare it to this distance," Scootaloo stated simply, getting wide stares from both her friends. "It's gotta be something similar."

Apple Bloom smiled and reached up to ruffled Scootaloo's mane, "So you're actually smart, huh?" She chuckled to herself at the angry stare Scootaloo gave her.

"Yeah, you've been holding out on us," Sweetie Belle smiled. Scootaloo rolled her eyes and blew her mane out of her face, reaching up to fix it as she sat back in her seat like Apple Bloom.

"I just listened in on a few of Pound and Pumpkin Cake's math lessons," she explained. "It's kinda cool," she growled as Sweetie Belle laughed at her, tempted to kick her underneath the table.

They spent the next stretch of time waiting silently, Sweetie Belle mentally playing Blackjack with Apple Bloom, using random numbers that she'd first think of. Apple Bloom was doing the same but with Go Fish!, using whatever response came up first, 'yes' or 'no' and then a number. The two stared at each other while in thought, so much so that Scootaloo assumed they were having a staring contest.

Scootaloo thought of all the places the Wonder Bolts performed for major pegasi events. That is, before they became pegasi exclusive under the new name 'Shadow Bolts'.

The train slowing to a stop took them out of their mental challenges as they sat up, stretching and waiting for either a whistle or an over-com voice. They got a whistle and a pony walking down the isle shouting 'Van Hoover'. They pulled on their coats and climbed off the train with the few other souls that got off with them, dropping them off in a city full of skyscrapers, fancy buildings, and ponies in parkas.

Sweetie Belle was already shivering and sneering at Scootaloo who had stuck her tongue out in mockery. Apple Bloom didn't walk towards the snowy city as she sat down and pulled a map out of her satchel, looking over it with a focused stare.

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle didn't say anything as they waited for their friend's decision. After all the ponies that came off the train had well since left, Apple Bloom stood up. "We gotta head back on the train's tracks until we get to Unicorn Range. Then we go through the woods to Galloping Gorge," she explained as she moved aside the map, letting her friends walk over.

Scootaloo raised an eyebrow, "Why can't we just go past the mountain range?"

"It'll take days and it's gonna be blizzards up there," Apple Bloom said as she explained the plan again, pointing at where'd they go. "I would've just jumped off the train later on up if I knew the mountain's stretched that far."

Sweetie Belle groaned, "It'll take days to walk to that part of the track, and days to get through the forest. We'll freeze to death that way too."

Apple Bloom looked around when she noticed a stallion standing next to a carriage in a large coat. She smiled as she picked up her map and walked over to him. "Howdy, partner," she said, he raised an eyebrow at her.

"Ain't a filly like yous be needin' her momma?" He asked, Apple Bloom assuming he wasn't from Van Hoover at all, but rather down south, probably more south than Appleloosa. She'd be shocked if he hadn't heard of the Apple family.

"We just need a ride to Unicorn Range, can you manage that for us, partner?" She asked, ignoring his other statement. "I got money, so if y'all worried we 'fillies' are just gonna ditch, we ain't."

He narrowed his eyes at her, "Ain't I seen you somewhere before?"

She shrugged, the snow digging into her hooves as it lightly fell around them. She was thankful for the coats, no matter how annoying they were on the ride here, they were helping a lot now. "Probably, my family was real famous for apples," she said, hoping he'd give her a ride just to figure out who she was. "Had a few run-ins with Flim and Flam, too. Though it really wasn't me as much as my big sister."

He smirked at her, a mischevious look in his eyes. "What's an apple farmer like you doin' all the way up 'ere in Van Hoover?" He asked.

She rolled her eyes and continued talking to him as Sweetie Belle looked over the city. She'd never been, only seen it on train rides to different places. The cities buildings stretched high, and she could only imagine how small it must've been with so much utility they could've put in those buildings. One floor could be a restaurant and the rest of the way up could be apartments.

The snow was pretty as it fell softly onto the town, the ground covered in it and stacked up in inches. She could only imagine the winter collection her sister made on everypony, hoping to look better in front of their friends with Rarity's designs on them.

She looked back to Apple Bloom and the stallion, her hoof on his throat as Scootaloo yelled at her to chill out. "Now, you've pissed me off, so maybe we will ditch, or maybe we'll steal your ride. I don't care, we're gettin' to Unicorn Range in that carriage," Apple Bloom threatened. He clawed at her hoof, his hind legs kicking aimlessly as his eyes filled with fear. "Take us now without a fight, and you get the rest of our bits," she said. He nodded desperately, his face turning red at the lack of oxygen.

She took her hoof off his throat and smiled smugly at him as she skipped to the back of the carriage. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo saw the scowl on his face as they hopped into the back. Apple Bloom seemed more than comfortable as she put her hooves behind her head and hummed.

"What happened?" Sweetie Belle asked Scootaloo.

"He said something about the Apple family," she deadpanned and Sweetie Belle nodded, moving to the edge of the carriage. She peaked past the curtains at the city, she said goodbye with a smile and a promise she'd seriously visit after her sister and her saved Equestria.

She sat back inside to hear Apple Bloom shouting over her shoulder in response to the stallion grumbling. "Oh can it, we got sixty bits left partner and you're getting all of 'em," she said and smiled as he sped up momentarily.

"We really gonna give them all to him?" Scootaloo asked.

"We can't be jerks when we're trying to restore harmony to the world," Apple Bloom said as she sat up and leaned forward, feeling the real wood beneath her hooves. "He's this far up north for a reason, and he's takin' us a long way."

Sweetie Belle nodded as she reached into Apple Bloom's satchel and pulling out the map. "And we thought we'd have this in one take," she sighed.

"If someone wanted to give me the map on the train, we coulda saw this," Scootaloo hung over Apple Bloom with a grin. Apple Bloom smiled back and chuckled, staring down at the map as well.

She pointed towards the middle of Unicorn Range. "We'll try to get 'im to go here," she explained before moving her hoof into the woods. "Then, we'll try and find a cave for shelter one night. It'll probably only take a day from there." The two nodded at the agreed plan as Apple Bloom rolled up the map.

A while later, enough for the three ponies hyped up on anxiety to fall asleep, the carriage stopped and the stallion from before climbed into the back with them, blankets over his back as he wore a sneer.

The three woke up to the stallion throwing blankets on them, he gave them an even dirtier look as he sat near the end of the carriage, one hoof hanging out. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom sat up as Sweetie Belle snuggled into her blanket with a smile, falling back to sleep. He rolled his eyes at their stare.

"How far are we?" Apple Bloom asked him casually despite his hate filled glare. She looked down at the red blanket and understood why she felt warmer.

"Afternoon tomorrow and we'll be at the fork in the tracks. How far ya wanna go, partner?" He said the last word with intense hate that reminded her of Discord. She noticed he didn't have a blanket as she pulled hers tighter on her.

She glared up at his green eyes darkened by the night around them, the moon shining through the front opening being the only light. "We'll take halfway into the Range if you'll take us," she explained, almost liking the recoil in shock he gave her. It was nice to see something other than despise directed at them from him.

"Why y'all wanna go there? Ain't nothin' there!" He asked almost worriedly. "You fillies sure you right in the head?"

She chuckled to herself as Scootaloo laid back down, mumbling a thanks for the blankets, his nod being his reply. "We're kinda headin' more North, since the pony trains don't go that far up no more, we were gonna go through the woods," she explained.

"Why can't I just take ya up the tracks?" He asked honestly, no dislike in his stare or his tone. It almost sounded like he was worried. "Why go through the woods?" He asked as he pulled his hoof into the carriage, his stare more focused on her.

"We got things to do, things that involve not walking right into the shield that Twilight look-alike's got up," Apple Bloom cursed, the thought of their friend turned into a despicable ruler made her blood boil. She laid back down and looked up at the moon through the front opening.

The wind roared outside as she looked up at it. Zecora was the first thought she had, but now, with how close they were to the Empire, it reminded her of Princess Luna. She'd get to see the Princesses again, and Spike, and Discord, and Starlight Glimmer. She sighed, the only memories she had of them were those menacing rulers she now had. Spike was now a tall dragon with sharp teeth and a roar that told crowds to shut up. Discord acted like an evil king that ran the weather report, based on what he felt like doing to whatever part of Equestria that day.

But the worst ones were the Elements of Harmony look-alikes. She didn't even know what they were, Zecora said they were from a different dimension, but she didn't believe it. None of them looked or acted like her friends, yet they were her friends.

They had her friends faces, especially Apple Jack's. She was what Equestria worshipped, she helped ponies in need, she helped failing towns. But that wasn't Apple Jack, and she knew that. That mare held a certain hate towards her, and that mare wore clothes in Flim and Flam's colors, and she was insane, like the rest of them!

She eventually fell asleep, hoping she'd wake up from this nightmare her old ten year old self. She had a nightmare about the new Twilight capturing her and her friends.

Apple Bloom woke up to the carriage rocking, as if it was hit by something. She sat up, rubbing her head and watching Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo do the same, groaning as orange seeped in through the carriages openings. "Get out! I took ya where ya wanted to be," the stallion outside shouted before bucking the carriage again.

"Alright! Alright! We get it," Scootaloo shouted back before shaking the blanket off of her and throwing her satchel on her back. She jumped off after Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle.

Sweetie Belle stared up at the tall trees, they were covered in snow under the orange and pink sky of the sunset. Tall, dark bark stretched up to deep green leaves topped off with bright white snow. She looked towards the forest, trying to see into it. All she saw was a few feet of dark bark before it became impossible to see.

The snow beneath her froze her hooves as she looked behind her and saw the huge, new purple tracks stretch in either direction.

It was an icy wonderland, but she still grimaced as she looked up at the north woods. It'd be a snowstorm up there.

"The bits you lovely fillies so promised me?" The stallion growled with disgust at the three, raising an eyebrow. "This is where you wanted, right?"

Apple Bloom nodded as Sweetie Belle used her magic to pull a brown bag of bits out of her satchel and handing them over to the stallion, who snatched them out of her magic's grasp and scowled at them before turning the other way and starting his trot back.

The three watched until he was out of their sight, looking to the others and sighing. Apple Bloom looked up at the forest with wide eyes. "We make it past this, and we're one step closer to the Empire," she said as she started their trek inwards. "Sweetie, make sure to light up our way," she continued as they climbed through the thick forest, trying to stick close to one another as the sun started setting.

The forest stretched for miles on the map, so they knew they were in for at least a day. The snow seemed to stack up on the ground the further they went, the snowing also became more frequent as the forests trees got smaller and smaller, making it easier to navigate through them.

Each of them wanted to keep walking, even if their hooves screamed at them to stop before they fell off, just so they could be closer to the Empire, closer to saving their friends. But the more fallen trees they climbed over and the more growls from whatever demon species was this far north convinced them to take refuge in a cave like planned.

Sweetie Belle lit a spark with her magic on the many pieces of wood the three collected. The fire roared a bright green and they all sighed. It looked like Spike's fire, they could only imagine how much his abilities had grown over the years.

"Really wish we stole those blankets from that jerk," Scootaloo shivered, holding her hooves over the warm fire. They stung at the new heat, but it was better than the freezing cold outside. She looked around the cave, stalactites hanging over head while some had frozen over near the opening, the ground also coated in a weak layer of snow.

"It ain't the right thing to do, he's been havin' to walk through snow the entire way here," Apple Bloom said, looking at the back of the cave. It looked deep, the stalactites and stalagmites seemingly got larger the further back they were. Her old adventurous side of her wanted to go deep within the cave and get lost only for something to happen that'd show her the way. But she had a mission to focus on, she couldn't go on adventures anymore.

She smiled at the green fire, now reminding her of Sweetie Belle's magic than Spike's fire. She didn't remember the last adventure they went on, but she declared to make more when Equestria was restored.

"Who cares about the right thing anymore?" Scootaloo asked. "We haven't done the right thing in years, we've snuck around and basically been the black market for years."

"Honesty, kindness, laughter, generosity, loyalty, and magic," Apple Bloom replied, looking up at her friend's annoyed face as the wind howled outside the cave. "Those are the virtues we're tryin' to return to Equestria. Can't be goin' 'round goin' 'gainst them."

Scootaloo sighed. "You're right, sorry," she said as she laid down on the hard floor, her pillow being her satchel. She groaned. "We should've taken the whole stupid carriage!"

Their sleep was hardly a sleep at all when they woke up early in the morning groaning with popping joints. The fire was already out but the rising sun outside lit up part of the cave. They started out on their journey silently, too worried to anger the others due to the bad sleep, and not wanting to talk themselves.

The trees were still tall and ominous, the ground covered in higher inches of snow as Scootaloo started to fly above it, Sweetie Belle moving the snow out of the way for Apple Bloom and her. Snow fell on their coats and covered their manes and tails, the morning sun being a somewhat nice heat source as they walked through the freezing forest.

They all smiled when they came up to the stream of water that cut through the woods, though the river was frozen and only served as an easier walking ground for Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom. They followed the river for most of the day before dipping back into the woods, remembering the river led up to an area that had no forestry to hide within when they came up to the border.

They were close to going back into a cave for the night before they heard a stallion yell. They looked to each other with wide eyes before they dashed quietly into the direction of the yell.

They peaked through the woods edge, seeing the old, rustic train tracks lead up to a tall wall of magic. Sweetie Belle was amazed by the many colors of magic that meshed together to form a humongous wall. Blues, greens, yellows, all color of magic mixed together and swished around the surface area it was spread across, reacting with other ponies magics.

"I've never seen the wall up-close like this before," she said, her friends nodding in even more amazement. She couldn't even tell what were stars, sparkles in the magic, or the roaring snow around them.

She heard the crunching of snow and used her magic to push her friends down behind the bush, crouching down herself as they watched a pony in dark armor walk past them, towards the wall of magic with unicorn guards lined up. She could only see three guards from their position, all of the ponies armors covered in the snowstorm, even the new arrival's.

"Good to see you stallions working," the pony said in a deep voice before taking off his helmet, holding it at his side as the Crusaders' eyes widened. A deep black was his coat, his hair was a wispy grey mane that moved like smoke, though it was pulled back in a very small pony tail. "Your families will surely appreciate the large amount of bits and jewels you ponies get from working here."

The three cowered in fear as the shield's magic seemed to strengthen. His armor held a certain red lightning bolt on the flank, only furthering the proof that this was the terrifying stallion they thought it was.

Apple Bloom backed up, pulling her friends with her and running a bit into the woods, the white around them a constant reminder of the cold they were feeling. They all let out a deep breath, they didn't realize they were holding their breaths until they were away. "What do we do? I didn't think they even checked this far north!"

"Of course they do! They can't have one weak spot for ponies to just waltz through!" Sweetie Belle fought before cowering into herself. "I just didn't think they'd send him of all ponies."

"Yeah, thought he'd have a more important job than checkin' the border," Apple Bloom sulked. She stood up straight and took a deep breath. "Alright, change of plans," she said, the two looking up at her with wide eyes.

She spoke with a determined look on her face. "We wait 'till a train comes up and try and hop on without alertin' the guards, they'll have to let the wall down to let it past."

"Do cargo trains even go up this far? The tracks aren't even renovated," Scootaloo worried.

"Sweetie Drops and Lyra said they did when they came up here one time," Apple Bloom explained before she looked back towards the edge of the forest. "Dunno where'd it go though, this track leads to the Empire."

They all took a deep breath before heading back towards the edge of the forest. They looked around for the dark stallion through the falling snow and were shocked he was nowhere to be found. They all smiled to the other, this job just got a lot easier.

"Wait, would they just put the shield back up if they notice us?" Sweetie Belle asked worriedly. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo thought it over before sighing and nodding. "Guess we gotta take them out, huh?" She asked with a nervous smile and sighed herself, seeing their nods out of the corner of her eye. She was happy that black stallion wasn't still there, but she was really excited to not have to fight anypony at all.

They waited for a while before they all heard a distant train whistling. They all nodded towards the others before Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo jumped away, Apple Bloom stepping out of the forest and starting towards the guards.

She still only saw three guards in the wide clearing once the forests ends, but many types of magic forming the wall in front of them. She assumed some ponies magic stretched farther than the ones in front of her, but she quickly had to stop thinking as they noticed the crunching snow.

"Hey! What're you doing here?" A guard asked, turning to face her with narrowed eyes. "How'd you get up here?" He asked, walking towards her, the snow crunching and grabbing the other guards attention.

"Uh, I walked," she said, feigning nervousness in hopes they see it as innocence. His narrowed eyes told her it wasn't as convincing. She blamed her growing body as a huge boulder floated over him. Apple Bloom smiled and dashed towards him, the rock falling down on him. He cursed out at her as she ran onto the rock, jumping off of it and running towards the other guards, the multi-colored wall getting closer and closer.

The guards raced towards her, she crouched and slid under one as he jumped over her, crashing into the rock that crushed the other guard. She smiled as she jumped over the other one, sliding in the snow to a stop, panting as she watched her tail come centimeters away from the wall. She grinned up as the wall started fading away, the guards too distracted to keep up the spell.

She jumped as the two guards stood up, slowly walking towards her with bared teeth. "Call Thunder Smoke," one growled to the guard under the rock.

"No!" Sweetie Belle cried as she appeared behind them. They turned towards her with raised eyebrows, she smiled nervously and backed up into the rock, her nervous smile growing the closer they got to her. The two were shot to the side as Scootaloo jabbed her hind legs into them, pushing them onto the edge of the tracks.

They all smiled to the others as the guards groaned, trying to get up and failed.

"So three stallions can't handle three foals?" They heard a horrifically familiar voice. They turned to see Thunder Smoke, the black stallion from before, grinning at them. "Oh, don't worry, the captains been wanting some delinquents to play with for a while."

He laughed at their horrified faces, "Ponies really don't rebel when you have seven horrific rulers."

The train started to roar past them as a cyan pegasus dropped down onto the crunching snow beside him, narrowed eyes on them and a grin. She raised an eyebrow at the hole in the shield, but shrugged it off. "Get 'em!" She grinned maniacally, her rainbow mane flying with the train.

"Quick!" Sweetie Belle yelled as she ducked under a guards attempt at catching her, Thunder Smoke and Controlling flying at them. "We have to get on the train!" She used her magic to pick up balls of snow, attempting to throw them at the guards, but failed as they dodged.

"Oh no you don't!" Controlling growled as she sped past Scootaloo, her rainbow tail leaving a slight trail as she dashed at Apple Bloom. Scootaloo bit down on the familiar tail, only putting a stop on Controlling's momentum, but being taken with her. "Get off me, Scootaloo!" Controlling growled, stopping and flying upwards. Scootaloo's eyes widened at the name, but she looked down and saw the train roaring beneath them. She grinned up at the Rainbow Dash look-alike before letting go of the pegasus' tail, hitting the roof of the train with a thud!

Controlling's shock led to her being hit by one Sweetie Belle's snowballs, knocking her out of the sky.

"Good job, you two!" Apple Bloom yelled as she bucked away one of the guards, knocking him face-first in the snow. Sweetie Belle grinned as she ran towards the train, jumping off of Thunder Smoke's back and onto the caboose. She smiled up at Scootaloo as she dropped onto the platform as well. Thunder Smoke growled, "Whoever can get those foals gets a bonus!" All of the guards rushed towards Apple Bloom and the train with a new passion, Controlling moving next to him with a scowl as she waited for the end of the train to come up.

Apple Bloom dodged the guards advancements, running past Thunder Smoke and Controlling as the train's length started to end. She sped up, hoping she could make it as Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo cheered her on.

She jumped as the caboose approached, she reached out at the safety guard, her eyes widening with happiness as she latched on. But her joy was quickly ruined as she felt a weight on her tail. She looked back and saw a dark set of armor and a scowl.

Her grip was weakening, she couldn't hold the weight both of them on such a fast moving vehicle with this snowstorm roaring around her.

Changes to 'Another Day'

The Harmony Crusaders stared up the crystal walls of the Crystal Empire's throne room they hadn't seen in years. It sparkled back in the exact same way, almost making them fall into the comfort that their sisters were only gone for a week fighting a threat to the Crystal Empire.

But their nerves were on fire and they couldn't stay still. Their stomachs turned in fear as their hooves shook, they didn't know what to think. They had actually made to the Crystal Empire, where Zecora knew the Elements of Harmony stayed. And sometimes, they couldn't believe they were actually here.

But Shining Armor stood clad in the golden and purple armor that the Empire used, he was really there, they had really talked to him. He seemed just as nervous as they were, he couldn't even look at them. Sweetie Belle smiled as she looked up at the throne room's crystal doors, the same doors she had just walked through.

And now she waited next to her friends for the castle guards to alert their sisters and bring them to them. Her journey into the Empire filled her mind, she made it, otherwise she didn't think she could be standing there nearly as calmly as she was.

The train ride was long and short at the same time, their anxieties started kicking in the second they stopped talking. They were so anxious to see their sisters, so anxious to get inside the Empire so they could know they would be completely safe.

The roaring snowstorm just outside got louder and louder with the closer they got to the frozen north. They waited, watching the silhouette of the Empire get closer and closer until it wasn't even a silhouette anymore, it was the glowing castle inside the storm, shining against the night sky.

They grinned as it got closer and closer, trying not to puke, they were so excited and worried and filled with so many conflicting and non-conflicting emotions that they didn't even understand when they jumped off into the horrible storm. They barely felt the pelting snow or the harsh wind as they stared up at the Empire, the memories of it didn't compare to how it looked that night.

It looked like heaven, the glowing, glistening Empire against the deep black of the sky. The Crystal Heart's protection was clear, it wasn't a horrible amalgamation like the one around Equestria, no, this was transparent, and loving. Tears filled their eyes as their hooves burned in the freezing snow, the train finally gone behind them.

Scootaloo looked back, seeing the rustic tracks carry away a train to a place they didn't know. But behind them sat a broken, ruined train station. The platform had caved in, the roof fallen on top of it as if being smashed in the middle by a large sledgehammer and left.

The only light on the station was flickering weakly, as if it had happened recently. The girls looked at each other warily before the storm took its toll. The girls shivered and turned to face the Empire, starting towards it as their hooves sunk into the snow.

As they slowly made their way to the Empire, Sweetie Belle felt something hard and cold underneath her hoof. She stepped aside and used her magic to pull back the snow. She saw metal. She raised an eyebrow as she moved away more snow, she gasped at what she saw. "Apple Bloom! Scootaloo!" She shouted, staring down at train tracks that led into the Empire.

The others walked over and stared with wide eyes at the cut tracks, the metal looked like someone bit it off, and center boards just stopped. They all shot each other another worried look as they walked past it, walking towards the Empire with new passion to get inside.

The closer they got, they noticed the huge wall of guards on the northern front of the Empire. Worry became the most prominent emotion in the concoction of emotion that was their bodies. What if the guards came running at them and didn't recognize them? What if they shot at them with magic, thinking them spies from Canterlot? What if they--

Their thoughts paused as they were encased in a coat of magenta. They screamed and pounded and clawed at the magic, too scared they would be killed without being known. They thought they were home free, they thought they would see their sisters again, but no, they would be killed by their friends guards.

Tears streamed down their faces as they were quickly brought closer to the line of guards. They were brought before a white stallion in purple armor outline in gold. His colors were blurred or darkened by the snowstorm, he stood inside the protective shield and held them outside of it. Blue eyes stared back at them, full of fire.

Apple Bloom recognized those eyes, and that surprisingly not dangerous stare. She gasped happily. "Shining Armor!" She shouted, the tears now streaming out of her eyes those of joy. "It's us! The Cutie Mark Crusaders!"

He didn't understand, he couldn't see the intruders colors very well. He took them inside the shield and his eyes widened as he saw their happy, childish eyes on him. The one who had sounded like Apple Bloom looked like Apple Bloom too. She had a red mane with yellow fur and bright orange eyes.

And next to the mare he concluded to be Apple Bloom were two young mares that looked like Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo with minor differences lying mostly in their manes. But as he took a closer look, Scootaloo's smile was matched with a scar on her cheek, more lied on her neck and her hooves and he could only imagine what stood under that coat.

He shook his head. "You three are Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo?" He asked skeptically, but they nodded so manically and happy as if they didn't hear it. His heart blossomed with hope and joy for the girls sisters, but how could he trust these mares?

He raised an eyebrow at them, watching as their smiles didn't change. "How can I trust you aren't one of Electricity's spies?" He asked rudely.

Their spirits weakened as their eyes widened, they looked hurt. But any actor could manage to look hurt. Apple Bloom shook her head a stood up. "We need to see our sisters," she said desparately. "Please, Shining, we ain't spies. We spent days gettin' 'ere."

His will against them was breaking, seeing such old friends that he knew would spark hope and make Twilight and her friends happy. But he couldn't just believe anypony's. "We'll do anything to see our sisters, please, Shining," she begged again.

He sighed and looked at them, he had no idea what he could possibly ask, he didn't know them as well, and he had no idea what they would know about his sisters that he also knew that wouldn't be known by Twilight's look-alike. He shook his head, trying to think of something, when he came upon something he guessed Twilight's look-alike wouldn't know. He swallowed. "Who's the mare that led the Equestria games here in the Crystal Empire?"

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom exchanged worried glances, they knew who she was. She was the mare that followed Spike around and told him what to do. But her name? They had no clue. They looked to Scootaloo with wide eyes, and were taken aback by her calm stare.

"Duh," Scootaloo started as she rolled her eyes with a calm smile. "Mrs. Harshwhinny, she was a perfectionist. Still is from what we've heard." She stared up at Shining Armor with a wide smile. "So, now you can take us to the Empire right? If you need more proof, I can tell you all about the Equestria games here--"

Scootaloo's mouth was held shut by magenta magic. "Okay, I believe you," he said as he released his magic and saw their gushing smiles and sighed. How could he ever question them? He nodded towards the castle as he walked past them. "Let's go, they're staying in the castle."

The girls tried their hardest not to squeal as they followed. They hadn't expected getting approval by the Empire would be an obstacle, but they were thankful it ended up fine. They watched as ponies of the Empire gasped and smiled in their direction, the houses sparkled in the night sky, the lamps still on. They smiled back, but were more or so distracting themselves from the approaching castle.

Just as she was done replaying her memories of their treacherous journey to the Empire, she heard an ear-bleeding scream. After she stared at Shining Armor wincing, she looked to the open doors and saw Rarity sitting there with her hooves over her muzzle, tears already streaming out of her eyes.

Sweetie Belle felt her heart break and fix itself again. She couldn't move, she could only stare at her sister, her knees failing her as she fell. Her mouth wouldn't open, her eyes wouldn't shut, and her body most definently wouldn't move. A smile was fixed on her face as tears rolled out of her eyes. Emotions she kept hidden for so long finally surfaced and she didn't think she would ever stop crying.

"Where are they!?" A brutish voice asked as she flew next to Rarity. She followed Rarity's hoof to the center of the throne room and saw Shining smiling softly as three young mares stood behind him. Rainbow Dash's wings slowed to a stop as she dropped down to the ground.

She couldn't care less about the other two, her stare locked on the orange mare with a purple mane, a cyan streak running through it. Scootaloo's smile couldn't be wider as Rainbow Dash watched her try to move. Rainbow Dash was frozen in place, her heart breaking as she saw her make-shift little sister standing there with tears pricking at her eyes, scars covering her body.

Their coats were slipped off almost the second they stepped inside the warm castle, but Scootaloo didn't think the castle was warm anymore. Her heart ached at the sight of her old fake-sister, but was warmed to any degrees higher than some random castle. Rainbow Dash looked the exact same, nothing had changed about it and Scootaloo couldn't be happier. It was Rainbow Dash, the real Rainbow Dash, not that monstrous look-alike that tried to keep them from getting here.

She covered her eyes with her hooves as she cried, almost not wanting to look weak in front of Rainbow Dash, but mostly because she couldn't bare to stare any longer. She couldn't watch her old idle after five years of being missing just sit there. She couldn't move, she was frozen in her place, it felt strange to want to hug Rainbow Dash and never let go, but she didn't care, she wanted to. Why couldn't Rainbow Dash hug her and never let go? Why did she know Rainbow Dash was asking the same exact question?

Apple Bloom smiled at her two friends, both sobbing at the sight of their sisters, or fake sister in Scootaloo's case. She tried to not let simply seeing Rarity and Rainbow Dash let her cry, they were old friends, and the heart-warming feeling the room had tempted her to cry with her friends.

But then she heard hoofsteps and she couldn't stay still. She walked slowly towards the door as the running hoofsteps got louder and louder. She stopped in front of the free spot in the door, the hoofsteps stalled to a stop and she stared up at Apple Jack, who was already crying and blurring her emerald eyes.

She smiled, feeling tears at her eyes but not letting them slip past. She stared up at her sister's wide gaze on her, her sisters eyes shaking, trying to find something to tell her the young mare in front of her wasn't Apple Bloom. Apple Bloom smiled softly up at her before looking down and laughing slightly and sadly. "My mane's longer," she whispered as she stared at the ground.

"I don't got such a big bow anymore," she continued, her voice breaking as her heart filled with joy, warm, unbridled joy. She finally looked up at her sisters confused, wide eyes. "I grew up," she said, tears finally falling out of her eyes. They only fell harder as Apple Jack wrapped her hooves around her silently and tightly. Apple Bloom shut her eyes as she heard hoofsteps run across the room, assuming Rarity and Rainbow Dash finally moved.

She didn't care anymore as she basked in the warmth of her older sisters hug, remembering how it felt five years ago when her sister hugged her. Memories she hadn't let in for five years finally surfaced, and she didn't mind as she remembered the Sisterhood Social, all the chores she had done with Apple Jack, all the times she ran away.

She smiled as tears fell out of her eyes. She finally got to see her sister again, her real sister. Not that mare that always looked at her with bored hate. But she found the sister that had eyes full of emotion and love directed at her.

"Oh my Celestia, it's really them!" They all heard a loud, bouncy voice followed by sets of hoofsteps. Apple Bloom looked up and saw Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy smiling with wide eyes tearing up at the sight of their old friends. She smiled at them and tipped her head when Pinkie Pie burst out in sobs.

Shining Armor chuckled as Cadence walked up to him with a smile and hugged him. Apple Bloom noticed the empty look on Twilight's face as she searched the room. She seemed to be the only pony that looked different, she was slightly taller, her wings slightly bigger.

"Is Spike here?" Sweetie Belle asked Rarity with a curious look. Rarity smiled and hugged her tightly one last time before backing away.

Rarity nodded. "Though he's probably still asleep," she said calmly as she stared at Sweetie Belle. She squealed and grabbed the mare, hugging her so tightly she might as well be suffocating her. "Oh! I just can't believe you came here to find us!"

