Warriors of Magic

Twilight and Starlight were in the middle of the library in the Castle of Friendship where they were working on the mirror portal.

"Twilight, are you sure this is a good idea? I don't think we should be messing with something so old," Starlight said out of worry.

"Don't worry, Starlight. I've been studying this portal since I first went through a year ago," Twilight dismissed. "We'll be fine I promise, okay? Now, is everything ready on your side?"

Starlight nodded. "Yeah, it's all set over here."

"Okay, good." Twilight went over her checklist. "Okay, that's the last thing. All we have to do is turn it on. We should be coming out of the pond in the school's garden instead of the statue." Twilight trotted over to the power source and ignited her horn, turning the machine on, missing the slight flicker in the mirror.

Twilight turned to Starlight. "Ready to go? " she asked with a smile and getting one in return.

"You first, your highness," Starlight replied while in a mock bow.

"Ha ha, very funny." Twilight walked through the mirror with Starlight following close behind. The moment they made it through there was a flash from the portal before it exploded, vaporizing everything in the room.

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The skies were a sullen grey as a procession marched through the streets of Ponyville. Headed to a large field for the unveiling of a new statue, it was headed by the remaining Elements of Harmony, Discord, Trixie, Shining Armor, and even the princesses themselves. It had been two years since the disappearance of their friends, and finally the statue that had been commissioned for their deaths was finished. Standing at just over 12 feet tall, the covered sculptured towered over everything in its vicinity.

Princess Celestia approached the platform which was set up next to the creation. "Today we commemorate the deaths of two great ponies, my faithful student and fellow princess, Twilight Sparkle, as well as one of her closest friends, Starlight Glimmer. We owe our lives to both of them, as if it were not for them, Equestria would have fallen countless times by now." Celestia sighed as she closed her eyes and lit up her horn. The next thing t5he ponies saw was the cover of the statue falling away, revealing the large cast of the two lost ponies. Forever frozen in time, the statue portrayed the two friends in a hug, never being able to leave each other's side.

Lost amongst the crowd of ponies, a certain pink pony's tail started to shake. "Ahhhhhh twitcha-twitch! Twitcha-twitch!" Pinkie shouted.

Rainbow quickly turned to her. "Pinkie what are you doing? Quiet!"

"I can't help it! My tail's a-twitchin'!" Pinkie exclaimed.

Everyone in the crowd who knew what that meant quickly turned their heads skyward, looking for whatever could be causing the party pony's tail to be going crazy.

Suddenly a random voice called out and pointed a hoof skywards. "There it is!"

Following the voice, the crowd gasped. A large fireball barreled through the cloud layer. However, almost as soon as it broke through, the fire died out, giving way to a strange machine larger than any sky carriage. Its unique form looked like an almost solid brick of metal that glinted from what little sunlight peeked through the clouds. Supported on either side by a set of giant wings were two thinner blocks, which seemed to howl as the machine got closer. Towards the rear of the contraption was a set of two smaller wings that then dropped down to sharp points.

As the ship got closer and closer, ponies among the crowd panicked, calling out warnings to run, to escape the falling device. All of a sudden the rear of the machine swung out and the entire thing began to hover, before slowly dropping to the ground, far beyond the statue. Kicking up massive clouds of dust as it neared, ponies had to shield their eyes as it lowered, before finally slamming into the ground after legs appeared from the bottom. Before any pony could react, the entire thing shut off and a door on the side of the ship opened up.

A large bipedal creature stepped out of the side and was quickly joined by several others. Covered from head to toe in odd-looking armor, the creatures stood on average at least 6 feet. Two of the creatures broke from the group, one of which sprouted a familiar pair of bright purple wings. As the two creatures neared, they took off their helmets, letting familiar colored hair fall away down their backs and revealing them to be wearing large smiles.

One of the creatures let out a sigh before finally speaking. "We're home."

The voice from the creature struck the crowd before a pink blur shot out and latched to the front of the one with wings.

"Twilight! You're finally back!" Pinkie yelled out before the rest of the ponies screamed out all at once. "TWILIGHT?!"

The smile on the creature revealed to be Twilight widened as her closest friends and family rushed over, several of whom joined Pinkie in the crushing hug before letting her go and taking a step back.

"Where were you?!" yelled Rainbow.

"We thought ya died, Twlight!" said Applejack.

"Twilight, what is with that dreadful clothing you're wearing?" asked Rarity.

"My faithful student, what have you been doing these past years?" inquired Celestia.

"Well, for one thing, Starlight and I have been fighting for our fuckin lives," Twilight replied, before gesturing for Starlight to join her.

"Oh, Twilight, language!" scolded Rarity.

"Huh? Oh right, I forgot how much foul language was taboo here. When you eat, breathe, and live alongside those in the military, cursing becomes a skill in its own right," Twilight replied with a chuckle that Starlight joined her in.

"I still remember that time you yelled 'Suck Celestias right teat, you cunt monkeys!' while in training," Starlight put in, getting a laugh out of Twilight and causing Celestia to blush and the rest of their friends to gasp.

"Twilight, dear, what happened to you out there?" Rarity questioned.

Twilight and Starlight both looked to Rarity with a flat look on their faces. "War, Rarity. War happened," Twilight replied before looking away as her stomach grumbled. "Now, can we get something to eat? I'm fucking starving. I haven't had anything to eat for the past two months besides some cheap-ass MREs."

At this exclamation, the crowd gasps again. "Twilight, must you curse so much?" Celestia asked.

"Sorry, Princess, we're just used to it at this point," Twilight replied sheepishly.

"All right, but please refrain from cursing when it isn't needed," Celestia said.

"I understand, Princess," Twilight nods before turning to Pinkie.
"So, Pinkie, you got anything for us?"

"Of course, Twilight!" Pinkie exclaims. "Follow me and we'll get that tummy of yours filled no problem." Pinkie trotted off through the crowd, who parted to get out of their way, quickly followed by Twilight and Starlight.

"Pinkie, how has everything been around here?" inquired Starlight.

"Oh, it's been great! While ponies were sad when you disappeared, they've gotten over it by now and they're all happy again! Mostly." Pinkie's hair straightened with that last word before quickly poofing back up. "But that hasn't kept a smile from my face! I've been keeping your castle clean while you've been gone so you have a place for you and your friends to sleep!"

Twilight's face broke into a smile before contorting in confusion. "But how did you know we were coming back?"

"Oh, that's easy, I knew you would never disappear and NOT find a way to get back home!" Pinkie exclaims as she finally reaches the door of Sugar Cube Corner, the Gingerbread-styled house not having changed in the two years Twilight and Starlight were gone.

Pinkie opens the door letting Twilight and Starlight in. "Go take a seat and I'll grab you some cake!" Pinkie says before disappearing behind the counter.

Twilight, Starlight, and all of their old friends squeeze into a booth. "So, Twilight, what have you been up to all this time?" Shining asks as Pinkie returns with the cake and giving out a serving to everyone at the table.

"Oh, you wouldn't believe what we've been through. It all started we exited that damned portal...."