"Of course we would!" Sweetie Belle gushed. "We've been looking for you ever since you left," She said sweetly, no harm behind it, but it still caused Rarity's shoulders to fall.

Rarity sniffled. "I'm so sorry I left you behind! I would've taken you with us if I could have," she begged for her sister's understanding, but Sweetie Belle was already smiling motherly, as if she was the big sister.

"It's okay," she started sweetly. "It really is," she continued comforting her sister, even cupping her face and giggling to herself at her sister's dramatic crying.

Rarity burst out in sobs again. "B-but.... now you're older!" She sobbed, falling down to Sweetie Belle's hooves and clinging to them as she bawled. "Y-You c-cu-cut your hair!" She stood up, grabbing Sweetie Belle's mane. "A-an-and y-you... you cut your-your beautiful mane!"

Sweetie Belle smiled softly as she dealt with Rarity's dramatic crying and worries and objections as she mostly complained about Sweetie Belle's haircut. She missed Rarity's theatrics, she missed Rarity's face, she missed Rarity's voice, she missed Rarity.

Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo now stood next to each other, not blinded by their emotions enough to keep hugging each other. Rainbow's heart was breaking as she noticed the scar across Scootaloo's check, skin showing through as her fur that wouldn't grow back. Rainbow would look down to the rest of her body, scars covering her neck and hooves, her torso and her hind legs.

"Where did all those come from?" She asked worriedly, she couldn't keep her eyes off of them. Her fake little sister had encountered more dangers in five years than Rainbow did in her entire life.

"Fights," Scootaloo boasted like it was something to brag about. "We all got pretty good at fighting, oh yeah!" She said before she flew up into the sky, her wings only slightly smaller than Rainbow Dash's. Rainbow Dash stared with wide eyes and her mouth agape. "I can fly!"

Rainbow Dash shook her head and flew up to her, she grabbed Scootaloo's shoulders and narrowed her eyes. "You can't be proud of those scars! You're young!" She fought angrily. Scootaloo rolled her eyes and pushed her mentor off of her.

"They're cool, I look twenty percent cooler!" Scootaloo cheered, making Rainbow Dash notice the scar on her wing. She groaned.

"We're getting Zecora to make something to get rid of those," Rainbow Dash pushed, knowing Zecora would have something to help Scootaloo look like her old self. She narrowed her eyes on the streak in her mane. "And what's that? Don't you know dying your mane can ruin it?"

Scootaloo smiled at Rainbow Dash's motherly protection that she didn't know of-- wouldn't admit she had. "It's fine, Zecora did it. 'Sides, it's in honor of you."

"Of me?" Rainbow asked, completely astonished as she froze, her hoof pointed at her chest as she slowly hovered to the ground. Scootaloo nodded as she dropped down next to her, a smile on her face.

Rainbow Dash's eyes filled with tears again as she pulled Scootaloo into a tight hug and nuzzled her. "Oh, you little squirt!"

"Hey! I'm not little anymore!"

"You're still smaller than me!" Rainbow fought happily as Scootaloo growled in defense.

Apple Bloom hadn't let go of Apple Jack and Apple Jack hadn't let go of Apple Bloom as they sat in the warm feeling the room was full of. Reunion was a nice feeling. Apple Jack stroked her little sisters mane, catching the small bow connected to a rubber band she used to hold her pony tail in place.

"You're so big now," Apple Jack mentioned sadly, her tears still dropping onto Apple Bloom. Apple Bloom smiled and nuzzled up into her sister, hearing Rarity's crying and Rainbow and Scootaloo's bickering. She nodded as she recalled how nothing about Apple Jack had changed. It was same ole Apple Jack.

"Im really sorry, Apple Bloom," Apple Jack said as she pushed her away, staring at the ground as she shoulders shook with silent sobs. "I'm real sorry."

"'Bout what?" Apple Bloom asked with a smile on her face, her wide eyes searched her sister, hoping this wasn't some cruel joke. She hoped and prayed and begged this was Apple Jack.

"I left ya there," Apple Jack said after moments of silence, looking up at Apple Bloom with hatred in her features. Apple Bloom jumped, her mind seeing the blue and white jacket and those murky green eyes. She shook her head and saw emerald eyes and a clear torso, the words kicking in. Apple Bloom sighed in relief. "I just up and left ya, and Big Mac, and Granny Smith."

Apple Bloom's heart dropped at the name of their two other family members. Her mind ran with things to say, but she ended it with waiting until later. She didn't want to be the bearer of bad news so soon after just seeing her sister again. And if she was honest, she didn't want to think about it. She shook her head and smiled at her sister. "Don't worry," she said as she walked towards Apple Jack.

She smiled motherly, remembering the mother figure she had become for her village, the bigger leader she had become. She put a hoof on Apple Jack's shoulder. "If you didn't leave us, who would be here right now to bring you back?"

"Bring us back?!" Every pony but the Crusaders shouted in unison. Apple Bloom noticed the almost happy stares on them from everyone, everyone but Twilight, who looked worried out of her mind. She raised an eyebrow before Apple Jack blocked her view.

"You're here to bring us back?" Apple Jack asked happily, wide green eyes on her. Apple Bloom smiled and nodded, getting suffocated in a hug again and she watched as Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Fluttershy who was being crushed by a squealing Pinkie Pie.

They heard a flash and Apple Bloom didn't think she'd be happier to see a disgusting draconequus in her life. "Discord!" She smiled happily as Apple Jack let go of her. Discord smiled down at her with a smug look. He quickly noticed Fluttershy struggling to get out of Pinkie Pie's grip and snapped his claws, Fluttershy appearing outside Pinkie Pie's grip and a smile towards him.

He turned his attention back to Apple Bloom and snapped, a suit appearing on him, a top hat struggling to balance on his horns, and a cane appearing in his hand. "It is I, the Lord of Chaos!" He said, even though the Crusaders winced at the title. "Discord!"

Scootaloo laughed nervously as they all appeared in his arms. "Yeah, nice to see you too, buddy. But, um, maybe not call yourself that?"

"What? Discord?" He asked as he dropped them, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle catching themselves with flight and magic respectively as Apple Bloom just dropped to the ground with a scowl.

She glanced up and saw him stroking his beard in thought of what was most definently going to be a new name. "Maybe..." he started, but green magic covered his mouth so he couldn't even suggest a name. Sweetie Belle used her magic to floated up to his height and shook her head, telling him not to even try. He wiped the magic off his face and narrowed his eyes on her, pointing at her. "Don't even try magic with me, sister," he said rudely and cut off her magic, dropping her into Scootaloo's hooves that only pulled a bigger scowl from Apple Bloom.

"Well we meant the Lord of Chaos thing," Scootaloo explained, Rainbow Dash walking up behind her mirroring Discord's confused stare. Eventually every pony in the room, but Twilight, Apple Bloom noticed, was wearing a confused expression.

"Why?" Rarity asked.

"Yeah, it's kinda his thing," Rainbow added gesturing towards Discord with her hooves.

Apple Bloom sighed and glanced up at him, thankful there was something nice in his stare that was different from the draconequus he looked like. "That's kinda the title the guy who runs Equestria uses."

Discord's confusion wasn't cleared up as silence sat over them, the Elements being reminded of the ponies who ran Equestria. Discord suddenly understood as he snapped and nothing changed. "Oh! You mean that psychopath?"

"Yeah," Scootaloo shivered. "He's one of the worst of them."

"He was awful when we fought him," Fluttershy said quietly, brining up even more memories of the day they lost Equestria to those monsters.

Sweetie Belle smiled, wanting to comfort them. "He hasn't ruined Equestria like our Discord did when he first broke out of stone," she explained, seeing the relief wash over the crowd.

"Yeah, come to think of it, he ain't really all that bad," Apple Bloom thought back.

"What? You mean when he doesn't talk and doesn't target a part of Equestria to ruin daily?" Scootaloo said rudely, bringing despair over the Elements, and especially Discord, knowing his look-alike was causing that much havoc he'd grown past. "Oh, I-I mean..."

She looked for something to say to cheer them, mostly Discord, up. She found something and smiled. "Don't worry! He isn't nearly as bad as that stupid princess of his."

"I have a princess?" He asked in disbelief, although the Crusaders could see he was happy to not be the worst of the horrors haunting Equestria.

Sweetie Belle quickly realized Scootaloo was just searching for something to relate to Discord, not actually thinking of their rulers. "Yeah..." she said with a sneer to Scootaloo as she shrugged nervously. Sweetie Belle looked at Fluttershy and sighed, knowing they'd either be asked, or she could just say it now. She hung her head. "It's Fluttershy."

Every one, but Twilight again, gasped at the news. Some at the fact that Fluttershy was worse than Discord, which was most of them, and some at the fact that Fluttershy was Discord's 'Princess' in Equestria. Rainbow Dash grabbed Scootaloo, "Really? Fluttershy? With him!?" She asked with a gesture towards Discord. She smiled nervously. "No offense," she said, he obviously took offense.

"I'm really that horrible?" Fluttershy asked with tears in her eyes, obviously not caring about the other news.

Apple Bloom sighed. "No, Scoots was just tryin' to make Discord feel better. Don't worry, she doesn't do nothin'," she explained on Scootaloo's behalf. Fluttershy was quickly relieved as Discord seemed depressed again. Now she saw why Scootaloo had so frantically chosen Merciless to be the option. "S-still, he ain't that bad. Not as bad as, uh," she looked around the room desparately, wondering who would take the least offense. "Rarity!"

Sweetie Belle stared at her with wide eyes as if the idea in thought was bad, much less execution. She smiled nervously and looked over at Rarity with a wince. "What does that witch even do?!" She said, absolutely appalled. She huffed. "I'd be shocked if she did anything! She was so... so selfish last time!"

Sweetie Belle sighed before shooting Apple Bloom a grimace. She turned to Rarity with a nervous smile. "She, uh, she... um..." She fought to think of something.

"She has most of the stallions and mares in Canterlot working to make the dresses in her store, has a team to design the dresses, and steals from every store she walks past if it has something she wants," Scootaloo explained bluntly. She looked at all the angry stares and shrugged, "What?"

"That menace really does all those things?" Rarity asked breathlessly. After the Crusaders nodded, she put a hoof to her forehead as if she was going to faint. "Ugh, how despicable! I was right to name her Selfish!" She huffed even though tears bubbled at her eyes at the news. Sweetie Belle winced and went to hug her.

Pinkie Pie jumped in front of Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. "Oh, oh! What does Pity do?"

"Pity?" Apple Bloom asked, exchanging a confused glance with Sweetie Belle. Pinkie Pie raised an eyebrow before she backed away with a laugh.

"Oh! I forgot! You guys weren't there when we named them!" Pinkie Pie giggled to herself. She took a deep breath before explaining everything. "Last book we decided we couldn't keep calling them 'other Rarity' and 'other Twilight' so we decided, 'hey! Let's give them names!' so we did," she explained before pointing to Rarity. "The evil, meany side's Rarity is Selfish," she said before she jumped over and hugged Rainbow Dash and Apple Jack. "Rainbow's Control, AJ's Tricks, named by Celestia herself," she said as she pointed at the two respectively.

She presented herself to the two as she stood up on her hind legs. "I named their Pinkie Pity cause she just looked so sad, I was gonna name her Sadness, but then Luna stepped in and suggested Pity," she explained lengthily before jumping over to Fluttershy. "Their Flutters was Cruelty," she said.

"Oh, she was just so mean," Fluttershy piped in as Pinkie Pie slid over underneath Twilight.

"And Twily here was Electricity cause she had, like, electrified magic!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed. Before they could blink, Pinkie Pie stood up and stood in front of them. "So! What's Pity like?"

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo blinked, trying to process what she just said. Scootaloo left it and declared it was impossible to decipher what was meant to be explained in ten minutes explained in one. She tried to think of the enemy's Pinkie Pie and finally remembered what she'd heard ponies say, and what she'd encountered. "She doesn't do much, follows 'round their Twilight--"

"Electricity!" Pinkie interrupted.

"Right, uh, Electricity. She just follows her around her like a puppy," Scootaloo said, expecting Pinkie Pie to be disappointed, and then happy she didn't cause any trouble, and erupt in a civil war of her own mind. Instead, Pinkie Pie just smiled happily.

"Yeah, I thought she was doing that," Pinkie Pie said simply with a smile as she trotted off and sat down next to a squalling Rarity crying about how much she must be terrorizing Equestria. She giggled to herself and didn't expand on it.

Scootaloo just stared at her as Discord snapped and appeared next to her. "Now, I'm curious," he said tauntingly. He smirked as he pointed at Rainbow Dash. "What does Control do? Because our Rainbow Dash is a walking, flying I should say, hazard all on her own."

"What was that, Mr. Weather trouble?" Rainbow growled before looking at Scootaloo with a worried stare. "Please tell me she wasn't as bad as she was when I fought her."

Scootaloo sighed before looking down. Rainbow Dash sat down, staring out in an existential crisis, she flew over to Scootaloo's hooves and latched on. "Please, pretty please, tell me she's not the worst."

Scootaloo smiled slightly. "She's not the worst," she reassured, Rainbow sighing in relief and letting the tension in her body go. "But she's one of the three worst ones," Scootaloo winced as she saw Rainbow's sad stare.

"Tell me what she did," Rainbow sat up with a growl and furrowed eyebrows, determination in her eyes. "So I know what I have to pay her back for."

Scootaloo smiled at her determination before remembering all Control had done. She sighed. "She runs the military, forces stallions into guards," Scootaloo sighed, looking away from Rainbow Dash's pained face. "She took over Cloudsdale, making it exclusive for pegasi and forcing some to stay there," she said, she couldn't bare to look at Rainbow Dash.

"She made more cloud cities for pegasi, they don't clear the sky most of the time," she listed, sensing Rainbow Dash's confidence and determination falter. She swallowed, knowing she was just about to hit the finishing blow. She closed her eyes and spoke fast. "And she changed the Wonder Bolts to the Shadow Bolts, and she made them pegasi exclusive," Scootaloo finished, peaking one up open and seeing anger etched into her fake sisters features.

Rainbow Dash flew up into the air, teeth bared as her eyes almost sparkled with enough hate to seem red. "Oh, she's getting it!"

Scootaloo almost smiled at the newfound determination in her sister, knowing anger was a good motivation. "Well, if she's not the worst..." Rarity started, still hugging Sweetie Belle tightly. "Who is?" She asked as silence filled the room, hanging over them.

Apple Bloom sighed and looked up at Twilight, already seeing the scared look on her face. "Princess Twilig- er," -she noticed Pinkie Pie out of the corner of her eye- "Electricity."

Twilight hung her head at the thought that her look-alike, the mare she had fallen in a sick and twisted love with was the worst of the monsters she let take control of Equestria. She didn't feel anger, she didn't feel like getting revenge, she was just... empty. She almost expected it.

"Well to have done worse than Control, my, what could she have done?" Rarity asked before jumping as Sweetie Belle pulled her mane and pointed at Twilight. She laughed nervously, "I'm sorry Twilight..."

Twilight shook her head, she was barely listening anymore. "It's fine," she muttered, knowing her friends would take it as sorrow instead of the emptiness she was feeling. She almost growled at herself, feeling her heart blossom the tiniest bit at the idea of her look-alike. She could only imagine her in a stunning dress, a crown on her head as she danced across a ball room. And she saw her look-alike asking her to dance, only to take her hoof away and dance with a straight haired Pinkie Pie.

Her blood boiled, but that didn't override the empty. Nothing did, not hope that they could take back Equestria, not joy that the Crusaders were here, not fury that Equestria was being run by a bunch of scum. Not even anger that her look-alike, her Twilight had chosen some straight-haired, dull-colored, ball of sadness over her.

Though giving into her anger was more and more tempting the more she thought about it. She was pulled away from her thoughts when Apple Jack stomped a hoof down. "That's it!" She shouted, startling everyone in the room, but getting their attention.

"We're goin' back to Equestria," she said simply as she looked at Apple Bloom. "We didn't know how to do it, didn't know how we could even get there, much less take it back. But with you girls here," she started towards Apple Bloom, picking her head up with her hoof. "We got all we need right here in the form of you Cutie Mark Crusaders."

Apple Bloom smiled and hugged her, feeling the joy and happiness that was filling the room to the brim. "Harmony Crusaders," Scootaloo said. Apple Bloom raised an eyebrow at her before smiling and going back to hugging her sister

"What?" Rainbow Dash asked her, hovering down until she landed on the floor next to Scootaloo. "You've always been the Cutie Mark Crusaders."

Scootaloo cowered away from her slightly, giggling nervously. "Um, we decided to change our name since we don't really... help ponies with their Cutie Mark's anymore."

"Yeah! Since we've been looking for you guys for the last five years, we decided to be the Harmony Crusaders!" Sweetie Belle explained. Rarity smiled down at her and hugged her again.

"Well, it don't matter what y'all's name is," Apple Jack said, looking down at Apple Bloom. "You girls gave us hope again, and this time, we'll win with it."

Everypony cheered, everypony but Twilight at the sudden news, who stood appalled with wide eyes, searching the room. "Now, we just need a way to get back, you girls got a plan?" Apple Jack asked expectantly. The Crusaders stared at each other with wide eyes, exchanging looks of worry.

Discord appeared over the three sets of sisters, but before he could save the day, light blue encased all of them, including Twilight, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie. They all looked to Rarity, but when she shook her head they didn't know whose magic they were levitating off of the ground with.

"Stop!" They heard a voice and all looked over to Cadence with a sleeping Shining Armor encased in her magic next to her. She winced as he stirred and sighed when he didn't wake up. She walked over to the group with furrowed eyebrows and a still line for a mouth. "You need to rest, think of this in the morning."

"What!?" Rainbow fought against the magic binds. Cadence shot her a dangerous look, gesturing to Shining Armor and the crowd knew to stay quiet. Rainbow huffed and crossed her arms, blowing her mane out of her face.

At the mention of rest and the sight of Shining sleeping, the Crusaders felt warm in Cadence's magic and their adrenaline left their bodies as sleep tempted them. As Apple Jack and Discord went to fight Cadence, she shot them a stare that told them to be quiet. They didn't fight her as she talked slightly above a whisper. "We will discuss things when everyone wakes up, but the Crusaders haven't sleep in a bit and neither have the rest of you," she said as she slowly lowered them out of her magic.

"Now, go to bed," Cadence smiled motherly as she disappeared with Shining Armor still in her magic. Discord snapped his fingers and disappeared, shocking the others that he didn't think to go behind Cadence's back. Maybe he did understand the severity of the situation after all.

Rarity squealed as she hugged Sweetie Belle. "Your sleeping with me, I don't know how I'll ever let you go now," Rarity gushed as she held onto Sweetie Belle as the mare sleepily left the room, yawning a goodbye to the others. Apple Jack told Apple Bloom the same and the two walked out of the room together, only to be found in the hallway with Apple Bloom passed out on Apple Jack's back as she carried them to her room. Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo raced to Rainbow's room, but Scootaloo ended up passing out at the end of the hall, having to be carried by Rainbow Dash to their room.

Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie followed them, saying their goodbyes as Twilight sat there staring at the door as it shut behind her friends. Her chest heaved with fear as she crouched down, putting her hooves over her head as she cried, she felt like she was starting a new nightmare.

A long, dangerously real nightmare.

Author's Note

The names the Elements gave the Disharmonized 6 aren't their names, as stated in Pinkie's description, their names given by the Elements.

The Journey Home

Twilight was intent on staying in her crystal bed in her judgmental crystal room for the rest of her days. Anything to keep her friends from going back to Equestria to try and fight again. Images of her look-alike, her beautiful, stunning, breath-taking, and vile look alike filled her mind whenever she thought about it. She groaned and hid her head under her pillow, she wasn't able to sleep, her memories taking her usual nightmare's place.

And she went on a spiel in her mind, promising herself she wouldn't leave her bed and wouldn't go back to facing those crimson eyes and that wicked grin. And she nodded, understanding her will's want and ready to comply.

Now she was being dragged on her stomach next to Pinkie Pie, who had her tail in her mouth. "Didn't sleep well, Twily?" Pinkie Pie said clearly, making Twilight wonder how her speaking wasn't at all affected by the tail in her mouth.

Twilight sighed and rolled her eyes, giving up the fight she had been fighting for the past ten minutes. "You could say that," she mumbled, images of teleporting away from Pinkie only for the mare to have her hooves right back around her as if she predicted her moves before she even thought them slipped into her thoughts.

She looked up with wide eyes at the halls, they looked... familiar. As if she'd seen them before and focused on them. She thought maybe it was that one hall, but now every hall seemed familiar, every bunch in the carpet was expected and moved as she was dragged over it. She remembered where candles were, where chandeliers sat overhead, which paintings were where.

Her eyes widened as her heart broke, she stared up at a painting of the old ruler of the Crystal Empire, Princess Amore. Her gaze seemed... disgusted, revolted at Twilight's actions. And Twilight didn't even know which actions or thoughts the princess could be so disappointed with. Twilight stared at the floor, tears pricking at her eyes as she remembered her replica's words.

"Walking through hallways of correctional facilities is the most fun thing ever. Just seeing such justices stand so high above you, laughing at your wicked and messed up mind." Her replica had said before she explained her past to Twilight, expressing such sadness and happiness Twilight hadn't gone through that. And that was all before she realized she wasn't meant to live, her beloved look-alike snapped her wings against her back, falling to the ground.

And Twilight, like the fool she was, caught her. More memories flooded her, teemed out of her. Especially the one where they were winning, their friendship coming through and they were so close to success. Then, their Twilight did... something Twilight didn't know to this day. It was as if all of the disharmonized ponies energy was renewed, and they used it.

And they won.

Twilight's thoughts were stopped as Pinkie Pie threw her into the throne room, bouncing in behind her, not that Twilight could notice, she was too stuck on the sight in front of her.

Cadence sat between Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, smiling with them as they explained... something. With the few words Twilight heard, she assumed it was a dangerous quest. But Cadence was smiling, with the Crusaders, and happily! Cadence's smiles had always been soft, but not genuine, it had always pained her to see her friends so depressed, and she always put on a happy face.

Now, she wasn't. And as Twilight looked over the laughing faces as Scootaloo explained a dangerous part, tipped off with long pauses, none of them were just putting on a happy face. She didn't understand, they were all torn apart by sadness yesterday, how could this much hope spark?

It didn't make logical sense, it really didn't, but as she looked at Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Rarity, she understood. The three had everything they needed with their little sisters there, some of the most precious things they had left behind had arrived with a surprise reuinion. They didn't think of a lost Equestria, they thought of home with their older little sisters, that image must've driven so much hope within them.

Fluttershy and Cadence were happy to see their friends so happy, the two were practically beaming in the joy and warmth that came with the reunited sisters around them. They must've wanted to give the others that image of home too.

Spike and Starlight were gushing, listening intently to the story with wide stares on the Crusaders. Starlight didn't question the room's happiness like yesterday, she was simply basking in it next to Spike. The Princesses were sitting behind Cadence, smiling down approvingly at the Crusaders. Twilight stared down at the three Crusaders herself, seeing the differences from the little fillies she had known.

Apple Bloom grew motherly and responsible, her radiant smile and bright orange eyes didn't change like the rest of her. Like the other Crusaders, her body filled out to be a young mare, not a filly. Her mane was pulled into a long ponytail, a small bow forming the ponytail closer to the top rather than the bottom like her older sister.

Sweetie Belle seemed more... punkish, to say the least. Her mane cut to a rough, uneven bob that, if she was being honest, looked straighter than yesterday. She could only imagine Rarity being unable to sleep next to a monstrosity like that and cut it to a suitable edge while Sweetie Belle slept. Other than her mane, her horn was quick to activate magic to help Scootaloo's story. She also wore a few scars that Twilight shockingly hadn't heard Rarity screech about. Though, as she thought that, Rarity's eye twitched as she noticed one on Sweetie Belle's neck.

Scootaloo had changed the most, visually, anyways. Her mane was still its short cut, but a new cyan streak glistened in the morning, or afternoon, sun as she theatrically told her story. Her cheeks were scarred, those scars leading down to the rest of her body. Twilight sighed and looked away, it was a horrible sight. But she slightly smiled as Scootaloo flew up into the air with the end of her story.

As happy as Twilight was to see her friends all warm and fuzzy again, her stomach turned. If they were this happy, they'd want to go back to Equestria now! And she needed to keep them away from Equestria with all she had, for their own good. She groaned inwardly, she knew it wasn't for them, it was for her.

"Oh, good!" She heard Applejack say with a smile. She winced slightly, screaming at herself to make a plan to keep them away from Equestria. "We're all here!"

Spike ran up to Twilight with a bright smile. "Yeah! You missed a whole morning of the Crusaders talking all about the cool stuff they set up with Zecora," he gushed, flying up to her height instinctively to get even more in her face.

She raised her eyebrow, but before she could question him, she was shoved down and she heard Pinkie Pie talk over her, she groaned aloud this time. "Oh! Oh! What's Zecora up to?" Pinkie Pie asked, leaning forward on Twilight's head as she got in Spike's face. He decided not the challenge her as he backed away, laughing nervously at Twilight's scowl.

"She set up this, like, cult thing against those idiots, there near Celestia and Luna's old castle," Rainbow Dash said confidently as she flew over next to Spike, a huge grin on her face. "Her and the girls basically run it," Rainbow Dash said smugly as she crossed her hooves with a smirk.

Pinkie Pie lowered her head as she stepped off Twilight, walking up to the Crusaders nervously. She giggled slightly before glancing up at them. "Sorry if this brings up bad news, but, um," Pinkie started before shaking her head and staring at them with new determination Sweetie Belle read as rage as she slipped behind Apple Bloom. "Are Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake okay?" She asked seriously.

Apple Bloom smiled up at her. "Yeah, Cheerilee teaches 'em stuff," she said reassuringly. Pinkie Pie let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding in as she melted onto the ground in a sigh, so relieved, she felt boneless.

"That's good," she said happily as she popped back up with a grin. She hit her head with her hoof lightly. "I don't know what I'd do if I figured out those meanies took Ponyville and forced the Cakes into some kind of manual labor and did something horrible to the twins like..." she thought as she paced in front of the crowd. She stopped with a smile. "Like take them under their wing and raise those two adorable babies to be as gross as they are."

The Crusaders laughed nervously, remembering the state of Mr. Cake. "Yeah, it definitely ain't that," Apple Bloom reassured cautiously. "You ain't got nothin' to worry 'bout with 'em."

Cadence stood up, interrupting the conversation. "I think it's time we talk about how you'll be getting back to Equestria." The others nodded as Pinkie Pie sat down in front of them, Rainbow Dash and Spike joining her. They all stared at Twilight expectantly until the alicorn sighed and started towards the crowd, sitting down and staring numbly at Apple Bloom.

For some reason, whenever she looked at Apple Bloom, a sense of hope and joy washed over her. But as quickly as it comes, its gone. Twilight tried to avoid her for the rest of the conversation.

Rarity started as she cleared her throat and held her head high. She looked down at Sweetie Belle with a smile. "Since Zecora planned that flawless trip here, what does she have planned for our return?"

"Uh..." the Crusaders started nervously.

Rainbow shot into the air with a raised hoof. "Yeah! She most definitely had a plan for us to ram the wall and force them to lower it."

"Not quite," Scootaloo said quietly as she rubbed the back of her neck, looking between her friends and the crowd of expectant stares that wanted an answer. She avoided their gaze and instead glanced up at the ceiling that held Flurry Heart walking across a chandelier with her mane hanging down at the change in gravity.

"Of course it ain't," Applejack grumbled, a narrowed stare on Rainbow Dash. "Zecora ain't gonna say we start a war before we even get into the country," she hissed, not backing down as Rainbow Dash pressed her forehead on her's and pushed.

"Of course Applejack is right," Rarity said, breaking the two apart with her words. Applejack stuck her tongue out at Rainbow Dash smugly. "Zecora would want us to use my genius dress making skills to make outfits to fool the gaurds at the border," she said, causing Applejack and Rainbow Dash to stare at her with smug smiles and raised eyebrows.

"Says the pony who flooded the castle with ugly dresses," Applejack whispered to Rainbow Dash who snickered. Rarity huffed and looked away, before turning back with an open mouth and furrowed eyebrows.

"I can too make a dress!" She stomped before narrowing her eyes on the two she was arguing with. She stood up straight and cleared her throat. "But that's besides the point," she stared. "The point is Zecora's plan is some type of infiltration, maybe seduction combo."

Rainbow Dash burst into a fit of laughter as she curled up to herself in the air, holding her stomach as she howled. Applejack covered her mouth with her hoof as she laughed. Rarity fumed more.

"Uh, guys," Apple Bloom tried to step in.

"It's obviously gonna be a super awesome attack!" Rainbow argued, dropping to the floor with everypony else.

"Guys," Scootaloo tried to say.

"No," Applejack interrupted. "It's gonna be a stealth mission. It's the only way in!"

The three butted heads and growled as they ignored their sisters protests. Sweetie Belle took in one deep breath before shouting, "We didn't come with a plan!"

The three arguing stopped and stared at her face red with anger. Sweetie Belle furrowed her eyebrows as her soul-tearing gaze switched between the three. "We didn't come here with a plan to get back!" She said finally, stomping and blowing air out of her nose.

Rainbow Dash huffed a laugh and leaned over Rarity. "Guess you and her are still alike," she said as Rarity giggled back. Their side conversation was quickly halted as they understood what Sweetie Belle said. "You don't have a plan!?" Rainbow asked frantically, flying in front of Scootaloo and grabbing her shoulders. "Tell me this is a joke," she begged.

Scootaloo smiled nervously before falling into a frown. "No, we were too focused on getting you guys back, I guess we forgot," she admitted sadly.

A sorrowful silence fell over the group as their shoulders slouched and their eyes dropped to the floor. Their hope was seeping out of them and floating upwards to the ceiling. But a flash was heard as Discord held a huge bottle, a pink air filling it, representing their hope.

He shook the bottle and spun it over the ponies as they sulked. He rolled his eyes and the bottle turned to a salt shaker. He poured it onto the crowd of building depression he was all too familiar with. "Oh, please, as if I don't have some way to get us into Equestria undetected."

"Discord!" Fluttershy smiled up at him as if she believed he would show all along. How precious she is, he thought as he threw the salt shaker over his shoulder and lowered himself to the ground in the middle of everyone.

"Of course I can take us to Equestria!" He exclaimed again, taking offense to the idea that they lost hope without even thinking of asking him, again.

Twilight scowled as Sweetie Belle looked up at him. "But how? Twilight--" Pinkie Pie appeared next to her with a serious look on her face, "-- uh, Electricity, detects any new magic inside her shield."

He shrugged. "I got us in last time and she didn't know," he explained before snapping his claws, taking everypony but Cadence and Flurry Heart, who were expected to stay in case danger hit the Empire, away with him.

Or so he thought, but right before he snapped, Flurry Heart grabbed onto Luna with a mischievous grin.

Twilight's hope seeped out of her when she heard Discord's snap. And now her jaw hung open with wide eyes as she stared at where they were exactly.

"Where the hell are we!?" Rainbow Dash shouted, flying up to Discord's, rather bored and annoyed, face. As she fumed and shouted at him, the rest stepped in front of the two to witness the horror they were in the middle of.

The space had no walls or ceiling, it did have a floor though, sort of. The entire space was black with thin white lines running up and down the surroundings, lines crossed through those to make a grid. In the black grid were thicker white lines making up squares that floated and moved freely.

Applejack raised an eyebrow as she placed her hoof down on the inside of one of the squares, she leaned towards it with curiousity as her hoof touched something solid. She looked back to her friends with a nod before jumping onto the square, discovering it was a full-fledged platform, she even noticed that it was pure black, there were no lines on it.

"This," Discord started, gesturing towards the path of moving platforms in front of them, "Is our way to Zecora's little cult."

Applejack smiled as she tried looking further into the distance, there was somewhat of a straight path in front of them, all they had to do was make timed jumps and they were golden. "Good idea," Applejack said, grinning as she went to jump onto another platform. Before she could make it completely off the first platform, she appeared in the middle of the crowd. She furrowed her eyebrow's up at Discord. "What was that?" She asked as she stood up.

He smiled nervously. "This place isn't exactly the best idea," he said, laughing nervously at the confused stares he was getting. He sighed. "Only Draconequus' can access this place, and it limits magic abilities."

Scootaloo smiled. "So Twilight can't detect our magic since it's barely there when we enter?" She asked with a wide grin, when he nodded she flew up into the sky and cheered. "Woohoo! This'll be a piece of cake."

She went to fly towards the platforms when her wings felt weak, as if she didn't have any feathers to glide with. But before fear could strike her, she heard a snap and appeared with the crowd again. "Multiple things make this place much less of a piece of cake than first meets the eye," he said as his eye rolled out of his head and into his hand. He put in back in as he spoke, "First, only Twilight, Celestia, and Luna will be able to fly or teleport across since they're alicorns. The rest of you don't have as much magic as they do."

Scootaloo shot back up again with a smile. "Still easy!" She cheered but was stopped by Apple Bloom standing on her tail with a stern look. She laughed nervously before looking up at Discord for him to continue. "Second, there's that," he said as he pointed to the path in front of them.

As if on cue, horrors and monstrosities covered the path. Huge, grey crushing rocks with spikes circled multiple platforms. Giant, orange tentacles reached out from places they didn't know and blocked passage between platforms, untamable bats swiped at them overhead. Many other threats filled the path like fire or strange weather.

The platforms short and sweet patterns quickly changed as they were thrown around, some climbing onto the 'walls' and turning vertical just to roll onto the roof. Others jerked randomly while others' paths stretched as the surfaces moved with new speed.

The ponies, and dragon, stared with agape mouths, wondering how they could ever make it through that without Rainbow's speed or teleportation. Pinkie jumped with thought as she turned back to Discord, "You teleported AJ and Scootaloo, so can't you just teleport the rest of us to the other end?" All the others perked up at this thought and looked at him with wide grins.

He sighed again. "Even my magic is limited here. This place isn't made for a Draconequus, it's just accesable by one," he explained as he held his fingers in a snapping position. Small venus fly traps appeared on the floor next to other normal flowers. "Those were meant to be vicious."

Twilight laughed nervously. "Well! This is just way too dangerous," she said with a wide, fake smile. Happiness was surging through her, she wasn't necessarily lying, the place was dangerous. And it was a great way to get out of going back to Equestria. "I guess we should go back and think of another way."

The rest of the Elements of Harmony, Spike, and the Crusaders hung their head in understanding. The Princesses looked at the other desparately before hanging their heads as well. Discord looked over all of them, fear tearing through him that maybe Twilight was right, maybe it was too dangerous for them.

They heard a hoof stomp and their ears perked up, they all looked to Starlight Glimmer holding her head high and her chest puffed out. She walked over to Twilight's trying not to be happy face and rested a hoof on her shoulder. "Twilight, I understand how scary this is, cause trust me, I'm terrified to go through that," she started as she pointed towards the path that now had a bear on a platform.

She looked to Twilight's wide, purple eyes. "But I know something scarier," she said with a stomp of her hoof. She looked over the rest of them. "If we don't get Equestria back, if we let those... those monsters keep our home." Her heart blossomed as she saw the small smiles matched with eyes looking up at her. She furrowed her eyebrows in determination. "You've all risked your lives for Equestria."

She smiled as she picked up Apple Bloom's head. "Even you three," she cooed and hope flooded her stomach as she saw their stares of trust and belief. She turned back to Twilight's frantically worried face. "And I'm sorry to say this, but we'll have to do it again if we want Equestria back, and right now is one of those times," she said, looking to the others who were beaming with pride.

Spike grinned up at her and threw a fist into the air. "Yeah! Let's do this!" He cheered as he flew up into the air, staring at his wings with a raised eyebrow as he slowly floated down. His wings felt like they didn't have the webbing they very clearly did. He jumped and looked to Discord with a worried claw pointed at himself. "This magic limiting thing doesn't affect me too, right?" He asked nervously.

But before Discord could respond, a filly shoved her way past them with a dangerously ambitious smile. Celestia and Luna felt their lungs fill with air as their eyes widened in worry. "Flurry Heart!" They shouted, immediately giving chase to the filly. Flurry Heart grinned and stuck her tongue out at the two, jumping through the crushing blocks safely as the two halted, waiting for a safe way through and trying to peek past the rocks desparetaly.

"Hold on! We're comin'!" Applejack shouted as she jumped on a platform, though she couldn't run across it as it shot ahead, sending her far past Flurry Heart and onto the wall as the orange tentacles reached for her from underneath the platform's thin bottom. Fear and relief mixed in her as she caught herself on the top of the platform, picking her self up and seeing the huge, orange kraken with one eye staring back at her on the other side of the surface. More of it's tentacles reached for her as she climbed up onto the top of the platform in worry.

She shook as she tried balancing of the incredibly thin, and getting ever thinner, platform, she looked at Flurry Heart ducking under a bear, Luna's worried stare jumping towards her as Celestia tried fighting the bear with her magic. It failed as the bear swiped, she shook her head in confusion as she teleported on top of the bear, even more confusion filling her.

Applejack looked back to see the rest of their group chasing after her and Flurry Heart. Rainbow Dash helped Fluttershy duck under the violent bats, Pinkie Pie trying to tell Rarity when to jump through the crushing blocks and failing, Spike battled some orange fire with his green fire to let Twilight and Starlight past. Discord skated over some ice and picked up Rarity, putting her down on the other side of the platform as his ice thinned over the empty space between two platforms.

The thin ice broke and he fell, trying to snap his fingers but nothing came. Before he could fall into the kraken's grip, Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo all caught him and started pulling him up.

Applejack couldn't appreciate her sister's kind gesture as the platform thinned to almost nothing before she fell, a kraken's tentacle catching her. She gulped as his one eye got closer and closer. Dark blue hit his eye and Applejack was dropped, the tentacle holding her going up to rub his eye. Applejack screamed as the empty darkness below them seemed to get darker.

She shut her eyes in fear as she awaited a horrible demise, but it never came and she eventually peeked open her eyes. She saw a deep blue, dark mane and she hugged the neck of the mare who saved her. But when Luna put her down on a seemingly normal platform, things looked a lot worse for the rest of them as Twilight and Apple Bloom tried prying Celestia out of the bear's clutches. Flurry Heart flew past them and landed on a platform that burst into flames just as her small hoof bounced off of it..

Fear and worry smothered Applejack and she tried to think of what to do and a way to do it. She didn't get a chance to finish her thoughts, much less execute them, as the platform beneath them had sudden teeth marks in it. Luna and her backed into the center as small bites were quickly taken out of the surface. They were back to back when they saw thousands of small piranahs surrounding the platform.

Applejack swallowed as the platform disappeared, a large piranha beneath them with it's mouth wide open. Applejack sighed as Luna took her to another seemingly normal platform after shooting at the mother and all the baby piranha's. Twilight was right, she thought. This is a really bad idea.

Zecora looked over her tiny civilization she'd built in the face of adversary. It shined and glowed as ponies worked together and laughed despite the dangerous reality just past thick trees or a rock wall. She didn't understand it, but their cult seemed healthier than the rest of Equestria. She had tried researching it once, but forgot about it as other things piled up with a big, red priority sign on it.

The cult beamed in the late afternoon sun, Pound and Pumpkin Cake running around as their lessons were done for the day. They ran over to Mrs. Cake and she smiled down and laughed at them as they showered her with comments about their day.

Mayor Mare was given an inventory job to help her... shift in power issue. Zecora grinned as she watched the mare work with a wide smile, she was much happier with the job and she shockingly did it well. Zecora regretted the feeling of pride that welled up inside her at the idea she could handle a situation better than her pupil. She shook her head and something motherly blossomed inside her at the thought of Apple Bloom.

Fear and worry resided within her when the Crusaders left, but now she felt only hope as the sun beamed down on her, as if a message from their former princess. She grinned as she looked to Thunderlane underneath a murky green roofed post. She shook her head as she walked over, noticing his furrowed eyebrows and intense stare on the map of Equestria on the table, the map of Ponyville next to his hooves with its own markers.

"What is you are doing?" Zecora asked, the stallion jumping at the sound of her voice. He only laughed nervously at her giggle of amusment. "There is nothing that needs pursuing."

Thunderlane chuckled as he stared down at the map, rubbing the back of his neck. "Guess it just feels kinda weird to not be out doing something," she said, standing up as she stood next to him. He looked to her and tried to remember her with a short mane and gold jewelry. He couldn't. "It's usually Lyra and Sweetie Drops who stay back, decipher the rest of the stuff we find."

Zecora nodded, fighting her urge to discuss their next plan if the-- when the Cutie Mark Crusaders return with the Elements of Harmony. "With nothing to investigate here, I'm afraid you have no need to disappear," she smiled motherly as she walked away from the post, attempting to pull Thunderlane away from it and succeeding.

"Yeah," he smiled nostaligically, Zecora assumed he left without notice before their new order as well. Their conversation continued until they circled back to the front of the cult at the sight of a pink mare swinging a long and straight, purple mane. She smiled widely at Zecora and waved at her before running over, her wide eyes expectant.

It already broke Zecora's heart to see. "Is he back yet? I- I didn't see him while I was out, oh yeah, I got a lot of good stuff too--" Sugar Belle asked quickly, only stopping when Zecora held up a hoof. She cowered into herself with a pinker face, giggling nervously. "Sorry."

"I'm truly sorry to say your love is still not present," Zecora said sympathetically, her chest getting heavier at the sight of a mare she watched grow hang her head with a frown. "I know to hear this is unpleasant. But I am sure he is okay, he is just not here today," she continued, offering Sugar Belle a smile, her eyes glancing down to the silver ring on a necklace around the mare's neck.

But only so many reassurances with no evidence can convince a pony to be happy. Sugar Belle's head didn't pick up like usual. Zecora didn't fight it as the mare walked past her wordlessly, heading towards the infirmary. Sugar Belle shook her head as she picked it up, turning back to Thunderlane. "Oh wait--!"

She smiled sadly like the sun on a rainy day as the dark stallion was frozen, his eyes wide on the entrance. Zecora smiled back at her. "I am glad that if I have taught you anything, it is that happiness in others you can still enjoy and spring," Zecora said. Sugar Belle nodded, a small amount of warmth flooding her as she walked towards the infirmary, ready for a calm nap as she waited another day.

A thin stallion stood at the entrance with a beaming smile, a grey coat with a blue tint matched with a deep blue and spikey mane. Thunderlane shook and hung his head, chuckling sadly in disbelief. Rumble puffed his chest out and marched over to Thunderlane, a proud grin on his face as he spread his wings out behind him.

That proud grin fell into teary eyes and a desparate smile, his wings snapping to his back as his chest fell, his march turned into a run as he got closer and closer to his brother.

Rumble jumped his brother who was still looking away, trying to tell himself it was a cruel joke, his brother wasn't really standing in front of them. He was sure his brother ran away only to get caught, he thought he'd never see him again.

Zecora looked up at the sky with a warm smile as she heard Thunderlane's ugly crying and his brothers laughter. Warmth filled her as she looked at the setting sun, there was no breeze, there was no chill, there was only warmth. She felt none of the wind as her mane blew back and the trees swayed, ponies cheers filled her ears at Rumble's arrival.

She knew it was only a waiting game now, something bigger was at works to make this much line up, and she knew it was the Harmony that reigned over their world. She turned to the crowd with a determination to celebrate, she couldn't wait to see her pupils and their friends again.

Twilight's worry was nothing compared to the fear of losing her friends that pumped through her veins. "Discord!" She called angrily, hanging upside down from her tail that was stuck between two platforms. In a flash he appeared next to her with upturned eyebrows as he looked around to see if anypony was in immediate danger.

Once it seemed everyone had help or didn't need it, he turned to her with a nervous smile, sweat dripping down his face. "Yes, Twilight?" He asked sweetly.

She growled as she shot the platforms holding her tail, catching herself in flight before she fell into the emptiness below. "Can't you take us back? Especially Flurry Heart!?" She asked, following his gaze over their friends.

Applejack was once again saving Spike from spinning blades, Rarity covered Sweetie Belle as they followed. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash helped Starlight, who was busy trying to get rid of threats with her magic. Twilight assumed her insane capability of magic allowed her to actually use it when Rarity and Sweetie Belle couldn't. She shot a tentacle that was going to grab Flurry Heart who just managed to slip out of Celestia's grip.

He tapped his fingertips together. "Well, you see... along with limiting the magical abilities of creatures..." he said as he cowered away from her stern stare. He sighed. "It also limits the range."

"Then get to Flurry Heart and send her back! Along with the rest of our friends," Twilight ordered, jumping ahead as Spike caught Pinkie Pie from slipping off of a speeding platform. Luna watched over the rest of them as well as Twilight and Discord, though her stare always slipped to her sister and Flurry Heart, who managed to slip past every threat and leave it for Celestia to deal with.

The platform Twilight was standing on was too still, but before she could move, it shot to the left of the path and then ahead. A wall appeared in front of her and it was approaching too fast for her to teleport out of the way. She winced as she waited for the immense amount of pain she would feel.

She didn't feel it, but she did feel a hoof grab hers. She looked up and saw orange eyes and a smile. Apple Bloom nodded before pulling her onto the platform. She heard a crash and saw the wall and the platform she was previously on crash break into small pieces and float off, only to turn into rocketing shards.

Apple Bloom shoved her head down as one shot at them. The young mare smiled, "Don't worry Twilight, we got this." Twilight felt trust and safety whenever she looked at Apple Bloom, but just as it always had, it disappears as quickly as it appears. She swallowed and looked away, flying off to another platform. Those orange eyes were too close to the red ones imprinted in her mind.

The hell of threats Discord shoved them into continued as the still platform at the end never seemed to get closer, Starlight joining the saviors team and helping keep the others safe along with herself. Applejack was getting annoyed as the kraken wouldn't leave her alone, and since it didn't, she pushed Spike, Rarity, and Sweetie Belle away, saying they were in danger if they stood near her.

Spike and Sweetie Belle seemed to protect Rarity, though Sweetie Belle did most of the work. Scootaloo helped Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash escort Starlight as she used the little magic she had to at least halt some of the dangers. Luna moved to helping Celestia get Flurry Heart while keeping an eye on the others. Pinkie Pie did something similar to Flurry Heart, simply bouncing past all of the threats.

She was so good at it, she ended up next to Flurry Heart and started a conversation the filly couldn't follow. "Pinkie Pie!" Celestia called as she and Luna started shooting at the kraken that now had them and Applejack in its grasp. "Get her!"

Pinkie stopped and tilted her head in confusion before she jumped up with understanding. Flurry Heart cowered and ran away faster as Pinkie chased after her. Discord jumped onto the platform underneath the Princesses and snapped, the tentacles turning to tulips and monarch butterflies, only making him pout at his failure of magic as Starlight shot the tentacle holding Applejack, letting the mare fall into Rainbow Dash's hooves.

Rainbow Dash set her down on a platform that didn't move as Scootaloo and Fluttershy jumped on it, Starlight right after them. Fluttershy smiled at Discord on the platform next to theirs, happy to see he was too worried about everypony else to even smile back at her.

Celestia created a magic walkway Sweetie Belle, Spike, and Rarity raced across onto a platform behind the one Rainbow Dash's group sat on. Luna watched Pinkie Pie and Flurry Heart jump on every platform on the thick path as Flurry Heart tried to evade her captor.

Apple Bloom jumped past Sweetie Belle and onto the platform with her sister, looking over her for any sign of damage. She was happy until she saw a bruise forming underneath turned fur on her side. Before she could say anything about it, a purple blur shot past them.

Twilight flew past the building crowd of ponies near the still platform at the end of the path, Pinkie Pie filling her vision. Rage filled her as the pink mare's curly mane fell flat, her bright coat dulled, her eyes turned a murky blue, and she stared at Twilight with a victor's grin.

Pinkie Pie rolled as she wrapped her hooves around Flurry Hearts waist. The filly yelped and fought but Pinkie still sat up with a wide smile as she held Flurry Heart above her like the last cupcake caught in desperation. Flurry Heart pouted, crossing her hooves at her defeat when she saw something sparkle in the corner of her eye. She grinned as she heard Celestia and Luna's cheers along with the rest of the ponies that invaded her home.

She wiggled past Pinkie's loose grip as the mare boasted and cheered along with her friends. When she heard every one else's horrified gasp, she saw a curved door shape appear behind Pinkie and her. The door was bright white with stray edges that moved like electricity. She smiled as she dashed through it.

Twilight saw reality again when the bright white door appeared, along with Flurry Heart's disappearance. She halted to a stop next to Pinkie Pie on the still platform. She stared at the white before looking back, ready to scold Discord and finding every pony else was looking at him in the same way.

But before anypony could send a barrage of questions and threats on him, the still surface Pinkie Pie and Twilight were on expanded to the three platforms the rest were on. Then everypony was allowed to yell at Discord. "Where is she!?" Celestia was the first to yell, her mane flaring up with it. Luna stood next to her with furrowed eyebrows.

Rainbow Dash flew up to Discord's height and bared her teeth. "If anything happened to her--" she bit as Apple Bloom grabbed her tail and pulled her down like her older sister always did.

"Leave him alone, like he'd let anything happen to a little girl like Flurry Heart," Apple Bloom said seriously, not even glancing up to see Discord's face in awe. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle jumped next to her in Discord's defense as she spoke. "She's alright..." she said as she glanced up at Discord nervously. "Right?"

He smiled widely at ponies other than Fluttershy defending him. "Of course! That's the way out to your little cult," he said proudly before smiling softly at the Crusaders. Fluttershy was gushing, all anypony ever did was yell at him every since they left Equestria.

Pinkie Pie jumped up as Luna and Celestia collapsed on the other with a sigh of relief. "If that's the way out then let's go!" She said happily with her widest grin yet as she bounced through after Flurry Heart. Twilight stared at the white door as she backed away, her heart rising in her throat only to drop into her stomach. Her hooves shook and her eyes searched every piece of the buzzing white for a lie.

The Crusaders raced towards the exit with the new information, wide grins on their faces as they cheered, racing through. Twilight watched as more ponies filed through in the belief they could save Equestria, shaking her head as Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Rarity waltzed through after their sisters. She turned to see Fluttershy and Spike walking in after them, Celestia and Luna flying through in beaming hope that used to warm her heart.

And as Celestia looked back at her, she had to act like it did. Her smile was fake as she stood up, taking shaking hooves that weighed tons towards the door, the electricity buzzing in her ears.

Her fur was standing as she stepped through, the white noised door meant to be a gateway to a safe haven but now it just beckoned Twilight to despair. She walked through anyhow, her wings itching with new life, her magic surging through her. She knew Discord was telling the truth, but, oh, how she wished he wasn't.

Discord was glowing with victory, everything had gone perfectly! All of his friends, all of the saviors of Equestria were fixing to return with harmony, they could have Equestria back, and all of his friends would be happy again! Especially Fluttershy and the Crusaders. But just as he was going to walk through-- after stretching the top rim of the door upwards to match his height, of course-- a voice called, "Discord?"

"Starlight?" He turned back, immediately summoning more paws and claws to count how many of his allies had gone through. He jumped when he counted one short and smiled nervously at her. "You do trust that this is the way out, right?"

She nodded with a soft smile. "Of course, I trust you. Especially with something this important," she said as she walked slowly towards him. He was almost worried she was going to confess something to the likes of him, like a deadly disease or a very big flaw in their plan. "But can you send me back to the Empire?"

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Why?" He asked before thoughts flooded his mind. He grinned mischeviously before snapping his claws, appearing next to her with his head down at her height with a knowing look. She already looked annoyed. "Yes, I can, Starlight. But I'm afraid that boyfriend Sunburst of yours can wait until--" he teased before his lips were shut by her magic. He pouted and snapped, appearing away from her and wiping her magic off of his mouth.

She shook her head. "Ugh, that's not it! First, he's not my boyfriend, and second, I think somepony should go back to tell Cadence that Flurry Heart is safe. I'd rather her not worry for as long as it takes to send her back."

Discord laughed. "Oh! My apologies! Of course I'll send you back," he said as he snapped, her levitating into the air up to his height. "Though I'm still sure it's for that stallion." She laughed and shook her head.

"Save Equestria for me," she said, being another pony that trusted him with something important. And believed in him. He nodded and snapped again and she disappeared from his sight. He felt as good as he did when Twilight and Fluttershy accepted him again after his betrayal with Tirek as he walked through the white door, his magic filling him again.

Twilight shivered as she saw a world built in the trees, tree houses littered the sky above them with bridges, those houses and bridges coated with the same wild vines that covered the trees they were built on. Ponies filled the area and they all held wide eyes on them.

Twilight gulped as she looked up at the bright moon covering the area, though torches and fires kept the cult warm. A zebra with a long mane and vines approached them with a knowing smile, Thunderlane standing next to her with an awed look.

The Crusaders rushed past her frozen and shaking hooves as her wide eyes stayed on the world behind the mysterious zebra. "Zecora!" The three called as they hugged her, fear coursing through Twilight.

They were in Equestria, they were back in Equestria. And her friends cheered with everypony else around them, smiling and laughter surrounded her as she fell to the ground, their enemy at the front of her mind.

They didn't need to be back, they'd only get hurt again, no matter how good of a plan they could come up with, they'd get hurt. She didn't want to lose her friends, she already lost Equestria, she couldn't lose them too.

But as she looked up with tear filled eyes, she saw Apple Bloom standing in front of her with a soft smile and a hoof stretched out. "It'll be okay," Apple Bloom said.

Twilight nodded and took her hoof, stopping the tears from falling. Apple Bloom believed her smile and her eyes filled with hope, but Twilight was lying. Her heart was freezing over with fear and she didn't think anything could thaw it.

A History Lesson with Zecora

Twilight groaned as the morning sun seeped in through the roof of the treehouse Apple Bloom seemed to sleep in. Her and Applejack were shoved in with their lack of free houses. She sneered at the new wood, pulling the thin blanket over her eyes. The wood didn't do much to block the sun with the cracks between planks but it was also just a big reminder she was in Equestria and not the Empire.

As much as the Empire's crystal judged her and insulted her for her choices and failures, the deep, Ponyville wood only urged her to find the warmth Zecora's cult held. It encouraged her to fight and reminded her she was home, but her home wasn't hers anymore. It was her enemies and those enemies were the most dangerous threat Equestria had faced, none of the princesses had battled them and succeeded, and Twilight didn't think they could alone.

She peeked under her blanket and saw Applejack on the floor snoring loudly as Apple Bloom slept silently on her bed. Applejack had one blanket draped on her, and Twilight could only assumed Applejack was drunk and got pushed off. Twilight sighed as sleep failed to return with her new surroundings, her mind only thinking back to what horrors they encountered when they returned.

They partied as if they won.

Celestia and Luna didn't even fight it as Zecora's entire cult demanded celebration, they simply cried and accepted it as they were too happy to see their citizens smiles to fight. The Elements didn't fight either as they were pushed to their dining table and served an entire buffet they ate with the rest of the cult.

Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash pounced Thunderlane and Rumble, happy to see old faces. Thunderlane even dared Rainbow Dash to a race, ensuring he had got faster over the years, faster than her. Of course, she accepted the challenge, and won with incredible speed Thunderlane didn't even come close too. Scootaloo didn't get to gush over the fact that they met Rumble along their way and couldn't catch up with him, she was overwhelmingly happy she could show him that she could fly now.

Pinkie Pie never let go of Mrs. Cake or Pound and Pumpkin Cake the entire night as tears always filled her eyes at the sight of them, she had asked about Mr. Cake but Mrs. Cake distracted her with the twins' Cutie Marks. The two stood awake as long as they could about what Cheerilee taught them and what they could do with their abilities. Mrs. Cake smiled and took them to bed, telling Pinkie Pie where they slept just in case the mare wanted to sleep with them that night.

Pinkie bounced with a 'yes!' and continued to party, somehow finding streamers, confetti, and banners to set up all around the camp over the night. She danced with everypony as Fluttershy and a few other ponies sang and stomped their hooves to create a beat.

Lyra and Sweetie Drops arrived in the middle of the party, ecstatic about the celebration and the news that the Elements were back. They talked and waltzed for a few minutes before Thunderlane and Scootaloo carried them to the infirmary so they could sleep.

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle danced together as the singers played a more somber song at the news some ponies were going to sleep, though it didn't last long before Pinkie Pie jumped up on stage. And just as Sweetie Belle changed their pace to match the music, Apple Bloom noticed a mare with a pink coat and short, blue hair pulled into bouncy curls. She was going to go after her, not remembering a pink mare with a blue mane in their cult, but Applejack pulled her into another dance before she was thrown to a laughing Rumble. She lost the mare.

Rainbow Dash challenged Applejack to shots, dragging Fluttershy with her as Applejack brought Pinkie Pie. Mrs. Cake gave them a strong whiskey Lyra and Sweetie Drops had brought back a year or two ago. Fluttershy took one and felt horrible, grumbling about Rainbow pulling her away from singing for the rest of the night.

Applejack and Rainbow dropped around the same time as Pinkie continued and bounced away as if it was nothing as they groaned and tried to ignore their growing headaches in a silent challenge. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were victims of their antics for the rest of the night.

Sweetie Belle tried talking to Spike, even if it wasn't much of a private conversation on a balcony under the moon at a gala. But the dragon followed Rarity around like a puppy, especially after Discord revealed what had happened to Starlight. She ignored her failed mission and tried to avoid Rarity and Spike so she could enjoy the party.

Celestia and Luna challenged each other to some party games Pinkie had somehow set up without anypony knowing. The two cheated to ensure they would win and argued until they challenged the other to another party game. And they did this all while forcing Flurry Heart to stay by their sides.

Discord spent the night unbelievably glad and enthusiastic to see everypony else so happy and enjoying themselves, even as he watched over everypony else under the façade that he was pranking others. Rarity acted as if she was at a gala, only to fall apart and get all giddy, just to clear her throat and act as if she was at a gala again, she continued until she ended up drinking with Pinkie Pie and draped herself on her sister, crying that she hadn't seen her in forever.

Twilight hid away in the woods, unable to watch her friends enjoy themselves when danger lied just past too many trees or just past a rock wall. Her mind flooded and teemed with horrible memories of their enemy and terrifying thoughts of what could happen.

Her mind played out her walking back to a massacre and Electricity buzzing with a maniacal laughter as she had done it all on her own. Her mind remembered what her look-alike promised her, what her look-alike stole from her-- Her night continued like that until she walked back, finding her friends were all asleep in either their sisters or friends treehouses, shoved onto the floor or climbed into bed.

She sighed and walked through the open field they'd created, unexpectedly finding Zecora and the zebra telling her she could sleep in Apple Bloom's tree. And she had added her apologies, something Twilight didn't understand until she walked into the room and settled into bed. Apple Bloom and Applejack both snored horribly, her only savior being that Apple Bloom, for some reason, didn't snore the entire night.

Twilight stood up, walking across the tree with no care if she woke up the two. She was almost upset she didn't as she slowly closed the creaky door behind her before she continued down to the ground, only to find half of her friends groaning and Pinkie playing with the Cakes as she ate and helped Mrs. Cake cook.

Celestia approached her with bags under her eyes, Flurry Heart fighting to get out of her magic. Twilight huffed an amused laugh as she stared up at the Princess, Celestia giving her a sense of 'everything is okay' she had always gotten from her.

"Luna and I are going with Discord to take Flurry Heart back," Celestia yawned, scowling at Luna who walked up next to her with the same scowl and the same bags under her eyes. Twilight smiled and tried to act as if she didn't notice, knowing the two didn't necessarily enjoy when others made their feuds public.

Discord appeared between them with a toothy smile and sunglasses on, a beach shirt also draped over him. "Oh! It's going to be so much fun!" He gushed before snapping the accessories off, ignoring Celestia and Luna's irritated looks towards him. Now Twilight was curious if it was their other sister that upset them, or if it was the idea of travelling with Discord.

Discord booped her on the nose with a devilish grin. "It's going to be an all powerful beings trip," he bragged as a wooden sign appeared in his paw, two wooden pieces shaped like alicorns appeared on it as a rainbow was painted on top of a pink sky. The rainbow changed to shades of pinks and purple as the two alicorns were painted to look like Twilight and Cadence.

"Except you and Cadence, of course. Would you like to come?" He asked and leaned over to be in her face, out of the corner of her eye behind her, she could see Luna and Celestia shaking their heads desperately.

She smiled and pushed Discord away. "Sorry, but I think I'll be fine here," she said, seeing Discord pout as he snapped, standing straight between Luna and Celestia.

"Oh fine, but you'll be missing out," he said as he snapped his claws again, the buzzing, white door stretched up to his height appearing next to him. Her heart jumped as she looked at the Princesses with new worry, ignoring Flurry Heart's flapping wings in glee.

"You're going back there?" Twilight asked worriedly, her stare switching between Luna and Celestia. The two both responded with the warm, soft, and motherly smiles she had always seen from them.

Discord rolled his eyes as Celestia explained, Flurry Heart fighting her magic even more at the sight of the entrance of her new play place. "With the limiting of magic that space holds, it allows us to slip under Electricity's shield undiscovered. Since she can sense balances in magic, she can sense when a pony uses magic, but with so many ponies under her shield..." Celestia said, shooting daggers at Flurry Heart as the filly's fumbling was giving her a worse headache.

"She'll simply see our departure and arrival as a group of ponies using magic," Luna finished, smiling up at her sister as she took Flurry Heart into her magic. "It's the only way to get by."

"But we didn't need it when we snuck into Canterlot before!" Twilight fought, looking up at Discord for a way he could transport a smaller amount of ponies across Equestria.

He shrugged. "I honestly have no idea how she didn't know we were there before, if her shield had the same rules as this one," he explained, making blue question marks appear around him. Twilight rolled her eyes as she looked to Celestia for explaination, seeing Luna starting to get fed up with Flurry Heart.

"Can we go already?" Flurry Heart asked, smiling widely at the tall, white wall in front of her. Luna scowled up at her as Discord distracted her by dangling a crystal in front of her to remind her of home. She grabbed it and stuck her tongue out at him as if he was betting she couldn't get it away from him.

Celestia put a hoof on Twilight's tense shoulder, the mare's worried gaze shooting to her. "We have our magic, we'll be alright," she said soothingly. Twilight swallowed and nodded as she followed Celestia's comforting eyes into the door until she was gone.

The day continued into night, Applejack waking up in the infirmary with a bandage wrapped around her waist. She raised a curious eyebrow as she sat up, moving to get up off the bed when an old face stopped her. Her eyes widened as Nurse Redheart put a hoof on her chest. "Nurse Redheart?" She asked, squinting her eyes to make sure it really was the Nurse she was staring at.

The Nurse smiled before nodding, taking a look down at the clipboard in her hoof. "Apple Bloom said she noticed a bruise on your side on your way here, so she dragged you over here and asked me to check it out for you," Nurse Redheart said, taking her hoof off of Applejack's chest and backing away to allow her down.

"It was pretty bad, but Zecora taught me and some other ponies how to mix some pain relievers from herbs, so if you feel a little funny, that's it," she continued talking as Applejack looked around a room she hadn't seen.

It was big, beds lining the wall up to a long table that filled the back wall with bottles sitting on shelves above it, different medicinal tools sitting on the table along with other tools she didn't recognize. "Uh, where am I?" Applejack asked, interrupting Redheart's talk.

"Oh!" The mare jumped and laughed as she turned back to Applejack. "You're in the infirmary! It's the only building we have on the ground. I always betted the next one would be the kitchen, but I don't think we'll need it," she said with a wink as she walked towards to long pieces of fabric.

Redheart pulled one back and revealed a warm orange light mixed in with blue at a fire lit night. "The pain relievers and medicine to help speed up the healing we gave you earlier sort of knocked you out for a day, but you're free to leave if you want," she said as Applejack walked towards the door. "You don't feel any pain, do you? We only checked the bruise..." Redheart asked worriedly looking over Applejack now.

Applejack grinned softly as she shook her head and walked out of the door, hearing Redheart's sigh of relief and her mumbling about how much Lyra and Sweetie Drops had gone through.

The field was much less crowded than the other night, making Applejack assume it was much later in the night that she previously thought. Pinkie Pie carried the Cake twins on her back as she talked with Mrs. Cake, the two heading towards the tree houses. Rarity played tic-tac-toe with Rainbow Dash, gloating as Spike added one tally to her side, making it one to five. Fluttershy cheered for both of them as Scootaloo explained a better technique to Rainbow Dash.

Sweetie Belle watched them from a distance, a somewhat depressed look on her face as her stare lingered on one of them, though Applejack couldn't tell who. Apple Bloom paced in a circle around Zecora, the zebra smiling down at a book as Apple Bloom worried.

Applejack noticed Lyra and Sweetie Drops clinking cups together, both laughing and smiling despite the many bandages that covered them. Applejack wondered how they partied at all last night, they were only taken to the infirmary because they were tired.

A pink unicorn walked up to Apple Bloom, something about her was oddly familiar, but Applejack couldn't place it. And she wished she could as Apple Bloom was thrown into an even bigger panic, drawing the other mare into it as she bounced on her hoofs.

Zecora tapped Apple Bloom on the shoulder, smiling knowingly as she pointed at Applejack. The two were thrown into a spastic worry as Applejack approached with curiousity. As she got close enough to hear what they were saying, Apple Bloom cleared her throat and the two smiled at her with fake smiles.

"Okay, what's goin' on?" Applejack asked, her stare switching between the two. It lingered on the cowering unicorn when she recognized her purple mane now long and straight instead of curly. "You were from Starlight's old village!"

The unicorn laughed nervously and avoided her gaze. "Yeah, um... yeah. My-- um, my name is... uh..." she fumbled, slipping in nervous giggles to fill her silence. Apple Bloom stepped in front of her, but not fast enough to keep Applejack from noticing the silver ring on a necklace.

"Her name's Sugar Belle, and, uh, it's great to see you're better!" Apple Bloom diverted the conversation with a more genuine and less fake smile.

"Wasn't nothin' wrong in the first place," Applejack said as she rolled her eyes, remembering she lost an entire day to her sister's worries. She shook her head. "Why were ya pacin'?"

Apple Bloom jumped. "Discord, Princess Celestia, and Princess Luna left earlier to take Flurry Heart back, but they ain't back yet. Just a little worried," she said with upturned eyebrows and wide eyes on her sister. But before Applejack could comfort her like she used to, she stood up with a high head. "But I know they'll be back. I was just rantin' to Zecora, that always helps me think of how good the situation could go," she said with a hoof pointed at Zecora.

Zecora nodded. "Yes, it is a method Apple Bloom learned helped a while ago, so I assist her with it, and it helps her grow," she said with a soft smile. Applejack felt her heart sink as Apple Bloom beamed.

"Oh, that's great," Applejack said as she forced her ears to sit up and not droop to hide her sadness that Apple Bloom was older, and grew when she wasn't there. She jumped as she looked around. "Oh yeah, where's Granny?" She asked happily, eagerness fueling her at the idea of seeing her old parent-figure.

Zecora looked to Apple Bloom with worry, only for Apple Bloom to give it to Sugar Belle. Zecora was going to speak up, but a buzzing, white wall appeared in the center of the cult, interrupting her as Celestia and Luna fell out of it, scuffs and growing bruises showing through turned and roughened fur.

Twilight appeared at their side with wide eyes. "Celestia! Luna!" She cried, staring at the two urgently. Nurse Redheart peeked out from underneath the infirmary's curtains, gasping when she saw the state of the Princesses. She and other ponies ran over to the two.

Discord walked out of the door with the same injuries, though he was standing with a nervous smile as the wall disappeared behind him. He wasn't standing for long as he fell backwards and smiled up at Fluttershy's worried smile. "Starlight... decided to stay and help the Empire... in case of an attack," he said.

"What happened?" Twilight asked harshly, watching as some of the ponies with Redheart picked the Princesses up in their magic, Nurse Redheart and some other ponies looking over their injuries as the rest of the Elements surrounded them, the Crusaders and Spike following.

Celestia scowled. "Discord failed to tell us that the space becomes more threatening and limits more magic the more frequently it is used," she said, her and Luna sneering at what was most obviously the thought of Discord.

"I already told you... it slipped my mind," Discord hissed back weakly as the unicorns and ponies with Nurse Redheart took them to the infirmary. The Elements and Spike complained about Discord as Twilight and Pinkie Pie worried about the Princesses, Fluttershy and the Crusaders worried for Discord and whatever backlash he would get from this.

Nurse Redheart walked up to them a while later, a frown on her face as she timidly approached them. "Are they okay?" Twilight asked frantically. Nurse Redheart nodded, the group collapsing in relief.

"But, they are severely injured. They won't be moving for two weeks at least," Nurse Redheart said, already seeing the worry shower over the group. She smiled. "But with their magic, they'll heal quickly. They'll just need some time to recover."

The group smiled slightly as Twilight's panic seeped into her hooves and caused them to shake. Only one day back in Equestria and someone was already hurt, and they hadn't even done anything. Apple Bloom looked to Zecora, "So, we gotta wait for 'em to recover before we can start?"

Zecora shook her head. "No, my plan is for a certain date, this inconvience only changes the state," she said as she walked over to a post with a dark green fabric for a roof. The Elements, Crusaders, and Spike followed her, all looking down at the map of Equestria with 'x' marks surrounding the border and an 'x' sat next to a number over some towns. Some didn't have numbers while others had multiple 'x' marks and numbers written on it.

Canterlot simply had a 'x100+' written on it. Thunderlane was already sitting there and called Lyra and Sweetie Drops over, who dropped their shenanigans and walked over next to him. "My plan can still work, though it might be a bit berserk," Zecora said.

Rainbow Dash noticed another piece of paper sticking out from underneath the huge map, she picked it up and looked to Zecora. "What's this?" She asked, expecting a map of the Everfree or a list of some sort. Zecora nodded at Lyra who used her magic to roll up the first map, revealing a map of Equestria and Beyond. The Elements gasped, seeing what lied beyond Equestria. Rainbow Dash shook her head. "Okay, now what's this?"

Zecora smiled. "Much has happened in your absence, others have stepped in to fill your presence," she explained, her hoof finding a mountain in the middle of the Sparkling Sea right to Equestria. "Here is a civilization that was long lost, but was revived with paths crossed."

Sweetie Drops stepped in, already seeing Rainbow Dash and Rarity tilt their heads in confusion at Zecora's strange speech. "That's Mount Aris, it held the kingdom of Seaquestria."

"Seaquestria?" Applejack asked, staring down at the map. "I ain't never heard of that before."

"It has seaponies there. And it's a lost society, of course ya wouldn't have heard of it," Apple Bloom smiled up at her sisters nervous chuckle and pink cheeks. She nodded at Sweetie Drops to continue.

"A villain named The Storm King terrorized the previous civilization of Hippogriffs, so their Queen, Queen Novo, turned them into seaponies to keep them safe," Sweetie Drops explained as the Crusaders smiled at their sisters confused faces.

"A cat and a pirate joined forces with a rebelling unicorn who was working under the Storm King. As they took a journey for a way to stop the Storm King, they came across Mount Aris and used the Princess to convince the Queen to assist them," Sweetie Drops continued.

"Then! Then, they all found the Storm King on that side of the map," Apple Bloom stepped in eagerly, pointing at the right side of the map. "And took him out, reviving the hippogriffs and lettin' them actually be hippogriffs again!" She buzzed with excitement as Applejack tilted her head.

She stared down at the map in an attempt to understand as Rainbow Dash pointed at nothing in the air to try and keep track of the characters. "Ooh! What's that?" Pinkie Pie bounced, pointing at the north-western corner at a small civilization in the snowy north. She squinted as she tried to read the tiny text. "Yakyakistan?" She asked, looking up at Sweetie Drops for comfimation, though Zecora stepped in.

"Yes, it is home to a group of Yaks, they think they are the best at everything, even wisecracks," Zecora explained, pouting as Lyra pushed her out of the way at Fluttershy's raised eyebrow.

"When we found this map in a library somewhere we found out about them, and after researching them, they really just think they're the best at everything," Lyra said, pointing at the part of the map that used to be marked as the Undiscovered West now replaced with a crude drawing of a kingdom that was just as crudely taped down. "But that... that is something interesting," she smiled devilishly.

"What is it?" Rarity asked, trying to read past the crude drawing and failing at the hideous writing.

Lyra smirked. "The Changeling Hive," she said, basking in the gasps of the group around her. "Though they aren't led by Chrysalis anymore... oh no... they're led by..." She continued soaking it with suspense before Sweetie Belle jumped in.

"A good changeling named Thorax!" Sweetie Belle jumped, joining Lyra in her basking of gasps.

She hadn't expected Spike to lean forward against the table. "Thorax?" He asked as if he knew who she was talking about, insistent eyes on her. Sweetie Belle cowered with red cheeks as she nodded, though it was hidden by the dim-lit surroundings.

"You met Thorax?" Lyra asked, sitting back in thought at the nods she got. "Hmm, interesting. Well, Trixie found out all of Ponyville was taken over by Changelings acting like everypony else, but before she could go to Canterlot to try and fix it, Thorax showed up and begged her to help him for some reason. Now that I think about it, it was probably since he knew you guys came from Ponyville!"

Lyra sat back with a mischievous grin on her face as everypony could hear the gears working in her mind. Thunderlane shoved her aside, "Ignore her, ever since we found out about all this other than pony stuff she's been even more insistent about finding out that 'humans' exist."

The rest nodded and were ready to hear another story about different saviors taking their place around Equestria when a pink pony with light blue curls walked up next to Zecora. She looked down at the map. "Oh, golly! I haven't seen this map in a while," she said, staring down at it as the others investigated her.

Apple Bloom recognized it as the mare from last night, she had a satchel on her back as if she had just returned from outside their camp. She'd never seen the pegasus before.

"Oh, Cozy, I'm glad you've returned, you were somepony for which I was concerned," Zecora turned to her with a smile, seeing as the pegasi's wings ruffled in excitement. She noticed Lyra and Sweetie Drops confused faces on her, along with her fellow Crusaders.

Zecora noticed their stares and smiled. "Oh, it almost slipped my mind, you five have not seen this new pegasus that has been assigned," she said, taking the scroll Cozy had underneath her wing.

Cozy turned to them with a wide grin and a wave. "Hi! I'm Cozy Glow! It's so nice to have some new friends," she said sweetly and innocently, definently not something that matched her looks. Despite her childish hair style, she looked to be about as old as the Crusaders. She turned back to Zecora. "And don't you worry about me! It was easy to get the wedding date."

"Wedding date?" Rarity asked before gushing. "Oh! Is somepony here getting married? I would be happy to make a dress for them, I--" She was cut off but Sweetie Belle's magic on her mouth. She pouted at the obvious sign that she couldn't make the dress.

Zecora shook her head as Cozy Glow stepped behind her, making Apple Bloom raise an eyebrow. Zecora and Cozy were both acting as if she had just arrived, but Apple Bloom swore she saw her last night. "I'm afraid it is not an allies big day, for it is the enemy who is on display."

Rarity pouted as Sweetie Belle looked up at Zecora with the same question every pony else was having. "Which one of them is getting married? And why do we need the date?"

Zecora avoided the gaze of Rarity and Spike as she spoke. "I fear it is Rarity and Spike who are the wedded-to-be's, and this celebration is something we must displease if we want Harmony to hang over Equestria again with ease," Zecora revealed, not reveling in the gasps as much as Lyra previously did. Especially since Rarity fainted.

Death Do Us Part: Part 1

Author's Note

Just a reminder, Harmonized Spike is Spike in narration as Disharmonized Spike is The Dragon Lord in narration, both are Spike in dialogue. Harmonized Discord is Discord in narration and Disharmonized Discord is Chaos in narration, both are Discord in dialogue.
I just wanted to mention it again, but this is going to be the last time it happens. I hope you enjoy this chapter and thank you for reading this far <3

Death Do Us Part: Part 1

Canterlot sparkled in comparison to the rest of Equestria. Ponies were forced into keeping it clean, for good pay to make sure they did it right. It was also one of the only places in Equestria where ponies were somewhat happy.

Ponies were given a better pay than other parts of the country, having the leaders as their bosses. Though taxes were extreme, Canterlot was where ponies lived nice and easy.

Working for Controlling's guard was probably where the joy of the town lacked, Controlling and Thundersmoke worked ponies to the bone, constantly telling them their families would appreciate it. While any other job was easy like fashion design or the events committee. Very few personal businesses existed, other than restaurants, not that many ponies minded, dealing with the strictness that hung over the city wasn't something many wanted to do.

But the city shined in new colors, especially under the Double Rainboom Aurora that stood over the city after Controlling and Rainbow Dash's previous fight five years ago. The streets and buildings were redone with magic, matching the tastes of the leaders to have darker buildings with an almost white street, though many buildings were up to the pony who lived there, 'government' owned buildings were deep colors.

The biggest difference of the city was the castle. The leaders castle beamed in a lavender color, roses and violets sitting on the rims of the windows, the roofs were a dark blue, almost purple. The balcony's were a yellowish white, with red spikes shooting upwards as the guard without a top rim, keeping it from being a completely successful guard.

The stairs wore deep red carpets, the old gold accents matched the color of the balcony's, the castles walls matched the castle itself, and the grass shined as the ponies who took care of the garden kept the entirety of Canterlot's greenery looking gorgeous, per Merciless' request.

The alicorn who redecorated the castle and Canterlot absolutely loved the cohesiveness and the way everything matched, even the inside. The inside had cold colors but mostly took inspiration from the alicorn herself's colors. Every room, unless it was another leaders and not her's, was her design. And the ballroom was one of her favorites.

The ball room was decorated for the wedding, and completely different than the rest of the castle. Light blue hydrangea's, white dendrobium orchid's, white snowdrops, and light blue larkspur's draped off of walls, sat in pots that hung from ceilings, and coated the arch a dragon was standing under.

Chandeliers hung over head, lit up with green fire that did nothing compared to the sunlight that the windows with light blue curtains let in. A white carpet led down the middle of the aisle, the edges littered with blue flowers. White orchids hung off the sides of the pews, those pews held ponies with fake smiles and sweat dripping down their faces.

The Dragon Lord's gaze switched between a random pony in the crowd to one of his 'friends' as he tapped his claws together nervously. Trickery stomped her hoof down lightly, making him look at the mare behind him dressed in a deep blue tux. She raised an eyebrow at him. "Rarity'll kill ya if yer gonna be this nervous."

"I know!" He hissed back, failing at his attempt to not think of his fiancée. The place looked great and the ponies fake smiles weren't painstakingly obvious. He knew the things ponies said about weddings, something always goes wrong.

And nothing was wrong so far, absolutely nothing. He was hoping the suit he was wearing would've been a problem, and so his fiancée could have the perfect wedding she had worked so hard on. But no, she had to fix the stupid suit for him the day before, saying she thought he'd like it better if she did whatever she did to it, and now his suit was just as great as everything else.

He wasn't nervous about getting married, he'd been prepared to marry the demon princess for years, it was the idea that it wouldn't be perfect for her that terrified him. And definitely not the idea that he had yet seen her in her dress and really wanted to. He looked back at Trickery, hoping she did something wrong.

But just like his fiancée, she'd done everything she could to make sure his wedding was spectacular. He sighed, glancing at the nervous pony that wasn't certified to marry them that was going to declare their marriage. Apparently he used to help the previous Princesses with every event, him and a few others apart of his committee.

His name was Fancy Pants and he couldn't stop shaking, reading over all the lines he was supposed to say and hoping he didn't screw it up. The Dragon Lord was just as terrified, especially since the ceremony is the thing he really didn't want ruined, and this fool was going to pass out marrying a huge dragon to a gorgeous pony. But it was either this fool that would strive for perfection or a purple alicorn the two knew would ruin their marriage for the fun of it.

He glanced back at Trickery who used her hoof to shoo him away from looking at her. He rolled his eyes and did it, wondering why she, of all ponies, he chose to be a 'Best Stallion'. It was of course because he wasn't going to be like his fiancée and completely deny their 'friends' any part of the wedding other than sitting in the crowd, and because she wasn't horrible.

After another random pony in the crowd who widened their smile at his stare, he glanced over at a pink mare at the piano waiting for her turn to play as a band played quietly near her. Pity was wearing a simple pink dress his fiancée had forced her to wear. She looked jumpy, but she wore a big smile on her face and had ever since the wedding date started getting closer and closer.

After another pony, it was Controlling's turn. The mare wore a suit like Trickery, dark blue, but she wasn't a grooms stallion. She stood on one side of the door, her second-in-command, Thundersmoke, stood on the other side of it. Both looked unbearably bored, as if they'd have more fun checking on the Northern and Western borders for Thievery.

Merciless was next, wearing a bright, white dress in the middle of the crowd of ponies in colored dresses. Her dress wasn't nearly as extravagant as his fiancée's was bound to be, but it was still white and he knew she'd either get thrown out of the window or stuck in bed for a few days if somepony didn't change it. She sat with a smug smile, as if she didn't think this wedding was a serious matter and her dress wasn't a national state offense.

Thievery sat next to her, her own purple dress easily contrasting the white one. She rolled her eyes as Merciless's dress was coated in magenta magic before it turned a light green. Merciless raised an eyebrow at her, and after a few hisses from Thievery, Merciless rolled her eyes and stomped her hoof, the pink gem on her neck glowing ever so slightly, her dress turned a disgusting dark green.

Thievery looked away from her, looking just as bored as Controlling. She was meant to be the pony uniting them, but both him and his fiancée refused, knowing she'd mess it up on purpose. She wore a deep purple dress his bride-to-be stuffed her in, her mane pulled into a bun with stars as pins. Her purple fur was coated in makeup, and he could only assume she was called too ugly, was smothered with makeup, and was tossed out of a room.

The Dragon Lord had no idea why she was still wearing it, but he didn't care. She fixed something that could've been such a minor issue to be the 'thing that goes wrong' in their ceremony.

He jumped as music started playing louder, and was absolutely shocked. Pity actually played a piano beautifully, he assumed she'd fail miserably. Every other part of the ceremony had already happened, the officiate had already walked down the aisle, and announced a few things with a surprisingly steady voice. The only thing next was-- He heard the door open and swallowed before slowly looking over, fear eating at his stomach as he heard gasps across the room and ponies stand.

All other emotions but awe left him. A white mare with her deep purple mane pulled into a hairstyle he couldn't even begin to describe walked down the carpet, a stunning white dress matching her fur. Crystal blue eyes peeked up at him through long eyelashes and light blue eye shadow. He couldn't look away from her as the carpet burst into green flames behind her, he couldn't even try to look at other ponies.

Her mane held her veil, that was decorated with small, light blue gems. The bodice fit her form while the skirt of the dress hung loosely and dragged across the floor, her veil falling on top of it. The skirt had layers upon layers of fabric that still hung on her, decorated with floral patterns in white. Her hooves wore sparse floral patterns, tinted the tiniest bit blue to separate it from her fur, white heels at the ends of her hooves.

She wore a small, deep green gem on her necklace, her ears held little, silver hearts. Her bouquet covered in her magic in front of her was the same flowers that surrounded them.

The fire followed her and danced on her dress and her fur, not touching anything else as if it gravitated onto her. The fire extinguished as she stepped up onto the platform in front of him, his eyes following her and her gorgeous smile as she looked up at him. Her bouquet was dropped into Trickery's hooves.

She was absolutely stunning and he didn't think he was breathing. Vanity smiled gracefully, making him notice how little makeup she was wearing comparing to what she'd been coating herself with in the past few weeks. He couldn't keep the smile off of his face, his mind racing with orders for him to wait to kiss her.

Fancy Pants clearing his throat brought him, seemingly both of them as Vanity quickly turned her head to face him, out of his daze. "T-the ponies of Canterlot, we meet here to witness a sa-sacred ceremony," he started, Vanity's sharp glare at him telling him to stop stuttering if he wants his life. Fancy Pants swallowed. "The union of..." he started, looking between the two almost sadly. "Rarity and Spike."

The Dragon Lord understood and he hoped Vanity did, the guy was marrying creatures he knew with different faces and different personality's, of course he'd be at least a bit upset. Vanity ignored him, staring at The Dragon Lord lovingly. "We come together to celebrate the love and devotion shared by these two that stand before us. We are especially blessed to be joined today by our... rulers.

"The Bride and Groom are honored to you could be here to participate in the important occasion," Fancy Pants said. The Dragon Lord could hear either Merciless or Thievery snicker and didn't dare try to find out which one as Vanity shot daggers in their direction. If he was being honest, he almost found it funny himself. They could care less who was there, the two just wanted an audience.

"There are few greater joys in life than finding someone who we truly love," Fancy Pants said, his voice much more stable than anything else he had said. The Dragon Lord didn't care what he was thinking to do it, he was just happy to see Vanity's much more satisfied smile as everything seemed to fall into place. "Love is finding someone who we couldn't live without. Somepony-- some one who truly understands us," he continued.

"Finding someone who we would die for and who we would fall apart without. Someone we will protect with everything with have and someone we would do anything for," Fancy Pants continued his speech, though The Dragon Lord was barely listening. He was only hearing noise and a stallion's tone.

He couldn't look away from her, those blue eyes or that soft smile or the entire mare he couldn't live without. She essentially saved him from marrying someone he despised, and she made him feel... special. She was a witch, an absolute demon, but she worshipped him and adored him truthfully.

And she was undeniably gorgeous. He couldn't believe a beautiful mare like herself would love, or even like, a disgusting dragon. A fire-breathing threat and now he couldn't hurt her if he tried.

"Love is being unable to harm the other, no matter what state their in," Fancy Pants continued, making The Dragon Lord realize, she was that pony he loved. Even if he had known it for so long, it felt real as his heart soared into his throat. "Let us revel in the joy and love on display here today. May we treasure the memories as Rarity and Spike get set to begin their new life together."

Vanity heard more snickers, most likely from both Merciless and Thievery. She couldn't care to look over and tell them they're asking for a death wish with her stare. She was staring up at the monsterous dragon in front of her that was trying so hard to be perfect.

He wore a deep black suit with a light blue orchid on the front. His scales sparkled in the light as he couldn't keep his eyes off of her or the smile off of his face. She was everything she wanted, except the dragon part at first, but now she loved it. Their love felt like a twisted fairy tail and she didn't mind being fought over by the prince and a dragon.

She'd been selfish her entire life, except for one other pony, but that wasn't important. The dragon in front of her thawed the cold off of her heart and unknowingly forced her into unfamiliar territory. That unfamiliar territory being words like 'thank you' or 'I'm sorry'. That territory also held some type of care she hadn't seen in a long time. She cared for him and she wanted him to be happy, happy with her mostly, but happy.

He treated her like a goddess and didn't mind that she was a wolf in sheep's clothing. She doubted he'd put up with her cruelty and abuse if she kept it up, but he didn't have to as he brought out a part of her she hadn't seen in forever.

"If anypony has cause to object to the forming of this union," Fancy Pants said. "Speak now or forever hold your peace." Vanity heard magic and only assumed either Controlling or Merciless were going to make a joke, and Thievery held their mouths shut in fear of the two ruining the wedding without her.

Fancy Pants waited a moment before continuing, a smile on his face. He was thinking solely of his wife as his encouragement. Her smile beamed in the crowd and he couldn't look anywhere else, but his speech, of course. "Marriage is a venerated institution, and one deserving of deep reverence. Today, we observe the union of Rarity and Spike in matrimony, a commitment they have chosen to undertake with all the sincerity that it warrants.

"While marriage is a sacred and serious tradition, it is also cause for tremendous joy. Married life is full of surprises, adventures, and memory making. This is all made possible by the enduring power of love," he said, almost enjoying the lovesick stares the Groom and Bride were giving each other. They looked so happy, so truly in love, it reminded him of his wedding as his dislike for the two vanished, at least for this moment.

"When Rarity and Spike finalize this union, they will begin a new life of partnership, one defined by shared hopes, dreams, and successes," Fancy Pants spoke. He looked at the two rather than the crowd, glad he was chosen for this job, no matter how much he'd rather being sitting with his wife. "Rarity and Spike, as you learn to live as one; you will encounter many challenges that can help you grow. Spend time doing the things that make life precious."

"Cooperate with the other, always make time for the other, laugh together, and never lose the appreciation for the love that you share," he said, noticing the crowds less nervous smiles, and more genuine ones. He supposed love could bring a lot of ponies together, even if said love was held by malicious replicas of their previous Elements of Harmony. "Remember to adhere to the vows you will make today.

"Seek strength from the other, give hope to the other, and let your trials help you grow together," he continued, looking between the two, though he wasn't sure they were even listening. "You will find that as it grows and matures over time, your love for one another is strong, fulfilling, and empowering.

"Yes, there will be challenges in life, but the strength of your bond will offer protection from life's threats. Always make your relationship a priority, and continue to nurture each other. Through a commitment to love, together, you will be unstoppable," he said, all while staring at his wife lovingly.

"Rarity and Spike," he said, smiling softly as the two turned to him with full attention they hadn't given his speech until now. "I invite you to express your sacred vows to one another. Please face each other as you declare the vows before the ponies of Canterlot," he said, smiling as they quickly looked at the other, as if they were upset they even looked at him once.

"Rarity, you may start," Fancy Pants said.

Vanity stared up at her Groom with a wide smile. She could already feel tears welling up in her eyes and she hadn't even said anything. She shook her head and blinked them away before she spoke. "I, Rarity, take you, Spike," she started, her voice shaking at the awed stare he was giving her. "To be my lawfully wedded husband."

She huffed a laugh that, other than her shaking voice, told the audience she was crying. "I promise to keep you by my side through everything. You make me feel like the princess I've always wanted to feel like. And even if I don't deserve it, you gave it to me and I'll always be thankful."

He smiled softly as she felt tears rolling down her face. "I vow to stay true to you, honor you, and love you for the rest of my days, until death do us part," she finished, thanking how short they intended their vows to be. She didn't think she could say another word without absolutely bawling.

She felt on top of the world, she felt like she was dreaming. She felt like a queen. Fancy Pants nodded at The Dragon Lord, "Spike, now it is time for your promise."

The Dragon Lord didn't think he'd be able to speak. Even if their vows were meant to be small variations from traditional pony ones, hers still felt so sincere and personal. But the words fell out of his mouth anyway, only hoping to impress her and give her what she wanted. "I, Spike, take you, Rarity, to be my lawfully wedded wife," he started, telling himself not to grab her and kiss her and wipe those tears off her face.

"I promise to keep you by my side," he continued, losing the battle and reaching out with one claw to cup her face. She leaned into it as he spoke. "You deserve everything in the world," he said, straying away from the lines he'd been mentally rehearsing for the past month. "You're everything I could've asked for and more."

He took a small step towards her, blinking away his own tears as his voice made words he wasn't thinking about. "I never told you why my fire doesn't burn you," he said, glancing away from her. He didn't care how untraditional this was, he was doing whatever his heart told him to do. He rubbed the back of his neck, digging his claws underneath his scales in hope the pain would do something to distract him. "It's an old dragonness' tale that dragons can't burn their soulmates."

He winced, unable to look at her as her cheek tensed in his claw. "But dragons don't really burn from other dragons fire, so, you could never really tell," he finally said, looking up at her as he felt a warm tear hit his claw. His wide eyes sat on her and he didn't think she could get more perfect.

She was completely shocked, stunned, frozen. Her mane shined beautifully, the veil on the sides of her neck sparkled in the sunlight, her green gem seemed to be the brightest part of her. He smiled, reaching up to wipe away his own tears before cupping her face in his other claw. "I vow to stay true to you, honor you, and love you for the rest of my days.

"Until death do us part," he finished, seeing her blue eyes sparkle like the rest of her. She couldn't speak and he knew that, he didn't care. That stare, that lovesick, unbelievably vulnerable stare, told him everything.

Fancy Pants wiped the tears from his eyes before continuing, seeing most of the crowd crying as well with wide smiles. "Rarity and Spike, please join hooves-- and claws," he said though neither of them moved, not even to look at him. His grin grew.

He looked to The Dragon Lord. "Spike, do you take Rarity to be your lawfully wedded wife? Do you promise to support her completely and love her unconditionally, so long as you both shall live?" He asked.

The Dragon Lord leaned closer to her. "I do," he said, seeing her jump. He could only imagine it suddenly felt all too real to her then.

"Rarity, do you take Spike to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you promise to support him completely and love him unconditionally, so long as you both shall live?" Fancy Pants said.

Vanity leaned closer to him, completely ready to say screw the rest of the ceremony and kiss him right as the words fell off of her tongue. He seemed to have the same idea as he leaned over, taking both her hooves to let her stand at his height. She was ready to be his wife, having waited years for this day. She wanted nothing more to be known as married to him, to be one with him.

She leaned in closer, her lips almost touching his. Her bright, blue eyes the brightest they had ever been, staring into his. "I--"

The doors slammed open, The Dragon Lord dropping her to her hooves, turning to the doors with a red tint to his usual green eyes, a snarl on his mouth. His wings opened behind him, his claws coming out as his tail swung violently, causing Trickery to jump out of it's way.

Vanity growled as she whirled to the doors, her horn coated in a light blue as she turned to see the victim. Rage and fury filled her and scratched at her throat. And she wasn't one to stay silent. "Who the hell is ruining my wedding!?" She shouted, scaring the crowd out of their appreciative daze.

A zebra stood at the door, a long mane they had no idea how she'd grown out hanging on one side of her head. Her hooves and body were coated in green vines, her earrings and necklaces being the same vine. She glanced at the two pegasi wearing suits on either side of the door, both with wings flared and narrowed stares on her.

She smiled as she looked at Vanity and The Dragon Lord, noticing Pity and Trickery's shocked stares. Merciless and Thievery simply stared, wondering who she could possibly be. The doors slammed shut behind her.

Zecora ducked as Thundersmoke lunged at her, causing the pegasi to jump over her and skid to a stop next to Controlling. "Dunno who you think you are, but--" Controlling started threateningly.

Vanity slowly stepped down of the platform, causing everyone to simply stop and stare as her Groom followed her. Her eyes turned a deep, murky blue, making Zecora notice how bright and full of love they were before. They almost looked brighter than they normally looked.

Trickery followed them, dropping the bouquet and trotting to catch up to them. Merciless and Thievery shrugged as they flew out of their seats, landing behind the two, Pity bouncing up behind them. "You've got some nerve," The Dragon Lord growled, sensing a threat from this seemingly harmless zebra.

Vanity looked as if she was about to burst. And she did. Her magic activated, picking up Zecora and holding her above the ground. "You dare ruin my big day?" She asked coldly. "We've waited years for this specific date, and some fucking hippie zebra likes you wants to ruin it?"

Zecora didn't respond, she only stared back, knowing it wasn't her time to speak. Vanity smiled harshly, only to fall back into a severe frown. "You're going to be dragon food, you despicable witch!" Vanity shouted again, The Dragon Lord standing next to her with drawn claws and a swinging tail Trickery was backing up to, once again, avoid.

Zecora nodded, sensing the end of the threat. "I'm afraid that's not what I came here to be, I only have something I wish for a large group of ponies to see," she said, already seeing the confused faces, not only from their leaders, but the ponies in the crowd.

"What did she say?" Merciless asked Pity who shook her head.

"Doesn't matter," The Dragon Lord hissed, making the two look at the other knowingly. They had to shut up or they'd be dragon food like the zebra.

Zecora didn't say anything as hoofsteps echoed in the distance. The Groom and Bride's stares were on her, though the crowd and the rest of the look-alikes looked around for the noise. Windows crashing shot all heads in that direction, five pegasi having shot through them with protective magenta magic, though on further inspection, one of those pegasi was an alicorn.

Thievery's eyes widened and her ears dropped as she saw the alicorn. "Twilight?" She asked, noticing that purple coat and that oh-so-familiar mane. Though the scared, depressed violet eyes looked... somewhat new. She remembered that particular fire her replica held, but now it wasn't there.

"What?" Controlling asked, looking over as the black pegasus next to her froze. Her jaw dropped as she saw a cyan pegasus flip her rainbow mane out of her face with a wide, all too smug grin.

The hoofsteps got louder and louder until the two doors slammed open, three earth ponies, two unicorns, and a small dragon stood there, all looking at their horrific replacements. Vanity's magic weakened, Zecora dropped to the ground as something cold chilled her entire being.

A fire of rage ignited inside her. "Are you kidding me?" She asked, looking at the pegasi that now flew over the crowd. She huffed a laugh. "You ruin my wedding, my perfect wedding, for this?"

Pity and Merciless snickered, a draconequus appearing behind them with a wicked grin. "Didn't we already settle this?" Pity asked, not noticing Thievery's horrified stare. Merciless, Chaos, and her started laughing, Controlling and Thundersmoke reluctantly following.

Even The Dragon Lord was amused, a less murderous and more confident grin on his face. "I wasn't pissed the last time we fought, and you bitches really wanna try?" He asked, looking around and raising an eyebrow before laughing. "You idiots didn't even bring your precious Princesses!"

Vanity's furious look didn't change as Zecora went to speak, Apple Bloom shoving a hoof in front of her and stepping ahead on her own. "Everypony, leave," she said, though no pony moved.

Thievery finally smiled wickedly and flew above her group of friends. "Get the fuck out," she said, enjoying how everypony in the pews ran out, Fancy Pant's running out with his wife without a look back. She set herself down in front of Vanity and The Dragon Lord, who moved their angry stares on her.

She smiled smugly as the pews in the room slammed against the wall in a coat of magenta, flowers falling from the pews and the windows. Everypony in the room moved with a magenta flash, Twilight appearing behind Apple Bloom along with the rest of her friends. She looked back and saw Zecora nod at Thunderlane, the pegasus flying out after the crowd. She looked ahead and saw Vanity and The Dragon Lord standing next to Thievery's wide, maniacal grin. She looked away as her heart dropped.

"A zebra and some little fillies aren't going to help you," Thievery said, narrowing her eyes on Twilight. She smiled as she looked at the small, yellow mare she put at the front of the crowd. Twilight didn't even fight it, she couldn't be more pleased.

But suddenly, Twilight did look at her, after glancing down at Apple Bloom. Twilight looked up at her as her blood boiled in a way it hadn't in a long time. Despair didn't wash over her as she stared at the devilish grins that her friend's faces wore. And all hope didn't flood out of her at the thought of her replica staring at her once again with those violet, red eyes.

She took a step in front of Apple Bloom, her head held high and her chest puffed out. She didn't admire Thievery's curious stare, she didn't even think it was beautiful anymore. It was absolutely nauseating. "I told you Harmony would reign over Equestria," Twilight said coldly, staring at the group of her enemy, not just Thievery. "I told all of you that. And I don't break my promises."

A new courage and bravery washed over her, filled her body as fury flowed through her veins. And her hope and pride only pumped through her more as she saw Thievery's confused stare, trying to understand what gave her the ability to overcome her look.

She furrowed her eyebrows. "You've all hurt my friends and taken my home from me," she admitted, seeing Thievery light up. "And that is unforgivable," she said, watching Thievery fall.

She had no idea what gave her this courage, but something suddenly felt right. Something about being in this place at this time in front of their enemy. The sun washed in through broken windows, coating her in the warmth of her mentor. She stood for Equestria, her job was to bring Harmony back.

And she'd stop at nothing to do it.

Death Do Us Part: Part 2

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Death Do Us Part: Part 3

Zecora was sitting against the wall, very visible light blue ropes wrapped around her and tied with a big, pretty bow. The Dragon Lord scowled as he looked over the room. Pews were knocked to either side of the room, their arch was knocked down, there were flowers everywhere, and worse of all, every little color was changed. He hadn't seen the ballroom floors checkered in five years and now it disgusted him. At least Thievery was already working on changing the colors as Pity talked to her.

Vanity had been shouting and screaming insults and constant 'It's ruined!'s for a while, and he was busy sharpening his claws on his scales and keeping his anger under control. If he didn't, his lovely fiancée wouldn't be yelling at something alive. But the shouting stopped and Vanity sat down in front of Zecora, wide eyes full of defeat as the zebra raised an eyebrow.

"Do you even know what this date meant to us?" Vanity asked, voice dripping with utter sorrow and lost. Her shoulders fell, her heart was heavy in her chest as she couldn't meet the zebra's anything-but-worried stare. She couldn't even stay furious at the stupid, retched thing that ruined her wedding, she was too overwhelmed by the despair that came with it's destruction.

Thievery and Pity turned their heads, their conversation and rearranging of the room coming to a stop. Thundersmoke and Controlling walked back into the room from finding the guards all tied up with the same binds that had held them. They smirked knowingly at the other as their ears perked up, ready for some entertainment. Merciless raised an eyebrow from her fuming, more like sulking, state. Chaos sat next to her, pulling bird filled pillows off of his ears at the notice that Vanity had stopped shouting. Trickery shot Vanity an empathetic look, even if the mare wasn't looking to see it.

The Dragon Lord winced at the memory of why this specific day was so important, and the memory that they hadn't told any of their friends why they waited an extra four years to get married. Vanity sniffled. "Today is the exact day Spike was meant to marry Ember," she said, looking up at Zecora's shocked expression. She assumed Zecora was shocked by her statement, but the blinding blue underneath her eyelashes was why Zecora plastered herself to the wall.

Vanity wiped her face with her hoof. "It was the one unselfish thing I've done. I wanted him to marry someone he actually loved on a day he was supposed to marry someone he hated," she said, her soft, vulnerable stare hardening. Vanity gritted her teeth, standing up with tense shoulders and narrowed eyes. "And you ruined it! We were seconds, seconds! Away from being husband and wife!" She stomped her hoof as she shouted again.

The Dragon Lord reached out for her but her magic engulfed his wrist and slammed it against the wall, and when he looked, he saw cracks forming behind the unbearable pain of broken scales. "Now! Now, we can't even try to get married until we're rid of you things!" She screamed, tears rolling down her face at her inability to keep her emotions in.

Vanity turned away and started pacing, her horn tightening the magic on Zecora's torso, making the zebra gasp in pain. Vanity felt more than sick, her throat burned from her shouting, her body hurt from the binds, her heart hung in despair, and her stomach turned from the previous anxiety of getting married. She looked to the room and felt her chest tighten. Her world spun, her hooves shook as her eyes searched every unchanged thing and every ruined part of their wedding.

Her jaw shook as she squeezed her eyes shut and just screamed, falling to the ground and covering her head with her hooves. Chaos and Merciless were the only ones that seemed annoyed, the rest looked away in understanding. Vanity's screaming calmed almost to nothing as she felt a claw on her back. Her heavy breathing didn't change as he cupped her face and forced her to look up at him through teary eyes. "Calm down," he said slowly.

She shook her head as he pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly. She couldn't see his features anymore, all she saw were colors and shapes. She put her hooves on his chest and pushed away. "Our wedding is ruined," she whispered sadly, her lips trembling as her hooves shook.

He pulled her into a tight hug and didn't let her fight her way out of it, even let his claws scrape her skin as a sign to give up her fighting. She ended up laying her head on his shoulder and crying silently, feeling the worse she'd ever felt. The Dragon Lord slowly looked at Zecora and sneered, feeling even deeper hate for the hippie as she looked unaffected. He looked down at purple curls and felt a fire erupt inside him.

His claws were drawn as his wings spread out behind him, and his fanged scowl was directed towards the hippie. His tail swung heavily and slowly again as he felt real fire bubble up inside his throat. He dropped Vanity and lunged at Zecora with a roar and sharp claws.

Zecora felt her heart stop as memories of her cult flashed through her mind. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and all their memories together. Thunderlane's vanishing acts, Lyra and Sweetie Drops deciphering, The Cake family's optimism despite the every day sorrow they woke up too, Mayor Mare's antics-- it was all shown to her as she accepted her death, that death being the giant, purple dragon with an open mouth she could see green fire boiling in.

She had created a community and helped them grow, gave them a safe haven and allowed them a chance at fighting reality. And they succeeded. She was ready for her end, her job was essentially done, she was the training wheels to her cult's bike. But, oh, what she would give to see Apple Bloom's tear ridden smile when they won.

She closed her eyes, singing herself a lullaby in her mind as her own way of drifting off into the afterlife. But she still felt the life in her body, the essence of her soul in her chest, and nothing ripping her throat open and letting something spill out. She peeked open her eyes and saw a heaving, snarling, and fuming dragon with it's red eyes set on her, yet she wasn't dead and he was right in front of her. She looked down and saw his claw trying to fight past a magenta bubble she could only imagine felt like molasses.

She looked back up, curiousity brewing inside of her as he shook his head in angry confusion, swiping with his other claw and ending up in another bubble of magenta. He ripped his claws out, whirling to the source of the magic and growling. "What's he doin'?" Trickery asked, looking at Merciless as something inside her told her he wasn't acting quite like himself. The Dragon Lord would usually send a barrage of questions on Thievery, but he hadn't, and it didn't seem as if he had anything holding his mouth shut.

Vanity stared up at him with wide eyes, his teeth, claws, wings, and even scales seemed sharper as his eyes were a violent red, and not their usual green. She looked to Merciless for the same answer, the mare rolling her eyes. "He's an animal, and dragons are clearly not as civilized as ponies," she said and groaned when Trickery and Vanity seemed as if they didn't understand. "He's really pissed, so all he sees are enemies. He's in an animalistic state, he can't talk and he isn't himself."

Chaos looked at his claws as if he just got them done, and the bright pink that suddenly coated them furthered the look. "Yes, he's done this before and almost killed Fluttershy!" He said nonchalantly at first, but sounding more and more offended the more he talked. Merciless rolled her eyes, knowing he only remembered when he talked.

The Dragon Lord seemed to have known Thievery was the source of magenta magic because he jumped for her, Pity ducking behind her with shaking hooves. Thievery looked unbothered as he hit her magic again. Vanity looked to Merciless with a frown. "Well, fix him! Before Twilight decides he's too much of a pain!"

Merciless grinned. "That would be nice," she said, looking to Thievery with a smug grin. "Think he's a pain!" She said enthusiastically like a child. When both Vanity and Thievery looked irritated, she sighed. "I can't fix him, we just have to wait until it wears off."

"And when would that be?" Vanity asked as she stomped her hoof, seeing The Dragon Lord breathe fire on a magenta shield. Merciless shrugged as one of his claws made it past Thievery's magic, cutting her cheek. The alicorn gasped and shot a beam of magenta at him, leaving a burn mark on his stomach as he was thrown back against the shield that covered Zecora.

Vanity didn't think as she raced over to him. "Spikey-Wikey!" She cried, ready to hear him say he was fine and then chew out Thievery for shooting him. She barely heard Merciless' protest as she skid to a stop next to him, watching him stand up with wide eyes. That vicious red didn't change and neither did that grimace. He smiled wickedly as he assumed she wouldn't have a shield and leaned over her cowering body.

Vanity felt a shiver run down her spine as her stomach felt empty and cold. Her hooves shook and her lips trembled as he spread his wings, making him seem even larger than he was. She winced and turned away, squeezing her eyes shut as she waited for whatever damage he'd inflict on her. She wasn't necessarily scared as much as she was worried about how he'd feel about this later.

But she didn't feel sharp claws, not ruining her perfect face anyways. She peeked open her eyes and saw him holding her in his arms with an irritated look on his face, but when he looked down at her it softened a bit. He looked up at Thievery and held his middle claw up at her. Thievery rolled her eyes. "Har har, very funny, idiot," she said before she put a magenta bubble around them. "Sit in there with your, just as idiotic, bride while you cool off," she said smugly, talking to him as if he was an animal five levels below her. He growled at her as he, contrastingly, ran his claw through Vanity's mane.

Controlling snickered before looking over and finding Zecora still sitting there. She stood up straight. "Uh, Twi. What do we do with that thing now that the two that wanted her dead are held up?" She asked, fighting the urge to laugh or make a joke about King Kong and his skyscraper girl.

Thievery started towards the hippie, already contemplating what information they could get out of her. And just as she opened her mouth, she got a mouthful of pink hair as Merciless flew in front of her. She backed away and spat the hair out, absolutely disgusted as a familiar dislike, close to hate, broiled in her stomach and tempted her tongue.

Merciless stared down at Zecora, the zebra stayed silent and calm through the pegasus' vicious look over. Merciless leaned over and took the mare's vine necklace in her mouth, ripping it off of her neck. She spat it out into her hoof and examined it as Thievery's hate expanded and filled her bones.

"Their cult is in the Everfree Forest," Merciless explained calmly, still looking over the vine and its strange and deeper green wraps. She glanced up at Zecora and smiled smugly at the mare's slightly worried look, Zecora bit the inside of her cheek. Merciless wore a successful, prideful look as she tossed it over her shoulder, hoping it landed on Thievery.

She looked back and pouted as she saw Thievery caught it in her magic and dropped it to the floor next to her with a disgusted look on her face. Thievery looked up at her, the disgust almost deepening. "And how do you suppose that? These plants could be native to anywhere in Equestria, and your reclusive ass hasn't been in every forest in Equestria," she said rudely, making pure hate spawn inside Merciless.

She rolled her eyes. "It's a zebra, they're not from here, and they're different," she said, considering an amount of things she could do to their power-hungry, entitled leader. "Of course she's gonna live in the Everfree, plus it's right next to Ponyville," she continued condescendingly as she gracefully stepped over to Thievery, eating up that repulsed stare. She circled the alicorn, using what little control she had of her tail to linger on the mare's hooves. "And Ponyville is where our enemy lived."

As she ended her small explanation, she moved away, scared she'd end up with a burn on her chest like the dragon. She looked back at Zecora with a high head, making it seem as if she was snootier than she was acting, which was probably true. "And I say we torture her, she took my amulet," Merciless said harshly, narrowing her eyes on Zecora. Thievery looked to Zecora, wondering if Merciless was correct and deciding the zebra's reaction would be answer. She declared her little monster friend was right as sweat dripped down Zecora's neck.

Zecora shook her head, trying to clear it of her worry. She cleared her throat. "Saying as I... doubt you will let me leave," she started cautiously, watching everypony-- or vicious, pony-eating dragon-- in the room to see if her talking was accepted. Their attentive stares and lack of action told her it was. "What did that amulet do? This information I would like to receive."

"Before your demise?" Controlling commented bluntly. And she had assumed the dark joke would lighten whatever heavy mood had been plaguing them for the past half an hour, but it failed as she saw Merciless' jaw tighten as the mare turned to the zebra with a frown.

Merciless' smile was fake through her anger, and Thievery couldn't have been more delighted the zebra brought it up. Merciless ducked her head past her shoulders as she crept towards the zebra flattened against the wall. "What did that amulet do?" She asked with an amused tone, as if she was shocked Zecora would ask. She didn't think she could feel more hate for someone that wasn't Thievery, but here it was. "What did that amulet do?" She asked again, her hate coating her mouth and spilling out of it as she snarled.

She huffed a laugh with a raised eyebrow, as if she was running off of hysterical anger. Chaos didn't even dare get involved, unlike Vanity and The Dragon Lord's relationship, he wasn't safe from the pegasus' rage. "It was a small amount of my darling's magic," she said furiously, tilting her head with a smile. She leaned over and put her face in the zebra's, grimacing severely with furrowed eyebrows. "And it let me do whatever I wanted," Merciless said, her chest heaving as she blew air out of her nose.

Magenta coated the end of her tail and pulled her away from their victim, she fell on her stomach and let Thievery simply pull her, knowing that even if she complied, she'd be dragged across the floor with an inability to walk with it. "We need information. Even if we know it's the Everfree, she can tell us where," Thievery said.

"We just barge in and use the dragon's fire, princess!" Merciless said, clearly offended that Thievery even thought of that. She threw her hooves up with it as she rolled onto her back, seeing the end of her tail up next to Thievery's, rather ugly in her opinion, clearly annoyed face. And she didn't even revel in the fact that she caused that irritation, she was that pissed.

Thievery shook her head, but she didn't get to explain it as Controlling flew over beside her. "We can't go into unknown territory to look for them," she said, looking down at the entitled pegasus with more than overwhelming dislike. It always made her happy if the idiotic, botanical bitc-- princess wasn't around.

Merciless frowned further. "Well why not?"

Controlling rolled her eyes. "Cause, they'll notice we're there, and ambush us!" She said as she stomped her hoof for emphasis. Anger sat in her chest at the pegasus' annoyed, unconvinced raised eyebrow. "They might only get one of us, but they could get two of us. And no matter how many of us they get, that's still lost numbers and a disadvantage," she explained, taking Merciless' sigh as a white flag.

Thievery saw her sigh as the same thing and dropped the mare's tail, watching her fly away before standing up. "Then we use the animals in the Everfree, they'll listen to me," she said smugly when she saw they were somewhat intrigued. "There's cockatrices, timber wolv--"

"You can't use your Stare. Most threats of the Everfree are tamed or locked up in Tartarus, there are none to spare," Zecora said, watching confusion wash over the faces in front of her. She sighed as she thought of a different rhyme that would explain it, but was cut off as Pity jumped into the conversation next to Thievery.

Pity's mane was slightly back to it's half-fluff state, but her fur was as dull as it could get as she wore a curious look. "What's the 'Stare'?" She asked, her gaze switching between both Merciless and Zecora, looking for an answer.

Zecora took it as her cue to talk as Merciless looked away with a huff, her face scrunching up into hatred as she sat down and wrapped her tail around her. "It is an ability held by ponies destined with animal-related fates to have animals under their control," Zecora said, watching everyone looking at her with intense interest. She didn't understand, had they not been told this? They had been living with the pegasus for five years. "Controlling and taming animals is their goal."

Controlling and Thievery glanced at Merciless with judgment the mare scoffed at. She stood up and turned away, flicking her tail with the movement. "Oh, please! As if you really cared about how I took over the Everfree!" She said, feigning irritation to hide the obvious embarrassment with being the source of the problem among their little circle of someone did something wrong.

Thievery scowled. "If you can tame animals... can't you fix Spike?" Pity asked, wincing as Merciless jumped before shooting her a nasty glare. Merciless looked up and saw that, now Trickery had joined the judgmental faces. She looked away again, trying to think of a suitable excuse other than 'I didn't care'.

"Help him!" Vanity demanded from inside her bubble, glancing up as The Dragon Lord rested his chin on her head, having sat down inside the bubble and wrapped his tail around her. Merciless rolled her eyes for the umpteenth time, despising Thievery's little mare-friend almost more than she disliked Thievery. She sighed as she walked over to the bubble and stared up at the dragon whose eyes ignited in a new red as he hissed, noticing how close Merciless was to his... treasure.

She simply focused her stare on him weakly, hoping she didn't have to put anymore into it. All it did was force him to hold the gaze, but it didn't scare him into submission. She groaned, making it extremely and painstakingly obvious she didn't want to be doing this. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before widening them and focusing everything into it, using the idea that her reward would be Thievery's demise as motive.

She watched as his eyes slowly turned back to their normal green, his features softening from their violent and sharp ones. She looked away as she assumed the job was done, and even further believed it was as she heard The Dragon Lord rant his apologies to Vanity.

She smiled rudely and bowed to the impressed faces. Trickery shook her head and furrowed her eyebrows on Merciless. "Why didn't y'all wanna do that earlier?" She pressed, narrowing her eyes.

Merciless hung her head and groaned again. "Cause I didn't want to fuck with the big, scary dragon that wants blood, guts, and a princess," she said rudely in a sweet tone, a grin on her face as she spoke. It all fell as she stopped and sat down in place, too bothered to move and missing her amulet already.

She heard a flash and felt somewhat okay as a paw ran through her mane. She pushed up into it slightly as she heard a deep voice talk. "It was also, of course, because he wasn't contained," she said before snapping, Merciless appearing in his arms. "We wouldn't want a member of this group getting hurt, would we?" He asked before his eyes flashed red and narrowed on the crowd of disappointment. "Especially one that's needed in this little posse, right?" He asked, staring right at Thievery.

Thievery rolled her eyes and nodded, but before she could speak, Zecora spoke up. "The Fluttershy here showed us her power by saving others in the face of hostility," she said, ignoring Pity and Trickery adding Controlling to their ever growing group of not understanding. "So I wonder how it is you... gained this ability," she said with a hint of condescending in her tone. The others didn't see it as much of a problem, but Chaos held wide eyes on Merciless as she stiffened in his arms.

She flew out of them and landed on the ground, keeping wide eyes on Zecora's calm expression. "She was protecting the crusaders... so who did you protect from certain invaders?" Zecora pushed.

"Flutters?" Trickery asked, noticing Merciless' shaking hooves and tense shoulders.

Zecora kept adding onto it, expecting an answer if the mare broke. "I was told by Fluttershy that she was protecting a bunny when she discovered it, maybe you were in a similar situation... maybe a pit?"

"Darling?" Chaos asked, tapping his claw and his paw together as he smiled at her nervously, knowing how much he hated it when she was upset. And she seemed really pissed, and not in a 'Thievery's a bitch' pissed, more like a genuinely angry pissed.

Zecora sat back, seeing Merciless wasn't going to break. She sighed before speaking. "There is good in all of you, I know that to be true," she said, seeing the intrigued faces change from their worried ones. Merciless didn't move, she was frozen. Controlling and Trickery almost looked offended, a few seconds after they understood what Zecora said, of course. "You cannot have those faces and those hearts, not without having personalities made up of similar parts."

Vanity used her magic to keep The Dragon Lord from rambling, perking her ears up and dragging him by his snout over to the crowd. "Each of you have something other than the others that you love, maybe some are alive, and maybe some are, as you might say, up above," she said, making each pony stiffen at the memories that filled their minds.

"Twilight has her older brother, Shining Armor. Here, he has a wife, he is much of a charmer," Zecora explained, putting eyes on Thievery, who tensed at the name, her face scrunching up into a sneer of disgust. Thievery ignored Pity's worried stare on her as her blood boiled, dislike brewing for the zebra in front of her, though it only covered up how much the name got under her skin.

Zecora could see something break, and kept pushing, hoping they'd understand and go home before anypony got seriously hurt, or worse. "Applejack has an older brother and younger sister, Big Macintosh and Apple Bloom," she said, seeing Trickery duck under her hooves, avoiding the gaze of anypony as she stared at the ground with wide eyes. "That yellow mare with me was your sister, to see her and fight her must make your heart feel like a tomb."

"That rat was your sister?" Controlling asked, looking down at her, obviously uncomfortable friend. She jumped as Zecora talked again.

"Here, Rainbow Dash has a little filly she protects. Scootaloo's state of safety is something that, on her, has it's affects," Zecora continued, watching as Controlling avoided Thundersmoke's raised eyebrow and leaning closer to her. Controlling hung her head as her ears fell at the name.

"The orange one with the blue streak in her mane," Controlling said as she sat down and stared at the floor. She glanced over at Trickery, the mare looking up at her with shocked eyes. "I guess I'm kinda in the same boat as you, huh?" Trickery nodded and looked away again, both of them feeling their hearts break at the news being said aloud.

Pity dreaded her turn, knowing the state of her sisters was known by her friends, but she didn't want to hear about how happy they were here. "Marble, Limestone, and Maud Pie, all sisters of Pinkie Pie where a rock farm is what they supply."

Pity glanced up at her as she tried to hide in her mane, appreciating and disliking Thievery's worried glance. "Oh, they do that here, too?" She asked, looking down and moving her hoof across the floor nervously, trying to keep memories of her sisters, her happy, lovely sisters from filling her mind. She failed and put her head on Thievery's shoulder.

Zecora glanced at Vanity, the mare feeling her throat tighten at the sign that it was her turn. "Rarity has a little sister that, in recent years, which a strong bond has been built," Zecora said, her voice dripping with overpowering encouragement to remember those ponies, and to let the emotions that was felt about them out. "The young, white mare with us, Sweetie Belle, a flower that clearly has not begun to wi--"

Vanity shook her head. "No, no, no. That... that mare was not Sweetie Belle!" She huffed and stomped her hoof, staring at Zecora with a determined stare. "I know I'll never see her again, and I'm not going to see her here..." she said, starting strongly and falling apart at the end. She sat down in defeat, looking up at Zecora with a furious stare that softened into hope. "That was really her?" She asked, Zecora nodding as The Dragon Lord went over and hugged her again.

The others waited as Zecora stared at the true ball of hatred in their group, Merciless, wondering what other creature she could care for than the sweating draconequus. "Zephyr Breeze--" Zecora started, a sharp hoof hitting harsh tile causing her to jump, she looked and saw Merciless' cold, empty stare. She didn't understand.

"Is dead," Merciless finished calmly, walking over to Zecora, her face inches away from the zebra's. "Just like you will be," she said harshly, her eyes turning the murkiest teal they've ever been. The stare made a shiver sit permanently in Zecora's spine, her stomach turning in fear.

"Fluttershy, you can't let--" Thievery started, but stopped when she saw Merciless' calm expression, with so much emotion in her eyes she wouldn't reveal with anything else. She grew to know Merciless over the years, while they had all grown close enough to reveal certain emotions, Merciless had too much pride to allow it. Thievery understood, and was going to let the mare talk so she could leave as soon as possible and let everything out in her garden.

Merciless shrugged as she started towards the door. "The longer she's alive, the sooner her little friends can come and try and save her with more of that magic limiting gunk," she said in her usual, bratty tone, though no one fought it. Not only was she right, they also just felt horrible for her. She glanced back at each of them. "Get it over with, and quickly. We know they're in the Everfree, that's all we can get from her. She'll die before she gives us anything else."

She opened the doors, silence hanging over the group until the doors slammed shut again. Everypony waited for something, making Zecora raise an eyebrow at the silence. Controlling stared at Chaos as Trickery stood up, dusting the non-existent dust off of her suit. "Ya ain't gonna go after her?" Trickery asked, watching Chaos' rather bored expression that, only seconds ago, was smothered with worry. "Even Rares ain't that mean."

The others, except Thievery, of course, mumbled their agreements. Vanity forgot all about her little sister as she felt on top of the world. She wasn't the rudest, most selfish member of their group, at the moment, but still! She snuggled into The Dragon Lord with a wide smile, trying to bask in this feeling for as long as she could before she fell into the despair that came with her failed wedding.

She always told herself she excelled at ignoring her issues, if she couldn't get something from acting vulnerable and weak. But it was sort of difficult when she didn't have a ring on a necklace around her neck and when just past purple scales, was a ruined wedding ceremony.

Chaos rolled his eyes, his head turning with it. "She's going to that horrid garden of hers," he said bluntly, and as if he was absolutely annoyed by the fact as he sneered at the thought. He crossed his arms and looked away, only to look back when the hippie zebra wasn't being slaughtered. He groaned when they seemed just as confused and judgmental. "I can never find her when she goes into that... thing," he said harshly, baring his teeth. Merciless stayed in the garden for hours at a time, and he could only find her if she wanted him too.

He fell down into a deep lavender recliner, only to make fun of Thievery who grimaced at the sight. He threw his arms up in defeat angrily. "I don't understand it! Me, The Lord of Chaos! And I can't find a bright yellow pegasus in a garden... that doesn't move!" He sat back with a frown, his swinging tail making Trickery take a step back out of instinct.

The crowd shrugged, declaring his reasoning was valid enough, if they were in his situation, they most definitely wouldn't go after her in the first place. Thievery walked closer to Zecora, standing in front of her allies, and as she did, her smile spread to a wicked one. She held her head up high, making it seem as if Zecora was six levels beneath her.

She bowed, making confusion spawn inside Zecora. "Here's a tip," she said, opening her eyes with a calm, unbothered look. Zecora didn't know why, but she fought against her blue binds, squirming in place as she felt the sudden need to get away. The ropes tightened, pushing the air out of her as she winced at the pain. She opened her eyes and saw horrors, and those monsters held her friends faces. "You can't find good in everything."

She shook her head as Thievery spoke, her fighting not stopping. She needed out, she needed to get away, her heart seized, her throat tightened, something cold chilled her stomach as her eyes widened. The Dragon Lord and Vanity stood on either side of Thievery, slowly creeping closer to her. All three of them looked unaffected by her words, all three looked like they craved her end, like they would die without it. And they looked like they enjoyed that they needed it.

She didn't understand as her binds tightened and she couldn't let any air in, she was simply forced to watch a wicked, selfish bride stand over her with an active horn, carrying out her end. And a dragon with drawn claws and a toothy grin play executor.

The world blurred around the edges as she hung her head, tears filling her eyes. Her throat burned, her torso ached, her heart hung as she watched the tears fall with big eyes. Her lips trembled, her hooves shook as she tried, one last time, to fight against her ropes.

And they watched her squirm with wide grins and snickers, waiting until she finally gave up. She desperately looked up, seeing Vanity's smug grin, matched with sorrow-filled eyes. She swallowed as The Dragon Lord sharpened his claws on his scales, simply watching her. "Swe- Sweetie Belle..." she tried saying, but she couldn't form anymore words, her throat was shut, her eyes shook and her heart froze as she heard the two laugh.

It was a booming noise that marked her end. Tears fell down her face and she couldn't stop them as she tried holding her head up. She lied, she didn't want her days to end, she didn't want to leave her family. She finally had a family and now it was gone, it was going to be gone and she'd never see it again. She wanted her family, she wanted them to welcome her back and smile and laugh with her some more.

Chocked sobs were the only noise she could make, she jerked when she heard claws scrape across the floor. She squeezed her eyes shut, but magic grabbed her mane and slammed her head against the wall, magic pried her eyes open, making her see sharp teeth and green, reptilian eyes.

"A-Apple Bloom," she managed, verbally announcing her final prayer, her final wish. She wanted nothing more than to see her pupil grow, to see her pupil happy again. "Be... be hap- happy," she begged, her vision blurring from more than her tears.

Thievery turned away, smiling at Pity's uncomfortable gaze away and Trickery's stare on her. "Ain't Shining Armor the Prince of The Crystal Empire here?" Trickery asked, trying to ignore the urge to look over her shoulder and look at the execution. Thievery ignored the noise of ripping skin and gurgling in the background.

Thievery shrugged. "He married the same mare," she said, perking her ears up when she heard giddy laughter. She turned and saw Vanity jump into The Dragon Lord's arms, a giddy smile on her face as he spun her. His suit was covered with blood, and she couldn't believe Vanity hugged that. She rolled her eyes and pointed at her tongue, sticking it out, though she smiled at Pity's chuckle. Trickery gagged and looked away, squeezing her eyes shut.

"What is it?" Pity asked, looking over to the failed-weds. She felt her heart freeze and looked away herself, her mane falling completely straight and her hooves move to do something, mostly they drew circles in the floor. Murders and mentions of her sisters, what was next? Cheese Sandwich? She dreaded the thought that that was very possibly plausible and tried to bury the anxiety bubbling in her throat.

Thievery groaned her eyes at the two. "What? Can't handle a little blood?" She asked, turning away and walking towards the failed Bride and Groom, who were doing anything to not look at their ruined wedding. She noticed Chaos was gone, and simply didn't care where he went, though she frowned as she made his recliner disappear. She felt like an abused housewife as her magic expanded over the bloody zebra with three deep, large gashes in her neck, that was currently spilling blood.

Thievery noticed the lifeless eyes, red at the edges as blood filled her mouth. She was disgusted by the sight, and the memories of the other lifeless eyes she had seen before. Shining Armor and his wife were two of them. "I ain't never seen nothin' worse than a cut on machinery," Trickery said, trying to not follow Thievery with her eyes as she trotted over to the windows, the zebra held high next to her with blood dripping onto the floor. She followed the mares hooves.

Pity swallowed and didn't answer, completely ignoring Thievery. She looked to Trickery. "Hasn't anypony gotten seriously hurt on any of that equipment?" She asked, jumping when she heard something being tossed into the bushes. She turned to Thievery nervously as the mare shut the window. "Are... we... uh, just gonna leave that there?" She asked, her anxiety bubbling into a laugh as Thievery approached her with a smug, undeniably attractive smirk.

Thievery leaned over her, making her cower back into herself. "No," Thievery whispered, stealing a glance down at Pity's lips before she backed away completely. "Rainbow gets to deal with it," she smiled, the husk gone from her voice as she trotted by Pity, her tail lingering on the mare's hooves.

Pity swallowed with a red face as she watched Thievery trot by Controlling, the pegasus protesting. When her protests didn't do anything, Thundersmoke offered to help, and ended up being ordered to dispose of the entire body. He rolled his eyes and flew towards the window, grabbing Controlling's tail with his teeth and smirking smugly at her fighting.

He pushed open the window and threw her outside, following after her. "Absolutely adorable," he said confidently and suggestively, adoring the annoyed look on her face. He utterly adored his captain, would call her captain any time, anywhere, and loved picking on her.

Controlling rolled her eyes, trying to make it seem as if his teasing didn't get seven levels under her skin. "Absolutely annoying, and threatening getting his second-in-command title revoked," she threatened, narrowing her eyes on him and grinning smugly at the way he jumped and fumbled for an apology that didn't threaten his pride too much.

Thundersmoke hated when Controlling could get the better of him, the nature of their friendship was very clear, and very, very defined. Controlling was a softy on the inside, and he picked on her and suggested towards it, all while flirting with her just to fluster her, and definitely not to tempt her to flirt back. But that was how their friendship worked, they were inseparable and perfect fellow commanders over a military, and he was on top. Always. A softy couldn't get under the skin of a pony that most definitely not a softy whatsoever.

But he was saved from apologizing, knowing she really would take his high position away, by Trickery who jumped out of the window with a smile. He felt a bit of envy over her, knowing Controlling's preference for mares, and how close the two were, but he'd respect her this once, she saved him from giving up even a bit of his pride to Controlling.

"Hey, AJ," Controlling said with such a lively, competitive smile. He flicked his tail and tried to keep the irritation off of his face. "What'cha doing out here? Thought this was my job."

Trickery rolled her eyes. "Pinkamena went after Twi, Spike and Rarity went to try and not sulk about their wedding, and Discord's gone. I ain't got nothin' to do," she explained, leaving out many of her thoughts about what their friends would be doing. Controlling smiled as if she was happy she came out there to help them. Trickery smiled back, thankful they had such a good friendship.

Thundersmoke cleared his throat rudely, reminding the two of his presence. His smile was fake, and obviously doused with irritation, both of these things weren't noticed by Controlling. "Why don't we dispose of that body, now? Rainbow Dash and I do have lots of Guard work to be checking on," he said, beaming when Controlling dipped into thought.

She nodded. "I guess we do, huh?" She asked before growling and stomping her hooves, jerking her head away and making her mane flip in a way that made Thundersmoke smile in the dumbest of ways. "And now there's even more thanks to those Harmony cunts," she said with a flick of her tail as she moved towards the bushes.

Trickery chuckled to herself. "'Kay, Captain Dash," she said smugly, making Controlling fume even more as Thundersmoke confidently walked next to her, shooting her a grin she shoved into a bush. He wiggled his way out from underneath her hoof and furrowed his eyebrows at her to match his frown.

Controlling's grin was fake and told him that she knew exactly what she was doing. "Insubordination usually leads to more work, I was only helping you find the body. Though it already was your job in the first place," Controlling said, moving away from the bushes as Trickery started looking with him. "Maybe I should give you something else to do."

Thundersmoke froze and analyzed her words as his heart beat sped up. Was that flirting? That sounded like flirting, and he would gladly comply if it was and do whatever she liked. But as he snuck a glance back at her, he had to look up as she had flown up to the sky and reclined on a cloud. He sighed and looked back to the bushes, trying not to let it get to him.

He heard thunder crack and looked up, seeing Controlling wave at them as dark clouds rolled underneath hers. His eyes widened as rain poured down, he sighed and his ears dropped in irritation. Trickery groaned too, she looked through the bushes more frantically and stomped her hoof when she stopped. "Now, darn it. I saw Twi throw that hippie right here," she said, frowning in a slightly feminine way, too mad to remember how she'd normally act, around a dead body or without a body, and Thundersmoke could only imagine the wedding had worn off on her.

And he also gagged as he found her way too cute and didn't like his, very obvious, type. He glanced over the bushes and noticed there weren't any that she hadn't looked through. He turned to her with a confused look, noticing his beautiful mane had fallen against his neck, completely soaked, but he chose to ignore it. "There's no way it isn't here," he tried reasoning, but as he briefly looked over the bushes himself, he didn't see anything.

The two jumped and whirled behind them, seeing a red flank with a soaked, blonde tail attached. The figure ran towards the city and away from the castle, a red and white... thing laid on his back. Trickery gasped as Thundersmoke didn't think, he started after the pony, only thinking of completing his job.

He fell to the ground as something held his tail down. He growled as he turned back to Trickery's furrowed eyebrows. "What are you doing?" He said angrily, yelling over the pouring rain now dampening his perfect fur. "It's a pony this close to the castle! Ponies aren't supposed to be near the castle, or on this side anyways, without the ruler's permission! Besides, he had the zebra."

Trickery's chest heaved. "That was my brother!" She yelled, stomping her hoof and shaking her head in a way to try and get rid of any of her anger. She bared her teeth. "You ain't touchin' him."

"That," Thundersmoke said as he leaned over. "Isn't your brother," he finished in a hiss, crouching to jump into flight after the stallion, thinking of whatever uses the body of a zebra could have. He didn't have a single clue, but maybe they had medicinal purposes in their... hooves?

As he jumped, he hit the ground again. He fumed and fought her as she grabbed his tail and dragged him, shocking him at how he couldn't overpower her with his entire weight pulling away from her. She threw him into the ball room, climbing in after him and shutting the window. He shot to his hooves, but she spoke first. "We got rid of the body, we did the job," she said, walking past him with harsh steps. He opened his mouth to retort.

"And he's got my permission to be here, ya pleased?" She asked as she walked through the doors, the two slamming shut behind her and making him jump. He sighed.

He grumbled as he followed, walking slower in the hopes of not catching up with her. He was a born military pony, dirty work and errands weren't exactly his style. He really wanted to pick on Controlling to raise his self-esteem, but he knew she'd stay on her cloud until the storm passed.

His idiotic captain told him it reminded her of the home she never told him about.

Apple Bloom paced back and forth, ranting her worries to Applejack, Twilight, and Scootaloo. Sweetie Belle helped the unicorns in creating a roof to their woodland home, shielding them from the rain nearby.

"Where is she? She should've been back by now," Apple Bloom worried, her heart beating out of her chest as her throat seized, her stomach turning. Her chest heaved with fear as she paced, Twilight turning a page in her book with her magic. "Even if she took a detour!"

Applejack held a hoof out in front of her, prompting her to stop. When Apple Bloom simply turned around at the hoof, Applejack snatched her tail and made her stay in place, spitting it out and holding it down with her hoof. Apple Bloom turned to her with wide, orange eyes and a swallow.

Applejack smiled, her chest puffing out in pride. "Don't you worry, sugar cube," she comforted, sending Apple Bloom a soft smile. "It's Zecora, and she's probably smarter than Twilight," Applejack said, pointing at Twilight, who looked up hearing her name mixed with an insult.

Twilight quickly caught up, having zoned out for her book for a second and nodded. "You shouldn't underestimate her. She's got herbs for everything, she's basically an unicorn," Twilight said, watching Apple Bloom's shoulders relax slightly.

Apple Bloom nodded, trying to calm down her breathing as Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle near her relaxed too with their own respective smiles. She smiled at them, forgetting they must've been just as terrified as she was. She nodded, feeling her chest fill with hope as the tension quickly left her body. Her sister was right, Zecora could do just about anything, the zebra taught her everything she knew, and Apple Bloom could do just about anything too.

She nodded. "Yeah, she's probably just picking something up," she said to herself, seeing her words and confidence relaxed Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo even further.

"Big Mac!" She heard Sugar Belle yell. A smile plastered itself on her face as she whirled towards the front of the cult, seeing Sugar Belle run over to a red, bulky stallion, she followed, Applejack right behind her.

But she had a bad feeling as she watched Sugar Belle back away, shaking her head. Big Mac winced and looked away, his face scrunching up in pain. Rain fell over them and she looked up, seeing the unicorns magic fade away slowly, and the cheers quickly stopped as fast as they grew. Her running slowed to a trot as she noticed something on Big Mac's back.

She stopped completely, her eyes widening and her mouth falling open, her lips trembling. Her hooves shook as the world fell apart around her. She could only see the dripping red fabric on his back, covering something that let a striped hoof peek out of. She shook her head, tried to get herself to look away but she couldn't. Her chest heaved, but it felt like she was empty inside.

She didn't know if the water on her face were tears or the rain. She didn't know if the ponies next to her were Applejack and Twilight or Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. She was hyperventilating as all she could see was the shaking, striped hoof dripping with blood. Her head felt light, her body felt too heavy, her hooves felt like her nerves were alive, her heart ached, her stomach turned, her throat scratched as sobs left her, her vision blurred--

She screamed up at the sky with tears pooling down her face.

The Pillars of Disharmony

Author's Note

Warning: This chapter has references and heavy implications and suggestions towards sex. So, if that makes you uncomfortable, don't read.

The Pillars of Disharmony

Thievery paced in front of a circular table located in a room that seemed to become infested with crystals. The table was made as a replica based on the one from Twilight's old castle, and it held a map of Equestria and Beyond, including three dimensional models of each place. Around the bottom of the table, crystals had started spreading, the same thing made stalactites drip from the corners of the ceiling. It was the only reason the table wasn't in their throne room, but the room was still one of the largest in the castle.

A transparent magenta throne appeared near her, but she didn't make a move to sit in it. Pity and Trickery watched as the mare paced with furrowed eyebrows. "Uh, Twi...?" Trickery asked, watching Thievery stop and glare at her harshly. She chuckled nervously and looked away, rubbing the back of her neck. "I was just... uh... wondering why y'all are so worried," she said, trailing off as their 'leader's' stare bared into her more.

Thievery sighed and appeared in her throne with a flash, Pity appearing in her lap and flinching. Thievery absolutely ignored the mare in her lap as she spoke. "Daybreaker said she should've been able to get back to me about what the Pillars of Disharmony actually are today," she said, much more calmly than what her pacing made others expect. She took one look at Pity and made the mare reappear laying on her back over Thievery's legs.

Pity didn't dare fight it as Thievery's magic played with her mane. "And the sun's almost down," she said, glancing at the orange sky past a wall made up of a clear window, similar to Daybreaker's throne room.

"Huh," Trickery said, crossing her hooves over her other ones. "Guess that's what I'm doin' here then?" She said, walking towards the map and her eyes falling on the Everfree Forest. Apple Bloom looked like she cared about Zecora, and Trickery only felt guilt.

She then turned to Thievery with furrowed eyebrows, seeing the mare let Pity jump off of her. "If you can raise the sun and lower the moon," she started, walking towards Thievery's throne. "Can't ya just call 'em yourself?" She watched Thievery sink into her throne with a hum.

Before Trickery could mention anything else, she jumped up off her throne and it disintegrated with every hoof she took off of it. She stared at the magic table before she started circling it silently, her eyes analyzing every part of it. She shrugged and circled around one last time before walking over to her place between Pity and Trickery on one side of the table. The indents in her horn were glowing orange when she looked at Trickery. "I guess you are useful for something," she said smugly as her horn glowed red.

Trickery didn't get a chance to send a comment back as she watched the mare's horn ignite in a deep blue and black, the colors spiraling around her horn with the red and orange that had wrapped their way up it. She watched with wide eyes as the colors expanded over her horn, all sparkling and spiraling violently. They shot at the table and Trickery wished she could hide in her jacket as she bit the inside of her cheek.

"Ugh," Thievery groaned, reaching up and rubbing her head as small sparks of those colors fell from her horn. She assumed the magnitude of whatever she did was the reason for her sudden fatigue and soreness, and as she glanced up, she never wanted to use her horn again. Pain pulsed from it and she winced.

"You okay?" Pity's worrisome voice chirped, Thievery looking over and seeing bright blue eyes with the lighter fur coat than the one five years ago. She smiled and nodded to the concerned mare. Pity had changed a lot over these five years, maybe the most. She wasn't so scared and pathetic anymore, her coat was brighter and her mane was just a half-fluffy, half-straight mess. It was utterly adorable.

Thievery finally looked at the cold crystal that was the magic table. Nothing had happened to it, her face fell and scrunched up in a sneer. She marched over to it, looking over the table, it should've worked, she had magic strong enough to pass through dimensions and alert their rulers. And the magic she used was catered to them, to their rulers world, and it was very strong magic she had learned by simply watching Daybreaker whenever they talked.

She didn't understand why it wasn't working, so she raised her hoof onto the table. She barely got her hoof on when she was shot back, her magic catching her before she broke through the glass window. Her head was pounding as she slid down the wall, holding her head with a groan. "Twilight!" Pity's voice called, racing over to her and looking the groaning and wincing alicorn over.

"Uh, Pinkamena?" Trickery called, her eyes frozen on the holographic image that extended from the table. It was an image of their old rulers throne room. And it was empty.

Thievery peeked her eyes open, tasting something on the back of her tongue as she stood up. Her jaw dropped as she ran over to the table again, searching the image for a trick, a malfunction, or anything that could be the reason as to why the three weren't present.

"We have to go back," she whispered, realization hitting her. She whirled to Pity and Trickery's worried stares. "We have to go back to find out what happened to them," she nodded again.

Trickery shook her head. "Uh-uh, I finally got away from that place," she said, stomping her hoof. "I'm finally independent, I ain't gonna be tempted," she said finally as if she had a choice. Thievery rolled her eyes and looked to Pity who shook her head as well.

"I-I-I can't," she said, ignoring what had to be a disappointed stare from Thievery. "What if we go back to Ponyville?" She asked frantically, cowering into herself as her mane got the tiniest bit straighter.

Thievery shrugged. "Okay, you can stay," she said before turning to Trickery. "We aren't gonna go back to your farm, so what's the problem?" She said as she started towards the door of the room, her magic grabbing a fighting Trickery.

"Hey! Put me down," Trickery fought Thievery's magic on her tail as she tried to walk away from it. "This ain't fair!" She called, Thievery pulling her off of her hooves and hanging her upside down by her tail. Thievery brought her over to her, and cold violet eyes bore into warm green ones. Trickery shook her head, she was serious about this and wasn't going to let a terrifying stare stop her. "Do you even know how to get us there?!"

Thievery dropping her told her the mare had no clue. "Fuck me," Thievery growled, her horn lighting up and making tens of books appear around her. They all dropped after they were summoned, Thievery groaning and putting her hoof to her head.

She scowled down at a book before dramatically rolling her eyes and using her hoof to flip open the cover. Pity walked up next to her as Trickery stood up, grumbling about the hard crystal floors. "How are you gonna find a spell 'bout it here? They didn't even know there was another Equestria!" Trickery fought.

"Neither did we," Thievery said as she looked over the table of contents in a book over teleportation. "Daybreaker and the other rulers did, so maybe Celestia did." She groaned as she had to manually flip to page one hundred and sixty-two.

Trickery shook her head. "They thought we were changelings too, I think," she said, turning away from their 'leader' as Pity sat down and started looking through another book with much more ease. Trickery considered helping them, just so she wouldn't have to think of the awful things they done, or the awful things she had done to the Apple Bloom here over all the years.

She sighed and sat down in front of the window. She was a power-hungry monster like her friends, and she had shown that side of herself to Apple Bloom just because of those disobedient orange eyes. She let her ears fall as she shut her eyes, trying to fight the tears welling in them and the guilt rising in her throat. The least she could do was to keep their cult's location a secret, because as she looked up at the sun, she hoped The Elements of Harmony won.

She jumped as she heard a crash and looked towards the table, seeing the hologram blur before hardening it's image. Her face dropped as she stood up, seeing Nightmare Moon fall to the ground with scuffed armor. "Nightmare Moon!" She called, racing over to the image and sitting her hooves up on the table. Nightmare Moon shot her a glare before her head fell, her eyes shutting.

Thievery pushed her aside. "Where's Daybreaker?" She demanded, Pity trotting up behind her. They heard buzzing before a Princess Cadenza changing into Chrysalis flew over Nightmare Moon with wide eyes. Big green bug-eyes looked up at Thievery, the changeling stiffened and looked to the side.

"Daybreaker!" She called, bringing Thievery to notice the torn wing that was slowly growing back. "It's Twilight," she said after Daybreakers quiet and distant voice said 'I'll do it later'. Daybreaker appeared in front of the image in an orange flash with a fake smile despite the cut leaking blood across her cheek.

"Twilight!" She smiled widely. "Just the girl I wanted to see."

Thievery shook her head. "What's going on? Why are all of you hurt?" She asked, wondering what could possibly cut Daybreaker, hurt Nightmare Moon to the point of unconsciousness, and tear Queen Chrysalis' wing. The thought of the Pillars of Disharmony completely left her mind.

Daybreaker groaned, rolling her eyes. "Ponyville started a rebellion, half the cities joined, and now we're dealing with a civil war," she said, her face scrunching up into a scowl. She shot straight up with a smirk. "Tell Discord to come back."

Trickery stepped in front of Thievery, saving the mare the trouble of disappointing Daybreaker. "Sorry, we ain't got no clue where he is," she said, feeling Thievery's eyes baring into her. She ignored it and bit the inside of her cheek.

Daybreaker groaned again, her expression falling with her head. "Well, tell Discord to get his pony-loving ass over here the second you see him," she growled, mostly towards Trickery who bit her tongue and nodded.

Thievery shoved her way in front of her with a scowl. "Why are you three getting involved?" She lectured. "Get guards to fight for you. Especially with your conditions."

Daybreaker shook her head. "Half our army is gone, they left for Ponyville," she scowled, remembering Trickery and Pity lived in Ponyville, and noticing Trickery's worried expression. "Most businesses are staying neutral. And if Flim and Flam decide to join my side, I'll give them solace in my castle," she said, seeing Trickery visibly relax.

Thievery's scowl didn't leave her face as she looked up at Daybreaker. "I'll make sure to send Discord," she said, seeing Daybreaker nod after her statement.

"So, Twily," Daybreaker said tauntingly, making Thievery stiffen and making Pity and Trickery wonder why. "What did you need me for?" She said before sitting up in realization, looking at what had to be their own crystal table. "How did you do this?"

"I can raise the sun and lower the moon, just like you can," Thievery said simply, batting her eyelids with a frown. "I can figure out a simple spell." Daybreaker nodded before Thievery continued. "And you said you'd tell me what the Pillars of Disharmony are."

Trickery raised her eyebrow at her. "Didn't six ponies here find the Pillars of Harmony?" She asked, seeing all the attention on her and trying to fight through it. "Doesn't that mean we shoulda found the Pillars of Disharmony?" Thievery and Daybreaker stared at her for a while before shrugging.

Daybreaker smiled devilishly at her. "Cheats and dirty tricks make up our world," she started before narrowing her stare on Trickery. "And your Pillar is Trickery. I assume the counter to that Honesty mare on the enemy team?" Daybreaker asked as Trickery nodded.

Pity and Thievery waited for their previous ruler to reveal the rest, including theirs. "Merciless is that yellow one of yours, counters Kindness," Daybreaker said with a wave of her hoof as she looked anything but interested. "Oh, and these aren't opposites, they're simply their own.

"Pinkamena is Pity," she continued listing. Pity had been standing on the edge of her hooves, waiting for some important role. Her mane almost flattened when she heard the word. "Rarity is Vanity," Daybreaker continued, the three rolling their eyes as it was more than expected. "Rainbow Dash is Controlling," she said, the three, once again, rolling their eyes.

"I heard my name?" Controlling slammed open the door with a cocky smile and a puffed out chest. She was dressed in a deep black armor with a red lightning bolt on the flank. She smirked proudly, her armor looking like it just got shined as her mane looked as soft and beautiful as ever.

Thundersmoke shot her a scowl she didn't see because she was too caught up in herself. His armor was the same black, and blended in with his fur, but they assumed the two helmets on his back were why he was annoyed. His wings were spread in an attempt to keep them balanced.

Daybreaker rolled her eyes and groaned, as if she'd kill Controlling if she could. "Your little mob is becoming a pain, Rainbow Dash," she said as Controlling and Thundersmoke rounded the table to see Daybreaker. Thundersmoke's jaw hung open at the sight of the fiery alicorn that was so different that the elegant one he worked for years ago.

Rainbow Dash stopped and shot their previous ruler daggers. "Hurt any of them and you pay, princess," Controlling said rudely, though the 'princess' was laced with fake respect.

"I have no choice if they want to throw me out of the castle," Daybreaker fought back, her mane flying up as she raised her voice. She sat back with a mischevious grin. "Besides, you don't live here anymore. So, why do you care?"

Thundersmoke watched as Controlling's confidence didn't waver. "Those were my men, Daybreaker. They were family," she shot back, feeling fire rise in her chest.

Daybreaker rolled her eyes with a grin. "Too bad," she said harshly, her smile falling as her mane rocketed upwards and stayed. She held her head high as she spoke with power. "They're against me and my kingdom. They will die in war or surrender," she said coldly.

"Then take me back and I'll talk to them!" Controlling fought desperately. "They'll listen to me!"

Daybreaker's grin widened at the news, and Thievery realized her plan was to rile Controlling up so she'd help stop part of the war. "Good, you can come here with Discord."

"Don't hurt anypony!" Controlling begged, making Thundersmoke wonder why she didn't care nearly this much for her Canterlot guard. Then again, he had no idea she cared this much about her previous home.

He grinned devilishly. He was definitely going to tag along with her, if she wouldn't tell him about her home, he'd find out. And maybe he'd get to meet Scootaloo and Soarin too. He dropped their helmets and took a step towards the door. "I'm just going to go check on... the guards," he said, giving the worse excuse he'd ever heard, but Controlling didn't seem to care. He grinned widely and raced out of the room to find Chaos.

Daybreaker nodded. "If you can stop their efforts against me, they get off free, even the ones we've already imprisoned," she said reassuringly, making Controlling fall with a sigh of relief as all tension left her. But Thievery knew, she knew Daybreaker didn't keep her word as she looked up at the fiery princess. Daybreaker would hurt as many of the pegasi as she could before Controlling showed and would lie. Thievery only hoped those closest to Controlling hadn't been caught.

Trickery stepped in front of the others. "What was the last Pillar?" She asked, curious as to what horrid thing their leader represented. Trickery's was on the milder side of things, while she regarded Vanity's as true evil. These Pillars were either abilities, personality traits, or both. And Vanity could care about herself and only herself, leading her to being a special form of greed and selfishness.

She could only imagine what their leaders horrible rudiment of evil could be. Controlling and mercilessness were up there on the more evil side too, the two had a sick drive that came from their Pillar. She didn't know where to place Pity, because it could weaken the enemy and throw them off guard, or it could make the pony holding it weak.

"Twilight's is--" Daybreaker started, but stopped as she heard an extremely childish voice speak.

"Oh, golly! Am I interrupting something?" A pink pegasus asked worriedly, a filled out mare that still had rosy cheeks and her childish hair cut. "I was just looking for you two to deliver what you wanted," she told Controlling and Thievery.

Thievery walked over to her. "You're fine, Cozy," she said, taking the document in her magic from Cozy's wing. Though, her head pounded and she dropped it, picking it up with her wing. Controlling trotted over to Cozy and took the paper, tossing it on the ground and looking over it. "This is perfect, Cozy. Thanks," Thievery said.

Pity tried looking over Controlling's shoulder. "What did you two need?" She asked, ignoring Daybreaker's annoyed expression at the interruption.

"Information on Ponyville," the two said in unison, looking up at each other when they were done. Thievery had moved to holding the document up by her wings, reading over the main history points of Ponyville. Other than the Apple Family founding, most history took place in later years. Controlling looked over the financial stability of the town, and the overall state of it.

Cozy nodded with an utterly adorable smile. "Well, just call when ya need me," she said with a half-bow, trotting out of the room.

Daybreaker rolled her eyes, opening her mouth when she heard a cry. She looked to the left and sighed, putting her hoof to her forehead and dragging it down. She turned to Thievery, though she looked to Trickery when her little alicorn was occupied. "We'll have to continue this later, Luna is on death's door," she grumbled as she walked off screen.

Trickery and Pity itched to cry a wish as the screen disappeared, though they held their mouths shut in fear of what the others would think. They hoped Daybreakers annoyance meant that Lu-- Nightmare Moon would be fine. Trickery shook the thoughts from her head. "Wait, we don't know what Twilight's is."

Thievery picked her head up at hearing her name, and opened her mouth to respond, but something slamming made her shut it. She turned to the door and a smirk instantly fell on her face at the sight. The Dragon Lord leaned against the door frame with such a tired and irritated stare as lipstick covered his neck. He drug his claws down his face. "Okay, are we doing something important or can I go back to my nap?"

Controlling snickered, momentarily wondering where Thundersmoke went before ignoring it. "I doubt it's as important as Rarity," she said, her snickering turning into full laughter as Thievery walked up next to her with a sly smile.

She pointed at the dragon's neck. "Or getting last night, or this morning for all we know, off your neck," she said, laughing with Controlling as The Dragon Lord narrowed his eyes on them with a scowl.

"Fuck you," he said, only fueling their laughter as his threat was his admitting it, though it didn't even need admitting. He held out his claws, ready to explain whatever he was going to explain that, in his sleepy state, was probably a bad idea. Though Vanity stepped in past him looking even worse than him and he had the urge to cover up her horrible state as she shot Controlling and Thievery a scowl.

Her ruffled mane, hickey covered neck, and light claw marks on her hips only made the two laugh more. "Oh, hush it," she growled, stepping past him and stomping towards Thievery. "At least we don't openly invite each other to bed," she huffed, staring right at Thievery's amused grin.

Pity hid behind Trickery as Thievery talked. "What's the point not to?" She asked, enjoying the failed weds annoyed glowers.

"It's indecent!" Vanity said rudely, shoving her muzzle onto Thievery's in anger.

"Yes, because you're definitely 'decent' right now," Controlling snickered from behind the alicorn. Vanity's eye twitched as her horn activated, fixing her hair and summoning makeup to cover up her neck and hips. She scowled at the two's amused, and clearly enjoying the sight faces.

When she was done, she flipped her mane. "Better?" She huffed, watching the two snicker as they nodded.

Trickery watched as the four delved back into insults about indecency and decency and what was the point and said point and she sneered. She stomped her hooves to get their attention, the four whirling to her ready to add her to the fight. "Now, hush!" She said, making Controlling and The Dragon Lord sigh in compliance. Thievery and Vanity glanced at each other with temptation, but ignored it.

"The only reason we're all in here is to figure out what the Pillars of Disharmony actually are," Trickery said, noticing Thievery and Vanity weren't going to fight in the middle of her sentence. "And Twi, Pinkamena, and I are the only ones who know five of 'em."

Vanity rolled her eyes. "What do names of some pillars even do for us?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at Trickery, expecting the mare to talk. But Trickery bit her tongue and looked away. She actually had no idea why they needed the names.

Thievery stepped in front of the crowd and looked back at it. "She's right," she said, looking over all of their unconvinced faces. When she looked at Pity and Trickery, she saw faces of curiosity. "Cause there's something I didn't tell you about these Pillars." Now, they were interested.

"The Pillars of Harmony found artifacts from their homes and things that just... symbolized that element, I guess," she said with a shrug, seeing fear take over the crowd. "So, to have a set of elements like our enemy does, we need those artifacts," she revealed, seeing the groans wash over the crowd.

She wasn't done as she stepped closer to them. "We'll go a few at a time, to make sure there is still ponies in power here," she said, looking to Controlling. "Since you have to go make peace with the pegasi, get it then."

Controlling nodded before she shook her head and leaned closer to Thievery with furrowed eyebrows. "Who's gonna run my military? Cause I ain't trusting Hippie Mc'my hair needs to look good' to do it," she scoffed harshly, wishing Thundersmoke was there to be offended by her hilarious insult.

Thievery puffed her chest out. "Applejack and I will run it while you're gone," she said calmly, ignoring the sweat dripping down Controlling's neck. She rolled her eyes. "AJ follows you around and knows how to do it, I'll just be a voice," she said seriously. "This military can't fall when we have The Elements to worry about, I won't fuck with it," she promised.

Trickery stepped next to her and nodded. "Yeah, I'll make sure it runs just like you do it," she said reassuringly, smiling when Controlling nodded reluctantly.

Thievery turned to the glass wall and watched as the moon raised and the sun set slowly. "We've worked too hard for this, we can't let them take it away," she said, signaling a speech that she heard quiet groans in response to. "We'll find those artifacts and show them that their Harmony can't beat Disharmony."

She turned to them, eyes a violent crimson. "Honesty can't beat Trickery, Kindness can't beat mercilessness, Laughter can't beat Pity, Generosity can't beat Vanity, and Loyalty can't beat Controlling," she said, watching ponies shutting down their shops for the day.

"And finally, Magic can't beat Thievery," she said, watching with red eyes as her city closed in for sleep, her city. It was her city. She heard snickers and scowled, slowly turning her head to Controlling, Vanity, and The Dragon Lord chuckling behind hooves or claws. She rolled her eyes. "What's so funny?"

Controlling was the first to speak up. "I don't really think stealing a lamp can beat alicorn magic," she said between snickers, breaking into a full laugh with the other two did at the sheer idea of Thievery using a stolen lamp to block full-fledged alicorn magic.

In a flash, Controlling stopped laughing as Thievery appeared in front of her, a deep sneer in her features as her red eyes tore through Controlling's soul. "I think you misunderstand," she said slowly and menacingly, sending shivers down the three's spines. "I mean thievery of emotions like happiness, or sadness, or maybe stealing the will to live?" She asked coldly, making the crystals hanging from the roof look warm.

"And I will take everything," she said with a snap, making Controlling jump, "from you if we lose, understand?" She asked. Controlling nodded her head desperately, The Dragon Lord and Vanity doing the same even if the threat wasn't directly directed at them. Thievery backed off with a smile. "Good."

Just outside the door, Cozy Glow plastered herself to the wall and held an ear up to the door, a wide grin on her face. "Uh, Cozy?" Thundersmoke asked. She jumped and turned to him, falling to her four hooves with a less maniacal smile on her face. "What are you doing?"

Cozy batted her eyelids at him and leaned towards him. "I just gave Princess Twilight And Commander Rainbow Dash some papers," she said innocently, her voice keeping it's high pitch from her younger years. "I just wanted to make sure I did it right. I think they sometimes act nice around me because of how cute I am," she said with a small smile, cowering into herself.

Thundersmoke shrugged. "I doubt it, Twilight's pretty straight forward," he said simply and walked into the room. Cozy Glow trotted off with a wide, devious grin on her face.

A Dead Mare's Wishes

Twilight watched the cult with a heavy heart, the cloudy skies casting a gloomy overcast at the recent happenings. Twilight had assumed the leadership role of the cult after Zecora's death three days ago, and ever since then even the forest around them seemed to share their sorrow.

Twilight felt horrible when she didn't cry in the light of Zecora's death, but as time passed, she felt guilt hang over herself along with the canopy of sorrow that hung over their cult. The cult put together a memorial and funeral for Zecora, and it comically rained on that day, as if the world of Harmony knew they had lost a true warrior and mentor for the corrupt world.

And no one had been happy, half the cult didn't leave their tree houses, and others sat around Zecora's grave and didn't leave. Pinkie Pie had taken over the cooking duties for the mares who did it, Applejack tried helping her, but it seemed Pinkie Pie only wanted to focus on cooking alone. The energetic mare's straight mane and dull coat only furthered the fact that they had just lost someone.

The other Elements had taken up many jobs to allow the cult to mourn properly, wanting to take as much of the blunt for the cult after five years of abandonment. Fluttershy acted as a substitute for the Cake twins, though they didn't listen, they understood what had happened and after one day of not listening, they were allowed to stay inside the house with their mother.

Rarity and Twilight took over the magic, creating a roof when it rained. Rainbow Dash and Applejack were reserves and did whatever they could that the other four couldn't handle, which left them with almost nothing to handle. But no one was arguing, the two had little sisters that were close to being Zecora's daughters. The Harmony Crusaders never left Zecora's grave and only sat in silence as they stared at a gold ring sitting on a cross. The gold ring was something Zecora had put away with all of her other jewelry, saying she'd put it back on when Harmony reigned over Equestria again.

The Crusaders had put it back up in her treehouse, silently saying they'd put it back on the cross when Harmony won. The Elements had tried their hardest to get the three to eat, or at least sleep in a treehouse, but they wouldn't move, and their only response would be the dried tears on their cheeks.

Twilight and Applejack didn't know how to feel, both hit with something good happening, and the death of an old friend at the same time. Twilight had gained the courage to lead again, and to go against Thievery, something her friends had silently smiled at. But now she saw Zecora's nod that silently passed on leadership to her as a goodbye and felt tears well in her eyes at the memory. Applejack had seen Big Mac again, though he was carrying Zecora's body on his back and only brought sorrow with what should've been a happy reunion.

Apple Bloom hadn't even hugged him. And Applejack didn't understand, but she didn't need to, she saw how much Zecora's death affected Apple Bloom and she wasn't going to stop the mare from mourning. But Applejack knew they needed to do something to cheer the camp up, if Big Mac's return wasn't enough to overshadow Zecora's death, then they had to do something that would.

Applejack slowly walked over to the green tent, one that was only occupied by her friends. Thunderlane, Sweetie Drops, and Lyra were all in the same spots as the Crusaders, and were locked in their houses with their own mourning. Rainbow Dash didn't say anything, but she was sure they were locked in so they wouldn't want to sit at the grave with the Crusaders. Rainbow knew they thought the Crusaders deserved that spot more than anypony else.

Twilight looked lazily over the map of Equestria and Beyond, though a map of Ponyville sat in the center, blocking most of the ocean that was just east of Equestria. When she raised her hoof, the others thought she would move the Ponyville map, but instead, she pulled it closer to her.

"I think we need to do something to inspire the village," she said calmly, looking over the small number at the top of the map that had been written over so many times it wasn't legible. But she assumed the number was just a total of all of the smaller numbers scattered throughout the map, and after counting, it only ended at twenty-nine.

"You sure that's the best idea, sugar cube?" Applejack asked before sitting up and looking around, seeing it anypony was immediately nearby. She leaned over the table and whispered, even after finding no one. "It's only been three days."

Rarity nodded. "I don't think we can do anything to help them," she admitted sadly, hanging her head. She looked up at Twilight with crystal blue eyes. "They all got to know Zecora and she's been a guardian to them for five years."

Fluttershy nodded. "I think they need more time to mourn," she said sheepishly, hiding behind her mane with a glance away. Rainbow Dash nodded in agreement, moving Pinkie's head as the mare was too frozen to do it herself.

Twilight sighed, standing up and looking down at them with her new height. "I know they got to know Zecora more than we did, and her death probably affected them more than it did us, but--"

"Aren't you sad she's gone?" Pinkie asked almost rudely, looking up at Twilight with a frown edging on a scowl. "We still knew Zecora, she was still our friend," she fought, her vision blurring as tears welled in her eyes. Rainbow Dash pulled the mare closer to her with her wing as Pinkie Pie covered her eyes with her hooves.

Twilight felt her heart hang as memories of Zecora filled her mind. Zecora was a beacon of hope for the cult, and all of Equestria. She protected when they didn't, and for that, Twilight would be forever grateful. But seeing Thievery try her hardest to trick her, to pull her back down into her spiral of depression she had gone through for five years made fire fill her veins. And she didn't want to be sad anymore, she wanted to do something.

She looked over her friends, knowing they had all forced their ways through their sorrow by doing work for the cult, guilt filling their bodies. And now, it seemed none of them had felt any pain over Zecora, they had simply worked their way through it, blocked their access to the sorrow and now they couldn't open the door. Twilight didn't see the point to wait until they could open that door.

She put a hoof up on the table, drawing the other's attention to her. "Then we give them time to mourn as we do something," she said, watching each of her friends give her wide eyes. She sighed. "We all know we're more able to do something than the rest of the group, so we should do something," she nodded.

Rainbow Dash looked up at her. "What are we going to do?" She asked, her pink eyes full of that loyalty and trust Twilight had always seen in them. And now, that loyalty meant the world to her as she smiled. The others looked to her too, ready to fulfill any plan the alicorn had planned.

Twilight's magic covered the map as she turned it towards them, the group staring down at a detailed map of their old home. They had all seen it on their journey to Canterlot for a wedding, and it made them sick. Though Applejack and Pinkie were happy the Apple Farm and the Cakes old shop were still intact. "I say we take back Ponyville," Twilight said seriously, seeing the group light up slightly.

She smiled back. "Ponyville is a small town, so I assume no one would have moved there over the years," she said, feeling hope fill her again as her friends looked more and more happy with the idea of going back to their old home. "Which means, most of the ponies, and guards, will help us and won't fight us," she said happily. And her smile widened as she saw Pinkie jump up with a wide smile, fluffy mane, and light coat.

"We can get the Cakes back together!" She said happily, bouncing constantly as she was unable to contain the excitement. Twilight smiled back, though she could see Pinkie was just pushing the whole happiness part, she was simply trying not to show how sad she still was about Zecora's death.

And as much as Twilight respected that, she didn't think it was healthy. "Pinkie Pie," she said sentimentally, seeing Pinkie stop her bouncing slightly and smile sadly back. She assumed her tone said it all.

"It's okay, Twily," she said as her ears fell and she cowered slightly into herself. "Everypony here was strong for us while we were gone," she said, tilting her head with a wide smile. "So we can do the same now!"

Twilight felt her heart swell as she felt tears in her eyes. She wiped them away, though she knew she could always count on Pinkie Pie to see the good in a situation. She turned to Rainbow Dash when the pony spoke up. "What about Cloudsdale?" She asked, Fluttershy peering up at Twilight next to her.

Twilight let her ears fall, watching as the small tell made Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash's shoulders fall. "I'm sorry girls, it's just the cloud cities have spread, meaning more ground-- cloud and more ponies that could live there," she said, wishing it could've been different. She was the leader now, especially with Celestia and Luna still injured, she had to make executive decisions that were good for everypony, even if it didn't make everypony happy.

Rainbow Dash smiled up at her, standing up and puffing her chest out. "It's alright, one thing at a time I guess, right?" She said with a wide smirk, her wings spreading behind her. She watched as Fluttershy stood up next to her with a small smile, but she nodded her agreement.

Twilight watched as Rarity and Applejack stood up, the two wearing trusting grins and determined stares. All of them were determined to make today a new day, and to be the cult that believed and worked in conquest of them over the years. "So, what's first?" Applejack asked, shooting Rarity a glance. "You think your boutique's still there?"

Rarity shot her a nastier glare. "Oh, it better be," she hissed, her head ducking between her shoulders at just the thought of her other half getting rid of all of her shops. She perked up when she heard Applejack chuckle and only dropped her ears in anger.

Twilight was beaming, ready to be the hope for a new world and a new tomorrow. She couldn't wait, she was ready to be a leader, finally over her retched fear of Thievery and she couldn't wait to take back what was hers. And she was going to do it just like how Rainbow said, one step at a time.

She walked more into the clearing, her friends following until she turned back to face them. "Rainbow, Rarity, Applejack, I'm sorry to ask this of you, but The Crusaders do a lot in this group," she started, seeing the three fall slightly at the memory of their little sisters and how harshly the death had affected them. "I think we should at least ask them if they want to help, unless you don't think it's a good idea."

Rarity looked to the mares next to her and hung her head. "The girls were close to Zecora, I-I think it's best we let them mourn properly," she said, wincing slightly as Rainbow Dash and Applejack nodded. Twilight understood and didn't push it, thinking the three knew their little sisters the best.

"Alright, then I'll go wake up Spike. And I do think we should ask some ponies if they want to help," Twilight said, knowing some ponies would be anxious to do something to get their dead leader off their minds. "Without the Crusaders, Applejack, you go ask Big Mac and Sugar Belle," she ordered, seeing Applejack nod and run off towards the tree houses to find wherever Big Mac and Sugar Belle were. If it wasn't for Zecora's death, Applejack would've celebrated a late marriage, and she had it at the front of her mind for when the cult got back on it's hooves.

Twilight smiled and looked to Rainbow Dash. "You go ask Thunderlane, Lyra, and Sweetie Drops, but try not to push it if they don't want to," she said, Rainbow Dash using her wing to salute before she flew towards the treehouses.

Twilight looked to the others with determined violet. "Pinkie, I think Mrs. Cake would want to--"

"Already on it!" Pinkie bounced, disappearing in a pink flash as she bet Applejack to the treetops. And Applejack just watched in confusion as she skipped her way to a treehouse with a piece of paper with a crudely drawn cake on it. No pony was sure if Pinkie Pie or one of the twins drew it.

Fluttershy and Rarity stood at attention, heads held high as the sun came out from behind the clouds. And Twilight decided Zecora was right when she had said the woods reacted to the morale inside. Twilight smiled, thinking about carving that into Zecora's grave. "You two go find anypony else and meet back here, I'll help if you two aren't already done by the time I wake Spike."

Rarity rolled her eyes as she ran off. "She'll be late if it's Spike she's trying to wake," she told Fluttershy with a wink, basking in the afternoon sun that made her fur feel just radiant. Fluttershy smiled as she flew up to a bridge, Rarity grinning smugly before she appeared next to Fluttershy in a light blue flash. Fluttershy wondered when Rarity had learned how to teleport, and reduced it down to sometime in the Empire. She shrugged it off, guessing she'd never seen it as there wasn't much need to teleport in a castle with no conflict.

Twilight had encased her body in magenta before she disappeared, reappearing in a bland treehouse with just a bed that Spike was currently hogging. She rolled her eyes with a smile, though she remembered he was still a teenager and questioned if it was a good idea to drag him into this. She took a deep breath, understanding that he wasn't a baby anymore, and didn't need to be shielded from anything anymore.

She sighed at that revelation as she walked over to him and used her hoof to shake him. He grumbled something about a few more minutes as he pulled the blanket further over his shoulder. She rolled her eyes with a smile, remembering how he'd grown up in their time at the Empire.

He was much taller, almost as tall as her now, and he wore two new wings he had gotten a few years ago. He had matured and didn't spend all of his time next to her, sure, he was upset, but he was also becoming his own dragon. And as sad as it made her to think he wasn't her little, little brother anymore, she still beamed at the idea that he was grown and could only imagine how much better he felt about himself.

She tried shaking him again when he mumbled the same thing and pulled the blanket over his face this time, his tail falling out of the end of it. She rolled her eyes when her magic covered the surface of the blanket and pulled it off of him. He growled, his tail swinging slightly as he pulled the pillow over his face with a scowl. She pulled that away from him too.

"Come on, Twi," he mumbled, sitting up and looking at her with tired eyes. She only wore an amused look he deduced down to sheer villainy. "I'm tired," he groaned.

She smiled, picking up the blanket and pillow. "You're always tired," she said, encasing him in her magic and pulling him off of the bed. He didn't even try to fight it as he was put on the ground. "But we have work to do, and I thought you'd want to help," she said, fixing the bed.

She fixed the pillow's place before turning to his curious gaze. "You don't have to, especially if you're still upset over... but we were going to take Ponyville back from Electricity's control," she said, turning towards the door. "We're meeting in the clearing, if you want to come," she said, flying out of the room before letting him respond.

But she turned around as she saw a purple dragon with a smug grin staring at her, flying up next to her. "Come on, you can't do anything without your trusty, number one, spectacular assistant," he smiled widely, his wings spreading behind his back as he puffed his chest out and held his head high.

Twilight chuckled and nodded before she turned to look over the cult, seeing the rest of the Elements standing at the clearing with a very small crowd. She turned to Spike, who was still gloating. She tilted her head towards the clearing. "Come on, everypony's waiting," she said, spreading her wings and flying down. He followed.

As they walked up to the clearing, Rarity leaned over Fluttershy with a horribly successful grin. "Told you so," she said, enjoying Fluttershy's small smile back. Twilight and Spike looked over the crowd, only seeing the specified ponies that were standing there.

She looked to Fluttershy and Rarity, Fluttershy stepping a hoof ahead and shaking her head, "No pony else was interested, but they did wish us good luck." Twilight nodded, looking as Sugar Belle and Big Mac smiled at her sadly, their wedding rings around their necks shining in the new sun. Thunderlane, Lyra, and Sweetie Drops stood behind Rainbow Dash with determined stares.

She raised an eyebrow as the Cake twins stood with puffed out chests in front of their blissfully smiling mother. Mrs. Cake chuckled at Twilight's amused stare. "They're going to wait in the edge of the forest until we're done," she said before tears fell down her face, a wide smile on her as she bent down and hugged her twins. "Oh, it's going to be okay," she said, looking at her brave twins. "We're going to see daddy again," she said, more tears of happiness falling out of her eyes as she nuzzled her kids.

Pinkie Pie looked as if she was about to explode with warmth and fuzzy happiness. Twilight nodded, "I'm sure this is more than enough. I trust the ponies of Ponyville will want to help us."

Big Mac nodded. "Yep!" Applejack shot Sugar Belle a knowing grin, Sugar Belle giggling as she nuzzled Big Mac.

"We're still more than happy to help," Sugar Belle told Twilight, smiling sadly at Applejack. "Oh, we get to see your farm again," she realized, tears welling in her eyes as Big Mac hugged her tightly.

"It's your farm now, too," he said, Sugar Belle gasping with a hoof to her mouth. Tears slipped out of her eyes too as she looked to Applejack, the mare nodding at her.

"Yep, you're family now, Sugar Belle," she said, hugging the couple with an overwhelmingly happy smile.

Sugar Belle covered her eyes, laughing out choked sobs as she shook her head. Her hooves were unable to clean her face of tears as her smile was the only visible thing. "Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you so much."

Twilight looked to Rainbow Dash, who stood proudly with the stallion and mares behind her. They didn't say anything, and Twilight didn't blame them. Their stares and smiles wavered with their strong stances. Twilight shook her head. "You three don't have to--"

"Don't worry about us," Sweetie Drops said with a sad smile.

Thunderlane nodded. "Yeah, Zecora wouldn't want us to be sad," he said, looking up at the glorious sun that Zecora had always admired.

Lyra stood next to Sweetie Drops with a sorrowful smile, though loving eyes as she stared at Sweetie Drops. "Yeah, Zecora wanted to give Harmony back to Equestria," she said with a bow to Twilight. "And we're going to do everything in our power to fulfill her wish."

Sweetie Drops and Thunderlane bowed in agreement, thinking they couldn't have said it any better. Though Lyra looked cautiously at Sweetie Drops. "Was that good?" She whispered. Her response was Thunderlane and Sweetie Drops both hugging her tightly with tears in their eyes.

Twilight nodded, turning towards the entrance to the cult with a determined stare, Lyra's words sitting with her. The mare was right, they should do everything they could to give Zecora what she wanted. And as she looked up at the sun, it felt like Zecora was watching over them instead of Celestia. "I promise," she whispered to the sky, deciding that Zecora's wish would be hers.

And she wanted to fulfill hers and a dead mare's wish.

The small group disappeared in a flash of magenta, disappearing with hope filled veins with determination to spread that hope to the rest of their cult, or at least, allow them to mourn. Though Cozy Glow was sitting by a tree, eating an apple she had in her wing. And she wore one of her most devilish grins as she dropped the half-eaten apple, trotting deeper into the woods.

Twilight and her small group of warriors stood at the edge of the forest, watching as Ponyville was just a bush jump away. Twilight turned back towards the group, seeing Pinkie Pie and Mrs. Cake both push the idea that the twins needed to stay at the edge of the woods, and weren't allowed to go any further. The twins nodded.

Twilight smiled at the group. "I'm sure the ponies of Ponyville would be more than happy to help us and won't fight us, but does anyone know how we can keep Ponyville safe from Electricity?" She asked, seeing some of the confused faces at the name when she remembered Mrs. Cake, Big Mac, and Sugar Belle were never told the names they had given the enemy. "The other Twilight," she corrected, thinking it best if she didn't explain it. The enemies names were bound to change, as she had sent Cozy Glow out on a mission to infiltrate Canterlot and figure out what Elements-- Pillars of Disharmony the enemy represented.

Pinkie Pie jumped up with a smile. "Why don't we just get the ponies of Ponyville to do what Electricity's doing?" She suggested with a wide grin. "Like how Thievery's got a magic shield-y thingy around all of Equestria?" She suggested.

The others looked at her with confused stares and frowns as Pinkie Pie looked over them. Twilight walked next to her, putting a wing over Pinkie Pie. "I guess your reading up on military strategies is going to be useful," she complimented, seeing the mare gush at the approval.

Though Mrs. Cake blinked and wavered on her hooves as if she was lightheaded. "You learned what?" She asked warily, and she would've fallen over if it wasn't for her daughter's magic catching her. Pinkie Pie chuckled and helped the mare stand up. She assumed the idea that her husband and close to daughter figure knowing about military stuff and how it worked overwhelmed the old mare.

Twilight smiled, turning towards the edge of the forest and the edge of Ponyville with a feeling of hope. And she looked softly as the sun washed over the town as well. "Alright, we're just going to walk to Town Hall," she said confidently.

Thunderlane peaked past Rainbow Dash. "Uh, Twilight? You sure that's a good idea? Zecora asked almost everypony in Ponyville if they wanted to join us," he explained, seeing Lyra and Sweetie Drops nodding their agreement. "They might panic."

Twilight froze, understanding and taking in Thunderlane's suggestion. Her horn glowed as she looked to Rarity, Rarity silently understood as her horn lit up too, Lyra doing the same . The two looked to Sugar Belle, who at first didn't understand until she saw blue and magenta magic covering parts of Ponyville. She shut her eyes and focused her magic as she filled in a, though small, part of the shield.

Applejack grinned when Big Mac looked so proud. Twilight looked back and nodded at the group before taking a step forward, though that step was halted as two foals ran past her giggling. "Pound Cake! Pumpkin Cake!" Mrs. Cake and Pinkie Pie shouted in unison, racing after the twins. Though they greedily looked ahead, Pound Cake flying at speeds that challenged Thunderlane and Pumpkin Cake sporadically teleporting ahead. Needless to say, two earth ponies couldn't catch up.

Twilight and the others chased after, Rainbow Dash and Thunderlane racing after Pound Cake, though his strange, unpredictable flight patterns had them stopping every other turn as the foal ran through town, drawing the attention of every pony in town. The ponies who saw the spectacle gasped, wondering if that was Rainbow Dash they had just seen fly by. Ditzy smiled softly, knowing that rainbow trail only belonged to one.

Lyra, Sweetie Drops, Rarity, and Fluttershy also chased after Pound Cake from the ground, though Lyra and Rarity couldn't do much to catch him with their magic activated. Ponies jaws dropped, not believing that the Fluttershy and Rarity had raced by.

The rest went after Pumpkin Cake, who was also impossible to catch as the group panted, staring down an empty alleyway. They didn't understand, Pumpkin Cake had just turned down this way, though they suddenly understood as they saw a filly race across the wall, not even taking a look back as Mrs. Cake yelled after her.

They ran down the alleyway when Pumpkin Cake turned the corner, the group standing out in the open as they looked for the filly. Ponies saw this and fainted, they couldn't believe they had seen Pinkie Pie and Applejack again after years, much less Princess Twilight Sparkle. Mrs. Cake stepped ahead of the group, tears falling down her face as her lips trembled. "Pound Cake!" She cried, hoping some cruel guard from Canterlot didn't have her little colt. "Pumpkin Cake!" She cried again, tears making it impossible for her to see anything.

Twilight looked around, wanting to find the two for their sakes, and their mothers. But she didn't have to as Pinkie Pie jumped up with a hoof pointed towards just the place they wanted to be, Town Hall. Mrs. Cake looked up, saw the general direction of Pinkie's hoof, and ran. The group followed, and Twilight watched as Rainbow Dash and Thunderlane sped by, their group on the ground following underneath them. Apparently Pound Cake was at Town Hall too.

The crowd froze at the sight, ponies mumbles surrounding them as magic buzzed in their ears. But they couldn't care, especially not Pinkie Pie who wore the dumbest, sweetest smile and Mrs. Cake whose wide eyes were full of tears rolling down her face as her head shook, her lips trembling.

"Daddy!" Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake shouted up at the stallion who was holding them, wrapping his hooves tight around his foals. Tears were already blurring his vision as he looked down at them, seeing the two foals his beautiful wife gave birth to after years of not seeing them. He didn't think the smile on his face would ever leave.

Though fear struck him as he didn't notice the growing crowd of ponies around him, and not even the group right in front of him that held the Elements of Harmony. He looked down at the two, wondering why they possibly wouldn't be with their mother and only getting negative scenarios. "Why are you two here? Where's your mother?" He asked worriedly, searching the two through the blur of his vision as fear ate at his stomach.

The two smiled as they pointed right in front of him, leading his eyes up to a blue mare in an apron with hooves over her muzzle, her tear stained face wearing more tears. The sun washed over her and her pink mane, her eyes wrinkling in what had to be a smile of disbelief under her hooves. He didn't think she could get more beautiful.

He didn't know why she was there, and knew something bad had to have happened in the cult, but he didn't care. He ran towards her, seeing her and only her and not even noticing the pink employee he had five years ago. He pounced his wife in a hug, kissing her hard as Pound Cake flew over to them, Pumpkin Cake appearing a few feet away and having to run over.

He didn't care anymore as he sat up, seeing her blissful smile of disbelief as she pulled him back to the ground in a tight hug. He hugged her back, tears spilling off of his face and mixing with hers as they laughed sadly, their foreheads touching. Pound and Pumpkin Cake hugged their parents, making the two remember they were there and bring their foals into their tight family hug.

"You're so brave," Mrs. Cake whispered to him, hugging her foals tighter to ensure they understood the compliment was also directed towards them.

Mr. Cake let out a choked laugh as he planted a kiss on her cheek again, feeling the dark armor he had worn as a part of the guard slowly be removed. "You're brave and beautiful, darling," he said, kissing her again and continuing to kiss her until his head felt light.

After what felt like forever, she allowed him to sit up and help her up. "Why are you here?" He asked, wiping the tears off his face and remembering why he hadn't seen his foals or wife in years. They wanted to go with Zecora after she gave them her invitation, but Mr. Cake wanted to ensure their rulers wouldn't find them, and wanted to be somepony who could warn the cult in case of danger.

So, he pushed his wife into the woods with their foals and forced her into the cult, despite her and his foals protests. He painfully ignored it and went back to Ponyville. He also had Zecora promise him she'd keep the three in her cult, unable to leave in case they'd run back to him. After the months it took for him to calm down, he joined the Ponyville Guard, assuming it'd mean he'd hear more about the entirety of Ponyville and their leaders plans.

He hadn't seen his wife and children since he shoved them under Zecora's protection, and as happy as he was about the reunion, he knew it didn't come without it's reason. Either the cult had fallen, or... he didn't even know what else could've happened, but he knew it couldn't be good.

Mrs. Cake and the twins smiled up at him, and he wasn't sure it something bad had happened at all. "Something good happened," his wife said quietly, cupping his face in her hooves and forcing him to look behind him. His eyes widened as he saw faces he hadn't seen in forever, all next to the Elements of Harmony.

He gasped. "Pinkie!?" He asked, getting smothered by a hug and having tears ruin the fur on his chest as a response. He smiled widely and hugged her back, wishing he was out of tears and not getting what he wanted as his tears fell onto her mane. Though, knowing her, they couldn't even touch it.

Twilight took his noticing as a sign to let the growing crowd of shocked faces around them. She stepped past the Cakes and Pinkie Pie, the others standing behind her as she spread her wings and looked to the hopeful and tear-filled eyes of Ponyville.

The sun washed over the town, and she heard a comment from Sweetie Drops that she hadn't seen the town this bright in five years. Twilight stood with a puffed out chest, feeling the sun bask on her and seeing it as a sign that Ponyville was also apart of the world of Harmony. And she wanted all of Equestria to bask in the sun again.

The Crystal Empire

Apple Bloom looked up at her friends with wide eyes, the pony on her tail gripping with more than just his teeth to hold on. "I-I can't hold on!" She screamed at their worried eyes, trying to hold onto their hooves as much as she could.

Sweetie Belle watched the pony's wide grin on her friends tail, her friends wide eyes, and could feel her friends weakening grip. She winced as she used her magic to grab the knife out of Scootaloo's satchel and hung it over Apple Bloom's tail. "I'm sorry Apple Bloom!" She cried as she sliced through her friend's beautiful tail, the guard screaming as he fell along the tracks.

They easily pulled Apple Bloom onto the train without the extra weight, all falling back onto the platform. Scootaloo grinned and stuck her tongue out at the Controlling she could see in the distance, who resorted to growling and kicking the snow in defeat as she dropped back down with a crunch! She huffed, "We don't need to worry about some foals. They can't get back in the same way they came."

Apple Bloom looked up at her friends with a wide smile, pouncing on them in a hug with laughs. "I can't believe we did it! We're headin' to the Empire! Just like we planned!" She exclaimed, standing up with a huge smile. "We're gonna see our sisters again!"

The three cheered for what seemed like forever. The plan was done, the roaring train they were riding on was their evidence. All they had to do was ride the train north for a few hours and they were done.

They walked inside the train's last cart, smiling at the open space, the most of the boxes at the very front. They decided to walk further along the train, picking a cart with open sides, the red cart full of boxes as they opened the door, a roaring snow storm greeting them. Sweetie Belle smiled at the long expanse of just snow they were looking at. A blizzard roared over open land covered in white, the dark night sky meeting their gaze.

She looked to Apple Bloom, who couldn't keep a smile off her face as she stared up at the moon. "Sorry about your tail," Sweetie Belle said, looking off into the snow to keep from having to meet Apple Bloom's gaze.

"Are you kiddin' me?" Apple Bloom asked happily, shoving her muzzle against Sweetie Belle's. "I get to see my sister again! I could care less 'bout my tail!"

Scootaloo smiled too as she walked back into the cart, sitting down and wrapping her tail around her hind legs. "We should get comfy, it's a bit of a trip. Think it was three hours last time?"

The two nodded and squeezed into the space that, instead of seeing it as cramped, was cozy to them. "We're really gonna see them again, huh?" Scootaloo asked, as she looked off at the night that looked almost bright in the snow.

"Yeah," Sweetie Belle said softly, also looking out at the snow storm that raged around them. "I get to see Rarity's dresses again."

"I get to see Rainbow's stunts again," Scootaloo cheered.

"I get to see Apple Jack again," Apple Bloom said quietly before turning to her friends. "And it's not just them, it's everypony! Spike, the princesses, and Starlight!" She exclaimed.

A comfortable silence hung over them for a while before Sweetie Belle spoke. "We need a new name!"

"What?" Scootaloo asked.

"We need a new name!" She repeated before cowering into herself. "I mean, since we aren't really Cutie Mark Crusaders anymore." The others nodded as silence washed over them, the three sitting in thought as the storm roared.

Apple Bloom didn't get an idea until she started seeing the sillouhette of The Crystal Empire in the distance. She smiled, "The Harmony Crusaders."

"Twilight," a mysterious yet familiar voice called. "Twilight! Where are you!" The mare called desparetely.

Twilight realized it was her voice, calling for herself. Her calls were answered as a mirrored version of herself walked before her, red eyes bright. "Twilight," she said again, looking up at the purple alicorn.

"I'm here," the copy-cat spoke, picking herself up off the ground slightly with her wings, flying in front of Twilight and putting a hoof under her chin, picking up her head. "I'm always here for you."

The mare lowered herself before her, huge purple wings spreading out and wrapping around her. "I'll always be here... as long as..."

"As long as what?" Twilight called, her eyes filling with tears and a smile of disbelief on her face. "I'll do anything."

The copy-cat smiled, leaning down and kissing her on her forehead. "As long as you... promise me we loved each other in a different set of worlds."

Twilight jumped at the familiar words, tears spilling down her face as she looked up at the alicorn, a new, wide grin spread across her face, pointed teeth making up the grin as her red eyes shined brightly.

"I promise!" Twilight yelled, shooting up in her bed in a cold sweat, her breaths heavy as she looked around, tears springing to her eyes.

She sighed as she saw the crystalized room, looking down and seeing the smooth fabric sprawled over her, the light purple mocking her. She scoffed as she threw it off of her, laying back with a scowl at the ceiling. Her wings stretched out painfully, having grown over the many years. The crystalized ceiling sparkled back at her hateful gaze, just like the rest of the castle.

Every time she had visited the Empire, the constant sparkling was something she could never get used to. She got used to it four and a half years ago. It disgusted her, it reminded her of magic and her old castle, but there was a sense of unfamiliarity and mysteriousness in it.

She rolled over onto her side, glancing out the window at the morning sun shining down on a prosperous and happy city. She got up, stepping off of the bed and on to the freezing floors, shivering as she pulled her blanket back on her, walking over to the door and looking down on the sparkling town.

She sighed and sat down under the window, staring at the floor that only sparkled back at her like the ceiling. She'd been having the same nightmare for a few nights now, not that she didn't always have nightmares about that horrendous look-alike of hers from another dimension, but this was the first stream of nights that shared the same nightmare.

She was thankful Princess Luna had given up keeping ponies dreams safe, otherwise she'd know of her betrayal, the forever turmoil her heart went through when she slept. She stood up and started towards the door, not wanting to stare at anymore sparkling surfaces for too long.

The halls only sparkled back at her as she walked down them, though she was thankful she now stood farther away from them, though not much farther, she had only grown a few inches in the years. She was nowhere close to her height as an alicorn.

She looked up at two huge crystal doors, the triangles that made up the gems all caught the light in different ways. Crystal was a beautiful thing, an amalgamation of gems frozen together, but Twilight had learned to dislike it, it was a reminder of her failure, a reminder of what she couldn't do, and a reminder of what she hasn't done.

She held her head as she pushed open the doors, seeing all of her friends sitting at a huge, blue crystal dining table, all decorated with delicacies of the Empire they had grown accustom too. The floor mirrored the ceiling, blue crystal stretching cross the even ground and uneven, domed ceiling. Crystalized chandeliers hung down, holding candles of warm, smile fire. Large, open windows sat on the north wall, letting in the rising sun and lighting up the room. Paintings decorated the other wall, at the other end of the room held a similar set of doors to the ones Twilight was standing in front of.

She smiled slightly, hope blooming in her heart as she watched her friends. Pinkie Pie was listening to Rarity ramble as she bet on who would win in Apple Jack and Rainbow Dash's hoof wrestle. Fluttershy smiled and clapped, cheering on the two quietly as the two princesses looked over the group with motherly smiles.

Starlight looked at everyone with wide eyes, Spike doing the same next to her as their food sat half-eaten in front of them. Twilight walked over and took a seat next to Starlight, smiling at the mare's confused stare. "What's wrong, Starlight?" She asked happily, Starlight looking over at her completely.

"I just-- I don't understand," Starlight started, looking back at the rest before slowly turning to Twilight with the same accusatory look in her eyes. "You're doing it, too."

"Doing what?" Twilight asked, smiling softly despite how much she really didn't want to be smiling. The crystals still looked at her and reminded her of too many things she didn't want to be reminded of. Her heart ached with the memories, the entire castle they lived in was a haunting sense of failure. She didn't want to be smiling at all, she didn't want to be having breakfast, she wanted to be in her room with her thoughts.

But her friends smiles encouraged her to be happy, to be happy for them. "N-never mind," Starlight's voice brought her out of her thinking, she looked at her and saw the worried smile, but a smile at the very least.

Apple Jack and Rainbow Dash's hoof wrestle fell apart abruptly, Rainbow Dash's hoof falling on the table as Apple Jack pulled hers away, upturned eyebrows pointed down at the table as her green eyes sparkled. "What the hell?" Rainbow Dash asked angrily, growling at Apple Jack's depressed stare.

"Are you okay, Apple Jack?" Fluttershy asked, bringing even more attention to what had happened. Pinkie Pie and Rarity cautiously stopped their discussion, worried stares on Apple Jack and Rainbow Dash.

Silence hung over the table, everyponies stare on Apple Jack, matching her depressed stare with their worried ones. Rainbow Dash slammed a hoof on the table, standing up in her chair and furiously looking down at Apple Jack. "What are you doing?" She asked angrily.

Apple Jack didn't look up at her. "What the heck are we doin'? Havin' fun, hoof wrestlin'," she cursed, looking up at Rainbow Dash with fury in her emerald eyes, worried silence watched them. She snapped her head back down, furrowing her eyebrows and baring her teeth. "We don't deserve it, and we never will," Apple Jack spat.

Rainbow Dash tried to fight back, opening her mouth only to close it. She growled as she sat back down, crossing her arms. "We don't wanna do it anyhow," Apple Jack said quietly, looking up at everyones worried stares. "We ain't over it, we won't ever be. Why act like it? We ain't got nopony to prove it to."

Everypony tried to fight her stare, tried to tell themselves she was wrong. All failed and looked down, letting her words sink in and the brutal truth that came with it. For weeks now they had woken up and tried to act okay, tried to act like things were better, but they couldn't carry it over to the dining hall where they first saw the others in the morning. This was the first morning they had made it to the dining hall, and they all thought it would last, no matter the horrible emotions swirling around in them.

The crystals around them sparkled brighter, the room chilled over and when they breathed they swore they could see it. The crystals judged them for their actions, they always had. After losing, no, after giving up their kingdom, they had fled to another.

Everypony pushed their breakfast away from them, once again unable to finish it with the disgust they all felt for themselves.

As Fluttershy sighed, they heard a flash. They all looked upwards and saw Discord with a scowl, his mismatched hands on his hips as he lowered himself onto the table. "Oh, for Celestia! And I thought you bunch were making progress," he cursed, giving everyone but Fluttershy a dirty look.

Celestia was the first to fight his bickering. "Discord, haven't I told you to stay away?" She growled, hate seeping into her voice as she fought his glare. "You have no idea what we, especially these girls, are going through."

Discord snapped and appeared next to her with a bored look, wrapping his arm around her and looking at the other as if he just did his nails. "Actually, I sort of do, Celestia," he said, her name sopped with the same hate she gave him. He spoke as she pushed him away, gliding like an ice puck that was gently pushed. "I was there, remember!" He said with a dramatic move of his hands. He snapped and appeared upright again. "I watched as we lost Equestria, Celestia."

Before Celestia could rip his head off, the other doors opened, everyones attentions jumping to that direction. Princess Cadence walked in with a smile, a young Flurry Heart running in past her and sliding across the floor with a giggle. Cadence narrowed her eyes on Discord, "Celestia is right, you need to leave them alone."

She ignored Discord rolling his eyes. "Let them heal, they aren't going to jump back from a lost war," she said cautiously, hoping not to say too many emotionally triggering words.

"It's been five years!" He exclaimed, making everypony at the dining table wince.

"I-I'm sorry, Discord," Fluttershy said sheepishly, his stare calming her as he stared. He sighed and looked away, a pain seeping into his eyes. "I think it's just... a bit harder for us. We had a, um, b-bit more connections to Equestria than you did."

Rainbow Dash shot up into the sky from her seat. "Oh, come on! Don't apologize to him!" She fought, telling her sheepish friend and making her cower. "He wouldn't care even if he knew everypony in Equestria!" She spat, narrowing her eyes on him, he did the same in return with a scowl.

"He's just trying to make us feel better," Fluttershy explained.

"How? By making us seem stupid for feeling bad about leaving Equestria in the hooves of those... those monsters?" Rainbow Dash cursed, growling at Discord, all of her words were directed at Discord, but they affected everyone in the room. She slowly fell back into her seat, silence hanging over the room like the chandeliers once again.

Discord snapped, leaving without a word. Fluttershy reached for where he was, but backed into her seat and staring up at where he stood. She pushed her seat away from the table, and getting up, mumbling about going to find him as she walked past Cadence, leaving the room.

Luna and Celestia pushed their seats away from the table as well, walking towards Flurry Heart. The foal flew up and landing on Luna's back, a slight smile coming to her face. They walked to Cadence, "Maybe we should get back to training Flurry Heart to use her magic." Cadence looked up at her with wide eyes before nodding, walking out with the two.

One by one, everyone left, besides Twilight. She got up and moved to the windows, staring down at the crystalized town that sparkled in success, the success of defeating an evil that had kept the city trapped for years. She sighed, if only she could've saved Equestria.

And her mistakes now affected the wonderful city she helped save. Shining Armor, her brother and the prince, now had to stand daily by the northern front with a line of guards. And it was all because she couldn't protect Equestria. Tears filled her eyes as she saw the line of guards, standing just within the borders of the Empire to keep out of the snowstorm.

She looked away, turning towards the door with upturned eyebrows and a frown. She couldn't bare to see her mistake reach all the way into her brother's life. And whenever she thought of how she affected him, she thought of her parents, stuck in the capital of that horrific version of Equestria. And they had to watch as a look-alike of their daughter led them into the ground.

She shook her head, trying to rid herself of those thoughts as she started her morning walk throughout the castle. Her walk usually lasted until dinner, but today she wondered if any pony would be there.

She looked up at the walls, staring at the paintings and not the crystal. She smiled sadly to herself, she didn't even recognize the paintings, she barely knew where she was in the castle. She had always spent her time staring at the ground and just turning corners, she didn't know where anything was. The only route she knew completely was from her room to the dining hall.

She hung her head, staring down at the ground when she heard something crash. Alert filled her mind as she ran in the direction of her, tears pricking at her eyes in fear her look-alike had already torn through the Empire's guard and made it into the castle.

She turned a corner, adrenaline filling her as she heard another crash, running into a room full of grey armor suits, some gold. She paused at the sight, Rainbow Dash and Apple Jack covered in scuffs and panting, growling and sneering at the other.

"What's going on!?" She asked, the two's eyes darting to her with a softness that wasn't directed at the other. The two shot each other a dirty glare that weakened into that same softness before the tension in their bodies left and they sighed.

"We don't wanna sit around no more," Apple Jack started, looking around at all the armor they knocked down with a depression in her eyes. She sighed and sat down, rubbing the back of her neck. "We're tired of being sad all the time. We wanna do something."

"Yeah!" Rainbow Dash added confidently. She also looked around at the pointless destruction they caused and sighed as well. "We were too weak last time, we wanted to get stronger."

Twilight shook her head. "You really think that'll work?" She asked without thinking, after realizing what she said, she jumped. "I-I mean--"

"No, we get it," Apple Jack said, glancing up at her with a small smile. They didn't say anymore, and after awhile of silence, Twilight left, wanting to continue her daily routine of walking aimlessly throughout the castle.

She continued down unfamiliar terrain, trying to keep from thinking about how they failed their country. She walked for a long time, turning corners, walking up and down stairs, walking into rooms only to walk back out. If she looked up, she could occasionally see a crystalized chandelier threaten to fall on her and judge her for her actions.

She came across the library, a hallway she was familiar with. She smiled, hoping to find a book she hadn't read to distract her. She quickly found that walking with her thoughts wasn't the best idea, only because her past threatened to consume her.

She was shocked to see Pinkie Pie with her muzzle stuck in a book, books stacked up on every side of her. Twilight raised an eyebrow as she leaned over Pinkie Pie's shoulder, seeing information about military strategy. "Um, Pinkie?" She asked, jumping away when the mare jumped herself, wide eyes on her as her chest heaved.

Pinkie Pie giggled when she noticed it was Twilight. "Jeez, Twily! You scared me!" She laughed, falling into her chair with a smile and leaning back against the table. Pinkie Pie knocked a hoof against her head as she giggled. "Guess I got like you and got too sucked up in that book!"

Twilight blinked, Pinkie Pie even admitted she was reading. Twilight leaned forward, taking in the large amounts of books on the table behind Pinkie Pie. "Pinkie, why are you reading?"

Pinkie Pie erupted into giggles again. "Oh, that!" She said with a wave of her hoof as she continued laughing. "I thought if I got smarter I could come up with a super awesome plan to take back Equestria," she explained all with a happy, optimistic confidence.

It didn't take very long before that confidence waved and she sat down, a sad smile on her face. "It's kinda stupid, huh? I mean, I don't think many plans can get up past that magic wall and into the Canterlot Castle quietly."

Twilight looked at her sadly, her friend was trying so hard, and even understood the risks now. She sighed before walking over to Pinkie Pie and putting a hoof on her shoulder. Pinkie Pie looked up at her with wide eyes. "It's not stupid. Maybe... maybe you can find a way." She smiled at that hope that sparked in Pinkie's eyes. "Maybe I could help later, I haven't read much on... military strategy," she continued.

Pinkie Pie smiled sadly. "I know you're lying, Twily," she said, her smile comforting Twilight and her eyes making Twilight feel awful. "It's okay, thanks for trying to cheer me up, but," she continued as she turned around, looking down at her book. "I know you don't think we can do it, but I do! Sort of... not really."

"But I'll keep trying!" She fought. "I'll keep trying to believe in us," Pinkie said reassuringly, putting her hoof on Twilight's shoulder this time. "I'll be optimistic for the both of us," she said with a wink.

Twilight smiled up at her and nodded before moving away and out of the room without a word. As much as she wanted to be happy, she couldn't. Now she only had to try harder to not think of Equestria, but hope did spark in her heart, at least a little bit as she walked, Pinkie Pie's words ringing in her head.

She continued walking, on a new journey to find something to distract her from the looming problem looking back at her in the crystals. She sighed, maybe Rarity could ramble about something to keep her attention. Now, as she walked, she looked into the rooms, searching for Rarity.

She eventually found the unicorn with mascara running down her face, sobbing over lumps of fabric sitting in front of her. Her magic covered the expanse of the fabrics, lifting them up off the ground, her magic also encased a needle and thread, but the second she sewed she started crying so bad she couldn't keep a straight line with the thread.

Twilight ran in after her. "Rarity, what's wrong?" She asked frantically, looking at every part of Rarity to see if there was any real injury or any signs of pain. The only thing she saw was Rarity's dramatic crying which lessened at Twilight's question.

"Oh, Twilight!" She said as if she was just waiting for someone to ask. "It's awful! I thought today I could surely make a dress," she pouted as she moved the multi-colored, multi-textured abomination over to a pile of other abominations that seemed ready to topple over. "But I can't!" She said before falling on her front and moving her hooves over her eyes, crying even louder and uglier than before.

Twilight looked at the tall pile of dresses, outfits, and even just pieces of fabric that made up her 'failure' pile. And as Twilight looked at some of them, she agreed. "You haven't been able to make dresses?" Twilight asked.

"I-I don't know what it is!" Rarity cried, sitting up and sending her hooves into the air. "I've tried everything and I just can't make a dress!" She stomped her hooves down, the failure pile of dresses shifting as she continued explaining with theatric movements, most of which concluded with her slamming her hooves down.

"Uh, Rarity?" Twilight interrupted her, pointing at the tall pile of 'clothes' becoming unstable as it wavered.

"What?" Rarity asked, sitting her hooves back on the ground a bit harder than gentle. She followed Twilight's hoof and stared up at the clothes pile as it started falling on them like a wave. "Run!" She cried as she started running out of the room with Twilight.

The pile caught them before they could get away, horrible stitch after horrible design filling the room and drowning the in it. Rarity climbed to the top of the pile and gasped, staring down at the clothes with her mouth agape. "Disgusting! I'm surrounded by my own horrid failures!" She cried as she shut her eyes, looking up at the ceiling to get further away from the failed dresses.

Twilight teleported above the pile, pulling Rarity out of it with her. Rarity peaked down at the new floor and tears started to well in her eyes. She burst out in her ugly crying again as she fell down, grabbing some of the clothes and hugging them as they caught her tears. "Oh, I'm so sorry you're all so ugly!" She cried.

Twilight wanted a distraction, but one that didn't include her friends loud crying or her friends favorite hobby being reduced to a hideous replacement for crystal tiled floors. She mumbled an apology before dashing out, wanting away from that situation as quickly as possible.

She looked back at the room, wondering why Spike wasn't helping her and considering if that was Rarity's problem. She bumped into something, falling backwards and groaning at the pain of hard, crystal floors. She looked up at Fluttershy offering her a hoof. "Oh! I'm so sorry, Twilight, I-I was kind of distracted."

As Fluttershy helped her up, the only word she heard was 'distracted'. She smiled as she looked at the mare, not noticing the emotion in her kind eyes. "Distracted? By what?" She asked eagerly.

Fluttershy cowered into her mane. "Oh, well, um, um..." she started before sighing and standing up straight. She cowered back into herself at Twilight's intense stare. "I, um, just... the Empire doesn't really have a, um, royal garden, so I was just, um, wishing there were some animals I could take care of and talk to."

Twilight's shoulders dropped. "Oh, I'm sorry," she said after she realized what Fluttershy said. "Oh, wow, I'm really sorry." She only remembered the ludicrous amount of animals Fluttershy had to leave behind, once again reminding her that they left Equestria behind.

"Oh, it's okay!" Fluttershy reassured her with a genuine smile. "I was also looking for Discord, have you seen him?" She asked confidently. Twilight smiled and rolled her eyes as she shook her head. Fluttershy nodded and continued on. "Well, have a good day."

"You too," Twilight said as she continued walking, more determined to find something to distract herself. She ran through the limited amount of things she could do in the castle and quickly remembered Flurry Heart. If she wasn't with Luna and Celestia, she'd be free to play with! And if she was with Luna and Celestia, she could always help.

Twilight smiled as she walked and tried to find her way to the throne room, or Flurry Heart's room. She quickly found the filly wasn't in the throne room and started to wrack her brain about where Flurry Heart's room was as she walked. She heard a huge burst of magic and saw a larger than normal doorway up the hall. She smiled as she trotted there, seeing the gemstone design that surrounded the door.

She looked inside and saw Celestia and Luna covered in scuffs, both out of breath as they looked up at Flurry Heart who was walking on the ceiling. Celestia sighed, "Is there any point to teach her how to use alicorn magic other than keeping her from creating problems?"

"Sure there is!" Flurry Heart shouted from the ceiling. Twilight almost drooled at the sight of her pink room, most of the crystal as covered by something pink. A pink bed, a pink rug, pink paintings on the wall. It looked like heaven. "I wanna learn how to use cool magic like you too!" She fell down onto the ground.

"Momma says you two raise the sun and the moon!" Flurry Heart beamed.

Celestia and Luna smiled sadly and Twilight winced from her position in the hallway. "That was a bit ago, we don't raise the sun and moon anymore," Luna said softly to the filly, a motherly smile on her face.

"Then who does?" Flurry Heart questioned, the two alicorns winced before sighing.

"A monster raises the sun and moon now," Celestia explained, looking outside a window and sneering at her beloved sun she used to raise every morning and lower every night. "And it amazes me that she can."

Flurry Heart raised an eyebrow at the two, worry on her face at the seriousness that took over the two. Luna looked down at her. "We'll teach you how to use your magic to its full capability, maybe then you can let me retire and raise and lower the moon for me," Luna joked, the filly laughing up at her and smiling wide at the proposition.

Twilight watched for a little while longer, watching as they smiled and joked whenever Flurry Heart looked, but stared away in sorrow whenever she wasn't. Twilight got up and walked away, deciding those two needed the distraction more than she did.

Twilight finally decided some fresh air might do her some good as she started her journey outside, deciding every staircase down was a step in the right direction. When she randomly found her way outside, she found Spike sitting in front of the Crystal Heart, his new wings spread out.

She raised an eyebrow as she walked over, wondering why he wasn't inside the castle. "Spike?" She asked, approaching him and glancing out at the bustling town that seemed full of sunshine despite the gloom that roamed inside it's castle.

Spike looked back at her momentarily before looking forward again and slouching. "Oh, hey Twilight," he mumbled. She walked next to him and sat down, looking at the Crystal Heart and regretting her decision.

"What are you doing? There's more things you can do than sitting her all day," she said, wondering why he looked so... depressed. Sure, they were all upset, but he seemed more upset than the others.

He looked up at the Heart with wide eyes. "Just trying to relive my accomplishments."

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked, remembering that Spike was a super star in the Empire. Though as she looked out at the town, he seemed to have lost his fame. She looked down at him, now that she thought about it, she never really saw him in the castle throughout the day. Did he spend all his time out here?

"I saved the Crystal Empire twice," he said as if it broke his heart. She didn't understand, but she smiled, he had saved the Empire twice. She didn't know what he meant, but before she could question him, he spoke again. "But I couldn't save Equestria once."

Twilight shook her head. "You've saved Equestria before, you've been there with us when we did," Twilight tried to convince him, tried to make him feel better. He looked up at her with wide eyes, and those told her she couldn't.

He looked back at the Heart. "But I couldn't save it this time," he said sadly, eyes shaking as if he was looking at every different edge of the Heart. Twilight sighed as she stood up, knowing she couldn't do anything.

"Do you know where Starlight is?" She asked, hoping he didn't. If he didn't, she could force him to go search for her with her, getting him away from the Crystal Heart seemed like a good idea.

"Studying something with Sunburst at his place," Spike said numbly. Twilight jumped at the lack of emotion, she didn't know the last time she saw him this depressed back in Equestria.

Twilight fumbled for something to think of, something to get him away from this horrible reminder. She came up empty as even his wings sagged with his shoulders. She sighed, turning to walk back inside the castle, it was obvious being outside was a bust.

As she walked down familiar and unfamiliar halls, she looked out the window and saw the early sunset peering in. She smiled slightly, at least that meant she could go to sleep soon. But as she looked back outside, she noticed the line of guards again. She didn't know if she wanted to experience another nightmare, but at least she wouldn't be wracking her mind about what she could do.

She heard a flash as something stopped her. She sighed and looked up, seeing Discord floating over her with an unamused look on his face, holding her horn as a way to keep her from moving. He snapped again and appeared in front of her. "Fluttershy was looking for you," she muttered, thankful she didn't care enough to be furious with him like Celestia.

"Oh, I know, even after all these years she's the only one who treats me like a friend," he hissed at her before crossing his arms. He raised an eyebrow as she walked past him, ignoring him entirely. He snapped and appeared in front of her again, keeping her from moving as she looked up at him. "When will you, of all ponies, stop being so depressed?"

She shrugged. And she wondered why he asked when he growled and drug a claw down his face. "Oh, come on! How are we supposed to take Equestria back when," he started dramatically before he snapped and appeared next to her, an arm tossed around her shoulder as he floated over the ground at her height. He pointed at her horn and her crown appeared on her head. "The leader here is too sad to want to do anything."

"Discord," she started calmly as she pushed him away, raising a hoof to take her crown off her head. She stared down at the familiar six pointed star on top surrounded by gold designs. She sighed and dropped it as she continued walking. "We can't take back Equestria, I know that. So, I stopped trying."

He growled as he picked up her crown. He sneered as he spoke, eyes narrowed on her. "No, you just don't want to try." She didn't feel any guilt as she heard a flash again, assuming he left. She continued walking the halls until she came across the dining hall again, looking up and realizing she forgot they had dinner at all.

She wasn't hungry, but she wasn't feeling much of anything either. She assumed it couldn't be a bad idea to at least try and eat. Her eyes lit up slightly as she thought about seeing her friends again for the day. As much as she wasn't her old self, she still loved her friends like her old self.

She smiled as she pushed open the doors, ready to see Flurry Heart hanging from a chandelier and everypony too distracted with that to be depressed.

She opened the doors to silence, no pony was there. Her heart ached as she walked over to the table, knowing what this was. Some plates of food were eaten and some weren't, some chairs were pulled out and some weren't. If everypony was too... lost in their minds or too busy with emotions, they'd only eat if nopony else was there. It was strange how most of them had that thought process on the same nights.

She shook her head as she walked to the other side of the room, ready to head to her crystal room with its crystal judgment that didn't even help her sleep. She hoped, prayed she'd run into somepony on the familiar trek.

She didn't.

The idea of sleep was even more devastating, it didn't come, everyponies words ringing in her head. Pinkie Pie's, Rainbow Dash's, and Apple Jack's want to be better, in the idea that they could take back Equestria. Fluttershy's missing home, Rarity's inability to do what she loves, Spike's disappointment in himself. And it was all concluded with Discord's desparate attempt to help her believe, to push her to want to create some type of plan. All with her saying it wasn't possible.

Tears filled her eyes as she looked up at the dark crystals of the roof, the night sky outside was calm. And as she shut her eyes, she knew this would be just another day in the Empire. Another day from home, another day with the haunting memories of her failure, another day of those empty emotions filling her to the brim.

She sighed, she had given up on praying for something to change, for something to happen on these 'another days'. She knew nothing would happen, and she wondered if she'd remember this same moment when she was laying in this same bed ten years later.

"Twilight!" Pinkie Pie screamed as she jumped on her bed. "Shining's got good news! He says the Cutie Mark Crusaders are here!" Her smile was so wide, her hair was so bouncy, and she looked like her brightest colors, even in the dark.

Twilight shook her head as she sat up, rubbing her head and wondering if her nightmares were just starting to get worse. "What?" She asked as she heard Rarity's scream of joy from across the castle.